Touch of nature in a cup of tea

Flowers can bloom in your cup of tea. These gray balls of tea unfold in hot water to reveal a flower rising from the leaves. Chrysanthemum and jasmine are most popular, but there are other varieties.

Serve in a heat-resistant clear glass container. Rinse the ball once in hot water, then steep. Within a few minutes the ball will unfold. Sip and contemplate nature. The tea can be re-used at least a couple of times and you can leave it in cool water and keep as a centerpiece for a week or so after drinking the tea.

In Chinatown, they sell for about $1 to $2 each at shops that sell tea. — Craig Gima

Saving space in the fridge

A food shopping trip to Costco, a stopoff at Safeway, and maybe Longs, too. By the time you get home, there’s more than enough to crowd your fridge. Which is where one of my favorite things comes in: These sturdy, beautifully designed containers might look smaller than your typical plastic liquid container, but they’re tall and can hold quite a lot.

You could divvy up one of those Costco-size jugs of cranberry-raspberry juice into several of these smaller-footprint bottles to maximize that scarce space in your refrigerator.

Sold as juice bottles under the Looza brand, they can be purchased at Tamura’s in Kaimuki and elsewhere for about $4 — and they come with really good pear or mango juice inside, too! — Mark Coleman

Key to the Kingdom

What could be more magical when touring the Magic Kingdom than knowing exactly where the crowds are, and, more importantly, where they aren’t? Download the free app MouseWait and get instantly updated wait times for rides on your iPhone when at Disneyland or Disney World.

Like magic, you’ll know whether to zip over to Dumbo or detour to the Pirates of the Caribbean instead. The app also provides park event schedules, restaurant menus and other features to help you kill time while in line.

We’ll definitely be using it on our next trip to the Magic Kingdom. — Donica Kaneshiro

Gold standard

Nothing like a shower to be reborn, squeaky clean, after a day in Hawaii’s humidity. The soap that delivers this nirvana is Gold Bar from Melaleuca, the wellness company that made its name through its tea tree oil personal care and home products.

Even Gold Bar includes the oil, and its fragrance is bright and citrusy. The soap is French milled, making it long-lasting to boot.

A "pantry pack" trio costs $16.50 retail, or $11.50 for preferred customers. Visit www.melaleuca.com. —Star-Advertiser Staff

Stylish bracelets are bellisima

I stumbled upon my latest favorite bracelet at OOMA boutique in the North Beach area of San Francisco while attending a family wedding this fall. Made of Italian resin, the kind used to make eyeglass frames, it exudes a vintage vibe reminiscent of ’20s and ’30s Bakelite jewelry.

Made by Bellisima, the pieces retail for $20 to $45. I haven’t found a store in Hawaii that sells them, so I ordered another from proprietor Jessica Waters, who was more than happy to ship for $2. Contact her at info@ooma.net and she’ll e-mail you color swatches and styles, maybe even just in time for Christmas gift giving. Oh, and OOMA? Stands for Objects Of My Affection. Absolutely. — Ruby Mata-Viti