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Dudley was
pre-event pick

For some reason, I just knew Malika Dudley would be crowned Miss Hawaii 2005 on Friday night.

Maybe it was the way Miss Kahala handled herself during the pageant, which was broadcast live on KFVE. Or maybe it was the fact that she also won some of the most important awards of the night, including those for both the swimsuit and talent portions of the competition (she also received the academic scholarship award).

Congrats also to Miss West Oahu Angela Everhart, who took first runner-up, followed by Nicole Cabral, Kamakoa Page and Lilinoe Grace. I was a little surprised, however, that Mapuana Makia and Merlinda Garma didn't fare better in the final standings ...

FRIDAY ALSO brought the "official" grand opening of Maharaja Ultra Lounge in Waikiki.

Owner Peter Maharaj was about a month off from the original date he told me things would be ready to go, but maybe he was waiting for Artist Groove Network's Roni Yurong to make the break from The O Lounge. Yurong oversaw nightly operations at the Kapiolani nightspot for a while, but recently parted ways and resurfaced with his AGN brethren to promote Friday nights at Maharaja.

Unfortunately, there haven't been enough changes made to shake the prom night déjà vu I get when walking into the lounge. The ballroom-style light fixtures and carpeting have got to go, if you ask me.

The only upgrade I noticed since my last visit in April was the addition of a few fabric canopies near the windows, which creates a feeling of exclusivity for those inside and effectively block the view of passerby through the large windows fronting Kalakaua Avenue. It was also nice to see DJs Sonik and Ryan Sean on the decks ...

SATURDAY'S highlight had to be the Makaha Sons' third annual "Take a Walk in the Country" at the Waikiki Shell.

I was lucky enough to grab an open chair behind Sam Choy and Kamehameha Garment Company's Fred Walker, and got a great view of the performers. Besides the Sons, my favorite set had to be Kalaeloa with Troy Fernandez.

VIP guests had it good at the show, dining on a catered meal of shrimp cocktail, chicken and fruit skewers, quesadillas and sashimi. They also received a gift bag with Makaha Sons-branded body lotion, a limited edition poker chip, a bottle of Aloha teriyaki glaze and a box of Big Island Candies shortbread cookies ...