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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Old cowboys ride off
in the job-pool sunsetFILMMAKER Edgy Lee is feeling a bit, well, on edge these days. For starters, she's quite happy that her film, "Paniolo O Hawaii -- Cowboys of the Far West," which has been aired in 110 countries in 80 languages, was finally shown on PBS. It ran Saturday night on Channel 11 and will be rebroadcast across the U.S. for the next two years. But don't get Edgy going on about the Parker Ranch. "I find this difficult to believe," Edgy reports, but "Parker Ranch recently let go 20 of its 25 oldest paniolo just prior to their retirement packages coming to fruition." These men and woman helped carry one of Hawaii legacies into the 21st century, says the filmmaker, adding "These paniolo are great living treasures, now treated like hired unskilled help." ...
AFTER railing about the two "symbols" for the University of Hawaii chosen from a Baltimore designer's $82,000 drawing board, I was very pleased to see UH president Evan Dobelle toss them into what tourists call "the mahalo bin." Turn now, if you will, to the logos of two banks much in the news of late -- Central Pacific and City Bank. Both banks' logos were designed by localite Clarence Lee, whose designs have received international plaudits. When asked why he wasn't select for the UH symbol project, Lee quipped, "Too local and too inexpensive." It's not too late, however, should Dobelle be willing to cut himself a slice of humble pie ...
Seigfried of the kitchen
HE'S such a magician when working in his open kitchen at his King Street restaurant, Alan Wong might well change his name to Seigfried and team with Roy Yamaguchi. Both caught my eye last week. Wong, because his off-the-beaten-path restaurant attracted two well known celebs. Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell had heads turning with his signature laugh while dining with friends. Likewise, heads were turning -- but for different reasons -- toward Drew Barrymore, in with co-workers while in town making a film with Adam Sandler ... And speaking of Roy, Yamaguchi is taking over Niblick's Restaurant at the Ko Olina Golf Club for a second Oahu Roy's. Ko Olina was a natural for Yamaguchi, overlooking the 18th hole on one of the golf nut's favorite isle golf courses ...OAHU got a nice plug on national TV on May Day when three isle p.r. execs, Karen Winpenny, Nancy Daniels and Maura Jordan presented "Today Show" weather gal Janice Huff a lei with the message "Aloha from Oahu." But cutting away to Willard Scott, Huff puffed, "How about a birthday lei Willard? You want to get lei'd?" ...
Chips off the blockhead
WRITER Bob Jones loves prowling around Chinatown and recently picked up a package of dried snacks from the Wing Cheong Company on North Hotel with the idea of sending it to his sister. But since she's an Ohio schoolteacher who often asks about education problems in Hawaii, he demurred. He decided against sending them to her when he read the label carefully and it identified the contents as "Vegtable Chips." ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls
items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com