THE Chinese consider "8" a lucky number, which explains why the Beretania Street karaoke bar calls itself "8 Fat Fat 8." Adman Marty Schiller may have had that in mind when he chose that spot to take his entire staff for lunch and an afternoon of karaoke, darts and assorted fun activities on the occasion of Schiller Communications' third anniversary. Included in his contingent were five interns working at the ad agency this summer, and he took pains to announce that this was not to be construed as an average day at the office, since it only comes around once a year. After the various writers, art directors, account execs, etc., took their turns at the microphone for some karaoke, there was a feeling of unanimity on one thing: None of them should quit their day jobs.THE Schiller Group might well call itself the "Over the Hill Before Their Time Gang." That's no reflection on Bill Cox and his Over the Hill Gang, which is performing at Steck's in the Kahala Mall Sunday afternoon. Joining the regular group will be two veteran horn players with solid jazz credentials. Rex Peer, who played with Goodman and Herman, among others, will sit in on trombone and ex-Kenton sideman Max Gillis will blow baritone horn. Both of these guys draw Social Security for some years, but are "Over the Hill" only in a symbolic capacity and only on Sunday ...
THEN there's New York publicist Peggy Klark, who's handled a number of bands in her day. She's back this year for her 37th consecutive July vacation, and while she's happy to keep her streak intact, she's sorry that old pal and big band vocalist Connie Haines is unable to join her this year ... Chili maker Ragnar Schousboe only finished second in an International Chili Society tournament in Honolulu, so he packed his ingredients in his carpetbag and headed for Maui, where he won a blind tasting in another sanctioned tourney. That enables him to enter the ICS tourney on Oct. 6 in Las Vegas against 120 chili cooks from all over the world, with $25,000 to the winner ...
THE former owners of Hy's, Marilyn & Rod Gardiner, popped into town from their mainland digs and spent some time reminiscing about the old days with restaurateur Fred Livingston at Matteo's. And Dr. Jerry Buss, owner of the L.A. Lakers, was another Matteo's diner getting his Italian "fix" while in town ... Great national story on Hawaii's first Olympian, Aileen Riggin Soule, in the special Summer Olympics issue of Time magazine, in a full page piece written by Steve Wulf with pictures of Soule then (at 14) and now (at 90 and still swimming daily). She's a remarkable woman who still sets records galore in her age group.
AT a time when nobody seems to agree about anything, Bank of Hawaii, Bank of America and First Hawaiian Bank are agreed on one thing: Deposits should be made at the Hawaii Foodbank. And for Friday's "Patriots Celebration" fund-raiser for the Foodbank, First Hawaiian spokesman Pat Morita said "Yes!" when asked to be emcee. At that same function, which honors Sen. Dan Inouye, President Bill Clinton and his GOP challenger, Bob Dole, find themselves in rare agreement. Each has agreed to send videotaped best wishes to Hawaii's senior senator. The gala benefit is at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel ...
