1. Confessions of a romance novel junkie

I adore trashy romance novels.

There. I am out in the sun.

No more asking my newsroom buddy to smuggle me review copies that go straight to the free-take table. After all, what’s there to say about imperiled virgins and brooding dukes?

But there are exceptions, and one romance author makes outing myself worth spreading the word. Her name is Julia Quinn, and she transforms escapism into divine literature with a warm, witty writing style and fully realized characters who are more than heaving bosoms and shirtless heroes.

Known as the Jane Austen of the genre, Quinn actually earns her happily-ever-afters. If you’re a newbie, start off with "The Duke and I," the first novel in a charming series about the love lives of the Bridgerton family. Her latest is "Ten Things I Love About You" (Avon, 384 pages, $7.99). Don’t ask me what it’s about, though. I’m saving it for a breezy Sunday afternoon when I can put up my feet, sip my coffee and indulge. – Joleen Oshiro

2. Spackle for your face

What’s not to love about a product that promises to "freeze" your wrinkles? That’s the job of Freeze 24-7 ($125), a wrinkle treatment that was created to mimic the line-reducing results of Botox, instantly, minus the needle. Although its formula is said to relax muscles, it’s hard to believe any product works this fast, and its representatives at the Nordstrom Cosmetic Trend Show said it won’t replace your daily skin-care regimen, leading me to believe it works more like a topical filler – spackle for your face – filling in those lines, enlarged pores and vestiges of teenage acne. Well, whatever works. Filling in the lines will take a few years off your appearance, and the resulting ego boost works wonders as well. – Nadine Kam

3. Making waves worldwide

Last Christmas we recommended Clark Little’s weighty and arty book of wave photographs, and while we’d love to take credit for it, Little’s amazing, near-abstract decisive images of ocean water in the midst of suspending gravity captured the minds of picture editors worldwide.

Not a month has gone by since then without Little’s wave pictures in print somewhere. In the last couple of weeks, there have been a cover and spread in National Geographic’s Extreme Explorer; a cover and spread in Nikon World; plus another cover and spread in Sierra Magazine. Last week, though, Little’s "Marlin" wave-break image was a double-page spread in National Geographic’s regular "Visions of Earth" feature, seen by something like 9 million readers worldwide. Not bad for a guy who’s all wet. – Burl Burlingame

4. Haven’t I heard this before?

A stranger hands me a CD while I’m waiting in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Austin, ready to leave for Los Angeles after attending the South by Southwest Music Conference back in March.

I recognize one of the artists involved in the recording, Argentine composer-arranger Gustavo Santaolalla, responsible for the scores of "Babel" and "Brokeback Mountain," and a guest speaker at the conference.

The CD stays in my luggage while I’m in L.A. and is tossed on my will-listen-eventually pile of music when I get back to Honolulu.

Around that time, an Acura TV ad gets a lot of airplay, featuring a terrific instrumental that mixes tango with hip-hop sensibilities.

The song lingers in the back of my mind, and that memory came rushing back to me in full force several nights ago when I finally play that CD that’s been collecting dust for four months. It’s track 5, "Pa’ bailar," from the 2008 album "Mar Dulce" by Bajofondo, a collective project that Santaolalla shares with Uruguayan musician-producer Juan Campodonico. "Pa’ bailar" is still terrific, and the album, with guest vocals by the likes of Elvis Costello and Nelly Furtado, is top-notch world music. And I owe that stranger a big mahalo. – Gary Chun

5. Cheap tickets for students

Due to fiscal constraints, we haven’t seen our college kid since last summer. But thanks to the bargain air fares offered by StudentUniverse.com, she’ll coming home next month for a visit.

The students-only online travel agency has come through for us before, with discounts of 30 percent or more. Some of the fares to Europe are so enticing, I’ve been thinking of enrolling. Give it a try at www.studentuniverse.com. – Christie Wilson