the owls are not what they seem

m's pueo tee + straw trucker hat

david from 'oiwi ocean gear sent me a sneak peek of their new designs a few months ago and i am happy to report that they are now up on their website. i love love love the pueo tee and am seriously considering making an exception to my fella's no more new t-shirts rule (he is always on the hunt for cool tees when we go home and hence the dresser drawer is about to burst).

there are also some new threads for the ladies like the kahala jersey which will add a little flower power to your paddle/surf sessions plus 'oiwi had added fresh swimwear styles like the haleiwa bikini and the pretty 'oiwi pattern which is now available in new colorways just in time for spring.

fyi - 'oiwi also does custom work so give them a buzz if your team wants to paddle in style.

map it!

5-0 magazine roundup

here's one last ditch effort to save you from the madness that will be the mall this weekend with a few magazine subscription ideas for the style mavens & surfers on your gift list.

smart made its debut a few years ago as a lifestyle glossie for island fashionistas. flip through its pages to find out what's hot in hawaii and get the scoop on the local designers & shop proprietors on a mission to bring more style to the islands.

it's truly surprising that even though hawaii is the birthplace of surfing that not one surf magazine called hawaii home until nalu hit the newsstands a few years back. it's filled with tons of slick photos with an emphasis on local surfers who are making waves around the world.

and you gotta love how both publishers show a little island pride on the covers of their magazines!

{update | jan 2010: smart magazine folded in 2009 and nalu underground stopped publishing in 2008}

'oiwi tent sale tomorrow

'oiwi terry hoodie

just a quick note to let you know that 'oiwi ocean gear is having a huge tent sale tomorrow. swimwear from past seasons will be marked down and i have been told that the super cute lanikai line which i posted about earlier this summer (and quickly sold out at athleta) will be 20% off.

in addition to the $5 t-shirt table, all regular priced tees & paddling jerseys will be 10% off and 'oiwi is also running a xmas special on their cozy women's terry cloth line (hint: you can snap up a few pieces over in the online sale section for 40% off). also, david from 'oiwi recently sent over a sneak peek of their cool new designs which they are hoping will be ready to make their debut at the shop this weekend.

details:

• when: sat, dec 16th
• where: 'oiwi's kailua shop - map it
• hours: 10a to 6p

clear blue hawaii

molokini kayak

okay, i'm not the most sporty girl but i love to kayak. most anyone can do it and you can explore areas untouched by land locked humans like a calm lagoon or enjoy an ocean ride without a surfboard. the only downside is that you never really get to see what's going on down below unless a dolphin swims by or a flying fish jumps in front of you.

then clear blue hawaii introduced their molokini kayak which has racked up kudos for its innovative transparent design. yep, now you can peek beneath the ocean waves at the underwater world beneath you without jumping in the water. the molokini is built for two and you can even add an outrigger system if you prefer a smooth ride.

blue sun solar backpack

clear blue hawaii also makes inflatable & folding kayaks plus neat travel gear that utilize solar power. the blue sun solar backpack would be super handy when you're on the road and need to keep your cell phone, lap top, ipod, etc. charged no matter where life takes you.

most of their gear is available at clear blue hawaii's website, via hammacher schlemmer, or if you're the touchy-feely type click here to find a dealer near you.

notes from paradise

coming home

have you ever flipped through what seems like every single greeting card at hallmark searching in vain for the one that expresses just the right thing for the occasion? more often than not i leave the shop empty handed so these striking screen printed note cards from binth are just the thing to keep in the stationary stash.

the artists behind binth may call chicago home but they have definitely captured the feel of a day spent at the beach. if you can't bear to part with the coming home set, keep a few of the cards for yourself and frame them to add a graphic punch of modern surf style to your home.

{update | jan 2010: alas, the coming home note card set featured above seems to have been retired, however two of the designs are now available as 5x5 prints}