Hawaii
He’s hatting the
heads of famous facesDON'T call him "Mad," but Brent Black accepts the term "Hatter." He's been putting his authentic Montecristi Panama hats on many celebrities these days, possibly even on those who don't know they come from Equador. Actor William Hurt, for example, picked one up at the Royal Hawaiian, and a few days later, singer Patti LaBelle went for a wide-brim style Panama. In Maui, Sylvester Stallone, Anthony Hopkins and football running back Eddie George all got Black's fedoras at the Sandal Tree in Wailea, while Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler bought a Plantation hat for the "Girls of Summer" video which reached No. 1 on MTV. Race horse trainer Bob Baffert bought a Bent Black Plantation hat just before sending off winning horses in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He probably wishes he'd bought another before the Belmont Stakes, which he lost ...
OPTIMISTIC country singer Cordell, aka Keith Haugen, has recorded a new CD containing "Cease Fire" and Bobby Darin's 1969 tune, "Simple Song of Freedom," two-anti war songs, and sent copies to media outlets addressed to "Attn: Peace Editor." He figured that during war years newspapers often have a "war editor" so why not a "peace editor." ...
THE Lomi Shop Va'a is celebrating its fifth anniversary Saturday as a tribute to the late Moe Keale. It'll be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Windward Mall Center Court Stage area ... Harry B. Soria Jr., "The Albino Blahlah," is saluting the late George Paoa on his KINE-FM "Territorial Airwaves" show Sunday at 5 p.m. I remember listening to the Waikiki-born "Maui Boy," as he called himself, performing at Kaanapali and calling a pal out of the audience. It was his neighbor and fan, Rich Little, who got up and did 30 minutes of killer material. The last time I saw Paoa was at the Lodge at Koele, playing a grand piano and singing in the Great Hall. On that occasion, he got Emma Veary up to sing ...
Dropping in at Mokuleia
IT took six skydives in Mokuleia this past weekend to get the footage producers of "Wild on E!" wanted for a December airing. Air Tugie (nickname for Drop Zone owner Ken Anderson) provided tandem instructors and cameramen. Cindy Taylor, who replaces Brook Burns, as hostess, was in on the first drop, as was local TV reporter Cindy Palaracio. Cindy also dropped again with two E! camermen. According to Taylor, the final drop was the best, and it'll be shown on the December airing ...SUCH a variety of goodies up for bids at Saturday evening's celebrity auction for the Hawaii Family Support Center. You can bid on everything from KHON's "Big Red Couch" to a three-bedroom house in Maile with a retail value of $160,000. The black tie auction will be at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom ...
Cook with mushrooms
ARTIST Lynn Cook painted the windows of both Auntie Pasto's to promote its "Mushroom Mania" through Nov. 24. Cook, who's originally from Seattle, knows something about window painting - she used to do the windows of Washington bars before she was old enough to go inside and drink ...
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