What the Heck? John Heckathorn

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New building on Kapiolani will turn heads

Behind the Construction Fence: Not everyone realizes that the construction site on Kapiolani between Pico and Pensacola is actually two different projects. One is yet another luxury condo, the twin-towered Moana Pacific.

The other, smaller project is likely to become one of Honolulu's signature buildings. It's the three-story Honolulu Design Center, a furniture and lighting store. When it's done, you'll notice it.

It's built in two opposed curves, and the ends lean out a little, like breaking waves. If that's not enough, it's faced in metallic burnt orange steel panels.

"We wanted a building you would actually feel when you drove past, even at 35 mph," says architect Matt Gilbertson. "It may cause some controversy -- which is always a sign you've done something interesting."

I took a recent hard-hat tour. The Design Center interior has some surprising public amenities, including a large semicircular space, two stories high, with a retractable skylight, for gatherings and cultural events. Eighty beanbag chairs will hang from the ceiling to be lowered for an audience. Plus there's a coffee bar, wine bar, martini bar, some open lanais and a major restaurant.

The Design Center is on a fast track to be finished by early next year. Why so quickly? Because Moana Pacific opens soon thereafter. Says Peter Skaaning, who will head up the new center, "Who wouldn't want to have a furniture store next to a project with 800 high-end condos, all of them empty and in need of furniture?"

Coming Attractions: The CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani has already exported one star chef to Honolulu -- Alan Wong, who cooked there from 1989-95.

It may be sending us a second. Chef de cuisine Jon Matsubara has left CanoeHouse for the planned restaurant, as yet unnamed, at the Honolulu Design Center.

Matsubara dropped out of law school, worked at Roy's and Alan Wong's. Moving to New York, he attended the French Culinary Institute and honed his skills at some top eateries -- Bouley, Tabla and Restaurant Jean Georges.

"In this new restaurant, we're going to push the envelope a little," says Matsubara, "both in décor and on the menu."

Virtual Reality: Should you find yourself in Anchorage, Alaska, listening to smooth jazz station 105.7 FM, you may recognize the disc jockey. It's Honolulu radio personality Mahlon Moore. No, Moore hasn't moved to Alaska.

Through the magic of the Internet, Moore does Anchorage radio from his bedroom in Palolo. If someone in Anchorage calls the radio studio, the call's forwarded to Moore. "For them, it's as if I'm there," he says.

Moore -- who still voices commercials for KGMB and reports on traffic for local radio stations -- prepares for his daily Alaskan show by reading the Anchorage papers and surveying the city through Web cams. He even does Anchorage weather reports, often reporting temperatures in the teens and snow flurries, while wearing shorts and slippers.

Forbidden Video: An audience member bootlegged video during last weekend's Gridiron Show and posted it on YouTube. If you missed the show, make sure to search out Dan Cooke's portrayal of Linda Lingle. Cooke danced onto the stage wearing a wig and Lingle-style pantsuit, only to have the suit whisked away by his back-up singers, leaving him cavorting in a red-white-and-blue leotard.

Sitting in the Friday night audience, Gov. Lingle buried her face in her hands. But she was laughing. After the show, she posed for pictures with the cast, including Cooke, who had by that point mercifully resumed his normal attire.

Fashion Forward: Honolulu's fashionistas are gearing up for next Sunday's World Festival at Ala Moana Center. Surrounding that event are numerous private parties, and the most sought-after invite is for Fendi's in-store gala. Last year, Fendi's Patrick Gey covered the entire floor of his store with real grass to have a garden party. This year, he's being tight-lipped about his extravaganza, called "La Foto de Moda."

Japan's most photographed model, Shiho, flies in for the festival. She won't be inconspicuous. She'll be riding around town this week in a stretch limo with a Fendi logo and interior draped with furs.

Film Buffs: Stephen Jarchow, chief executive officer of Regent Entertainment, threw a party at the Kahala Resort last Tuesday. Regent, which produces 50 films a year, aimed mainly at television, was courting another round of Hawaii investors, having raised several million here over the last couple of years.

"Act 221 makes film investments attractive for Hawaii residents," says Jarchow, noting that setting up 221 deals can be complex, unless you are a CPA and a lawyer. Fortunately, he's both.

Regent has shot one feature, "Tides of War," in Hawaii. And also filmed six episodes of "Dante's Cove," a sex-and-supernatural miniseries that's shown on Regents' gay-oriented Help! TV digital channel. Whatever your orientation, you have to smile at the thought of a TV show whose tagline is: "Possessed And Undressed."

Henry's Story: In 1936, when he was 10 years old, Henry Nalaielua was diagnosed with Hansen's disease, then called leprosy. He was ripped away from his family by the state Health Department and sent eventually to Kalaupapa. He lives there still, one of fewer than 100 remaining residents.

His memoir, "No Footprints on the Sand," comes out this week. It's a firsthand account of what it meant to be exiled to Kalaupapa, told with grace and good humor. You can meet Nalaielua at a book launch party this Thursday, 6 p.m., at Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii, Ward Warehouse.

"I nevah thought guys like me wrote books," says Nalaielua. "Seems like it took 80 years to write it." Actually only six years, with the volunteer help of writer Sally-Jo Bowman. But it took 80 years to live it.