and the winner is . . .

dale of honolulu! hope you enjoy the sweet & savory bites filling toast's yummy cheer mini pops.

mahalo to everyone who entered! click over to the online shop to order or hele over to the wedding café at ward warehouse or menehune mac (including the holiday pop-up shops at kahala & windward malls) to scoop up sets for gifting and celebrating.

congratulations, dale!

p.s. fans will be able to scoop up the entire collection of handmade delights and fun finds (including a geeky yet sweet led xmas tree) at toast's soon-to-open storefront in kaimuki (stay tuned for details).

{mahalo jeremy & michelle!}

happy hale*days 08: toast giveaway!

with the holidays fast approaching, a welcome distraction from all the madness kicks off this week with a handful of delightful giveaways!

first up: the toast team has put their own spin on merrymaking with a holiday edition of their popular mini pops filled with sweet treats or savory local munchies. they make fantastic stocking stuffers (especially if that secret santa exchange has got you stumped) and cheery party favors to ring in the new year.

one lucky winner will score both yummy sets (retail: $44) to gift or enjoy all to themselves (your secret is safe with me).

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by tue, dec 16th - midnight hst
• please put toast holiday giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• previous h|h winners are not eligible

hele back on wednesday for the winner and a preview of the next goodie to be given away.

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the above instructions to throw your name in the giveaway hat.

{update: winner list posted}

made in hawaii festival sneak peek

with the made in hawaii festival set to open its doors tomorrow, it's time for this year's peek of edited picks to keep an eye out for as you navigate the blaisdell this weekend:

1 - stock up on soap box hawaii's elegantly wrapped handcrafted soaps and keep a stash of thoughtful hostess gifts on hand.

2 - tropical accessories from the rare orchid have been spotted in the pages of real simple and are just the thing to pretty up your office space.

3 - coconut, kona coffee and butterscotch are just a few of the flavors to be found at island nut roasters (and further proof that a good photo is worth a thousand words).

4 - the i ku mau mau! design from hilo's the hawaiian force is just one from their tee collection which highlights the values and history of the islands' native culture.

 

5 - spice up your next meal with one of the many blends of organic seasonings from aloha spice company.

6 - stop by lynn's treasures and order a custom hand stamped necklace for mom.

7 - the hawaiian vanilla company made their name proving that vanilla beans could be grown in hawaii and now the homegrown bean is the inspiration for their new bath and body line.

8 - artisan francisco clemente reveals both gorgeous organic shapes and an inner glow in his handcrafted woodturned bowls.

be back later with a roundup of festival specials from a few h|h faves that will be making an appearance at the show!

styrophobia challenge

in the land of plate lunches, the styrofoam clamshell is a familiar sight and one that makes me feel just a little guilty each and every time the remnants of a meal-on-the-go disappears down the trash hatch. last year, a much needed alternative finally arrived in the islands via styrophobia which stocks eco-friendly packaging products like sugar cane plates and utensils made from corn starch.

it may sound a little sci-fi but, lucky for us, these sustainable alternatives just may be the 21st century's answer to petroleum based plastics. bioplastics and its friends not only reduce our reliance on oil, but, unlike its counterpart, these products are designed with the cradle to cradle philosophy and when added to a compost pile will decompose back to mother nature in a few month's time.

[as you may know, old school plastic is not biodegradable and, if it's not recycled or diverted to a hermetically sealed landfill, will somehow find its way to our oceans where it photodegrades into little plastic pellets with devastating consequences not too far from hawaii. these pieces of plastic are ingested by ocean life and eventually make their way up the food chain to you and me. plastic: the gift that keeps on giving.

kidding aside, it's really disturbing when you stop and think about it so take a few minutes to watch this video and see where all this floating plastic ends up. one visit to the pacific garbage patch and you really will think twice before walking past stray rubbish again.]

a growing number of local restaurants are making the switch so show them a little love and patronize eco-conscious establishments who are helping us reduce our environmental footprint by keeping more waste out of landfills and keeping our 'aina and beaches free of pollution.

fyi - styrophobia's website seems to cater more to businesses, however retail packs which are perfect for greening your next party or picnic are now available at a handful of island stockists. even better, styrophobia has committed to donating at least 5% of profits to sustainability programs.

learn more about how styrophobia came to be here.

merriman's culinary & farm tour

the official arrival of summer seems to be a good time to reinstate the saturday travel post which went on an unintended holiday of its own sometime last year. if you have checked airfares to/from hawaii lately, it will come as no surprise that fewer travelers will be taking to the (un)friendly skies this summer and opting for the budget-friendly staycation (vacations close to home, natch).

lucky for us, hawaii's to-do list has something for everyone so whether you are on island 24/7, returning home for a visit, or just looking to get the most bang for your buck on your hawaii getaway, stop by every saturday to discover a little off the beaten path inspiration for your next round of wanderings around the islands.

if summer plans will be taking you to the big island and good eats are your fancy vacation splurge, book a behind-the-scenes peek and follow your meal from farm to table with merriman's culinary & farm tour. after an afternoon spent touring two of merriman's favorite local purveyors, the ranchlands of kahua & the organic honopua farm, the culinary excursion winds down with a four course dinner at the acclaimed restaurant, one of the original vanguards of hawaii regional cuisine.

• when: mon - thu, 2:30p to 7:30p
• tix: $155 (dinner included)
• fyi: reservations required; ages 8 & up

learn more over at the star-bulletin.