Before having kids, my dream was to travel the world and taste exotic dishes. Though globetrotting isn’t on the agenda right now, one of my favorite escapes is The Kahala Hotel & Resort for its Friday Night Flights, held the last Friday of every month at the Veranda. For $60, guests enjoy a three-course dinner with three wines of their choosing from six selections curated by the resort’s master sommelier. March spotlights wines from the Central Coast of California, with a menu of Dungeness crab cakes, scallops and more. (Reservations are recommended; call 739-8760.)

Another option is Social Hour at the Veranda from 5:30 to 10 p.m. daily, when wine flights of three 6-ounce selections are $25 and tapas platters start at $25. — Lacy Matsumoto, Liliha

Safeway saves the day with bargain bouquets

Flowers are the great utility infielder of love, as they can fill multiple needs. They can say “I love you,” “I’m sorry I didn’t notice your haircut,” “Happy anniversary” and much, much more. Men know this, of course, but sometimes we need help in the execution department. Enter Safeway’s $5 Flower Fridays, available at all Hawaii locations. Depending on the mood of the florist that Friday, you can get a nice bouquet of mixed flowers, seasonal arrangements and even roses — and all for a bargain price. Trust me, you will come home a winner! — Mike Gordon

Maintain fresh hair without all the fuss

OK, so sometimes you’re just too tired/lazy/busy to shampoo your hair. We’ve all been there, right? Aveda’s Shampure Dry Shampoo allows me to go up to a week without shampooing and still have clean-looking and feeling hair that is full of body. The dry shampoo absorbs oil, sweat and dirt and leaves a light scent. Just be careful when applying — a little goes a long way. Plus, you’ll save water, too! Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo retails for $30 for 2 ounces at Ho‘ala Salon & Spa at Ala Moana Center. — Mona Wood-Sword, Honolulu

Paint-on cuticle protector ensures tidy manicures

While searching for Easter basket fillers, I came across Liquid Palisade, a peel-off nail polish barrier that helps kids with unsteady hands achieve the perfect manicure. First, paint a layer of quick-drying Liquid Palisade on the cuticle around the nail, where you don’t want polish. Once the nail polish is applied, errant brush strokes are peeled away along with the barrier.

A French manicure version with a thin brush helps keep white nail tips well defined. My teen cousins used it to create stripe and polka-dot patterns on their nails. Liquid Palisade is $14 at Sephora, or get it online at kiesque.com. — Michelle Ramos

Eyewear company lets folks try before they buy

I love to buy fashionable prescription eyeglasses, and Warby Parker is one of my favorite brands for its hip styles and affordability. Although the U.S. eyewear company doesn’t have any stores in Hawaii, I can take advantage of its free home try-on program, which allows online shoppers to choose five frames to be sent to their home to check out. After five days you return the frames using a prepaid shipping label and then go to warbyparker.com to make your purchase. Prices start at $95, including prescription lenses. — Jermel-Lynn Quillopo, Honolulu