5 Things We Love

1. I love desserts and could easily eat a sweet treat in place of a meal. But I am also addicted to unsweetened tea: oolong, black, green, lychee, mango — they’re all so yummy I often have a hard time deciding on a flavor.Tea Time Taiwan at 1210 Dillingham Blvd. in Kalihi doesn’t make it any easier with its coffee and tea jellies and heart-shaped grape and blueberry jellies.

Recognizing this dilemma, the shop has come to my rescue with a twin cup ($6 to $7 for large, depending on toppings) that allows me to enjoy two teas, with or without jelly. And on those days when I want a treat and tea to go, the Happy Boat ($5.50), a container filled with Oreo toast or ice cream honey toast dessert, fits snugly on top of the cup, with a hole in the middle for a straw.

Tea Time Taiwan also has locations in Pearl City and Kailua. Visit teatimetaiwan.com.

— Michelle Ramos, Star-Advertiser

2. Handcrafted and locally sourced, these koa earrings from Hawaii Bookmarks of Keaau, Hawaii island, make a fashion statement, highlighting the rich beauty of the wood. The raw material is gathered from the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa without harvesting standing trees, and all parts of the wood are used.

There are many designs to choose from, starting at $25 and up, including hoops, monstera, honu, paw prints and dolphins. The Pele’s tear (long oval drops) and ohe (bamboo) cutout pattern earrings are my favorite. Koa bookmarks with cutout designs are available, too, for $10.

Call 987-6488 or visit hawaiibookmarks.com.

— Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser

3. North Shore artist and illustrator Nick Kuchar invokes the early days of surf culture and Hawaii travel with his retro-style artwork. But not everyone can afford a $400 20-by-30-inch canvas giclee print like those he offered at last month’s Made in Hawaii Festival at Blaisdell Center.

Kuchar has you covered with more affordably priced items, including a set of 10 reusable, two-sided cardboard coasters ($16) that feature the same artwork.

Find his artwork at SoHa Living Waikiki in the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Greenroom Gallery at the International Market Place, Red Pineapple and SoHa Living at Ka Makana Alii, and online at nickkuchar.com. Kuchar can also be found on Instagram at @nickkuchar and Facebook at facebook.com/EverythingIsJake.

— Jason Genegabus, Star-Advertiser

4. Getting comfortable on an airplane is hard enough, and now many airlines charge passengers for blankets.

Sky Dreams’ soft, fleece Hali‘i travel blanket by Angie Higa, who rekindled her passion for sewing after retiring from banking, has a lined, waterproof zipper pouch perfect for stuffing with a small pillow. The 40-by-58-inch blanket ($59.99) includes a strap for attaching to luggage.

Visit skydreamsllc.com for more designs and products.

— Nancy Arcayna, Star-Advertiser

5. I loved Will Ferrell in “Elf,” and I love my happy husband in his Strassburg Sock. A gift from our son, a runner, the sock relieves heel pain from inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick membrane that stretches the length of the sole of the foot.

The sock has a taut strap that runs from the knee to the tip of the toes, stretching and soothing the plantar band and creating that elfin look. My husband sleeps in his every night.

If you have plantar fasciitis in both feet, alternate the sock, as wearing two at once may trip you up. The price is $35 per sock at the Ultimate Foot Store in the Aina Haina Shopping Center, Windward Mall, Pearlridge Center and Ka Makana Alii.

— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser

“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.