pualani 2008 collection

key lime

in only a few short years, the fit of pualani hawaii bikinis has become legendary among waterwomen (and movie stars) who prefer to focus on the waves and not readjusting their swimsuit every few minutes. the secret is a four-way stretch fabric imported from europe that allows pualani swimwear to move with you yet still retain its shape.

the 08 collection is now out in a tempting mix of solids and patterns as well as the introduction of a chic reversible design that is sure to win new fans for its appealing versatility.  

reversible black & creme * convertible top * tattoo

safari cat

the mix and match pieces are available in a variety of cuts allowing you to minimize or maximize coverage as you please. since pualani was last featured, a keiki collection has been added and last year designer iwalani isbell opened the doors to pualani's flagship boutique on the gold coast of waikiki.

shop online, click over to the stockist list, or stop by pualani's waikiki outpost:

• where: 2863 kalakaua avenue, suite 2 (at the new otani kaimana beach hotel)
• shop hours: mon to sun, 10a to 7p

emi ink invites

carmel + lani

it's all about the details for wedding stationer stacey shiroma of emi ink who mixes hand selected papers with carefully chosen embellishments and die cut details of her own design to announce your big day with the perfect balance of personality and style.

the importance of making a good first impression carried over from stacey's career in marketing which she traded in to open up her own design shop in 2005. that means no detail is left to chance with everything from enclosures to envelopes coordinated to create a presentation guests will definitely remember.

alana + malia

you can preview the collection on the official website which made its debut a few weeks ago or stop by the wedding café which keeps an emi ink look book on hand for customers. since each invite is composed of multiple layers, it's best to book your consultation early since the handcrafted nature of the designs requires an estimated turnaround time of 8 to 10 weeks to complete your order.

no wedding on the horizon? you can still order up emi ink invites since designs double as event stationery for celebrations of all occasions.

click over to the emi ink blog for a peek at stacey's virtual inspiration board.

3 day sale at midori jewelry

carnivale

midori jewelry just kicked off an end of month sale with select pieces in the sale section marked down 50%. jewelry designer traci morinaga will also include a little gift with purchase from her twinkle collection for customers who order $50 (one pair of earrings) or $100 (one necklace or two pairs of earrings) worth of flair.

quantities are limited so hele over asap for the best selection.

• sale ends: thu, jul 31st
• fyi: note your twinkle selection in the memo box upon checkout

traci will also be at the made in hawaii festival next month and no/cal readers can stop by and say hello during midori's late august stops in bodega and oakland.

on the town with meleana

chinatown laifong

handbag designer meleana has added a design made for city living to her eponymous collection which is known for repurposing vintage fabric into ladylike accessories. aptly named after honolulu's vibrant chinatown neighborhood, the new design mixes vintage patterns with your pick of leather (brown or green) or, if you are feeling a bit more country, sturdy canvas fabric.

and, while the silhouettes may stay the same from season to season, there's only so much vintage yardage to go around making each meleana bag one of a limited edition.

chinatown canvas

holoholo

shop online or take a peek at the stockist list.

historic honolulu architecture tour

washington place

one of my favorite walks growing up was the one that took me from my mom's bishop square boutique to the state library along the pathway sandwiched between the capitol and iolani palace. i always stopped to say hello to the queen lili'uokalani statue and fought the urge to swing from the tendrils of the many banyan trees dotting the palace's backyard.

those saturday mornings spent in town gifted me with an appreciation of the graceful buildings that take you back to an earlier time, and, while doing a little research for a reader who inquired about mid-century modern homes on oahu (which i think would make a fabulous tour just in case an architecturally savvy reader is up to it), i recently discovered that the honolulu chapter of the american institute of architects (aia) offers kama'aina and visitors a walking tour of historic honolulu from an architect's perspective.

you'll wander the streets of town from the hawaii theatre to kawaiaha'o church picking up insights and anecdotes about the buildings along the way (juicy tidbit: the ywca building was designed by julia morgan, the country's preeminent female architect who squeezed in the project while working on hearst castle).

a map and bottled water are provided (but i say byo reusable bottle) so all you need to bring are comfy shoes made for walking and an enthusiasm for design. reservations are a must or, if a saturday tour doesn't fit into your schedule, self-guided tour booklets ($5) are available at aia's office. a custom tour may also be arranged for your group with advance notice.

• when: saturdays - 9a to 11:30a
• where: aia, 119 merchant street, suite 402
• tix: $10
• fyi: minimum four people

meet one of the aia's top guides over at the star-bulletin.