honolulu chocolate company

chocolate truffles

hopefully, your love connection is as steadfast and true as the combination of valentine's day and a box of chocolates. if you really want to splurge, stop by the honolulu chocolate company at ward center and worship at the altar that is their chocolate filled glass case. their specialty is artisanal chocolates with everything from decadent truffles (on the last trip home, i sampled one with li hing powder) to chocolate dipped strawberries made just for valentine's to tempt your tastebuds.

if you can't get to their shop, an edited selection of goodies are available on their website however ordering is a bit old school since you have to either fax or call in your order. and remember that valentine's is the shop's second biggest day of the year so don't procrastinate if you want to treat your sweet.

aqua waikiki wave

on our last trip home, we considered staying in waikiki for a night until hotel sticker shock nudged us back to hale ohana. my inner circle knows that the w hotel is more my style (if not always in my budget) but even after attempting to find more reasonably priced accomodations that wouldn't creep me out via priceline, i abandoned my search and opted to take a day trip to kaua'i instead.

we may have carried on with our waikiki plans had i known that the aqua waikiki wave (formerly the aston coral reef) was undergoing renovations to transform itself into a modern boutique hotel. the updated rooms feature a flat screen television, dvd player, stainless steel mini-fridge & microwave making the rate (as low as $109 a night) a downright bargain considering the hotel's central location on kuhio behind the international marketplace.

recent tripadvisor reviews have been positive although do keep in mind that a few amenities like free wi-fi (sweet!) are not available yet and the spa & fitness center won't be ready until the end of december.

escape to the royal hawaiian hotel

if you have always wanted to make like a tourist and stay at the royal hawaiian hotel (aka the pink palace), you have 2 days left to take advantage of their sizzling summer sale.

penny pinchers may want to skip over the fine print since, even at $195 a night, your credit card will still take a big hit. deal with it by heading to the abhasa spa and splurging on a pohaku massage with your savings.

the devil's in the details . . .

• click here to book (offer code: tvlz)
• book it: by friday, jul 21st
• stay: aug 16th to oct 15th
• blackout: sep 16th to 30th

eggs 'n things

whenever itunes plays jack johnson's banana pancakes song, i always wonder if he has cooled his heels on the bench outside eggs 'n things patiently waiting for his name to be called so he too can join the pancake loving masses inside.

bet you're craving pancakes drizzled with coconut syrup now, aren't you? don't despair. eggs 'n things' world famous pancake mix can be yours with just a click of the mouse so now you can whip up onolicious pancakes at home in less time than it takes to score a table at the waikiki institution.

halekulani + vera wang = $$$$

if you have $4000 burning a hole in your pocket, here's a way to blow it all in one night (and, no, i don't mean vegas) . . . the vera wang suite at the halekulani. not only will you enjoy a lanai larger than some apartments, but you'll also have your very own private butler who can pop in one of vera wang's favorite movies for you to enjoy on the 50-inch plasma tv while you lounge around your 2100 square foot suite that has been decorated with all things vera.

in addition to all the vera wang suite goodies, a chauffered limo will greet you at the airport and you can summon the spahalekulani to come to your room. the halekulani has also designed an experience hawaii program exclusively for suite guests which includes your very own private tour of shangri la.

thank goodness for the rest of us that the view of diamond head can still be enjoyed for free.