1. If you enjoy India pale ale and you love Hawaiian monk seals, then Lanikai Brewing Co.’s newest bottle release, Kaimana Monk Seal Double IPA, is for you. Inspired by the summer birth of a monk seal pup at Kaimana Beach in Waikiki, the hoppy, bitter ale is brewed with local oranges and tropical hops, and has a boozy 9.2 percent alcohol by volume.
A portion of the profits from every bottle sold will benefit the nonprofit Hawaii Marine Animal Response, which works with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries to protect endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
A 12-ounce draft at Tap & Barrel, 167 Hamakua Drive in Kailua, is $8 or refill your 64-ounce growler for $24. A 22-ounce bottle is $16. Kaimana Monk Seal Double IPA is also available at Whole Foods Market, select Foodland and Tamura’s stores and other bottle shops.
More “endangered brews” are on the way. Follow @lanikaibrewing on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
— Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser
2. This year’s menagerie theme adds to the charm of the collectible Friends of Honolulu City Lights holiday ornaments sold annually by the nonprofit. “Deck the Halls” shows Shaka Santa taking off outside Honolulu Hale in a sleigh pulled by zoo animals, and “Holoholo Honolulu Zoo” has the creatures helping Santa decorate their tree.
The ornaments are made from polished brass that is electroplated with nickel and then 24-karat gold for a hard, durable finish. Get them for $18 each at First Hawaiian Bank branches, Oahu Macy’s stores and the Honolulu Zoo gift shop, and buy past releases at honolulucitylights.org.
— Christie Wilson, Star-Advertiser
3. I’ve seen lots of jewelry designed to look like flowers, but the hapuu fern earrings Hawaii island designer Peter Honeyman creates are truly unique.
Using a patented process, he preserves plants harvested in the wild to produce something wearable for years to come. His website, realflowerjewelry.com, offers collections of preserved Hawaiian orchids and other pressed wild-grown flowers in addition to hapuu, which are endemic to the islands and can grow up to 25 feet tall in the Volcano and Hilo regions.
Priced at $25 a pair, these earrings are both fashionable and affordable for holiday gift-giving — and they’re guaranteed to be a conversation piece.
Call 808-969-7646 or email pjh@realflowerjewelry.com. They’re also available at Na Mea Hawai‘i at Ward Centre.
— Jason Genegabus, Star-Advertiser
4. Consider an American flag flown at the USS Arizona Memorial for the history buff or World War II veteran on your gift list, or as a wonderful keepsake for their grandchildren.
Each made-in-America nylon flag comes with a certificate verifying the date and time it was displayed on the memorial. Prices start at $65.95 for a 2-by-3-foot version. A koa shadow box with an etching of the USS Arizona Memorial is $258.95. Proceeds benefit the memorial and World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.
Orders are being taken now for flags to be flown Thursday, the 76th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Call 888-485-1941 or visit phpstore.org. Shipping within the U.S. is free on orders over $100.
— Christie Wilson, Star-Advertiser
“4 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.
