The Donation Based Farm Stand on the Big Island

While visiting the Big Island of Hawaii my family went to the local farm stand to pick up some fresh veggies for dinner. My husband told me that instead of having someone there to operate the stand they had a donation box for the vegetables. The sign noted "please pay what you think is fair and reasonable". Imagine that a donation based farm! Here are some pictures from the farm...

Ice + Food Coloring + Flavored Syrup = Happy Kids

Most of you who know me know that I keep pretty tight reigns on what my kids eat. But when we are on vacation, I always try to loosen up a bit and let some stuff slip by. Hawaiian Shave Ice is about as far as I will go. Basically, it is a block of ice shaved down and packed into a ball with artificially colored/flavored syrup poured over the top. The kids love it, and as you can tell by the pictures, so does their Opa. Every year, when we visit Hawaii, we make a trip to Haliewa on the North Shore of Oahu. It is a quaint little town with great cafes, surf shops, and of course shave ice. The M. Matsumoto Grocery Store is the scene of the crime. The line is out the doors and everyone is ready to indulge in this local favorite. The market has been open since 1951 and was founded by Mamoru Matsumoto (7/11/08-5/11/94) and Helen Momoyo (7/22/11-3/11/89) and is still a family run operation. On a daily basis, they make 1,000 shave ice. For about a month prior to our trip, the kids start talking about the shave ice and it appears no one was disappointed.

pick your flavor and add a scoop of ice cream under the ice if you please

pour the homemade syrup over the top

the finished product, cherry-lime

getting some sweet hawaiian love

happy grandkids and their Opa

Organizing for a Trip

As the wife of a pilot, I have been fortunate to do a great deal of traveling over the years. I have also learned to take the good with the bad in terms of the “perks” of employee travel. We used to fly standby frequently and have often gotten stuck in airports for excessive amounts of time. One can imagine that with three kids, that is not a day at the park. I also have learned to be a “master packer” since my husband feels strongly about carrying on our luggage. “You never know”, he always says and he is often right (wait did I just say that?). So over the years, I have learned to consolidate, prioritize, and stick to the essentials. As a home organizer, I provide this service for several clients-especially when a long and exotic holiday is planned. I thought I would share some of my favorite tips for getting organized for travel.

Planning and Packing:

1. Small suitcases with lots of compartments are essential (if your suitcase is black like mine, tie a bright scarf or bow around the handle so you can easily spot yours at the baggage carousel).

2. Have a designated spot for packing. Have piles for each family member so you can make sure you have everything you need before you put it in the suitcase.

3. Stick to neutrals! Add splashes of color with scarves or inexpensive jewelry.

4. Use the drawstring bags that bed-sheets come in for storing shoes.

5. Plan on wearing your most comfortable heavy shoes and pack only versatile shoes. Leave the purple stilettos at home!

6. Lay out your family’s clothes for the day of travel so they don’t rummage through the suitcase to find something to wear.

7. I am not a fan of Ziploc bags for single time use but I love them for travel. The ones you can label with a marker are great for staying organized and you can reuse them. Keep one for each of the below:

Chargers and electronics

Important paperwork (passports, plane tickets, maps, etc)

Medications

Swim goggles

Snacks

Activities for the kids

Toothbrushes, floss, and paste

Sun-block

Teabags (nothing like having a nice cup of tea on the plane)

8. Hanging cosmetic cases are great for makeup and other essential. They keep you organized once you get to your destination as well.

9. Make sure you pack your liquids in a small quart sized bag and have them ready at security unless you are checking luggage. One of the perks of checking your bags is you have no restriction on the volume of liquid per container. I believe when carrying on, you can have one quart sized bag per person and all liquids must be no more than 3.4 oz each.

10. Another wise tip is to pack a collapsible bag in your suitcase for items purchased on your trip-you can always check this bag if need be.

11. Pack clothes you can layer to be prepared for temperature variances.

To check or not to check your baggage:

Pros to checking bags –

1. You don’t need to worry about liquid regulations and can bring a full bottle of shampoo or sun-block if you choose.

2. You don’t have to lug your bags through the airport.

Cons –

1. Cost, they usually charge $25 per bag.

2. If you have a tight connection there is a chance your bag might not make it.

3. You usually end up bringing more than you need.

We usually carry our bags on the plane. A few small rolling bags to share and a back pack each. This way you have a free hand. Remember, most airlines charge per bag so if you are on a budget or have a tight connection it is wise to keep your bags with you.

A few other tips to making your trip easy:

1. Wear your biggest heaviest shoes on the plane but make sure they are easy to get on and off at the security check point.

2. Bring a empty filtered water bottle so you don’t spend an arm and a leg staying hydrated.

3. Don’t wear anything with a belt or metal so you can quickly move through the security line.

4. Be prepared, they don’t usually feed you on the plane so you either have to purchase a premade meal on the plane or get something in the airport. Your best bet is packing a lunch, but be sure to leave the liquids at home.

5. Always bring a scarf or pashmina to avoid the questionable airline blankets.

6. And last but not least, sit back relax and enjoy the trip!

Here are a few of my favorite essentials:

Stainless Steel water bottles from The Water Geeks

Baggallini Messenger Bag, I have used this for years and found it at Out of Hand in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant.



Great for Hydrating on the Plane! Place some Fresh Rosewater in a small spray bottle.

Don't forget a travel neti pot to clear out your sinuses after being on the plane for several hours. Find one at your local yoga studio.

Corn Sweet Corn

While visiting Hawaii, we have the pleasure of staying with my in-laws in their lovely B & B. Not only are the kids thrilled to spend time with their grandparents, but they also love being in their home. They love the fact that the house has two kitchens, eight stools at the kitchen bar, several over sized bean bags, and a kitchen with lots of corn. They are fascinated by their Grandmother's vintage corn collection and love to explore the different figurines throughout the kitchen. Does your kitchen have a theme? If so, please share!

Salt and pepper shakers

Mugs for your morning joe

Corn to hang the scissors on.

My favorite duo. I love corn with personalities!

The Art of the Dance

My nineteen year old niece, Leilani, born and raised in Hawaii, has been dancing the hula since she was 4 years old. The first time I saw her dance was at my wedding in 1998. As a gift to her uncle and I she danced the hula in front of a crowd of 200 guests. It was the best gift we could have received. Everyone was amazed by the passion and love that exuded from such a young girl. This beautiful and bright young woman continues to share her love of hula with the world. While we are sharing my journey to Hawaii this week I knew I could not leave out the "art of hula". Hula is known as the "soul of Hawaii" shown through movement. Historical sources tell us that hula was originally performed by a god or goddess and therefore the dance is a sacred ritual. Below Leilani shares her knowledge and love for this ancient art in an interview.

Tell us a bit about your background, when did you start Hula dancing and where has your path taken you?

I started dancing hula at the age of four and never would my parents think that it would eventually become something that defines me and shaped me into the person I am today.

Tell us about Hula, it is more than a dance correct?

Hula has really become a lifestyle for me. There is never a break from hula, it is year long. The people who dance with me have become my family. During competition time, we are together what seems to be every day. We travel together and bond as sisters and brothers.

What inspires you daily to want to keep dancing and learning?

What inspires me to keep dancing and learning is every person who tells me how much they enjoyed my dancing. Their happiness makes me want to keep growing as a hula dancer.

Living in the Hawaii where there is so much beauty around you, what are your favorite sources of inspiration?

Huaka’i is a word meaning to journey or to take a trip. Sometimes when we are learning about a particular area, we go on a huaka’i in order to learn more about that place, its surroundings and its environment. Being able to see and feel exactly what the composer saw and felt back in ancient Hawai‘i is an inspiring source of inspiration. One of my favorites was the first time I went to the volcanoes on the island of Hawai’i.

What is your favorite part of what you do and what is your not so favorite?

My favorite part of hula is sharing it with others. When others are able to feel enjoyment from what I love, I feel like it is what I am supposed to do forever. My not so favorite part of hula is that because I invested my entire life into this lifestyle, I sometimes miss out on other fun things. Don’t get me wrong I love hula, but because it is always my first priority, some other things get put on the back burner. One example is that I missed my junior prom to go to a hula competition. Although it was a bummer not to go to prom, I don’t regret not going.

You have danced all over, what has been the most exciting place you have gotten to dance?

In Hilo, Hawai‘i there is a hula competition called the Merrie Monarch Festival. The Merrie Monarch is like the Olympics of hula. I was most excited when I first stepped on to the stage at Merrie Monarch. My dream was coming true at that exact moment. It was what I worked so hard for. That is why the Merrie Monarch Stage is the most exciting place I have gotten to dance.

What do you want to share with people through your art?

I hope that every person who watches me dance can see how hula brings me joy. I want them to share in the happiness of hula.

Hula involves learning more than just the art of the dance, tell us about what else it entails. 

Because  I danced hula, I began learning the Hawaiian language. Hula is all about telling the stories of ancient Hawai‘i through song and dance. Not every hula dancer is required to learn Hawaiian but I chose to in order to better understand the meanings behind the stories.

In Hawaiian there is a word Mana. Mana is a spirit or a divine power. Each person makes their own costumes and leis for hula to put their own mana into their adornments. Positive energy and spirit is put into the leis and costumes which will be reflected in the dances in which the costumes and leis are worn.

Mahalo Leilani!


(Leilani dances at Halau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea and her production company is Kawailanamalie Productions)

Easy Summer Pizza

If you want a pizza that screams summer, might I suggest this easy and healthy pizza that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, including cook time! This recipe was a hit with my vegetarian daughter too! 

Summer Pizza

4-6 pieces of *Artisan Flatbread or small ready made pizza crusts

Fresh tomatoes, chopped

Fresh Thai or sweet basil chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While oven is warming, lightly brush olive oil over flatbread or pizza crusts. Bake for 3-4 minutes just to lightly brown and crisp. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Voila'! 

For an additional treat (if you are not a vegetarian), add crumbled bacon. Yummy!

*Artisan Flatbread is not available in all grocery stores. My grocer carries it in the specialty breads section.


Enjoy!
Liz

The Windows Boxes of Charleston



One of my favorite things to do in the springtime is check out the window boxes around downtown Charleston. Recently, I had a few spare moments to cruise around and see what kind of masterpieces were on display. One after another, boxes were overflowing with colorful bouquets of flowers. From boxwoods to rosemary topiaries, I was continually impressed. Each one it's own artistic piece of work. Here are some pictures of some of my favorites.

anything with ivy is reminiscent of an english garden



organic elegance

is that swiss chard I see poking out?



my favorite

another view

love the use of mandavilla here, would have never thought of that!

window boxes allow the rest of the garden to be simple and low maintenance

fence art 

love the randomness of this box as much as a totally
"type a" symmetrical one

simply elegant

anything would look amazing with those paint colors,
how Charleston!

there is nothing like the scent of alyssum 

a modern approach to window box art

you can't go wrong keeping it simple with green and white

love the spanish moss hanging down

Do you have window boxes at your house or apartment?
If so we would love to see your garden art! 

Here are some pictures of my window boxes over the past
few seasons. Which one do you like best?

If Doors Could Talk

On a mission to become more organized in my own house, I decided to paint our pantry door in black chalkboard paint. The benefits have been amazing! The kids, and their friends, have had a ball writing notes on the door, decorating it for a party or special occasion, and playing tic tac toe. But mostly, they know they can go to the door for answers. The kids know where to look to find the dog schedule (a constant battle in our house), what time their doctor's appointment is that day, where to list an item that they may need from the grocery store, and where to go to write and find notes from the family.

Chalkboard paint can be found at the local hardware store in green or black. You can also make your own chalkboard paint in any color you want! Here's how:

Chalkboard Paint

3 teaspoons acrylic paint (color of choice)

 1 1/2 teaspoons glazing medium (water based)

1/2 teaspoon powder tile grout 


Mix all ingredients in air tight container. Shelf life is short, so make just enough for your current project.

 Chalkboard paint does not need to stop with the door! Look at these great storage boxes that Kari has used to organize some of her children's toys:

 All you need for this project is a crate or box, wooden boards for the label (found at your local craft store), and strong double-sided tape. Paint the wooden label with chalkboard paint, let dry, then using the double-sided tape, adhere label to box or crate. Because the label is erasable, you can change the title on the box as your needs change! Genius!

Liz

The Family Dinner

In 1999, I vividly remember going to the movies with my girlfriend Rachel to see the Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer movie The Story of Us. The movie is about a couple’s challenges, struggles, and triumphs during their 15 years of marriage. At this time, I had been married for a little over year and had a newborn son. It was touching to watch the journey this fictional couple had taken with their two children over the past decade and a half. As a new parent, I was a sponge for inspiring ways to raise children and stay connected as a family.  I took away a great dinnertime tip from the movie that I have since adopted as our own ritual called “high and low”. Every night at the dinner table, every member of the family shares their high point and low point of the day. This is a great way to connect to your children and spouse. It requires family members to verbalize the happenings of their day and it keeps everyone in the know of what is going on in each other’s world. Life can be so busy, running here and there, and a family dinner infused with rituals reconnects everyone and creates a home base for sharing. Twelve years later, and still in search of inspiration, I came across a great cookbook/resource packed full with delicious, healthy recipes and wonderful ways to connect with your kids at the table. Laurie David’s book, The Family Dinner, is amazing! She shares tips on how to get the family to slow down and sit down to eat a meal together, and the benefits of doing so. Research shows that children that eat a family dinner are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, have greater academic achievement, decreased rate of obesity, and better overall nutrition. We would love to hear about your family rituals and ways you connect at the family table.

-Kari

Our Love Affair with Lime Blue

With a mission to promote all things local,  we made a trip to Lime Blue. Lime Blue, located on Queen Street in downtown Charleston, makes one feel like they have taken "happy pills". From clay birds and owl (piggy) banks, to platters and paintings, everything is so full of life and personality. Shop owner and artist, Jeff Kopish, not only displays his own work in the gallery but that of other local and talented artists. Jeff and his trusty gatekeeper, Janey (his yellow lab), make everyone feel welcome. Our love for Jeff's work made us curious about what makes him tick so we twisted Jeff's arm and he committed to an interview about his shop and his passion for art. Below is the interview as well as some pictures from the gallery.

Tell us about your background. We know you also have quite a passion for gardening and horticulture. 

I studied microbiology, ecology, botany, and biology as an undergraduate.  As a sort of therapy, I took art ceramic classes.  I've always loved gardening.  I grew up reading seed catalogs with my Grandmother and planning our dream gardens. Nature has always been a huge influence in my life.

What inspires you daily to create such amazing pieces of art?

I'm not really good at being inspired daily... sometimes I feel "fallow" and don't have any new ideas and am afraid that I'll never have any more.

What are your favorite sources of inspiration?

There is inspiration all over. I think one of my greatest attributes is that I really notice things, and sometimes see them in different ways.

What made you want to open your own gallery? 

Opening the shop was purely accidental. I was one of Blink's (the store before me) artists. When she closed the shop, I stayed. I'm happy I did it in the long run, but it is a lot of work! 

Where else in Charleston can your work be found?

I am very fortunate to have been commissioned to do work for Taco Boy, Mepkin Abbey, and the Family Circle Cup. Nina Liu, on State Street, also has some of my pieces. She is a huge inspiration to me, along with loads of other local artists and friends. Charleston Gardens, Abide a While, and Tin Roof Studios in North Carolina also sell my ceramic works.

Thank You Jeff!

Fish made from recycled materials found around town

We both had to get a sweet bird towel

Great pendant lights, perfect for a girl's bedroom

A vase just right for displaying summer flowers

Shop Lime Blue!!!!!!