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Hawaii Diary Michelle Ramos |
Music fans light up night
in welcoming Begin
The Okinawan band Begin was a big hit Saturday at the Okinawan Festival. The three-member group seemed at ease in front of the thousands waiting for them to perform (the group went on a half-hour late). A college student from Tokyo said in Japan people cry when they hear their music. I wish there had been an interpreter so that English speakers could share in the laughter springing from singer Eisha Higa's banter between numbers. He, Masaru Shimabukuro and Hitoshi Uechi did great on the various instruments they played. ... Coolest thing at the festival: Traditional hand-held paper fans have been updated so they're now made of plastic and light up. Bon dancers held a range of plain, clear fans, plus some bearing images such as the Sanrio character Cinnamoroll. With the lack of lighting at the festival, every bit of light helped. Unfortunately for Sanrio fans out there, the Ala Moana store sold out of the fans about a month ago. The clerk said it was a limited-edition item that also came in a Hello Kitty design. ...
Sightings
Terry Bradshaw was spotted at the "Mighty Mo" ... Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake were back for more surfing on the North Shore with the help of Hans Hedemann ... Shannen Doherty also got a surfing lesson from Hedemann, but they were on the South Shore ...
Around the world
Glad to hear that Kamasami Kong is OK. The former Hawaii deejay was in his 31st-floor apartment in Japan when the two earthquakes hit Sunday night. Kong sent an e-mail with sounds of the building creaking as it swayed from the tremors of the first earthquake. He said it lasted for 30 "completely frightening minutes." What is even more spooky is that it happened again a little while later! ... Congratulations to photographer and dancer Garrett Kam, a Hawaii native now living in Southeast Asia. He is having his work displayed at the National University of Singapore this month. His photo exhibition tells the Ramayana story. ... Congratulations also to former Star-Bulletin photographer Ayumi Nakanishi, who took the photos for the new book "Earth at Play," which takes readers around the world viewing images of children at play. ...
From Hawaii to Hollywood
The Brothers Cazimero put on a fabulous show last month in Virginia, and this coming weekend, Roland and Robert will bring their aloha spirit to California. The famed duo will perform Friday and Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl. Have a safe flight. ...