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Girls Day Pre-Festival Bash
is scheduled tomorrow at UH

The local version of the global grassroots arts festival Ladyfest kicks off with a special Girls Day Pre-Festival Bash 6 to 9:30 p.m. tomorrow, featuring the San Francisco band Deerhoof (with singer-bassist Satomi Matsuzaki pictured), the duo Tiny Believers, Linus and Dead Monkeys.

It'll be held at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. Admission, $10. See more about the festival in our upcoming Weekend section.

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Brewing up a festival

The Kona Brewers Festival will bring 34 craft breweries together, pouring 70 types of beer, March 12 at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel.

All eight of Hawaii's craft breweries will participate in the 10th annual celebration, themed "Brews for the Big Rock." Each brewery will sample two types of beer, from sweet and fruity, to bitter and hoppy, to dark and roasty. Chefs from more than 25 restaurants will provide cushioning for all those suds.

The festival benefits environmental, educational and cultural organizations on the Kona coast, raising nearly $150,000 over the past nine years.

The event runs from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets, only available in advance, are $40 and include a commemorative glass, eight tasting coupons, unlimited food sampling and entertainment.

Tickets are available on Oahu at Koko Marina Pub, Hawaiian Style Homebrew and the Liquor Collection. Call 808-331-3033 or visit the Web site, www.konabrewersfestival.com, for neighbor island ticket locations.

Maui's best

Maui No Ka 'Oi magazine will host its second annual restaurant awards, 5:30 p.m. March 18, at the Maui Culinary Academy's new Pa'ina building on the Maui Community College campus.

The 'Aipono Awards Gala will recognize winning restaurants in 30 dining categories, voted on by magazine readers.

The event is a benefit for the culinary academy; $10,000 was raised last year.

Chefs from three of last year's winning restaurants will be working with culinary students to prepare dinner -- Antony Scholtmeyer of the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Perry Bateman of Mama's Fish House and Lyndon Honda of Old Lahaina Luau. All courses will be paired with wine.

Tickets are $125. Call 808-242-8331 or e-mail info@mauimagazine.net

Healthy cooking

The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific has expanded its offering of healthy cooking classes, with sessions running twice monthly through June.

The classes cover dietary restrictions, shopping tips and recipes. The dieticians prepare dishes that are shared with the class. Participants may bring favorite recipes for review.

"Leaner Cuisine," covering low-fat/low-cholesterol cooking, will run March 22, April 26, May 24 and June 21, taught by dietician Nancy Chang.

"Low Sodium Cooking with Flair" classes are March 16, April 20, May 18 and June 22, taught by dietician Moana Bachiller.

Classes run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Frear Cafeteria at the hospital, 226 N. Kuakini St. Cost is $30 per session. Registration is required. Call 566-3780.

Calendar guys

Michelob's "Kitchen Gods" calendar features Hawaii chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi and protege John Sikhattana are featured in a 2005 calendar, "The Kitchen Gods: Celebrating Asian America's Best Chefs."

Produced by Michelob, the calendar includes recipes for Asian-style dishes made with beer. Yamaguchi's recipe is for grilled octopus marinated in Michelob Ultra and served over a salad of seaweed, Maui onions and asparagus.

The chefs featured are members of the Asian Chefs Association, and include Ming Tsai and Martin Yan.

The calendars were published for distribution at the association's community events and to help promote the group's aim of increasing awareness of Asian cuisine.

Yamaguchi is owner of the Roy's international chain of restaurants. Sikhattana started as a dishwasher at Roy's Hawaii Kai and is now executive chef at the San Francisco restaurant.

The 13-month calendar may be downloaded at www.asianbud.com/mich_cal2005.pdf.

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