I finally got these babies in the mail! My high school classmate, Natalie Woo, is a well known jewelry designer here in Honolulu. Her pieces are so unique and trendy, a bunch of local boutiques sell her work and you’ll most likely see one of her pieces on other local fashion blogs. She posts her latest items on Instagram on a weekly basis, so when I saw these, I had to have them! She might have more black arrowhead and Buddha necklaces available at Fighting Eel Downtown.
No podía capturar la luna llena este miércoles pasado, pero aprendí mucho de la fotografía de mi nuevo amigo Tommy. No sé mucho de mi cámara, mi especialidad es en diseño gráfico, entonces, tuve que cambiar la saturación y la exposición para estar satisfecha con mis fotos. Saqué esta foto de un sitio antes de llegar a la playa de Makapu’u. Aquí puedes ver las nubes, la luna, la silueta de la montaña y las estrellas también. ¡El cielo estaba hermoso!
Aquí es la foto de Tommy. Obviamente es mejor que mía. Él es un fotógrafo que conocí el mes pasado y me dio muchos consejos sobre la exposición y la composición de una foto. (Su especialidad es la fotografía de bodas y familias.)
I’m not satisfied with my photos from that night. They’re pretty blurry. But oh well, todos aprendemos de nuestros errores.
I’m definitely feeling the holiday spirit this year! Thanksgiving was really nice. I was lucky enough to spend some quality time with my family and friends. These past few months have been crazy and I’ve missed hanging out with my family at the dinner table. The photo above is what I wore. Yep, big button down shirt and my fat pants. Haha! Although I didn’t really eat much at dinner. Turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing are really not my thing. So I was all about the dessert. (Also, I shaved the side of my head again. Hehe!)
The next day, my boss gave my co-worker Lauren & I tickets to the Wicked show at Blaisdell. So I had to download the book to get the full story on the witches of Oz. There’s nothing like a fun book & a green tea latte.
Here’s a photo from today! We got a cute little Christmas tree at work. 
Here are some photos from last night’s Honolulu Night Market at Kaka’ako. It’s a monthly Art + Food + Fashion event held to promote young artists (painters, dancers, performers, photographers, designers, etc.) as well as drum up business for the new shops and eateries on Auahi Street. There were lots of pop-up shops, a fashion show, improv performances and ono grinds.
The Honolulu Night Market started in September and has grown a huge following throughout the past few months. It attracts a very diverse crowd. It’s appropriate for those nerds, hippies, hipsters, fashionistas and foodies who can’t resist good bargains and innovative art. The only downside to this event is the street parking. They haven’t figured that out yet.
I’d say, “wouldn’t you like to take a dip?” But the water isn’t the cleanest thing here in Hawaii Kai. Once in a while, you’d see some stand-up paddlers roaming the marina…and tourists of course. I took this a few days ago with my iPhone and used an HDR filter to give it some pop. I’ve been spending my work days in Hawaii Kai lately and I’ve fallen in love with my neighborhood all over again. I’m finally seeing HK developing its own culture. For example, we have live music on Fridays at Island Brew Coffeehouse, on the weekends at Cha Cha Cha Salsaria and Roy’s. A weekly farmer’s market at Kaiser High School on Saturdays and an upcoming Christmas boat parade on Dec. 15th. Ahhh community building at its best. Now all we need is a bar/lounge that is cheaper than Roy’s but a teensy bit more upscale than The Shack.
As always, here are some random moments from this week >>>
I’d say I’m a quirky kinda girl, black and white looks good with anything, right? It’s actually chilly out so leggings + a cardigan are required this weekend. I never wear these green leggings. But they’ll do for work today.
My brother upped the ante on the green today. He’s just returned back to Guam from his golf tournament in Thailand. My mother emailed me a photo of what he wore today. He’s got balls to rock hot pink with lime green! You won’t miss this fearless, neon chamaole on the golf course.
Lastly, I scoured Barnes & Noble for the latest issue of Hi-Fructose. One of my fave artists Audrey Kawasaki is featured and her latest artwork filled a five-page spread. Follow her on Instagram for more of her seductively striking work.
I did a promotional flier for the entertainment/production company iTrip this week. The company is made up of a group of young, local guys who want to bring new talent to the islands as well as feature some of the amazing local DJ’s and artists here in Honolulu. The one reason why I continue to support and these guys is because they come from different backgrounds, striving for higher education while working part-time and still maintaining a vision. Plus, my prima Jo said they’re pretty cool. #supportlocal #supportartists
My friend Timka took me to The Tea Farm Café yesterday. It’s a cute little place right off of King Street in Moiliili. The owner, hidden behind the curtain on the left is being interviewed by a Japanese magazine writer for a feature article. The shelves in the back are full with little canisters of every flavor of tea that the café has to offer. The bookcase on the right acts as a trading library. I’m absolutely smitten with this cute, peaceful café. In addition to hot/iced teas, they also offer, salads, sandwiches and ice cream in the shape of little hearts.
I was eavesdropping in on the interview taking place on the left. From what I gather, the owner studied accounting at the University of Hawai’i and felt limited to certain jobs with his field of study. So he started a tea café…and through trial and error, he came up with scrumptious tea flavors and a business concept that would separate himself from the other local and commercial coffee shops.
On a separate note, I’ve decided to start a weekly #hashtag on Instagram. It’s called #ThriftyThursday! I got tired of #ThrowbackThursday so I decided to show off some of my thrifty finds. For #ThriftyThursday, I wore a thick gold chain I got off of eBay for $1.20, a top from Ross bought for $4.99 and my jeans from TJ Maxx ($8.90). If you didn’t catch it, I am very boastful of finding cute clothes and accessories for less than $10.
Moving backwards, here’s what I wore on Election Day! Red, white and blue. I’m a bit cheesy when it comes to important days/holidays. Hehe. I work a Mossimo dress from Target ($20), Rocket Dog boots ($45) from Famous Footwear & necklaces I’ve acquired of the last few years.
Whew! Isn’t this a relaxing site? Well, it’s probably not the most gorgeous view of Hawaii but it’s a nice change from the daily grind downtown. I’ve been working seven days a week for the past two months and although I wouldn’t trade my current jobs for the world, (unless it’s for Travel Channel), it’s nice to take a breather once in a while. It’s a bit humid and calm here in Hawaii Kai. This is the backside of Island Brew Coffeehouse, one of my favorite cafés on the island.
I’ve taken it upon myself to set some selfish goals before 2012 is over. Only now have I realized that it is the fourth day of November and I’ve been on autopilot for a while (working, cleaning my house, working, saving money, working…and oh, working). I make it a point to take some time to treat myself to some of life’s luxuries. So here are some snapshots of the little ways I try to keep sane and reward myself for working hard.
This is my mini-haul from Forever21. I spent a total of $36 dollars on two shirts, an Amour necklace and shoes. Luckily there was a 21% discount promo code. I’m constantly on the lookout for deals.
I finally got to catch up with my younger cousin Momo this past week. We went to Panya Bistro at Ala Moana. They’re known for their Laksa and salads. Even their salads fill you up with tiger shrimp and tofu. They also have the best ume martinis and Japanese cheesecake on the island.
Lastly, in my small circle of best friends, it is imperative that we celebrate each other’s birthdays with a bang. It was Healani and Janel’s birthdays during the past two weeks and I was excited to get out for a bit. Hanging with my girls is always therapeutic and fun. P.S. those are Jan’s sexy legs.
As for the rest of my selfish goals, I’m aiming to finish that design project that I’ve started, start promoting my t-shirt line (seriously) and getting that massage I’ve been needing all year. I’m still trying to figure out the rest.
I know it’s a bit late, but recently I came across Samuel Rodriguez, a visual artist known for establishing Shorty Fatz art + design studio. I’ve seen his work at Loft in Space at Fresh Café and I failed to mention him on my blog. I followed him on Instagram and I’ve become obsessed with his work. I admire his use of multi-ethnic muses, unconventional prints and patterns while still maintaining a functional canvas. It works. It kind of represents Hawaii and its art community. We’ve evolved here, we’re no longer traditional artists. We’ve become risk takers, cultured brave souls with an understanding of the issues at hand and there’s always a message behind our work. Here Samuel Rodriguez showcases “walking melting pots,” which is not soley based on ethnicity but on visual identity.
