Ohana carries food in fancy bento boxes
Our family is toting home lunch in style with bento boxes that make eating leftovers fun. My elegant, two-tier box is fashioned in the style of traditional lacquerware, but is made of microwaveable plastic and comes with an airtight lid. It was among a wide selection offered at Marukai Wholesale Mart at Ward and Dillingham, where prices range from $2.99 to $25.99. My daughter, meanwhile, went whimsical with a panda bento, pictured, from the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii gift shop for $30. Other designs include a cat, maneki neko and daruma. Call 945-7633. — Joleen Oshiro
Nifty Perfectea Maker makes a flavorful drink
Open up the Teavana Perfectea Maker and scoop in loose tea. Add hot water and let the tea brew to your desired strength. Then place the tea maker on top of your cup, and the tea flows from the bottom into the cup. A mesh covering prevents the loose tea from getting into the cup, much like a French press. Allowing the loose tea to circulate through the hot water while brewing allows the full flavor to be released. Plus, it looks cool while you’re making it. Teavana, at Ala Moana Center, sells a 16-ounce Perfectea Maker for $20 (shown) and a 32-ounce maker for $30. Call 942-9397. — Bryant Fukutomi
Do-it-yourself treats are f’real tasty
Move aside, McFlurry, there’s a new shake sensation in town. F’real. No, f’real — that’s the name of the do-it-yourself shake and smoothie "blending bars" popping up at convenience stores. My kids raved about the creamy shakes after discovering them on the mainland last summer, and I just tried my first one at Mako’s Mart in the Maui Lani Village Center, where people are lining up for the frosty treats. Now f’real is available at select Aloha Island Marts and 7-Eleven stores on Oahu. First, pick a 16-ounce pre-mixed shake, smoothie or frozen coffee from the freezer dispenser in flavors that include classic chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, Cookies ‘n Cream, peanut butter cup, mango and blueberry-raspberry-pomegranate. Place the cup in the automated blender and choose your desired thickness. The machine does the rest. F’real shakes and smoothies, around $4 each, are made with real ice cream, milk and fruit, but don’t confuse them for diet food. We’re talking 580 calories for a chocolate shake; for lighter refreshment, go with a 300-calorie frozen cappuccino made with Arabica beans and milk. It’s some good. F’real. — Christie Wilson
Sarong is so right with its Hawaiian print
I love accessories that have versatility. This beautiful pareau (sarong) can be worn as a sarong, scarf, skirt or dress and could be used as a baby blanket, too. It features a print celebrating the upena, or Hawaiian fishing net, and comes in soft, 100 percent cotton. I found it at the Hawaii Conservation Conference in July, where Kealopiko had a booth. Hawaiians made a large variety of nets for fishing, with net-making itself a true art, according to Kealopiko, which attaches a tag with each item telling the story of its Hawaii-designed prints. Measuring 70 by 44 inches, the pareau are available for $36 at www.kealopiko.com. A portion of sales supports Native Hawaiian cultural education and practices. — Nina Wu
Satirical book examines vampires’ fashion sense
If the devil does indeed wear Prada, then vampires should be equally fashion-conscious. How they should do it is the theme of "Dracula in Dior: The Ultimate A-Z Fashion Guide for the Undead and Those Who Wish to Be" (e-book, $1.99), a satirical look at pop market vampire culture, designer fashion icons and human nature. Fashion columnist/vampire Scarlett Stoker explains why vampires should never wear animal print anything, the importance of impeccable manners, how vampires can fake a tan and why Fashion Week models are more important than Oprah or Einstein. You might disagree with some of Stoker’s vampirology — Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula in full formal attire in the 1931 film will forever define vampire elegance, no matter what she says! — but her keen eye for human foibles and social conventions makes "Dracula in Dior" an entertaining commentary on contemporary society. If you enjoy MAD Magazine, you’ll enjoy "Dracula in Dior." — John Berger
