Feb 14 
the sweetest valentine's day message compliments of the charming petite ebony hearts from kaua'i designer asia leong's adoré hawaii collection.
wear as a single pendant or rock the lariat design with its fetching cascade of candy hearts.
send a note to asia to order or find at hanalei paddler, cake in kilauea and nuage bleu in paia.
Feb 11 
meet artist heather brown as she makes her way around the island for two art shows on saturday.
the kealopiko 'ohana will be stopping by soha living for a trunk show filled with new designs and sale styles.
p.s. most pink, red and purple merch stocked at soha will be 20% off now through sunday.
if you are searching for valentine's sparkle, lily lotus is offering 20% off all jewelry including island style from debra mack and jewelry by justine.
Feb 11 
love is in the air which can only mean the valentine's day flower hunt is heating up. if you swoon for the artfully arranged blooms featured in the dreamiest weddings, yet ever elusive at the corner florist, do have a peek at rainforest if you call oahu home. floral designer and shop proprietor michael miyashiro creates the most lush bouquets and just happens to be one of the very first eco-sensitive florists in the islands.
now you know why michael was chosen to style all the flowers required on my wedding day. he is truly an artiste and his lei designs, reknowned far beyond the islands for their intricate beauty, are what first led me to his shop. our moms absolutely adored the lei they were given on our wedding day and raved about their exquisite craftsmanship. high praise considering the many lei they have worn over the years! our wedding maile (which we exchanged in place of rings) were each beautifully wrapped in a pu'olo, as instructed by our kahus, and remains the loveliest maile lei we have been lucky enough to wear.
but let's allow the flowers to speak for themselves . . .
a lovely pu'olo
protea pretties
ti leaf wrapped gardenias
ravishing spring blossomsi also love that michael looks to the stars to create birthday flowers inspired by your zodiac sign, and designs arrangements tailor made for your fella.
the rainforest 'ohana will be busy playing cupid this valentine's weekend so just know that pre-orders and pickups are welcome, and oahu deliveries are available for a fee. lei can also be shipped to the mainland.
have you discovered any more eco-friendly, indie florist shops around the islands? if so, please share!
p.s. if you are searching for more valentine's ideas, wander through the blossoms to find the perfect petals.
{photo credit: rainforest}
blossoms, gifting, rainforest eco goodness, lanai-garden, oahu Feb 10 
while scouting for effortlessly romantic valentine bouquets the other day, a click led me to agua de flora, a botanical perfumerie tucked away in a charming yellow cottage on maui. it turns out my stroll through paia town during our maui getaway last spring happened on the boutique's opening day, but, unlucky me crossed hana highway a few blocks too soon to say hello to the lovely ladies at wings hawaii before closing time.
although a visit to agua de flora will have to wait until maui beckons again, the shop already woos with descriptions of its artisanal handcrafted fragrance notes which can be worn alone or layered to create a signature scent. the petite roll-ons are au natural with each bottle filled with blends of hydro-distilled petals, plants and resins. the concentrated elixirs require a little alchemy but the old world process retains the healing properties of each plant to enhance the wearer's well being.
additional fragrance poems tempt from the garland collection's in-house line of perfumes . . . especially ocean flowers and its intoxicating mix of mimosa, neroli and tahitian lime. even more intriguing is the possibility to book a private consulation with ashana, the shop's proprietor and scent goddess, to create a custom scent portrait just for you. quite a besotting gift for your dear valentine or maui-bound sweetheart.
let's have a peek at the exquisitely packaged offerings, shall we?
kama'aina suffering from vog wafting over from kilauea will want to explore the vog away collection which is formulated to ease symptoms and aid breathing.
while the online shop is nicely stocked with many fragrant possibilities from the boutique, not all offerings find their way online so do inquire if you are searching for an elusive scent.
the valentine's salon on friday evening will be a lovely introduction for maui friends with the launch of agua de flora's newest elixirs including a chocolate rose scented delight.
the price tag for smaller potions starts at $23 with custom perfumes topping out at $200.
p.s. the romantic storefront is also home to the loveliest potted flowers.
agua de flora, beauty, gifting, paia Feb 8 
because sometimes the sweetest thing is a locally made, sugary confection . . .
1 - between its gorgeous bars, 'ono flavor profiles, and committment to fair trade & locally produced chocolate, my sweet tooth is already swooning over madre chocolate. no online shop yet but follow madre on twitter for the 411 on valentine flash sales happening around oahu this week! or find at sweet paradise chocolatier's kailua & lahaina outposts. {via honolulu magazine}
2 - the order deadline for bliss! cake pops is just hours away (6p hst) if you hope to play cupid and share the chocolate or red velvet mini dipped delights with your favorite work mates on valentine's day. {$27/dozen with a two dozen minimum order. $20 delivery fee or free pickup.}
3 - cupcake love maui bakes up petite treats from tiramisu to carrot cake with the most delightfully decorated flourish. {$36/dozen with a one dozen minimum order. $10 delivery fee or find at maui ocean grill in kahului.}
4 - the hamakua fudge company in honoka'a mixes in local fixings like coconut, kona coffee, mango and lilikoi for their sinfully layered gourmet fudge. {$9.95 with a one pound minimum for online orders. complimentary shipping over $50.}
p.s. today is the deadline to order the always 'ono and exquisitely packaged boxed treats from big island candies for valentine's day delivery!
cupcake love maui, eat, gifting, honoka'a, kahului, madre chocolate big island, kitchen, maui, oahu 
