LAST week was a busy one at The Schiller Group, so to kick off the weekend, adman Marty Schiller brought in a massage therapist from a company called Heaven on Earth to give the office just that feel. The spot massages were such a hit with his staff, that he's decided to add it to the monthly movie outing they take. This mandatory event helps bring the staff together and give them something to talk about other than business, such as the fact that Schiller picks up the tab for everyone. This week is getting kicked off in a different manner, as Schiller-diller From massage to
Damme kicksJackie Smith has been squiring around Jean-Claude Van Damme. Yesterday he did a kickboxing demonstration at the new All Star Cafe and then attended a reception last night at its sister eatery, Planet Hollywood. The actor is an investor in both operations with other Hollywooden actors like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwartzenegger. No worries about Oscars on display there. Van Damme flew in from Singapore and today returns to L.A. to see what damage El Nino might have done to his digs ...
THE Manoa Valley Theatre's fund-raiser, "Jukebox Saturday Night," at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel was a huge success. Tom Moffatt emceed, but the "Jukebox" was a walking, talking and dancing fool calling himself Fabulous Woody. He looked for all the world like something out of the '50s -- and may well have been -- playing from his stash of several hundred records and stopping the show with his flashy-dashy antics on James Brown's "I Feel Good." The evening netted over $30,000 for the theater, thanks to the auction of donated goods and services cleverly entitled, "Shop! In the Name of Love." ...
New G.M. is J.P.
IT looked like a "Who's Who" in the visitor industry at the farewell party for New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel G.M. Steve Boyle, who was on hand to introduce one and all to his replacement, Jean-Pierre Cercillieux, who answers to "J.P." One of the first people I spotted was restaurateur and food and beverage impresario Jean-Pierre Germaine. "Too many J.P.'s around here," I suggested. "Yes," replied Germaine, "but he's my cousin." (Soon folks will be paying their bills there in francs.) As for Boyle, he's off to Waimea to do a little farming -- hopeful garlic will be a hit -- and hotel consulting when called upon for assistance ...BACK scratching is a way of life in Las Vegas, as illustrated at Nicholas Nickolas the other night when frequent isle visitor Dan London and some fellow MGM Grand Casino execs hosted a dinner party for some 40 of his more frequent and playful guests from Hawaii. Meanwhile, seated "courtside," as it were, to sample the culinary offerings of new chef Linda Yamada, a local lass, was L.A. Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss ...
Dream Team
HOKU's executive chef Oliver Altherr has assembled a culinary "Dream Team" to mark the second anniversary of the Kahala Mandarin restaurant on March 12. The first course features Ginza appetizers prepared by Chef Hiraku Ishizawa of Yanagi Sushi, Tokyo. Honolulu's own Alan Wong oversees the second course, baked Kona lobster with miso and uni. Altherr sears onaga with leeks and black truffles. The main course is prepared by Chef Makoto Tanaka of L.A.'s Chinois on Main -- Colorado grain-fed lamb chops with cilantro vinaigrette. Hoku exec pastry chef Rodney Weddle tops it all off with a Kona coffee meringue tarte with chocolate creme brulee. Plus wines , all $125 ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.