and the winners are . . .

maria of honolulu who will be paging through the maui book of lavender and maile of mililani who will find a delightful lavender-infused surprise in her mailbox soon.

mahalo to all who entered! click over to watermark publishing's online shop to order a copy of your own and save 30% when you enter secret code hapahale at checkout!

p.s. you can meet ali'i kula lavender owner ali'i chang during a mini book tour around oahu at the end of the month.

lavender fields forever

i finally had a chance to page through a review copy of ali'i kula lavender's the maui book of lavender (one part memoir, one part growing guide & one part cookbook with a handful of herbal tips thrown in for good measure) and found it to be a quick read for anyone who fancies herself an amateur herbalist. friends who have visited the upcountry gardens rave about the

experience so it was fun to take a peek behind-the-scenes and discover the history of lavender in the islands while filing away a few kitchen tricks for my next cooking adventure.

one surprising revelation was that lavender was grown in hawaii more than a century before akl owner (and noted horticulturist) ali'i chang discovered the perennial while experimenting with drought-tolerant plants to grow on his maui farm. that was news to me and makes the current renaissance of lavender in the islands more than just a happy accident.

alas, lavender seasoning is missing from my pantry but culinary fans will enjoy sampling recipes which put a provençal twist on island favorites while those open to otc alternatives will welcome tips on how to incorporate lavender into everyday living (a few drops of lavender essential oil equals sweet dreams for me).

now it's time for the book and the lavender delights that arrived with it to find a new home which means two readers have a chance to win!

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, feb 5th
• please put akl giveaway in the subject
• fyi - note if you prefer the book or the surprise
• one entry per person/household

click back on friday to find out if lucky lavender was on your side.

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

{update: winner list posted}

and the winner is . . .

theresa from bellevue, wa who will soon be flipping through the pages of the ultimate guide to shopping on oahu for the inside style scoop.

alas, there was only one copy to give away, however the publisher sent along an exclusive 30% discount just for the h|h 'ohana. simply click over to the online shop and order away!

• secret code: hapahale
• fyi: no expiration date
  

congratulations, theresa!

{mahalo dawn!}

ultimate shopping guide giveaway

imagine my surprise upon discovering that h|h made the list of shopping resources in the ultimate guide to shopping on oahu. a review copy was soon on its way to me and the purse-sized guide, penned by executive editor kathryn drury wagner of honolulu magazine, shares the skinny on the best spots (a mix of local boutiques and brands with oahu outposts) around the island to unearth designer deals, vintage finds, island style, and where to go when you need a little extra help (mamas-to-be, petites, etc).

one lucky winner will receive a copy of the handy guide (compact enough to slip in your purse) complete with a shopping survival kit (not available in stores).

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, dec 18th - midnight hst
• please put ultimate guide holiday giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• previous h|h winners are not eligible

hele back on friday for the winner and a preview of the final 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}

happy hale*days 08: kitchen edition

this will be short and sweet since thanksgiving plans have begun to distract me (on the menu: kalua turkey, garlic whipped potatoes, artichoke parmesan soudough stuffing & pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream). since i am still gathering edible ideas, enjoy this abbreviated roundup of fun foodie finds for the kitchen!

1 - if you giggled with me at the popular sumo match salt & pepper shakers featured last year, you will be delighted with its 2008 successor - the adorable hawaiian kiss s&p set.

2 - grab the icing and bake up a united 50th state with a copper hawaii cookie cutter.

3 - add a bit of handmade style to tabletop offerings with ceramist marissa domanski's gorgeous swirl bowl (available at maui hands).

4 - edible hawaiian islands offers up page after page of behind-the-scenes peeks of hawaii's culinary community.

5 - delight your favorite paddler with wooden napkin rings carved in the shape of canoes and paddles from soha.

6 - the kcc culinary arts team puts a healthy twist on island style favorites with a dash of aloha cookbook.

wishing everyone a very happy thanksgiving filled with good eats made with love!

p.s. my inbox has been flooded with black friday sales news so check in tomorrow for the full scoop.

{update | nov 27th: whoops! number order has been corrected}