Last week I spent my time visiting Oahu, Hawaii, my birthplace and what I consider my true home away from California. It’s been years since I’ve been back home and I was so happy to head back. I only spent 5 days back home, but each day was filled with so many stories. Throughout my stay I captured the sights and sounds on my Nikon D700, but this time around I wanted to focus on video and I left the photo taking to my family. As much as possible I updated our Instagram (@fittedlife) with our travel updates, but aside from that it was trying to capture the motions, the culture, and all the little details of why I love Hawaii. I’m still in the process of editing the whole trip and I hope to have it ready before the end of the month. Stay tuned for the edit!

While on Oahu we stopped by this great shave ice place in Haleiwa called Matsumoto Shave Ice. It was pretty good and the price wasn’t bad. I got the Raibow combination, one of Matsumoto’s original flavors, with the addition of ice cream and kidney beans on the bottom. Gio picked up a custom flavor and topped my order with the addition of condense milk…wait…where was that on the menu!?!? haha. Yet, if I would’ve opened my eyes, it said condense milk on the lower side of the menu. Oh well, there’s always next time! But anyways, I still stole a scoop from his shave ice and it was delicious! Note, that this is literally “shave ice,” simply granulated ice flavored with syrup. Yet, even so, it was still so refreshing and o’ so ono! Since Matsumoto Shave Ice is a popular tourist stop, this place was loaded with Matsumoto related apparel and trinkets. There was a super legit tee that Gio spotted and that I eventually bought. Featuring a sweet Kanji back design was Matsumoto’s Ganso tee. Ganso is the Japanese word for ‘founder’ or ‘pioneer’ which suits Matsumoto’s shave ice shop. The tee wasn’t even priced that bad with a retail tag of $19. Not bad at all. For those of you wanting to purchase this tee and do not live in Hawaii, you could try Matsumoto’s online shop. The online stock comes and goes, but nothing beats getting this tee at their actual location in Haleiwa. Check out Matsumoto’s shop next time you’re in Oahu and grab some shave ice while you’re at it!

Along Ala Moana Blvd. there’s this amazing shopping center called Ala Moana Center. Hands down, I think this has to be the best mall ever for a variety of reason. First, it’s in Hawaii, that’s just a guarantee it has to be ace and it is! Second, the selection is extremely diverse and plenty of stuff for everyone. Third, there’s a lot of Japanese catered shops, restaurants, convenient stores, etc. That’s always an A+ in my book as it reminds me of my time in Misawa, Japan. Lastly, local culture and diversity. People who work at Ala Moana surprise me in a good way and I’m glad to have met some of them. Overall, a great atmosphere with a very attractive scene.

I came across this legit aloha wear store called Reyn Spooner which handles top end aloha shirts from pullovers to button downs. Their prints are more muted and the colorways do not blind you with brightness. Rather, Reyn Spooner handles conservative tones perfect for the business executive or the weekend getaway type. At Ala Moana Center, we met with some great people at the Reyn Spooner store. After learning the ins and outs of the company, its heritage, and how it is the go-to apparel for top execs in Hawaii, I felt inclined to pick up one. They have a hefty price tag, but for the quality, comfort, design, and especially their history and heritage, this aloha pullover I picked up from Reyn Spooner was definitely worth the purchase.

Style, aesthetics, and design makes the company. That’s what I shoot for and I appreciate these brands for giving me guidance. Whether it’s a shave ice shop in Haleiwa selling a super cool Japanese tee or a high end store selling timeless garments inspired by the culture of Hawaii, each of these places contribute to the highlights of Fitted Life.

Stay tuned for our film in the coming weeks!

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