With the longer days and warm weather of summer in full effect, I got a yen for a cool look and refreshment to match. At the Royal Hawaiian Center and neighboring Royal Hawaiian hotel, I found some goods to fit the bill.
My strategy: Shop and dine at the shopping center, which offers three hours of parking for $2 with validation, then cap the experience with a visit to the pink hotel, with its beachside views of Diamond Head.
1. This cotton Kate Spade deck stripe midi dress is now my summer weekend uniform, flattering and functional with its deep front pockets; it’s great for brunch through dinner at $298 (I lucked out with a flash half-price sale).
It’s a pleasure to shop at the Kate Spade store in Waikiki; the clothes are displayed in close proximity to the label’s whimsical handbags, shoes and colorful scarves, providing plenty of ideas for accessorizing your find. (The dress is also available at katespade.com.)
Royal Hawaiian Center, first floor, 922-3390.
2. At Vitra Eyewear, the designer sunglasses are ultra-chic and priced to match — but I felt like a different, more glamorous person in this pair of Tiffany & Co. sunglasses with a soothing blue lens, at $458. Maybe I absorbed it from watching footage of movie stars in their oversized sunglasses, but I instinctively stand taller and move more gracefully while swanning around in these beauties.
The store stocks a wide assortment of covet-worthy sunglasses by Tom Ford, Lindberg, Vuarnet and more. You won’t find Tiffany glasses on sale at Vitra, but stop in to check for the occasional trunk sale or season-end’s clearance; trendy Tom Ford styles were available at a relative bargain when I checked in last weekend.
Royal Hawaiian Center, first floor, 200-2330.
3. I love that Island Slipper sandals are made in Hawaii; they’re also stylish and durable. The Island Slipper store in Waikiki is a bright, beachy haven for accessory finds.
These sand-colored, woven elastic slide sandals, made with jute and raffia, have an attractive tiki-like fabric pattern and fit snugly, with a comfortable foam and ultrasuede insole. The pair costs $79.95. (Island Slipper sandals can also be viewed online at shop.islandslipper.com.)
Royal Hawaiian Center, second floor, 923-2222.
4. Tim Ho Wan, the Waikiki outpost of an acclaimed Hong Kong dim sum restaurant, does many things right, but I truly love Tim Ho Wan’s fried eggplant. The earthy eggplant balances its subtly briny fishcake filler, and it’s topped by the restaurant’s sweet-and-salty sauce, at $5.80 for three pieces.
During lunch and dinner hours, the busy restaurant can boast a line that stretches out into the shopping center, as hungry tourists wait for tables. But drop in during the middle of the afternoon and you can have your choice of seats, including an outdoor lanai. You don’t have to dress up, but you can if you want to!
Royal Hawaiian Center, third floor, 888-6088.
5. Dressed for style and comfort and ready to watch the sunset, I strolled toward the beach from the shopping center and made my way to the Royal Hawaiian hotel’s upscale bar at Azure. Here, beer lovers will find a pink-ish wheat beer — the Royal Hawaiian Hibiscus Hefeweizen from Waikiki Brewing Co., developed in tribute to the hotel. A summer treat! Enjoy it with a wedge of orange, at $8.
If a cocktail is more your style, and the right fruit is in season, Royal Hawaiian bartenders can fix you up with a pink mule — available with strawberry and kiwi fruit to flavor the base ingredients of Tito’s Handmade vodka and ginger beer, at $16.
Azure at the Royal Hawaiian hotel, 931-7440.
Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary. The information presented represents the authors’ opinions and experiences; your results may vary. Tell us what you are loving this week by emailing creilly@staradvertiser.com.
