Our Picks for the Weekend
Star-Bulletin staff
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MUSIC
Foreigner will play 3 dates in the islands
A truly classic rock band, Foreigner, kicks off its three-date interisland tour March 15 at the Blaisdell Arena. Guitarist Mick Jones is the lone original member from the 1976 lineup. Vocalist Kelly Hansen takes the place of Lou Gramm, as Foreigner will trot out such hits as "Cold As Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Waiting for a Girl Like You," "Double Vision," "Dirty White Boy," "Head Games," "Feels Like the First Time," "Urgent," "That Was Yesterday" and, one of the greatest singles of all time, the gospel-inspired "I Want to Know What Love Is."
Tickets are $41 and $51. Call 591-2211 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.
The tour continues on to Maui March 16 and Kona March 17. For more information for those shows, go online at www.kingmichelconcerts.com.
FAMILY
Cherry Blossom Festival features Japan traditions
"Unity in Spirit" will be stressed at this year's Cherry Blossom Festival Heritage Fair, including an appearance of the festival court. The free family event will feature martial arts demonstrations, the art of taiko drumming, singing sentimental enka (traditional Japanese music), mochi pounding and an anime costume contest. There will also be educational booths featuring traditional arts and crafts including calligraphy, gyotaku (fish prints), hachi maki (headband) making, origami and anime drawing.
The fair runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Japanese Culture Center of Hawaii in Moiliili.
FESTIVAL
St. Patrick's Day events get early start in Waikiki
If it's March, St. Patrick's Day must be just around the corner, and our local Friends of St. Patrick are starting it a week early with their 53rd Annual Emerald Ball. Besides putting on the annual Waikiki St. Patrick's Day parade, the nonprofit organization regularly funds eight college scholarships a year. The Emerald Ball helps with that, billed as "a dinner-dance event for all our members that is open to all who may be interested in Irish culture." Besides dinner, there'll be a silent auction of Irish-themed items and, of course, live Irish music courtesy of Two Hearts, gentle harp music during dinner from Rebecca Smith, as well as hearty Irish dancing.
It all takes place Saturday at Planet Hollywood in Waikiki, 2155 Kalakaua Ave. Cocktails are from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and dinner starts at 8. $50 tickets are available at Kelley O'Neil's (Waikiki) and O'Toole's Irish Pub (downtown). For more information, call Bill Comerford at 223-3997.
LAST CHANCE
Return of Romance plays final night on Sunday
Not weary yet of a week's worth of love, devotion, soft murmurings and deep, meaning-filled glances? The last hurrah of Matt Catingub's "Return to Romance" love circus occurs Sunday night when the show returns to the Blaisdell Concert Hall.
This episode is called "The Rhythm of Romance: From Motown to Nashville to Hollywood to Oahu," and features Natalie Cole, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald and "American Idol" Ruben Studdard. In other words, if not something for everyone, then pretty close.
Tickets are $45 to $75, available at Ticketmaster locations, the Blaisdell box office and the Hawaii Theatre. Call 591-2211.
FOOD
Life after Masu's
Even before Paul Masuoka served the last of his massive laulaus, he said entreaties were coming daily from people who begged him to stay in business. They went so far as to suggest a petition to the building's new landlords to keep his little restaurant open, not knowing that it was also his idea to retire.
R&P's Cafe and Catering
933 N. King St.
848-8748
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Finding another eatery willing to put large quantities of quality local-style food on a plate for a minuscule price is not easy in these days of escalating costs, but R&P's Cafe and Catering in nearby Palama fits the bill.
Breakfast is the best bargain, where $1.99 still buys you a breakfast of a hot dog with chili, two eggs any style and two scoops of rice. Or it can get you a bacon omelet with rice, served from 6 to 10:30 a.m. weekdays and 7 to 10:30 a.m. Saturdays.
Later in the day, you'll find comfort food of the sort moms used to put on the table when most moms cooked.
R&P's covers all the basics, like char-broiled teriyaki chicken and beef ($4.25), boneless garlic chicken ($3.99/$4.99) and roast pork plate ($3.99/$4.99); but they'll also surprise you with a $9 grilled sirloin steak and shrimp combo plate in which the steak is better than that of some restaurants with the audacity to charge $30. The Chinese-style deep-fried, head-on shrimp is also as flavorful and crisp as any served in Chinatown.
Daily specials range from local favorites like garlic-fried ahi ($6.25) to a Mediterranean dish of penne pasta tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, mushrooms, zucchini and peas ($5.99), and mai tai shrimp ($8.99) marinated in a mix of lime and orange juices with jalapeño peppers.
Open 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Mini plates from $3, full-size from $4.25 to $9, with the majority about $4.99.
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