Our Picks for the Weekend
Star-Bulletin staff
|
LAST CHANCE
Ocean Club bids aloha with waves of guests
It's the end of a decade-long ride at Restaurant Row for the Ocean Club, which closes its doors for good after this weekend.
General manager Mel Holi announced the closure via a press release Aug. 19. In it, he stated that in 2008, (owner) Gene Gunn and Entertainment One Pacific plan to re-open the venue with a new concept in a new location, maybe in Waikiki.
The Ocean Club will say aloha with a full weekend of guest appearances.
Friday brings the "Strictly Las Vegas DJs Live!" tour, with DJs Mr. Bob, Warren Peace, Toma, Cool B, G-Spot and PSI.
On Saturday, the "Last Call Closing Party" shines the spotlight on departing staffers, with the Ocean Club's traditional 23-and-over age restriction in effect. And get hyphy on Sunday, with Bay Area rapper Mac Dame and DJ Pat Allen set to close the club.
FESTIVAL
Top improv artists take stage at downtown event
It's "Improvaganza!" (or the 2nd Annual Hawaii Improv Festival, in its more staid title) downtown this weekend.
Hosted by stand-up comic Shawn Felipe, the festival will have a different lineup Friday and Saturday, featuring the best of the burgeoning local improv scene.
Friday features Loose Screws and company member Garrick Paikai's one-man tribute to the Bing Crosby-Bob Hope "Road" movies, "Keethan Hawk's Road Trip Adventure." On Saturday, it's On the Spot, Elizabeth Wolfe's innovative one-woman "troupe" Lone Wolfe and Company, and the Mid-Pacific Institute student group Owl-tastic.
"Improvaganza!" will start at 8 p.m. both days at The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave. Tickets are $14 general and $10 students with ID. Call 550-8457 or go online at honoluluboxoffice.com.
MUSIC
Honolulu Men's Chorus sings songs of peace
In these troubled times, the Honolulu Men's Chorus would like us to give peace a chance.
"A Concert for Peace and Remembrance," a free performance, takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mission Memorial Auditorium, 550 S. King St., next to Honolulu Hale.
The program includes Gabriel Fauré's "Requiem," in a premiere performance of an arrangement for men's voices only. The French composer's work, first performed in 1888, has been called "a lullaby of death," but Fauré himself said he believed it expressed "a happy deliverance, an aspiration towards happiness above ..."
Other works in the program will echo Fauré's theme of tranquility and hope.
Call 429-9600.
FREE ADMISSION
Book bargains abound at Kaimuki Library sale
Like books? Like bargains? The Kaimuki Public Library is offering both at its Big September Book Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The long Labor Day weekend looms ahead -- if you're headed to the beach, you could probably use a good book to read. Or if you're headed to the couch, perhaps you could use a good DVD to watch.
The library is offering selections of fiction and nonfiction books for $1 each, as well as a selection of audio books, CDs, DVDs, videos and cassettes. This way, you get to shop, save and do a good deed. All proceeds go toward the library's equipment fund.
The library is at 1041 Koko Head Ave. Call 733-8423.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
A selection of tasty dessert dim sum awaits customers at Joyful Garden in Kaneohe.
|
|
FOOD
Joyful Garden
Windward City Shopping Center, near Zeus Juice / 235-8228
Kin Wah isn't the only game in town when it comes to Chinese food in Kaneohe. For a change of scenery, there's now Joyful Garden, offering plenty of room to spread out in its gleaming, spacious dining room.
There's no need to forsake your former fave either because you can split your time between the two restaurants: Joyful Garden by day for Hong Kong-style dim sum, and Kin Wah by night for comfort Cantonese.
There hasn't been true dim sum service in Kaneohe since Eastern Garden left two years ago and patrons have welcomed it back. The carts keep a-rollin' from 9:30 a.m. to a very civilized 3 p.m. daily, which is great for those who can't make it to lunch by the typical 2 p.m. cutoff.
You'll find 33 dim sum selections available on circulating carts. These run from $2.10 to $3.50 and are more delicate than what's available in Chinatown, with a lot less fat in the fillings, and thinner wrappers, some with the desired transparency of glass. This indicates there's more of the main ingredients in the dumplings to enjoy, and less of the flour that fills you up. But there are dozens of hands in the restaurant's vast kitchen, so you will get a thicker wrapper from time to time.
At night, specials will be tempting but may not hew to local tastes. Stick to your favorite dishes and you can't go too far wrong.
For big families, one of the attractions is that buying four entrees will allow you to add a chicken dish for $1!
Open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; dim sum from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Costs about $30 to $40 for two to four.
Send questions, stories or other story ideas or comments to: Features, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813 or e-mail
features@starbulletin.com.
Please include your phone number.