weekend sales sheet

jools peridot earrings + lemon quartz hoops

jools summer sale:

• 15% off everything
• secret code: summer15
• expires: mon, june 25th

bubble shack blowout:

• 25% off organic lotions (price reflects discount)
• expires: sat, june 30th

two snaps for ginger

the balmy weather when i hit the kcc farmers market was reason enough to hit the queue and order up a fizzy concoction at the pacifikool booth. the cooler is made of the company's signature ginger syrup (which has become a foodie favorite since making its debut a few years ago), fresh basil leaves & lemon making for a refreshing accompaniment during my stroll around the market.

its versatility in the kitchen has made the island made ginger syrup (who knew that hawaii is the states' largest producer of ginger) the secret ingredient behind everything from island style cocktails to teriyaki sauce not to mention the homemade ginger ale which put the company on the map.

in addition to the kailua & kcc farmers markets, bottles of both the original ginger & thai ginger syrups are stocked at local shops and are finally available online (where you'll also find the company's latest offerings of gourmet biscuitti and handcrafted ginger soap).

a day at the museum

hisam's elegant facade

we had a bit of an adventure finding the hawaii state art museum on our trip home (which i find a tad ironic considering i walked past the building every saturday morning in my youth). the museum opened in 2002 in the former ymca (and prior to that was the original royal hawaiian hotel) and houses a wonderful collection of work by island artists.

the walls are filled with artwork (herb kawainui kane, jean charlot & madge tennant are just a few of the artists represented), photography of hawaii's past & present, sculptures, and some of the nicest benches to sit upon and ponder the art before you.

our time inside the gallery was a bit of a whirlwind since the parking meter was ticking away, but even with the time crunch we managed to find a photograph snapped by my mom's high school chum on display.

a few tips:

• admission is free (but donations are welcome)
• be sure to check out the events page before you go (especially if your little ones enjoy art making)
• save time cruising the streets for a spot for your car with the very helpful parking guide

as for downtown, the museum's spanking new café by the folks behind kaimuki's town, while my lunch companions were underwhelmed with their selections i was happy with my salad made of local, organic ingredients. the space is airy and filled with light and, of course, artwork making it a pleasant spot to meet friends for lunch or grab a bite before you wander through the galleries.

despite our uneven experience, i would give it a second try considering they had only been open a little over a week when we visited and still had a few details to iron out. and, worker bees looking for something new for lunch should check out downtown's weekday quick service asap menu which sounded, dare i say, even yummier than the sit down side. check out nadine kam's review for her take.

{photo credit, no.2 : hawaii state art museum}

{update | jan 2010: the museum may be reserved for private events and makes a lovely site for a romantic wedding!}

taro delight

one of my favorite foodie finds from this last trip was taro delight which was brought to my attention after samples of this starchy treat beckoned my fella while we waited for our gourmet lumpia to be fried up at the adjoining booth during our visit to the kailua farmers market.

imagine an island version of hummus made with a smoked version of the polynesian staple and blended with olive oil and other good for you ingredients. the dips are free of preservatives and filled with ono flavors like wasabi and green thai curry. even the vegan-friendly taronaise was a hit when we shared it at a family dinner.

you can find the taro delight booth at the kailua & kcc farmers markets as well as tamura's wine shop in kaimuki.

learn more about how taro delight came to be here and here.

hello again

rainbow connection

perhaps catching the red-eye isn't the best way to jump back into life bright eyed & bushy tailed. i have been smacked down by jet lag and various ailments since my return earlier this week, but wanted to pop in to say h|h will be back on monday with all the goodness from my trip home.

until then, a few picks from my field notes . . .

• if you haven't already been, do go to the kailua & kcc farmers markets and behold the bounty of the 'aina. alas, no photos of all the tasty treats and beautiful blossoms since my camera decided to leave home without its battery. curses! oh well, it redeemed itself by snapping this photo on my last day home.

• candy is dandy! finally stopped by the candy shop and admired all the indie goods from local designers roberta oaks and akane clothing. tcs is also the exclusive stockist for cutnsewn (the buzzworthy line created by uh fashion grad dan weaver) which gets extra brownie points for tempting my fella (along with those sweet keep sneaks) with its uber-hep threads. and much love to toast for the very lovely cherry blossom note cards which has been happily added to my stockpile of stationary.

• and finally, even with just one onolicious spoonful, i now know why haupia is roselani's top selling ice cream. it is usually sold out at the market when i go home but my aunty scored a carton at foodland much to my delight. if you happen across it, drop it in your cart and think of me while you devour it this summer.

and many mahalos to everyone who sent along their condolences. i owe more than a few emails and hope to catch up with everything & everyone over the weekend!