Sunday, August 31, 2008
Men's Suits = Recycled Bottles
For $200 you can purchase an EcoGIR suit made of100% recycled post-consumer materials made from PET bottles. It's an incredible concept and environmentally conscious choice. You can now literally wear your politics on your back to the work place and formal events. Bagir also offers a hybrid suit line which uses 55% PET bottles combined with bamboo and organic cotton. These casual suits have buttons made from palm tree seeds that are eco-consciously grown. Supposedly 1 in every 6 European men own a Bagir suit. They are becoming more visible around the world, and are leading the way in greening the fashion houses.
For more Info see:
http://www.bagir.com/?CategoryID=204&ArticleID=288
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Free Yoga & Pilates Classes
The Scoop: Free weekly yoga or pilates classes in the store!
When: Every Sunday, 8:30-9:45 a.m.
Where It's At: 1450 Ala Moana Bovd, #2406 (downstairs in the new Nordstrom wing)
808.946.7220
www.lululemon.com
Friday, August 29, 2008
Bon Chic, Bon Genre (BCBG)
Ah, Paris (pah ree)--I love all things French. The French know how to live. If you just take the label "BCBG" it's like they are marketing a French life style: dress well and you'll have a good life. Now if only life were really that simple--how nice would that be.
If I had to pick one clothing line that I could say was "me," it would be BCBG. When I walk into a boutique, I find that I like 80% of the pieces. Afterall, if it took me one hour to just pick this image for this post...can you imagine how long I spend browsing in the actual stores? My only critique is that the materials used is mainly cotton, nylon, silk or some blend of these. MaxStudio does a finer job in selecting fine clothing material and does a fabulous job in their stitching detail.
BCBG Shopping Tips:
Order online: All online items are returnable at boutique stores for a full refund! This is a real treat given that items purchased at the boutique itself have an "all sales final" policy (no returns allowed).
Best BCBG sales are at Macys (Pasadena on Lake; Ala Moana in Hawaii) and Saks Fifth Avenue (Newport Beach); Plus, all items are returnable at chain department stores.
Try the outlets for some good finds (Camarillo outlet in CA has the best selection)
Where to Shop:
Best BCBG store: Paris (exit the Madeline metro stop, approx 1-2 blocks from Fouchon)
Hawaii: BCBG boutique in Ala Moana mall; Macys Ala Moana; Nordstrom; Neiman Marcus
Mainland: Most malls and major department stores
Online: www.bcbg.com
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Kimono Festival
After the show, the 3 of us feasted at the Big Greek Cafe. Took 50 minutes and three attempts to find parking. The outdoor setting was quaint and I almost forgot I was in Kaimuki. The food was good too(until the mouse and cockroaches came out).
This was my first time using my Canon 50mm 1.8 lens. Only turned on the Canon EX580 flash at the last 5 minutes.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Animal Rescue - Click to Give
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Obon Festival - Mililani
This Obon had the largest crowd I've ever seen out of all the festivals I've been to (Japan excluded). Five rings of dancing circles moved in unison filled with kids, teens, seniors and even the mayor. What surprised me most was to see the masses of teens eagerly run to join in the dance once the live music played. (An Obon with live music and taiko drummers? Right on!) In Los Angeles I don't think teens think it's hip and cool display this much Obon-eagerness, but it was sure refreshing to see the youth reclaim their cultural heritage in Hawaii.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Carnival - Night Photography
These are taken with my Canon 17-85mm lens and a compact tri-pod (too light with stand the weight of the camera/lens). Forgot the shutter release at home.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Made in Hawaii Festival
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Fred Segal - Eco-Chic in '08
Where to Get It:
Fred Segal Green
500 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401
http://www.fredsegalgreen.com/
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Leave it to Google -411
Well, leave it to Google to think of just another way to improve communication in our society--it's the new free information line. Just call toll free:
800-GOOG-411
If you’re ever in need of a business or service and there’s no time to drive to a nearby gas station to find a phone booth (yes, old school style)...there's no time to run home to get to the internet...and you can't remember where you last left your iphone and blackberry...
All you need to do is call Google and they will direct you to your destination.
For a YouTube demonstration see:
http://www.google.com/goog411/
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Happy Meals, Easy Bake Oven & Gendered Toys
Clone Wars toys are available for 4 weeks only. See: www.happymeal.com for details. My favorite Happy Meal toys are: Boba Fett on the Slave 1, Darth Vader on the Ty-Fighter and R2D2 in a plane, and the Stormtrooper on an AT-AT. (If you understand any of these terms you are either:r a) born in my era b) a Star Wars geek or c) the parent of a child born in the 70s or late 60s)
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hawaiian Host Memories
When I was a kid, I used to love when friends and family members returned from
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Meditation - "Finding Peace"
Go to that place today.
You know,
that one place
where everything else
just doesn't matter anymore--
the traffic, the deadlines,
the streets, the demands,
all the hassles of doing life.
in a world like ours.
Go to that quiet place.
It doesn't have to be for long--
Just long enough
to breathe,
to be.
Give yourself the gift
of time,
of space,
of freedom from distractions.
Go there.
Remember.
Listen.
Look.
Listen some more.
And in that still, small whisper,
Hear the Lord...
and know that you are loved.
The art pieces are by Jon Schueler, whose ability to create mood through the paint brush was a source of inspiration for my own work last fall. His book is titled, "To The North."
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Cody Enters the World
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
"Slip of the Tongue" video - Asian American Beauty
Let me know what you think!
[If anyone knows how to post YouTube clips on blogs, I'd love to learn]
iilids – double eye lids
What is Eye Tape? They are sheets of clear plastic moon shaped pre-cut stickers to tape into the folds of one’s eyes, used to form lid creases. I use them for the mornings when I wake up and see that my natural eye lid fold has gone haywire. For a quick way to fix my eye lid crease, I put the tape on for 30+ minutes until they flip back to normal, then discard the stickers.
Where to get it:
Japanese “Eye Tape” by Koji ($4 for 30 sets of two) – Shirokiya,
Korean “Eye Tape” – Cosmetic stores in Koreatown,
(See video in today's other posting for commentary on Asian American beauty)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Couture Pet Accessories
The Paris collection offers: "Chewy Vitton" and "Pawda" purses along side bottles of "Dog Perignonn Champaign" (Cute and clever? Oui Oui!) The New York line has "Kate Spayed" purses, "Manolo Barknik" shoes, and "Sniffany & Co" jewelry. Hollywood sells "Woof-gang Puck Pizzas" and London, a pair of "Jimmy Chew" shoes. Other accessories such as the "iBone" (iPhone) and "iDog" (iPod) are also avaiable.
Where to Get It:
Online: http://www.hautediggitydog.com/
Bark Avenue: Koko Marina Shopping Plaza, 7192 Kalanianaole Highway, #C-126, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825. (808)394-2343
Sushi Dog Toys
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Free Zagat Guide - Hawaii Edition
Monday, August 11, 2008
Split Obsession - Toy Collectors
Most of the toys in this store are unique ones shipped directly from Japan. Next Tuesday a special shipment of Bobafett and other Star Wars items will come in. The items are being internationally distributed now that the Japan Star Wars Convention has ended. The conventions, drawing over 35,000 people each, were held in London, San Francisco, Tokyo and Los Angeles. Exclusive toys were made for each country.
My brother's "split obession" is with Star Wars, a movie our family enjoyed and grew up with. It was the very first drive-in movie we saw as kids. We got dressed up in our PJs, brought our pillows and favorite stuffed toy, and eventually fell asleep in the car before the movie was over. Leah confronting an angry Darth Vader was the last scene I remembered on that big screen. It was a fun family experience.
Today my brother owns a house, and has dedicated one room specifically to his Star Wars collection. His room looks like a specialty store--literally!, with gray and black painted walls lined with hanging action figures (much like Toys R Us aisles), different Star Wars space ships hanging from the ceiling, and artfully placed on tables and the ground. Bruce, the owner of Split Obsession, was so intrigued by this that he wanted to see the room...until he learned it was on the mainland. Yet in the typical aloha spirited way, he offered to order my brother any Star Wars items from Japan that he might want. Sometimes I get "good" culture shock when I'm in Hawaii--when I see how genuinely friendly and kind people are here and how they go out of their way to help one another. Through these small acts, I find my soul refreshed time and again in the land of aloha.
For a fun Star Wars blog see:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://geekologie.com/2007/04/papercraft-star-wars.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geekologie.com/mt/mt-search.cgi%3Ftag%3Dstar%2520wars%26blog_id%3D1&h=360&w=320&sz=29&hl=en&start=14&sig2=Op7QgkY1-Yc9ecfxzYKLyg&tbnid=m37SkmV9Mv4fbM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=108&ei=jPSgSLP5CoyipwTtq5DgBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstar%2Bwars%2Btoys%2Bfrom%2Bjapan%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
Where to Shop:
Spilt Obession (in the Koko Marina Shopping Center)
7192 Kalanianaole Hwy, #D-100
Honolulu, HI 96825
808.395.3380
www.splitobsession.com
Fireworks - Photographs
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Peek-a-Boo
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Dust
My room sits perched in front of a marina where ducks pass by my sliding glass door and jump into the ocean water just outside my bedroom window. Ducks!? Swaddling by my room?! (culture shock #239) Where in mainland cities does that ever happen? Here in Hawaii it is a daily occurrence for me.
Hawaii. Dust. And the blowing wind. They all go hand in hand.
It wasn’t until I moved to
Friday, August 8, 2008
08.08.08
| 08.08.08 |
by numerical standards alone.
according to chinese numerology
the number 8 is a lucky number
today is an auspicious day they say.
yet today is a special day
because each day, no matter the number
is truly a gift from God.
this i know for sure
this moment is all we're given
may yours be filled with hope, peace, abundance and deep joy.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives - Starts Today
In my opinion, this year's gift isn’t that worth it. The black plastic bag is poorly sewn and in a shape I'm not likely to use. However, if you’re like me and purchase items from counters like Bobbi Brown, Channel and Nars that rarely have gift promotions, this department wide offer is a chance for you to get a little treat for yourself.
Other stores that have special storewide gifts:
Bergdorf Goodman (my favorite
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Barbies, GI Joes and Legos
Cheers to my brother who was my best friend and who made childhood and growing up so much fun and memorable. I can’t imagine my childhood without him