Spam flavored Mac Nuts

My mom laughed so long and hard that she cried.  Indeed the combination of two popular hawaii flavors {mac nuts} + {spam} is as creative as it is confusing. 

Not being a big personal fan of spam, I popped open a $5 can, only to be overwhelmed by a cloud of chemically produced spam smells. The oddly pink colored powder nestled atop the nuts beckoned a try, and after one nut was consumed I was left convinced that the two Hawaii flavors should really be kept apart. {mac nut} {spam} period.

Were the company to adds bits of dried spam into a mac nut can, I'd be prone to guess this would work much better to the pallett than to have artificial spam-flavored nut dust.  Let me know your thoughts on this novelty item.  You might think it's a hit!  The limited cans of spam-mac nuts can be purchased at Target Hawaii in Salt Lake.

Hawaii's Mac Nut Hershey's Kisses

Over the past year, I found this to be another favorite omiayge gift to bring back to the mainland: Hershey's Mac Nut Chocolate Kisses. The best part...The little thin white wrapper tucked inside each kiss > the paper that usually bears the company's name > here reads,"Aloha!" How cool is that?! Now that's a special treat!

Where it's at:

Walmart (in the MacNut section, not chocolate candy section), $4.95/bag

Costco: in the local goodies section by the check out lines, $10.95/large bag

Longs: doesn't always have it in stock

micael aram

for well over a decade i've found intrigue with michael aram's play with nature at functional kitchenware. his pieces are different and interesting from all angles. there's a seriousness and somber to the pieces, as if to immortalize life via nature in silver, for a future age that may not know such wonders of trees, leaves and berries. there's a way that holding stick sculpted forks and spoons brings us back in touch with generations past (cave men perhaps) when the idea of disposable thumbs and tools were first conceived. to ornate these everyday tools in silver is to memorialize them and give them new meaning in the present century.

The Strangest "Get Well" Gift...ever

I have to admit...I this is one of the oddest gifts I found listed as a "Get Well Gift." What are they? They're stuffed toys in the shape of germs, blood cells, and diseases.

(Someone with a medical science degree and child like creativity certainly had a lot of time on their hands!)

For example...can you imagine giving someone in the hospital one of these:

(brain cell, fat cell; red blood cell, white blood cell)

Or why not allow someone to vent their frustration by throwing one of these at the wall?

(mono, pox; e.coli, common cold)

Well, I guess there is an adorable quality to them...

To order your next over-the-top "Get Well" gift go to:
http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/main/health/

[This email is dedicated to Sharon who I hope has a speedy recovery...and no, who won't be getting any of these stuffed toys from me.]

Sushi Dog Toys

Is your dog Japanese at heart?
Then how about getting a sushi squeak-toy?

These toys were too cute to resist. They are made of soft fluffy material and run $7-9 a piece. Hey, just like ordering sushi at a real restaurant!

Where to get it: online at www.sushipup.com
On Oahu: Bark Avenue, Koko Marina Shopping Plaza

Asian Inspired Ipod Skins

Now that bulky ipod rubber "sleeves" have become passé, vinyl “skins” have taken on the newest rage. These removable adhesive panels are designed to be applied to ipods (all generations), iphones and laptops. Graphics designs come in a range of styles, colors and prices.

Where to Get It:
www.skinizi.com, www.istyles.com, www.gelaskins.com

T-Shirt with a Brain

Ever find yourself looking for a Wi-Fi connection?
With this techy tee you’ll always be in the know. The blue bars on the shirt light up in accordance with the strength of the location’s wireless signal.

Where to get it:
www.ThinkGeek.com ($29.99)

Best Kept Beauty Secret - Shiseido in Hawaii

Shiseido's Camellia Club is a special rewards program limited to Shiseido counters in Hawai’i! Just collect stamps with every purchase and you're on your way to earning beauty gifts worth up to $230. To become a club member simply sign up at any participating Shiseido counter--there is no fee and no catches to enroll.

The way it works: For every $10 you spend, you are given one ink stamp on a rewards card. At the end of each year, a sales representative will calculate the number of stamps you collect. You will be rewarded a free full sized Shiseido product at the end of each cycle. Each stamp card begins on July 1^st of each year and ends on June 30^th of the following year.

Reward Gift. Depending on the number of stamps you collect, you will be given one of the following gifts:

20 stamps = White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam (worth $33)
40 stamps = White Lucent Brightening Massage Cream (worth $50)
60 stamps = Future Solution Eye and Lip Contour Cream (worth $125)
80 stamps = Future Solution Total Revitalizing Cream (worth $230)

Coupons. When you think things couldn’t get better, with each yearly enrollment you are given with a small booklet filled with coupons including opportunities for you to get free Shiseido Rewards stamps (e.g. 2 free stamps with a purchase of any facial product; 2 free stamps for participating in a complementary make up lesson), as well as discounts to local restaurants in Honolulu (e.g. buy one lunch entrée get one free at Ryan’s; 15% off your entrée at Kincaids.)

Double Stamps months. To entice you even more, there are special periods where every dollar that is spent is calculated as two dollars. This allows you to earn more stamps and fill your rewards card even fuller and faster!

Here’s the Inside Scoop: Upcoming Double Stamp days (at Macy's) will be held…

Mid-July 2008
3 days in September 2008
End of December 2008-Early January 2009

These are great periods to stock up Shiseido products to last you the whole year, and it is possible to fully complete the entire stamp rewards cards by taking advantage of the Double Days. Tourists too may find this a good motivation to stop by the Shiseido counter on their next visit to the islands.

I've been using Shiseido products for over 15 years and have found this to be one of the best kept beauty secrets about living in Hawaii.

Participating stores: Macy’s | Shirokiya | Nordstrom

What Not To Wear – Clinton Kelly Tips off Petites

I don’t watch a lot of television but when I want a good laugh, I turn the channel to TLC’s “What Not To Wear,” a half hour program dedicated to showcasing people who are stopped on the streets and lured into undergoing a fashion make-over. The catch? The person must be willing to discard their entire closet of clothes in exchange for a generous shopping allowance and wardrobe coaching from the show’s fashion experts.

Luckily for Hawai'i, “What Not To Wear’s” very own host, Clinton Kelly will be sharing his fashion tips and no-no’s for the island's Petites—a sizable yet often overlooked fashion group.

As a 5'1" petite myself, I know how hard it is to find such specialized fashion advice. And who better to learn from than Clinton Kelly himself.

Admission is free and open to the public. Clinton will also be autographing his new book, “Dress Your Best,” which comes as a free gift with a $100 purchase in the Macy’s Petites department. In addition, there will be a drawing for a $500 shopping spree with Clinton himself. Who knows, maybe you too can have your own private “What Not To Wear” session...without the televised embarrassment!

When: Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 1pm | Where: The Ala Moana Center at Macy’s | RSVP at 808.945.6427 or macyseventshi@macys.com