On The Scene

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Lani Hatakenaka executed a trade while John Fink, standing, Gov. Linda Lingle and Peter Hanashiro looked on during the Hawaii Council on Economic Development 2006 Awards Dinner at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel May 10. Hatakenaka, a student at Kaiser High School, later presented Gov. Lingle with the HCED's 2006 Stephen L. Jackstad Award for outstanding support of economic education in Hawaii. Attendees got to test their skills as stock pickers playing a condensed version of the HCED's "Hawaii Stock Market Simulation,"an interactive program that teaches high school students about the workings of the American financial market system.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Brent Yoshikami and Frank Episale enjoyed the Japanese buffet at the opening night party for "Another Heaven" at Kumu Kahua May 18. Yoshikami plays one of the good guys in the story. Episale is one of the designated villains.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
"Wicked" was the theme as Pedro Haro and Nicole Brinhante co-hosted a joint birthday party at Chiko's Tavern May 20. Party favors included G-rated "body parts" candy, witches' hats and plastic frogs that turned out to be perfect for squirting various beverages on other partiers.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Melissa Ching Benjamin, left, talked with Holly Marchant, Cheryl Hetherington and Lori Thomas after lunch at the Honolulu Academy of Arts May 15. Benjamin succeeds Thomas as president of the Academy Guild. Marchant and Hetherington are co-chairs of the "Kamaaina Christmas" fundraiser.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Vile Feliti got lucky when he stopped by the Dillingham Burger King May 17 and found "cowgirls" Connie Soga-Moore and Mikaela Clark handing out samples of the new Texas Double Whopper. Feliti got a sample for himself and one for each passenger in his van. The Texas-themed sandwich is available through July 9. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Cast members Thomas C. Smith, left, and David Farmer celebrated with Farmer's wife, assistant director Loren K.D. Farmer, at the opening night party for "The Goat" at Yellow Brick Theatre May 24. Pupus included goat cheese but the cast said "no" to goat meat.