By Dave Donnelly
Thursday, March 13, 1997
Perry Sorenson, Ray Watt
Perry Sorenson, Ray Watt
NO way, Jose: A young man we'll identify only as Jose took his brother, visiting from the Philippines, spearfishing Tuesday. It was an outing they'll not soon forget. The two had parked at the Crouching Lion Inn on Kamehameha Highway and crossed the road to commence fishing. When they were done, they returned to their car, stepped behind it and stripped down to change clothes for the trip home. At an inauspicious moment, a large truck whizzed by and the force of its passing caused their car door to slam shut -- keys to the vehicle inside, naturally. The two young men, who at least had their underwear on, bravely entered the restaurant and went into the Livingston Gallery, where proprietor Beth Wotkyns took pity on them, and gave each of them a long T-shirt. She also loaned them a couple of tablecloths, which they wore as lava-lavas until help could arrive. In the meantime, quite a number of tourists had a free sideshow and picture taking opportunities to show the folks back home about life in Hawaii, at least on the Windward side ... Sans clothes,
men crouching by lionAS he sat in A Cup of Joe, the Monsarrat coffee house, photog Twain Newhart looked up from his New York Times crossword puzzle and answered his own conundrum, a five-letter word for one-half of "Thelma and Louise." In walked stately Geena Davis with that distinctive lower lip. She was with another woman and wearing a tasteful red suit with dangling pearl earrings that stood out in the otherwise modest surroundings. Twain didn't have a camera with him, wouldn't you know, but did offer his card and any photographic assistance she might need. Who said, "Never the Twain shall meet?"
THE Ka'au Crater Boys were off to Japan for a concert and so missed the kickoff to the Hawaii Hotel Association Visitor Industry Charity Walk, for which they're celebrity spokesmen. So walk chairman Perry Sorenson, Outrigger's chief operating officer, filled in to sing this year's charity walk theme, "Island Style," written by Crater Boy John Cruz .
BACK about the time I was suggesting adman Tom Sellers team up with C. Brewer's Doc Buyers and form a company called Buyers and Sellers, his erstwhile partner Rich Peck was a prime candidate to team with Henry Buscher to become Busher and Peck. Instead, each went his own way, Peck eventually moving to Florida. Now Sellers & Peck, a creative ad team in the early '70s, got together again for a rare lunch. Sellers met with the returning Peck and his wife, Dutch Dickenson, at the Sunset Grill's new wine room and not only enjoyed old times but sampled several wines from the seemingly endless selection offered by wine aficionados Dick and Monene Bradley, co-owners of the Grill. One of Sellers' favorite amenities at the Restaurant Row eatery is that they'll open any of the 400 labels on their wine list if you buy two glasses or more ... Reunited partners
WATT'S the latest? When Ray Watt flew in to quietly celebrate 50 years of home building by touring the latest Watt Homes project, A'eloa in The Village of Kapolei, he got a couple of surprises. For one, the unassuming 78-year-old got a visit from Mayor Jeremy Harris proclaiming "Ray Watt Day," and a congratulatory message from Gov. Ben Cayetano. Watt proclaimed right back he wants to build more homes here and is seeking a new project ...
EACH year for the past 10 he's been in business, Don Murphy has given away green and white leis to the first 100 women lunching at Murphy's Bar & Grill on Paddy's Day, and Monday will mark the 1,000th lei he's handed out. There are numerous celebrations all over town beginning tomorrow and going through Monday itself, culminating in the parade through Waikiki and parties afterward. There'll be live music at Murphy's tomorrow with the group Beyond the Pale and across the street at O'Toole's with Irish Hearts and, of course, the block party with more live music Monday night on Merchant Street. Wonder how many folks won't show up for work on Tuesday? ... On the Paddy wagon
