shop peek: hound & quail

sometime in the spring, happy news arrived that mark and travis from [area], which shuttered in 2009, had rebooted their mini design mart as hound & quail, a curated shopette stocked with vintage furnishings, whimsical curiosities, and elusive goodness not typically found in hawaii.

while i have yet to step inside, a few clicks around the website uncovered the most fabulous fare from card catalogs rescued from the library and old timey typewriters to touristy shell trophies and decorative letters. it's like the vintage section of etsy without the worry of shipping!

more lovely discoveries after the jump.

the proprietors' day jobs limit in-store browsing time so do preview the current inventory online and contact h&q to inquire about purchasing your favorite find.

• where: 1400 kapiolani blvd, suite a21
• shop hours: mon, 5p to 8p & by appointment

p.s. mark your calendar for h&q's next monthly market on sun, sep 18th!

fashion forward: alfred shaheen

the hawaiiana fashion house alfred shaheen has been enjoying a bit of a revival over the past few years with reissues of their vintage textiles making the home decor rounds. isla from soh inspired! recently shared the news that indoor and outdoor spaces wistfully waiting for lovely yet resilient island style can now be prettified with patterns from the designer's surf 'n sand label. duralee welcomed more alfred shaheen goodness last month with the introduction of the copacabana collection (loving the sophisticated motifs which remain quite modern!), and i spied a few tropical delights hiding in the abbey road and big sur offerings.

while admiring the fabric swatches, i noticed that the archives have also been opened to seascape lamps where you can illuminate your nest with a selection of shaheen shades. do have a peek if your home loves a retro luau look! since not everyone is well versed in mid-century aloha wear, i whipped up a fun diversion to capture the essence of the iconic honolulu label with a vintage outfit vs. modern design goods faceoff!

peek a few of my favorite fashion and design twins after the jump.

mini mum garden

the three tier mini mum garden ($290) meets its a-line doppleganger in this strapless lovely ($300).

kona tapa

love the handdrawn nature of the kona tapa design ($210). and the graphic sensibility of this darling surf 'n sand playsuit ($105) remains au courant with rompers all the rage these days.

regina asian blossoms

jackpot! i discovered the ladylike regina asian blossoms lamp ($210) has a deadringer in this très jolie cocktail dress ($69.95).

hooray for etsy where i truly lucked out sourcing coordinating vintage looks. the prices some styles are fetching are certainly incentive to go hunting through the closets of your fashionable mamas and aunties!

and, stay on the lookout for hawaii's alfred shaheen: fabric to fashion, a traveling retrospective which the star-advertiser reported is expected to stop in maui this fall.

p.s. surf & sand fabric sources include johnny mango at the gentry design center and housefabric.com which woos with discounted yardage (but beware high shipping charges to the islands).

{update: hancock's of paducah seems to be a better bet for online orders to hawaii. although a smaller selection of surf 'n sand patterns is offered, half yard orders can be placed & shipping via usps is an option.}

morning crush: pupu platter

look what i spied while browsing through re-nest's list o' etsy favorites this morning! how fun would these plyboo cutting boards of the hawaiian islands be at your next soirée? kaho'olawe appears to be missing, but still a darling pupu display for a luau, wedding, or weekend gathering.

made by brooklyn's aheirloom who is happy to customize the placement of a little heart to mark your hometown or favorite island spot.

$40 online.

p.s. mainland states also offered.

a peek inside general store

it's back to the west coast for today's mainland week discovery. i first happened across a mention of san francisco's general store in sunset magazine last fall which briefly noted shop proprietor & artist serena mitnik-miller's childhood ties to kaua'i. the carefully curated shop, which serena and hubby mason st. peter opened in early 2010, sounded like a little haven for design geeks so the mister and i made our way to its outer sunset neighborhood during our holiday getaway to the bay area.

the spare design of the shop interior combined with the handmade mix of merchandise was a pleasant antidote for my lingering winter cold. within minutes of our arrival, i was delighted that we agreed on the perfect clock (made in japan!) while i happily scooped up the elusive travel size bottle of jasmine scented hair powder along with a pair of pastel washi tape. somehow my wish list had magically manifested on the shelves within the tiny storefront . . . a very rare occurance for me.

with a few crushworthy objects left behind for another trip, i was most impressed with serena and mason's cultivated eye for thoughtfully designed goods. since we are slowly dispensing of no longer loved things in our small space, general store's wares reinforced our notion to live with less and fill our surroundings with well crafted designs that bring happiness to our day.

curious to see more?

wood stamp

malibu

i have also become quite taken with serena's artwork composed of minimalist wood stamp prints and quiet photographs of the sea. low-key and graceful reminders of keiki years spent exploring the islands and her adopted hometown of san francisco. (fyi: a current inventory list is available on request.)

for those not able to pop in and say hello, an edited selection of pieces from the general store inventory can be ordered in the online shop. and, bay area friends are advised to sign-up for the mailing list to stay posted on pop-up events and art openings hosted by the shop.

• where: 4035 judah street, sf
• shop hours: mon to fri, 11a to 6p & sat/sun, 10a to 6p

factory girl: jana lam textiles

you may know by now that i swoon for textiles so i was quite delighted when sandra from super citizen tipped me off on a new arrival to her shop. one peek at the gorgeous goods by honolulu designer jana lam, and i instantly set out to learn more about the maker of these fetching hand-done backdrops.

jana recently returned home to hawai'i after studying interior design at the academy of art in san francisco (with a career detour to nyc beforehand). after gifting her wedding party with handmade pillows and a serendipitous meeting with sandra, a plan was hatched to introduce an accessories line requiring a crash session in sewing and pattern making.

the lovely results speak for themselves. many of jana's patterns are grounded in nature, and the tropical motifs are noteworthy for their modern and organic take on traditional island florals and fauna. a hint of the approachable appeal of lotta jansdotter, one of my favorite textile designers, also carries through jana's collection. good company indeed considering the number of compliments my lotta tote receives whenever it accompanies me on jaunts back home to the islands!

join me for a peek after the jump . . .

fiesta flowers clutch

sea flowers * stream * happy snails * fishes dream

pillows!

sketches making the cut are carefully silkscreened by hand with jana and her mom sewing each and every handbag and pillow.

price tag starts at $42 for a small clutch and goes up to $125 for a roomy baby bag.

online ordering will be launching soon, but until then find selections from the debut collection at super citizen in chinatown and riches at kahala mall.

{mahalo sandra!}