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L’Uraku’s wine list
ranks among nation’s
best in class

L'Uraku has one of the "Best Wine Lists in America" in the short-list category, according to Restaurant Hospitality magazine. The mag named three winners in each of three categories. L'Uraku has an uplifting ambiance with suspended colorful umbrellas and intriguing wall frescoes. It is led by longtime G.M. Duane Kawamoto, along with chef Shuji Abe and sous chef Edison Ching. The magazine's international wine list winners are Canlis in Seattle, a spinoff of Canlis in Waikiki, which was one of Hawaii's top restaurants for many years before closing; and Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and Gary Danko in San Fran, both big names ...

get well don: All the best to Don Ho, who was released from the hospital Monday after being hospitalized Friday for shortness of breath. Don, 75, received treatment for an abnormal heart rhythm. Don and I go back almost 60 years to when we were teenagers, competing against each other in high school sports. He was a good athlete. We also worked for a road-paving firm one summer when we were attending UH ...

George Takei from "Star Trek" boldly went where many have gone before and dined at Hilton Hawaiian Village's Bali while here to speak at UH graduation ceremonies. Eddie Kamae was also spotted in the Bali. Melveen Leed stopped by Paradise Lounge, just outside the Bali, two nights in a row last week and sang with Jerry Santos and Olomana ... Association Meetings Magazine has named the Hilton and the Radisson Waikiki Prince Kuhio as two of its 40 Inner Circle Award winners for 2005. They were selected for service, flexible function space, food and beverage quality and good value on room rates ...

Natalie and friends raise $16,000 for Rehab

Natalie Parker, 18, had plenty of family support at Compadres last Wednesday when she and volunteers put on the "Young Artists Helping Young Artists" benefit that raised 16 grand for Rehab Hospital. Attending were her parents Don and Sally Parker, sisters Leslie Goldman, Meghan Buck and Beth Harbottle and aunt Judy Cochran. Leslie, of the Golden Key Opera Company, was emcee and also sang. Rehab Foundation President Ko Miyataki gave volunteers and the Compadres' staff Rehab Cookbooks as a mahalo ...

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