March 2009

 
When fashion designers unveil their collections in New York or Paris, it’s a weeklong affair of parties, celebrities and paparazzi − just to see a lot of clothes no one can wear in real life anyway.

But when Hawai‘i-based designers show their latest collections – as many of them are doing this week – it’s easy to imagine yourself in their outfits.

Starting tonight, 11 local fashion designers will show their newest collections during the four-night Ready to Wear Fashion Week at... Read more »

A sure sign of spring: new lunch spots popping up all over the place. Time to try something fresh at one of these three new places.

Mix Café
A new downtown location of the popular but tiny Chinatown eatery opens today with a modified menu of more sandwiches and salads, and less pasta. Paninis... Read more »

Lei Chic's guide to the weekend's best events.

Pop Art Party
What: Make an Andy Warhol inspired photo of yourself at Art After Dark at the Honolulu Academy of Art. Pop into the photo booth hosted by Apple, and they'll email you a digital, four-tile, pop-art-colored pic with your face. More ways to get into the 15 Seconds of Fame theme:... Read more »

You’ve read too many magazine articles to count about changing up your look without shopping – you know, the ones that tell you “it’s all about accessorizing” or how to create new looks just by “shopping your closet.”

But the truth is, it’s not that easy to get excited about new outfits when they aren’t really new.

So you might be surprised at how much you can do with one of your old T-shirts. In about 30 minutes of simple cutting and stitching, you can... Read more »

So, here’s the deal: you’re not really shopping much these days, unless you find a serious bargain.

Before you head out into the shopping wilds, though, check out these sites for discounts at local stores and restaurants.

Find printable coupons for everything from combo meals at Teddy’s Bigger Burgers to auto repair, dry cleaning, and pet grooming at  hawaii.suddenvalues.com. Not every offer on the site is a real bargain, so you’ll have to spend a little time... Read more »

You’ve tried at-home facials. You spent $90 on beauty counter products and several hours carefully timing the scrub, mask and rinse steps. It saved you money, but cost you results.

To really bring the spa experience home, call Tracy Puliti, an esthetician and former model who makes house calls. She specializes in facials and arrives at your place ready to set up a complete mini-spa. No rearranging meetings, leaving work early or sacrificing precious weekend beach time to squeeze in a facial – she’s available evenings during the week.

Puliti’s menu is a... Read more »

You’ve been brown bagging your lunch to save dough, but your homemade sandwiches aren’t exactly upper crust.

Head to This Is It Bakery and Deli on Cooke Street to try the fresh-baked challah bread (pronounced holla), which is only available on Fridays.

The dense egg bread is rolled... Read more »

Lei Chic’s guide to the weekend’s best events.

Surf, Sand and Salt
What: Trunk show/fashion show of the summer collection from Salt Swimwear, the celeb-favorite, LA-based line. Meet designer Layla Pakzad and get discounts and early order privileges, plus cocktails and pupus.
When: Friday, 6 to 10 p.m.
Where:... Read more »

You just got the memo. Friday lunch meeting. Conference room. On the agenda: budget forecasts, project updates, and soggy sandwiches from the downstairs deli.

Sounds like an opportunity to exceed the boss’s expectations. Call Isle Concierge and have them deliver a gourmet lunch for your whole group.

It was love at first sight: cute, easygoing, fun during the day, and dressed up well for nights out too.

Yep, that silk dress was your BFF for a solid few weeks. Until you got hit with the dry cleaning bill.

Introduce yourself to the new spring dresses from Calypso, a line created on the Caribbean island of St. Barts by designer Christiane Celle.

The silk dresses, tops and accessories work perfectly on this island too. They come in vivid colors and have details like pleats and seaming... Read more »