Hawaii
Billionaire sells properties
from frantic buying spreeCONDO-MANIA is in the air what with bizarre billionaire Gensiro Kawamoto deciding he no longer needs all the condos and homes he bought during a back-seat-of-the-car buying spree, and he's putting them up for sale. At least he saw and even spent time in the boathouse of the Goldman Estate before he put up the $42.5 million to buy it. But my favorite Kawamoto story was when he pulled up in his limo outside Essam Kashoggi's Kahala pad and had a representative approach the front door and ask, "How much?" Kashoggi said the place wasn't for sale. Give me a figure -- I'll come back tomorrow, he was told. Kashoggi checked with a broker and he said just come up with a ridiculous figure and they'll go away. When Kawamoto returned, still in the back seat of his limo, he rang the bell and said, "How much?" Kashoggi didn't crack a smile. "Eighteen million dollars," he said, far more than any property had yet gone for. "Sold," said the man, and Kawamoto became the owner. Kashoggi eventually moved to Kauai, bought a big valley and home and had cash left over ...
THIS brings us to the Condom Fair at UH's Campus Center today, which has nothing to with condominiums, but with the promotion of a healthier lifestyle through appropriate use of condoms. Promoters from the Health Education Center are quick to add the nearly mandatory proviso, "We do not promote sexual activity." But for those who make that choice to protect themselves from disease and unintended pregnancy, they're holding a carnival-like fair. Some of Condom Fair 2002 activities include the Condom Toss, Pop Goes the Condom, Love and Dating Pictionary, Condom-Rose making and a "How Do I Love Thee" board display ...
Raku junku
YOU'VE heard of "garbage to energy." Now we have garbage to art. St. Louis High art student Keone Young is a firm believer in that concept, so he took a metal garbage can, crumpled newspapers and an armful of leaves and created a 12-inch raku vase that won him $100 in a contest and the prestige of having it on display at no less a showcase than Neiman Marcus. You can see it there through Feb. 18 ...WHEN Dickie Furtado sold his interest in Lucy's restaurant in Kailua, he kept it all in the family. His niece, Jiffy Schneider joined brother Christian in running the place. Their mom (and Dickie's sister), Bobbie Lou Schneider owns and operates Buzz's Steakhouse nearby in Lanikai ... Stephen MacDonald, Honolulu Publishing's man on Maui, has a figurative feather in his hat. He got two of the Senior Skin Game greats, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to sign his golf hat ... I once got both Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis to sign the same sheet of my notebook, and gave it to a friend, who was a collector. He lost it. Wonder what it's worth today? ...
Another 'Song'
WHAT may have been the most successful show in the 33-year history of Manoa Valley Theatre returns March 6. "Song of Singapore" was a hilarious experience when it opened with cabaret seating at MVT in 1955, and now it returns with an excellent cast and guest musical director Melina Lillios. If it's anywhere near as good as the '55 version, it should be another sellout ...
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