A shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. What are you loving this week? Send a brief description of your latest favorite thing, where to find it and how much it costs, along with your name and contact info to features@staradvertiser.com.
1. Artist’s glass pieces inspire collecting
I love blown glass. I have been collecting it for about 10 years and own several pieces by Dan Wooddell. I have one of his manta ray abstract vessels, a couple of bowls, some ornaments and a set of six of these glasses, available for $34 each at Chai (675 Auahi St., 536-4543). His "hahalua" manta ray and other art pieces are available at Cedar Street Galleries (817 Cedar St., 589-1580). See more of Wooddell’s work at www.cedarstreetgalleries.com. — Kelly McMahon, Manoa
2. Juice from the coffee berry, not the bean
My teenage son is often ahead of the curve when it comes to what’s trending, and now he’s got me drinking KonaRed, made from Hawaii-grown red, ripe coffee berries. The berry, which surrounds the bean, is removed, dried and condensed into a liquid that is blended with pineapple, apple and raspberry juices to create a tangy, not-too-sweet beverage with a bit of a caffeine kick and loads of antioxidants. Find KonaRed at most major retailers, including Costco, Whole Foods, Foodland, Times and Don Quijote. Suggested retail price is $3.99 for the 16-ounce size or $2.99 for a 3-ounce shot. A new 32-ounce size ($7.99) will be available this month. — Christie Wilson
3. Stick-on light illuminates tight spaces
Sometimes you just need a light that’s handy and in the right place at the right time — whether that’s inside a closet, beneath your kitchen cabinet or in some dark nook or cranny. Stick N Click LED lights are small and easy to install anywhere. Push the light to turn it on and push again to turn it off. Because they run on three AAA batteries, they can help light the way during power outages. A set of three is $11.95 at the As Seen on TV Store at Ward Warehouse and Ala Moana Center. — Nina Wu
4. Tell time with a bracelet that’s slap happy
Trends tend to cycle from generation to generation, and one of the latest things to cycle back around is the slap bracelet. Riffing on that and the never-ending Angry Birds phenomenon, the Watch & Jewelry Co. at Ward Centre is selling timepieces that fit into rubber slap bracelets in a variety of styles for $10. — Donica Kaneshiro
5. Software breaks down true value of trees
Trees are nice and they’re pretty, but you knew that already. Turns out that trees in the urban environment are about the hardest-working plants on the planet, kicking back enormous energy and health savings. We know this now, thanks to i-Tree Tools, a suite of data analysis software developed by the Department of Agriculture. The software, in PC format, is available free at www.itreetools.org. The suite includes i-Tree Streets, which puts a dollar value on the environmental benefit of street trees; i-Tree Hydro, which charts tree influence on watershed stream flow and water quality; i-Tree Design, which assesses how individual trees affect home energy use; i-Tree Species, a utility to select appropriate tree species; and more.
OK, it’s not for everyone. But if your community group is curious about exactly how much carbon trees in your neighborhood take out of the air, provide oxygen and cooling shade, i-Tree Tools provides dollar values. — Burl Burlingame