Mandarin has sweet birthday
THE Kahala Mandarin held a Chocolates & Champagne second birthday Thursday, featuring creative desserts by pastry chef Rodney Weddle. Evelyn Sage, who'll be 79 years young on April 2, did some mean solo dancing and then cut a rug with her hubby of 60 years, Dr. W.H. Sage, to the upbeat music of keyboarder Clyde Pound, guitarist Bryan Kessler, bassist Steve Jones and drummer Jess Gopen. Ambrose and Jo Rosehill and daughter, Robyn Heckendorf, cheered them on. Cake designer Lillian Masamitsu, a 1986 Punahou grad who was with Brian Inatsuka, had Annie Martin, Linda Caris and Carole Brooks listening intently as she talked about working at famed Le Cirque in New York. Lillian also showed photos of dazzling confections she made for Tiffany's windows in N.Y. ... Hoku's marks its second year with a lavish dinner Thursday by chef Oliver Altherr and others, including Alan Wong, and a special menu Friday through March 20 ...
Star time at Pier 7
JAPAN movie star Tatsuo Umemia had Japanese tourists excited at Restaurant Pier 7 Tuesday. Umemia was with 7's owner, Matt Laurent ... New Otani exec V.P. Kiyohide Nishizawa came from Japan for the farewell of Kaimana Beach G.M. Steve Boyle and the welcome of new chief J.P. Cercillieux last weekend. Ala Moana Hotel's food and beverage boss, J.P. Germain, said the new man is his cousin, "But there is only one J.P., and that's me" ... The American Diabetes Association's "Bachelor Auction" is Friday, 6 p.m., at Dole Cannery ...SOCIETY of Seven members were pumped up for the opening of their new show Monday and received waves of applause for imaginative skits and staging, and some of the best costuming seen in their 29 years in the Outrigger Main Showroom. The Magnificent Seven - Tony Ruivivar, Bert Sagum, Gary Bautista, Hoku Low, Randy Abellar, Wayne Wakai and Roy Guerzo - really sparkle. The "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Lion King" segments stand out. Sagum's animal costume and Ruivivar in the title role of J&H are tops. The three tenors (Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras), by Ruivivar, Bautista and Abellar, are a scream. And the guys are a solid kick in drag, singing hits made famous by women.
AMY GILLIOM and Willie K. wowed a packed audience at the Hawaii Theatre last weekend. After chanting by Keali'i Gora and Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa, the duo got rolling with Hawaiian songs and funny but slightly overdone local repartee plus hula by Kekoa Yap. Amy's grandmom, Jennie Napua Woodd, 87, was a knockout dancing "Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai" and her composition, "Haleiwa Hula." Amy sizzled on torch and Broadway songs, to superb backing by pianist Sal Godi-nez and Willie alternating on guitar and bass ... Amy & Willie are part of a musical feast, "To Irmgard with Love," at Castle High, 3 p.m. tomorrow, saluting Irmgard Farden Aluli.
Afatia's dance is hot
ABOUT 1970, I covered Jack and Cha Thompson's first Tihati show at Duke Kahanamoku's in the International Market Place. Today, their Tihati entertainment empire has almost 1,000 employees. Their son, Afatia, 19, is the fire-dance star in a big production, cast of 24, at the Princess Kaiulani. He is hot. Joe Recca is singing host. Another highlight is Nicole Maldonado, who dances very carefully, as she is topless and her breasts are covered only by her long hair and leis. The colorful Maori poi ball and Tahitian dances are favorites. Samoan and Fijian dances are in the show that is rapidly paced, authentic and rehearsed to perfection ...