hank's haute dogs

portuguese haute dog

upon reading that top chef miami contender dale levitski stopped by hank's haute dogs during a visit to the islands on 'ono kine grindz, i immediately jotted it down as a potential lunch stop for my next visit home. acclaimed restaurateur henry adaniya made his name on the mainland with his much lauded chicago restaurant trio (where dale once cooked), but decided to return to his hawaii roots and introduce a more gourmet take on the picnic staple.

the kaka'ako spot is small but modern with limited seating at the counter inside and a few shaded tables outside (adjacent to the parking lot). i opted for the portuguese dog since it seemed like a genius idea, however, it didn't have quite the right spice mix for me (i'm more of a gouvea girl). my fella ordered up a hank's frank, a chicago style dog piled high with onions, tomatoes, relish and hot peppers, and, after sneaking a bite, i wished i had one to call my own.

chicago style

ingredients are high quality so if a costco special is more your speed be prepared for potential sticker shock since prices start at $4.50 (our lunch of two dogs, onion rings, and a drink rang up just under $20). that being said, it was worth the price of admission since i amused myself by insisting we pronounce haute correctly (dropping the "h" à la français) and spent many an afternoon with my fella trying to decide if today was the day to stop for an /o ät/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciationoht dog.

daily specials feature house made specialties like rabbit, lobster & duck/foie gras dogs so take a peek at the menu before you go.

• where: 324 coral ave (at ala moana blvd)
• hours: mon - sun (click here for details)

get to know hhd's founder over at chow.

fighting eel spring/summer 2008

joey

the spring 08 collection from honolulu's fighting eel is posted online for your viewing pleasure. say hello to springtime with a juicy pop of color!

juliet

kate

pieces from the upcoming summer 08 collection which is rocking a subtle tie dye can also be previewed on their website. the s/s collection is not yet in stores so you may want to keep the stockist list handy.

by the way, if you haven't stopped by fe headquarters yet, this is a must for your "to do" list especially if you love a good bargain. the airy chinatown loft is filled with fe's signature super comfy jersey dresses and pieces from past collections are typically marked down 30% to 50%. and, if the stars are aligned, designers lan & rona just may be around to help you find the right dress.

rona marie's eponymous jewelry collection can also be found in the showroom.

• when: every friday, 10a to 5p
• where: 47 north hotel street (a few doors down from thirtyninehotel)

sweet nothings - take three

1 - once a year, big island candies bakes up heart shaped versions of their yummy chocolate dipped macadamia nut shortbread cookies. 

2 - flowers are a valentine's standby so mix it up and send your sweetie an organic bouquet this year. upcountry protea specializes in the prehistoric bloom grown the way mother nature intended (fyi - valentine order deadline is mon, feb 11th. pick up the phone to score a 10% kama'aina discount).

3 - island grown chocolate is the secret ingredient of sweet paradise chocolatier. indulge your love with a sweet offering of mango mojito and kona cafe mocha truffles and discover why the big island chocolate maker won a blue ribbon at the 2007 kona chocolate festival.

4 - sometimes a simple message says it best à la joie studio's letterpress love note (fyi - these have been selling out so you may need to convo tina to place an order).

sweet nothings - take two

1 - for the romantic, ginger13's birdie locket allows your beloved to keep you near and dear to her heart 24/7.

2 - midori jewelry just made it a bit easier to give your sweetie something sparkly by offering a 20% discount on designs featuring gemstones in shades of pink or red (berry spritzer shown above).

• secret code: bemine
• expires: mon, feb 10th

3 - moea's cowrie ring in pink gold is sure to please valentine's who swoon for edgy design.

4 - noelani designs' organic drip cherry hoops mixes pearl shells with colorful cherry quartz teardrops.

5 - sweet simplicity compliments of janet jewelry's pretty in pink briolette necklace. h|h readers also score 10% off online orders all month long!

• secret code: hapahale08heart
• expires: fri, feb 29th

and, if your valentine needs a little help in the gifting department, send a hint about the new custom jewelry design service recently introduced by tsang & mirai. simply select your favorite gemstone combination and in a few days a necklace made just for you by your one and only will arrive in the mail.

super tuesday spectacular

while the hawaii democratic caucus is still a few weeks away, here are a few online finds if punahou grad barack obama is your presidential pick.

1 - love and politics are usually a no-no unless your sweetie would swoon for a i want to barack your world valentine.

2 - obama mamas seem to be the new soccer mom this election season. show your support with style via this charming sterling silver pendant.

3 - lekker politics adds a much needed modern touch on a range of obama goods for tots and the grownups who love them.

4 - playtime gets political with a crafty obama finger puppet.

and, with the age of instant screenprinting, there is certainly no lack of tees emblazoned with obama's mug to be found. if you have something even more clever than combining barack with rock and obama with mama, or just want to declare the candidate's hawaii connection, neighborhoodies lets you create your very own custom obama tee

p.s. every vote really does count so click here to register (not in hawaii? find your state's voter info right here).