let's go under the sea

wee gallery undersea

blik (of the fabulous polynesia glass stiks) is at again with their new wee gallery line. i know it's meant for the kiddie set but the undersea design is seriously cute. the hand-drawn graphics feature turtles, seaweed, bubbles & more which you can arrange any way you please to float up, down and around your walls.

perfect for the nursery or transform your bath into a slightly irreverant ode to sea life à la the oceanarium. the stickers are repositionable and removeable so when your tot grows tired of sleeping with the fishes you can pull them off and move on to the next big thing.

bliss lau - spring 2007

large pleat

while cleaning up the archives on friday, i discovered that bliss lau's website had been freshened up for the new year. bliss has always been known as a designer who had the ability to merge city style with a more organic construction technique inspired by the islands (and one of the reasons why new york magazine made her someone to watch back in 2005).

the spring 2007 collection features updates on the popular accordion style (be sure to check out the woven version in beach-friendly cotton canvas) as well as new designs like the recently introduced suspension tote which echoes the lines of the brooklyn bridge.

disco accordian

flora belt

bliss also has a belt collection which is designed to show off your curves (my favorite is the spring 07 take on the flora belt which is inspired by hawaiian quilt making), and, if you love what you see, you may also want to take a peek at her spankin' new jewelry collection.

{update | jan 18th, 2007: bliss recently emailed with news that riches hawaii at kahala mall is now stocking her line! they are currently the only shop in the islands to carry her collection so do stop by and take a peek the next time you are down that way.}

bubbies ice cream

 mochi ice cream + smud pie

years ago, my cousin scooped ice cream at the varsity bubbies and after hearing all the raves from the foodies in my family we made sure to hit it on our next visit home. bubbies has set up shop online at the gourmet food mall which means you don't have to wait until your next trip to hawaii to get your fix of their much beloved (and o list favorite) mochi ice cream. 

there are 19 flavors in all ranging from asian tropical standards like lychee, green tea & azuki bean to bite sized tastes of tiramisu, pistachio & chocolate/peanut butter. and, if you really want to surprise a friend going through bubbies withdrawal have an ice cream cake sent to their door.

you may get sticker shock when you see the prices online but it does include the cost of next day shipping. bubbies only ships on tue, wed & thu so double check your calendar and remember to place your order with enough lead time.

big island pride

the resort collection from j.crew can always be counted on featuring a few pieces reminiscent of the islands, and 2007 is no exception with a super cute tissue tee with a sketch of the big island and the dreamy musings that you would expect to find jotted down on the pages in a traveler's journal.

since the photo online doesn't do the tee justice, in the name of research i stopped by j.crew yesterday to engage in a covert-op to snap a close-up of the graphic. if you dig the big island tee just remember that this design is only available in vivid lime or classic navy (the other colors depict other holiday hot spots around the world).

{update | jan 19th, 2007: if you had your eye on j.crew's big island tee make sure you hit the sale section to snap it up since it is now on final clearance}

volcano art center

watching her brother fish | caren loebel-fried

if you ever make a pilgrimmage to kilauea make sure you stop by the volcano art center which is located inside volcanoes national park. you can spend as much time wandering around the gallery admiring the many offerings from local artists & artisans as you will watching the lava flow.

they also have an online shop which carries a nice mix of artwork stocked at the center. my newest favorite is up & coming artist harinani orme who delves into the mythology of old hawaii. her work is currently featured in the bishop museum exhibit - pa'a ka la'a animism & totemism: contemporary expressions from an indigenous mind (whew, that's certainly a mouthful).

kahu mano | harinani orme

maui slowing the sun | dietrich varez

the volcano art center is also home to the complete collection (225 and counting) of the mesmerizing linoleum prints from dietrich varez (who is all about bringing affordable art to the people) as well as the colorful block prints by caren loebel-fried.