lily lotus goes online

momi from lily lotus shared some good news last week - the launch of her online shop! perfect timing with the end of the holiday crunch and the beginning of the new year (resolutions, anyone?). anyhoo, you have got to love the multi-functionality of the collection since all the pieces can go from yoga & pilates to running around town & lounging at home.

and here's a little motivation to get you going . . . free shipping through 2007!

• secret code: ship07 (enter at checkout)
• expires: dec 31st, 2007

mahalo momi!

mele kalikimaka

i'm away celebrating the holidays with family & friends so it will be a little quiet around here for the next few days but i wanted to wish everyone a very happy xmas/holidays/solstice/kwanzaa/(belated) hanukkah.

anyhoo, hope you received everything you wished for this year and are surrounded by twinkly lights, ono food & the aloha spirit wherever you may be!

no. 1 - goodsearch

here's a way to be an online philanthropist without tapping into your bank account. one of the neatest search engines to pop up is goodsearch (powered by yahoo!) which donates 50% of their ad revenue to charity (about a penny per search). it may not sound like much but over time it does add up.

it's pretty easy to use. just go to their homepage, select a charity, and then goodsearch away. there are a number of hawaii organizations listed or, if you can't find your favorite, submit them for approval. in the name of research, you can even take a peek at the number of clicks and the amount raised for a specific charity. and to make life a bit easier, download goodsearch to your toolbar so it is always ready for your next search.

no. 2 - gone for good

the saying one man's trash is another one's treasure especially holds true for non-profits. the volunteer hawaii website has a most wanted list posted by island charities and the wished for items range from the ordinary (computer keyboards, backpacks, musical instruments) to the curious (gravel, compost material, water catchment equipment).

got something languishing in your garage that you just know would be useful somewhere else? post your potential donations online and wait for a match to contact you.

click here to take a peek at the wish list.

5-0 magazine roundup

here's one last ditch effort to save you from the madness that will be the mall this weekend with a few magazine subscription ideas for the style mavens & surfers on your gift list.

smart made its debut a few years ago as a lifestyle glossie for island fashionistas. flip through its pages to find out what's hot in hawaii and get the scoop on the local designers & shop proprietors on a mission to bring more style to the islands.

it's truly surprising that even though hawaii is the birthplace of surfing that not one surf magazine called hawaii home until nalu hit the newsstands a few years back. it's filled with tons of slick photos with an emphasis on local surfers who are making waves around the world.

and you gotta love how both publishers show a little island pride on the covers of their magazines!

{update | jan 2010: smart magazine folded in 2009 and nalu underground stopped publishing in 2008}