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Hawaii
SINGER Paul Anka stayed over after Anka honors
Harris with songhis New Year's Eve gig at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and was a surprise guest at Mayor Jeremy Harris' inaugural ball. After meeting earlier with ball chairwoman Lynette Char and getting some inside material, Anka wrote a song especially for the mayor. Some 1,200 people attended the sold-out black-tie affair ...
IT was kind of a shock for fellow insomniacs here who tuned into ESPN's "Sportscenter" show at 6:30 a.m. on New Year's Day and heard host Chris Berman say, "Hauoli Makahiki Hou." He was recognizing that at least some football loonies in Hawaii were up at that insane hour to prepare for a daylong glut of college football. And it couldn't have hurt that the producer/director of Berman's show was Steve Anthony, who grew up in Hawaii and has helped popularize Hawaii phrases on ESPN ...
THEY open, they close and sometimes they do both. Alfred Vollenweider is closing his popular Alfred's in Century Center at the end of January due to lease problems, and hopes to open elsewhere ... Tony Habib sold his Carelli's on the Beach in Kihei to Aaron Placourakis, who changed the name to Aaron's on the Beach. Habib has now opened Rocco Carelli's Italian Fine Dining on Front Street in Lahaina across from the Pioneer Inn ... Martin Wyss no sooner announced he was closing his long-running Swiss Inn than it was purchased by a fan of the place who simply changed the name to Swiss Haus ... And Ed Greene hopes to open his newest Jameson's in Restaurant Row this month. Life, and eating, goes on ...
Mele melee
THEY'RE still talking about the final voyage at Shipley's in the Manoa Marketplace. Ever wonder how some people chose their stage names? Slack-key guitarist Keoki, who started off the entertainment, goes by a single name, possibly because his last name is Halinowski. He was followed by another slack-key player, Makana, who also choose not to use his last name, Swalinkovich. Next up was Ray Sowders, whose new CD is mostly in the Hawaiian language, not bad for a guy from Chicago. Shawn Ishimoto, formerly billed as BB Shawn, backed Sowders and continued on with singing fireman Jesse Rivera and Hapa, who also called him up to join them. Henry Kapono did a full half-hour before Hapa capped the evening, and everyone there joined hands for "Hawaii Aloha." Owners Mary Ann and Kristin Shipley dissolved into tears thanking all who had come, and there were tears all around ...DURING some performances of "Stomp!" at the Hawaii Theatre, the role of "Sarge," the first guy out who returns to play a clapping game with the audience, was localite Rory Flores. He may best be known here as the drummer with Hula Joe & the Hutjumpers. He'll next "Stomp!" in France ...
Hello Motter
SOUNDS like a Southern Baptist convention at Manoa Valley Theatre of late as the cast wrestles with the Southern accents they use in "Last Night of Ballyhoo," opening Jan. 10. Featured are Sylvia Horman-Alper, who I last saw with a Maria Callas accent in "Master Class," and Zenia Zambrano, last seen in MVT's "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." She has to "sound Atlanta" in this show and is practicing saying "Loo-vull" for Louisville. She's getting coached by another cast member, Russell Motter, born and reared in Atlanta, though wouldn't you know it, he's playing a New York Jew, Joe Farkas, in "Ballyhoo." ...
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