You know how every once in a while, you buy a product and instantly become a walking advertisement for the product? Yeah, this recently happened to me with the Sephora Eyelash Curler.
A little background on the issue…I’ve used the same Shu Uemura curler for years. I know you’re supposed to switch out makeup products rather often, but I don’t. Partly because I’m lazy, but mostly because the Shu Uemura curler was nowhere to be found! After looking and asking around, I found out that it was rarely sold in the states anymore. The only way to get it was online, and I wasn’t about to pay shipping to Hawaii, we all know that costs and arm and a leg…and sometimes another leg. So I used the curler much longer than I should’ve.
Until one day I strolled into the Sephora store in Ala Moana. On a mission to buy my mom a gift, I struck up a conversation with a sweet employee, who also just happened to be a spectacular salesperson:) Somehow we got on the subject of eyelashes, and I explained to her my curler dilemma. She excitedly immediately told me about the Sephora curlers, which were modeled after the Shu Uemura ones (since they were obviously a stellar product)! The rest is obvious…I bought it, use it every day and I’m more than satisfied! Not to mention its a bit cheaper and there were no added shipping costs!
Oh, and best of all, they come in these rad colors!

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We are stoked about our Earth Day window display! Thanks to our friends at Grow Some Good, we have a super green, recycled, creative window to show our love for Mother Earth. We’ve partnered with these enthusiastic gardeners because we’re inspired by good and they’re growing it! They are a nonprofit community program dedicated to creating hands-on, outdoor learning experiences that cultivate curiosity about natural life cycles, connect students to their food sources and inspire better nutrition choices. They often work with local schools and provide resources and curriculum support through community partnerships in agriculture, science, food education and nutrition. One of their recent projects involve well-known chefs on the island from Capishe?, Il Teatro, Four Season’s Maui, Spago and Ferraro’s who are teaming up to support the school garden movement on Maui. Since they’re definitely stuck on good, for Earth Day we let them loose at our window! Check out the great creation they’ve come up with! To see more on the good things they’re doing within the community or to get involved with their programs, see their website at www.growsomegood.org and help them grow!

We live in a digital world, where some of life’s simple treasures are disappearing. I still love holding a newspaper in my hand every morning. I love turning the pages of books I am reading. There are certain things that I won’t give up, and buying CDs are one of them. Request Music is Maui’s only record store. For those of us who know and love music, it is our sanctuary. Hundreds of CDs and records line the floors and walls of one of the coolest places on Maui. A person could spend all day in this store, marveling at all the unique and random things inside. From Bob Marley posters to mangoes, this place has it all. Oh, and the guys who work here are pretty much a walking encyclopedia for music. On Saturday, April 21, Request is celebrating Record Store Day with live music, giveaways and tons more! If you love music and fun, it is pretty much the place to be. Mahalo Request for providing Maui with music and reminding us of the beauty in life’s simple treasures!

This is the ultimate goal of this great, philanthropic company. Started by Kallie Dovel and a few friends in 2008, 31 Bits was inspired by creative women in Uganda who make incredible jewelry from recycled paper. After hearing their stories and becoming friends with these women, the girls started to sell this jewelry in the U.S. The business is based on developing a business for these women and fighting the war throughout East Africa. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced by this war and have undergone deprivation, have witnessed bloodshed of their families, suffered illness and have had their homes destroyed. 31 Bits aims to provide opportunity and positivity to these women who are living through the terror of this war in their home.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for accessories. I’m always lured by sparkly things, colorful beads, fun jewelry. So why not get 31 Bits and feel good about being accessorized and more importantly, supporting the empowerment of women in Uganda. We just got some new necklaces and bracelets in, so come check them out on our jewelry wall!

We are just going to come out and say that Ag Fest was awesome! From locally grown produce to keiki pony rides, there was something for everyone at the 5th annual Maui County Ag Fest. The Waikapu air was filled with the aroma of Maui’s finest foods. It is safe to say that no one left hungry or disappointed from this year’s event. As usual, we hosted this year’s Keiki Zone. Hundreds of kids joined us to make biodegradable pots out of newspaper then planted some veggies in them to take home to start a garden. Bunnies could be seen roaming everywhere as kids got to make their own bunny ears and Easter baskets. Young Picasso’s put on aprons and painted colorful murals that brightened the big, white tent. Kids and parents waited patiently for fun balloon animals and crazy, elaborate face paintings. The amount of fun that day could be seen and heard through the smiles and laughs that filled our dusty tent! Can’t wait till next year!

We also designed the tees for the event. Being that there are so many different people that makes the event happen, we decided to categorize the t-shirts. We did a shirt for farmers, chefs, educators, advocates, friends and just a basic Ag Fest design. If you missed the event, but want to get a fun tee, pick one up at our store! We have fun Friend of Ag tote bags too!

Call it an addiction. Call it comfort food. I call it the best sandwich on Maui. You may think, “What’s so special about Tiffany’s Spam and fried egg sandwich?” I tell you, perfection is not that simple. It takes patience, understanding and experience. The type of bread you select, the amount of butter on the grilled bread, just the right amount of mayo… not to mention the right length of time to fry the egg. Tiffany’s fried egg is just slightly raw so there’s just enough silkiness to the yolk yet cooked just enough so that the yolk doesn’t ooze and make the grilled bread soggy. Another fine detail is Spam width. The proportion from Spam to egg to bread is critical and if you cut the Spam too wide or too thin it’s all over. It’s a delicate balance of firm meat like substance, followed by the tender egg white, finished with a buttery crunchy toast. Perfection.

Babies! Babies! Babies! Who doesn’t love them? Whether you are a mom-to-be or a future aunty, picking out baby items are fun and exciting. We got baby clothing here at Maui Thing, but we recently added a fun product for the little keiki. Burp cloths are essential for every newborn and it’s mine knows that. Kwan Lynne’s Oahu business creates such adorable pieces. From blankets to onesies, “it’s mine” hand-sews each product with lots of love for the brand new addition. Come in today to get the perfect baby gift: a baby one-piece and a burp cloth – and feel great about shopping local! Be sure to check out www.itsminebaby.com!

I don’t know about you, but us wahines at Maui Thing drink a lot of water. Drinking a lot of water is a great thing, but it isn’t cheap. The price of water seems to be rising, just like the cost of Maui’s gas. Besides price, plastic is not entirely a wonderful thing in this world. Plastic decorates our highways and floats in our ocean. Oh, and lets not get started on the chemicals in plastic. So, to reduce costs, help the environment and our health, we have found our new favorite thing….GLASS JUGS! These jugs will never leave you thirsty. You can personalize them with stickers, refill them and never have to buy bottled water again! You can purchase your own glass jug at Alive & Well ($6.99) or order it online. Refills are cheap and available at any health food store. FYI!!! These things are glass, so handle with care!

The ice cream aisles at our local markets are lined with many choices. Dreyer’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers and Haagen- Dazs are just a few of the ice cream brands that attempt to entice our sweet tooth. Among the international brands are cartons of ice cream proudly displaying Maui’s official flower, the Lokelani. For those of us who know ice cream, the choice is pretty easy and will always be Roselani Ice Cream.

In 1932, Manuel Nobriga began making ice cream just a couple blocks down from our store on Market Street at Maui Soda & Ice Works. From then on, the Nobriga family has become the island’s ice cream innovators. From Hasegawa General Store in Hana to The Fish Hut in Kapa’a, Kaua’i, Roselani Ice Cream is spreading its ono flavors across the islands.

Speaking of flavors, lets get to the reason why we love Roselani Ice Cream. From Chocolate Macadamia Nut to Pauwela Sunrise, each flavor of ice cream embodies everything good about Hawai’i. It’s the flavors we all remember from the hanabata days. There really is a flavor for everyone: Hawaiian Vanilla Bean, Classic Macadamia Nut, Mango ‘n Cream, Haupia, Kona Mud Pie, Menehune Mint and Poppa’s Classic Chocolate. Just writing the flavors makes me tempted to jump out of bed and go buy a carton. It really is that good.

We love fashion at Maui Thing, but we also love great food. So it made complete sense for us to sell Rosleani Ice Cream in our store. Whether it is an afternoon treat for Iao School students walking home, or a cool down from the humid weather, there is always a reason to eat ice cream. Come stop by for a small cup! Rosleani Ice Cream is a Maui Thing!