HB Life

All Work and No Play

THINGS WE LOVE

PUBLISH A book on Blurb.com
For as little as $18.95, even the unlikeliest of authors can publish professional quality books with the click of a mouse.

photo courtesy of Dyson

SUCK It up with the Dyson Root 6
The King of vacuum cleaners, Dyson, just released a powerful little handheld. And with two times the suction power of comparable units, this one leaves the competition in the dust.

GO To the HerStory Conference
The Junior League of Honolulu’s annual conference is moving to the Hawaii Convention Center. But expect the group to deliver the same sort of informative workshops and motivational keynote speaker as in years past.

CLEANSE With Kiehl’s Supremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
Available at Neiman Marcus, this non-greasy formula effortlessly removes caked on makeup with
just one swipe.

DRINK A Pearl Martini
The namesake drink of Ala Moana’s newest nightclub, Pearl Ultra Lounge, the Pearl Martini blends melon, lychee and grapefruit flavors with a sprinkle of pearl dust for a magically delicious concoction.

-Jacy L. Youn

ROUGH PLAY

photo courtesy of freestyleaudio.com

Whether you prefer wiping out on a wave or taking spills on snowy slopes, there is a personal music player that can keep up with just about any active lifestyle.

Freestyle Audio has developed a digital music player that, unlike the trendy Apple iPod, is waterproof. The shockproof player floats and can be submerged in up to 10 feet of water.

The unit’s rechargeable battery lasts 40 hours per charge and, depending on the amount of memory desired (from 256 MB to 1 GB), holds up to 350 songs, which can be loaded and organized with the accompanying USB cable and playlist software. Every player also comes with a neoprene armband or around-the-neck lanyard to keep it secured throughout virtually any activity.

The included waterproof headphones can also take a beating, and feature form-fitting earplugs and adjustable ear wraps for uninterrupted listening. Freestyleaudio.com, $139.95-$199.95.

-Kyle Galdeira

ISN’T IT ROMANTIC?

The Return to Romance Music Festival 2007 www.mcooh.com photo by Ronen Zilberman

You’ll always have Paris. Now, you can add Honolulu to your list of great romantic cities.

The brainchild of Honolulu Symphony Pops conductor Matt Catingcub and Grammy-award winning producer Alan Srividoff, The Return to Romance Music Festival, held at multiple venues from March 1 to 11, promises to be a swoon-inducing mix of local and international singing talents backed by the newly formed, 40-piece Matt Catingcub Orchestra of Hawaii.

Among the highlights of the festival is a three-night show at the Hawaii Theatre, “The 20 Most Romantic Songs Ever Written, Part 1.” It’s the first installment of a five-year long series, which will eventually lead to the release of the 100 most romantic songs ever written. By then, Catingcub and Srividoff hope the festival grows into a more than $10 million dollar, multi-island festival with a “Kennedy Center Honors” –type television special attached to it.

Lots of people, lots of money and a whole lotta of love.

-Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

ANNA WHO?

Last fall, the online travel community TripAdvisor released its list of the Top 10 Hot U.S. Destinations.

The list is based on several criteria, including increases in search activity and postings. Windward Oahu’s Kailua was ranked No. 2 on the list, which largely consisted of off-the-beaten-path destinations. For the record, No. 1 pick Anna Maria is a sleepy island on the west coast of Florida. Coincidently, it looks a lot like Kailua. Here’s the list:

1. Anna Maria, FLORIDA

2. Kailua, HAWAII

3. Siesta Key, FLORIDA

4. Macon, GEORGIA

5. Breckenridge, COLORADO

6. Millinocket, MAINE

7. Vail, COLORADO

8. Bishop, CALIFORNIA

9. Franklin, TENNESSEE

10. Eureka, CALIFORNIA

Source: TripAdvisor.com

-David K. Choo

BRUSH JOB

Last August, airline travel ground to a halt after British authorities foiled a terrorist plot to use liquid explosives to blow up trans-Atlantic flights. Hours later, the Transportation Security Agency imposed restrictions, which, among other things, prohibited passengers from carrying on liquids or gels, including shampoo, hand lotion and toothpaste. The TSA has since modified those restrictions. Liquids and gels can now be carried in small quantities (no more than three ounces) and must be placed in a clear, quart-size plastic ziplock bag.

photo courtesy of readybrush.com

To avoid any confusion, you might consider taking along a handful of ReadyBrushes on your next overnighter or weekend conference. The disposable toothbrush is prepasted and features end-rounded and polished DuPont Tynex bristles. The mint toothpaste is activated by wetting the bristles. Then brush and toss ($4.99, www.walgreens.com).

-David K. Choo

SPRING BREAK

photo courtesy of alta.com

WHAT: Skiing

WHERE: Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, Utah, approximately 30 miles outside of Salt Lake City.

WHY: Alta and Snowbird, both located in the Wasatch Mountain Range, have been named the No. 1 ski area in the United States by SKIING Magazine for the past four years. The Alta-Snowbird Pass ($1,399) gives skiers unlimited access to the two resorts’ combined terrain, which is considerable: 4,700 skiiable acres.

WHO: Beginners or try-it-again skiers, who need extra time to regain their balance, should consider Alta. Skiing is free every day after 3 p.m. on the resort’s Sunnyside detachable triple lift, which runs at a slow speed to facilitate easy loading and unloading. In addition, the lift takes skiers to Alta’s Albion Base, a mile-long run designed for beginners.

BUT: It’s skiing only at Alta. Snowboarding is not allowed.

-David K. Choo

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