Just saw a great gift idea for all your Nēnē loving mom's out there. And I don't mean Nenê the Denver Nugget or NeNe the Atlanta Housewife.
By adopting a Nēnē, the state bird of Hawaii, you'll be helping to protect endangered species and important habitats in the Park from destruction by feral goats and pigs, from invasion by alien plants, and from predation by mongooses, feral cats, and rats. ADOPT-A-NENE today!
Nēnē Facts:
The Nēnē (Branta Sandwicensis) is Hawaii's endemic state bird.
In 1778 when Captain Cooke arrived in the Hawaiian islands, there were probably 25,000 Nene. By the 1950's there were only 30 geese left. Currently, there are less than 1800 Nēnē in the wild throughout the world. Most live outside of Hawaii in zoos and private collections.
Nēnē were once extinct from Maui and re-introduced in to Maui in the 1960s.
The total Nēnē population in Haleakala Park is estimated to be about 300, and West Maui supports perhaps 200 more.
Nēnē have longer toes than most geese, used for climbing up mountainsides and lava rock.
I'm so very happy that businesses like Olukai exist. Not only do they perpetuate the Hawaiian Culture with events like their annual Ho`olaulea and care about the environment, but wow - they make a pretty kick-A line of shoes and fancy slippers. They offer a bigger selection for men (!?) for some reason, but the ladies shoes are lovely too. Their attention to details like embossing and stitching their designs and forming leather are brilliant. The slippers are also all water resistant (not water proof) even though they are leather.
Their logo is that of the Hawaiian fishing hook or "Makau" which stands for strength, good luck and safe passage over water and they design it into all of their items, everywhere, yet subtly.
From their About Us:
We draw from the relaxed lifestyle, pure and diverse ecosystems, comfortable climate, and close sense of family. OluKai was conceived from a desire to create a better class of products for the life we live in and around the water.
And in every facet of our business, we’re committed to respecting the people and the environments we touch.
There is a strong tradition of giving an offering or tribute in Polynesian culture. Our philosophy at OluKai is to support the efforts of those who continue to give back to preserve local cultures and traditions.
We are committed to be environmentally responsible manufacturers as well as pledging to actively support and work for a clean environment and a better quality of life.
Olukai uses only natural latex in thier gum rubbers, 30% recycled material in all our outsoles, and 100% recycled material in our packaging. They also source all of their leathers exclusively from environmentally conscious ISO-14001 certified tanneries.
Quality products, beautiful designs, Eco-Concious and supporting local culture make them the winner of this year's Outstanding Company Award! Woohoo!
The state of our current economy has been a good push for those thinking of becoming self reliant. A friend to the small business owner, one of my jobs is to get them up and going - at least visually, and to help get their brand set, as well as think about how they will fit in and stand out in their specific market.
Most recently, I've been working with Ambert Dunsmore, a massage therapist who has gone rogue and decided to open his own business. Ambert describes his massage technique as a "gentle strength" and anyone who knows Ambert, knows his heart can be described in the same way. In coming up with his brand, he knew he wanted his name in the title, and he knew he wanted an image that was original only to him. Something noticeable in a moment and Amberto-y.
Step 1 IDENTIFY. First thing was to have him fill out an Identity Questionnaire. Partly to get him thinking about how he can be unique in a sea of 10,000 licensed Oregonian therapists, and partly so that I had a place to start.
Step 2 IMAGE . "A dragon, or bamboo, or an elephant - I love elephants!" were all images he identified with. But he had also sketched out for me some letters he had been thinking about. He does a lot of Thai massage and a beautiful Indian carved wooden screen sat in the corner of his massage space. Okay - a good place to start.
Step 3 COLOR. This is so important. People often forget about color being the first feeling one might get when they view something. A proper Identity Questionnaire can help identity the words which describe what your colors can be. Ambert was pretty set on his colors and I loved that he will stand out from all the boring sage green therapists out there. His colors will identify to both men and women and also happen to be a hot trend right now: dark brown and light purple.
Step 4 SIMPLIFY. Ambert loved it all. He wanted to incorporate two elephants, a fancy handwritten font, and a unique temple/letter A design. It was getting too busy and chaotic and not at all calming and stress relieving. I suggested we keep it simple.
In the end, Ambert went with his initial first idea of type, a letter A and M conjoined and manipulated into a Thai temple like design. Unique only to Ambert! The website is still in progress (thanks Mauricio), but do check back for one of the BEST massages ever: ambertsmassage.com until then...971.998.2470
A GREAT stress reliever by Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið. Watch the whole thing and just breathe.