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We are pleased to introduce you to the designer, Andrea Moran, who is the creative mind behind two of our newest prints! The Lemon & Lime “With a Twist” print in our Spring Line and the “Coral Fishy” print which is in our upcoming Summer Line. 

We had to a chance to chat with Andrea about her designs for HIHO:

What was your design inspiration? Warm air, sandy feet and a feeling of relaxation

What can you share about the colors or color palate? With a Twist was inspired by the colors in a crisp summer cocktail.  The Coral Fishy print colorway was inspired by the blues of the ocean and a touch of whimsy with the red fish - a nod to life by the water, and the perfect pattern for a subtle Memorial Day or July 4th cheer.  I have a summer cottage at the beach and I just love anything coastal.  I have been collecting sea glass from our beach for the last three years, and I am also inspired by those colors, especially when I find a blue or teal!

Is there anything else that you can share about your designs and the new prints? LOVED working with the HIHO team; they have a great sense of how a print would play as a pattern on an actual fabric. 

Are you working on any future prints - can we get a sneak peek?  I haven't started any new prints for HIHO, but I would love to.  In the meantime, I have been painting pineapples for a friend with a house in the Bahamas...would be a lovely print for HIHO!  I am also working on a MASSIVE wall sized canvas for a photography studio. 

About HIHO:

Inspired by life in the Caribbean HIHO makes casual & comfortable clothing including linen shirts and sweaters, beach dresses, shorts, pants and soft cotton tees.

Our HIHO clothing is based on the tropical lifestyle we love so much, and is influenced by our pristine environment and island life. Our clothing is soft, designed to be functional, colorful and comfortable in a chic island way. The casual, cool and elegant designs and our original prints are the hallmark of the HIHO brand.

Shop our With a Twist items online!

Antigua is the hidden culinary gem of the Caribbean.  In fact, we’ll head down there just to hit a few of our favourite restaurants.  What’s the secret to the success of the islands food scene?  We’ll chock it up to the following:  there is a large Italian population, and Italian’s worship good food; Antigua gets a broad mix of tourists, but particularly plenty of more discerning villa guests, high end hotel guests and super yachts; lastly, the island has a good agricultural scene assuring fresh ingredients.

Head to the South West end of the island where you’ll find a great menu and always a good crowd at Abracadabra.  We remember seeing Keith Richards playing pool there when we delivered boats to Antigua in our younger days.  Now owner Paulo will show you a table and an awesome menu.  Abra has a fun bar and live music several times a week, in fact it’s easy to pay the bill and hit the dance floor.  Abra is located on the road leading into Nelson Dockyard.

Back on the same road check out Sun Ra for a quieter dinner overlooking the sea of yachts in Falmouth Harbour.  Sun Ra’s menus offers a blend of Italian and Asian inspired dishes.  Always the freshest fix, and a good wine list, though long on Italian offerings.

For lunch or dinner check our venerable Catherine’s on Pigeon Beach.  The dowager restaurant of Antiguan fine eating, Catherine’s offers lunch and dinner and a famous Sunday brunch.  Impeccable service is the restaurants hallmark, as is the food.  Visit the Cotton Club clothing boutique on your way in or out of the restaurant.

For a more low-key but authentic lunch experience hit up Beach Bum on Half Moon Beach.  Run by Antiguan Tipper the restaurant offers everything from great burgers to Lobster.

About HIHO:

Inspired by life in the Caribbean HIHO makes casual & comfortable clothing including linen shirts and sweaters, beach dresses, shorts, pants and soft cotton tees.

Our HIHO clothing is based on the tropical lifestyle we love so much, and is influenced by our pristine environment and island life. Our clothing is soft, designed to be functional, colorful and comfortable in a chic island way. The casual, cool and elegant designs and our original prints are the hallmark of the HIHO brand.

Take a look at our new items available online here to take with you on your next visit to Antigua!

Most people think that's it's Summer all year 'round down here in the Caribbean.  Actually, there is a big difference between the weather in the Summer and Winter.  Starting in June the weather turns more humid and it's rainier, while the Winter months starting in November are much more pleasant.  Winter in the Caribbean is characterized by drier and cooler weather.  The sky tends to be clearer and you have beautiful sparkling days.

Weather aside, we roll through a series of seasons.  You can roughly equate the Winter as tourist season, in fact "the season" refers to the return of tourists as they begin to head South into the Caribbean.  Rainy season precedes the start of tourist season,  The rainiest months of the year are September-November.  This coincides with the end of hurricane season, which may be our least favorite time of year.

My favorite season is mango season.  Happily this occurs twice per year, though the main mango crop appears in early Summer.  Ginep season in September is another harvest period when the round green fruits hang in bunches and are picked by school children and sold on the side of the road.  As kids there was nothing better to do than hang out in mango and ginep trees picking and fang fresh fruit.

About HIHO:

Inspired by life in the Caribbean HIHO makes casual & comfortable clothing including linen shirts and sweaters, beach dresses, shorts, pants and soft cotton tees.

Our HIHO clothing is based on the tropical lifestyle we love so much, and is influenced by our pristine environment and island life. Our clothing is soft, designed to be functional, colorful and comfortable in a chic island way. The casual, cool and elegant designs and our original prints are the hallmark of the HIHO brand.

Take a look at our new items available online here. 

The annual HIHO sponsored Painkiller Cup is a combination of great racing and good fun.  Watersports events are in our DNA- our HIHO name originated with an eponymously named event that was the toast of the 1980’s windsurfing scene.  So, running a one-day SUP events like the annual Painkiller Cup is both fun & easy.  And it was great to see so many local paddlers descend on Sandy Cay for the two and half mile solo race to Hendo’s Hideaway in White Bay.  Our favorite photo of the event was a women who paddled the race with her dog.   The lasting images are people re-hashing the race at Hendo’s Hideaway on beautiful White Bay where all competitors had a great lunch and a few painkillers. 

One of the coolest parts of this year’s event was the great community service.  Before we started the solo race everyone collected storm debris of the beach at Sandy Cay.  Then at the finish we planted coconut trees.

For more photos, visit our HIHO Facebook page here. 

And you can still buy our 2018 Painkiller Cup SPF 50 Suntek Shirts online here.

Being from the Caribbean we are partial to our rum.  Every island has it’s own brand and, in the course of a lifetime, we have come to know most.  In the Virgin Islands Cruzan is the rum of choice.  We’ll take a Cruzan and coke (also known as a Cuba Libre) with a generous twist of lime almost anytime.  

The French islands distill their rum using the rhum agricole method which delivers a purer but stronger finished product.  We love the Depaz VSOP which is an aged dark rum  Perfect over the rocks.  Add a generous twist of lime and a measure of simple syrup for a Ti Punch, which is the most common way to enjoy rum in Martinique or Guadeloupe.

Our current favorite cocktail is a rum sour. Combine the juice of 2 limes and a lemon then pour a measure into a shaker.  Add almost the same amount of simple syrup and then two measures of rum plus a dash or two of Angostura bitters.  Add ice and shake vigorously.  Pour into a tumbler with more ice and garnish with a cherry and a slice of orange.   As a variation you can add a dash of fresh squeezed OJ with the lemon and lime juice.  We like this with Zacapa 23 year old rum which has a smooth and smoky flavor. Cheers!

We scooted down to Antigua to see our friends paddle into English Harbour finishing the 3,000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 30 days, 2 hours and 12 minutes. Team Antigua raced spectacularly, finishing 2nd and, along with the teams in 1st and 3rd, breaking the record to row across the Atlantic.

The welcome was boisterous. Boats big and small ventured offshore to meet the boys as they approached Antigua. When they were five miles upwind of the finish more than a dozen boats and one guy on a paddle board surrounded them. The cliffs were lined with hundreds of people while the entrance to English Harbour was choked with craft of all kind. At the finish line a might cheer arose as horns blared. the team fired off red flares waving to the spectators around them. Then, as they slowly rowed to the finish dock the yachts in the bay let loose their horns creating a cacophony of cheering, booming horns. Antiguan flags were everywhere.

The team reached the dock and were enveloped by a sea of cheering Antiguan's waving flags and dancing. A half dozen drones buzzed above everything. The spectacle was quite moving, and made all the more poignant when team leader Eli Fuller pulled up to the microphone after a host of government officials had taken their credit for the epic journey. Eli said that the most wonderful thing was the support from his island which followed the race hour by hour. He was right! Kids discussed the race in school, parents bought hundreds of our HIHO Team Antigua Suntek Shirts and the media posted daily news updates.

The team representing one of the smallest nations on the planet and they raced their hearts out and almost won. And, in case you wondered, we supplied them HIHO suntek SPF 50 shirts which they wore every day protecting them from the UV Rays.

Happy Holidays from HIHO... we are sending warm vibes from the Caribbean! With less than 2 weeks to shop, our HIHO team made it easy for you to shop with our 2017 Shopping Guide! Whether you are searching for a gift for Mom or Dad, the kids or extended family... we have something for everyone on your list. 

For Him:

• Suntek from $44 and up you can buy a variety of styles and colors – the best part is that all Suntek shirts provide SPF 50 protection. Shop men's Suntek Here! This is the best shirt to wear when you are out in the sun on the beach, on a boat or even around the house doing yard work!

• Striped Polos for $72 are the most comfortable fabric and come in several colors. Seriously the most comfortable Polo shirt you will ever wear! Shop here

• Swim Shorts – our favorite are the Tabago Island Map Print for $69 featuring your favorite Caribbean islands. Shop all men's Swim Shorts Here!

For Her:

• Cool, casual & comfortable describe our new Tortola Tassel Topper sweater. Better yet – this sweater is under $100 and an incredibly flattering style for any body type! Comes in Conch Shell and Night Sky - see below & shop here! 

• Surprise her with our Sandy Cay Dress for $89, this comes in 4 colors: Night Sky Slipway Stripe, Night Sky Palm Print, Cherry Tomato Paradise Print & Cherry Tomato Slipway Stripe. Shop Here!

• Beach Sweater in Aruba Blue, Night Sky Blue, White, Conch Shell - the the colors below Made of 100% linen with a hood and kangaroo pockets. Priced at $98, shop here!

• L/S Suntek in Hydrangea Stripe - Our popular L/S women's suntek in stripes!  Wear our Suntek in the water, as sun protection or as a stylish shirt. Versatile and comfortable with SPF 50 protection. Price: $44  Shop Here!

                                       

Don't forget the Kids!

New Kids Suntek!  Make your way around the US Virgin Islands in our kids VI compass Suntek top.  Printed on the back and front left chest.  Our quick drying Suntek offers SPF 50 protection.  Machine washable. Comes in Small, Medium & Large in Patriot Blue featuring the islands of Antigua or St. John 

HIHO is proud to be a sponsor for Team Antigua taking on the Talisker Whisky Challenge!

Meet the Team:

Nico Psihoyos, Scott Potter, Eli Fuller & John Watts

Team Antigua is embarking on a 3,000 nautical mile journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua. They have been training for months and the goal is to cross the Atlantic while also fundraising for the Environmental Awareness Group of Antigua & Barbuda. Learn more about the group here: EAG

Team Antigua will be outfitted in HIHO Suntek Shirts with SPF 50 protection that they need to shield against the elements along their journey. The Challenge begins on December 12, 2017. Below are some photos of the team with their row boat and HIHO Gear. Get your own Suntek SPF 50 shirts online here. 

In case you were wondering how long it takes to travel by row boat from the Canary Island to Antigua - in the past, the quickest team to cross was 37 days and 9 hours. The majority of the teams complete the race between 40-55 days. The teams will face storms, 40-foot waves, sharks, sleep deprivation and solitude - the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is considered to be one of the toughest voyages on the planet. Good luck to Team Antigua and all of participating teams. We wish Team Antigua and all of the teams well as they make their way to Antigua, arriving January to March 2018.

For more information about Team Antigua as they make their way across the Atlantic, you can live track them: https://www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com/2017racetracker/ 

Or visit their website here:  https://www.teamantiguabarbuda.com/

The thing about Aruba is the great weather and the location out of the hurricane belt. It is also one of the easiest islands to get to with direct flights from many US cities. This “One Happy Island” is a sunny and beautiful destination with something for everyone. Beautiful white sand beaches are the perfect setting for a relaxing vacation but there are lots of activities on the water and in the desert. When you are on Aruba you get a sense of the Dutch influence with the unique architecture all over the island.  

What to do:

Venture outside of the usual tourist spots and visit Boca Grandi for windsurfing, which is located on Aruba’s southern tip. Boca Grandi is a scenic stretch of white sandy Aruba Beach where steady trade winds provide challenging conditions for advanced windsurfers. On the west coast, just north of the Ritz Carlton, there is a great place for windsurfing lessons and rentals, for all levels of experience and it’s run by a company called Windsurfing Aruba. Learn more about rentals & lessons here. 

Check out Wacky Wahoo’s for a fresh catch of the day and one of highest rated restaurants on the island and family run - it is off the beaten path but walking distance from most of the high rise hotels - book your reservation in advance, here is their website. Quinta del Carmen is a one of kind experience – located inside a building from the 1920’s which was originally a hospital, the building has been renovated and has some of the best fine dining on the island. To take a look at their menu and to contact them for reservations, visit their website here.

Where to Stay:

Amsterdam Manor is a charming low rise property along Eagle Beach – more of a low key experience, great service and easy going vibe. Take a look at their website here. The Boardwalk is another great boutique style property named by USA Today as a Hidden Gem Hotel. There are many high-rise style resort options as well on Aruba, we would recommend the Ritz Carlton, Hyatt or Marriott, all located along Palm Beach. But most of the hotels are located right along the beach and you can’t go wrong with the location of any resort! And you must visit the Ritz Carlton Gift Shop where you can buy our custom HIHO Caribbean “One Happy Island” shirts featuring the Aruban Flag. For more information about the Ritz Carlton Aruba, visit their website here. 

We have said it before and will continue to say thank you for all of the support and concern about the Virgin Islands since Hurricane Irma. The biggest question we keep getting is "where can we go in the Caribbean?" So we thought we would put together some recommendations on where you can still visit in the Caribbean this winter:

British Virgin Islands - The BVI took Hurricane Irma right on the chin, but all was not destroyed.  The sailing this Winter will be exceptional with less boats but also less beach bars. We (the locals) say it'll be like the islands in the 1970's.  Anegada, which is removed from the collection of the BVI's by 14-miles came through largely unscathed and is ready for the season. When you are on Anegada make your way to the West End of the island and visit Cow Wreck Beach Bar.  Sink your toes into the powdery sand and spend the afternoon sipping a rum punch. 

Antigua - spared from all major storms this year, Antigua is primed and ready for the season.  We love the great assortment of activities Antigua has to offer.  We always recommend a day trip with our friends at Adventure Antigua who offer a couple eco-tours around the island led by great local guides. Check them out here.  Get out on the water with Kitesurf Antigua whether you are a beginner or an expert. Another must-visit destination is Nelson's Dockyard on the South end of the island.  Once the bastion of the British naval fleeting the Caribbean, a trip to the Dockyard is living history.  Nelson's Dockyard boasts Antigua's newest charter location with The Moorings now offering yachts for rent.  Sailing around Antigua is a little wilder than in the BVI, but still lots of fun. Learn about how you can book with The Moorings here. If you are looking for a resort some of our favorites are Sugar Ridge Resort and Curtain Bluff Resort  - both great options and beautiful beaches!  

Turks & Caicos – the main island sustained some damage, but after a few weeks of repairs, things are back to normal. Stunning Grace Bay Beach is the perfect place to relax, the Grace Bay Club and The Palms Resort are ready for guests! Be sure to make a reservation at Coco Bistro for some of the best seafood on the island. With kite surfing, kayaking and lots of water sports available this is a fun island to visit. Turks & Caicos Kiteboarding offers some top Kite Adventure Tours and SUP tours around the island, take a look here. The newest resort on the island, The Shore Club, is located on the south side of the island along exclusive Long Bay Beach – check out the wrecked ship La Familia you can explore!

About HIHO Caribbean:

Inspired by life in the Caribbean HIHO makes casual & comfortable clothing including linen shirts and sweaters, beach dresses, shorts, pants and soft cotton tees.

Our HIHO clothing is based on the tropical lifestyle we love so much, and is influenced by our pristine environment and island life. Our clothing is soft, designed to be functional, colorful and comfortable in a chic island way. The casual, cool and elegant designs and our original prints are the hallmark of the HIHO brand.

Take a look at our new items available online here.