Local New Year’s festivities
feature food, fireworks
and frivolity
Star-Bulletin StaffA POST-2001 ODYSSEY
It can only get better. Or at least that's what we're hoping. Out with 2001 (aloha, good riddance, laters), in with 2002 (our fingers are crossed, our mochi is pounded, our ti leaves are waving in the breeze).The past 12 months have proven to be a time of economic, physical and mental endurance, and we're definitely looking forward to less interesting times.
May the parties going on tonight spark a renewal of spirit and energy that carries us well into 2003.
Of course it all starts with a bang as the sky over Honolulu Harbor will be set ablaze by Fireworks by Grucci once 2002 rolls in at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Before the midnight event, there will be fire and knife jugglers, stilt walkers and balloon artists to keep kids and diners entertained from 6 to 9 p.m., and KSSK will be hosting free games, prizes and giveaways on the premises from 9 to 11:30 p.m. There will also be free inflatable games from 6 to 11 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 566-2337.
Elsewhere at Aloha Tower, Rail will be performing modern rock from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Gordon Biersch; Azure McCall performs at Chai's Island Bistro from 7 to 11 p.m. during a $75, seven-course meal; and Puamana performs from 7 to 10 p.m. at Don Ho's Island Grill, followed by deejays spinning discs.
If Waikiki is your chosen playground, the Halekulani, Outrigger and Sheraton hotels have teamed up to sponsor an eight- to 10-minute fireworks display off the beach fronting the three properties for views anywhere along the beachfront. The fireworks will go off at midnight. Then get a room if you don't care to brave "amateur night" on the roads.
Here are other events:
NIGHTCLUBS
"Breathe in 2002": Take a deep breath and let go of the woes of 2001. An oxygen bar will help in the process as the W Honolulu, Malama Salon & Spa and Komo Low join forces to provide music, aromatherapy, reflexology and massage therapy to soothe and invigorate your senses. "Breathe in 2002" will also feature a hair fashion show, performances by Lea Woods Friedman and the Red Door dancers, and DJs Drift and Gary O will be spinning funk, hip-hop, house and rare grooves; 9 p.m. At W Honolulu, 2885 Kalakaua Ave. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Costs $20. Call 922-1700."Glitter and Glamour": Your $5 cover will get you free party favors and a midnight champagne toast at the Ocean Club at Restaurant Row tonight. Stick around at midnight to receive an Ocean Club VIP card. Call 531-8444.
"Hollywood Countdown": Celebration for service men and women with DJ Joe Bermudez. Uniforms are optional, 8 p.m. at Hula's Bar & Lei Stand. Call 941-0424, ext. 10.
"New York, New York": Wave Waikiki transforms into the Big Apple, Hawaiian style, and plans to stay open until at least 6 a.m. A kava bar will be offered after 4 a.m. Missing Dave, the Red Door Dancers and two rooms of the latest New York house, hip-hop and funk. Advance tickets available at Tower Records & Video, the Inside, Too Gruvz Records, ITT military outlets and the Wave. $10 in advance. Call 941-0424, ext. 12, for prices at the door.
"United We Stand" Party: Dance in the new year at Rumours from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. VIP packages cost $25 and include party favors, two standard cocktails and complimentary pupus. A $10 discount applies for advance ticket purchases. Partygoers arriving between 11 p.m. and midnight pay $15, including two standard cocktails and party favors. A $5 cover applies to those arriving 12:15 to 1:30 a.m. Call 955-4811.
Special events
American Medleys: Ring in the New Year with Jan Brenner and the All Stars as they play American party hits from all eras. The Ship's Tavern offers a five-course dinner with seating at 5 and 8 p.m. at $200 for adults and $100 for children. Includes access to the show and appetizer bar on the Veranda. The Banyan Veranda appetizer bar features an assortment of sushi, dim sum, peel-and-eat shrimp, kalua duck taco bar, Thai-style spring rolls and more, from 7:30-11 p.m. at $100 adults, $50 children. Call 922-3111.
"An Evening with the Music of Sinatra": A New year's party with Randy Smith, followed by a Tino and the Rhythm Klub performance. Costs $30, including party favors and champagne. At Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel. Call 922-4422.
Fireworks Party: VIP lanai seating at Gordon Biersch, $200, includes an appetizer platter with chicken and New York satay, beer-battered shrimp, chicken and shrimp potstickers, fries, party favors and a bottle of champagne. Buffet dinner featuring a carving station, Cajun shrimp, potstickers and spring rolls, sushi, satay station and desserts, at $99. Call 599-4877.
"Ho'omaka Hou": Concert features the Makaha Sons, Robi Kahakalau, Kapena, Brother Noland, Moe Keale, Kanilau and Tony Conjugacion with a Chinese lion dance and an appearance by the soldiers of the Royal Guard. 7 p.m. to midnight. At Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel. Cabaret show only, $85, includes a half-bottle of champagne; dinner and cabaret show, $225, includes buffet, unlimited wine and champagne; $200, includes buffet and a champagne toast at midnight. Dinner includes carved beef and roast pig, a medley of oysters, crab legs, jumbo shrimp and sashimi. Call 922-4422.
Monty's Magic Theatre: The 11th floor of the Queen Emma Building, 1270 Queen Emma St., has been reserved for a nonalcoholic family event featuring Monty plus magician pals Dan Harlan, Aaron Vermeer, Mr. "O" Harvey Ouchi, Bob Festa, Steve Williams and Carlos Armando. Reservations are required. Costs $12 for adults, $8 for kids under age 12. Call 524-1791.
"Mystic and Magic": Drag show featuring Miss Canis Cayne of New York and more. At 9:30 p.m., Fusion Hawaii. Costs $7 in advance, $10 at the door. Call 924-2422.
Poolside Bash: Ring in the New Year at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel's poolside. Simplisity performs 6-6:30 p.m., followed by Tino and the Rhythm Klub from 9 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. $30, includes party favors, entertainment and a glass of champagne.
Rock 'n' Roll Party: Featuring Big Daddy with '50s, '60s and contemporary music and Beatles hits and rock 'n' roll tunes by Rubber Soul, at the Princess Kaiulani poolside. The Pikake Terrace offers a dinner buffet with jumbo shrimp, sashimi, baked lobster tail with drawn butter, a barbecue station and more. $80 adults, $50 ages 13-15, and $30 children ages 5-12. Served 5:30-10:30 p.m. Call 922-5811 for reservations.
Society of Seven's New Year's Bash: Featuring a dinner buffet, dancing, party favors and a split of champagne. Seating at 7:30 p.m. $110. Cocktail shows at 9:45 and 11:45 p.m.; $85. At Outrigger Waikiki Hotel Main Showroom. Call 923-SHOW (7469).
Steve Pierson in Concert: Steve Pierson and his band Blues Head plays at 8:30 tonight at the Hawaiian Hut at the Ala Moana Hotel, presented by the Hawaii Blues Society with opening act Bluzilla. Admission: $30 ($20 for HBS members). Call 864-6529.
Dining and entertainment
Ala Moana Hotel: Dinner celebration featuring a prime rib buffet and music by Kit Sampson's Sound Advice, a five-member dance band performing swing and rock 'n' roll music. 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $55, $35 children under 12; includes dinner, entertainment and party favors. At the Hibiscus Ballroom. Call 955-4811.
Chef Mavro: "Un Réveillon Hawaïen" six-course dinner, $169. Menu includes smoked salmon brouillade, lobster with curry risotto, baked sea bass, filet mignon with oysters. All courses paired with wines. Call 944-4714.
Chez Michel: New Year's Eve and Day menus include lobster bisque, duck salad, entree choice of rack of lamb, filet mignon, osso bucco, seafood specialties and more, $45 and $65. Call 955-7866.
Don Ho's Island Grill: Chef Mariano Lalica prepares a feast including various types of poke, lomi lomi salmon, New York steak with peppercorn sauce and wild mushrooms, Hawaiian-style ciopinno, lamb osso bucco and an array of desserts, from 6 to 10 p.m. Entertainment provided by the Hawaiian Puamana Trio and DJ Nightclub. Cost: $50 adults, $10 children. Call 528-0807 for reservations.
Duke's Waikiki: New year's Eve dinner featuring poke roll and crab wontons, salad bar and a choice of entree and dessert, 8:15 p.m. Costs $49, including contemporary Hawaiian entertainment and party favors. Call 922-2268 for reservations.
Hanohano Room: First dinner seating, 5:30 and 6 p.m. $95, includes a four-course meal and two cocktails; $120 includes entry to the Poolside Bash, Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel. Second seating, 8:30 and 9 p.m. Costs $185, including a five-course meal and a bottle of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial champagne. Vegetarian dishes available upon request. Call 922-4422 for reservations.
Hoku's: "Beggar's Purse" including scallops, truffle and fois gras over roasted venison loin with parsnip potato purée and chocolate melting cake. First seating at 5 p.m. is $95 adults, $48 children. Second seating at 8:30 p.m. is $175 adults, $68 children, including admission to the Picante Party, 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. The Picante Party, a Latin fiesta, features salsa, merengue and cha cha lessons. Party admission only is $70 adults, $35 children.
La Mer: Seven-course dinner featuring a fillet John Dory with a seafood consommé, Big Island lobster and Ossetra caviar. Dinner service starts at 9 p.m. Costs $350. Call 923-2311 for reservations.
Orchids: Five-course meal featuring Maine lobster and crusted onaga. Seatings at 8:30 and 9 p.m. Matt Catingub and the Honolulu Symphony perform with Jimmy Borges from 11:45 p.m. to 1 a.m., $250. Call 923-2311 for reservations.
Parc Cafe: Buffet includes prime rib, made-to-order kung pau scallops or black bean mussels, coconut shrimp, sushi, sashimi and poke, ginger sake roast duck and more. Served from 5-10 p.m. $29.95; brunch on New Year's Day is $27.95, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Keiki, ages 5-12, pay $1 per year of age. Call 931-6643.
Plantation Cafe: New Year's Eve and Day dinner include Alaskan king crab legs, poke, New Zealand oysters on a half shell, carved prime rib, Manila steamed clams in a wine herb sauce, a dessert bar and more, from 5-10 p.m. Costs $29 adults, $12 children 12 and under. Brunch also will be served on New Year's Day featuring omelets and Belgian waffles cooked to order, seafood lobster Newburg, assorted meats, carved prime rib, smoked pork loin with poha berry sauce and more, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. $27.50 adults, $12 children 12 and under. Call 955-4811.
Plumeria Cafe: Dinner buffet featuring roasted pig, sautéed opaka with champagne nage and Dutch apple pie, 5-7 p.m. Costs $70 adults, $35.50 children. Join in on Hoku's Latin Picante Party after dinner (listed above).
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar: Dinner buffet, 5 p.m.-midnight, $35, $17.50 children. Includes sushi and poke bars, seafood specialties, carving station with prime rib, pork and turkey. Traditional Japanese ozoni soup served at midnight. Party hats, noisemakers included. Call 536-6286.
Cruises
Celebration Cruise: Three-course meal with a whole Maine lobster and steak dinner, two premium cocktails, Spirit of Aloha show, bon voyage champagne toast and party favors. Cruise on the Star of Honolulu departs at 10:30 p.m. from Pier 8 at Aloha Tower Marketplace. $114.82 adults, $91.86 children. Kamaaina rates, $85.50 adults and $78.25 children. Call 983-STAR (7827).
Romance Cruise: Enjoy a five-course French-style dinner including cold-water lobster accented by asparagus and black truffle potato timbale, roasted tenderloin of beef wrapped with honey smoked bacon and more aboard the Star of Honolulu. Recommended for adults. Cruise departs at 10:30 p.m. from Pier 8 at Aloha Tower Marketplace. $208.94, includes dinner, a bon voyage champagne toast, entertainment by local jazz musicians and party favors. Kamaaina rate, $130. Call 983-STAR (7827).
Startlet Fireworks and Cocktail Cruise: Two-hour cruise departs at Kewalo Basin, 10:30 p.m. Must be 21. $25. Call 983-STAR (7827).
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