pearl jam + hawaii '78

i finally talked to my friend the other day after playing phone tag since the holidays and learned that she scored free tickets to the big U2/pearl jam show at the stadium last month. she raved about pearl jam's cover of the makaha sons' classic "hawaii '78" so i went online to have a listen.

of course, someone posted video from the blaisdell show on youtube but if you want a copy of the song hit up pearl jam's website for the official bootleg (which is recorded straight from the board).

roketo tee house

 hawaii + cheer squad

if t-shirts & jeans/shorts are your standard uniform then you have to check out roketo, an up & coming design company from kaneohe. limited edition tees have gotten big in the past few years (check out threadless for a taste) and roketo is all about going back to the past to create t-shirts that connect with their customers.

yes, if you dug through your brother/uncle/cousin's closet you could probably unearth a graphic similar to roketo's hawaii tee that conjures up sweet memories of the 80's, but there is something to be said for a tee that is clean and free of stains and smells embedded since 1983.

here are a few more reasons to shop roketo: designs are available for both guys & gals, tees are sweatshop-free and organic when possible, and roketo donates a portion of sales to island non-profits.

roketo tees can be found online and at ma honolulu and sera's surf & shore.

lip balm roundup

there's a bit of an arctic chill hitting the west coast so i'm bundled up and yearning for a trip home to soak up the balmy weather. lips usually take the biggest hit when the mercury dips so i decided to do a lip balm roundup for some much needed moisturizing goodness all the way from the islands.

no. 1 - mama coco's has redesigned their packaging but the lip balm is still made from the same fair-trade & organic virgin coconut oil, unrefined cocoa butter and raw hawaiian honey that have earned it a devoted following. flavors include coconut cream, orange cream, real vanilla & vanilla mint.

no. 2 - a little lip moisture from hawaiian bath & body (aka north shore soap factory) should make those lips a bit more kissable with mango butter, kukui nut oil and vitamin e. take your pick of flavors: coconut, mint, pineapple, sugar cane, tangerine & unscented/kukui.

no. 3 - body + soul recently launched its naughty line of 4-play lip balm which is infused with essential oils and just a hint of color. and the product names are just as saucy as you would imagine: ahh/cherry, mmm/grape, ohh/melon, yes/peach.

no. 4 - island soap & candle works has an affordable line of lip balms made with macadamia nut oil, olive oil & beeswax. the tropical packaging and flavors like kauai kiss and island passion are sure to add a little sunshine to those gloomy winter days.

no. 5 - ali'i kula lavender transforms the harvest from its maui farm into a lip balm made with their very own lavender essential oil blended with moisturizing avocado oil, mango butter & more.

no. 6 - island herbal's handy 3-in-1 lip balm means you can match the flavor to your mood (pineapple, mango or coconut?). ingredients include aloe vera, calendula and hawaiian beeswax.

no. 7 - east coast tropics' kiehls-esque packaging contains a balm made of luxury oils and butters with a whopping 9 flavors to choose from (banana mango smoothie, coconut, guavaberry, kona coffee cream, macanilla, papaya smoothie, pog, rainbow shave ice, tropical chocolate).

let's go under the sea

wee gallery undersea

blik (of the fabulous polynesia glass stiks) is at again with their new wee gallery line. i know it's meant for the kiddie set but the undersea design is seriously cute. the hand-drawn graphics feature turtles, seaweed, bubbles & more which you can arrange any way you please to float up, down and around your walls.

perfect for the nursery or transform your bath into a slightly irreverant ode to sea life à la the oceanarium. the stickers are repositionable and removeable so when your tot grows tired of sleeping with the fishes you can pull them off and move on to the next big thing.

bliss lau - spring 2007

large pleat

while cleaning up the archives on friday, i discovered that bliss lau's website had been freshened up for the new year. bliss has always been known as a designer who had the ability to merge city style with a more organic construction technique inspired by the islands (and one of the reasons why new york magazine made her someone to watch back in 2005).

the spring 2007 collection features updates on the popular accordion style (be sure to check out the woven version in beach-friendly cotton canvas) as well as new designs like the recently introduced suspension tote which echoes the lines of the brooklyn bridge.

disco accordian

flora belt

bliss also has a belt collection which is designed to show off your curves (my favorite is the spring 07 take on the flora belt which is inspired by hawaiian quilt making), and, if you love what you see, you may also want to take a peek at her spankin' new jewelry collection.

{update | jan 18th, 2007: bliss recently emailed with news that riches hawaii at kahala mall is now stocking her line! they are currently the only shop in the islands to carry her collection so do stop by and take a peek the next time you are down that way.}