Our Picks for the Weekend Star-Bulletin staff

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ARTS AND CRAFTS

Shopping, eating and keiki fun all in one spot

The Pacific Handcrafters Guild gets a jump-start on spring with its Spring Festival of Art and Fine Crafts this weekend at Kakaako Gateway Park.

Artisans will offer works of pottery, wood, clothing, glass, jewelry, polymer clay, metal sculpture, photography, stone carvings and more.

Since you shouldn't shop on an empty stomach, you can also buy garlic shrimp, kalua plates and other goodies. And since you shouldn't shop in silence, live entertainment will be ongoing.

To keep the kids busy: a keiki tent and inflatables will be provided.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

FAMILY

Time to hit the beach and master those waves

You could call them surfer chicks, but they prefer the name Girls Who Surf.

They make up a collective of professional surf instructors who offer personal and small-group lessons for $75 and up.

But once a month, the Girls host a kamaaina discounted group session for $50, giving local surfers access to coaching and tips, from beginners' level to more advanced help with turns and cutbacks.

Boys and girls are welcome, as long as they can swim.

This month's session is at In Between surf spot behind the Ilikai Hotel, 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Call 371-8917 to reserve a surfboard and for instructions to the site.

PETS

The dogs are out to show what it takes to be No. 1

Hawaii's top dogs will be gathered at the Blaisdell Exhibition hall this weekend for the Hawaiian Kennel Club's All-Breed Dog Show.

More than 400 dogs in 74 breeds will compete in categories of sporting, hound, working, terrier, non-sporting, herding and toy groups. Dogs most popular: Shetland sheepdogs and poodles, based on number of entries.

The event runs Saturday and Sunday, with judging starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Group judging is at 2:15 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by special attractions of Best Bred by Exhibitor on Saturday, and Best Veteran on Sunday. Both days will conclude with a Best in Show competition.

Tickets are $5; children free. No pets, unless they're registered for the show. Call 262-5236.

LAST CHANCE

Troupe brings laughter and music to an end

"On The Spot: The Musical" comes to the end of its run at The ARTS at Marks Garage, with an 8 p.m. performance Saturday.

The stage show is fully improvised musical by the local improv comedy troupe On the Spot -- Robb Bonnell, Rod Cachola, Garrick Paikai, Chris Riel, Shawn Thomsen and Danel Verdugo.

The group's previous shows have been inspired by spaghetti westerns, film noir, science fiction and Greek mythology. The way it works: the audience calls out suggestions and the troupe vamps on the idea.

Tickets are $14; $10 students; available at the door an hour before show time. For advance tickets call 550-8457 or visit www.honoluluboxoffice.com.

The ARTS at Marks Garage is at 1159 Nuuanu Ave.

FOOD

Kalapawai Cafe & Deli

750 Kailua Road / 262-DELI (3354)

I have few regrets about having moved from Kailua to be closer to work in town ... except, I noticed right away that there are few breakfast nooks (hint, hint) that meet my criteria of food variety and quality, pleasant atmosphere, good service, well-mannered clientele and affordability, as in $20 to $25 for two.

Tiny Kailua has an abundance of restaurants that meet each criterion, and now it has one more in Kalapawai Cafe & Deli at the entrance to Kailua Town, a sister establishment to the historic Kalapawai Market near Lanikai.

Chalk it up to lifestyle. Just being in Kailua means a person is committed to maintaining a degree of serenity in one's life, no matter how busy. A peaceful, leisurely weekend breakfast is part of that equation.

Deli cases house takeout salads and wraps, plus vegetable and entree items sold by the pound. These fit the bill whether you are zipping in to pick up a quick bite en route to work, are heading to a picnic or potluck outing, or want a handful of side dishes to accommodate homemade meatloaf or roast chicken. Or stay and dine at tables set up inside and out.

Many items are designed to be healthful, so the lox and bagel ($5.75) and hot pastrami sandwich ($5.75) on light rye are skimpier than those of other Kailua neighbors, but they manage to hit the spot without putting a strain on your body. The most popular items tend to be healthful anyway: grilled vegetables ($7), salads and hummus with pita ($5).

Put together your own tapas meal, building from such deli-case offerings as Brussels sprouts sautéed with bacon, garlic and sage (yum!), chilled fillets of grilled Chinook salmon ($14.95 per pound), red cabbage slaw, Tuscan white bean salad, cold ginger shrimp ($23.95 a pound) and a concoction dubbed "Red Eye," a meatloaf with Portuguese sausage baked in its center. When broken down into single, quarter-pound portions, the cost was a mere $1.28 to $6.84 each.

At night, many of the items are available for in-house dining, with the addition of such hot entrees as roast pork loin ($10) and steak with mushrooms and onions ($16) heavy on salt, pepper and Cajun spice.

Scones ($1.91), muffins and dessert confections from the Sweet Shop and the Sweet Spot occupy prime real estate next to the cash register, so you can pretend they made you buy it.

Open 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with tapa menu from 5:30 daily. Costs about $15 to $20 for two for breakfast or lunch; $20 to $30 for dinner without drinks.