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For summer, the toothy smile of a blue shark on a foam-white T-shirt promises love at first bite. “Mano” is one of several keiki tees sporting friendly sea critters and their Hawaiian names — he‘e (a lavender octopus), honu (a green turtle) and kohola (a purple humpback whale) — at the shop at the Hawaii State Art Museum. Designed locally by Wayne Nunez on soft pure cotton, they cost $12 in keiki sizes, extra small to large. (Also, see the museum’s gorgeous — and free — exhibition, “Ho‘omau: The Perpetuation of Kapa.”)
The Showcase Hawaii Shop in the HiSAM lobby is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays; call 728-6388. — Mindy Pennybacker
Bracelet incorporates local shells, sea glass
This handcrafted bracelet by Solomone Jewelry caught my eye with its array of natural shells and sea glass wrapped in wire and around a hammered silver cuff. I discovered it at the Kailua farmers market and was delighted when owner Lucy Pezzulo, originally from the Solomon Islands, cut it to custom-fit my wrist right on the spot. Pezzulo gathers shells and most of the sea glass from Hawaii shores, but mixes in stones and pearls from elsewhere. Bracelets start at about $25. Rings, necklaces and earrings are available, too.
She’s not always in Kailua, so the best way to find her is at Haleiwa Farmers Market in Waimea Valley during extended summer hours from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Pezzulo is on Instagram @solomone_jewelry. Contact her at 457-0008 or islandluv68@aol.com. — Nina Wu
Hannara offers satisfying fare
My family loves making visits to Hannara Restaurant. I love the fried luncheon meat ($3.75) and the banana ($3.75) and macadamia nut pancakes ($4). I like to order both a banana and a macadamia nut pancake and then eat them together — delicious.
The casual dining spot at 86-078 Farrington Highway in Waianae offers a mix of American, Korean and Hawaiian dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Call 696-6137. — Amy Zizzi, Makaha
Bargain treasures found at Makaha thrift store
If you’re making a trip to the west side and love a bargain, stop at Treasure Seekers Thrift Store & Collectibles in Makaha Marketplace. Clothing, furniture, housewares and collectibles line the aisles and shelves. Each trip to the store is different, but I recently found this cheese platter with four matching serving knives for $5.99, a St. John scarf for $4.99, Coach baguettes for $25 and a Gucci bag for $125.
The store, located at 84-1170 Farrington Highway, is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays. Call 695-7200. — Nancy Arcayna
Bitsbox teaches children how to create simple apps
In the ’80s, would-be computer programmers learned to code by copying hundreds of lines of code out of magazines to create pixelated games. In all the copying, they learned to see patterns in the letters and numbers and adapt them. The creators of Bitsbox have updated the concept with a kit that teaches kids to create apps by copying a modified version of Javascript/HTML5 coding.
Each kit comes with dozens of coding projects, ranging from just a few lines to a few dozen lines of code, and challenges to personalize the games. The apps created can be downloaded to any smartphone or tablet and sent as a QR code to impress friends and family. Check it out at bitsbox.com. Single boxes, which also include a toy and stickers, cost $40, with discounts for multiple-box subscriptions. Try a simplified version at bitsbox.com/hoc2015.html. — Donica Kaneshiro
WHAT ARE YOU LOVING?
Tell us what you are loving this week by emailing features@staradvertiser.com. Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary.
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