1. Cute, colorful and recycled, oh my!
All of us have had to personalize gifts and notes or prepare last-minute omiyage for various occasions. In these instances I depend on the colorful cards, embellished clips, stickers, labels and tags made by Pitacus. What I appreciate about these items is that not only are they very colorful and cute, but they are made in Hawaii from recycled papers. All are $6 at Nui Mono, 2745 S. King St. A deal!
–LeNora Wee / Honolulu
2. Patches provide quick caffeine fix
I’m perpetually in search of a caffeine boost with few calories. Green tea is my go-to, but sometimes you just want a quick fix. That’s where Spot On Energy patches come in. The company sent samples to our office, and now I’m hooked. Caffeine is the primary ingredient, with 65 milligrams along with "homeopathic" concentrations of zinc and ingredients from tea infused into a patch. I’ve found the energy boost is subtle and long-lasting, meeting the four- to six-hour promise made by Rocasuba Inc., the U.S. manufacturer. As with any other caffeine boost, it helps with concentration and lessens fatigue. Sold at CVS and Walgreens, and online at spotonenergy.com, where you can buy 12 two-patch packs for $35.88 and get free shipping.
–Elizabeth Kieszkowski
3. Pop maker makes fast work of frozen treats
Inspired by the creative ice pops offered at local farmers markets and thrilled by the concept of nearly instant gratification, I bought a Zoku Quick Pop Maker and stashed it in the freezer. Once the mold is frozen, it can be filled with whatever juice or delectables you have in the fridge. The ingredients take a mere seven minutes to freeze, and voila! — dessert is done. Each time the mold is frozen, three sets of ice pops can be made before it needs to be refrozen. The Zoku blog (blog.zokuhome.com) and members of the ever-creative online community who document their every success on websites like Pinterest.com ensure I’ll never run out of inspiration for new combinations. The single and triple pop sets are available at Williams-Sonoma for $24.95 and $49.95, respectively; double-pop sets are $37.49 on amazon.com.
–Donica Kaneshiro
4. Actors morph in ‘Horror Story’
Just in time for the start of the Halloween season, FX brings back "American Horror Story," a Ryan Murphy miniseries that changes the storyline every season but never strays from the weird and creepy. In its first two incarnations, the show visited a haunted house and then a church-run asylum (aliens were involved in a subplot, but I’m still puzzling over that one). Wednesday’s Season 3 premiere at 7 p.m. starts a new horror story titled "Coven." One hallmark of the show is that actors are re-purposed from one season to the next in different roles. Following her breakthrough performance as troubled teen Violet in Season 1, Taissa Farmiga is back as Zoe, who is sent to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies in New Orleans, an institution devoted to protecting the few remaining descendants of the Salem witches. Voodoo no doubt will be involved. Also returning this season are Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, who will be joined by newcomers Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett, pictured above.
–Stefanie Nakasone
5. Plugs protect ears but let in sound
I discovered Earasers, which essentially are earplugs that still let you hear but protect you from noise that is just too loud. You can use them at concerts, dance clubs and other noisy environments and still carry on a conversation. The music still sounds good, but you don’t suffer from a ringing in your ears afterward. Earasers are $39.89 a pair at Ohana Hearing Care, 1296 S. Beretania St.; visit www.ohanahearingcare.com or call 593-2137.
–Curtis Pruder / Moiliili
