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Playful bracelets charm in spring colors
I wandered into Fishcake during the holidays for some Christmas shopping and though I was focused on my list I couldn’t ignore this brightly colored Pikachu bracelet calling, "Buy me." It was part of the gallery’s "Toy Show," and although the show is over, you can still pick up the playful bracelets created by wwhereit and priced at $45 each. The cuff styles include centerpieces made with diecast toy cars and trucks for $55. Not only are the bracelets a great reminder to have more fun in life, but mine come in all the trend colors for spring: orange bright, lemon yellow and neon green, so it’s guaranteed to match anything I wear! Fishcake is at 307-C Kamani St. in Kakaako; call 593-1231. — Nadine Kam
Local retailer’s shirts fit to a T
I try to do my part and buy local in many ways. When it comes to T-shirts and hats, more often than not I’m wearing something from Fitted Hawaii at 1438 Kona St. Since 2004, this Native Hawaiian-owned business has created designs that tell stories rooted in Hawaiian culture. Collaboration with other Hawaii-based artists is frequent. Fitted also sponsors a number of local surfers, skaters and other athletes. Read more about Fitted’s products and learn about future releases (new items arrive every Tuesday and Saturday) via its blog at www.fittedhawaii.com. The snap-back hats with embroidered logos are $50; T-shirts are $30. — Jason Genegabus
Cookie decorating pens make coloring tasty
I’m no Martha Stewart in the kitchen. I can’t construct an Elmo cake and frost it like fur. I can’t even decorate a sugar cookie to perfection, but Betty Crocker Easy Writer food coloring pens make cookie decorating as easy as coloring. The soft tips are constructed to glide across a delicate frosted surface without marring the finish, but they’re really great for coloring in the designs created by cookie stamps. I got my four-color pack at Safeway during the holiday baking season but haven’t seen it on shelves since. Buy it year-round on amazon.com for about $5. — Donica Kaneshiro
Peach of a food magazine
"The dude’s noodles were definitely handsome."
That line from an article by former food critic Peter Meehan and chef David Chang as they ate their way through Japan succinctly expresses the style and attitude of Lucky Peach, a new quarterly journal of food and writing that debuted with an issue devoted to ramen. Involved in the venture along with Meehan and Chang, owner of New York’s trend-setting Momofuku Noodle Bar, are the producers of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" on the Travel Channel. Bourdain himself is a contributor. It’s chockfull of entertaining writing, graphics and, yes, recipes; including how to make a mouth-watering Momofuku ramen creation with fresh alkaline noodles, a slow-poached egg, and pork belly and shoulder. Buy Lucky Peach at Barnes & Noble or subscribe online ($28 for four issues) at mcsweeneys.net.luckypeach. — Gary Chun
Laotian snacks are a sweet treat
Khao tom, the most common of the Thai or Lao snacks known as khanom, are made of sticky rice cooked in coconut milk usually with banana or taro, sometimes with black beans. Each one is wrapped in banana leaf and steamed or grilled over charcoal. It’s sweet, filling and "aroi mak mak" — very delicious. Find them in Lao produce stalls in Chinatown, unless the ladies didn’t make them that day or they run out. (They’re also sometimes available at the produce stand on 9th and Waialae avenues in Kaimuki.) A package of five small khao tom sells for $3.50 at Mauna Kea Marketplace. Larger individual ones sell for between $1 to $2 apiece. — Craig Gima