morning crush: kam hwy love

loving the mix of cheery old timey island imagery and modern typefaces found in the highway-99 poster series by ewa beach's everything is jake!

stripes + shave ice + happy colors = smiles

$18 online.

p.s. score a one week only 20% off deal when you like EIJ! on facebook.

beach read: moloka'i

growing up, my understanding of kalaupapa was limited to the occasional classroom mention and wandering past father damien's statue at the state capitol. then i borrowed moloka'i from my mom which turned out to be a beautifully written tale of how the dreaded epidemic upended the life of a seven-year-old girl.

the fictional story transports you to old honolulu and its inquisition-like investigations of the whispered about ma'i pake before journeying across the kaiwi channel where the inflicted were expected to embrace life on a forsaken slice of 'aina. and while tear-stained pages are inevitable, little rachel kalama stubbornly proves that happiness, even if fleeting, is possible in small moments of freedom be it secret surf sessions, teenage escapades, and unexpected friendships that blossom during an almost lifelong colony existence.

if you adore a good story, this is a must for your summer beach reads list!

p.s. there are plenty of copies waiting to be discovered on the shelves of your local library.

shop toast koi giveaway

monday skipped by before i had a chance to post the shop toast surprise which will be treating two readers to the darling handkerchief koi just released for children's day celebrations! this year's edition is made to cheer in bright new colors (loving the turquoise!) which can be reused after the wrap is unbundled and the tomoe ame rice candy tucked inside has been enjoyed.

happily, one koi has been set aside for an oahu reader willing to pencil in a pickup at toast's kaimuki studio while a second koi is destined to be with a reader with a mainland mailbox.

feeling lucky? carefully read and heed all the fine print posted after the jump.

Click to read more ...

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.

morning crush: heather brown x matsumoto

happy anniversary!

i'll take one rainbow with ice cream, please! for all the matsumoto shave ice fans, the iconic haleiwa landmark recently enlisted artist heather brown to design their super cute 60th anniversary tees.

m's and w's styles offered in a handful of colors.

$17 online + in-store.