field of greens

nalo farms

it's been quite some time since the last saturday travel post, but today's pick is one sure to pique the interest of kama'aina and visiting foodies. nalo greens have become a staple on local menus whether it's served up on a plate lunch or presented with your gourmet dinner.

now you can actually walk the famous fields of waimanaolo's nalo farms for a behind the scenes tour of how your greens get from farm to table. the 45 minute tour sounds like a delicious diversion for foodie fans who want to peek inside the operations of one of the earliest purveyors of hawaii's resurgent slow food movement.

farm fresh greens & herbs are also in abundance at nalo's booth at the weekly farmers markets in kailua and at kcc.

tour details:

• ten person minimum per group
• reservations required (ring 808.259.7698 for more info)

{via hawaii magazine}

a peek inside the crafty playground

during small kid days, i was the little girl who always rocked the pigtails and, upon entering the fifth grade, the oh so sophisticated ponytail. every. single. day. my friends would wonder what i would look like if my hair ever had the opportunity to escape their elastic constraints. the one constant of both styles were those little plastic goody ponytail holders that, upon a quick release, had a tendency to crack your knuckles hard like one of my cousin's weapons of pain so essential to his quest of becoming the next bruce lee.

if these adorable hair accessories from tasha's bags & baby had been around, no doubt i would have wanted to trade up for a little more cuteness (bonus: no more bruised fingers!). tasha grew up on oahu and spent many hours in her grandfather's picture framing shop crafting to her heart's delight. now that she's tending to her own little one, spare moments are spent whipping up sweet creations with charming japanese textiles her father discovers and posts to hawaii.

in addition to hair goodies, stop by tasha's etsy shop to pick up handmade zip bags, totes, and other accessories sure to brighten your day (i am loving the hedgehog apron). if you are planning on hitting oahu's holiday craft show circuit, look out for her booth which will be stocked with all the goodness you see here.

enchantment under the sea

makabibi shell necklace + mop hibiscus earrings

although rockabella jewels creator kristel bandisch started making jewelry six years ago, it was her stint as a shopgirl at the tamara catz boutique that shined the spotlight on her up and coming collection. customers instantly became besotted with the handmade designs she wore to work which led to kristel being named head jewelry designer for the maui-based clothing line.

kristel recently joined forces with co-worker/jewelry designer selina kokotovich of raven's ruby (my, they certainly are a talented bunch!) to expand upon rockabella's laid back meets glamorous vibe to conjure up the island bride collection to compliment tamara catz's recent foray into the world of white weddings.

mop teardrops + sand dollar necklace

even if exchanging vows is not on your to do list, one look and you will want to succumb to the siren song of these curated offerings from the ocean. whether you choose glistening pearl accents or an abundance of delicate shells designed by mother nature herself, the designers', who are both self taught and do all the silversmithing and hand carving themselves, proximity to the sea has certainly influenced their collaboration.

although neither designer has an official website yet, you can scoop up rockabella's latest treasures at tamara catz (both online and at the paia boutique) and at pink by nature in makawao.

slipping away

alrighty, wednesday seems to be a good day to post the all around fun island inspired finds scavenged from my (too many) hours spent screen shopping. a welcome diversion from the midweek slump when the weekend seems a tad too far away.

this week: all slippers, all the time!

1 - mobi added some much needed zip to the dull world of resealable bags a few years back. impress tsa screeners with toiletries safely stowed in a flip flop spiral zipper bag (love the adorable, and, dare i say, quite appropriate with all the superferry brouhaha, save the whales design).

2 - you know all your aunties will love these not overly precious embroidered slipper dishtowels from plum party.

3 - take a peek at this inventive reuse of slipper scraps transforming what would have been trash into colorful recycled doormats.

4 - if you are tired of constantly tidying up the slipper pile outside your home, you just may love this inspired solution (alas, it seems to be sold out but you can diy with supplies from the craft store).

5 - for the little one, a too cute personalized embroidered onesie found on etsy.

6 - annabelle's flippin' out bag can be semi-customized to tote your stuff to the beach or keep your crafty stash organized.

free shipping at ali'i kula lavender

click over to ali'i kula lavender's online shop today to enjoy complimentary shipping on all orders over $50. while aromatherapy may be the first thing that comes to mind when one pictures a field filled with the lilac hued bloom, ali'i kula lavender has partnered with local artisanal foodmakers to create an array of treats enhanced with lavender's signature floral flavor.

stock up on gourmet goodies made with the maui grown lavender and explore a culinary world of lavender infused lilikoi jelly, chocolate brownies, strawberry syrup and more.

bon appétit!