Shopping in Pearlridge Center, Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. Strolling around the Kawaii Friends Fair on the upper level of the mall, along the Dunkin Donuts and Planet Fitness wing (Downtown Pearlridge), we came across: kj's kreations There were so many bins of cute things! I thought that I should get some for party favors for a lunch next week with my female cousins. There were Hello Kitty keyrings, Stitch notebooks, hand sanitizer holders ($8), Labubu topped pens ($2), and more! I liked the items that were priced 4 for $10. What a deal! Service was very friendly and helpful. The sweet gal was just laughing along as I added more items to my bill. She offered me another stamp card - one stamp per vendor per $10 spent - for the Kawaii Friends Fair. I'll be back!

What are you celebrating…read more.. Chances are they have the perfect card for you for all occasions and holidays to give for all ages and what I do love about it is it's unique. These days a typical card is quite pricey so rather than getting a card I've been going quite off the usual yet still nothing beads a handwritten card and thanks to Decowoods you can find that here. It's not just cards but gift cards and gift sets as well and as school starts there were gifts for teachers which makes it easy as many are shopping it's all put together for you. The lady working it is so friendly and helpful to find what we would need and at such great prices for something hand made is special and why I keep browsing over her selections. Thank you!

Shopping in Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. While at the Kawaii Friends Fair at Pearlridge Center on 7.26.26, Irene pointed out DECOWOODS, a vendor that specialized in homemade greeting cards. This vendor's products are very neat, kawaii, and affordable. I got to mix and match 4 handmade cards for $5. I selected 8 cute cards to make it an even $10 so that I could get a stamp on the Loyalty Card! The nice lady running the booth was very pleasant and friendly! I look forward to seeing her again in a few months. I'll check her Instagram for her next location and dates.

Shopping in Pearlridge Center, Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. Tagging along with Irene, at the Kawaii Friends Fair (upper level of the mall in the Hallmark/Dunkin Donuts wing, formerly known as "downtown")... she pointed out: Sharon Fleur Creations. Specifically, she called to my attention... a Miffy pen topper. I understood what she meant. It was the last Miffy... and it was my chance to create a pen of my choice. I went with the lavender and fuscia themed Miffy and placed a fuzzy ball with a sparkly ball under her... so cute and reasonably priced! Sharon, the vendor, was very helpful and patient! Thank you! Thanks, Irene, for encouraging my crafty side. I'll go back one day and maybe get a cute plushie bag charm or create a keyring!

Blooming with creativity…read more.. That's one thing that does excite me whenever there's a market and this one does branch out a bit differently as it does includes various plants for sale as well. Though I'm not much of a green thumb having folks who know how to care for them does make a difference and who wouldn't want to take home something that brighten up your space. Speaking of it's not just plants but various pottery from the Hawaii Potters Guild which was very nice as each table is from a different member was so impressive to see so many creative items. What I also love is that you find various treats from My Sweet World with lots of munchies and of course matcha...I was so surprised to see Walking Bean Cafe was there and got a cup of Iced Honey Yuzu Matcha a favorite refresher of mine that really helped cool me down. Aloha Drapery and Kreative Kama'aina was there to see something new they have and it's pillows with two types of filling and got one specifically difficult to find the uniqueness of this market really surprised me and learned a lot from various vendors was so cool. Keeping it local and supporting these various artists is great at this spot as it's free to the public and with that savings I put it towards my purchase. Thank you!

Aloha Kakahiaka from, Hawai' Nei :) \000/ It's already,…read moreNovember 3, 2025.... Wow! What can I say about this "Na Makana" gift shop, btw, "Na Makana" in Hawaiian means = *The Gift*.... Been coming here, ever since my Hubby has been Working @QMC, for (30+) yrs now!! I do admit, I'll usually swing on by this Cute Gift Shop, when I would need trinkets for maybe while I'm visiting someone @QMC & this "Gift Shop" is very Convenient to come here for Anything & Everything *CUTE* you can think of!! From, QMC Logo Stuffs; t-shirts, Cups, Jackets, etc, (I don't need to buy any QMC Jackets from this *Gift Shop*, my Hubby usually will Automatically give me his QMC Jackets, well he knows that I luv wearing & Using any kinds kinds Of Jackets, when I'm cold) lol. Butttttt, I did at one time, buy the QMC Jackets in the past, when they sold all different colors of Jackets in the past, with their *QMC* Loco, printed in the back, with a Hoodie, & a Zipper in the Front. I probably bought @least a Dz. Or more of those, QMC Jackets, not only for myself, but for Gifts to!! Yup, I've given *QMC* Jackets away in the past, the cost for those *QMC* Logo Jackets were sold @$40.00 ea. Not only *QMC* Jackets are sold here, they sell a lot of other Cute trinkets inside of this Gift Shop, from gifts for the New Moms, Stuffed Animals, Mylar Balloons, Ceramic Mugs, Cups, Books, Lanyards, Earrings, just to name a few Stuffs sold here!! So many Cute trinkets that you can imagine, this Gift Shop sells them all here, tucked away inside, "The Na Makana" Gift Shop, which btw, this *Gift Shop*, Is located right here @the Main lobby inside of the, Queen's Hospital. It's really easy to find this QMC Gift Shop, & if you can't find your way here, just ask any Employee (Wearing Scrubs), they'll definitely point out to you, where this Gift Shop is located at!! And, or, you may also ask anyone that is wearing a very "Bright Yellow" looking Vest, over their (Female) Blouse & or (Male) Shirt, which they are QMC Volunteers, they will also direct you to where the QMC Gift Shop* is located at. Btw, all the few Workers that work inside the QMC *Gift Shop*, are all Volunteers, yes they are. The Volunteers are, Nice & helpful, especially if you are looking for a "Specific Something Special" for A Loved one, that's in the Hospital & you want to buy & or pick up a gift for them too!!! I forgot to mention that, I know that In the past, the QMC gift shop used to also sell Flowers, Roses in Vases, etc. I also forgot that, QMC gift Shop sells a lot of Cards, you know Cards to cheer up loved ones that your Visiting, etc. Lastly, QMC "Na Makana" Gift Shop also sells, Drum roll please (lol!).....Da Kine.... "Aloha Collection" Tote Bags/Diff Styles & Prints, Backpacks, Pouches, Coin Purses, etc!!! I have been @This Gift Shop this yr, where all their "Aloha Collection" Gear/Stuffs, had an Additional 15% off your purchase, as I was waiting patiently several months ago for my Hubby near the *Gift Shop* & enjoying my SB Mocha Drink, & saw from where I was sitting, a lot of the QMC Employees (mostly Wahines), all Shopping in the Gift Shop that particular day. I thought to myself, their must be some kind of Sale going on in there, & yup, I was right! Lol! Their was this 15% off, for their "Aloha Collection" items, not all items were 15% off, but they still had a great Array of "Aloha Collection" items on Sale, I quickly went on inside of the gift shop that day, & of course I found another *Day Tripper* Tote Bag that I found & liked, & just my Luck, it was the last one on display, it was this pretty dark brown "Aloha Collection" Tote bag, w/Hawaiian Quilt pattern printed on the Front & I knew I was going to buy it, yayyyy!! Lol! Even the matching pouch was on Sale too, 15%, yes & please, I'll take it, they match!! Haha... Omgosh, my Review once again, turned into a *Portuguese* Novel now, yikes!! I'm 1/4 Portuguese, So don't mind me, babbling on!! Blah! Blah! Blah!.....Hahaha!! Aloha Nui! \000/

Nā Makana is the FANTABULOUS gift shop in the lobby of Queen's Medical Center. I would even…read moredeliberately dare you to not pick up a gift until you get to the hospital prior to visiting your loved one...you will be pleasantly surprised in the selection they provide and their fair pricing. The flower leis are fresh, not wilted, well-made, and are about $16 for a classic orchid lei. I did not see floral arrangements when I stopped by, but I was there in the afternoon/early evening. They carry A LOT of well-designed and well-made local products like Aloha Collection Tyvek bags, Paradise Now keychains, and luxurious bath items. They also have a nice collection of colored gel pens that write really smoothly (I'll be back when I use up my fave Muji pens!). Kudos to the buyer for this lovely boutique gift shop! You know I'll be back. Tip: Park in the Miller parking lot off the main hospital entrance off of Punchbowl. Parking is typically $3. (Free with validation if you're there for a procedure/surgery. If you spend a couple hours visiting a loved one, it will likely run you $5).

To experience "Lei Day" on the Island is special. Everyone comes together and Lei Day is a…read morecelebration of Hawaiian culture, or the aloha spirit. There are a lot of booths where you can purchase unique or fresh leis,and tons of food available for purchase. My favorite was taking the time to appreciate the displays of uniquely made leis that were made. All so beautiful!!! The celebration was was at Kapi'olani Park, there was Entertainment throughout the day. Such a beautiful gathering. You can feel the love and warmth of Hawaiian culture. I look forward to joining this years event.

After several days of sketchy rainy weather including storm watches and warnings, a clear and…read moresunny sky with tradewinds blossomed on May 1st 2017 to usher in the annual Lei Day celebration at Kapiolani Park. This event has been held since 1928 and is considered the largest Lei Day event in Honolulu. Beautiful leis from highly competitive folk dotted the Mauka side of the event at the lei exhibit area, eager visitors waiting to see the displays of lei making creativity. The line was long to view the entries close up, but it was well worth the The lei contest exhibit was officially opened by the annual Lei Queen and her court after the judges rated and awarded ribbons for best lei submissions. There were quite a few entries vying for ribbons in different categories. Live entertainment on the bandstand stage ran through the day while the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association tent provided a nice, shady and cool venue for their own brand of beautiful music part of the day. There were musicians from other countries performing at this tent too. The gentle breeze, beautiful music and shade made this venue a popular destination at the festival. Of course there were numerous food and beverage booths along with non-food offerings as well. Because it was a warm afternoon, the cold beverage offering tents were really doing a brisk business. Information tents, Lei making demonstrations, a nice way to spend part of the day on a gorgeous May 1st. Kapiolani Park is the perfect setting for this event for both residents and visitors alike. Worth checking out if you are in Honolulu on a May 1st.

What an amazing event! I had a blast with Yelp Elite All Star Buddy Irene M…read more I always wanted to see this event with the local food vendors, entertainment, and Bishop Museum as well! It drizzled a little bit but that did not deter us from enjoying all the great finds, food and entertainment. Loved the Lego exhibition! This was a favorite highlight of this event. I enjoy putting LEGO kits together. Amazing display of flags and so much more here. Please enjoy the pictures. Then I got to experience Dipped by Dee for the first time. Wow, the dipped strawberries are delicious. I picked up a s'mores dipped apple for consumption at a later time. Also delicious and decadent. A bit on the pricey side, but worthy of the occasional treat. And the sushi hand roll I had was so fresh and amazing. I can't remember the name of the vendor. As the sun went down, we enjoyed the great entertainment and cool trade winds blowing through the air. Highly recommend this event! Parking was free with ASB debit card. Nice perk.

Happy. National Girlfriend Day…read more.. It's the first of August and my semi-weekend starts and as I do like events Taste of Honolulu at Bishop Museum was going on tonight along with a bunch of food and retail business sprawled out on the Great Lawn along with entertainment and full use to all exhibits including Aloha Bricks which is what Yelp Elite Jackie K wanted to see and what better way than this. For ASB card holder parking is free along with various discounts at some merchants it's like the entire state coming together to celebrate our amazing local small businesses and we get to show up and enjoy it all. It's all very very well put together along with some games for the kids, beer garden and the massive space Bishop Museum has for all to enjoy. It was a real treat and so much fun as we brought our own chairs to relax and enjoy it all. Whether it's to eat, drink, visit the museum or just chill this is one unique event that really do showcase the Tastte of Honolulu. Thank you!

Husband and wife team of crafters work seamlessly together to create fun, adorable and beautiful…read moreitems for you to gift others or keep yourself! I was delighted to find Project DaRu ( Da-from Daisy's name and Ru, from Rudy's name), at the FoodieCon & Spring Expo event. They have pop ups around the island. You can find them at the NEX outdoor area. Check their Facebook and Instagram accounts for updated information @ProjectDaru. I loved that they offered the opportunity to make your own keyring at the booth. Select your beads to place on the keyring and take it home with you. The service was top notch as they helped you with the bead selection and suggestions. Rudy helped me with a bead that wouldn't go on right and Daisy helped me find the right beads. Yes, it was crowded at the event, but doing this crafting in the middle of craziness, brought me joy. Thank you Daisy and Rudy. I survived FoodieCon and I went home with my adorable keyring. Great pricing as well here.