Hawaii
THE grand opening of Morton's Steak House in Ala Moana Center was a grand success. It was a benefit for the Honolulu Symphony, which is why Ruth's Chris Steak House G.M. Al Hosoi swore he was there, though he might well have been checking out the new competition while he was at it. Allen Bernstein, chairman and CEO of Morton's Restaurant Group, with its 62 eateries, sent word he wanted me to visit his table in a private dining area. I did so and he surprised me by unveiling an old friend, his California public relations rep, Karen Murphy. She worked for Hyatt in Hawaii before moving to California and founding the Murphy-O'Brien Agency. After six years of working together, Murphy married O'Brien and they now have a son and another child on the way. Murphy asked about KHON anchorman Joe Moore, whom she revealed she "almost married," and was surprised to hear he's now remarried and is raising a small son. Bernstein was happy Murphy had recommended her former boss at Hyatt, Ruth Ann Becker, to handle PR for Morton's in Hawaii, since Becker arranged a proclamation from Gov. Ben Cayetano welcoming the eatery to Hawaii. "You haven't got one of those from the governor of California," Bernstein gigged Murphy, in spite of the fact there are several Morton's restaurants there ... Morton’s Steak House
has grand-scale
benefit launchIN remarks delivered along with the proclamation, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono mentioned life hasn't been the same "since Sept. 9." While she was surely referring to the World Trade Center destruction on Sept. 11, I checked and found it was on Sept. 9 that Gov. Cayetano said Hirono didn't have the passion needed to excite supporters in a run for governor. Mazie apparently took him at his word and has now directed her interest in the mayor's race, so maybe life hasn't been the same for her since Sept. 9 ...
Another opening
OPENING its 69th and largest restaurant in Ward Entertainment Center in January is Buca di Beppo, a Southern Italy family-style eatery. All the Buca de Beppo spots are renowned for a boisterous ambience and lots of garlic. This one's walls will be filled with 1,200 pictures of every imaginable Italian and Italian-American icon, alongside portraits of the founders' families. New York artist Steve Cosentino was commissioned to do an 8-foot, black-velvet mural tying together the cultures of Italy and Hawaii. Paisano partner Dave Sanders is currently interviewing for 150 positions in the eatery ...CONTINENTAL Airlines is showcasing Hawaii in the skies these days. Not only are they showing the partially filmed-in-Hawaii "Planet of the Apes" on its 777/776 aircraft, but they're following it with Chef Roy Yamaguchi and his "Cooking with Roy Yamaguchi" program ...
Glynis is No. 1
THEY held a bench press competition at Gold's Gym in which participants had to press 50 percent of their body weight for as many reps as possible. That way you measure both strength and endurance. Winner by a bunch was Glynis Ramirez, a personal trainer at the Honolulu Club whose acolytes include Hawaiian Airlines CEO Paul Casey, A&B's Allan Doane, chef Alan Wong and City Councilman Duke Bainum. She pumped out 103 reps, besting the runner-up, who was in the 70s ...
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