paniolo days

dresses were definitely not my thing when i was little but perhaps the paniolo cowboy dress from chase 'n sky would have changed my mind. the dresses remind me of snapshots taken of my family back in the day so it's no surprise that bygone era is the inspiration for the big island company who is resurrecting plantation style for a new generation of keikis.

the simple shifts are unfussy but still pretty thanks to the vintage inspired patterns and are just the thing for your little one to wear when you read betsy-tacy together. chase 'n sky is carried by a handful of kid boutiques including cupcake at ward centre.

noelani designs

malia + olivia

if you haven't been to first friday in chinatown then you are definitely missing out on one of the more bohemian things to do around the islands. one of the highlights for me was noelani designs (who just happens to be one of the designers who participated in urban pacific last weekend) who was showing her work at one of the galleries when i checked it out this summer.

marguerite

the pieces strike just the right balance between flirty and unfussy so people will notice you first then your jewelry. a few cool things to know is that noelani is happy to customize designs to your liking, and, if you ever have a problem, you can send it back to be fixed so your favorite earrings can live on to enjoy your next adventure.

secrets of hawaiian warriors

aloha from hawaii! yep, by the time you read this i hope to be kicking it on the beach and enjoying ani's sweetbread & papaya for breakfast. the trip this summer was way too short so among the things on my hit list is a field trip to the bookstore. until then, i thought a few readers may be interested in a book we picked up on the last trip home called lua: art of the hawaiian warrior.

if you fancy yourself a lover of hawaiian history, you may want to pick up a copy of this fascinating book which delves into the centuries old secret martial art that has survived into modern times. the book features background on the philosophy of this almost lost art plus legends, gods & chants, and illustrations depicting techniques still used by lua practioners today.

yummy honey

 

one of the first things that caught my eye when i first spotted a jar of volcano island honey was the label. the artwork was donated by dietrich varez, the noted big island linoblock artist (and one of my favorites), who must be a fan of the lovely organic white honey. in addition to the original honey, you can also savor honey with a ginger, lilikoi or lehua twist.

the artisanal honey company has been sharing their nectar for 25 years and it has been said to be "some of the best honey in the entire world". the secret may be that the honey is harvested from a kiawe forest on the big island where some sort of alchemy occurs when the unique topography and nature meet up with the honeybees.

volcano island honey can be found at specialty shops around the islands. if you're ordering online remember that there is minimum order of $40 to avoid a shipping surcharge or just stop by your nearest whole foods which also stocks the honey.

paddle away

more than a few readers will be happy to learn that 'oiwi ocean gear's online shop is now open. even if you're not paddling in the warm waters of the pacific you can get geared up with just a few clicks.

the retro style lanikai line isn't anywhere to be found but the pattern on the 'oiwi style (shown above) is a pretty replacement. you'll also find a nice variety of t-shirt designs to help you express your love of paddling to the rest of the world.