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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Hilo Hattie
(the store)
turns 40WE'VE all heard that "clothes make the man," and while that doesn't preclude woman from having nice togs too, the implication is they don't need them. Everyone knows about the Hilo Hattie stores, 14 of them all together, but did you know that when owner Jim Romig opened that first store on Kauai 40 years ago, it was called Kaluna Hawaii Sportswear. Of course Hilo Hattie herself was still performing at that time and Romig wouldn't think of naming a store after her back then. There will be 40th anniversary events for Hilo Hattie celebrated during the rest of the year -- watch for them ...
WHICH brings us to Reyn's. Ukulele virtuoso Herb Ohta Jr. must be a big fan because he's worn Reyn's shirts on his album covers and when he performs. He's also been spotted in the Ala Moana store, playing his uke for customers or those passing by who quickly come in to listen. He'll be appearing at Reyn's Ala Moana store from 11 a..m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 13 to help them support Aloha Week. And yes, he'll be wearing a Reyn's shirt -- in fact, he's already picked out the new Kapa Pago Pago design ...
Virgoing to the altar
IT used to be that June was the traditional month for marriages, but two biggies were slated for September. The "Today" show yesterday featured the wedding of a couple selected by the viewing public weeks ago. The bride, a widow named Seneca, had her two sons, Braxton and Teague, lead her down the aisle in the street fronting NBC. Braxton and Teague -- sounds like a law firm, doesn't it? ... Which brings us to the long awaited wedding of Ben Affleck and the oft-married Jennifer Lopez. They're getting hitched on Sept. 14. No divorce date has been set as yet. Wouldn't Mick Jagger's ex-wife Jerry Hall have been a better match for Affleck. Then they could be Ben and Jerry. Tasty ...STAR-BULLETIN staffer Joe Edwards has always had a knack for the ironic. Just after his fourth kid (in about six years) was born, he gifted me with a cigar called "The Repeater." He swore his repeating days were over, and now Melianani Edwards comes along, born as only Joe and his doctors could orchestrate it, on Labor Day ...
SAAB story: James Berger Jr. of Saab Hawaii has been bitten by the theater bug. First he and wife Helen were in Jack Cione's "Mardi Gras Follies" at Pearl Harbor. Then they were part of "Follies" (without the Mardi Gras) at Diamond Head Theatre, and now he's signed Saab Hawaii on as the first ever season sponsor for Army Community Theatre, and you can bet they'll be in the audience at tonight's opening of "Gypsy." ...
Surf and Turf
THEY couldn't have come up with a better name for Steinlager's "Henry Ayau Men's International Canoe Race," for the big paddling event Sept. 21. More than 600 of the best canoe paddlers anywhere will come together that day to be a bridge between people of East and West Hawaii. The 32 mile race begins at Hawaii Kai at 9 a.m. and the champs expect to pull into Ko Olina about 12:30 p.m. There'll also be a volleyball championship held at the resort's Lagoon 4. Ho'onu'a will give a free performance and there'll also be designated parking, so all are welcome ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
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
