Wood Craft
Ben Wood
Phyllis Spalding, enjoying lunch at Neiman's Mermaid bar Tuesday with Barbara Coles, revealed she knew Frida Kahlo in earlier years in Mexico. Kahlo's story was presented in the film "Frida." Salma Hayek portrayed the artist. Frida's lover was artist Diego Rivera. "We adopted each other," Phyllis said with a delightful laugh. Rivera painted a huge portrait of Phyllis. Phyllis celebrates her birthday April 23. She is co-owner with Pundy Yokouchi of the Mandalay shops that offer fine Thai silk attire, among other things, at the Halekulani and Four Seasons on Maui ... Marking birthdays Monday are Coldwell Banker's Margaret Murchie and retired Hawaiian Cement exec Frank Steinmiller ... Frida, Rivera, Phyllis
adopted each other
Wedding bells
Maria Torcia and Rick Burke, both of Body Balance Centre, were wed Saturday in a lovely ceremony at the spectacular Makiki Heights view home of Dialta and Vittorio Alliata Di Montereale, an Italian royal family. The royals' son, Fabrizio, was ring bearer, and their daughters, Yana, Azzurra and Mirtilla, were hostesses. The newlyweds' 15-month-old son, Massimiliano, was carried through the grounds to the outdoor wedding site by Rick as Tangi Tully played guitar and sang. Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Steven Levinson conducted the ceremony. Music was by You, Me and Norbert -- Duane Komine, Tully and Norbert Enos. Komine's wife Leona, Ms. International Hawaii, danced hula as did the Komines' girls, Simone, 8, and Aja, 6. Guests danced to music played by DJ Jolly Josh after dinner ...Former Miss Hawaii USA Leslie-Ann Lum and Dr. Lance Kurata were married at Central Union March 26, exactly two years to the day that they met. The reception was held at the Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room where Genoa Keawe sang the "Hawaiian Wedding Song" for the couple. Rene Paulo, Bruce Hamada and Harris Ishida performed dinner music ...
Gov. Linda Lingle was given a plaque of the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club's dolphin logo crafted by Henry Kila Hopfe of Waianae at the grand opening of the club Wednesday. Marriott Vice Presidents Stan Brown and Robert Calhoun made the presentation. The first phase of the club has 103 two-bedroom, two-bath villas that sleep up to eight people ...
Final aloha for George
Many members of the Star-Bulletin family and others showed up at Waterfront Park on a beautiful afternoon last Tuesday for a final aloha to our colleague, George Steele, who died last month at age 56. It was something George, a transplanted, joke-telling, tough-but-caring West Virginian, would have enjoyed. Mike Rovner, Tim Ryan and David Swann told stories about George that touched the heart. Mike Kieran, a teacher at Palolo Zen Center, where George was a member, turned his back on the crowd and spoke directly to a photo of George in ending his talk. The mellow ceremony was kept on a smooth path by Rob Perez. It was a good day all the way around ... Services for Puna Titcomb will be held tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Kamehameha Schools Chapel. Viewing begins at 2 p.m. ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com