TV stars make rounds
of Waikiki restaurants

Jason Momoa of "North Shore" brought some of his co-stars to Duke's Waikiki recently. Momoa is known to frequent the restaurant often. ... If you like the guys from "Hawaii" instead, they were seen at Hula Grill Waikiki not long ago. ... Or, for those with aspirations to act with "Hawaii" hotties Sharif Atkins, Eric Balfour, Michael Biehn and Ivan Sergei, an open casting call is being held during the Food & New Product show. Bring a current photo and your portfolio to the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall, Hawaii Room, from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14. You could join the long list of localites who have appeared on the series, including Doug Mossman, Kimo Kahoano, Tony Silva, former UH athlete Shawn Felipe and Elissa Dulce. Michael Hargraves of Los Angeles emailed "how good it was to see" Dulce on "Hawaii." Hargraves maintains close ties in Hawaii as he's been writing a biography on Jack Lord. He remembers Dulce from "Hawaii Five-O," "Magnum P.I." and the movie "Goodbye Paradise." ...

With three shows currently on the air, our beautiful state is being advertised constantly. However, before such publicity, Vera Vida, the former travel editor for The Patriot Ledger of Quincy, Mass., was doing her part in sharing Hawaii's aloha in the New England states. Vida, who wrote more than 100 stories about Hawaii, died Sept. 23 at her home in Cohasset, Mass. Per her wishes, her ashes were scattered off Oahu and a friend noted that during the ceremony, a pod of dolphins frolicked nearby in tribute. My condolences to her family. ...

I'll be on vacation by the time this is published but wanted to get the word out about a few upcoming events. Of course food is at the top of my list -- desserts in particular -- and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, a "Chocolate Extravaganza" will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Kailua. For $10, sweets lovers can enjoy cakes, cookies, truffles and a lot more. The event benefits the Honolulu Habitat for Humanity and Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Call 262-4548. ... Wine lovers may like to meet Lorenzo Scarpone and Jim Clendenen at Little Vino's in Restaurant Row. Scarpone, an importer of top Italian wine estates such as Anauldo Caprai, will be on hand tomorrow for a "taste and chat." Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, the first American to hold Wein Gourmet's winemaker of the year award, will be on hand on Oct. 16. ... Hopefully I can begin my Christmas shopping and for those looking for children's gifts, local author Carmen Geshell (Muffin books) and illustrator Jeff Pagay have three new books out: "Mele da Mynah's Noisy 'Ohana," "The Surf Rats of Waikiki Beach" and "Waltah Melon: Local-Kine Hero." You can get them to autograph their books from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Borders Express in Pearlridge. ...