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Hawaii
IT'S an election year, which might explain why one person stood waaaaay out at the Koganji Bon Dance in Manoa on Friday and Saturday. That would be 6-7 mayoral candidate Mufi Hannemann, wearing an XXXL hapi coat and passing out "Mufi" stickers to kids in the Mufi invents
new bon danceaudience. They even got Hannemann up and dancing around the yagura when his cell phone rang. He answered it and left the indelible image of a huge man trying to do the "Tanko Bushi" dance motions with one hand, while talking into his cell phone with the other. Everyone watching was in stitches and they're still wondering what was so important on the phone that he couldn't devote his full time to the dance ...
WHICH brings us to "Blind Man's Bluff." That's the best-selling book whose James Bond-ian hero was based upon none other than ex-UH Ocean Engineering Department chairman John Craven. The untold story of American submarine espionage, seen often on the History Channel, was in fact about Craven. Now he's written his own true story, "The Silent War" and Simon & Schuster has agreed to publish it. The publisher plans to use the author's middle name, to capitalize on his Spanish pirate roots, so his name will appear on the cover as "John Pena Craven." ...
Who needs Pampering?
"PAMPERS," which calls to mind disposable diapers, now is a word to describe how a sudden influx of spas treat their customers. We already told you about the butler-drawn baths which are the ultimate amenity at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Now the Royal Hawaiian has provided a peek into its Abhasa Resort Spa, due to open at the hotel in October. It provides treatments called "Enty we Saphy," a Morrocan concoction that includes a sour milk and spice foot bath and a "cuscus scrub," though some might prefer to have their cuscus left alone. Body wraps, body masks and hydro therapy are also available ... The Hyatt Regency Maui has opened its oceanfront spa featuring body treatments made with real Kaanapali coffee (cooled down, one hopes) and another with Maui sugar. Oh yes, you can also get a "tandem massage" for you and your significant other, complete with ocean view and Jacuzzi ... Wait -- there's more. Mary Suiter is opening a 5,000 square-foot Aveda Lifestyle Day Salon & Spa at Ala Moana in November, and a somewhat smaller one near the Manoa Valley Theatre. Are we becoming a bunch of softies? You bet ...MURPHY'S wasn't the only place where there was an auction recently. Child & Family Service, an AUW agency, hosted an auction of employee-donated items to benefit AUW and among those which sold out quickly, a Sicilian diner for six at the home of President and CEO Geri Marullo ... And auctioneer Marty McClain will be taking bids on items in the impressive Hawaiiana collection of the late Charlie Pietsch III ...
Expensive cake
THE double coconut cream cake Carole Richardson and son Peter had on a Hawaiian Airlines first-class flight to Maui was impressive. So much so that Richardson called the pastry chef responsible for the creation, Teresa "Cheech" Gannon of Haili'imaile General Store. Not only did Richardson praise the cake, she ordered one to be Fed Ex-ed to her home in Philomath, Ore., for son Peter's 21st birthday. Very flattering, said Cheech, not to mention expensive. It cost $110 to be sure it gets there in perfect condition ...
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