Hawaii
GOT a nice e-mail from former Regent Hotels president Bob Burns with thanks for mentioning his Villa Feltrinelli, a super luxury hotel he'll be opening this summer in the totally reconditioned Benito Mussolini residence on Lake Gargnano. I'd mentioned that entertainment producer Al Masini was planning to honeymoon there. Now comes word that Al's ex-wife, April Masini, is engaged in dealing with women's issues nationwide. On Tuesday, the striking blonde dynamo, as president and CEO of Masini TV and Film Enterprises, will attend the American Film Institute's Second Decade Council, hosted by Paramount Pictures chairman Sherry Lansing, further proof that beauty doesn't preclude brains. The event's guest list included only 80 high-powered Hollywood VIPS -- people like Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, Martin Scorsese, Alan Ladd and George Lucas. The next day April is off to New York where she'll be on WOR Radio to head a panel of successful and powerful women in the entertainment industry on the June 7 morning show. She also will meet with the entertainment editor of Rosie O'Donnell's new magazine, formerly McCall's, and be taped for an interview and story on Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen network. Then it's back to Hollywood where Masini will meet with Women in Film member and producer Jeanne Wolf of Pentacom Productions ... April Masini hobnobs
with Hollywood VIPsFORSOOTH, Sayre: PRWorks managing director David Sayre writes, "I'm glad you're able to join our staff -- but next time give me a heads up and I'll add you to the payroll." The message stemmed from a mailing from Congresswoman Patsy Mink addressed to "Dave Donnelly" at PR Works on Hobron Lane. Unless the congresswoman knows something I don't, Sayre speculates that she may be using a mailing list from the days of my Hawaii Theater stir-fry, which PRWorks put together ...
Bill trimming
BUSY Bill Soenksen is stepping down from his duties as president of what was once called the Carole Kai Bed Race, and has turned over the presidency of the race to entertainer Jan Brenner. It'll now take place in September to coincide with Aloha Week. Soenksen, meanwhile, is hardly ready to take to his own bed. Though retiring from American Express, he's leaving home (with his card, to be sure) and traveling around the country visiting his family. I hope they recognize him -- Soenksen has lost more than 100 pounds. How? By having his stomach stapled to curb his appetite and leave no room for food anyway ... Nine-year-old Amy DeMello let out a scream when her favorite Food Network Chef, Alton Brown of "Good Eats," gave her a call. He did so at the behest of her dad, Waikiki Park G.M. Mark DeMello. He'd just dined with dad at Kacho and asked for Chef Don Maruyama's sweet and sour pork recipe ...
Cover coverage
THEY'RE ecstatic at the Academy of Arts over the cover story on the new John Dominis and Patches Damon Holt Gallery in American Art Review. Academy curator Jennifer Saville wrote a scholarly review of the artworks that spanned a dozen pages inside the June issue with great color photos of the works as well ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com