Hawaii
FORMER isle businessman Dennis Conway, now living in Las Vegas, figures we're in a Brave New World. The other day he got a call from daughter Shannon's boyfriend, Mark Wynock, For the love of technology
calling from a cellular phone from a Maryland freeway while on a business trip. He wanted to ask for Shannon's hand in marriage. Conway told the young man he was very happy for the both of them, but asked what happened to the days when the boy comes into the den to speak to the father in person? Wynock replied, "Mr. Conway, this is a technologically advanced engagement." Conway said, "Next you'll tell me you've bought the ring off the Internet." Bingo! And not only that, their bridal registry is also on the Internet. Says Conway, "Sounds like a technologically advanced wedding also." Wynock, incidentally, is a Georgetown grad where his college roommate was Hawaii native Eric Finney. Not only technologically advanced, but a small world also ...
HAPPY to report country singer Dita Holifield is out of Queen's where she underwent successful surgery for the removal of several tumors. Visiting her in the hospital was "Baywatch Hawaii" regular Stacy Kamano, and her former roommate, ex-Playboy "Bunny" Hingkie Han, both pals of Dita's. She hopes to be up and kicking, so to speak, on Sept. 28 at the Pecos River Cafe ...
Out but not down
ISLAND girl Lilia Johnson e-mailed local friends about the status of her husband, American League umpire Mark Johnson, one of those whose resignation was accepted by baseball commissioner Bud Selig, thanks to bad strategy on the part of umpire union leader Richie Phillips. Lilia writes that "things could always be worse. All they took is Mark's job. They didn't take us out. Not by a long shot." She closed by asking for prayers for their friend Kim Coble, who's fighting for her life. Her husband, Drew Coble, also lost his job thanks to Selig, but now he faces the possibility of losing his wife of more than 20 years ...ALL too often we hear stories of tourists getting ripped off, and here's one more. A family from Germany arrived at Matteo's for dinner, and the waiter learned they'd earlier parked their car at Haleiwa only to have it cleaned out by thieves. G.M. Russell Druce bought them dessert and coffee, and when the man in the next booth heard about their plight, he came over to commiserate. Turned out to be Don Ho, who invited the family to be his guests at his show. What could have been a negative experience got at least a touch of the positive as the visitors saw some aloha in action ...
WE'VE come a long way, baby. The sign read, "Chinese Chess Competition." The building was identified as "Forshang Gardens." Any idea where it is? We once knew it as the old Walker Estate on Nuuanu ...
Chai town
WHO would have thought that Chai's Island Bistro in the Aloha Tower Marketplace would become a haven for music lovers, as well as diners? Now, in addition to Chai Chaowasaree's fine cuisine and extensive wine list, you can hear a nightly lineup of performers. Melveen Leed is there on Tuesdays, the Brothers Cazimero on Wednesdays, Hapa, who started it all, remains there on Thursdays, two dinner shows each night. Then on Friday and Saturday nights it's Azure McCall, Nohelani Cypriano & Friends from 8:30 to midnight. "Music in the Marketplace." I like it ...
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: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com