Our Picks for the Weekend
Star-Bulletin staff
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BENEFIT
Find your inner cop or robber at Mercury Bar
Because of the July break-in and robbery of the Mercury Bar downtown, it's only appropriate that, at its benefit, there will be a cops-and-robbers costume party Saturday night.
In order to get some of its kala back, the bar's braintrust encourages patrons to "get dressed up to get drunk and DANCE!" While this newspaper does not endorse inebriation at social gatherings, a fun time should be had by all.
DJs Kitty Chow, Mr. Nick, Casey, Douggie and others will help keep things shakin' from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the bar, located at the corner of Bethel Street and Chaplain Lane, near Fort Street Mall.
There'll be a $5 cover, 21 and over, please.
FAMILY
Kaaawa festival to celebrate Brazil
The Brazilian Cultural Center at the University of Hawaii celebrates "7 de Setembro," Brazil's Independence Day, with music, food, samba and capoeira at the Crouching Lion Inn in Kaaawa. Festivities begin at noon and continue to 10 p.m. Sunday.
The group's press release says that "for this year's event, we are going to acknowledge the contributions of the most outstanding Brazilians in Hawaii. ... So this is your opportunity to put on your green and yellow colors and learn about our fascinating culture."
Call 953-7864 or visit www.bcchi.org.
FOOD
MANA BU'S
1618 S. King St. (just past Punahou intersection) / 358-0287
There are probably a lot of people who would eat more nutritious, healthy food ... if it were made as available, and inexpensive, as fast food. Unfortunately, from a typical restaurateur's perspective, fresh, nutritious foods are more costly and time-consuming to prepare.
Mana Bu's is changing that with a takeout menu of musubi and vegetable okazu like a tofu and broccoli salad with tahini ($1.50); fresh kabocha ($2); crisp French beans with tahini ($1.20); and my favorite, purple sweet potato with mac nuts and corn ($2). Sure it's a little more than a fast-food dollar menu, but you'll probably live longer eating Mana Bu's way.
You will find simple triangular musubi of nutty, crunchy brown rice flecked with konbu ($1.50), or teri Spam musubi ($1.20) with about a sixth of the Spam of the typical local musubi, tucked into the musubi's center.
Individually wrapped pieces look precious lined up in neat rows, treated more like designer goods than grab-and-gulp foodstuff. The palm-sized helpings of steamed vegetables are handled with a light touch that shouldn't diminish their nutritional values. Should you be worried about contents, ingredients are listed on cards on the racks, whether Best Foods mayonnaise, Kikkoman soy sauce or cane sugar.
Desserts include homemade, fresh-fruit mochi with apple banana slices ($1.50) or strawberries at their center, steamed muffins, and milk-and-gelatin puddings ($2).
Open 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. Costs about $5 for musubi, small salad and dessert.
FUNDRAISER
'Phantoms' to perform and help Ballet Hawaii
Ballet Hawaii will hold a special fundraiser Saturday, inspired by "The Phantom of the Opera."
"Music of the Night" will feature former "Phantoms" Craig Schulman, Cris Groenendaal and Kevin Gray singing Broadway favorites, accompanied by pianist Sue Anderson. The trio are arriving a week early before they perform on stage again for three nights at the Hawaii Theatre to do "Return of the Three Phantoms" Sept. 12 to 14, which will also benefit Ballet Hawaii.
This week's fundraiser will be held at Paris Place, 3766 Old Pali Road, the Nuuanu estate owned by developer Stanford Carr. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the event will also include cocktails and dinner from Bistro Caterers.
Tickets are $175 per person, or $200 for groups of eight or ten. Valet parking will be provided. Call 521-8600.
MUSIC
HPR studios hosting Art Song Festival event
Finalists of the 11th annual Art Song Festival Contest will perform Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Hawaii Public Radio's Atherton Performing Arts Studio.
Tenor Mark Sheffield and sopranos Bambi Noelani Brock, Margit Messner, Heidi Kapioleilanionalanielua Thomas and Angela Vitro will have their recital recorded for broadcast in late December on KHPR's "Great Songs" program.
Contestants chose from a sampling of English, German, French and Italian composers such as Britten, Barber, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Berlioz, Debussy and Ravel.
Tickets are $10 general and $5 students and military for the recital, held at the studio's 738 Kaheka St. location. Call 955-8821.
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