Hawaii
COCO Chanel was a famous fashion designer; Koko the Gorilla could understand and, in his own fashion, "speak" English; Coco's was also a 24-hour eating establishment at "Kau Kau Korner," replacing the eatery of that name and preceding the Hard Rock Cafe. Now we have CoCo Lee, the Taiwan-based singer who performed the theme song in the award-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and she's coming to Hawaii. Lee will be bringing in her band and dancers, plus some Chinese Opera performers for the "Big Wave Honolulu" benefit concert Dec. 15 at the Waikiki Shell. It's a scholarship benefit, and the plan is to eventually relocate it to the UH campus - part of UH president Evan Dobelle's mission to create a new buzz in Manoa, much as in the days of rock concerts at Andrews Amphitheater. Best news of all: CoCo is donating her services to "Big Wave Honolulu" in hopes it'll expose Hawaii to the top talent in Asia and the Pacific ... Dobelle hoping Hawaii
goes cuckoo for CoCo LeeIF memory serves, and it sometimes still does, Coco's, the Spencecliff Coffee House, took its "24-hour" service seriously, and once when there was a severe storm warning it was decided to close the place until the weather blew over. One problem: No one could find the key to the front door, which had never been locked since the opening gong ...
RUTH'S Chris Steak House G.M. Al Hosoi stopped by the table of Billie Gabriel as she dined there Saturday night. It wasn't just that he's an old friend of Billie's, an Easter Seals exec., but suspicions are that it might have something to do with the fact she was dining with her daughter, Kona Carmack, who's done lots of modeling, including a centerfold for "Playboy" ...
Hansen, not the rockers
THE man who has directed the Jim Nabors Christmas specials at the Hawaii Theatre each year, Tom Hansen, has been given the Lehman Award for lifetime achievement as a dancer/choreographer. His credits include many early TV shows such as the "Red Skelton Show" and specials such as Frank Sinatra's. One localite especially pleased to see Hansen honored is Kailua's Steve Harmon, who danced for Hansen in those golden days of TV. This year's "Merry Christmas with Friends and Nabors" has its fifth incarnation this year opening Nov. 30 at the Hawaii Theater ...THERE will be a service/celebration on the life of the late Gardner McKay on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Diamond Head TheatreZ. There'll be a number of speakers and readers, not the least of which is McKay himself as HPR's Michael Titterton plays a radio program of the actor/writer/teacher reading his own works. The doors open at 9 a.m. on Dec. 8 for the program ...
Cruisin'
CLARINETEST Abe Weinstein just returned from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on board the Crown Princess. Not only didn't it cost him anything, he got paid for it. Abe was both lecturer on jazz and main showroom performer, and he must have been a hit because he's been invited back for three more tours in the next two months. Meanwhile, he's performing Tuesdays and Thursdays at Scoozee's and on Wednesdays at Brew Moon, both in Ward Centre ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com