1. Yotsuba enchants kids and adults

Every month a bunch of bloggers — myself included — partake in the "Manga Movable Feast," an in-depth exploration of certain manga series. The latest installment focuses on various manga for children, including one series we’re all looking at: Kiyohiko Azuma’s "Yotsuba&!"

Yotsuba is a green-haired girl who’s the epitome of childhood innocence. Whether she’s visiting a ranch, meeting a giant cardboard robot or just hanging out with the neighbors, the stories are guaranteed to fill readers with warm fuzzies.

Yen Press is releasing volumes at $10.99 each, with eight available now. — Jason S. Yadao

2. Get your fro-yo fix of lychee

As lychee season sadly comes to an end, I’ve discovered Orange Grove’s lychee-flavored frozen yogurt topped with lychee pearls gives me the tangy fix I crave. At 42 cents per ounce, it’s a good hot-day treat. Orange Grove is located at Aiea Commercial Center, Kapolei Shopping Center, Ewa Town Center, Kaneohe Shopping Center, Ala Moana, Waipahu Town Center and Hekili Retail Center in Kailua. — Donica Kaneshiro

3. Choco-tails to order

Colins Kawai’s designer truffles combine my two favorite food groups: cocktails and chocolate. The self-taught chocolatier, who is also marketing director at University of Hawaii Press, produces small batches for private sale and special events, but I was lucky enough to receive a pretty box of his truffles after appearing at a publishers’ luncheon. Oh, baby! Kawai uses only the finest European dark chocolate and whips up his confections for immediate distribution, so he’s able to incorporate fresh fruits like blueberries, raspberries, lychee, lilikoi and mango. But his neatest trick is concocting liqueur fillings based on your favorite bar drink — margaritas, mojitos, cosmos, mai tais and more. Kawai launched his new business, choco le’a, just this week; e-mail him at chocolea.hi@gmail.com. — Christie Wilson

4. Style from the kids rack

I’m cursed with Cinderella feet, which means sometimes traipsing through the children’s department at Nordstrom en route to look at the UGG boots.

Passing by one day, I spied a rack of sunglasses and this pair in the purples and greens of fall — two colors that work for me — and a touch of bling. At $10, I was sold! I just happen to like things really cheap (a deal!) or really expensive (a luxury!).

My main pair of shades are oversize purple Pradas with violet-tinted graduated lenses, but this oversize kiddie pair is equally fun to wear, and at $10, I don’t have to worry about breaking or losing them. — By Nadine Kam

5. If this movie were any better, it would just be bad

Indie flick "The Room" (2003) is a movie that’s so bad that it’s not just good, it’s awe-inspiring. This cult hit, produced and directed by Tommy Wiseau, who also stars, is an unintentionally hilarious tale about a man whose girlfriend cheats on him with his best friend.

The script is one non sequitur after another, with lines such as, "As far as I’m concerned, you can drop off the Earth. That’s a promise," and, "You don’t know what you’re talking about, man. Leave your stupid comments in your pocket."

For lovers of bad movies, I can’t recommend the DVD enough. It’s $8.99 on Amazon. — Gene Park