At 15 years old our poi dog still wants to be in on everything, but she has outlived coordination and stamina. To compound the problem, our house has stairs, lots of them, and she’s 50 pounds and hates to be carried. Looking for ideas to keep her as active as possible for as long as possible, I ordered the Blue Dog Lift Support Harness, basically a sling with handles that goes around her midsection. It has been a huge help with negotiating stairs and vehicles safely. Find it on amazon.com for about $30. — Stephanie Kendrick
Affordable shaving oil keeps nicks at bay
You can order all kinds of luxury men’s grooming items online, but Walmart is where I go to buy Shave Secret, a light oil that conditions your skin and beard perfectly for shaving. Just wet your skin, spread a few drops of the slightly aromatic oil over the area, wet a bit again and shave. There’s no messy lather, and after several months of use, I’ve had no nicks or cuts, even when shaving my tough beard after a long weekend of growth. The little 18-milliliter bottle is great for traveling, too, and it’s only $5. — Steven Mark
T-shirts’ clever mash-ups have heads turning
Every time I wear a T-shirt designed by local collective Claymore Minds, someone passing by will do a double take. The first one I bought featured a mash-up of “The Voice” judge Pharrell Williams and the Oahu landmark Chinaman’s Hat as a spoof of his silly Smokey the Bear hat worn to the Grammy Awards in 2014.
Last month I picked up the first installment of Claymore Minds’ new Heavy Mellow series, which designer Travis Cix describes as a “fun, if oxymoronic, confluence of local and universal sights and sounds.” The black T-shirt features the name of the local band Kalapana on the front in a font that looks mighty similar to the one used by heavy-metal rock legend Metallica.
Priced at $25, the shirts are printed in limited quantities and available online at claymoreminds.co. While it’s a good bet this design will be sold out, the next Heavy Mellow shirt will be available by the end of summer; follow Claymore Minds on Instagram (@claymoreminds) for previews and release dates. — Jason Genegabus
Crisp, sunny flavor makes for a fine nonalcoholic wine
In the summer heat I lighten up on alcoholic beverages, which can dehydrate and demotivate me from waking up early to surf. But I do miss dinners of chilled white wine with fish. I found nonalcoholic wines unpalatable until my husband brought home a bottle of crisp, barrel-aged Ariel Chardonnay. Ariel, a California-certified sustainable winegrower, filters out 99.5 percent of the alcohol, leaving behind a full, sunny taste and about one-third the calories of conventional wine. While the cabernet sauvignon isn’t as distinctive, it pairs nicely with goat cheese or steak.
Available for under $7.50 at select Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors; visit tamurasmarket.com. — Mindy Pennybacker
Wine tasting, terrariums and blowouts under one roof
The Beauty + Art event, held every other month at Dada Salon, is a convenient way to combine a few of my favorite things — art, wine and pampering — under one roof. On Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., the salon will feature terrariums designed by Shauna Chan, head spa treatments and an array of summer wines to taste. The head spa treatment is a 30-minute experience that includes a shampoo, conditioning, massage and blow-dry for $20 (regularly priced at $35). Make an appointment at Dada Salon, 808 Sheridan St. No. 309; call 683-8015. — Lacy Matsumoto, Liliha