There is a brand of clothing that is set apart from the rest. The company, Mauka Man Brand Company, owned and operated by Brandon Souza, is not in business just to sell apparel and accessories. Mauka Man Brand Co. is a lifestyle.
Translated into English, “Mauka” means mountain, or inland, so the brand basically means “Mountain Man” which, according to their website, is a “highly regarded American term said of men who explore and live in the wilderness.” And while the individuals who wear Mauka Man Brand Co. may not necessarily live in the wilderness, they are hard-working, rugged yet classy individuals who work hard to keep our land beautiful. They are farmers. They are ranchers. They hunt. They explore. They are the caretakers of Hawai’i, and they are ready to take on whatever amount of hard work it takes to provide for their family and the future generations of our Hawai’i. Not many people, especially those who do not reside in Hawai’i, know that Hawai’i has its own community of cowboys, called “paniolo” in Hawaiian. When people think of cowboys they immediately think of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, etc., but little do they know that paniolo have been in Hawai’i for quite some time; possibly longer than they have in the midwest. Brandon does a great job in keeping his mission - to shed light on these “mountain men” and all the hard work and effort that they put into their trade - by staying true to the minimalistic lifestyle that these men live. His logo is minimalistic and beautiful and the classic “MM” logo forms mountains in the style of a cattle brand. His inventory is made in small batches, not mass produced, and is sold on his website as well as in select retail stores in Hawai’i. Which finally brings me to his website. The Mauka Man Brand Company website infuses the Hawaiian culture into his online store, which educates the buyer about Hawaiian history while they are browsing the site. The website is also minimalistic yet classy, perfectly showcasing his products, which are worn by the mauka men themselves. Brandon is full of passion for God, his family, and Mauka Man Brand Company. He is genuine and truly cares about each and every one of his customers. His company allows him to be able to give back to the community in the form of volunteering and donating to local ranches in the State of Hawai’i. If you are looking for some great apparel that can withstand hard work and some dirt, then Mauka Man Brand Company is the place to shop. They don’t only cater to men - there are things for women, too. Follow their social media accounts and head on over to their website to browse what they have in stock - but if you see something you like, be quick because once it’s gone, it’s gone :)
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Think that all water is the same? Think again. Hydrating our bodies is one of the most important things that we can do for ourselves throughout the day, and most of us do not get the proper hydration that our body is in need of. Our body is made mostly of water; to be specific, here are some statistics: Water makes up 97% of our eyes, 90% of our lungs, 90% of our cells, 87% of our brain, 85% of our blood, 83% of our kidneys, 76% of our muscles, 70% of our skin, 22% of our bones, and 20% of our fat!
Kevin and Samantha Kawamoto opened Health and Hydration in April 2016 and they specialize in preventative health through hydration, because they believe that without your health, you have nothing else. Their mission: to educate people on being healthy through hydration. Health & Hydration is “The Water Store of Honolulu” and sells Kangen water, a special type of water that maximizes hydration, balances body pH, neutralizes free radicals, helps to obtain optimal health, reduces pain, and more. Kangen water has a negative ORP, or “Oxidation Reduction Potential,” which means it is a powerful antioxidant. It can even improve energy and reduce fatigue because it helps to raise the body’s alkalinity (vs. acidity). What can’t this water do? I was lucky enough to see a demonstration comparing Kangen water to bottled water. When a green tea bag was placed in a cup of bottled water, it did not do anything, because as we all know, hot water must be used to make green tea. When the tea bag was placed in a cup of Kangen water, though, the green tea bag instantly began to steep. And if you don’t think that was amazing, fresh Kangen water was then added to the same cup of bottled water and, without even a tea bag being in there, the tea “magically” appeared as if it had been steeping for minutes. How is this possible? Kangen water is micro-clustered, so there are less molecules grouped together (5-6 molecules vs. the typical 15-30 molecules in normal water). This allows for easier absorption by your body (and tea!). The second demonstration started off the same way: there was one cup filled with bottled water and another cup filled with Kangen water. pH drops were added to each cup; the bottled water turned blue (showing between a 7-9 pH level) and the Kangen water turned a deep purple (showing between a 10-14 pH level). Samantha’s daughter used a straw to blow bubbles into each cup (your breath is very acidic). The cup of bottled water turned yellow (between a 4-5 pH, which is acidic), while the cup of Kangen water remained a bluish purple color (between an 8-10 pH level). Incredible! I was even more lucky to be able to sample the Kangen water for myself, and although it doesn’t taste any different from the water I’m used to drinking, I could tell within a couple days of drinking it that I had more energy than usual. If you are looking to turn your life, and your health, around and are looking for ways to help supplement your healthier lifestyle, I highly recommend that you give Health & Hydration’s Kangen water a try; you will not be disappointed! Learn more about Kangen water here.
Nestled in the heart of Ward is a sweet boutique worth visiting. Sweet Lady Lei, owned and operated by Lauren Murphy, is every sweet tooth’s dream. Filled with candy leis, candy bouquets, fun shaped rice krispie treats, delicious cookies, and “Dole Whip” soft serve, this shop is sure to please people of all ages.
Her sweet journey began five years ago during graduation season, when Lauren realized that flower leis, although beautiful, had a short life and bruised easily and the candy leis that were available at the time weren’t anything that would “wow” the recipient. She wanted something that would last long, could travel well, and was something that people hadn’t seen before. So, Lauren created the Yummy Gummy Lei; a lei made of one pound of gummy worms, individually wrapped and braided with love. The leis were a hit, and she started making Yummy Gummy Bracelets and Licorice Vine leis made of twisted Twizzlers. But it doesn’t stop there. Along with the leis, bracelets, and other goodies (including “Dole Whip” soft serve with toppings of your choosing - YUM), Lauren makes WashAgami (Washcloth + Origami, get it?), which are washcloth party favors that are folded into different animal shapes. I was lucky enough to take home a dinosaur and honu (turtle) shaped WashAgamis that my sons fell in love with, not to mention the gummy leis and bracelets that were finished within a few days! Although the Sweet Boutique is a gem in the middle of town that everyone should visit, you can also find the Yummy Gummy Leis at Foodland Farms Ala Moana and Watanabe Floral all year long as well as at the NEX and all other Foodland locations during graduation season. This past graduation season was a hit - Sweet Lady Lei sold over 5,000 leis! The Yummy Gummy Lei is sure to be a graduation staple in the graduation seasons to come. Lauren’s mission at Sweet Lady Lei is to spread sweet aloha, one gummy at a time, and she sure does just that - she is so kind and caring and puts her aloha into each and every item she makes. Lauren also makes sure to include other local business’ items in her boutique to help support them - talk about sweet, right? If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend visiting Sweet Lady Lei and trying out their Yummy Gummy Lei and “Dole Whip” soft serve - you will not be disappointed! Please check their website for business hours. |
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