modern hale

 chin timer * mr. honolulu wine opener * orientales

kona may not be on the radar as the place to go for decorating your space with the latest accessories filling the pages of design glossies and blogs, but it just happens to be the home of modern hale - the source on the big island where those in-the-know stock up on crush-worthy & eco-friendly goods.

proprietor zoe ryan decided to mix her retail background with her love of design to create modern hale which
opened its doors two years ago. lines stocked in the shop include witty accessories from italy's alessi (shown above), stylish reusable shopping totes from envirosax and pretty green bag (my new favorite carryall), art from indie darling amy ruppel, plus design goodness from chilewich, iittala, inhabit living, and the big island's own organik threads.

be sure to bookmark the online gallery which is updated with peeks of the newest additions to arrive in the shop, and special orders are welcome if you heart something from one of the lines carried by modern hale but not stocked in store (call for details).

fyi - orders over $200 score complimentary shipping!

• where: 74-5533 luhia street, kailua-kona (kona international market)
• shop hours: tue - sun, 9a to 5p

island nomad

luana spa retreat

a few years ago i read a very evocative story in the newspaper about living in a yurt (the article is long gone but you can read this one to get a sense of what it is like). the coziness of the round structure and the thought of gazing at the stars through the skylight completely captured my imagination. sigh.

lucky me, it turns out there are a handful of yurt vacation rentals around the islands! the luana spa retreat in hana has a yurt located on its property with a panoramic view of hana bay. it sounds like a romantic getaway especially when you consider that there is a separate bath house (complete with outdoor shower) and that you can indulge in a massage at the spa which is just steps from your hideaway.

click here to read the reviews on tripadvisor before you go.

there is also this fabulous yurt nestled on the grounds of the kona kine coffee farm on the big island. it is luxed out with all the modern amenities you could want and features a wraparound deck with views of the pacific and nature as far as the eye can see. take a peek at the photo gallery for a little tour.

kona yurt

there is a three night minimum so do double check your dates on the availability calendar, but that just means you will have more time to lounge on the deck and soak up the view while you enjoy the complimentary organic coffee grown by the yurt's owner.

thanksgiving surprise

i've been off in my own world planning for a thanksgiving that was two weeks away which really means i wasn't making any plans at all because i thought i had two weeks left. until tonight when my fella informed me that thanksgiving (and the upcoming holiday rush) was next week which means there are 7 less days to procrastinate. yikes.

what's a girl with no thanksgiving menu to do? give this little holiday surprise some time to soak in while surfing the internet to find all kinds of goodies to tempt you, that's what. and so i share with you find number one: a mac pie from the big island that sounds like a hawaii twist on the good ol' pecan pie with ingredients like maui raw sugar and all the fixings baked in a handmade butter macadamia nut crust. yum.

mac pies are so popular that the company whips up thousands of pies each day in flavors like original vanilla, kona coffee, maple, butterscotch & chocolate chip to keep up with the demand. for those of us who can only nosh on pumpkin pie if it's drowning in whipped cream, a mac pie would definitely be a welcome treat on the thanksgiving table.