4 Things We Love

1. The Honolulu Museum of Art’s extraordinary exhibit “Abstract Expressionism: Looking East from the Far West” offers a thrilling opportunity to view original works by the lions of abstract art, including Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, juxtaposed with works in a similar vein by Hawaii artists such as Isami Doi, Satoru Abe, Tadashi Sato and others.

The companion book to the exhibit, also titled “Abstract Expressionism,” includes beautiful color reproductions of the works and explains how and why the featured Asian and Asian-American artists connected with the abstract movement, with essays by Theresa Papanikolas and Stephen Salel.

Find this giftable book at the museum gift shop for $34.95.

— Elizabeth Kieszkowski, Star-Advertiser

2. It’s been nearly 165 years since Scotsman Robert Love arrived in Hawaii and opened his first bakery on what was then known as Nuuanu Street.

These days it’s hard to find a supermarket anywhere on Oahu that doesn’t offer Love’s Bakery products on its shelves. So consider the bakery’s commemorative T-shirts ($12) for gift-giving this holiday season. Choose from designs with the familiar Love’s logo in camouflage or the colors of the Hawaiian flag, or the most popular version with a loaf of bread surrounded by keiki and company bakers.

Caps and reusable shopping bags also are available at lovesbakeryhawaii.com or seek out Love’s Bakery at craft fairs and other pop-up shopping events around town.

Call 841-2088 or follow @lovesbakeryhawaii on Instagram and Love’s Bakery on Facebook.

— Jason Genegabus, Star-Advertiser

3. We’ve featured Paradisus’ bold sterling-silver designs before, but I found love anew in its collaboration with champion spearfisher Kimi Werner.

These 1.5-inch “Uhu” earrings, part of the Kimi Swimmy collection, mimic the shiny scales of the parrotfish, an ono reef dweller, and since my son, like Werner, is a Maui-grown diver, I just had to have them.

The earrings are $100 at Riches Kahala in Kahala Mall (matching necklace, $70), or order online and find additional retailers at paradisusjewelry.com.

— Christie Wilson, Star-Advertiser

4. It takes a certain level of “Star Wars” geekery to fill a kitchen with household items that reference a galaxy far, far away. My husband and I are squarely at that level of nerddom.

Sure, we slice our vegetables on a Millennium Falcon-shaped cutting board and had a “Star Wars” cake topper on our wedding cake, but the best gadget in our home is ThinkGeek’s officially licensed, stainless-steel Death Star Tea Infuser. The TIE fighter hook dangles the Death Star in hot water, steeping loose-leaf tea of your choosing. Enjoy a cuppa while trying to get tickets to Thursday night’s advance screenings of “The Last Jedi.”

Find it for about $70 on amazon.com, hopshopmart.com and other online retailers.

— Erin Smith, Kailua

“4 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.