SATURDAY SCOOPS
May Day mayday

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Cindy Lau is the owner of a Chinatown flower shop. By Lei Day morning, many of the most popular lei might be sold out. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Sampling of flower shops open on Lei Day Cindy's Lei & Flower Shoppe 1034 Maunakea St., Chinatown 536-6538 Open 6 a.m.-8 p.m. today Flo's Min Florist 927 Lehua Ave., Pearl City 455-1505 Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. today Kailua Florist 29 Oneawa St., Kailua 262-8366 Open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. today Waipahu Florist 94-354 Hanawai Circle, Waipahu 677-3372 or 677-3900 Open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. today Stanley Ito Florist 1613 Nu'uanu Ave., downtown Honolulu 533-2348 Open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. today

Among the Kahalu'u resident's many duties: ordering about 20 garlands, including the May Day queen's graduated five-strand crown flower lei.

Giving and wearing a lei symbolizes love and aloha, she said. "It's a way of expressing gratitude and ... joy for the festival," said Wong, 39, whose two young daughters will also be part of the program.

To beat the Lei Day rush, Wong ordered all the lei Tuesday. While buying early is ideal, sometimes work, school or family obligations get in the way.

If you fall into this madly busy category, worry not. Local florists offer these tips for last-minute lei shopping for the many May Day festivities today:

Go early. The sooner you shop, the wider selection you'll have, said Karen Lau Lee, daughter of Cindy Lau, who owns Cindy's Lei & Flower Shoppe in Chinatown.

Their most popular lei include plumeria and pikake, which will likely be sold out by today.

"We hope to have our regular inventory, like orchid lei, hakus, tuberose, kukui leis and ti combinations," Lee said earlier this week. "We'll try to supply the need. It depends on what the trend is on Friday (yesterday)."

Venture out. If your favorite florist is out of what you're looking for or is just way too busy to meet your needs, consider shopping out of your normal area. But call first.

"Maybe it's because we're out in the country, because we're not actually too busy for May Day ... no long lines or anything," said Glenn Watanabe, manager of Waipahu Florists.

Be open-minded. Buying late likely means not getting your first choice of lei. "It's always good to have a second choice in mind," said Pamela Wilhelm, owner of Kailua Florist.

Be willing to pay more. Garlands at Cindy's cost $4 to $40, Lee said. The cheaper, more popular lei, such as plumeria, may be sold out. So be prepared to dish out a little more for whatever is left, she said.

Danger: Do not boil linseed oil at home!

It's boiled linseed oil, a commercial product, that can be used to restore and polish wood furniture. Do not boil raw linseed oil at home; it is flammable.

Last week's Saturday Scoops item about furniture restoration was incorrect.

Lipstick stain on your white wear? Give it the kiss-off

Lipstick is tough stain to remove, especially from white cotton.

Here's a formula, however, that does just that. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts of laundry bleach, water and milk. Spray it on the stain, and then scrub the area with a toothbrush. It works well on strawberry stains as well.

Remember, this is for white cotton only, not colored cotton.

Waialua Bandstand proudly presents festivities and fun

Expect music and dance, and free popcorn, shave ice and ice cream, as the new Waialua Bandstand is dedicated today. The festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. at the open-air, hexagonal gazebo in the Waialua Community Park, across from the library.

Kumu John Keola Lake will offer the traditional prayer, and entertainment will include the Royal Hawaiiana Band, 'Ale'a, Maila Gibson, Ben Vegas and the keiki of Halau Hula Olana.

Admission is free.

'Sesame Street Live' alert: Spaceship with aliens is landing

Show times:

• 7 p.m. June 17.
• 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. June 18, 24-25.
• 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. June 19-20, 26-27.

Tickets are $11 opening night; $11, $15 and $19 thereafter, with discounts for certain shows; available at the box office and Ticketmaster outlets. Information: 591-2211. Charge by phone at (877) 750-4400.

Take action now — Mom's Day is just around the corner

Don't say we didn't warn you: May 9 is Mother's Day, and that means it's time to treat your Mom, and all the other moms in your life, on that special day.

Furthermore, you make those restaurant reservations today!

Need a gift? Try the spring sale of the Windward Potters, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. today at Kailua Elementary School cafeteria; a May Day craft fair at the Wai'oli Tea Room in Manoa, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today; and/or the Lanikai craft fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today at Lanikai Park and Community Center.

Admission to each of these events is free.

And you might want to think ahead: Father's Day is June 20.

Rockers converge at Marine base

"Shock & Awe"? It's an international rock-music festival featuring bands with hard-core reputations such as Ill Repute from Oxnard, Calif.; 8mm Overdose, pictured above; Grim Force, Osaka, Japan; Nevercore, Tokyo; Khrinj, Maui; Zero Tolerance, Maui; Sideline Hero, Big Island; Obliterator, O'ahu; and Entity Awakened, Maui. It's happening from 5 p.m. today at Kahuna's Main Showcase Ballroom, Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Gates open at 4 p.m.; bring your ID. Admission is $12 at the door; $10 in advance, at venues including Hungry Ear Kailua, Surf N Sea in Hale'iwa; free for active-duty military. For 18 and older. www.jagerhawaii.com.

Sunset to screen 'Cat,' 'Big Fish'

Sunset on the Beach festivals of food booths, entertainment and films on a 30-foot screen return to Waikiki this weekend.

Tonight's movie is "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat," starring Mike Myers as the naughty feline. Kelly Preston, formerly of Honolulu, also stars as the mom of two kids who have wild adventures with the cat. Tomorrow's film is "Big Fish," about a man who tries to understand his estranged, tall-tale-telling dad. Sunset begins each day at 4 p.m. The films begin after the sun goes down. Admission is free.

Lots going on at new-products show

Where can you find a beauty bar, keiki karaoke contest, wrestling and Miss Hawaii USA all in one place? At the 29th annual Spring New Products Show this weekend, of course.

The Blaisdell Exhibition Hall event will feature entertainment by Keahiwai, Pohaku, Ka'ala Boys and Last in Line; a Little Miss and Little Mr. Pacific Island pageant; the Hawaii's Teen Strongest Man Competition; a lei-making contest; a mom look-alike contest; and lots of shopping.

Hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. tomorrow. (A bonus tomorrow: The first 700 moms get a free rose.) Tickets are $4 general; $3 seniors, military and children (free under age 7). Drop off new or re-usable clothing at Goodwill for a $1 general-admission discount coupon. 945-3594.