island crush: poster pop

a little design love for your aloha friday!

nick from everything is jake! recently printed up the very fun aloha 'aina series filled with cheery island pop destined to brighten up blank walls.

the foursome features happy hints of island delights: the iconic big waves surfed on oahu, the wintering whales off maui's shores, the sweet country life embraced on kaua'i, and the breathtaking adventures awaiting on the big island.

currently sold as a set which can be purchased in the etsy shop.

p.s. you can now find select EIJ! prints over at the greenroom gallery in beautiful waikiki.

new peeks: olukai w's mauka collection

holo lio * kaona * o laila

even though winter has been quite mild this year, a pair of cozy boots has become one of my favorite acquisitions (hooray for summer clearance sales!) every time storm clouds roll in and the mercury dips.

if you happen to be on the lookout for your perfect pair, last fall olukai introduced toasty designs to their w's mauka collection ranging from ankle skimming to knee-high. alas, the ladies must do without the polynesian flair which made an appearance in the m's footwear featured last summer, but the w's lineup still found inspiration in upcountry living while mixing in a dash of town bound style in each silhouette.

especially loving the gorgeous gray offerings!

shop online or find your neighborhood stockist here. (fyi: with the weather warming up, boot bargains are beginning to pop up.)

do you have a favorite pair of go to boots hiding in your closet?

and the winner is . . .

alessa from hilo who will be enjoying the story of the descendants during her next rainy day read.

mahalo again to all who entered the giveaway! for a peek on how the descendants made the leap from the bookstore to the big screen, click over to the wall street journal which also shared a fascinating history of the old timey land trusts of hawaii.

here's hoping the island crew who toiled behind the camera receive a little oscar love should the descendants go home with a gold statue on sunday!

happy congratulations alessa!

new peeks: fighting eel spring 2012

bora bora * moorea * poipu

ahoy mateys! stripes continue to woo closets of all sizes and fighting eel's spring 2012 collection is filled with the prettiest nods to this delightful nautical trend. demure ruffles, girly racerbacks, and the oh-so-stylish cutaway hem (just a few of the variations on offer this season) combine with cheery colors to make a convincing argument that stripes are the new style staple.

if the mere thought of welcoming stripes aboard your look makes you shudder, do consider that modern day interpretations offer thoughtful placements designed to highlight your favorite features.

oh, and many of fe's gorgeous spring styles can also be yours in solids for those not quite ready to commit to stripes just yet.

shop spring 2012 online + in-store. (have a peek and share which spring look made your wishlist!)

p.s. windward lovelies no longer need to cross the pali and can now shop at fe's recently opened kailua outpost. the bright and airy space (just a few doors down from lily lotus and the soon-to-open whole foods) is filled with pretties from fe and a handful of local & faraway labels along with a tiny nook devoted to keiki cuteness.

beach reads: the descendants (& a giveaway!)

my mister and i finally escaped to our neighborhood movie house to watch the descendants on what turned into a blustery winter day here on the mainland. dear hawaii, your breathtaking beauty certainly shined on the big screen . . . a lush love note to our island home!

the story, if you have yet to page through the debut novel by kaui hart hemmings, juxtaposes two life changing scenarios - the impending sale of a land trust inherited by the ancestors of a hawaiian princess and her banker husband while the 21st century branch of the king 'ohana (a.k.a. the clooney clan if the movie trailer is your only introduction to this unconventional tale) deals with the agonizing wait of losing their adventure-seeking first lady who traded her heart to a secret sweetheart.

cue sticky predicaments.

read on for more love for the descendants + giveaway details after the jump!

Click to read more ...