Eden In Love - 50% off the Entire Store today

Everything in the store is 50% off today at "Eden in Love" at the Ward Warehouse (next to Cinnamon Girl).

They donate a portion of your purchases to various causes and organizations. 

Cute, casual and beachy wear, accessories, and knick knacks (cards, note pads, book ends, etc) for the woman in your life > even if that woman is yourself. A deal not to miss. (They have the best selection of bralettes and belts in Honolulu.)

Eden in Love | Ward Warehouse

1059 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu

Heather Brown (Oahu)

Kinda cool > a Univ Hawaii ID card featuring the work of Oahu artist Heather Brown > and a rare piece: her signature line work over some abstract flowers. 

(Images from Heather Brown's website)

The "Little Free Library"

I'd love to start one of my own :)

What is Free Little Library? The concept is: Take a Book, Give a Book. 

It's a national movement whereby volunteers build a small library/creative bookshelf (out of wood, an old refrigerator, etc) then stock it with used books as a way to share literary resources and build a sense of community with those in the neighborhood.  

Your library can be displayed infront of your home, inside your favorite coffee house, or any local space that is willing to permit your collection of free books. 

For more info and a map of Free Little Libraries near you see: 

freelittlelibraries.com 

Free Slack Key Guitar Fest (Maui)

23rd Anniversary Slack Key concert today 1-7pm at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Bring your low back beach chairs and enjoy a day under the sun. Food and drinks available for purchase, or BYO.

(Tip: usually the artists will sign autographs on your CDs if you bring them.)

Highway Inn Hawaiian Food (Oahu)

Just opened in the Kaka'ako area of town. Known for local style Hawaiian food, now in a location more accessible to the East and Windward sides of the island. 

680 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu

{shout out to AL&JY - Shaka! and have a swell vacation. Aloha!}

Nobu (Oahu)

Nobu in Waikiki serves a consistent and well executed menu. It's the perfect place for a client meeting, dinner with the in-laws, or any gathering where you need to count on the delivery of exceptional dishes so that you can focus on the people and conversation at hand. The menu is somewhat interesting yet one can feel the reserve and restraint of the chefs as they offer a minimalist dining experience for a predictably conservative crowd. 

The menu is tilted toward a more traditional Japanese palette and technique than it's competitor, Morimotos in Honolulu (see prior post), and for this reason I recommend the latter over Nobu. 

The dessert shown above, Drunken Cherry Tobayaki, was the highlight of the evening consisting of a perfectly crisped mochi sponge cake topped with cherries drenched in rum, seated upon a pool of spiced caramel sauce. The homemade vanilla ice cream offered a cool and creamy balance to the oven warm delight. 

The ambiance at Nobu was a tad underwhelming but the service was attentive, accommodating and exceptional as expected. 

Located at the end of Lewers Street across from the Halekulani Hotel. 

Most Provocative Menu - Pig and the Lady (Oahu)

No wonder this is ranked the #1 restaurant on Oahu. It has one of the most interesting menus on the island. In fact, Pig and the Lady has been one of my favorite dining experiences in Hawaii because of the bold risks taken by the chef. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Honolulu's newest rising star MW (see prior post), for example, but MW is "safe"--a well prepared meal for the well tailored crowd.  Pig and the Lady on the otherhand offers "out of the box," cutting edge, experimental cooking for the thoughtfully curious palette. It's a causal joint in Chinatown that offers a meal that makes you think...taste...assess...enjoy...

and think again. It's a stimulating experience for the mind + multiple senses. 

The Vietnamese American son and mother duo (son = the pig, his mom = the lady) started out with a food truck, became known for their Pho, and opened this joint this past Fall. It's a new kid-on-the-block with a strong following of locals (and remains relatively unfound by tourists). 

Photo 1) Coffee Can Bread and Chicken Liver Patê. Amazing combination with nuts, fruit and greens. It set high expectations for the night. Loved it. (My friend who hates liver even loved it.)

2) Sashimi of the day with puffed rice crunches and a balanced grapefruit, fennel and kiffir lime sauce. It's a bit too expected, though still good, and one of their top sellers. 

3) 12 Hour Brisket Pho. Broth was good and meat tender. If you're in the mood for Pho, try this place--for lunch (cheaper); plus the dinner menu options have a much wider range of creativity to offer. 

4) Phenomenal caramelized avocado pound cake and macerated strawberries paired with peashoot creme and popcorn + corn ear gelato. Sounds odd, I know, but the combination is winning. 

We ordered 8 dishes in all and each was a delight and surprise (photo 1 and 4 being our favorites). Foodies won't be disappointed. 

Casual attire and ambience. Good for large groups. Appetizers $7, dinner entrees $13-25; order family style. Parking structure across the street a block away. 

Note: the lunch menu is cheaper but primarily centers around pho. Go for dinner to try a wide range of the culinary creativity. They offer a breakfast menu as well. 

Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival (Oahu, Maui, Big Island)

Seven days, eighty chefs and three islands. Come celebrate the craft of top chefs and wine makers across the US (with attention to Hawaii's local stars) at the Fourth Annual Hawaii Food and Wine a Festival. From Aug 29-June 7 tourists and locals alike can sample and interact with the nation's most prominent culinary talent at hosting resorts on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. 

For tickets and info:

www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival

Maui Film Fest '14 - Starts Tomorrow

It's that time of year again! Get out your beach chairs and beach towels for film screenings under the stars. On a warm summer night you can't beat sitting on the grassy lawn of the Wailea golf course watching independent films with high picture quality and sound. 

Starts tomorrow through the weekend. 

Film listings: http://www.mauifilmfestival.com/mffw_films

Montage Resort Kapalua - Opens Today (Maui)

The Montage luxury boutique resort line celebrates the hard opening of their Kapalua property today. The Montage is known for their smaller scale properties where they can offer attentive service. Those who become convinced Montage converts can purchase their own share of the property as 56 units are currently for sale.