(from FrolicHawaii.com 10/27/15 – Olena Heu and Amanda Stevens)

Has Halloween snuck up on you? Are you still costume-less and afraid you won’t have time to come up with a plan to dress to impress? Don’t fret: Frolic style expert Amanda Stevens and adventure seeker Olena Heu have paired up to bring you some affordable last-minute ideas.

There are plenty of places around town selling costumes, accessories, consignment items and home decor to spruce up your Halloween vibes. And don’t forget your closet: You can spruce up things you already have to achieve the look you want.

The cool thing about shopping at Goodwill and Savers is you’re finding great deals on second-hand items, and these stores give back to the community in a big way. Goodwill helps people with job training and employment, while Savers purchases donations from local non-profit partners.

 

 

 

If you’re stumped for ideas, Goodwill has a great look book, available at its stores and online.

So, how to create a well-designed Halloween costume by using a single item as an inspiration and starting point? Here are Amanda’s and Olena’s real-life demos. Neither ensemble cost more than $40 total or took much time to create.

 

Amanda’s look

 

Movie iconica has been my Halloween inspiration for decades, from Pebbles to Cat Woman to Charlie’s Angels. This time, Olena would be my stylist helping me build my whole look at the Beretania Goodwill store. When we came upon this epic mid-length black bob wig, we both knew it would be the anchor piece for my new look.

At first we were thinking Mavis from Hotel Transylvania 2, but we couldn’t get the bangs right. Then we thought Cleopatra, but it was too played out. Then Olena said, “Mia from ‘Pulp Fiction’!” Next thing you knew, we found a crisp white boyfriend button-up shirt, and instead of Mia’s black flare pants, we opted for black tights, a black skirt and red shoes, to update the look.

Olena suggested that I add a dark red lip, false eyelashes and a black bralett to the ensemble for dramatic effect. I love the look because it’s easy and not at all cumbersome, and Uma Thurman’s character is a pop culture icon. Now I just have to find my John Travolta, nail the dance moves and I’m all set.

Olena’s look

I usually dress as a fairy or something pretty, so I thought this Halloween it might be cool to be something darker. The Goodwill look book had a photo of a sexy witch that I liked. With the help of Kelly Cho from Goodwill Hawaii we started with some black dresses. There were several that I liked, but the fit wasn’t right. I found one that I loved, but it looked more professional than witchy. Then Kelly found a perfect lacy tank dress that screamed “Where’s my broom?”

We found a witch’s hat that was layered with bright green and black and from that I was inspired to be Elphaba, the witch from Wicked, one of my favorite musicals of all time! Kelly found some green leggings and paired those with black fishnet stockings and that was it! Perfection!

Amanda helped me accessorize with black funky heels, bright green 80s sunglasses, lace gloves, a lacy scarf, feather and silver earrings and the outfit evolved into an 80s punk Elphaba witch. So cute! Head to toe, the look cost $40. Here’s a breakdown of the items:

Here are more recommendations on where to find your Halloween look for less:

FloraDec
373 N Nimitz Hwy
537-6194

Goodwill Hawaii – locations in Waipahu, Wahiawa, Pearl City, Kapolei, Beretania, Kaimuki, Kailua, just to name a few. http://www.higoodwill.org

Party City
888 N Nimitz Hwy
599-7591

Dillingham Plaza
1505 Dillingham Blvd
842-0061
and
94-300 Farrington Hwy
671-0071

Spirit Halloween
Kamakee and Auahi (old Nordstrom Rack)
593-7324

(from FrolicHawaii.com 10/22/15 – Amanda Stevens)

Earlier this month, University of Hawaii’s baseball players, their coach Mike Trapasso, UH Athletic Director David Matlin, a group of young business leaders and other Hawaii executives came together to paint and make improvements to Les Murakami Stadium on two consecutive Saturdays.

The effort, spearheaded by the Hawaii Asia Pacific Association (HAPA) Young Leaders, involved participants from many of Hawaii’s top corporations, with the goal of giving the beloved stadium a much-needed makeover.

Before the renovations began, UH Stadium Manager Glenn Nakaya walked me through the inner sanctum of the stadium to places rarely seen by the public. Parts of the stadium hadn’t been repainted for 30 years and weren’t weathering the years well.

HAPA’s Young Leaders assumed the kuleana to help, and led by HAPA’s Jared Watamull, organized an epic work project to paint areas both inside and outside the stadium. Volunteers and donations extended to many of Hawaii’s top companies and groups, including Bank of Hawaii, Hawaiian Telcom, First Hawaiian Bank, DTRIC Insurance, Central Pacific Bank, First Insurance Company, Grove Farm, Accuity, Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union, HTH Corporation, HSCPA Young CPAs, Pomaikai Ballrooms.

“This was done out of love, to help the UH System and keep the program going and strong,” Nakaya says.

The crew painted various areas of the stadium, including the entry area on the ground floor, locker rooms, hallways, break rooms, two dugouts, three hospitality boxes on the concourse level, concession stands, Grand Slam Club Room and the huge wooden fence surrounding the field.

The result: A fantastic, refreshed look for the stadium.

“It’s humbling to see so many people use their Saturday mornings to help UH baseball, Trapasso said. “Our players, particularly the first-year guys, get to see firsthand how important UH is to our community, … and the passion our supporters have for this program.”

Trapasso had special thanks to Grove Farm CEO Warren Haruki and HAPA for organizing the event. “It’s one thing to be supportive, but another thing entirely to roll up your sleeves and spend a couple Saturday mornings sweating right beside the players.”

Said Kyle Mitchell, pitcher on the UH baseball team: “I’m from California, and no one really gets this kind of support like the way we do here in Hawaii. It really is different. As a player, we get to experience the aloha spirit all the time from our fans in the community.”

Here are some photos taken before the improvements (click arrows to scroll through gallery, or slide on a mobile device):

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During and after

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(from FrolicHawaii.com 10/3/15 – Amanda Stevens)

It felt good to indulge at First Friday last night. It was for a good cause, as The Good Hawaii and Cake Envy presented Cheesecake & Champagne, a pop-up shopping experience to help benefit domestic violence awareness in Hawaii.

There was a large crowd throughout the evening who enjoyed libations, cheesecake and chocolate from Cake Envy, while local vendors provided discounts, deals and special treatments.

(from FrolicHawaii.com 9/28/15 – Amanda Stevens)

I never thought I’d be so happy that fall’s here, but it’s been a brutal summer. This past weekend Macy’s held a Fashion’s Front Row runway show unveiling hot fall trends, from hats to heels. A couple of my must-haves: the cape blazer by Material Girl and the long-sleeve vest by Rachel Roy – both keep you warm, but not too warm.

Take a look at our favorite looks, snapped by Levi Viloria:

Global Attractions/70s Boho trend

Artistic Expression, on-trend outerwear

Country Living

White/Black Modernism

Photos by Levi Viloria

 

(from FrolicHawaii.com 9/27/15 – Amanda Stevens)

A handful of Hawaii fashion bloggers and industry peeps were invited to Furla in Waikiki to identify handbags we thought would be the IT-bags for Fall 2015. Truth be told, handbags are as much about style, as about function, and we spent hours touching, carrying, examining and even smelling these babies, all in the name of fashion.

Here are some of my favorite handbags that are on trend from Furla:

Snakeskin (Flair) – Here’s a fresh take on the python bag, and this particular handbag can be used for the office or as a chic weekender tote.

Color block (Piper) – The shape of the Piper bag is perfect, not too big, not too small, just right. The Fall color block shades are perfect for the season. This was my fave, by far.

Boxy (Candy Satchels and Minis) – Every season there is a silhouette of choice and this season it’s the boxy, hard shell bag. This Candy collection looks almost edible and is a fave among Waikiki tourists.

Medal (Metropolis Mini Crossbody) – Medal, especially silver, is huge this season. This bag fits just the essentials – smart phone, car keys, credit card and lip gloss. Perfect for a night out at the club or dressed down with jeans and a tee.

Pop Culture (Graffiti Mini Metropolis) – Comics and super heroes are everywhere this season. Sporting this crossbody bag is a fun way to express your artsy side.

Bucket (Viva) – The color blocking on this bucket bag (held by Melissa White, Hifi co-founder) is eye catching. Bucket bags are popular because of their unique shape; they’re structured, yet a little boho and slouchy at the same time. This was a fave among the lot of us.

I leave you with a fashion tip…

When purchasing your next wallet, lean towards bright – black wallets are boring. On the other hand, black handbags are classic and will never go out of style. So, it’s much easier to find a bright wallet in your black handbag, and more fun to bust-out that pop of color at the grocery store check-out, just sayin’.

(from FrolicHawaii.com 9/21/15 – Amanda Stevens)

Polo players Nic Roldan of Team Mercedes and Juan Bollini of Team Porsche arrived in helicopters in the middle of the Honolulu Polo Club field in Waimanalo, setting the stage for Saturday’s luxe event. The highly anticipated polo match presented by Hawaii Polo Life began later in the afternoon. A portion of the proceeds raised at the event will support the Hawaii International Polo Association’s mission to help establish an Equestrian Center of the Pacific that engages at-risk-youth in the community with programs that develop and engineer therapeutic horsemanship.

Here are a few of our favorite soiree pics:

Models sported swim suits from Rebecca Beach, Diamond Head Beach Club, Malia Jones, L-Space and Tori Praver with jewelry by Uno de 50, plus sportswear from Porche Designs, Salvage Public, Hawaii Polo Life, Local Motion, Patagonia and Quicksilver. The well-crafted looks were styled by Kim Smith, assisted by Rebecca Atkins, with make-up by Kecia Littman and hair by Jake Acedo.

(from FrolicHawaii.com 9/13/15 – Amanda Stevens & Frolic Hawaii)

Extreme humidity and heavy morning rain didn’t stop thousands from attending the “Hawaii Five-O” season six premiere at Sunset on the Beach on Saturday. As emcee Billy V. told the crowd, “It seems to be raining everywhere on the island, except in Waikiki.”

A majority of the cast came out to celebrate the season opener, including Alex O’Loughlin, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park, Ian Anthony Dale, Jorge Garcia, Chi McBride, Taylor Wily, Teilor Grubbs, Dennis Chun, Shawn Garnett and Sarah Carter. Even after six seasons, fans gathered from the night before to reserve a good space along the red carpet where once again, in terms of fashion, we spotted a bunch of winning designer looks. Park chose Versace again and looked stunning, O’Loughlin rocked a Gucci suit, and Kim looked super sleek in Valentino. Even the post-show performer, John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting went for the designer vibe wearing American designer John Varvatos.

The episode began where last season ended, Kono’s and Adam’s wedding celebration. But trouble is still looming around the corner. Oh, and there were pirates, treasure, and tons of action. No spoilers here, but you can see for yourself; the season six premiere airs on CBS on Friday, Sept. 25.

Here’s a look at the our favorite party pics and red carpet moments:

Scenes from the red carpet – video by Melissa Chang

‘Hawaii Five-0’ Season 6 Sunset on the Beach premiere

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Photo by Amanda Stevens

‘Hawaii Five-0’ Season 6 Sunset on the Beach premiere

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Here’s a video of Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik performing his song, “All for One,” live on stage at the premiere.

(from FrolicHawaii.com 8/29/15 – Tracy Chan)

It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally here. SKY Waikiki, which originally was set to open September of last year, finally opened its doors on Friday. And like that girlfriend who’s late to the party because she spent so long doing her hair and putting an outfit together, our reaction was “the results better be worth it.” Is SKY worth the wait? Take a closer look…

Here’s the schedule for opening weekend:
SKY Waikiki Grand Opening with Brody Jenner & Devin Lucien
Saturday, Aug. 29 from 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
$10, 21+, Classy clubwear/formal attire recommended

Sunset Sessions with The Green and Afatia Thompson
Sunday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m.
$10 Cover (Free for kama’aina before 5 p.m.), 21+, Resort Casual Attire, Sundresses recommended

The Construction:

Plans for SKY Waikiki date back to May 2013, when owners/operators Leighton Mau, Alika Mau, Darren Seu and Kainoa Akina announced their goals for a new venue. The four business partners also own and operate the Waikiki Business Plaza, Top of Waikiki and Waikiki Shopping Plaza.

It started with an additional deck, built out below the landmark disc that marks Top of Waikiki. When you see the inside, you’ll understand why it took so long to get ready. The inside space is small but lavish, with ambient tropical lighting behind the bar, a huge 30-foot set of screens depicting island scenes at one end, and an open-air deck at the other. While you may initially be surprised that the inside is so small, the outside lanai deck makes up for it, with gorgeous views (about a 320-degree view) of Diamond Head, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki Beach and the mountains.

“It’s exciting that everything’s come together and it’s finally here,” said Jovan Andow, managing partner. “We’re providing a place that is upscale, yet approachable, with a stunning view, and we want our patrons who are here tonight to feel welcome to back again and again.”

Waikiki’s second rooftop lounge, SKY, does boast better views than Buho, and while it might be problematic in rainy season or on hot days, the space is versatile, equally able to host events of any kind inside or out. The venue, located on the 19th floor of the Waikiki Business Plaza and two floors below the newly remodeled Top of Waikiki is 7,000-square feet total, and is designed for a max capacity of 400 people, with three full-service bars.

The staff:

Running the restaurant is Executive Chef Lance Kosaka, and in charge of the cocktail menu is Top of Waikiki mixologist Jennifer Ackrill. The team here has been in the biz for a while; Darren Seu’s grandfather William Mau is the visionary businessman who developed the Waikiki Shopping Plaza and the Waikiki Business Plaza and opened Top of Waikiki in the 1960s. Although it could be viewed as a family-run business, word from the staff is that the management puts great emphasis on building a team that works well together. Most of the staff went through five weeks of intensive training, and it shows in the way they interact with each other. It’s nice to see a bar’s employees looking out for each other with genuine care — clearing the way, spotting customers who need help, and many other small gestures that improve the flow in a crowded bar or club.

The drinks:

Amanda: “I loved the Iolani Spritz signature cocktail, made with hibiscus-infused organic cucumber vodka with lime juice and a splash of soda.”

Tracy: “The Pineapple Gangster, with Belvedere Vodka, Amaro Montenegro, pineapple juice, mole bitters and egg white fizz on top sprinkled with grated cinnamon, was totally my style.”

Liquor to SKY is supplied by Southern, but the cocktails are created in house by the Top of Waikiki head mixologist Jen Ackrill from Top of Waikiki, formerly of Rye in San Francisco and very briefly Salt Kaimuki, and her team of experienced bartenders. One thing you’ll find here that is worthy of a sophisticated craft bar are the custom syrups and other house-made ingredients. Average cocktail prices aren’t cheap, but they’re reasonable for craft cocktails, at $11-$13. The bar also offers very limited draft beers on tap for $5 and house wine for $8.

The food:

At the soft opening, food was served in bite-sized bits, but it’s expected that more substantial dishes will be offered later on. If you’ve ever dined at Top of Waikiki, expect a small-plate pupu-style menu of the same caliber that includes dishes like truffle flatbread pizza and ahi poke with avocado mousse, popcorn shrimp with real popcorn and the ahi and tofu “panna cotta” salad (pictured).

The programming:

Although its emphasis will be more clublike on Friday and Saturday nights (expect to see lots of celebrity guest DJs here, as well as well-known local Top 40 club DJs like Compose, Anit and Toma), the management is aiming for more of the rooftop bistro lounge vibe. SKY will be open seven days a week, from 4 p.m.-midnight, except for Fridays and Saturdays, when it will be open until 2 a.m.

There will likely be a cover charge on weekend nights, but already SKY is trying to make locals feel welcome, with perks like getting in free for the first hour, something that other upscale Waikiki clubs like Addiction have failed to do.

The crowd:

(from FrolicHawaii.com 8/27/15 – Amanda Stevens)

HONOLULU Fashion Week returns this fall as a three-day event, from Nov. 20-22, that highlights international and local designers with runway shows, VIP events, pop-up boutiques, exclusive merchandise and more.

Super exciting… Fern Mallis who created 7th on Sixth Productions in 1991, which eventually turned into the famous New York Fashion Week will be a special guest, as will Honolulu-born Harold Koda, curator-in-charge of the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Another new element this year is Runway to Runway, a fashion show featuring international designers including CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Todd Snyder from New York, Ellery by Kym Ellery from Sydney, Lie Sandbong by Lie Sang Bong from Seoul and Aula Aila by Yukimi Kawashima from Tokyo. These designers, along with Hawaii’s own Kaypee Soh will present capsule collections inspired by the fashion markets and destinations serviced by presenting sponsor Hawaiian Airlines.

Two popular shows featured last year Live Aloha and Get Out! will showcase various design aesthetics from local talent. Confirmed designers for these shows include: Allison Izu, Bliss Lau, Cameron Hawaii, Florencia Arias, Ink & Tailor, In4mation, Kini Zamora, Language of the Birds, Mahiku Activewear, Malia Jones, Matt Bruening, Moon Collective, Reyn Spooner, Roberta Oaks, Salt Liko, Sig Zane and Tiffany Chou.

Also, the same crew who made the magic happen last year will be back — Lynne O’Neill fashion show producer NYFW, Don Sumada stylist for magazine editorials and fashions shows, Roman Young Creative Director, Wilhelmina International, Bobby Gutierrez Image/Celebrity Manager, Wilhelmina NY, Keke Lingard international model, Gordon E.W. Link lighting and set designer, and Eli Schmidt photographer. Artists John Koga and Lawrence Seward will be leading the design and construction of the Pop-up Boutique during the event week.

Calling all aspiring models, Sunday from 12-2 p.m. there will be an island-wide model search led by Young and Gutierrez. Both are originally from Hawaii and have more than 35 years of fashion industry experience combined. In addition, O’Neill will be offering tips on how to walk the catwalk.

What: HONOLULU Fashion Week Presented by Hawaiian Airlines
When: Nov. 20-22
Where: Hawaii Convention Center
More: For additional details on scheduled events, visit honolulufashionweek.com

(from FrolicHawaii.com 8/26/15 – Amanda Stevens)

Reyn Spooner unveiled its Hawaii Food & Wine Festival collection Wednesday night at its Ala Moana Center store. Original prints from two Hawaii Island artists, Dietrich Varez and Eddy Y, were used to create men’s and women’s tees in a design called Au , as well as Island Feast and Na Kanaka I Ka’aina, both limited edition aloha shirts.

HFWF co-creator Roy Yamaguchi and his crew served up delicious sushi and poke, while mixologist Chandra Lucariello offered up fun versions of the Paloma and Moscow Mule. With food, drinks, music and fashion, this was the ultimate pau hana.