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1. It’s way too easy to get distracted by the taps at Three Peaks Island Craft Beer & Gifts and forget all about the retail side of the business started by husband-and-wife team Steve and Keiko Manser. Steve is passionate about serving up locally produced brews (root beer, kombucha and coffee, too!), but his wife has years of experience in retail sales and it shows in the mix of products at the couple’s Kailua storefront.
What caught my eye during a recent visit was Three Peaks’ lineup of private-label soaps that include local craft beer as one of the ingredients.
The Mansers declined to identify the breweries that supply them with beer, but did share that a local soap maker works with them to create the 3-ounce bars, which cost $4.99 each and are made with glycerin along with coconut, palm and macadamia nut oil.
With names like Lilikoi Lager, Pineapple Pilsner, Mango Wheat and Hibiscus Pale Ale, it’s not difficult to figure out what each soap smells like.
Three Peaks Island Craft Beer & Gifts is at 270 Kuulei Road. Call 261-2337 or visit threepeakshawaii.com.
— Jason Genegabus, Star-Advertiser
2. For anyone who suffers from the effects of vog, Vog Off! is a natural way to battle the symptoms. It was developed by Maui Homeopathy’s Shone Edel using a mix of botanical ingredients. Just spray one to three times into your mouth, two to three times a day.
I buy it from Down to Earth ($24.99 for 1 ounce). After spraying, I get instant relief from itchy eyes and a runny nose. Visit mauihomeopathy.com.
— Lari Yasui, Pearl City
3. Meyer Lemon Chia Seed SmashMallows are to die for. I am addicted to them and keep bags of them in the fridge. They have other fun flavors like Mint Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Churro and Toasted Coconut Pineapple ($4.99 per 4.5-ounce bag at Safeway).
Of course, (organic cane) sugar is the first ingredient listed, but SmashMallows are light and relatively low-calorie — 80 per four-piece serving — compared with the dark chocolate-covered marshmallows I usually eat.
— Liz Dunn, Honolulu
4. Cool, capacious and chic, the 100 percent linen clothes sold at the James After Beach Club are made in Japan for a label aptly named Delicious. I fell for a navy pinstriped shift with deep side-seam pockets and one at the chest, perfect for holding eyeglasses.
You get a crisp, tailored look, and the bold, simple cuts of their men’s and women’s wear remind me of Issey Miyake.
Hurricane humidity? Bring it on! Priced at $150, including tax, in the minimall at 3045 Monsarrat Ave.; call 737-8982.
— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser
5. The creations of Daven Hee, a popular ceramic artist in Honolulu, are pretty enough to display on a shelf but have practical uses as well.
A double-walled sake cup ($50) comes in a pleasing round shape and abstract hues, with no two alike. Hee’s former student Daniel Stratis specializes in whimsical “kissy cups” (pictured, $80 to $100), which have fish lips around the rim. Every time you take a sip, you’re kissing a fish.
Both are available at the HiSAM Museum Gallery Shop x Mori by Art + Flea, 250 S. Hotel St.; fb.com/hisamgsxmori.
— Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser
“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 by emailing features@staradvertiser.com.
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