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Wood Craft Ben Wood |
Ship’s Tavern regulars
say farewellMany Ship's Tavern regulars showed up last Saturday to have the last supper in the fine dining restaurant. The Moana Hotel spot that opened in 1969 overlooks Waikiki Beach and has spectacular views of the beach and Diamond Head. Poor economy forced the closure. It will be used for weddings, meetings and private parties. Most of the staff will be placed in other Sheraton restaurants. At a table Saturday night were Elmer and Verna Lum and Paul and Eloise Kurata and their son, Colin, an attorney. Another Kurata son, Lance, a doctor, is married to the Lums' daughter, Leslie, an attorney and former beauty queen. The couple called the group from L.A. during dinner. Moana Hotel Manager Simon Rusconi came in to thank the staff for its hard work and dedication. Emily Field of Coastal Wines and Spirits of Hawaii, came to have "my last glass of Dom (Perignon) at the bar." Yvonne Bryan, known as the "Tahitian Pearl Lady," was another regular who came to say goodbye. Johnson Wong, a server for 30 years at the Tavern, will focus on his other job at the Mariposa. Hostess Sonja Tam will run for Narcissus Queen and plans to attend law school. Tavern manager David Lau wants to become a filmmaker and tell stories about Hawaii. He also wants to say thank you to the regulars who have supported the Ship's Tavern "right up to the last day" ...
Happy milestones
TIM and Bobbye Smythe celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 22. They partied with family members at Turtle Bay, playing golf, tennis and having plenty of fun. Son, Brud, and his wife, Kim, were also married on Aug. 22 years ago and came from Bend, Ore., for the party. Also attending were the elder Smythes' daughters, Debbie and Ilima Aiu, and their husbands, Danny and Keawe Aiu, who are brothers, and Elissa Hollenbeck, and hubby, Craig, from Woodinville, Wash. ...Bulletin staffer Joe Edwards' wife, Jaymi, gave birth to their seventh child, Melianani, on Labor Day. They will call her "Nani" ... Isle-born Louise Garcia marked her 100th birthday Thursday in Hayward, Calif., where she lives with daughter, June Figueroa. Her party was Sunday in Oakland. In 1928 she married John Garcia. They were married 40 years. He worked at the Star-Bulletin for 43 years before his death. Louise still enjoys bingo games and playing cards ...
Wedding Bells
Joylene Kamisato and Craig Ramos were married Aug. 30 at the Hale Koa Hotel. The bride's mom is Janet Akers, restaurant coordinator at Neiman Marcus. Her dad is Pearl City High band director Thomas Kamisato. The groom's parents are Edwin and Patricia Ramos of Lihue ... The Del Courtney Band is playing at the Elk's Club tomorrow from 4 to 7 p.m. with Jimmy Borges, Shari Lynn and Gabe Baltazar ... Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii presents I.Mihana, Moana Chang and Boat Days and Weldon Kekauoha & Tapa Groove tomorrow at Ward Warehouse Amphitheater. It's free. Correction: Ballet Hawaii's Black & White Ball is Sept. 20 at the Hilton Village's Coral Ballroom, not the date listed here last week ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
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
