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Hawaii
THE NFL players here for the Pro Bowl have more than football on their minds. Many are into playing off the gridiron as well as on. Dropping by Scruples to see owner Fred Piluso (and Pro Bowlers on the town
his usual bevy of "Scruples Girls") were Oakland Raiders Charles Woodson and Darrell Russell, plus New Orleans Saint Willie Roaf, Minnesota's receiver Randy Moss and a giant of a man, Jonathan Ogden of the Baltimore Rams, who's something like 6-9, 350 pounds. Woodson also has endorsements in mind, and this evening will be at Liberty House Ala Moana from 5 to 7 p.m. to greet fans on behalf of Nike ... Redskins star running back Stephen Davis has money on his mind -- lots of it. His boss, Washington owner Dan Snyder, flew in for the Pro Bowl and with coach Norv Turner arranged to dine with Davis last night to try and straighten out a major misunderstanding over his contract. Snyder had offered Davis $16 million on a three-year deal, but he and agent Steve Weinberg turned up their noses at it. Maybe the land of aloha is all that's needed to bring the two sides together ...
HERE on his first trip to Hawaii is John Corbett of Braintree, Mass. He won the trip at the Brew Moon Restaurant & Microbrewery in Boston where he watched games all year and then won the Rose Bowl sweepstakes. He brought along older brother David for the game (and a stay at the Hyatt Regency) and, of course, dinner at Hawaii's own Brew Moon in Ward Centre ...
Renewed Nuuanu
THE cleaning up and general renewal of Nuuanu on the edge of Chinatown continues. The latest buzz is that the Indigo folks are taking over the long-closed Pantheon Bar, refurbishing it and reopening with the original bar, which came around Cape Horn. A new Thai eatery has already opened in the Chinatown Gateway Plaza and Tea at 1024 just across the street at the rear of Michelle Henry's shop. Some travel writers have recently discovered Hawaii "off the beach," thanks to Arts with Aloha, a group of PR directors from 11 cultural institutions who hosted a group for a five-day visit. Patricia Jacobs wrote in the New York Post of Nuuanu, mentioning both "the funky Lai Fong store" and Henry's boutique, and Pegge Hopper's art gallery where "contemporary art can still be had for a song." She also visited the Contemporary Museum, Anne Namba's stop, Native Books & Beautiful things and the Nohea Gallery ...TWO of the travel writers, Jeff Phillips of Sunset magazine and Therese Grundl of American Style, were en route to the Academy of Arts when they spotted a driver on the freeway office-bound after a morning swim. A swimsuit was hanging from the side mirror, blowing in the breeze to dry it out, and a beach towel draped across the rear window was drying in the sun. Their take was typical: "Only in Hawaii." ...
Oh, you kid
BORROWING a concept she ran across while surfing the Internet, Susan Groom initiated plans to stage what she hopes will be an annual Valentine's Day event in Waimea on the Big Isle. It's a Father-Daughter Valentine Dance. The first one will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, at the New Hope Christian Fellowship Church gym. The idea is to help foster a bond between daughters and their dads. The concept seems to have caught on -- 43 communities nationwide are holding similar dances in local churches or community halls on the same evening ...
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: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com