lava roy's ocean adventure

lava meets sea

my fella is totally fascinated with lava especially after we paid a visit to volcanoes national park on our honeymoon. since then he has talked about trekking into the park to camp and explore the lava fields (which is why i made him watch man vs. wild's survival guide to kilauea).

i know i am off the hook for that little adventure however i also know that he would dig watching the lava flow into the sea. a helicopter tour is out and, for safety reasons, you cannot get too close by land, however it is now possible to gaze at the plumes of smoke as the lava hits the pacific with lava roy's ocean adventure which operates a unique sizzling sunset tour.

the owner is a coast guard captain who pilots a ship aptly named the protector. tours take guests down the kalapana coast to a viewing point of the active lava flow where you can be mesmerized by the work of pele from the relative safety of the boat. tours are only available when weather permits so be sure to contact captain roy in advance to find out when the next sailing is scheduled.

{photo credit: hawaii tourism authority}

a day in the life of stacia

escape hoodie

growing up in hawaii definitely left its mark on designer stacy johnson who after graduating from parsons refined her design aesthetic at calvin klein, cynthia rowley & j.crew. a few years back she launched her own collection, stacia, with a boutique in brooklyn which was shuttered when her family decided to make their way to the sunny surf of california.

to keep customers' closets stocked, an online boutique made its debut filled with stacia's space dyed knits (or, as stacy calls them, sweatertees) which evoke the effortless style of california and hawaii. it's vintage surf culture meets the kaleidoscopic patterns of missoni.

oasis babydoll + bungalow wrap

the lightweight pieces are perfect for layering and range from everyday hoodies to the ever versatile wrap dress. while the line is stocked around the country, stacia is m.i.a. at island boutiques so you will have to work your mouse if your laidback lifestyle can't do without a little stacia (and don't forget to hit the sale section).

learn more about stacia at stylemaven.

nine tail fox update

lone raven

unbeknownst to the nine tail fox design team, the name they chose for their company also happened to be the title of a popular korean soap opera. they recently unveiled their new website and, to avoid confusion with the show, buzzed me with their bold decision to change the name of their jewelry line to tsang & mirai (you can read more about their decision here).

fran & anson, who have been injecting a little punk rock style into the island design scene since they launched their company last year, have been hard at work in their honolulu studio and the new site is stocked with fresh new designs and their popular origami pendants and wood jewelry. i am loving the gothic vibe of the lone raven however if you covet something cute for easter do take a peek at t+m's bunny necklace.

the etsy shop has also been hit with the name change stick and will remain open for orders on an edited selection of goods. 

modern luxury hawaii

there is new lifestyle/travel glossie in town and its name is modern luxury hawaii. the quarterly magazine is aiming to fill a niche by targeting cosmopolitan kama'aina and jet setters who love food, fashion, good design & vacationing in the islands with style.

while i was home i tracked down a copy at borders and discovered an absolutely gorgeous magazine filled with editorials on what to do & where to go, handy dining/shopping/spa guides, features on notable locals (the premiere issue spotlighted momi from lily lotus!) and, my favorite part, the stunning photography. the hefty premiere issue weighs just a tad under three pounds since, instead of publishing separate editions, mlh
opted to print one side in english and the other side in japanese.

fyi - i did spot complimentary issues at pacific home (after i bought my copy. darn.) so keep your eyes peeled at shops catering to mlh's demographic (or you can always subscribe online).

spring beauty buzz

 

just a quick update with a few new products from island beauty companies. bubble shack has added a lotion line made of 70% organic ingredients including macadamia nut oil, shea butter, aloe vera and antioxidants like vitamins a, b, d & e. the super moisturizing combo is supposed to sink into your skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. available in 8 of bubble shacks' popular fragrances.

the shack also retired a few soaps to make room for four new creations:

• south shore sweetie: citrus blend of tangerine & japanese yuzu
• wilds of manoa: a lush rainforest bath experience
• rocky point rumble: chunky mix of peppermint, coconut, lemon peel & lime
• auntie aloha's hawaiian comfort soap: moisturizing goodness of honey, coconut milk, apple & oatmeal 

pure hapa recently introduced their luxurious hapalicious body wash made with shea butter, kukui nut oil & aloe vera. scents include white ginger, haupia orange & sweet pineapple.

the company also launched a small men's line with sleek unisex packaging. if you are still using regular aftershave it's time to switch it out for keoni's face formula which has good for your skin antioxidants like vitamins a, c & e plus moisturizing extracts of hawaiian noni fruit, ginseng & green tea.

and pamper your hair with justin's soy shampoo made with soy protein, vitamin b5, ginseng root extract & coconut oil. the gentle shampoo was created for justin, the nephew of pure hapa's owner, who is battling brain cancer with a portion of sales dedicated to the national brain tumor foundation.