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1. Mermaid-tail blankets were all the rage last year for little girls, but what’s a boy to do? In addition to plush mermaid tails that are much cozier than many of the crocheted versions for sale, Alyssa Kauanoe of Hawaii Kai company Suede designs shark blankets.
OK, it takes a certain smirky sense of humor to buy your child a blanket that makes it look like he’s being devoured by a shark, but we are just that kind of family. My boys think it’s hysterical.
A clever touch: The blankets come with a small pocket perfect for a pair of glasses or a remote control. They are generously sized at 56 to 57 inches long and 22 inches wide, and can double as a sleeping bag for little ones. Hands and feet can tuck into the fin pockets, too.
Blankets are sold at twinklette.com for $69.99.
— Donica Kaneshiro, Star-Advertiser
2. As credit hacks and incidents of identity theft proliferate, it’s vital to keep a close eye on your credit reports. Credit Karma, a free financial reporting service for consumers, is a useful tool.
The service, supported by ads that match users with credit providers, offers 24/7 online access to your credit reports from TransUnion and Equifax, as well as a composite credit score. When anything changes you’ll receive an email alert.
I even used CreditKarma.com to file my federal and state taxes — free, efficient and it works!
— Elizabeth Kieszkowski, Star-Advertiser
3. For Earth Month I’m loving Manakai Swimwear’s flirty bikini in a soft Italian fabric that’s 78 percent post-consumer recycled plastic — and you’d never know it. The other 22 percent is elastane, for stretch and support.
Having tried the stringless, pull-on Champa Top ($96), I’m confident that whether surfing or playing volleyball, it will stay in place. So will the Juniper Bottom ($98), the Mauibrand’s “least cheeky” style, assured owner Anna Lieding, who surfs in hers (I wouldn’t dare go that bare). The one- and two-piece, mix-and-match suits are reversible and non-see-through thanks to two layers of fabric.
Get free U.S. shipping through May at manakaiswimwear.com.
— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser
4. Buy local and consider Maui Manjookies — a cookie version of Japanese manju pastries — as omiyage instead of Krispy Kreme on your next Valley Isle junket. Jannelle Fukuoka’s goodies are baked from scratch and hand-rolled with fillings such as azuki bean, sweet potato, coconut, lilikoi-pineapple, peanut butter and shiro-an (lima bean), to name just a few. (Fukuoka also makes baked char siu manapua, a scarcity on Maui.)
Manjookies are best when heated in a toaster oven or microwave, melding the buttery ingredients. Buy them for $8 a bag at Mike’s Mini Mart, 343 Hanamau St., near Kahului Airport, as well as Restaurant Matsu in Kahului, Tamura’s in Kahului and Wailuku, Pukalani Superette and the DFS store in the airport concourse. Call 893-2000 to order; visit mauimanjookies.net.
— Christie Wilson, Star-Advertiser
5. Glo Carlson, a North Shore resident who loves folk art, creates hanging wooden sculptures using materials from torn-down plantation homes, fences and other natural and repurposed materials. The original paint remains and is sealed once she’s done carving (this helps protect buyers from lead exposure if the wood pieces came from older homes).
Sample works include an angel wearing a halo of shells ($120), a pineapple with a heart ($60) and a “Love” plaque in the shape of a whale’s tail ($56). Available at Kai Ku Hale, 66-145 Kamehameha Highway, in Haleiwa; call 636-2244.
— Nancy Arcayna
“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.
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