I’m sure there are many things one should do subsequent to a miniscule 3 ½ hours sleep but I am fairly certain shopping in a sale Mecca is not one of them.
After a stellar flight to Honolulu via JetStar’s Star Class (no significant difference from Qantas Business, I should also point out that despite two JetStar plugs in two days I am not being paid to promote the airline). My friend and I are primed and geared up for a full day of shopping post touchdown. We discussed and agreed on a strategy and were both equally committed to fulfilling it. Hotel check-in, shower, power-change, Ala Moana Shopping Mall.
With all that is happening on Ohau at this moment; Mick Fanning announced the victor (surfing on the North Shore in twelve to fifteen meter waves) and every conceivable human being in Honolulu seemingly cramming last minute training in for tomorrow’s Marathon, who could be tired? How could we not be up for the challenge? We’ve been training for this since January.
The ever hospitable Hilton Hawaiian Village Ali’i Tower accommodated us with our room nice and early at 8.30am, clearly a sign that our well laid out plan had an obligation to be executed. We emerge face washed, showered and in comfortable (but Chic) shoes twenty minutes later and set out for our target.
Some may think that after stomping these pavements for ten years they would begin to lose their gloss - be less attractive and look a little tired. Not so. With all their Festive cheer and welcoming stalkers (aka shop assistants on commission) they are a tired travelers Nirvana.
Neiman Marcus shoe sale was a bit of a fizzer but we were rewarded post disappointment with a fairly spectacular sale at Gucci; $183 for patent purple ballet flats and $229 for beige monogram stamped platform pumps – thank you shoe Gods! Yep, tiredness unquestionably dissipated for now.
Enter the beat box heaving Juicy Couture where we both pick up a hip decent sized handbag and a pair of ballet flats each for an infinitesimal $209. Crazy.
After losing ourselves in the gargantuan Victoria’s Secret boutique for quite some time we hoped to materialize like the angels we felt like in the change room. Sadly, the queue for the cashier left us feeling a little more like we’d just left the sample bag pavilion at the Ekka, notwithstanding the great bargains.
The hallowed hall of Jimmy Choo left us breathless with new stock and sale items alike. Herein lays another great contributor to the Hawaiian shopping whirl. New stock is actually very reasonably priced in comparison to our retail cost in Australia. A divine animal print and metallic clutch seen in Sydney’s Boutique for over a thousand dollars was originally priced at $795, a cost saving regardless with our dollar where it is right now. Queue loud cheers of delight, 50% off! A further two pairs of Jimmy Choos for under $250 each are bestowed upon us.
Keen to spread the love and ever grateful to Rose at Jimmy Choo for holding our already substantial shopping bags for two hours, we have a little flutter at 7 – For All Mankind. The flutter breaks into a bolt when there are a dozen varietals of 7’s cult jeans on sale for $109 per pair. Let’s just say 7 may have collected, particularly when for spending an extra $24 one can get a further $100 off the total...
Armani Exchange provided its usual afternoon delight of great belts, tops, t-shirts and dress shirts, an excellent combination of personal purchases and gifts. Our last dalliance at Dior for the day won’t be discussed too heavily as there may be a Christmas gift involved. What I will say is that up to 60% off was a wonderful treat!
Six hours of power shopping and significant sums of cash dished out, the sudden awareness we had only circumnavigated the ground floor of Ala Moana hits us and a decision is made to go home, regroup, stocktake and calculate the financial damage. We can do the upper level tomorrow.
We’ve certainly spent enough for today. Delighted customers with seventeen shopping bags combined, we taxi back to the Hotel. The spending for the day is over.
Right after we grab that bottle of Moët from the ABC Store for $43 to celebrate.
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