goody bottle

custom soda snacks

the toast team recently rolled out a monogram option for their custom soda snack line which is such a cute idea for a wedding favor. fillings range from sweet to savory and include local favorites like iso peanuts, arare and li hing gummies for a more modern take on the small kid time treats that were scooped out of those gigantic apothecary jars at island sweet shops.

and, if you are determined to work the official wedding color into every little detail, you can opt for m&m's and jelly bellys to further coordinate your wedding decor.

minimum order is 15 bottles. get the skinny on custom orders here.

click rewind to learn more about toast.

sweet nothings - take three

1 - once a year, big island candies bakes up heart shaped versions of their yummy chocolate dipped macadamia nut shortbread cookies. 

2 - flowers are a valentine's standby so mix it up and send your sweetie an organic bouquet this year. upcountry protea specializes in the prehistoric bloom grown the way mother nature intended (fyi - valentine order deadline is mon, feb 11th. pick up the phone to score a 10% kama'aina discount).

3 - island grown chocolate is the secret ingredient of sweet paradise chocolatier. indulge your love with a sweet offering of mango mojito and kona cafe mocha truffles and discover why the big island chocolate maker won a blue ribbon at the 2007 kona chocolate festival.

4 - sometimes a simple message says it best à la joie studio's letterpress love note (fyi - these have been selling out so you may need to convo tina to place an order).

sweet nothings - take one

avoid the last minute valentine's scramble with a few hi + lo gift ideas for your sweetheart!

1 - the toast team has re-released their much loved apple of my eye snack filled with mini heart shaped sugar cookies from hokulani bake shop.

2 - spoil the man in your life with sig zane's pua makalae pullover aloha shirt.

3 - you can't buy love, but your sweetie will surely think of you every time she opens her luxe ha'ano'u leather wallet from sig zane.

4 -  at $1 a pop, individually wrapped heart shaped candles stocked in the toast shop are an unexpected and budget friendly love note for all your bff's.

the mistress of scent

saffron james

what happens when an island girl moves to the big city and discovers her passion for perfume while making her mark as a beauty insider in the publishing trade? no, it's not the latest incarnation of chick lit to hit bookstores but the story of the big island's kate growney, a former contributor to style glossies elle, harper's bazaar & lucky, who nixed it all to become the proprietress of saffron james parfums.

during her time as a beauty editor, kate noticed few fragrances truly embraced the complexity of hawaii's flowers and set out to create a line with a sophisticated scented interpretation of her island home. the trio of scents mixes intoxicating notes evocative of the islands (ginger absolute, pineapple leaf, hibiscus) with the exotic essences of faraway lands (mousse de chene, yuzu, tunisian opium).

saffron james recently landed a coveted spot inside the beauty emporium at fred segal, but you can get your hands on your own bottle just in time for st. valentine's day via the sj online shop.

balancing act

malia

earlier this year, style blogs and glossies were abuzz with the brilliant luxe link which comes to the rescue whenever a questionable dining situation presents itself. the clever design is compact enough to slip in your purse and, when called into service, offers a simple yet ingenious way to keep your handbag off grungy floors and sticky seats.

it wasn't until my friend pointed me to an article in the star-bulletin that i learned of the hawaii connection to the latest hidden weapon of every in-the-know fashionista. island girl turned mainland entrepreneur, kalika yap, just happens to be one of luxe link's founders, and her influence can be seen in the recently launched vintage hawaiian collection. 

skull crystalcaitlen

alas, no island boutiques are currently listed on the stockist list, however luxe links may be ordered via the online shop. as an added bonus, online orders over $100 score 10% off the entire purchase by entering the code below at checkout (although be forewarned that orders are sent ups ground which seems pretty pricey to the islands).

• secret code: holiday
• expires: mon, dec 24th

click over to youtube to take a peek at how it works.