I fell in love at first sight with Rainforest Alliance Certified roses six years ago, and my passion for these long-stemmed beauties has only deepened with time. The little green frog label certifies the flowers were grown with standards that restrict the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, protecting the health of farmworkers and communities, rainforest ecosystems and wildlife habitats in Latin America, the source of 90 percent of cut flowers imported to the U.S.
Your fair lady will adore the pure natural colors and pesticide-free scent of these Fair Trade blooms, priced at $16.99 for a bouquet of 18 roses at Costco.
—Mindy Pennybacker
Ikaika Travel Kit helps a dad feel masculine
One of the most jarring realizations of becoming a first-time dad is that I’m now one of those guys — the ones carrying Hello Kitty blankets without a care in the world and rocking pastel burp cloths in our back pockets like we’re in some sort of dad gang. I draw the line at using my wife’s Tokidoki-themed baby carrier. That’s why I love the new line of Reyn Spooner accessories in classic designs printed on Reyn’s signature Spooner Kloth.
The Ikaika Travel Kit ($45) is what single people might call a toiletries bag, but it’s really my answer to all the supercute girlie stuff currently occupying our diaper bag and it’s just big enough for the necessities. Reyn Spooner has stores in Honolulu at Ala Moana Center, Kahala Mall, the Sheraton Waikiki and on Merchant Street. Visit reynspooner.com to shop online.
—Jason Genegabus
BrushPicks are versatile plastic toothpicks
Anyone who fumbles with floss or finds most interdental brushes too bristly to fit between teeth will love The Doctor’s BrushPicks. One end of the flexible, plastic toothpick has a thin, sharp tip, and the other has a soft, flat brush head that slides easily in and out of tight spaces to remove food debris and stimulate gums. It’s billed as “the world’s best toothpick,” and you won’t get an argument from me. A two-pack of handy dispensers, each holding 60 BrushPicks, is $2.39 at Longs Drugs.
—Christie Wilson
Amazon offers intriguing drama ‘Fortitude’
“Fortitude,” a British TV drama available via Amazon Prime, is also the name of a fictional town in the Arctic Circle where there’s never been a violent crime and the biggest threat is polar bears. In fact, the series opens with a resident being eaten alive. This is a place so cold it’s illegal to be buried there because your body will freeze rather than decompose, and the weather becomes an excuse for infidelity.
But like the thawing glacier proposed for a tourist development, there are more layers to the friendly-at-first-glace community than meet the eye. Richard Dormer (“Game of Thrones”) stars as the menacing town sheriff and Stanley Tucci (“Hunger Games,” “Spotlight”) as an FBI-trained British detective sent to investigate a savage murder that shocks the town and reveals the residents’ hidden lives. The two lawmen face off from the start, stabbing at each other with sharp, smart dialogue. Be advised: The 11-episode first season contains graphic violence and nudity.
—Mike Gordon
Work by urban artists decorates kids’ T-shirts
Find kids’ clothing that mixes spunk, sass and street style at Big Bad Wolf Kids in Ward Warehouse. Store owner Amy Wong selects works from urban artists around the world to produce limited-edition T-shirts in sizes 2 to 10 for $28. February’s prints are by So Youn Lee and Montana Cans. Visit bigbadwolfkids.com.
—Jermel-Lynn Quillopo, Honolulu
“5 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 this week by emailing features@staradvertiser.com.