ko'olau - a true story of kaua'i

the lovely woodblock prints by big island artist caren loebel-fried are one of my favorite things so you can imagine my excitement upon discovering that a stage production in nyc featuring her artwork made its debut last week. the story of ko'olau is being told through japanese-style puppetry created by ny-based local boy tom lee (who is also directing the show) set against projected backdrops based on caren's woodblocks.

this traditional storytelling style combines with live shadow animation and video projections to tell the story of kaluaiko'olau, a 19th century paniolo on kaua'i who resisted being deported to a leper colony and separated from his family after contracting the disease. together they fled to a remote valley where the family lived until the death of ko'olau and his son.

after the ordeal, ko'olau's wife pi'ilani recounted the family's struggles and it is her dramatic tale of love and 'ohana that the production is based on.

since most of us can't make the show, click over to the gallery to take a fascinating peek at the puppets and production design. performance details below for those lucky readers who call new york home:

• show dates: now to sun, oct 5th
• show times: fri/sat - 10p & sun - 5:30p
• where: la mama experimental theatre club, nyc
• tix: $18

let's hope ko'olau makes it way west and across the pacific one day!

p.s. prints of caren's work are available over in her etsy shop.

happy anniversary alliway!

oh my, can you believe that alliway is already celebrating the first anniversary of its ward warehouse boutique? if you have yet to step inside the shop, there are lots of happy reasons to stop by during the in-store anniversary bash taking place later today.

enjoy one time only specials including 30% off the alliway & backstreet jewelry collections, 20% off handbags & 10% off the rest of the store (local lines stocked include lily lotus & kat uno designs). the wedding cafe and cake gallery are dishing up yummy treats plus raffles every thirty minutes mean you have a good chance of winning something fabulous!

• when: today, sep 19th - 4p to 8p
• where: alliway, ward warehouse
• fyi: first fifty guests score a goodie bag!

and the winners are . . .

alrighty, earlier this morning my fella pulled the names of the 16 lucky malie winners out of a hat before heading out the door. if you see your name above, check your inbox in a bit for further instructions.

many mahalos to everyone who entered (especially readers who took the time to jot down sweet little notes)! this was a good geography lesson and it was lots of fun to see where the h|h 'ohana call home.

and, for those who still covet their own bottle, the linen mist has been reborn as malie's organic aroma mist so click over to the online shop to get yours.

congratulations, everyone!

{mahalo dana, shaun, lindsey & the entire malie 'ohana!}

heart to heart

jeremy from toast recently sent along word announcing the latest favor options to be birthed inside their imaginative workshop. these playful wooden heart stumps can be customized with the "carved" initials of the love birds and filled with a sweet surprise (or order up personalized cotton hankies from the toast team). the empty stumps are 100% biodegradable so guests can toss them into the compost pile for a little cradle to cradle action.

and, come december toast will be rolling out a more budget-friendly option to their popular soda snack line. mini pops will still put a smile on the faces of your guests (especially little ones on the birthday party circuit) but the shrunken size promises to keep the sugar rush to a minimum.

click over to the faq for the fine print.

dream academy

madame de pompadour

if tales of gallant knights and their ladies-in-waiting make you swoon, click over to the newly opened etsy shop of le reve brise, a collection of utterly romantic jewelry evocative of eras past. honolulu designer roxanne iglesia (who just so happens to be the sister of hazelnut cottage creator jan avellana) finds inspiration in everything from the opulent beauty of the renaissance to the ethereal brilliance of starry skies to create her poetic collection.

entirely self-taught, roxanne painstakingly crafts each piece by hand to create designs dripping with sparkles and delicate filigree accents. while the intricate compositions may hint of the extravagance of marie antoinette's versailles, you may be surprised to learn that many pieces are actually improvised with the materials guiding the designer to the final creation.

 

le chocolat * marquise de montspan

require something a bit more ooh la la for an upcoming wedding or holiday soirée? book a private consultation with roxanne to create a custom look that will be the perfect foil for that fancy frock.

to celebrate the opening of le reve brise's etsy shop, mention h|h and score 15% off your order and complimentary shipping!

• expires: sat, oct 18th