ISLAND LIFE SHORTS
Plush monsters
Advertiser Staff and News Services
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The days of soft, fuzzy, stuffed bunnies are over — the Cryptonauts are taking over, and these monsters are far from cute.
Creator Aaron Lee acknowledges the fright factor, but he still connects the creatures with childhood, acknowledging, perhaps, that kids' experiences aren't all sweetness and light. "The reason I sew and make stuffed creatures is to create work that simulates one's cherished childhood experiences, a time when our innocence was untouched by the stresses of an adult life," he deadpanned.
Lee was raised in both Texas and Hawai'i, and his work was largely influenced by his childhood experiences with Mexican wrestling dolls, toy monsters, and always looking through the glass case of his mother's geisha dolls. These days, he's collaborating with Pocket Full of Monsters, the Ground Up Pirates, Honolulu Art Collective, Prototype and Exclusive Hawaii, says Lee, whose first show, CryptoZoo, was in 2006. Two years later, Lee is still creating these interesting characters for children, adults and anyone interested in a replica of their childhood apparitions.
For more information on the Cryptonauts, go to www.mycryptonauts.com.
— Lacy Matsumoto
SALES & BARGAINS
— Pualana Lemelle
RELEASES
DIVE IN DARK WATERS
Trent Reznor, below, dropped his poison pill into the pop water supply this month when he offered the new Nine Inch Nails album as a free download, setting a new threshold in the ongoing breakdown of the record marketplace. Did the form of delivery affect the nature of the music? "The Slip" will come out as a not-free CD in July, but it's conceivable that the prospect of an unencumbered pre-release exchange with fans encouraged more daring choices in assembling the collection.
In any case, "The Slip" is murkier and less catchy than the last couple of regular NIN albums, "Year Zero" and "With Teeth." On the rock numbers, Reznor blends the jarring sounds of the industrial rock genre that he popularized with a terse, punklike attack, bringing an insistent, sometimes claustrophobic feel to his scenarios of alienation ("I feel a million miles away / I don't feel anything at all").
Don't be fooled by the relatively radio-friendly track "Discipline." In "The Slip," Reznor isn't concerned with making it easy. But give it a try. What have you got to lose?
— Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times
SWEET TOOTH
You needn't justify your love for the cupcakes at Hokulani Bakery. Aside from the wholesome recipe, there's a whole lotta care taken on every one. "With cooking, you can add a little salt, taste it, add more to your liking, but with baking, it has to be exact," says Ana Dubey, left, co-owner with her husband, Tushar Dubey, of the Hokulani Bakery.
As the rows of freshly baked cookies, and plates of colorful cupcakes tantalize your eyes, make sure to focus in on this season's Lilikoi Buttercream cupcake. "It's becoming quite popular, almost as popular as our Red Velvet," says Dubey. The creamy icing tops a sweet, fruity, moist cake and the perfect tropical aroma makes this cupcake a small piece of Hawaiian heaven.
Hokulani Bakery, Restaurant Row; 587-7098.
— L.M.
ON THE DIME
This one's for the girls out there who are book-smart, street-smart, adventurous and have the right attitude — Los Angeles-based clothing line DimePiece has proclaimed you one of the gang. According to DimePiece, the DimePiece girl is sexy, smart, sophisticated, motivated, has genuine swag, proclaims her opinion and attitude through her adventurous dress, and therefore is a woman to watch. The clothing line's fun, flirty graphics, slogans, and motto are turning it into one of the hottest objects of desire for women this summer. So be a go-getter, a kitten with claws, a true fashion aficionado, and check it out. Get DimePiece clothing at Queens, 831 Queen St.; 589-1102. See www.dimepiecedesigns.com.
— L.M.
