sneak peek: made in hawaii 2010

the made in hawaii festival opens on friday and, after many many clicks, i have compiled a little cheat sheet filled with island vendors to investigate if you plan on strolling the blaisdell this weekend.

1 - honolulu's be aloha transitions from custom alohawear for the japanese market to retro resort looks with the launch of its to kei label. {booth 372}

2 - rock simple koa hoops crafted of local wood gathered on mauna kea by woodworker jeff gomes. {hui 'ike ku'una section}

3 - north shore jewelry designer nilma hunter coaxes recycled sterling silver into puka shell bangles and other budget-friendly pretties. {booth 91}

4 - a member of the sig zane designs 'ohana has left the nest to launch punawai's line of delicate silk chiffon scarves and shawls printed with natural motifs inspired by the big island. {hui 'ike ku'una section}

5 - pretty up your everyday wardrobe with lovely screenprinted tops by noe clothing of oahu. {booth 294/295}

6 - kula-made pala'au's therapeutic skincare nurtures and detoxifies with medicinal hawaiian botanicals. {booth 366}

7 - tuck an everlasting flower in your hair with handmade enameled headbands by geisha fabulous of maui. {booth 386}

8 - uh hilo's kulanui product line offers beauty balms and kitchen deliciousness formulated with ingredients grown by local farmers. {booth 452/453}

9 - designer paula nurse of the big island constructs one-of-a-kind pieces composed of semi-precious, vibrational gemstones from topazes to tourmalines. {booth 94}

10 - tropilicious will be scooping up handcrafted ice cream with 'ono flavors like hawaiian mocha and toasted coconut. {booth 397}

11 - kona paradise candies' description of their chocolate dipped senbei is already tempting my sweet tooth. (order online at pat's island delights.) {booth 63}

12 - salty wahine mixes up gourmet seasoning blends but gets a mention simply for the kaua'i company's cheeky name and lovely logo. {booth 458}

13 - taste the freshly churned butters whipped up by waianae's naked cow dairy and remember to thank me later. {booth 461}

p.s. click back tomorrow for a roundup of festival news from our favorite designers!

indie pop

my list of possibilities to investigate on trips home is always jam packed but onopops just may be the one discovery i am most excited to sample this summer. the frozen treats with a locavore pedigree has a menu filled with tempting flavors blending sweet and savory to the approval of island foodie palates since its debut last month.

i was so excited to discover onopops (via the mu'umu'u heaven 'ohana, natch) that i checked in with founders and brothers joe and josh welch (of palolo and hawaii kai) to discover what inspired this frozen fusion of flavor. the story begins with a mexican paleta encountered during a mainland vacation. excited by the possibilities back in the islands, joe soon persuaded josh, who once whipped up wandering feasts for sf's ghetto gourmet, to move home and create culinary magic by concocting popsicle mixology with farm fresh produce and other island delights.

happily, the onopops 'ohana are committed to working with local producers like waianae's naked cow dairy, waialua's mohala farms, maui's surfing goat dairy and kula farms and plan to offer a seasonal selection of sustainable treats. lucky family and friends make up the tasting panel (and also pitch in at the growing number of farmers markets where you can find onopops) with the winning recipe added to the menu and made fresh in small batches leading up to market day.

moveable treats

current offerings include pineapple li hing, the poggs, ume-thai basil and the upcoming caramel shoyu . . . all for $3 a pop.

your mission, dear readers, is to seek out, sample and report back on your favorite onopops. sources include mu'umu'u heaven for windward friends, the wednesday afternoon farmers market at the blaisdell for townies, and hawaii kai on saturdays (the am makeke o maunalua market at kaiser starting next weekend; pm market at koko head elementary). and, kcc fans will be happy to know that onopops scooped up a spot for this weekend's market.

btw, if you really want to delight your party guests, nix the cooler and consider renting onopops' fabulous vintage brazilian cart (shown above; $50 plus $2 to $2.50 per pop to stock the cart) to add a little charm to your soirée.

p.s. your best bet to stay updated on onopops news is via facebook and twitter.

shop toast spring goodness

happy children's day!

i finally stopped by toast's studio in kaimuki while home which, in addition to being stocked with a complete selection of design delights, is a brilliant lesson in how to display wares in what may be the tiniest storefront square footage on the island. my little visit was filled with happy chatter about upcoming releases which have just begun to pop up in my in-box.

first up, toast adds a new screenprinted fabric wrap to their offerings strategically twisted into cheery koi ($6) which unbundle to reveal yummy tomoe ame rice candy. the design riffs on the abundant koi banners flying above island homes in celebration of boy's day and the all-enclusive children's day (may 5th - mark your calendar!). alas, due to small parts these are meant for older keiki (ages eight and up) so best to keep away from little hands.

woodland creatures were originally introduced last summer and have returned with a technicolor edition ($5) which are quite possibly even more charming. and, for those who want to sweeten up surprises, get ready to be charmed by the brand new cheerful gift crates ($45 medium & $75 large) meant to be personalized with happy or sorry emoticons, a custom message, and stocked with an assortment of mini pops.

please note gift crates have a minimum five day order turnaround and mini pop fillings may vary depending on availability.

all of the new designs can be ordered in toast's online shop or pop into the kaimuki studio to stock up and say hello to jeremy and michelle!

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

bunny love

my favorite part of easter growing up was the little chocolate bunny tucked into my easter basket . . . although i always felt a bit guilty when it came time to say goodbye to its sweet little face. happily, no such dilemma presents itself with toast's newest creation - the delightful cotton tail which features a custom printed handkerchief that has been magically coaxed into a bunny shape with perfectly placed twists and ties.

hidden inside the bunny's belly are a mix of chocolate confections in the form of kit-kats, mini cadbury eggs and reese's pieces (yum!). as an added bonus, once your sweet tooth is satisfied the hanky remains as a cheerful reminder of your little buddy.

toast's charming cotton tails are available in three hues of bunny pink and can be ordered in the online shop or scooped up at toast's studio:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

p.s. toast recently debuted an in-store mini pop bar where you can mix and match sweet and savory bottles and scoop up preprinted labels whenever you require just a handful of favor fun.

candy land

our friends from toast have just added sweet little lollipops to their repertoire just in time for valentine's day! while many of us may have outgrown bestowing paper valentines upon our childhood chums, the charming fabric wraps are sure to brighten the day of your favorite sidekicks.

each lovely lollie is filled with a mix of fruit flavored jelly candies (strawberry, raspberry and cherry) and are priced at $4 a pop. if you really want to delight someone, be sure to take a peek at the super adorable lollie bouquet ($25) which features six candy treats wrapped in a handkerchief that doubles as a leaf.

lovely lollies are now available to order in toast's online shop or can be scooped up at their kaimuki studio:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p