on a friday

when it strikes + zia

it's no surprise that on a friday, the indie jewelry line based on oahu, has been getting a lot of buzz online. the website is one of the prettiest around and proprietor/jewelry designer liana miyamura creates handcrafted pieces that are also affordable. the when it strikes necklace caught my fancy and would definitely make football sundays a bit more stylish for this charger girl-at-heart.

since everything at on a friday is one-of-a-kind it's best not to wait to pick up your favorite piece since you may later return to find a sold sign mocking your procrastination. and here's a good reason to fill up your basket: orders over $100 score free shipping!

wings hawaii

hot pants + surf girl hoodie

it's not every day that you see island inspired graphics on underwear but i love that the girls behind wings hawaii are doing something a little unexpected. each piece is individually hand printed by the wings team on maui with delightful designs ranging from surfer girls to honus to the very pretty wings logo. 

i also love that wings works with clothing that is sweatshop-free and made in the usa (more love for american apparel). if you love what you see then do the happy dance since you can score 15% off your order with the code below.

• secret code: free surf (enter at checkout) 

modern day maestro

he is adored in japan and is just starting to hit the radar on the mainland thanks to one jimmy buffet. need another clue? pick up a copy of ukulele virtuoso jake shimabukuro's latest cd gently weeps which arrives in stores today.

you're in for quite a surprise if your last recollection of someone playing the ukulele is tiny tim on "the tonight show" (click over to itunes to listen to a clip of "shake it up" from last year's dragon for a rockin' introduction).

like what you hear? jake will be returning to hawaii for a show at the convention center at the end of the month and bring his 21st century uke style when he performs with the honolulu symphony pops over thanksgiving weekend.

hawaiian style rugs

fish school

i am loving this whimsical rug spotted in the local artists collection at hanalei bay designs and the colorful zoom (featured below) which reminds me of maori tattoos.

in addition to collaborating with artists from hawaii, the company also works with artisans in nepal who hand-knot the designs for each rug in the traditional tibetan weaving technique. it's a time consuming process which would take one artisan three months to create a 6x9 rug (no worries, they work in teams so it's not quite as time intensive).

zoom

you can check out hanalei bay designs at details gallery in chinatown, at their showrooms in maui and kauai, and at the occasional costco roadshow around the islands.

honokaa hideaway

for those of you thinking of heading to the big island with the latest airfare deal, avoid the overpriced, tourist-filled resorts and go explore one of my favorite places on earth: the hamakua coast. the proprietors of waianuhea offer all the comforts you would expect from a small b+b inn like homemade breakfasts and afternoon wine tastings, but non-luddites will appreciate rooms stocked with modern luxuries like dvd players and lcd tvs.

the inn is also off the grid, powered solely by solar panels, so you know that you are treading lightly while visiting one of the most beautiful spots in the islands. the reviews over at tripadvisor are stellar and, more importantly, the tex drive-in is down the road which means the best malasadas on the island are just minutes away.

beat that waikoloa!