TheBuzz
TheBuzz
A dear heart’s
big dreamThe McKinley High School Alumni Association is staging its first "McKinley Alumni Karaoke Challenge," and a long-time Oahu businessman is among the contestants.
Classes have staged their own auditions since last summer to put their best foot -- and/or vocal cords -- forward.
Entrants include 1990 graduate Louisa Mose; a quintet from the class of 1979 which includes Kalihi Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland; duet singers Ruth Kawamoto and Irene Ikehara from the Class of 1959; and restaurateur Shiro Matsuo from the Class of 1937.
Matsuo's participation comes despite the contest rule that prohibits "professionals." Not known as a recording artist, he has self-financed at least two recordings since the 1990s and is about to release his latest CD, "Manuela Boy."
"He told us 'don't sell anymore CDs'," laughed his daughter Linda Matsuo. "How can he be a professional?"
Despite the beckoning of the boards for the self-taught ukulele player, show-biz would have to wait. After a stint as the personal chef to Gov. John Burns, Matsuo established his first casual dining restaurant, "Shiro's Huli-Huli Drive In" in Aiea in 1969.
A couple years later he relocated to Waimalu Shopping Center and renamed it "Shiro's Hula-Hula Drive In," and more recently to "Shiro's Saimin Haven & Family Restaurant," which also has locations in Ewa Beach, Waipahu and Kalihi.
Shiro's big chance on stage is April 27 in the McKinley High School auditorium as he and school mates raise the roof -- and money for scholarships and special projects.
Tickets, going for $15, are available at Harry's Music, Hokama Music, Wally's Garden Shop or through class contact persons. Admission includes a bento dinner and beverage from 4:30 to 6 p.m. but the flyer says a ticket purchase the day of the event does not guarantee a bento. It will however provide a seat in the auditorium for open-mic performances and the 6:30 to 9:30 karaoke challenge.
More Island Homes
Circulation of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's Island Homes section will be expanded to 150,000 copies per week.The Island Homes real estate section will remain available in the Sunday Star-Bulletin with another 15,000 to 20,000 at 150 locations around Oahu, said real estate advertising manager Eran Kennedy.
Racks will be placed at Zippy's, Longs Drugs, Daiei, Borders Books & Music, Safeway stores, real estate offices and selected developments. Island Homes will also appear as an insert in MidWeek to appear once a month on a rotating, zone-by-zone basis.
The Honolulu Board of Realtors and Star-Bulletin have also entered into a partnership to create a real estate portal to include all the MLS listings, Kennedy said.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com