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What the Heck?
John Heckathorn
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Homegrown fun gaining fame, game
Coming Attractions: Sarah Wayne Callies, daughter of University of Hawaii English professor Valerie Wayne and Richardson School of Law professor David Callies, plays Dr. Sara Tancredi on the Fox TV series "Prison Break."
In 2006, she breaks big into film. In the upcoming thriller "Hellion," she plays the female lead against "Lost" heartthrob Josh Holloway. Plus she landed a part in the new-age film "The Celestine Prophecy," already in sneak previews around the country -- one of which you can catch at Unity Church of Hawaii April 7 and 8.
Going Pro: NFL senior manager Frank Cuce has worked all 27 Pro Bowls in Hawaii, starting in 1980, when five NFL staffers put together the game from the director's room at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. This year, the NFL office sent 100 people and took over the entire 19th floor of the Hilton's Tapa Tower.
"In 1980, it was just a game," says Cuce. This year, there was a full week of events the NFL felt were exceptional. Plus the league chipped in more than $1 million in community projects. "The whole thing's grown and developed in 27 years," says Cuce.
So has Hawaii, he notes. "Traffic was a lot better in 1980."
Beer Buddies: "I used to think guys who drank beer were low-class," says Ruth Academia Baker, executive assistant to City Council member Romy Cachola.
She's changed her mind since marrying Andy Baker, who took her brewery-hopping and fly-fishing on their honeymoon.
Andy organizes Hops & Grinds, a monthly craft-beer sampling at The Willows. This Friday's Hops & Grinds will offer what the Bakers call Date Night Beers. Andy picked half of the 20 offerings, all serious American and European brews, and Ruth the other half.
"I just choose things that taste good," she says, like the raspberry-flavored Framboise from Belgium and the Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock made with real dark chocolate. Says she, "They all go well with romance."
Still a Player: Swing ukulele wizard Bill Tapia turned 98 last month. "If I was only 90, I'd get married again," he says. "Women still go for me."
Tapia learned the ukulele growing up in Liliha. At age 19, he played at the opening of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. But then he abandoned the uke to pursue a career on the Mainland, playing mainly guitar and banjo. He now lives in Southern California, where he resumed playing uke four years ago and found himself an instant hit.
He flies into town Friday for a Hawaiian Music Nights concert at the Convention Center. "I'm really looking forward to it," he says. "You know, it's funny. When I was young I hated Honolulu, wanted to get out, get to the big time. Lately I think about it all the time."
Wine and Work: Last Tuesday, I spotted Indigo's Dave Stewart carrying one end of a 14-foot-long 4 x 8 beam down Bethel Street. It was destined for his new project, Du Vin, a wine bar that's rapidly taking shape across from the Hawaii Theatre.
"Du Vin's meant for an older crowd," he says. "We're open all day. You can come with your phone and laptop and work if you want. You might say we'd like to lubricate the flow of business."
John Heckathorn's radio show,
Heckathorn's Hot Plate, broadcasts 12-1 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and 1-2 p.m. Fri on SportsRadio 1420 and repeats on 1080AM 6-7 p.m. He can be reached at
heck@sportsradio1420.com.