Wood Craft
Hawaiian fashion designer Mamo Howell wondered what the "big fuss was about" last week when she was called and asked if she would please come to her retail store at Ward Warehouse because VIPs would soon arrive to shop. Police were checking the premises when Mamo arrived, and an advance man asked her to fling both doors wide open and to stand in the doorway. The stage was set when the limos pulled up and Japan's Prince Takamado and Princess Hisako stepped out. Takamado is a cousin of Emperor Akihito. The princess told Mamo that they were going to a function at the governor's mansion and she needed something special to wear. Mamo said she bought four dresses. She said the prince purchased several shirts and T's. "He was charming and chatted with me about the weather in Japan being very hot this time of year," Mamo said ... Mamo gets the call to
greet Japan royalty
A Great Wall for hula
Luana McKenney and Mary Philpotts McGrath were the "ringleaders" in a group of islanders who danced hula on the Great Wall of China. Mary said that Luana "was our leader." But Luana said it was Mary who said, "Let's dance 'Puamana,'" after the group of 20, wearing aloha shirts, sang "Hawaii Aloha." Luana's husband, Peter, played the uke, and the guys sang along with the women as they danced. Luana said the Chinese loved it and flocked around them, some wanting to dance. The group included Alice and Rab Guild, Sharon and David Fairbanks, Judy Dawson, Fatima and Richard Cameron, Diane and Mark Hastert, Lani Hearn, Jan and Paul Wysard, Kaui and Doug Philpotts, John McGrath and Susan and Kingsley Woo. Luana said they started each day with a song, and the Chinese were even more friendly as soon as the music started ... Mary McGrath and Alice Guild are daughters of Muriel Flanders, a daughter of Hawaii, who at 92 has released a CD of her compositions. "The Music of Muriel Flanders" on Mountain Apple features many well-known local performers. It's a collection of hapa-haole songs that both kamaaina and malihini will enjoy ...ONWARD: Princess Abigail Kawananakoa has returned from New Zealand where she attended the 35th Coral Jubilee of Maori Queen Te Atairangi-kaahu, 70. In the Hawaiian princess's party were her nephew David Kawananakoa and his wife, Eleanor, and the princess' secretary Gail Worth and Maggi Parker ...
De Niro, Brando deliver
IT WAS A pleasure to watch consummate acting pros Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando in "The Score." This pair can carry any picture. Edward Norton, who had a large role in the crime film, also did well. De Niro portrays a master burglar who owns a jazz club in Montreal. The music is tasty throughout. Brando sets up the jobs and fences the goods ... Andrew McPherson of Australia's McPherson Wines was on hand for a tasting of his wines held by Mark Milton of M&S Brokerage last weekend at Sarento's ... Happy birthday to George Chun, who turned 73 Wednesday ... Charlotte Church, a 15-year-old singing sensation, joins the Honolulu Symphony for a Blaisdell Arena concert Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. ...
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