aloha from hawaii

hopefully, the weather, unlike the wga and amptp, will cooperate today and i will be at the beach by the time you read this. yep, the only bright spot in the ongoing writers strike is that my fella has a lull in his schedule allowing us to fly home for an early holiday visit.

while i take a breather from blogging, you can look forward to a mix of island inspired holiday gift ideas while i am off scouting the streets of oahu.

have a lovely monday!

waikiki 2.0

can it be? modern design and eco-friendly in waikiki? yep, it seems aqua hotels recently unveiled hotel renew (formerly known as the ocean tower hotel in its past life) as their boutique entry into the growing green hotel movement. in addition to the in room guest recycling program, each room features a sexy dimmable lighting system (energy conservation, perhaps?), water saving fixtures in the bath, and housekeeping gets the job done with non-toxic cleaning products.

and, be still my beating heart, there appears to be a faux eames aluminum management chair in guest rooms.

amenities include a pillow menu, complimentary wi-fi, lcd televisions, organic snacks to tempt you in the mini bar, and the hotel gets bonus points for being completely non-smoking. geeks will surely want to play around with the in room computer/entertainment system that offers everything from netflix to satellite tv/radio plus a place to dock your ipod.

the hotel is located about a block from the zoo and is a short walk to kuhio beach.

introductory rates start at $149 a night through the end of year, and if you are planning a waikiki holiday be sure to inquire about the stay free package (fyi - work is still being completed in the lobby so be sure to request a room on a higher floor).

click over to tripadvisor for traveler reviews before you go.

weekly sales sheet

fighting eel + lily lotus

just two days left to save 15% off your order at ali'i kula lavender. also, sat, dec 15th is their final appearance for the year at the kcc farmers market. pre-orders for pickup are available so long as you call it in by tue, dec 11th.

• secret code: 1207
• expires: sat, dec 8th

on saturday, shop the offbeat holiday trunk sale featuring the tee designs of roketo and a mix of up and coming indie designers.

• when: sat, dec 8th - 10a to 2p
• where: illusions - 1372 south king street

cottage by the sea has been named the exclusive island stockist of etsy favorite hazelnut cottage. stop by saturday for a trunk show and enjoy 10% off the collection. meet designer jan avellana who will also be accepting custom orders on her hand stamped creations.

• when: sat, dec 8th - 10a to 4p
• where: @ ward warehouse

Click to read more ...

sunday night supper club

the season of giving is in full swing and here's a cool way to give back to the community. the ronald mcdonald house of hawaii is always on the lookout for volunteers to host their sunday night dinner club for families who have made manoa their home away from home while their children receive medical treatment at local hospitals.

families staying at the house arrive from the neighbor islands as well as from guam, samoa, and other parts of the pacific so the weekly supper may be their only chance to enjoy a home cooked meal. round up a few family and friends and savor your time together while whipping up everyone's favorite dishes to share with the ronald mcdonald 'ohana.

you can find more details here. and, if cooking is not your thing, do take a moment to peek at the ronald mcdonald house wish list.

custom giftmas

anje designs : tiny engraved disk

if you happened to catch project runway's heidi klum and hubby seal on oprah last month, you may have been one of the many viewers who became enamored of the idea of keeping the names of your beloved near and dear to your heart with personalized charm necklaces. luckily, the talented jewelry pool from the islands offer a mix of styles that translate this oh so poetic idea no matter what your budget may be.

i am loving the simplicity of the tiny engraved disk necklace with just the whisper of an initial created by anje designs. extra disks can be ordered when new additions are made to your 'ohana, and designer jessica crabtree also offers a dazzling array of custom styles on her website.

cherry creek designs : initial pendant

cherry creek designs also happens to be handcrafting pretty initial pendants complete with pearl accent in her arizona studio. turnaround time in designer heather gill's etsy shop is approximately one week, and orders of $50 or more placed by thu, dec 20th score free shipping.

hazelnut cottage : mama bear

alas, the deadline has passed for custom orders over at the hazelnut cottage, but there is still time to scoop up one of designer jan avellana's hand stamped creations featuring sweet endearments and secret messages. order 2 or more pieces in her etsy shop by mon, dec 31st and receive 10% off your order and complimentary shipping.