and the winner is . . .

alessa from hilo who will be enjoying the story of the descendants during her next rainy day read.

mahalo again to all who entered the giveaway! for a peek on how the descendants made the leap from the bookstore to the big screen, click over to the wall street journal which also shared a fascinating history of the old timey land trusts of hawaii.

here's hoping the island crew who toiled behind the camera receive a little oscar love should the descendants go home with a gold statue on sunday!

happy congratulations alessa!

beach reads: the descendants (& a giveaway!)

my mister and i finally escaped to our neighborhood movie house to watch the descendants on what turned into a blustery winter day here on the mainland. dear hawaii, your breathtaking beauty certainly shined on the big screen . . . a lush love note to our island home!

the story, if you have yet to page through the debut novel by kaui hart hemmings, juxtaposes two life changing scenarios - the impending sale of a land trust inherited by the ancestors of a hawaiian princess and her banker husband while the 21st century branch of the king 'ohana (a.k.a. the clooney clan if the movie trailer is your only introduction to this unconventional tale) deals with the agonizing wait of losing their adventure-seeking first lady who traded her heart to a secret sweetheart.

cue sticky predicaments.

read on for more love for the descendants + giveaway details after the jump!

Click to read more ...

happy hale*days 2011: keiki edition

because the best things come in small packages . . .

1 - tea party guests will be delighted when handmade felt cupcakes crafted by ooh la lollipop are served by their hostess. {$12; save 25% off on your entire purchase with secret code etsysale25. while supplies last.}

2 - charm your honu-loving little one with rockabella's tiny gold & sterling silver turtle pendants. {$25; save 20% in the online shop with secret code hapaholidays. offer ends sat, dec 31st. order by mon, dec 5th for usps delivery by xmas.}

3 - handcarved rubber stamps by honolulu's hugfish and orange will inspire crafty cuties to fill endless playdates with the sweetest creations. {starting at $2.50; order by mon, dec 12th for xmas delivery.}

more pint-sized possibilities after the jump!

4 - expect giggles galore when your early reader pages through wave, an enchanting picture book about a little girl's first encounter with the ocean. {$15.99}

5 - pua jewelry's pretty seashell bobby pins are a sweet memento of happy afternoons spent by the seashore. {email lauren to order.}

6 - screenprinted mini minis by jana lam will keep her most beloved possessions tidy and ready for her next adventure. {$30; stocked at aloha 'aina in waikiki, super citizen in chinatown & wings hawaii in paia.}

7 - little sprouts celebrates the hawaiian alphabet with organic onesies and tees. {$22 to $24; save 10% off in-store and online with secret code hapahale; offer ends sat, dec 31st.}

happy shopping!

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.

morning crush: bookplate stamp

while the grown-up me would be hesitant to mark up a page, the little me who daydreamed about the coveted sixth grade assignment checking out books at the school library would have made fast friends with this sweet owl & branch bookplate stamp from hilo's niko art.

$12 online.