Our Picks for the Weekend Star-Bulletin staff

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Nadine sez...

Look into the showcase at the new Ben & Jerry's at Ward Centre and you won't see a lot of the bright colors. In fact, Ronni Tai See, who opened the shop with her husband Robert Yackley, said, "People are surprised that our Mint Chocolate Chunk is white. There's no food coloring in it, so people get confused."

The confusion is temporary, lasting only as long as it tastes to gobble a mouthful of the ice cream that's taken a long time to arrive in a storefront location, with a lot more flavors -- 30 at a time -- than previously available in grocery freezers.

Tai See said she's long been attracted to Ben & Jerry's socially and environmentally progressive philosophy, delivering a natural product starting with milk from cows given no growth hormones, and Fair Trade Certified ingredients.

The couple will be bringing Ben & Jerry's ice cream to the annual Farm Fair, and are available to cater ice cream parties for 50 or more.

While it's hot out, cool off with flavors like Chunky Monkey (banana with fudge chunks and walnuts), Phish Food (chocolate with caramel swirl and fudge fish) and Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz! (chocolate with espresso bean fudge chunks). Just don't stand in the sun, or your ice cream may melt too quickly to enjoy.

Joleen sez ...

It's a no-brainer what we'll be doing this weekend, since "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" opens Friday. (See review on Page 4.) Husband and daughter are eager for this sequel to the first installment; I'm just happy to sit in air-conditioning and munch on snacks. Watching Johnny Depp, of course, is always a big bonus.

But one thing I'll brave the humidity for is a good craft fair, and this weekend offers the cream of the crop: the Pacific Handcrafters Guild's "Summer Festival of Art & Fine Crafts," 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Among the attractions of this fair is its location: Thomas Square Park. The giant trees' shade make outdoor shopping a pleasure, no matter what the season.

Jason sez ...

I'm here today, but gone to Maui, where I'll get to rub elbows with the high and mighty at this year's Kapalua Wine Festival.

If I can find a ride, you can bet I'll be at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on Friday night for "Reggae on the Valley," which features perennial favorite Yellowman, the Wailing Souls and Fiji.

On Saturday, I'm hoping to find my way to Hapa's in Kihei, where I'm told former Power 104.3 jock Marc E has built quite a following. After hitting various Honolulu nightspots week in and week out, it'll be nice to see how folks on the Valley Isle get down after the sun goes down.