I love the men’s aloha shirts from Roberta Oaks first because they flatter; men who wear them seem to cut a slimmer figure and stand up straighter. The Honolulu fashion designer, who sells the Hawaii-made shirts online and at her Chinatown boutique, has cut the shirts carefully, and they fit like no others. Beyond the fit, the shirts flaunt vibrant, original fabric patterns. Most are priced $110 to $120, with discontinued lines as low as $60.

Keep an eye out: A new aloha shirt will be released in conjunction with the Pow!Wow! Hawaii street-art celebration in the coming weeks. Check them out at Roberta Oaks, 19 N. Pauahi St.; call 526-1111 or visit robertaoaks.com.

—Elizabeth Kieszkowski

Gluten-free mix derives flavor from breadfruit

An easy Ulu Pancrepe Mix from the Hawaiian Ulu Co., handmade by breadfruit farmer Roberta Jaques on the Big Island, makes a tasty farm-to-griddle breakfast that’s nutritious and gluten-free. Just add milk, water, butter (or oil) and an egg. Conceived as a pancake mix, “friends said the consistency was more like French crepes, so I changed the name,” said Jaques, who peels, shreds, dries and mills the ulu into flour.

This prettily packaged mix, available sweetened or sugar-free, makes 15 crepes and can be adapted for muffins or to dredge food for frying. It’s $12 to $14 for a 6.5-ounce package at the Ahualoa Farms booth at the Kapiolani Community College, Kailua and Hyatt Regency farmers markets and Waimanalo Market Co-op. Visit hawaiianfarmersmarket.com.

—Mindy Pennybacker

Designer crafts elegant teddy bears with vintage fabrics

There is no shortage of teddy bears of all sizes and shapes for the collector. But even the biggest collection is short one rarity: Nake‘u Awai’s bear stitched from vintage qipao, or cheong-sam, from historic Lai Fong store in Chinatown. The designer is offering a limited quantity for $25 each at his shop at 1613 Houghtailing St., open 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Call 841-1221.

—Nadine Kam

Gourmet jerky showcases local ahi

If you love ahi, then it’ll be love at first bite when you try Ahi Tuna Jerky by Kaimana Jerky, a family-run business in Kailua-Kona. The gourmet jerky uses wild-caught ahi hooked longline style within 50 miles of Kona. I like the teriyaki, but other flavors include honey glazed, peppered and Hawaiian Warrior (spicy with red chili and spices). I found a 9-ounce bag at Costco for $13.99, but it’s also available at 7-Eleven, most grocery stores and Amazon.com.

—Nina Wu

Fresh recordings paired with Elvis create powerful performance

When Elvis Presley died in 1977, he left behind such a tremendous collection of archival recordings that “new” Elvis records are still being released. Most of them are basic outtakes of recording sessions, but this isn’t one of them. “If I Can Dream” (RCA/Legacy, $11.98; legacyrecordings.com) is a what-if project that pairs Presley’s vocal tracks with new recordings by London’s Royal Philharmonic to create a powerful new performance. It is fresh and inspirational.

The celebrity guests heard singing with Elvis aren’t necessary, but the concept is a winner. His rendition of the title song still stirs the soul.

—John Berger