a day at the museum

hisam's elegant facade

we had a bit of an adventure finding the hawaii state art museum on our trip home (which i find a tad ironic considering i walked past the building every saturday morning in my youth). the museum opened in 2002 in the former ymca (and prior to that was the original royal hawaiian hotel) and houses a wonderful collection of work by island artists.

the walls are filled with artwork (herb kawainui kane, jean charlot & madge tennant are just a few of the artists represented), photography of hawaii's past & present, sculptures, and some of the nicest benches to sit upon and ponder the art before you.

our time inside the gallery was a bit of a whirlwind since the parking meter was ticking away, but even with the time crunch we managed to find a photograph snapped by my mom's high school chum on display.

a few tips:

• admission is free (but donations are welcome)
• be sure to check out the events page before you go (especially if your little ones enjoy art making)
• save time cruising the streets for a spot for your car with the very helpful parking guide

as for downtown, the museum's spanking new café by the folks behind kaimuki's town, while my lunch companions were underwhelmed with their selections i was happy with my salad made of local, organic ingredients. the space is airy and filled with light and, of course, artwork making it a pleasant spot to meet friends for lunch or grab a bite before you wander through the galleries.

despite our uneven experience, i would give it a second try considering they had only been open a little over a week when we visited and still had a few details to iron out. and, worker bees looking for something new for lunch should check out downtown's weekday quick service asap menu which sounded, dare i say, even yummier than the sit down side. check out nadine kam's review for her take.

{photo credit, no.2 : hawaii state art museum}

{update | jan 2010: the museum may be reserved for private events and makes a lovely site for a romantic wedding!}

tahiti imports

canoe pa'u

it seems like pretty prints are everywhere this season which reminded me of the fabulously swingy pa'u hula skirts from tahiti imports. this is the place to go if you are ready to take one of the most traditional styles of the pacific to the streets this summer. in addition to ready to wear skirts, pieces can be custom made from the shop's vast selection of fabric (many of which are exclusive to ti) used to make their popular pareos.

if you prefer something even more bold in design take a peek at this tatau inspired tiki pattern pa'u in the very au courant black & white colorway.

and, here's a juicy pop culture connection: don severson, who along with his wife betty lou owns tahiti imports, is credited with introducing the tahitian style bikini to the islands back in the 60's when stopping by the shop during its halcyon days at the international marketplace was a must for everyone from supermodel veruschka to jackie o.

hula girl tee + monstera poho bag

the honolulu shop is a favorite resource of local quilters who love the graphic punch the fabrics bring to their projects. the website is constantly updated with new designs and, of course, stocks everything from tahiti imports' famous pareos, pa'u skirts & monoi soap straight from the south pacific to fabric by the yard for you crafty types.

hina adventures

 

the saturday travel post is back after an unintentional hiatus just in time for summertime!

today is all about hina adventures, a company owned by two local girls which specializes in cultural eco tours of oahu. one of the coolest things about hina is that both travelers and locals are welcome to join them on one of their many explorations around oahu. this is a very good thing since i know more than a few kama'aina who would enjoy learning more about all the historical hot spots that are literally in their backyard but may not know where to begin.

hina owners ena & uluwehi spent many years as eco guides and their backgrounds include stints as a vatican tour guide and voyaging to rapa nui. their passion for the islands really shines on their super informative website which is filled with field notes about the various sites to give you a sneak peek of what you can expect on your adventure.

there's a tour for everyone whether you want to stargaze, pay your respects at an ancient heiau, or scout the island's terrain on a custom hiking adventure with the safety & knowledge of an experienced guide. and for the socially conscious traveler, twice a month hina offers their ho'olaulima community service project/tour where you get to roll up your sleeves and help maintain one of the island's sacred sites.

{update | jan 2010: alas, hina adventures shuttered last summer}

kealopiko

moi tee

good island design combined with the socially conscious choice to use sweatshop-free, made in the usa tees will always get my attention. add the kokua factor (i.e. contributing a bit of profit to community organizations) and you know why i have been keeping tabs on kealopiko over the past few months while patiently waiting for their online shop to open its virtual doors.

and although the shop is not yet open for business, a few photos of the line's native flora & fauna inspired tees have finally been posted to give those of us away from the islands a sneak peek of what to expect.

the talented minds behind kealopiko are a team of wahine who have a deep connection to the 'aina via their work as botanists (ane & hina) and preserving the he'eia fishpond (jamie). tees from kealopiko are a wonderful way to remain true to your island roots without sacrificing style and since each design is hand screened you know a little mana of the maker will always be with you.

kealopiko will be at the merrie monarch festival arts & crafts fair this week, the kokua festival next weekend, mamo (maoli arts month) in may, and you can always find them at first fridays in chinatown. check out their event calendar for more info.

'ulalena

that the stage show 'ulalena is brand new to me just shows you how long it has been since my last visit to maui. the theatrical spectacle has been described as a mash up of cirque du soleil (one of the executive producers brought mystère to the world) meets the mythology and history of hawaii and her people.

say no more. if 'ulalena is half as magical as mystère it will be well worth the price of admission. take a peek at a few reviews (here and here) for the professional perspective of those who are not easily awed by acrobatics and colorful stage tricks.

details:

• where: maui theatre
• when: tue - sat @ 6:30p
• tix: $49.50 - $69.50