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Wood Craft
SONNY BEAMER's family and friends dished up a feast of Hawaiian songs and hula to help him turn 75 at Hee Hing Restaurant Dec. 23. Uncle Keola Beamer, Sonny's devilishly Beamer beams on
75th birthdayentertaining cousin, kept things rolling as emcee. He sang, he danced hula and cracked jokes. Keola was aided by Sonny's brother and sister, Mahi and Sunbeam, Sonny's wife, Miki, and Beamer cousins and friends including Marmie Magoon, Lei Becker Furtado, Amelia Bailey, Maka Kaaihue, Eileen Lota, Anna Jaber, Tiny Nary, Oz Stender, Mike Moss, Merv Gilliland, Brad Denis and Jimmy Lota. Sonny's son, Milton Beamer III, and daughter, Manono, flew in from New York and the Big Isle, respectively, for the event. Singer-musicians Jeff Teves, Ainsley Halemanu and David Asing were solid all night long. A good time was had by all ...
All that jazz
WHILE I was having lunch at Neiman's Mermaid on New Year's Day -- the Mermaid has a great meatloaf special occasionally for $10 -- Amy Oakes came up to me and said that I wrote an item about her 20 years ago. It was about her wedding party going to Trappers in the Hyatt, following her wedding reception, to catch Jimmy Borges and Betty Loo Taylor. Her husband, Harvey, is a jazz fan. Jazz pianist Rich Crandall, who played at their reception, was in the group. I brought Amy up to date on Jimmy, letting her know that he sang with Betty Loo Taylor's swingin' All Star Band at the Kahala Mandarin's black-tie gala on New Year's Eve. That band included two Ph.D.s, guitarist Byron Yasui for musical arts and trombone man Chris Amemiya for genetics. After leaving the eatery, I went to Gucci to wish store officials Sharleen Perreira, Cori Ireijo and Greg Nakamatsu "Happy New Year," and who followed me in but Borges and wife, Vicki. Some coincidence...STARS from Italy hold center stage tomorrow and Tuesday with the Honolulu Symphony at the Concert Hall. Pianist Marisa Tanzini and maestro Guiseppe Cataldo, artistic director of Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, are featured. Tanzini is a former winner of Italy's national piano competition ... People shelling out $125 each to put on the feedbag at that lavish dinner with wine to benefit the symphony at Chef Mavro Monday may claim a charitable deduction of 75 clams. Pops Conductor Matt Catingub is the dinner's guest of honor. Matt will wield the baton when the fabulous Na Leo and Hapa perform with the Symphony Pops Jan. 20 at the Concert Hall. This is bound to be a tasty one ...
THE Halekulani is a strong symphony supporter, so a scaled-down symphony played during the hotel's New Year's Eve dinner at Orchids. Just before midnight, the orchestra played the theme from "2001" and then went into "Auld Lang Syne" as the fireworks display began ...
Bravissimo vino Italiano
M&S Brokerage owner Mark Minton and wife, Teresa, have four boys -- Matthew, 9; Pomi, 6; Michael, 5, and McKenzie, 3 -- and Mark coaches Pomi and Michael on their championship Mitey Mite flag football team. To keep putting food on the table for his youngsters, who are growing like weeds, Mark distributes wine and spirits. He is holding a wine reception Tuesday at Russell Siu's 3660 with Italian wines and food to coincide with the Italian guests performing with the symphony. This is a bargain for a $15 donation that benefits Easter Seals. Call 678-0434 for reservations. Mark is also providing wine for the symphony benefit at Chef Mavro Monday ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com