First Fridays are officially too nutty and too drunk. Art lovers and shopaholics who could give a rip about the booze and the booty, rejoice. Slow Art is now the third Friday of the month, destination Chinatown. Auntie Roberta…

Lanikai Bath & Body on the Windward Side of Oahu has been making some of the most righteous locally sourced and influenced bath and body products for some time now. Fortunately, they are in the the holiday spirit with some…

A hat tip to Hapa Hale for pointing me towards the new season of offerings from Manuheali'i, a low key design and clothing shop based on Oahu that is truly cutting edge in taking tropical style to the next…

Hello hello. Christa from SuperCW reporting from the world of nightlife diaries. I'm going to be doing some nightlife posting on Hawaiirama. Here's a few photos highlights. Last week I checked back in on the new Rum Fire bar at…

Cruising through Ward Warehouse and Ward Center today, noted SO MANY killer shops with local wares. Nohea Gallery, Jeff Chang Pottery, the Gallery at Ward, Kicks HI, and a host of others. First time I've seen the eye-catching works of…

OK, so even if the company founder has bizarre sexual proclivities, gotta be happy that American Apparel is coming to Waikiki. We have been buying their clothes for years on my trips to NYC. They are clean, fresh, increasingly organic,…

Pacific Business News reports that the really nifty Vera Wang brand shop , one of the signature shops at the posh Halekulani is going to shutter after the designer shut down here signature jewelry line, which as one of the…

Whenever I see news articles like this, I get a bit upset. The L.A. Times dispatched a malahini to report on shopping in Hawaii and, naturally, he or she gets it all wrong. In this case, the reporter talks about…

I admit, when I first heard the name of the company, which recently opened in the new Waikiki Beach Walk upscale retail and restaurant enclave, I figured this was just another mainland chai. Fortunately, I was mistaken. Malibu Shirts had…

So this hip jeans and casual clothes chain is pitching a tent in Waikiki. Why am I enthused? Well, a couple of reasons. First, I love New York. Stay with me here, please. One of my favorite things about New…

The Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival (or LVHIFF) is one of my favorite things about living in Hawaii. Not only does it bring wonderful, world-class entertainment to the islands, but it also promotes cultural understanding between different countries. A…

Young guys can be notoriously difficult to shop for come Christmastime, but Kicks/HI has made this task downright easy! Both Hawaii locations specialize in rare, covetable Nikes, but they also stock a line of witty, pop culture-inspired t-shirts, featuring the…

Hippy chic designer Roberta Oaks opens her closets for a trunk sales this Sunday at one my favorite stores on Oahu, Global Village, in Kailua. This sale is worth a road trip with side stops at the beach and Maui…

Lodestar Collective—a beautiful Kailua gallery that has regularly showcased the works of six of Hawaii’s most promising young artists for the past year—will be hosting its final show this month before closing its doors to the public on December 31.…

First it was gourmet coffee. Then it was gourmet tea. Now its...gourmet water? Well, Japanese visitors swear by the stuff. And for sheer gimmick value, its hard to beat. The water comes from the Kona Coast of the Big Island,…

Who doesn't like Vera Wang? Her designs are timeless, clean, and classy. Her color selection is subtle. The fabrics and materials she uses are sublime. I was in the Vera Wang Boutique at the plush Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki this…

Here’s another great place to check out post-Thanksgiving Day sales: Waikele Premium Outlets. Starting tomorrow at 7 AM (and running through 8 PM Sunday, November 26), shoppers will be able to score major deals on top of the already reduced…

As I’m sure most of you savvy shoppers are aware of, the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year, and this holiday season, Hawaii shopping behemoth Ala Moana Center is taking full advantage of this fact…

Not to be outdone by Ala Moana, Pearlridge will also be opening its doors at 6 AM the day after Thanksgiving. Friday, November 24 kicks off a series of special holiday events—including live music and merchandise giveaways—beginning with Santa’s arrival…

So you’re all pau with the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie for this year, but there’s no reason to despair. Some of the best deals of the year happen the day after Thanksgiving, especially at Ward Centers. The shopping complex…

Anyone who’s been stuck at home on a rainy day with an antsy toddler knows what a wonderful, climate-controlled, family-friendly oasis Kahala Mall is. In lieu of the shopping center’s usual Toddler Time activities, there’s a whole slate of children’s…

I’m not a jewelry-loving kind of girl, but even I can’t resist the gorgeous simplicity of alliway’s handmade accessories. Local girl Alli Kim-Czerniak launched alliway in 2000 after she grew tired of the lack of creativity afforded by her office…

Craft fairs may not sound like the most promising places to find unique, high-quality gifts for your loved ones this holiday season, but the 20th Islandwide Christmas Crafts & Food Expo at the Neil S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall is not…

Here are two truisms about Hawaii locals: 1) they don’t go to Waikiki unless they’re headed to a wedding, the zoo, or a gay club, and 2) they don’t buy t-shirts with “Hawaii” emblazoned on them. A notable exception to…

Attention Lily Lotus fans, the lovely, laid-back label will premiere its newest collection this coming Sunday, November 19 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Coffee Talk. You’ll be able to get your hands on local girl Laurie Momi Chee’s…

Moku Ola Hawaiian Healing Center is known for its excellent lomilomi massage and Hawaiian spa treatments. Now, the healing center has expanded its offerings to include top local artist. The current collection includes the work of nine of Islands’ most…

What comes to mind when you think of aloha print clothing? Loud colors? Busy patterns? Boxy aloha shirts and unflattering muumuus? While this may have been the case in the ‘60s, Hawaii’s fashion industry has come a long way since…

Asiaphile shopaholics tend to lose their minds in Honolulu. You can buy hard-to-find purple chinese clay teapots from Taiwan, rare antique Japanese tansu chests, and jade of all shapes and shades. There's also a ton of nifty east-meets-west fusion…

As a Hawaii resident, I’ve had the opportunity to sample my fair share of guava syrups and the best that I’ve come across so far is from Island Plantations, a locally-owned and operated gourmet food company. Sweet with just the…

I had long wondered who had made the very cool hanging lamps at Ed Kenney's restaurant Town in Honolulu. Now I know, thanks to Hapa Hale Mark Chai is a Hawaii-Chinese artist who makes cutting edge hanging lamps of intricate…

Lily Lotus is a line of lovely, island-inspired yoga and boutique wear, from local designer Laurie Momi Chee. Chee has created each piece to flatter the female form, using high-quality fabrics with excellent drape, resulting in sleek, comfortable silhouettes. The…

Chemistry Bath and Body is the ingenious idea of three local professionals (and gym buddies): Garrett Goo, Todd Taba, and Howard Tang. As frequent travelers to the mainland, they realized that Bath & Body Works products were the most requested…

Cupcake Boutique--one of my all-time favorite places to shop in Hawaii--began as an online webstore several years ago when owner Jodi Mizumoto noticed the lack of fashionable baby and mommy gear in Hawaii. The website became so successful that Mizumoto…

Toast is an ultra-hip event planning and graphic design company created by two University of Hawaii at Manoa Architecture alumni: Michelle Kaneko and Jeremy Shoda. As students, Kaneko and Shoda were in charge of planning socials for the Architecture department,…

A heads up to fashion fiends who follow the little Honolulu couture shop with a big following, Fighting Eel. The two ladies behind this machine are holding a special retail event at Fighting Eel HQ on Saturday from 2-6 pm…

While Fred Flare and Urban Outfitters certainly stock their share of cute t-shirts, there’s a noticeable lack of soul to their designs. Enter Super Good Clothing, the brainchild of talented Hawaii designer Candace. Despite a jam-packed schedule that includes full-time…

Lodestar Collective--one of the most interesting galleries to spring from Kailua’s newly revitalized art scene--may just be the closest thing Hawaii has to a couture house (through November 11, anyway). The gallery is co-owned by six local artists--Carl F.K. Pao,…

Locals simply refer to these two stores as Native Books or Na Mea. Proprietor Maile Meyer runs what might be the most Hawaiian store in the islands with a full Hawaiiana book section, Ni'ihau shell jewelry, fine furniture and bowls…

Triple 5 Soul meets the beach. This two-store chain, run by four partners with deep roots in the surf/skate set (including sponsored pro surfer Jun Jo) brings urban design ethos and fresh threads to the aloha shirtless masses. Stussy,…

This year's edition is finally online. I disagree with a lot of it. In a city of great ethnic and Asian restaurants, its laughable to say that middling Italian spot Auntie Pasto's is the best place to eat on…

Far too many of the local bath and body products sold in Hawaii are overly sweet, over-scented and disgustingly cloying, like a cheap tropical perfume. Lanikai Bath and Body avoids that trap and makes sophisticated scents and potions that…

We spent a long afternoon on Bellows Beach in Waimanalo this weekend. It reminded me that this stunning beach is perhaps the most beautiful in the islands. The backdrop is the purple-green Koolau Mountains and the stark cliffs of…

Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong has been documenting the foods, ingredients and cooking styles of the islands for several decades. She is the consummate Honolulu foodie. Joan (and her publisher Bess Press) graciously agreed to allow Hawaiirama to post…

A few select tidbits from around the web. * No Kidding! Dept. : Latest issue of Modern Bride mag sez Hawaii tops for honeymooners...again. Doh! * Hot! Hot! Hot Dept.: Travel & Leisure humorist visits HAVO, chickens out at Pu'u…

Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong has been documenting the foods, ingredients and cooking styles of the islands for several decades. She is the consummate Honolulu foodie. Joan (and her publisher Bess Press) graciously agreed to allow Hawaiirama to post…

This kids clothing boutique on the North Shore of Oahu has hip Hawaii-themed togs for toddlers and infants, mostly made or designed by local artisans. Gotta love this little outfit for the aspiring hula dancer in your house. They…

Phillipe Padovani closed his eponymous and highly-regarded restaurant in December, but there's a sweet side to this sad turn. Never one to stew, Padovani has opened a chocolate shop that is winning rave reviews for its high art edibles.…

My wife has long dreamed of a mango or curly koa rocking chair for our living room. And she fantasy shops for them at Nohea Gallery No surprise. Nohea is a small, family-run operation that deals directly with artists…

In Hawaii, old muumus never die. They just go to Kaneohe on the Windward side of Oahu.! Muumuu Heaven is a mother-daughter team on the Windward side that collects and buys old muumuus and muumuu print fabric and turns…

Britney blog Breathe Heavy (among others) brings us thumbnails from this month's "People" mag of the diva cavorting in Miami Beach with hubby and baby sporting a Hula-la bikini by Hawaiian Hula Girl, a very cool swimwear company based…