tamara catz open house

oahu brides-to-be: finally, a save the date that doesn't require any work on your part other than marking your calendar. tamara catz has booked the coral loft in chinatown on saturday for a one day open house featuring her dreamy island inspired bridal collection.

no wedding plans? no worries, the maui designer's resort 08 collection (shown above) will also be in the house for first looks to one and all.

and if that's not reason enough to spend the afternoon in chinatown, confections from cake couture cupcakes will do its best to woo you in between fittings.

appointments may be made via email - info [at] tamaracatz [dot] com - or phone - 808.579.9184

• when: sat, mar 8th - 11a to 6p
• where: coral loft, 1033a smith street

at home with denise tjarks

hele on

designer denise tjarks has a stylish antidote for anyone who has hit her lifetime quota of oohing over kitchenware, candles, and cosmetics at a home party. handbag lovers on kauai can now gather up their favorite ladies for a private trunk show filled with selections fresh from the designer's garden isle atelier.

designs range from vintage to contemporary so all your guests are sure to find something to swoon over, and the trunk show is a sweet solution for island bound brides searching for a different way to show their gratitude to their wedding party.

vintage maia + kate

the reward for the hostess? a gift certificate which can be redeemed during the party or donated to charity.

click rewind to learn more about denise.

petite sweets

fair warning to those who have resolved to eat healthy in the new year: consider yourself advised to skip this post which has the potential to sabotage your plans ever so sweetly. cari from miemiko had tipped me off on the latest cupcakerie to hit the islands last summer, and i am happy to report that i finally had a chance to sample the offerings at cake couture cupcakes during my latest visit home.

pastry chef carmen emerson-bass, known for her elaborate wedding cake designs, is the confectionery mixologist behind the charming aina haina spot where delightful cupcakes are whipped up six days a week in flavors ranging from the traditional (chocolate & vanilla) to the unexpected (chai spice & orange creamsicle).

red velvet * egg nog * peanut butter

the case was almost bare when i stopped by in the late afternoon so plan on arriving earlier in the day if you have your heart set on a particular flavor fix. cupcakes start at $2.50 a pop and an even more gourmet selection (think decadent chocolate ganache, lemon curd filling, etc) will attempt to woo you from the adjoining case.

take a peek at the rotating menu before you go and remember custom cupcake orders are also welcome.

aloha harvest

i hope everyone enjoyed a lovely holiday! it seems i am still playing catch up with life and emails so finds from my trip home will kick off in the new year. since this last visit home was so last minute, i realized i never got around to sharing a bit more about aloha harvest (the oahu charity that was the recipient of the donations raised during the kokua auction).

if you are the one in charge of planning parties for work or play, read on. aloha harvest puts a twist on the traditional food bank by accepting prepared fare in addition to the usual canned goods and packaged food. no matter if it's a fancy catered affair or a big potluck with your peeps chances are leftovers will abound so here's the 411 on how to prevent all that good food (and money) from going down the drain.

once your event winds down, simply give aloha harvest a ring with the details of what is remaining on the buffet (fyi - you can also schedule a pickup in advance). a driver will be sent to pick up your food donation and will then deliver it to one of the many social service agencies who have partnered with aloha harvest so all that extra prime rib (or your aunty's famous lumpia) can help feed folks who may otherwise go without.

keep aloha harvest's number handy for upcoming new year's celebrations/sugar bowl shindigs and the continuous rotation of class reunions, weddings, baby's first luaus, and office parties (let's hope their donation number is on the speed dial of every caterer, event planner, hotel, restaurant and cafeteria on oahu who may still be sending quality food to waste away in waimanalo gulch).

click here for more details.

p.s. donations are also tax deductible

a twist on tradition

modern interpretations of the traditional origami crane seem to be everywhere lately so i thought it was high time to gather up a few designs for show and tell.

1 - adorn your xmas tree with these delicate porcelain ornaments from semplice.

2 - red envelope stocks this double crane vase which would be perfect for newlyweds who prefer to surround themselves with more traditional objects (fyi - the photo is deceiving as the vase is actually quite smaller than it appears)

3 - a new way to stick to tradition and still add a little whimsy to your space via oneupdesigns' origami crane wall decals.

4 - alas, grownup sizes of the paper crane tee have already sold out at threadless, but you can still gift this homage to the karate kid to the little one in your life.