Living the good life
on LanaiIT was touch and go trying to conclude a one-week neighbor-isle respite. As we waited for our plane to land at Lanai Airport Saturday, a small-plane pilot practicing take-offs and landings succeeded in having one more take-off than landing. He turned the plane upside down on the runway moments before our Island Air flight was to arrive and it had to turn around fully loaded and return to Honolulu. We also turned around and returned to the Lodge at Koele, staying an extra night . . .
THIS move enabled us to hear singer Connie Kissinger teaming with pianist Kit Samson in the Great Hall Saturday night as they did in days of old at the Kahala Hilton. And "Old Golden Throat" herself, Emma Veary, joined in, after singing at the wedding reception of two San Franciscans, Elaine Morena and Sean Quick, friends of Lodge G.M. Kurt Matsumoto and his wife Lyn, both former residents of San Fran. Also in for the nuptials was Sue Kwon, a TV reporter on KRON, who's a good friend of former KITV anchor Emerald Yeh, now back on the air after giving birth to twins. We ended up swapping S.F. stories of mutual friends from the late Herb Caen to ex-KRONite Soledad O'Brien, now appearing more often on NBC national newscasts. If you're going to be stuck anywhere, the luxurious Lodge at Koele would have to be among the top few choices . . .
THE former "Mrs. Aku," Emma, never sounded in better voice, and neither for that matter did Kissinger, who now lives on Kauai. We'd just seen her a couple of nights previously at Princeville, where I had my first look at the rebirth of Kauai since Hurricane Iniki. It's taken a while, but things are coming back and Princeville has to cop the prize for most luxurious resort on the island. Ron Jeffrey, lured out of retirement by the Princeville owners, has helped see to that. Jeffrey was the Aussie who was first G.M. of the Ala Moana Hotel over 25 years ago and, coincidentally, it was his former old Aussie architect buddy, Desmond Brooks, who oversaw the redesign of the Princeville Resort at a cost of $120 million, three times its original cost . . .
DEVELOPER Jack Myers and Waialae golf pro Greg Nichols were at the Lodge with their wives. Zellie Myers had been lured out for coffee, then whisked to Lanai for her birthday, a huge surprise. She had no idea they were trekking, so Jack had to pack . . . Also at the Lodge were architect Nancy Peacock and hubby Al Lyman. There are hundreds of wild turkeys in the area but Nancy was the only Peacock . . . More Lanai surprises
IT was a surprise when the week got underway in Waimea with Bill and Patti Cook throwing a belated celebration of my advanced years. Showing up for the bash were current Waimeans and former Honolulans like ex-KGMB boss Gene Erger, Dee Dickson, Al & Julie Franco, Jim Growney, Lyle Nelson, Noelani Teves Wittington and more. Best line came from Joanne Kawamoto, bride of rose magnate Ray Kawamoto, who sells a thousand dozen roses per day at his farm. "He promised me a rose garden," she told me, "but he never told me I'd have to fertilize it." . . . Another highlight was a tour of Hawi by ex-Honolulan Dick Boyd. He took us to the home of "living treasure" Kindy Sproat with its unparrelled view of both valley and coastline and he regaled us with tales of his boyhood. Hard to believe this laid-back fellow has sung and "talked story" at Carnegie Hall. So we're back, albeit a day late and a few dollars short . . . Yet more birthday bashes
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.