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Hawaii
THE first American to ring in the year 2001, literally, was Punahou student Elizabeth Pualani Steele. The 12-year old was cruising with her family in waters off New Zealand on the Clipper Cruising into 2001
Odyssey, less than a degree west of the International Dateline. At midnight on Dec. 31, the captain asked her to ring the bell, since she was the youngest person aboard the ship ... New Year's Eve was chock-a-block with activities around town, but Linda Wong, owner of the World of Aloha chapel in Kahaluu, showed up at Havana Cabana with City Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim in tow. It was salsa night, with instructor Roberto Vargas Jr. of Salsa 101 Productions, and a leggy Latina named Aurelia paving the way on the dance floor for others. Try as they may, no one could entice Wong or Kim onto the dance floor to sizzle and salsa. They begged off, saying they had to visit Aaron's for a great view of the fireworks ...
IT was only proper that Wong patronize Havana Cabana since she'll be getting some business out of the place soon. No, owner Bryan Uy isn't giving up bachelorhood, but his brother Bernard is, and the nuptials will be taking place in July at World of Aloha. It took nearly half a world to bring Bernard Uy and his fiancee, Tammy Ebert together. The two met in Pittsburgh, Penn., and found they not only have offices on the same floor of an office building there, but Hawaii ties as well. Tammy worked at Milici Valenti and Uy was with Media Five. As Tammy puts it, "I had to move to Pittsburgh to meet him." ...
Divastating
CHEAP Tickets honcho Mike Hartley took his wife and daughters to Hong Kong for Christmas and New Years and in the Jade Market heard his name called out. He turned and there was Carole Kai with the other Divas, Marlene Sai, Nohelani Cypriano and Loyal Garner. They were staying in the Peninsula a floor below the Hartleys and were in house to do a New Year's concert. But when the stage was set up, it was placed outside the front entrance and not just Peninsula guests but perhaps another 250,000 Hong Kong residents crammed into the street to listen. Hartley describes the crowd as "nuts," particularly when they joined the performers in doing the gestures for the Village People's "Y.M.C.A." Carole later told Hartley that the Director of Police politely asked her to cut their concert short, fearing the crowd might create a riot ...CELEBS in paradise: That was old Captain Kirk himself (70 in March) trying to get himself beamed up on the Big Isle. William Shatner was spotted walking the beach with a leggy lady in an orange bikini. Wonder if he got a rate at the Mauna Kea using Priceline.com., for which he does commercials. He could use it, since Priceline stock plummeted ... Also running on Waikiki Beach over the holidays was Tia Carerre, the "Relic Hunter." She taped a segment with Emme Tomimbang for a future "Island Moments" special, breakfasted at Hungry Lion, one of her faves, and dined at Alan Wong's ...
Clan-destined for fun
ENJOYING a VIP tour of Waimea Falls Park (arranged by the city's Manny Menendez) the other day was attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with wife Mary and a party of about 20. Longtime Kennedy pal John Wilbur, the ex-NFL lineman, was among those in the party. That night, the RFK clan took the Navatek I sunset dinner cruise and enjoyed the song stylings of Cathy Foy ...
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