makana rocks the hawaiian vote

when you consider how long previous generations struggled to secure the right to vote for everyone who could not be categorized as a white land owning man, it is pretty shameful that voter turnout is so low (fact: only 50% of hawaii voters turned out in the 2004 election). know someone who can be counted amongst the other 50% who were "too busy" to vote? let them in on the little secret of the absentee ballot aka the handy dandy voting tool for time crunched citizens.

there is a long overdue effort underway to rock the hawaiian vote so if you want to support the movement then hit the convention center on friday night for a concert featuring makana, barefoot natives & willie k. tickets are $15 and can be purchased at jelly's - aiea, hungry ear records - kailua & the uh campus center. all proceeds will benefit the hawaiian way fund & 2006 native votes count campaign.

p.s. if you're not familiar with slack key virtuoso makana then check out his latest album ki ho'alu over on itunes.

bath plantation

the age of the internet has made it a bit easier for stay-at-home moms with the entrepreneurial spirit to set up shop online. chere deshayes may be far from her island home but, after the birth of her son, she decided to create bath plantation where she whips up products with scents reminiscent of hawaii.

you'll find everything you need to create an indulgent spa day at home: camomile bubble bath, bath salts harvested from the pacific ocean, and hand poured soy candles all available in scents like sugar cane, mango martini and coconut milk. an added bonus, the lovely glass apothecary bottles are pretty enough to display in the bath.

fyi - stash $25 worth of bath goodies in your basket and receive a complimentary bottle of lotion with your order.

{update | jan 2010: please note bath plantation changed ownership after this was posted}

$19 tix are back!

the neighbor island airfare wars are getting vicious with go! cutting o/w fares on selected seats down to $19. aloha and hawaiian have matched which is good news for travelers on a budget. you can hit 3 islands for less than a friend paid to fly from honolulu to kaua'i earlier this year. lucky you live hawaii, indeed!

details:

• book it: sat, sep 30th
• fly: now to feb 28th, 2007
• cities: honolulu to hilo *or* kahalui *or* kona *or* lihue
• blackout: veteran's day, thanksgiving, xmas & thanksgiving

book 'em (sorry, i couldn't resist): aloha airlines | go! | hawaiian airlines

olukai fall 2006

w's hiapo

olukai made a lot of new fans when i first wrote about their slippers a few months ago and now there are more styles to covet with their recently introduced fall collection (hint: there are a lot more choices for the ladies now). and if you're feeling lucky, sign up for their mailing list for a chance to win the rabbit kekai special edition.

m's kekai

you can also now find retailers stocking olukai listed on their website or order online via zappos and receive free shipping both ways!

linen closet love

palma + coral reef

with autumn approaching, now is the time to stock up on island style bedding as the big boys clear out their summer inventory. if you love a good sale then check out the clearance sale at garnet hill which means savings of at least 50% off on a few things that would definitely add a splash of the aloha spirit to your home.

surfboards doormat

coral reef doormat

bedding is an easy way to add a pop of color to your bedroom and wouldn't these coconut husk doormats be a happy way to greet your guests at the front door?