Hawaii
IT was Stephen Reed, appropriately a former New Yorker, who helped spearhead "Sharing Aloha," the program that provided respite for rescue workers at the World Trade Center. He's also the fellow who is producing the PBS membership drive special, "Hawaii -- Songs of Aloha," which airs Sunday night on Hawaii Public Television. Sharing their own brand of musical aloha on the special are the Brothers Cazimero, Makaha Sons, Na Leo and others ... And speaking of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center disaster, did you see that chilling video of Osama bin Laden and his co-horts who kept saying cryptically, "Allah be praised," released yesterday. Anyone who came away from seeing that who harbored any feelings but utter contempt for bin Laden, must surely have seen the light ... Ex-New Yorker launches
another aloha projectSILENT night, holy cow: After listing the various "Nutcracker" presentations going on around town this holiday season, we find we missed at least one. The students of Ernie Chang's piano studio will feature "Nutcracker" in the "Christmas in Ensemble" program Sunday and Monday at Orvis Auditorium. Guest narrator for "Nutcracker" Sunday night is Stuart Chafetz, conductor of the Maui Symphony, and on Monday the chores will be shared by Mayor Jeremy Harris and wife Ramona. Proceeds from the show go to the Hawaii Lions Foundation and Lions Eye Bank ...
DIVING instructor Jim Lauderdale attended the opening of the new Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand and describes the opening party as hotter than the one here for Studebakers. Then Wednesday I ran into Irish Rose barkeep Bono Quinn, who'd just got back that day from Pattaya, and described the Hard Rock as the "ugliest hotel" he'd ever seen, though from his description of it, the place sounded exactly like its garish sister property in Las Vegas ...
Agbayani Myth
WHETHER or not he remains a N.Y. Met or even a Major Leaguer, or heads to a new baseball field of dreams in Japan, Benny Agbayani will be home in Hawaii for the holidays. He'll make a personal appearance in the men's department at Macy's Pearlridge on Saturday, Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will autograph any Myth Apparel purchase. Customers will also get a free photo of Benny while the supply lasts -- no purchase necessary ...MAGICIAN Alan Arita was doing some close-up sleight of hand for a table of guests at a holiday party, one of whom was blind pianist Ron Miyashiro. As the party crowd applauded one trick, Miyashiro broke up everyone with, "Your hands are quicker than my eyes." Incidentally, Arita and Curtis Kam are the house magicians at the new Dave & Busters in the Ward Entertainment Center ...
Anniversary
TERRITORIAL Airwaves is now in its 23rd year, and is broadcast every Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m., hosted by Harry Soria Jr. Sunday it'll be a "Pau Hana Party," featuring 22 local hit songs by local artists of the '60s and '70s ... Speaking of "Pau Hana," this column completes its 33rd year in the Star-Bulletin on Sunday, and except for my Sunday "The Week That Was" columns, I'm taking off for a holiday retreat. See you back in this space after New Year's as we begin Year No. 34 ...
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