new peeks: fighting eel fall 2009

mimi

lan chung and rona bennett, the stylish duo behind honolulu-based label fighting eel, have a more structured look in mind for fall 09. word is many of the upcoming season's sophisticated silhouettes were made possible by a more substantial knit, and the new looks (absolutely lovely paired with tights) seem perfectly suitable for work and play.

autumn colorways include a deep navy blue, bold lipstick red, warm olive green, and, my favorite, gorgeous neutral gray.

more peeks below . . .

lily

badu

becks

the fall looks are already waiting on the racks at fe's network of neighborhood stockists and should be arriving in the online shop next week. and, of course, a visit to the label's showroom is always a must stop when you find yourself in chinatown.

• where: 47 north hotel street
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 5p
• fyi: cash or credit only

fighting eel summer 2009

fia

no matter what your style may be, there is definitely a little something for everyone in fighting eel's summer 09 collection. designers rona bennett and lan chung looked to their passports for inspiration and returned with sketchbooks filled with ideas for summer staples perfect at home or wherever your next destination takes you.

this time around the jersey knits incorporate gorgeous details from dainty ties to peekaboo cutouts in dress hemlines that go from abbreviated to sweeping. the bohemian batik embellishments are a memento from rona's travels to bali while the juicy colorways are a happy reminder of lan's time spent exploring italy's amalfi coast.

more peeks below . . .

tiki

riri

mele

lei

although the summer looks are not yet stocked in the online shop, they have started to arrive at fe's network of neighborhood stockists or stop by the label's chinatown showroom for a peek:

• where: 47 north hotel street, honolulu
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 5p

p.s. select styles from the 2008 collections can be found at bluefly for 40% off.

chinatown chase 2009

the economy's continuing decline is certainly not making it easy on non-profits who rely on the kindness of others to fund their bottom line. the hawaii theatre has come up with a novel fundraiser (ticket sales, surprisingly, only account for 40% of operating costs) with its second annual chinatown chase.

teams of 10 race around the historic district deciphering clues in hopes of crossing the finish line first culminating in a celebration complete with dancing in the streets, eats, silent auction, and an after-party (if you pony up to be a kung fu fighter or barefoot buddha).

the price tag ranges from $150 to $500 per person but once you tally up the cost of a night on the town with friends combined with the warm fuzzy feeling of doing good, well, you just may consider it a worthwhile expense.

registration can be done online or in person (download entry forms on the website).

• race date: sat, feb 28th - 5:30p
• where: 1130 bethel street

p.s. take a peek at last year's race festivities here.

the dish on j.j. dolan's

food always seems to dominate my trips home. while wine is typically nowhere to be found, my fella and i are dined almost 24/7 between meetups with family, friends and reliving our childhoods via a long list of island bites that can only be found in hawaii.

when we hit the very first friday of the new year, we happened to stroll by a newly opened pizza joint overflowing with a cheery crowd. intrigued, my fella and i returned a few days later on the premise of finding a good slice in the islands and happily discovered it at j.j. dolan's.

we opted to split our pie in two (shown above) - the giacomo on one side (this pizza classic topped with sausage, pepperoni, salami & olives was our favorite) and spinach & garlic on the opposite side. the crust is a revelation and i find myself dreaming of its savory crispness all the way across the pacific.

pizzas come in one size only (more than enough for two) with nine different offerings currently on the menu or you can opt to build your own pie for a custom taste. you can also order up a handful of brews on tap from the bar.

• where: 1147 bethel street (across from marks garage)
• hours: mon to fri, 11a to 1a & sat, 5p to 1a

click over to the star-bulletin and honolulu weekly for more takes on this new chinatown favorite.

fighting eel spring 2009

ryder

while the world dishes on the first lady's inaugural fashion picks, fighting eel recently posted peeks of their upcoming spring 09 collection.

honolulu designers lan chung & rona bennett were the first to put modern hawaii style on the fashion map with their label's oh-so-simple yet still head turning silhouettes thoughtfully constructed for island living. this time around the fe team found inspiration in the a-line styles made famous during the pop art era (fitting considering the collection was shot on the gorgeous grounds of the contemporary museum) to the flowing gowns of spring goddesses.

hemlines for spring 09 go from abbreviated to ankle skimming while colorways range from bright splashes of citrus to warm neutrals for everyday. breezy silhouettes continue to dominate while color blocked bodices are new for the season. fe's collection of separates continues to expand with new mix and match pieces including a figure flattering pencil skirt and the return of the bodysuit.

karma

ocean

twist

carly

a spring fashion show is in the works and will be open to the public complete with trunk show (the line won't arrive in the fe showroom until april) and an exclusive peek of the summer 09 collection!

• when: sun, feb 8th - 3p
• where: the butik, 1067 kapiolani blvd, suite a-3

click over to the stockist list to find out where to scoop up fe's spring 09 styles locally or stop by the fe showroom when in chinatown.

• where: 47 north hotel street
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 5p

p.s. the spring & fall 08 collections are currently on sale in fe's online shop.