Wood Craft
HAlekulani's House Without a Key at late afternoon, with views of the sunset, Diamond Head, the waves of Waikiki, a melodious Hawaiian trio with a steel guitar and a lovely hula dancer, is what Hawaii is all about. Jerry Coffee, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, was there taking it all in last Saturday. "Life is beautiful," Jerry said, as he watched Kanoe Miller dance to the vocals of guitarist Hiram Olsen, Hiram's son Casey Olsen on steel guitar, and bassist Dennis Keohokalole. Having suffered the terrible ordeal of being a POW in Vietnam, Jerry really appreciates the beauty of life ... House Without a Key
is Hawaii at its best
Lincoln 'kids' to reunite
It's not often that elementary school grads hold a reunion but Lincoln's class of 1941 has one scheduled Aug. 10-12. It's also open to the '40 and '42 classes. Reunion committee members include Hale Kaohu Rowland, Shay Auerbach, Rowena Keaka, Haroldine Nunes, Patrick Sullivan, Joyce Wong, Billy Blaisdell, Ross Moody, Clifford Lam, Betty Fraser, Verna Mae Perkins, Bobby Moore, who was a fine Kamehameha and UH running back in the late 1940s and early '50s, and Dutchy Schuman of the Schuman Carriage family. Call Moody at 637-3141 or Moore at 845-3397 before April 30 to sign up ... Cheers to Jack and Cha Thompson of Tihati Productions who recently received the Monsignor Charles A. Kekumano Award for Service from Maryknoll School ..Hilton Village G.M. Noel Trainor, chair of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Awards Dinner April 21 at the Hilton's Coral Ballroom, has to be happy. Three of Hawaii's most accomplished singers -- Genoa Keawe, Emma Veary and Nina Kealiiwahamana -- will perform at the Bishop Museum fund-raiser. Toss in the voices of Jeff Apaka and Kamehameha students, plus Edgy Lee presenting clips from her film, "Waikiki,"," and you have a big-time program. Gov. Ben Cayetano, Edwin L. Carter and the late Tom Gentry will be honored for community contributions. Call Ann Wharton, 848-4157, for $150 tickets ...
Contempo art auction
A broken leg suffered recently by Sharon Twigg-Smith hasn't kept her from working on the silent art auction for Contempo 2001 at Neiman Marcus. The auction is Sharon's baby. Anyone may bid on the art on Neiman's first floor. Contempo, chaired by Cherye Pierce and Priscilla Growney, raises funds for the Contemporary Museum. Honorary chairs are Neiman G.M. Al Tomonari and his wife, Joyce. The event at Neiman next Saturday is a sellout ...Pianist Betty Loo Taylor's Trio and singer Loretta Ables Sayre continue to draw guest artists at the Kahala Mandarin's Veranda. Last Saturday, Vancouver restaurateur Arnie May sat in on conga drum with Taylor, bassist Steve Jones and drummer Morgan Grant. Guest singers included Bobby Roberts and Shivani Kumar. Sprinkled in the full house were Chanel's Joyce Okano Reed, Loretta's hubby, Dave, Bernie and Helen Hurtig, drummer Mark Arnold and wife, Carolyn, Halekulani G.M. Fred Honda and wife, Julie, and Gucci's Greg Nakamatsu, hitting the town before a European trip. Tuesday. Harvey Thompson, Ruth Ann Dela Vega, Gary Aiko and Allen Gelfius sang with the trio ...
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