Hawaii
LAST day of the millennium story: What better day for a round of golf, Dec. 31, and so it was that UH football coach June Jones, Dr. Bill Yarbrough and real estate broker Carl Smigielski, amateur golfers all, challenged pros Keith Kollmeyer and Stan Souza to a match at Waialae. Exceptional
end to 1999The pros, not unexpectedly, were leading, thanks in no small part to Souza birdying five holes in a row. On the par-5 18th hole, the amateurs offered the pros the old "Aloha Push," double the bet or nothing. Everyone hit pretty good drives except Smigielski, former club champ at Waialae. He pulled his drive into the left fairway bunker, and had to punch a 7-iron back to the fairway. Coach Jones and the pros hit their second shots right in front of the green. Since Smigielski was away, he was next to shoot, and proceeded to hit his pitching wedge from 105 yards away directly into the hole. What a finish to the final hole of the final game of the final year of the century and millennium! The game ended in a push with no money changing hands. Quipped Smigielski, "A lot of good things seem to happen when you're around Coach Jones." ... FORMER isle resident Jock Ruddock flew into town with his Czech fiancee, Ivana, and the two were married Sunday on the beach at Kahala. You just know the two will spend their honeymoon horsing around -- she's a vet and he's a therapist, a "horse whisperer," if you will. The two will be teaching horse therapy to residents on Maui and Kauai as well as Oahu. Ruddock, who was formerly married to Maori singer Rhonda, met the vet in the Czech Republic when he was teaching there last year, and doubtless whispered sweet nothings into her ear ...
Gun play
AT last year's Royal Hawaiian Gun Club "Mahalo Party" for folks in the tourism industry, the theme was "007" and everyone dressed in tuxedos. Hoping to top that party this month, G.M. Marvin Silverman and staff are checking out the retro look since the theme will be "The Spy Who Shagged Me." With everyone dressed in the''60s and '70s style, the club is hoping the disco balls, tie-dyed shirts, peace signs, smile-y faces and daisies will have all the guests gushing, "Groovy, baby." Just watch out not to get shot in your mojo ...IT'S getting to be old toque for Chef Alan Wong. His King Street restaurant has been selected as "Restaurant of the Year" for the fourth time by readers of Honolulu magazine. His previous wins were in 1996, '97 and '99. (So what happened in 1998?) The awards celebration will take place Feb. 6 at Wong's new restaurant, the Pineapple Room, in Liberty House, Ala Moana ... Bartender Howie Majur, who was mixologist at the opening of the local Hard Rock Cafe, has surfaced as barkeep at P.J. Mulhearn's Italian eatery in North Beach, San Francisco, co-owned by an old buddy, Bob Mulhearn, and P.J. Carlesimo, just fired coach of the Golden State Warriors ...
Slack key sensation
DURING a hiatus last month, some cast members from the Maui Myth and Magic show, " 'Ulalena," were visiting San Francisco. They ended up as guests of local club owner and folk singer, Lonnie Lazar, at the Hotel Utah. And with Maui-based dancers Jody Soltau and Lori Taketa, plus Maui TV exec Sean McLaughlin, leading the cheering, one of " 'Ulalena's" musical stars, Jon Signor, borrowed a guitar, slacked the strings and wowed the crowd. Many Bay areans may soon be Maui-bound ...
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