With spring now in full gear, it's a great time to start that garden you've always dreamed about. Start with those recycled coffee grounds, add local flowers, and for the final touch — add a mushroom.

At Li-Nan's Ceramic Garden Art booth at Waikiki Artfest, put on by the Handcrafters and Artisans Alliance, you can choose from an array of ceramic garden decor like psychedelic mushrooms or colorful butterflies, all made in Hawai'i.

"I started as a Chinese painter, then started hand-making pieces," explains Linan Ziegler, who's been at it for 22 years.

"When you start painting, it makes you think about happy pieces. I practiced and got better. My favorite thing to do is hand-paint the ceramic dishes," says Ziegler, as she points to a colorful collection of teapots and serving dishes. The garden art can be found on the third Saturday and Sunday of each month at the Waikiki Artfest, Kapi'olani Park near the Waikiki bandstand. Prices range from $3 to $28; 735-4088, www.li-nanceramicgardenart.com.

— Lacy Matsumoto

WILL OLDHAM LETS LOOSE ON 'BEWARE'

Based in his hometown of Louisville, Ky., Will Oldham is one of the most prolific, idolized and enigmatic figures of American indie folk. At 39, he's an elder of sorts to the New Weird Americana scene, based on a credo of lyrical reflections cast in bare-boned acoustics, and often steeped in the natural world. But Oldham's version is leavened with the element of surprise — lascivious songs that would make R. Kelly blush, and maverick moves like covering the output of his former band with Nashville, Tenn., session musicians on "Sings Greatest Palace Music."

He's back at it for "Beware," his collection of warm-current folk that will be released Tuesday after last year's "Lie Down in the Light."

Oldham speaks animatedly about a residency he completed last spring in Sausalito, where he worked on many of the "Beware" songs in an old barn, surrounded by bobcats, coyotes and, at the coastline nearby, caterwauling baby elephant seals.

The tossed-off instrumentation of "Beware" evokes the setting — a ramshackle, de facto music hall where a person could drift in, grab a beer out of an icy bucket and sit and listen for as long as no other earthly responsibilities intervened.

That looseness is what Oldham seeks in every recording. He insists that his revolving stable of musicians, which has included Faun Fables' Dawn McCarthy and fellow Louisville native David Pajo, forgo rigorous rehearsal for the spontaneity caught in the first few takes.

McCarthy, who shared vocals with Oldham for the bulk of "The Letting Go," described Oldham's approach as "voodoo and kamikaze. ... He'll just change the key of a song one day"; sometimes he keeps some musicians intentionally in the dark until the last minute.

"He wouldn't let the guitarist Emmett Kelly hear the songs," McCarthy said. "He had him prepare by listening to traditional Yugoslavian music."

Oldham's technique boils down not to willful subterfuge but to the joys of listening.

"I like to listen to musicians play. I like to listen to them making decisions — how long they choose to hold a note or a word and thinking that, ideally, that is unique to the moment," he said. "That is the thrill for me of listening to anything I like."

— Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times

SHAKE IT, POP IT, MOVE IT

Break out those dancing shoes, because the "Super Handsome DJs" are here to rock your world. The local DJ crew, party rockers, and KICKS/HI have hit the scene with the Shake and Pop party at thirtyninehotel.

"We have been watching your every move and are poised to make a push to take full and total control of Hawai'i's nightlife, clubs, bars, house parties, chicken fights, and bachelor parties," says DJ Delve1der, right, also known as Chris Kam — a member of the "Super Handsome DJs." This weekend. look for music from the '80s, '90s and now that will get you shaking and pop locking.

"We have the ability to make moves and make you move in ways you never thought possible, because being amazing DJs is not a lifestyle, it's necessary. And being this handsome should be super illegal," says Kam.

At the Shake and Pop party, listen up for the sounds of Green Velvet, Michael Jackson and Kanye West.

Shake and Pop, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, thirtyninehotel, 39 N. Hotel St.; $5; 599-2552, www.thirtyninehotel.com, www.myspace.com/superhandsomesound.

— L.M.

SALES & BARGAINS

• Strappy platforms are the perfect pairing for flowy dresses. This year Gap has done it again — it's brought back platform designs by Pierre Hardy, priced to sell to the masses. At $95, they might not seem like such the "bargain," but when you consider that his shoes usually sell for upward of $500, it is a steal. Color choices include white, green and sable. Available online at www.gap.com.

• Forgo the usual spring palette of dusty pinks, pastel blues and khaki for something with a bit more pop. Uplift your spirits and those around you with bold shots of fuchsia, violet, tangerine and lime —don't be shy! Pair the brights with neutrals or together (next to one another, bright colors actually seem to vibrate). You probably already have some uplifting pieces buried deep in your wardrobe. Take the afternoon to find your treasures.

• It's one or the other: Either we have lots or are in dire need of tank tops that aren't frayed at the edges. Whatever category you fall into, Express has a deal for you: Buy one men's or women's tank and get the second 50 percent off. We especially like their built-in-bra tops for under $20, available in a rainbow of colors. Express, Ala Moana Center; 955-5211.

• Be a smart cookie and help your local eateries. Save yourself a few bucks, too: Neighboring eatery Lucy's Grill and Bar is offering 20 percent off your tab for groups of four or less. Baci Bistro offers a 25 percent discount to parties of any size on Mondays only. Eat in tonight, and make it a night out tomorrow in Kailua. Lucy's Grill and Bar, 33 Aulike St., 230-8188. Baci Bistro, 40 Aulike St., 262-7555.

— Pualana Lemelle

IRISH PEP(PERONI)

St. Patrick's Day is on Tuesday — the day to head to a pub and wear green. Now, when you think Irish pub, you're expecting dark woods, a few Irish flags, televisions blaring sports channels, and a menu with things like fish and chips, and beer on tap. At the new J.J. Dolan's, they've pretty much got you covered — except that New York-style pizza is the mainstay of the menu.

Although fairly new to Downtown, the low-key bar fits well into the pub scene with its casual atmosphere and boisterous patrons. So if you're downtown celebrating St. Patrick's Day and aren't in the mood for corned beef and cabbage, head to J.J. Dolan's, have a tall pint of Guinness on tap and try the signature pizza — the "Giacomo," a combination of pepperoni, olives, sausage and salami ($17). J.J. Dolan's, 1147 Bethel St.; 537-4992, www.jjdolans.com.

— L.M.

WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD?

DJ Delve1der:
1. "Feel the Vibe," Axwell
2. "Shake & Pop," Green Velvet
3. "Cross the Dancefloor," Treasure Fingers
4. "PYT," Michael Jackson
5. "Paranoid," Kanye West