Wood Craft
Wednesday was an emotional day. Leaving old friends in the News Building, some of them for decades, was hard. They brought us leis, hugged and kissed us and applauded as we left the building to walk to our new offices at Restaurant Row. It wasn't easy. There were more than a few tears. But as we were walking down South Street, following bagpipers and drummers, the mood began to change. We realized we were making history. I walked with Ann Simpson, a Save Our Star-Bulletin member. And when our colleagues already in place at Restaurant Row met us halfway down the street, cheering, it became a joyous and uplifting experience.. A new beginning
and a fond alohaONWARD: Don't be surprised to see Gov. Ben Cayetano tooling around in a flashy Lexus SC 430. "I'm between a Lexus and a BMW," The guv said last Saturday at the unveiling of the hardtop convertible. Cayetano, who was called Gov. Ariyoshi in a slip of the lip by Servco Lexus' Leighton Migita, slid into the sports car's soft leather seats and looked good. In talking with me, the guv was more interested in discussing the newspaper biz than cars. Dr. Maurice Nicholson, with wife, Kristine, was one of the first to order the car. He said Margery Bronster, wife of Servco boss Mark Fukunaga, tipped him off about the beauty ...
Jeanine bubbles over
Don Ho and the guv shared first place in one of the Brita Wood Memorial Golf Tourneys I hold annually and Don showed up at a luncheon I held at Neiman Marcus late Tuesday to mark my 34th year with the Star-Bulletin. Guest Jeanine Heckman, vacationing here with husband, Steven, from Pennsylvania, told Don that when she gets depressed she takes a bubble bath with a glass of Chardonnay, plays Don's "Tiny Bubbles" and sings along. Then she, Mihana Souza, Bob Asakura, Haumea Hebenstriet, Frank and Virginia Steinmiller and others started singing the song. Don was kind enough to sing a few bars to give Jeanine a bubbly high ...
Sydette packs Veranda
Sydette Sakauye drew a packed house at the Kahala Mandarin's Veranda last weekend to start her Friday night gig with the Betty Loo Taylor Trio. Mai Tai Sing brought an armful of leis for Sydette. They worked together at Trappers in the Hyatt for 10 years. When Sydette passed a table of guests, They sang the jingle from her first commercial, made for Sun Star toothpaste when she was just 13. Taylor's trio is in the room Tuesday through Saturday. Loretta Ables Sayer sings with the trio Thursdays and Saturdays...Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini are excellent in "The Mexican." Brad Pitt gets better as the unbelievable story develops. And Gene Hackman turns up in a cameo role. He can do no wrong. But Roberts and Gandolfini carry the mobster comedy to success ...
KITV'S Pamela Young and Gary Sprinkle will emcee Ala Moana Centers' spring fashion show at Centerstage tonight at 6. Latest styles from Cache, Celine, Ethel's, Liquid Aloha, Loewe, Pacific Harley-Davidson, White House/Black Market, Sephora and Tapestries by Hauoli will be in the spotlight. Forte will entertain. Rodney Villanueva emcees tomorrow at noon for the Spring Hair Fling, a wild display of creative hair styles by students of Honolulu Community College's School of Cosmetology ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com