Post-pageant:
Let’s move onNOW that the Miss Universe pageant is finally over, we can get on with our lives. No more sign waving in opposition to holding a beauty contest -- those who don't want to go aren't forced to. No more ranting about whether such contests are a "good" thing or not. It's like vegetarianism -- it may be good for some and not others. You have freedom of choice. There's still an "off" button on your TV. Nobody is insisting on parading beautiful young women through your home, though some might not even object to that. My personal feeling is that the wholesome image and intelligence Brook Lee projected as Miss Universe was a good thing for Hawaii, and holding the contest here shouldn't crimp tour-ism, even if it doesn't send people here in droves. Now let's move on ...
BY the way, the Miss Universe contestants weren't the only people vying for a prestigious award in the Rainbow Suites of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. There was also a group of local business types competing for Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" award. Diverse individuals attended, such as Quac Lam of Bale Sandwich, Fillo Tu of Blind Vendors Ohana, Stephen Tsukuyama of Hawaiian Island Creations, Donald Goo of Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Martin Schiller of The Schiller Group and art gallery owner Bill Wyland, brother of artist Wyland, among others. The awards will be announced next month. Last year, senior award winner Sidney Kosasa of ABC Stores placed fourth in the International Entrepreneur of the Year competition ...
Cafe Nervosa
FANS of "Frasier" will recognize "Cafe Nervosa" as the upscale little coffee bar frequented by Frasier and Niles Crane in the TV series. I mentioned it to Ray Suiter, owner of Cafe Vienna locally, and he wished he'd thought of it first. And while he's thinking of keeping the "Vienna" name at his downtown store in the Dillingham Transportation Building, he plans to change the name of his Ala Moana locale to Honolulu Coffee Co. and sell takeout packages, with tourists high on his targeted list of customers ...PRIOR to Karen Keawehawai'i's Mother's Day concert attended by 400, the "No Hope in Dope" organization honored for their commitment and accomplishments "Mothers of the Year," as selected by participating schools. New City Council Chairman Mufi Hannemann helped pass out awards to Ann Aquino, Susan Hallman, Leslie Kunihisa, Tillie Mansanas, Rosalyn Passos and Gladys Nani Souza. Organizers plan to make this an annual event to honor volunteer moms ...
PROMOTER Kimo McVay is back from L.A. where NBC's "Dateline" flew him (first class) to shoot footage for an upcoming episode on the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, captained by his father Charles McVay ... And the current People magazine devotes a full page to Hunter Scott, the Florida schoolboy whose goal is to see the exoneration of Captain McVay, who was court-martialed ...
Romance on a Budget
WHEN Pastor Kelekona Bishaw blessed the new Budget Car Sales facility last week, he told of the critical role that Budget played in his life. Founder Bick Bickson gave Bishaw his first job, and was such an important role model that he still looks over the pastor's shoulder from a photo on the wall of the Praise Chapel. Pastor Bishaw also met his wife at Budget, a not uncommon occurrence. So did Budget Car Sales G.M. David Yonamine and, according to Bick's widow Joan Bickson, some 37 couples met and married while working for Budget ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.