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Tony Ruivivar back in
action after kidney
stone problem

After arriving home from work Wednesday, I had a message from Society of Seven leader Tony Ruivivar on my voicemail. Nice guy Tony called to bring me up to date on the SOS and to thank me for the coverage I gave the band for its recent four sold-out concerts at the Hawaii Theatre. He said he would have called earlier but had a kidney stone operation. Now he's back in action. The hot show band is performing in the Seattle area at an Indian casino. The SOS, formerly known as the Fabulous Echoes, has entertained Hawaii audiences for more than 35 years and is still going strong. The home base for the SOS is in Las Vegas ...

Fred Livingston's Trattoria Restaurant will close Wednesday after 35 years. The Italian eatery has to make way for the big Lewers Street rebuilding project. A huge auction will be held next Saturday at McClain's to sell the furniture, artwork and restaurant equipment from the Trattoria and the many other eateries on Lewers ...

'Cats' opens with benefit; MVT extends 'Cabaret'

Opening night of "Cats" April 12 at Blaisdell Concert Hall will be a benefit for Ronald McDonald House. The $100 benefit ticket includes VIP seating, a pre-show reception with food and beverage and a chance to meet the show's cast members. Call 973-5683 for tickets to the traveling production that runs through April 17... Manoa Valley Theatre's "Cabaret" is packing 'em in and has been extended through April 17 ... Japan's Agnes Kimura, a slack-key guitarist and ukulele player, performs at Neptune's Garden in the Pacific Beach Hotel April 2 from 6:60 to 8:30 p.m. Agnes has performed in two Gabby Pahinui Slack-Key Guitar Festivals ...

Paul Chang has taken over as restaurant manager of the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Rainbow Lanai, overseeing the operations of the all-day eatery on the ground level of Rainbow Tower. Chang is a classically trained musician. His main instrument is the trombone and he is certified to teach all instruments. He also speaks Mandarin Chinese and Japanese. Andrew Yagami is the new chef at the Hilton's Village Steak & Seafood Restaurant. Yagami comes to the Hilton from the Beverly Hills Hotel where he was a sous chef ...

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