s Monks sample
local ScruplesMONKS and Scruples would seem to go hand in hand, so it was understandable when some of the Shao-Lin Monks here for the Jackie Chan martial arts demonstrations turned up in the Kuhio Avenue Scruples Beach Club. There were no ninja suits or even saffron robes around -- the martial artists were decked out in gaudy aloha shirts and baseball caps. And who was with them? Why the very same Rosie Perez who was trailing after Chan on his local martial arts tour from Sea Life Park to the Kahala Mall. And while there was no kung fu exhibition at Scruples, there was a first -- local ballerina Kamakoa Page delighted the customers with a couple of solo classical ballet numbers. You just never know what you're going to experience there ...
NOW here's a good reason to tune into "Veronica's Closet" on March 11. Local model Teresa San-Nicolas, who's with the Kathy Muller Agency, has been cast in an episode of the show. Don't expect her to turn up as one of the lingerie models which seem to be in every episode, clearly targeting the show's demographic audience. Oh no, Teresa gets to be a stunt double for star Kirstie Alley, and can be seen -- none too clearly, one would guess -- hanging from a sign masquerading as the star. Reminds me of the story about the guy, asked why he didn't quit his job cleaning up after the circus elephants, replied, "What, and give up show business?" ...
Not eggs-actly the same
THE New York Times did a food feature on eats in Hawaii which began thusly: "Loco Moco is the original fusion food." For those of us who in days gone by sort of lived on it in the College Inn across from UH-Manoa, we had no idea. The story gives a description of the dish and adds, "Thighs, watch out!" That's by way of leading into what Chef Alan Wong (who is pictured in the story) has done with the dish. In his version, it's fried rice bound with nori, crowned with a tiny shrimp and pork hash patty and a quail egg, which he calls "mini loco moco." Chef Sam Choy, who uses the traditional chicken egg in his concoction, is quoted as countering, "When people come to Hawaii, you want them to have a taste of Hawaii, not froufrou stuff." The Times ends with the note that while yet another isle chef, Roy Yamaguchi, has just opened Roy's New York, you won't find loco moco or manapua "and certainly no Spam" on the menu. Says Roy, "We really don't want people to think we're doing Hawaiian food. It's Euro-Asian cuisine" ...THE Cherry Blossom folks have taken a big step, for them, by allowing hapa-Japanese women to be Queen contestants this year. They're also combining the Queen Pageant and Coronation Ball into one big event. In addition, the pageant organizers have tied in with the Hawaii FoodBank and will be accepting canned donations at a succession of Saturday shopping mall fairs. Tomorrow's is at Pearlridge and next week's at Ala Moana Center Stage. Also, reigning Queen Lori Joy Morita and her court are helping Hawaii Special Olympics with a "Paddlethon" featuring canoe teams off Magic Island Sunday morning at 9 ...
Another house cleaning
WITH all the changes going on around local radio dials -- Ron Jacobs gone, Mark & Brian gone -- word of a house cleaning at KPOI came as no surprise. What was unusual is that no on air personalities are being cleaned out -- only boxes of CDs, videos, shirts, posters and other things cluttering up the studio. They're being handed out free to the public at Ward Centre this afternoon ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.