June Finds: What’s In This Summer
A new poolside hangout, Island-inspired cakes, seashell sculptures and Hawaiian swimwear to rock in the sun.
Photo: Courtesy of Romer Waikīkī at the Ambassador
WE GO!
Hit the Deck
The Waikīkī Swim & Social Club brings the fun morning to night.
The newly renovated Romer Waikīkī at the Ambassador (formerly the Ambassador Hotel Waikīkī) has made a splashy entrance to the hotel scene, thanks in part to its retro-cool pool deck. Dubbed the Waikīkī Swim & Social Club, the deck’s 1960s aesthetic is straight out of a Slim Aarons pool scene with poppy striped cabanas, beanbag floaties and psychedelic sun umbrellas. Check the calendar for fun events, such as morning Pilates classes, pop-up shopping markets, dive-in movie nights, drag singalongs and pool parties with live music that last well into the evening.
2040 Kūhiō Ave., romerwaikiki.com, @romerwaikiki
SEE ALSO: Editors’ Picks: Our Favorite O‘ahu Hotels for Staycations
Photo: Courtesy of Amy Grace Studios/Tahnei Roy
SPOTTED
Stone from Water
Potter Amy Vicente crafts lovely seashells by the shore.
Ceramics don’t get much dreamier than Amy Grace Studios’ sculptural shell creations. Massive in scale, the show-stopping pieces possess somewhat of a mythical quality, as if culled from the farthest depths of the sea. That makes perfect sense considering that potter Amy Vicente’s work often draws inspiration from the wild, enchanting nature of the ocean. At her Pūpūkea studio, she molds her shell forms by hand then painstakingly texturizes them with hundreds of tiny etchings for a beautiful, organic finish.
Photo: Courtesy of Sugar and Poi
BON APPÉ-CHIC
Tropical Flour
Feast your eyes on Sugar and Poi’s ornate, Island-inspired cakes.
A recipe for an amazing local-style cake: Mix plant-based ingredients with baker KawaiLehua Santiago’s killer decorating skills and throw in some delicious flavor combos—think matcha-Oreo, coconut-caramel and poi-tres leches. Or simply order one of the Wahiawā-based baker’s custom creations, whipped up for her company, Sugar and Poi. Available in round and heart shapes, plus mini sizes, the cakes feature playful Hawai‘i-inspired phrases, such as “Hunneh Girl” and “Taurus Bradda,” and designs, including hibiscus, monstera leaves and strands of pua kenikeni.
SEE ALSO: 3 Local Hawai‘i Swimwear Brands to Sizzle in This Summer
Photo: Courtesy of High Noon Swim/‘Ilikea Snow
BEACH BOUND
High Tide
The summer sun is calling—answer in style with High Noon Swim.
There’s no point in perfecting your summer bod if you don’t have something stylin’ to show it off in. Here to help is High Noon Swim, the new eco-chic swimwear line from Mānoa-based designer Jenah Yamamoto. Crafted from Vita, a sustainable fabric made of regenerated nylon, the line features flattering feminine cuts and playful details, such as lettuce-edge trims, cutouts and drawstring side seams. We especially love that Ku‘u Home, Yamamoto’s debut collection, nods to her upbringing in the Islands with a palaka print and a decidedly Hawaiian take on toile, the classic 18th century French pattern, swapping its traditionally pastoral scenes for tropical flora and fauna and depictions of daily life in ancient Hawai‘i.
highnoonswim.com, @highnoonswim
