Hawaii
It’s not Dave’s life,
but it’s a good lifeIT'S a good thing that art photog Kim Taylor Reece is such a good guy -- it would be easy to hate somebody who lives his lifestyle. Reece, who photographs many naked and nearly naked young wahine for coffee table books, is just back from China with his partner Kanoe and the 2002 Narcissus Queen, Ku'ulei Chun. They visited Beijing, Shanghai -- you name it -- with the Queen and her court performing in each city. It doesn't hurt that Ku'ulei is Kanoe's younger sister and will be featured in his new book, "Hula i ka La." After China, Reece flew to Tokyo and put on an exhibition that broke all records for the exclusive Gallery I at Park Tower Plaza. His newest cover girl, Alaana Singh, who was performing at Tokyo Disneyland stopped by the gallery and showed off her winning smile for the cameras ...
REMEMBER former Isle radio personality Mike Michaels, who had his first name legally changed to Senator some years ago? We've perhaps discovered where Michaels got some of his ideas -- his high school civics teacher was James Traficant, the distinctly uncivil servant who was unceremoniously tossed out of Congress and sentenced to prison ... Heads were turning at Alan Wong's King Street restaurant as they often do. Causing people to pause in mid chew was Jules Asner of E! Entertainment, who stopped by with friends. And actor Mark Dacascos dropped in with hapai wife Julie. He just finshed a movie in Hollywood with Jet Li and Kelly Hu ...
Janis, meet Janis
STOCKBROKERS haven't had much good news to share with clients lately, but Janis Akuna of Morgan Stanley had a lulu of a story that caused her Compadres luncheon companion to get as green as guacamole with envy. Back when she was a teenager, Akuna was going to the Avalon Theater in San Francisco to see Jefferson Airplane but Airplane pilot Grace Slick had taken ill and so two replacement bands Akuna had never heard of replaced them. And that's how she first encountered the replacement band -- Big Brother & the Holding Company with lead singer Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Wall Street should soar as high as Akuna did that night ...
Volunteerism lives
THE Retired and Senior volunteer Program, sponsored on Oahu by Helping Hands Hawaii, gave out awards to many senior volunteers at a brunch this week at the Ala Moana Hotel's Hibiscus Ballroom. I emceed the program and talked about volunteer efforts post 9/11, including in the Pennsylvania minefield and at Cape Cod where volunteers returned beached whales to the sea. There were proclamations from Sen. Dan Akaka and Rep. Patsy Mink, the latter of whom attended the luncheon. Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono showed up briefly before she had to leave. Also at the head table was eye-catching Rep. Suzanne Chun-Oakland and Karen Miyake, who read a proclamation from Mayor Jeremy Harris (four "whereas" and one "therefore"). Also there was new Helping Hands head Rep. Brian Schatz, who's learning about helping hands at home, too, having taken a bride last November ...
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