Photos by Nadine Kam The scene at about 8:15 a.m. at the Sandal Tree Cheap Shoe Sale.
Whew! Finally at home at 2 p.m. after a morning of crowds and lines, starting with Sandal Tree’s 8 a.m. “Cheap Shoe Sale.”
It was all very leisurely for me because I can’t fit normal shoes, being a Cinderella size 3, so I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to buy anything. Very sad, but in a way a good thing, because if I spent on shoes what I spend on handbags, it would be disastrous.
It was even more leisurely because I forgot I had reset my alarm clock from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., so I was lying around thinking I had lots of time to get there.
Of course when I got there the rush was on, and yes, there was plenty of stock available, from sizes 5 to 11, with some casual children’s footwear and men’s shoes too. My guess is that there were more than 300 shoppers and plenty of shoes for all.
Nadine Kam video
Shoppers swarm at Sandal Tree, Central Union Church and LeSportsac, Ala Moana.
Comments overheard at the event:”I woke up so early, at 3 o’clock.”
“I wish there were more smaller sizes.”
“I got plenty of Christmas presents.”I saw a small-looking pair of bronze shoes in a box labeled “Mismatched,” but as I was about to reach for it a woman snapped, “That’s mine! I guess I better take off the sign.”
Shopping pros grab first, sort later.
The pros carried big shopping bags to stash their finds before sorting. Others carried armloads of sandals, valued from about $75 to $800 retail, all from a year old to current styles. Each pair went for $10.
No word as to whether there will be another sale like it next year. While it’s great for bargain hunters, the store’s aim, of course, is to bring in such tempting wares that shoppers will be willing to pay full price!
Nadine Kam photos Phuong Nguyen shows a ring of imperial jade and diamonds in a double flower design from Jade by Nikolai.
Here’s a welcome idea for all event planners: Jewelry designer Nikolai Tsang treated some of her best clients to a Spa Day Oct. 28 at the newly open Heaven on Earth at Koolani.
On view was a selection of jadeite, pearl and precious stone jewelry, as well as the spa itself, at about 20,000 square feet. It is so huge that while the party was going on in the salon area, most guests were unaware that one floor below, regular spa treatments were taking place without interruption. There’s enough space for a women’s lounge, men’s lounge, couple’s massage room and space for yoga, pilates and, of all things, pole-dancing classes.
Nikolai helps Mika Guillou try on one of her necklaces featuring a jadeite chrysanthemum pendant.(more…)
Nadine Kam photo From left are Sig Zane, Sig Zane Designs style director Atsuko Kimoto and production manager Margaret Stanley, and Dr. Taupouri Tangaro.
Sig Zane celebrated his 22nd anniversary with the presentation of his 2008 Wailani Collection at the Outrigger Reef Hotel Friday night.
The celebration had models strolling among guests in an open-air setting overlooking the ocean, in an encore of a show presented earlier on the Big Island, combining Zane’s designs with Tiffany jewelry and hula-inspired hairscapes created by Taupouri Tangaro.
The hair was so elaborate, I asked Tangaro how long he had been working with hair, assuming lengthy training.
“Just since Sig asked me,” said the Hawaiian cultural expert, an assistant professor at Hawaii Community College’s Hawaii Life Styles Program. (more…)
Neiman Marcus photo Diamond in the Rough necklace of uncut stones, $65,000.
The 81st edition Neiman Marcus Christmas Book debuted this week, so I’m sitting here making my list of what I’d like to see under my tree this year.
I don’t ask for much, so Santa, I’m going with one thing only, the 4-foot-long Diamond in the Rough chain necklace of uncut stones (about 62 carats) set in 18K gold. It’s $65,000. (more…)
Some excitement last night at about 1 a.m. While I was blogging away, I heard something like a bomb down the street. I was a little nervous because the last time I heard a sound like that was last spring when I was here in New York, staying on the Upper East Side. There were manhole explosions earlier this year, so I thought that could be it too. Even so, I decided to shut off the computer and move away from the window.
It turns out it was a pipe bombing outside the storefront studio owned by “The Sopranos” Michael Imperioli, a couple buildings away from where I’m staying. I even passed by that place yesterday, thinking I should check it out when it’s open. Here’s an excerpt from a story from the CBS affiliate here:
“(CBS) NEW YORK A small explosive device — that has been described to CBS 2 News as a pipe bomb — detonated in front of an acting studio and apartment building in midtown Manhattan early Tuesday morning, causing damage to a van parked outside and forcing the evacuation of residents. Incredibly, the building and the studio, named “Studio Dante,” located at West 29th Street and 8th Avenue, sustained no damaged after the device blew up at about 1:30 a.m., police said. No one was injured in the blast.
CBS 2 News has learned that “Sopranos” actor Michael Imperioli owns the building. The NYPD said they did not know whether there was any connection to the incident and the actor, who owns Studio Dante. Imperioli and his wife Victoria visited the studio later Tuesday morning and appeared a bit shaken up by the mess.
Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, Tony Soprano’s nephew, on the popular HBO television show.”
A couple of days after the blast, Michael Imperioli’s building
looked fine after they cleared debris from a car that was destroyed.
My neighbor asked if I had heard about the bombing. I said I had actually heard it and he said it was so weird because this is such a safe quiet place.
It was sort of the reason I chose the area. Being so close to the 9/11 anniversary, I figured it would be safest to stay away from major areas like Times Square or the Chrysler building. I didn’t tell him the same thing happened last time I was here. That bomb went off three blocks from where I was staying and did a lot more damage.
That’s New York, I guess.
Didn’t stop me from pursuing more shopping today, this time a matter of taking a bus to Woodbury Common where 200 shops awaited. I thought I could get there at 10 a.m. and leave by 2:30 p.m. Finally got there at 11, but by 1:30 p.m. had only hit about 20 shops. Yike! Of course I could skip over anyplace selling children’s clothes, athletic shoes or sunglasses. Not in the market for anything like that.
First stop was Neiman Marcus Last Call but after Labor Day sales, I could pretty much figure anything good would be gone. Tried on a Cynthia Vincent 12th Avenue black blouse. It was a small size 6 but I’m a 2 so, with some sadness, I put it back.. The only other thing worthwhile in my eyes was a Reem Acra evening dress, but I believe it was $4,000, so I left.
There are a lot of high-end designer outlets (Chanel, Celine, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Versace, Valentino) here, so buying is not necessarily the goal. Sometimes it’s simply worthwhile to see some of these garments and the details that go into them. I saw some of the most fantastic clothes at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, spent a lot of time at Dolce & Gabbana studying a dress with a black sequin bodice and black silk chiffon handkerchief skirt with lace insets and covered in micro floral embroidery, a work of art at $8,000, marked down from $15,000.
Prada skirt jewel detail that covered a front panel from waist to hem.
At Space I tried on a Miu Miu dress ($440 sale but wrong color) with a Prada jacket ($1,500), but what I really wanted was a Prada skirt ($440 sale) tried on, with some amazing jeweled detailing on a front panel. I left it behind because I had 160 more shops to go. Of course now that I’m writing this, I’m having regrets that I didn’t get that skirt.
The hit-and-miss nature of outlet shopping make them dangerous. During regular season at boutiques you’re faced with collections intended to match. This is great for those with no fashion sense because they can rely on one designer’s vision and look totally put together. At the outlets, you’re on your own. You could find yourself buying pieces that don’t match up with anything in your closet. It’s good to know where the gaps in your wardrobe so you can start with a game plan.
It also helps to stick with the lines you typically buy, because you know their fit and can easily determine whether pieces are a bargain or not. For instance, I went to one boutique and the price tag on one top I already own was $120. Well, I bought it on sale at NM in June for $60.
I finally left at 5:30 p.m. with a DKNY top and Catherine Malandrino skirt. It took some restraint to walk away from a Salvatore Ferragamo purple purse.
This butterfly necklace is the result of a collaboration
between Jade by Nikolai and Shanghai Tang.
Nikolai Tsang of Jade by Nikolai hosted a Tea Party and Earring Event Aug. 25 at Kilohana Square, where women could try on her jade, pearl and gemstone creations while sipping tea, guava champagne and enjoying a light lunch and desserts from Kelvin Ro’s Diamond Head Market & Grill, plus mousse and baked confections from Sugar Rush by Francis. Guests also admired the table centerpiece, an arrangement by Rainforest, that incorporated the exotic, carnivorous pitcher plant. Though deadly to insects, it’s lovely to behold.
Nikolai, right, and her mother Alice Tsang.
The last time I saw Nikolai, she was sporting dramatic red tresses. This time, her hair was colored a doll-like lilac. She also wore a stunning hand-dyed wrap by Burgundy, of Shibori by Burgundy. Nikolai accessorized with a butterfly brooch of her own design.
New to the Jade by Nikolai collections are purse charms of carved jade and other semi-precious stones. Colleen Furuya-Smithson attached one to her Louis Vuitton purse and kept it on for the entire event, while she tried to make a decision.
Of special interest were limited-edition collaborative necklaces made for Shanghai Tang’s New York, Singapore and Malaysia markets. Imagine a larger version of Chinese silk “frog” closures as the necklace centerpiece, which is then surrounded by a mix of jade and gemstones. Susan Kodani tried on the two on display, one red, the other yellow. The yellow was a perfect match for the blouse she was wearing, and upon seeing her pass by, News 8’s Sharie Shima went after her, saying something along the lines of, “Excuse me, I have to go follow her. She has the necklace I want.”
Susan Kodani tries on the necklace at the top of the page. Sharie Shima followed her, hoping she would put it back, before trying on the dragonfly necklace shown below. Kodani took home a red version of the necklace instead.
Gay Wong, of Mutual Publishing, intervened, showing Shari a necklace of black stones incorporating a dragonfly pendant. In the end, Shari left with three jade bracelets, while Gay, who was on her way to Holokai Grill for Mutual’s release of Mark Sullivan’s book, “Hawaiian Tropical Cocktails Created with the Fruits of the Islands,” reminded her, “Hey, this is supposed to be an earring event.”
Oddly enough, the only one who couldn’t get into the earrings was Nikolai, who still doesn’t have pierced ears. “That’s OK,” she said, “I have other things to wear.”
Shibori by Burgundy will be in New York Sept. 16 to 18 for the tail-end of Fashion Week(s). And there’ll be more jewelry to share when Nikolai hosts a day of pre-holiday shopping and pampering at Ko’olani in late October. Keep your eye on my Thursday Style pages for details as we get closer to the date.
In the foreground is a Jade by Nikolai necklaceof branch coral, Tahitian pearls, moonstones and jadeite. Also shown is the Rainforest arrangement incorporating a couple of pitcher plants.
