don't be coy

koi pond notecards

my favorite part of going to ala moana as a little kid was paying a visit to the koi. a recent conversation with my fella had us wondering if the planners realized that the placement of the koi ponds in the center of the mall acted as an unspoken dividing point, a sort of neutral territory, if you will, where everyone could mingle regardless of whether your family shopped on the sears side or down by liberty house.

coy by palacepapers

koi in a fountain dessert plates emma gardner koi pond

no matter if it was by design or purely coincidence, my fascination with the gentle koi has remained with me since those long ago small kid days. for now, there is no space for a pond of my own but at least the design world has discovered that a little koi can add a lot of happiness with a dash of whimsy to your space.

maui underground

hana lava tube

the next time you find yourself traveling down the world famous hana highway, consider taking a detour to explore the hidden caves of hana where lava once flowed deep beneath the earth. the ka'eleku cavern, aka the hana lava tube, is estimated to be over 1000 years old and is believed to be the 18th largest lava tube on earth.

if you have ever meandered through the thurston lava tube at volcanoes, the hana tube is a bit longer at two miles and is tall enough to fit a 6 story building. as adventures go, the self guided tour sounds relatively mellow so you don't have to be an experienced spelunker to make the trip underground since pathways have been cleared and guide rails lend a helping hand.

ti leaf maze

and, for those who prefer to stay up where the sun shines, additional amusement can be had by wandering amongst the red ti leaf plants which form an island style botanical maze on the property.

happy traveling!

hot dog! it's a sale (or two)

pacific home

in·de·pend·ence
-noun

1. the state or quality of being independent.
2. freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.

here are two good reasons to take a breather from shopping the chain stores and support local indie shops this independence day weekend.

crave something fresh to decorate your space? hit pacific home for some inspiration (my mom loved these aloha letters when we stopped by last month) and score 10% off storewide. don't forget to keep an eye out for items on clearance which have been marked down a cool 30-70% off retail.

• when: thu, july 4th to sun, july 8th
• where: 420 ward avenue

the butik opens its doors on friday with a post-4th tag sale. scoop up irresistible savings on items marked red ($10), white ($20) & blue ($30). if you are new to the butik all you need to know is that it is co-owned by lan chung of the fighting eel design team and stocks many coveted designers from la, ny & beyond (think 12th street by cynthia vincent, mara hoffman, etc).

• when: fri, july 5th to sun, july 8th
• where: 1067 kapiolani blvd, suite a-3 (first floor of the public storage building)

have a happy & safe holiday!

north shore swimwear

it's no secret that most women hate shopping for a new swimsuit. the experience is typically filled with bad lighting, endless frustration, and witnessing the deflating of one's ego all helpfully magnified by an unflattering three way mirror.

enter the world of the custom swimsuit. north shore swimwear (which just happens to be a favorite of stacia designer stacy johnson) takes your measurements to customize one of its many patterns to skim your curves in all the right places. the combinations are endless (bond girl, surfer chick, pinup) since you can mix and match tops, bottoms and fabrics to create your perfect swimsuit.

and, no worries if you are unable to stop by their haleiwa shop for a custom fitting since the process can also be done over the phone. simply take a peek at the styles and fabric choices online, call to request swatches to review patterns/colors in person, and when you are ready to order give them a ring to chat with one of their consultants.

don't forget to check out the faq before you order to get the skinny on alterations, options & turnaround time.

{mahalo stacy!}

3 days to save at sig zane

sig zane's web sale just kicked off a few hours ago with deals on aloha shirts for the guys & tops and dresses for the ladies (many designs not usually stocked online). alas, no accessories, but with some pieces over 40% off this is your chance to score something from the hilo designer's beloved line without breaking the bank.

sizes are limited so click over soon for the best selection.

final call is 11:59p hst on thu, july 5th.