If this post seems to be propelled by caffiene controlled text … you’re right! Holy Gopher, it’s all about September, and September is already here!

OK, let’s get to it.

Big Bash! HAWAII FOOD & WINE PARADISE

No, that’s not a misprint. "Paradise" is the operative word here. I’ll have to admit I’m not attending due to the lack of a certain vital ingredient … MONEY!
 Anyway, the event is from September 11th through the 13th, in and around the Kapolei area (all the way out H1 to the north).
 I’m giving away the farm here, but I want to get the news out, so unleash your wallet and read this. And if you need a roof over your head, here’s some possibilities. A couple of the lower priced properties are sort of doggie, but I’m not going to say which ones, ’cause they know where I live!

Let’s hustle along here.

Hawaiian Quilts for Visiting Quilters

If you’re going to be on Oahu between September 13 and 21, and are a quilter, or quilting fan, be sure to Visit Kahala Mall for a major quilting event. Kahala Mall is at 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hawaii’s Master Quilter, Carol Kamaile (Kah my leh) will be displaying her designs as an important part of Kahala Mall’s "Shop with Aloha" event.
 This is a big event in honor of Aloha Festivals, and features live entertainment and demonstrations that celebrate the arts, music and culture of Hawaii, past and present. If you’re new to Hawaii, this is a great way to get plenny Hawaiiana all in one place.
 
Oh, and did I mention it’s open to the public and  free of charge.

QUILTING DEMONSTRATIONS AT KAHALA MALL Saturday, 9/13 10am-2pm, Sunday, 9/14 10pm-2pm, Wednesday, 9/17 5pm-9pm, Friday, 9/19 10am-2pm, Saturday, 9/20 10am-2pm; and final day, Sunday, 9/21 1pm-5pm

AND THAT’S NOT ALL. During this awesome event, you’ll be treated to a prestige fashion event where you’d normally pay big bucks for admission.

Here it is.

Hawaiian Monarchy Collection … Fashions from Hawaii’s Golden Age.

Imagine. The royal clothing of Queen Kaahumanu (Kah ah hoo mah new) , who presided, for all purposes, as the Queen Regent of Hawaii from 1820 until 1832; Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who envisioned the Kamehameha Schools; and many, many more.
This elegant fashion show is limited to September 13 only at Center Court of Kahala Mall at 2pm. 
OK, here’s a link to the Honolulu Advertiser article that tells all about this very special "Shop with Aloha" event. 

Aloha a hui hou

[Apprentice Blogmaster Note: If you've been back to this blog, and the news seemed to be stale, that's because IT WAS. My blog platform and I have been in serious dispute as to who runs this outfit. Especially about pictures I want to display. Not the kind of pictures, but where they are displayed, and if they'll be displayed at all. Well, we'll just see about that.]             

 OK, on to the Jewelry  Department. Hawaiian jewelry runs the gamut from beautiful natural necklaces to island style gold and silver. For this post I’d like to concentrate on natural jewelry.

Kukui Nut Lei (necklace)

The Kukui lei (layee) on the right is an elegant example of Hawaiiana. Kukui leis,  in very old Hawaii, were worn only by the ali`l (ahlee`ee), or royalty. In modern times they symbolize good luck.

You’ll find these nut leis in a variety of treatments. All the way from ground and polished to completely natural. Here’s an example of a lei with several different styles of the nut. The shells are called Opihi (oh pee hee) and the little seeds are from the Koa tree

The Kukui nut comes from the Kukui tree (duh!), a native tree of Polynesia. The tree was actually brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the early voyages from the south. So jewelry made from the nut is very much steeped in Hawaiian history.

Natural jewelry, especially leis, is not a gender thing in Hawaii. The lei to the left is mine, and I used to wear it to work every day as  a tour guide/bus driver.

Kamani, wiliwili, and goat’s eye are common materials for leis.  Of these, the red seeds from the wiliwili (weelee weelee) are probably the most impressive.  I don’t have a good picture of the finished lei … and didn’t feel right about … er … ahem … borrowing one. When your in Hawaii, and in a quality gift shop, ask about a wilwili lei. Also, standby for sticker shock. 

Ni`ihau Shell Lei

Speaking of sticker shock, the Ni`ihau shell lei is another pricey item, but well worth the money. Why so expensive? Mostly due to shortage of the pinkish shells and the meticulous care taken to create the lei. That, and because they are only made one place in the world … the Island of Ni`ihau in the  Hawaiian chain. The pictue on the right  shows a choker and a 3 strand lei. There are  fake knockoffs, so insist on proof of authenticity.

Newsflash: For some temporary killer deals on Hawaiian jewelry hop on over to

hawaiistore4u.com/Hawaii-Store/Jewelry-and-Watches This is the "now" part I was talking about earlier. OK, OK, it’s my site, but regardless, there’s some real bargains lurking there.

Fun Facts About Hawaii: The capitol of the State of Hawaii is Honolulu on the Island of O`ahu.

Honolulu= Hono looloo

O`ahu= Oh ah hoo

Aloha  a hui hou