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Wood Craft Ben Wood |
One last round for
Hyatt’s Mai Tai SingIT will be the end of an era next Saturday when Mai Tai Sing retires from from the Hyatt Waikiki after 28 years. Mai Tai was hired by the original manager, Ed Sullivan, to open and manage Trappers, a great night spot where Jimmy Borges and the Betty Loo Taylor Trio performed. Mai Tai has been doing promotional work in Hyatt's Ciao Mein ...
Oahu Country Club members and their spouses had a fine time at the President's Ball last Saturday night, greeting new prez Butch Bukes and his officers and cutting a rug to the sounds of Touch of Gold. Butch's officers are Modesto Gaborno, Phil Shimmin, Gary Grimmer and Denis Isono. Some of the officers and directors were pulled on stage and danced like male chorus boys after being somewhat choreographed by Touch of Gold. The guys will never make it on Broadway but they were good enough to have Gary's wife, Bev, and other wives charge on stage and stuff greenbacks in their waistbands and pockets. It was a laugh riot. Food by Chef Glen Nitta was excellent. Loren Pippin is the new club manager ...
That family way
kgmb anchor Kim Gennaula laughed when I told her that before it was announced she was pregnant, my colleague Joe Edwards' wife, Jaymi, looked at her on the TV screen and said, "She's pregnant." Jaymi is an expert in such matters as she and Joe have seven little ones, ranging in age from 8 1/2 years old to 8 weeks. Kim said that she was sick the first three months of her pregnancy and she would put a waste basket under her desk just in case she got sick while on camera. And there were times she did get sick, but she never had to use the bucket. She said her husband, Guy Hagi, who does the weather, would look at her with a knowing glance when she was sick. Soon she would take off her microphone clip and make a 30-yard dash to the restroom to do her business during Guy's two minutes of weather. "I had to stretch the weather waiting for her to come back," Guy joked. Kim said nobody knew she was pregnant at that time. Months ago, when Jaymi made her announcement to Joe that Kim was pregnant, she also said, "She's having a girl." Jaymi was right again. The baby girl is due Dec. 19. Kim and Guy have a son, 16 months old ...
State of the Reunion
Melveen Leed's vocals and emcee Roy Kruse's jokes were highlights of the Roosevelt Class of 1948's 55th reunion at the Hale Koa Oct. 17. Melveen graduated from Radford years earlier than the Roosevelt crowd but she appeared because she is a good friend of Lila Lee, who co-chaired the reunion with Miki Beamer. Lila and Miki, with much help from Lila's son, Marcus, and others, put on a warm, nostalgic, entertaining evening. Melveen did slightly more than an hour, showcasing her variety. She also told her childhood and teen-age stories to which many could relate. ...Don't forget the Hawaii Opera Theatre Ball Nov. 8 at the Sheraton Waikiki and the "Boots on the Beach" Cancer Society Benefit at the Hilton Village Saturday.
I'll be taking next week off to celebrate another birthday and to hold the Mini-Benny Birthday Tourney for Wobbly Golfers and Worthy Women. Next column runs on Nov. 8. See ya ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
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
