Sometimes second
place beats first

The 2002 winner, he "took a two-year hiatus because I learned my lesson two years ago," he said.

This year, "I was shooting for second place because it's a $200 cash award and you don't have to go through the production work."

So much for his dream of not winning.

His $300 first-prize went for the care, feeding and fortification of co-workers and family members who helped with production and the hand-cutting and insertion of four pieces of translucent vellum into the front of each of 1,400 cards.

The Hawaiian snowflake inspiration came to Inovejas when he saw Hawaiian quilt-themed merchandise while shopping at Macy's. He used the designs to symbolize different aspects of the company's work.

The pineapple represents the company's hospitality industry design; the kukui, its health care industry design; and the support staff is represented by ulu, or breadfruit, which symbolizes ohana, he said. Architects Hawaii also specializes in design for government clients, for which Inovejas chose awapuhi, or ginger.

Boston's North End Pizza celebrates its 10th anniversary with the opening of its ninth location -- in Kapolei.

It is to open in the former space of Sarapino's Italian restaurant in the Marketplace at Kapolei, according to Boston's Chief Executive Tom Rossi.

Its operators share almost the same name -- Peter A. Dietrich and his son, Peter J. Dietrich. The former is the general manager at the Waikiki Yacht Club with a 40-year history in Hawaii's food and beverage scene. The elder Dietrich's resume includes time at Nick's Fishmarket, the old Black Orchid as its original general manager, and he ran the first incarnation of the old Maharaja night club. It made $16 million "on booze and cover charge" in its first four years, he said. He's in his third year as GM of the yacht club and will have a back-of-the-house role at the new pizza place.

The younger Dietrich has been at Nieman Marcus' restaurant Mariposa since its opening, said the proud dad.

"We were actually looking to do a bar and grill and lounge," Peter A. said, but the two decided the Boston's concept would be a good business to start off the father-son partnership.

The elder Dietrich and Rossi met not long after Rossi arrived in Hawaii. Dietrich was impressed with Rossi's business and added, "an East Coast boy myself, I related to his pizza."

Sean Santiago will serve as Peter J.'s right-hand-man. He is also a food-and-bev vet from back in the day at Castagnola's Niu Valley, Maharaja and Zanzabar, its replacement.

Boston's at Kapolei throws open its doors in the next week or two, after the arrival of a few last-minute, nuts-and-bolts type items for its ovens and other equipment, said Peter A.

When the restaurant first opens it won't use its cash registers. "We'll be giving away free pizza," Rossi said. "We always do that."