and the winners are . . .

marybeth of honolulu who scored the valentine edition of toast's mini pop and apple of my eye love fruit! while erin of yakima and liane of hermosa beach will each be charmed by a scented sweet berry.

mahalo to everyone who entered! the valentine goodies can be scooped up online or hele over to the wedding café at ward warehouse, the menehune mac factory store, or stop by toast's new kaimuki showroom and say hello:

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

congratulations, marybeth, erin & liane!

{mahalo jeremy & michelle!}

toast valentine giveaway

toast has just released a collection of pretty in pink treats just in time for valentine's day! li hing gummy apples are the secret surprise inside the apple of my eye love fruits! while candy hearts fill toast's signature mini pops bottle. and, the latest offerings from the toast workshop are scented sweet berry charms made to dangle from your keychain or rearview mirror.

jeremy and michelle, toast's crafty creators, want to share some handmade love with the h|h 'ohana and are giving away one set of mini pops & love fruits! plus two sweet berry charms scented in either strawberry or vanilla (three winners in all).

with valentine's day wooing sweethearts everywhere on saturday, the deadline to drop your name in the hat is midnight tonight so hele on and:

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by midnight hst
• please put toast valentine giveaway in the subject
• fyi - note if you prefer the set or charm
• one entry per person/household

check in tomorrow to find out if cupid struck you with his arrow!

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the instructions above for a chance to win.

{update: winner list posted}

sweet nothings roundup

with valentine's on the calendar for next weekend, enjoy a show and tell of lovely goods to add a little sweetness to your day!

1 - maui jewelry designer kira ferrer hand stamps a secret message in the you are loved sterling bangle.

2 - delight your keiki with the crochet cuteness of berrysprite's red velvet cupcake.

3 - simply embellish's valentine note set asks to be sealed with a kiss.

4 - champagne toasts get some extra sparkle via space moderne's handcrafted wine tote.

5 - decorate your love nest with lisa brodinski's sweetly titled photographic blossom.

6 - honolulu jewelry designer stacey lee's pink tourmaline drops dazzle with glittering gold leaves.

7 - sweet love tags by simply embellish perk up valentine treat bags.

8 - indulge in gourmet cheesecake bites without waiting to be buzzed to your table.

9 - lilikoi fruit tints honolulu cookie company's yummy chocolate dipped shortbread hearts.

10 - design lovely turns the traditional valentine into a hawaiian love note (print your own here).

11 - craft your own st. valentine's surprise with a swath of denyse schmidt's county fair fabric (the pear tulip medallion is a pretty hawaiian quilt dopplegänger).

12 - style your sweetheart in a long sleeved aloha shirt from sig zane.

13 - candy grams go gourmet compliments of sweet paradise chocolatier's handmade confections.

14 - for the family man - anje design's engraved washers keeps your 'ohana close to his heart.

15 - warm island wood inlays offset sturdy metal in hawaiian titanium rings handcrafted tribal collection.

new year's toast

congrats to jeremy & michelle, the design team behind toast, who have recently added shopkeepers to their growing resumé with the opening of their kaimuki showroom. fans will find one stop shopping stocked with all the goodies featured on h|h mixed with more delightful finds.

word is we can expect lots of new surprises in 2009 including this just released orange love fruit to celebrate the year of the ox!

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

p.s. click here to take a peek inside the shop.

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.