nalu kai lodge

you may have heard that maui's recent crackdown on vacation rentals has reduced the available inventory of affordable accomodations for visitors on a budget. if you refuse to shell out resort rates and are not one for early morning b&b chit chat with strangers, paia's nalu kai lodge may be an alternative.

the 60's style property has been renovated and rooms now feature a cottage style complementing it's fresh boutique lodge vibe. if you prefer a little more space, there is also a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen that would be perfect for a family traveling with a little one.

you can walk to paia town & the beach, soak in the ocean view from the deck, or have a cookout at the outdoor bbq/tiki bar. keep in mind that it is a vacation rental so do read the fine print regarding cancellation and deposit policies before booking. even so, rates are a bargain and start at $99 on the weekend and includes free wi-fi.

no reviews yet on tripadvisor so if you book a stay do post a trip report.

wanted: 808 designers

the social wahines will be throwing their first sample sale on oahu next month and organizers have posted a call for designers who would like to participate at the oct 16th event. email danielle [at] socialwahines [dot] com for more details.

in other style news, earlier this year, the hawaii fashion incubator (aka hifi - love the acronym!) was created to showcase & nurture the emerging local design community. they are still in the start up phase and plans include workshops, trade shows, fashion week & more good stuff to raise the profile of the hawaii fashion scene.

hifi is on the lookout for designers interested in showcasing their work on the soon to launch hifi website, experienced instructors to teach fashion 101 classes in patternmaking, sketching and garment construction, and everyone else who would like to be a part of the hifi fashion mission.

the organization's official coming out party will be at f.a.c.e. of nuuanu next month, and if you would like to volunteer behind the scenes or find out details on booking a booth, email toby [at] polkadotreehouse [dot] com.

until the website makes its debut, click over to hifi's myspace page to stay in the loop.

{update | sep 30th: hifi's website is up & running! [mahalo jana!]}

weekend sales sheet

fashionista's market

it's the final two days to score 40% off select styles by nike, converse, vans & bittersweet at kicks/hi.

• when: today & sat, sep 29th
• where: kicks/hi - ward + makaloa
• fyi - all sales final

p.s. an edited selection of the latest kicks/hi designs are now stocked in their online shop.

fashionista's market is back this weekend with a stash of styles up to 80% off retail. scoop up harajuku lovers, bcbg, frankie b, ed hardy, genetic denim, indah & more. read the f.a.q. before you go.

• when: sat, sep 29th & sun, sep 30th
• hours: 10a to 2p
• where: japanese cultural center - 2454 s. beretania street
• admission: $7 (register online to score the $3 fm member price)

shasa emporium is celebrating its 5 year anniversary with a sunday night bash. there will be an in-store sale, live dj, pupus and prizes galore from local designers alliway, indah, ginger13, grumpy girl & many more. must rsvp today to get on the list (details below).

• when: sun, sep 30th - 5:30p to 8:30p
• where: kahala mall
• rsvp: shasahi [at] lava [dot] net or 808.735.5122

handmade block party

love

one of the best things about etsy is how it has made art more accessible. caren loebel-fried, the big island artist who creates some of the most spectacular lino block prints (and who happens to be one of my favorite island artists), has joined the etsy ranks to showcase her beautiful interpretations of hawaiian legends and culture.

my fella and i both agree that the storyteller deserves a spot in our living room's little gallery of block prints. and for those romantic souls who keep the lost art of written correspondence alive, i must insist you take a peek at caren's lovely notecard sets.

the storyteller

the romance of lauka'ie'ie

artwork is archival quality and has been individually printed by hand on handmade paper from japan. both color and b&w prints are available and prices are quite reasonable ($15-$260).

when on the big island, you can admire (and purchase) caren's work at the volcano art center. you can learn more about about the artist and how her journey to this age old art form came to be on her website.

fyi - nyc readers who wish to learn the art of block printing can attend a one day workshop with caren & her mom scheduled to take place on oct 27th. more details can be found here.

winter warm up

with cooler days ahead for both mainland dwellers and islanders living in higher elevations, i thought i would post an update about this sweater which was featured as a holiday gift idea last year. it has sold out most everywhere else, however neve's tropical merino wool sweater recently popped up in a very cheery kiwi colorway at sierra trading post sporting a 36% markdown.

alas, it's a nickle shy of scoring free shipping via this link on orders over $75 (offer expires wed, oct 3rd), but you just may uncover a few more sweet deals so here you go!