bubbies ice cream

 mochi ice cream + smud pie

years ago, my cousin scooped ice cream at the varsity bubbies and after hearing all the raves from the foodies in my family we made sure to hit it on our next visit home. bubbies has set up shop online at the gourmet food mall which means you don't have to wait until your next trip to hawaii to get your fix of their much beloved (and o list favorite) mochi ice cream. 

there are 19 flavors in all ranging from asian tropical standards like lychee, green tea & azuki bean to bite sized tastes of tiramisu, pistachio & chocolate/peanut butter. and, if you really want to surprise a friend going through bubbies withdrawal have an ice cream cake sent to their door.

you may get sticker shock when you see the prices online but it does include the cost of next day shipping. bubbies only ships on tue, wed & thu so double check your calendar and remember to place your order with enough lead time.

big island pride

the resort collection from j.crew can always be counted on featuring a few pieces reminiscent of the islands, and 2007 is no exception with a super cute tissue tee with a sketch of the big island and the dreamy musings that you would expect to find jotted down on the pages in a traveler's journal.

since the photo online doesn't do the tee justice, in the name of research i stopped by j.crew yesterday to engage in a covert-op to snap a close-up of the graphic. if you dig the big island tee just remember that this design is only available in vivid lime or classic navy (the other colors depict other holiday hot spots around the world).

{update | jan 19th, 2007: if you had your eye on j.crew's big island tee make sure you hit the sale section to snap it up since it is now on final clearance}

volcano art center

watching her brother fish | caren loebel-fried

if you ever make a pilgrimmage to kilauea make sure you stop by the volcano art center which is located inside volcanoes national park. you can spend as much time wandering around the gallery admiring the many offerings from local artists & artisans as you will watching the lava flow.

they also have an online shop which carries a nice mix of artwork stocked at the center. my newest favorite is up & coming artist harinani orme who delves into the mythology of old hawaii. her work is currently featured in the bishop museum exhibit - pa'a ka la'a animism & totemism: contemporary expressions from an indigenous mind (whew, that's certainly a mouthful).

kahu mano | harinani orme

maui slowing the sun | dietrich varez

the volcano art center is also home to the complete collection (225 and counting) of the mesmerizing linoleum prints from dietrich varez (who is all about bringing affordable art to the people) as well as the colorful block prints by caren loebel-fried.

oaks hawaii new year's sale

if you have been very good and haven't blown all your holiday cash yet, click over to oaks hawaii for a huge new year's clearance sale. the entire fall/winter 2006 collection is 50-80% off which means you can scoop up screen printed tees for $20 and oaks' signature handmade skirts for as low as $35!

fyi - sizes and styles are limited so stop by sooner rather than later to guarantee your favorites are still available.

keiki fishtales

swimming menpachi halter + manini romper

you never know where a few clicks will take you in the vast world of the internet. one link leads to another and eventually you happen upon a lovely site like fishtales. you might not think that the combination of the 19th century art form of gyotaku and keiki clothing would work but it does and it is absolutely adorable.

the kaneohe company silkscreens by hand original gyotaku images on everything from onesies to dresses for little ones of all sizes. this is definitely going on my list of potential baby booty if the coconut wire ever brings tidings of a new addition to the family of my newlywed cousin who grew up fishing in the deep seas of the pacific.

{mahalo cliostreet!}