Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [235]
High Fire Hawaii (Map; 935-8380; www.highfirehawaii.com; 114 Haili St; 11am-6pm Mon-Sat) This tiny shop represents only local ceramicists, painters, and jewelry-makers. Quality is high, and prices are reasonable; it also holds ceramics classes.
Sig Zane Designs (Map; 935-7077; www.sigzane.com; 122 Kamehameha Ave; 9:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat) Famous statewide, Sig Zane custom designs his own fabrics and styles, lifting the humble aloha shirt and tropical-flower dress into the realm of fashion.
Cutlery (Map; 934-7500; www.upinthecutlery.com; 141 Mamo St; 11am-6pm Mon-Fri) Urban, hip male clothes by local indie designers fill this ultra-cool shop owned by Kuhau Zane (son of Sig Zane). These are Hawaiian T-shirts even Manhattanites would wear.
Girl Next Door (Map; 933-1460; 223-B Kilauea Ave; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri) This amusingly naughty, gay-friendly shop (advertising ‘objects of virtue’) sells sex toys, steamy videos and saucy souvenirs – along with legitimate kids toys. Only in Hilo. It’S a good place to connect with the local gay scene and grab a copy of Da Kine.
Hilo Hattie (Map; 961-3077; www.hilohattie.com; Prince Kuhio Plaza; 8:30am-6pm) Good-quality Hawaiian wear for the whole family. Styles range from tacky to retro kitschy to almost understated old-school aloha.
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SWEETS & SNACKS
No question, Hilo has a sweet tooth, and many ways to satisfy it.
Two Ladies Kitchen (Map; 961-4766; 274 Kilauea Ave; 8-piece boxes $7; 10am-5pm Wed-Sat) is leading a ‘confection revolution’ with its Japanese mochi (sweet rice dessert) and manju (baked adzuki bean-filled cake). These pillowy confections come in a happy pastel rainbow of traditional and creative flavors – some filled with red bean paste, others with tropical fruits, brownie, and marshmallow. Mochi has a short shelf life, so buy a beautifully packaged mixed box for yourself. At the very least order a single strawberry mochi. This handmade delight is a prize possession.
At the closet-sized Hilo Seeds & Snacks (Map; 935-7355; 15 Waianuenue Ave; snacks under $5; 9:30am-5pm Mon-Fri) you can try ‘crack seed,’ a bizarre Chinese dried-plum snack that some find addictive and others find…well, try it yourself. The friendly owner will explain the overwhelming variety of types: salty, sour, sweet, some medicinal and others mild. Mango with li hing (preserved plum flavor powder) is a tasty choice.
When O’Keefe’S bakery closed, the ‘cake lady’ opened her own tiny, takeout shop, E-Claire’S Bakery (Map; 961-3848; 268 Waianuenue Ave; items $1-5, cakes $15-25; 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, 7am-3pm Sat). Grateful locals now come here for her delectable flaky pastries, tarts, eclairs and one-serving pies – in addition to her cakes and cheesecakes. Cash only.
What E-Claire’S doesn’t do are buttermilk doughnuts. For these, head to Sputnik’S (Map; 961-2066; 811 Laukapu St; doughnuts 95¢; 6:30am-1:30pm Mon-Fri), a third-generation family business that makes a limited supply of these moist, hearty fried beauties every weekday morning. Come early, they sell out.
The best ice-cream and sorbet on the island comes from a Kawaihae creamery that produces two equally yummy premium lines: Hilo Homemade (classic flavors) and Tropical Dreams (fusion flavors). Many places in town sell them, but if it’S a hot day at the beach (it happens!), head for Hilo Homemade Ice Cream (Map; 217-9650; 1477 Kalaniana′ole Ave; scoops from $3; 11am-6pm).
Finally, no visit to Hilo is complete without a stop at Itsu’S Fishing Supplies (Map; 935-8082; 810 Pi′ilani St; ice shave $1.50-3.25; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) – yes, a fishing-supply store! – which sells Hilo’S best ice shave (note: Hilo folks call it ‘ice shave,’ not ‘shave ice’). The ice shave is hand-cranked off an ice block, scooped into a cone and topped with your choice of sweet syrups – double your pleasure and get ice-cream inside.
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Dragon Mama (Map; 934-9081; www.dragonmama.com; 266 Kamehameha Ave; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat) Luscious kimonos, unique shirts and custom-made pillows from imported Japanese fabrics; also