the scent of green papaya

if the holidays are all about gifting those you love with something they would never buy for themselves, i present to you fresh papayas shipped direct from hawaii's volcano isle fruit company. this is such a wonderful last minute gift idea since orders will arrive on the mainland in 2-3 days (of course, it's best to double check the current holiday turnaround to guarantee xmas delivery).

mainland dwellers know that papayas grown in other parts of the world are not nearly as ono as ones from the islands and when a hawaiian papaya can be found at the market prepare yourself for sticker shock. thanks to the wonders of fedex, two jacksons (no, not tito or rebe . . . think along the lines of the u.s. mint) will get a 10 lb box of either sun red or rainbow varieties or a papaya mix from the big island straight to the door of your favorite foodie.

on another note, it may be the busiest day of the year but i have to dash to the post office to drop off a few packages to hawaii (thank goodness for online postage) but check back later today for more holiday inspirations for all the procrastinators (you know who you are!).

treats for your sweet

crunched for time and dread circling the mall for parking, are all thumbs when it's time to wrap presents, and equate standing in line at the post office days before xmas like being stuck in dante's inferno? lucky you, click over to big island candies which has a sweet selection of holiday treats wrapped and ready to be shipped straight to the mailboxes of everyone on your gift list.

it's no secret that people from hawaii love food and kama'aina on the mainland always appreciate goodies from the islands. you might also want to check out new goodies like bienvente lavender cookies, tropical chocolate truffles (with hibiscus & coconut), and there's even some sugar-free joy for the health-conscious.

one tip: get your order in this weekend since big island candies' shipping deadline is on sunday.

punalu'u bake shop

pahala sweetbread box

those who have made the drive from kona to volcano know that somewhere along the way you are going to get hungry. if you can hold out until the halfway point, you can stop by the punalu'u bake shop (which touts itself as the southernmost bakery in the states) and enjoy sandwiches & burgers made on some of the best sweetbread in the islands.

and now that the online bake shop is open you don't have to wait until your next trip to the big island to satisfy your craving for their onolicious taro sweetbread. the online shop also stocks punalu'u's popular shortbread cookies in flavors like mac nut, coffee, guava & coconut which are perfect for sharing with friends during the holidays.

the wedding cafe

tucked in the back of the manoa marketplace is a safe haven for island brides-to-be and the grooms who love them. the wedding café is a one stop shop for all things wedding with everything from a library filled with required reading, information & goodies from island vendors (like h|h favorite miemiko atelier), plus workshops to help you plan your perfect day.

and yes, there really is a café which means you can get a little sustenance in between your research and chatting with other brides (because, let's be honest, it's way more fun to dish about your plans with someone who understands the importance of all the arcane things that make a wedding happen). and, fyi, if the only way you're going to a wedding is by crashing it, there's no need to fib to get in the door since all are welcome to dine at the café.

the wedding café is also the spot for mint, a modern take on tea service that takes place on the first sunday of the month (next mint: dec 3rd). make a reservation and invite your friends for an afternoon of civilized refreshment and ladylike conversation (gloves not required).

{update | jan 2010: the wedding café has since relocated to ward warehouse where you can plan, shop, and nosh}

thanksgiving surprise

i've been off in my own world planning for a thanksgiving that was two weeks away which really means i wasn't making any plans at all because i thought i had two weeks left. until tonight when my fella informed me that thanksgiving (and the upcoming holiday rush) was next week which means there are 7 less days to procrastinate. yikes.

what's a girl with no thanksgiving menu to do? give this little holiday surprise some time to soak in while surfing the internet to find all kinds of goodies to tempt you, that's what. and so i share with you find number one: a mac pie from the big island that sounds like a hawaii twist on the good ol' pecan pie with ingredients like maui raw sugar and all the fixings baked in a handmade butter macadamia nut crust. yum.

mac pies are so popular that the company whips up thousands of pies each day in flavors like original vanilla, kona coffee, maple, butterscotch & chocolate chip to keep up with the demand. for those of us who can only nosh on pumpkin pie if it's drowning in whipped cream, a mac pie would definitely be a welcome treat on the thanksgiving table.