Hawaii
TOMORROW is not only Thanksgiving, but it's the final day for Barney Isaac's Palm Tree Inn, the oldest bar in Waikiki. A hotel is going up on the site of the popular watering spa, but Barney is checking out locations for a new Palm Tree Inn. Meanwhile, tomorrow he's having a daylong party to commemorate his closing. (Nov. 25, 1969) ... Unofficial Employment Agency talk has Sen. John Lanham being appointed to the bench and defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate Sam King named to replace Federal Judge C. Nils Tavares when he retires, plus Tom Hamilton of the HVB moving into the superintendent of education post and Clyde Doran taking over the reins of the HVB. All talk, mind you, but fascinating to mull over. (Nov. 26, 1970) ... 1969: Thanksgiving Day spelled
end for Palm Tree InnRESTAURATEUR Lin Comito has the perfect (rich) bachelor's pad. His Kahala home, which he built himself, has 4,100 square feet under roof, 13 different levels and one (1) bedroom. (Nov. 26, 1971) ... Embarrassing moment at a Thanksgiving party hosted by attorney Rick Fried and wife Marsha. I was telling about the fabulous seat I had at the "Thrilla in Manila," thanks to a contact locally who was good friends with the promoter of the Ali-Frazier match, Lope Sorreal. To which Russ Lee nodded toward his wife, Lilia, and said, "Did you know that's her father?" Reader's Digest used to refer to situations like that as the perfect squelch. (Nov. 29, 1976) ...
BEFORE the Portuguese training ship "Sagres" sailed for Japan, Rear Adm. Ramos Rocha was educating local Portuguese Centennial Commissioners John Henry Felix and Randy Lee on the finer points of Portuguese wine, informing them there were many wines from his country superior to Lancers and Mateus, the best known in America. Felix decided to change the subject, praising the immigrants for introducing malasadas to Hawaii. "What is malasadas?" asked the admiral. Some were quickly hustled up from Leonard's. "Ah," said the admiral, "bolos de Berlin (rolls of Berlin)." So much for Portuguese heritage! (Nov. 26, 1978) ...
TWO new dishes will be arriving in Portlock soon, and I don't mean either lovely ladies or ice cream. Monte and brother Alfred Goldman each decided to install a 20-foot disc on their adjoining roofs so they can tune in upward of 130 different TV programs. Why two discs? Because they might want to watch programs coming in on different satellites, which they couldn't do if they shared a disc. Besides, they're only about $10,000 each ... When model Jerry Hall was in town visiting fellow model Marie Helvin, she denied that she was pregnant or that she and boyfriend Mick Jagger planned to marry. So yesterday Jagger acknowledged she's expecting in February and that they intended to wed "any day now." (Nov. 28, 1983) ...
WAIKIKIAN owners Murph and Fred Dailey are back from Great Britain where they visited the famous Dorchester Hotel, recently acquired for 43 million pounds by fellow hotelier Bob Burns of Regent International. Dailey says the Dorchester under Burns has returned to its former elegance! After a stay in London, the Daileys flew to Ireland where they spent several days hunting and shooting with polo pal Tyrone, the Marquis of Waterford at his castle at Curraghmore. Sounds like a nice way to spend a vacation. (Nov. 30, 1984) ...
THE Palolo Chinese Home would like to say thanks, mahalo and do jeh to Samuel S. Chung. This week Chung marked his 80th birthday, but told his family to forget about a celebration for him and instead hold a dinner for the 100-plus residents, staff and family members of the Palolo Chinese Home. Chung, a deacon at Central Union Church, is the son of the late Chung Kon AI, founder of City Mill and one of the original Chinese community leaders who in 1917 helped create a place to stay for retired immigrant plantation laborers. Palolo Chinese Home now houses 72 elderly folks, all of whom are filled with thanksgiving. (Nov. 25, 1987) ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com