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1. Snuggle with your four-legged friend in matching hoodies from the Hawaiian Humane Society. The soft, zip-up jackets come in pink, gray or maroon in human sizes up to 2XL. Available at the Humane Society’s holiday pop-up shop, Whiskers & Wags, at Ala Moana Center through Jan. 29.
Prices are $65 for human hoodies and $29 for pet versions, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit. Visit hawaiianhumane.org or call 226-3872.
— Nina Wu
2. Because our skin absorbs what we slather on, I prefer Bubbleshack Hawaii’s body products, which are free of synthetic chemicals like parabens. Creamy, gently scented Aloe + Coconut Oil Lotion ($6.99 for 4 ounces) is made with organic aloe, green tea and coconut and kukui nut oils.
Tropical Honeysuckle + Tuberose bath salts ($6.99) soak cares away, and gummy-candy-bright Loofah Lather soaps ($14 for 3) make exfoliating a fragrant breeze. All are locally handmade with lilikoi, pineapple, gardenia, plumeria and other essential oils — no phony-fragrance phthalates.
Available at bubbleshackhawaii.com, 455-5900, and Whole Foods, Nordstrom and SoHa stores. \
— Mindy Pennybacker
3. When closed, the Lumio multipurpose lamp doesn’t look anything like a portable light source; to the casual observer it appears as a hardcover book.But when opened, LED modules automatically turn on, putting out approximately the amount of light you’d expect from a 40-watt bulb.
The original Lumio lamp ($190) is 8-1/2 inches high and 6-1/2 inches wide; when closed it measures 1-1/4 inches thick. A single charge using the included mini-USB cable lasts about eight hours, or plug it into a wall outlet like a regular light fixture.
Lumio lights also ship with magnetic wooden pegs and a leather hanging strap to provide multiple setup options. A smaller Mini Lumio+ ($125) provides a more compact option that also functions as a portable battery pack for mobile devices. Buy them online at hellolumio.com.
Me? I went for a more affordably priced knockoff sold alongside the Lumio on Amazon.com. The light pictured here sells for less than $40. Use the search term “Lumio lamp” to see the different options.
— Jason Genegabus
4. Country superstar Garth Brooks, who wowed Hawaii audiences with four concerts in December, is making fans an irresistible offer with a 10-disc box set, “Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection” (Pearl Records, $29.99).
Available exclusively at Target, the set contains seven discs covering his hit-packed career, two discs of unreleased concert performances and Brooks’ just-released studio album, “Gunslinger,” with two Target-exclusive bonus tracks. One of them is Brooks’ 25th-anniversary re-recording of “Friends in Low Places,” which has George Strait, Jason Aldean, Florida/Georgia Line and Keith Urban joining in.
The price breaks down to barely $3 per CD. That’s reason enough for Brooks fans to find the nearest Target store.
— John Berger
5. Caps or hats are practically a necessity in Hawaii with our cruel sun. But caps that don’t make you look like you’re trying too hard to be trendy or — worse — like you don’t care how you look can be hard to come by.
808 Clothing features a lau hala-look, woven straw-front cap embellished with Hawaii-designed imagery. Find it for $19.99 at 808clothing.com or at the family-owned business on Maui, 1941 S. Kihei Road; call 357-1988.
— Elizabeth Kieszkowski
“5 Things We Love” is a shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary. Tell us what you are loving by emailing features@staradvertiser.com.