Birthday Party at the Fishpond

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Christopher Wong and wife Connie Wong, left, flew home from Los Angeles to join his grandmother Carol Yap as she celebrated her 87th birthday with an intimate family-style luau for a hundred or so friends and relatives at the Kahalu'u Fishpond on May 12. Danny Kaleikini emceed the party, with additional entertainment provided by vocalists Jimmy Borges and Max Sword, guest musicians Rene Paulo and Rene Paulo Jr., standup comic Ronald "CJ" Moon and dancers Aileen Lota, Donna Kim, Liz Ho and Kanoe Cazimero. The poster-size photo shows Carol and her husband, the late Dr. Raymond Yap. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Carole Kai got a Hawaiian-style greeting from Danny Kaleikini when she arrived at the fishpond. Lucky guests were treated to an informal version of the old-time Danny Kaleikini luau show as he supervised the job of bringing the kalua pig and turkey from the imu and then sang "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing," chanted and sat in on drums. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Sanj Sappal, left, and his wife, Dianna Sappal, chatted with Greg Kaneaiakala, Kanoe Cazimero and Imaikalani Young. Keyboardist Kaneaiakala and bassist Young provided most of the party music and did a thoroughly professional job backing the guests who were called up to perform. Not to jinx it, but Young mentioned that he has had a gig at the same Waikiki bar (now Coconut Willie's) for 30 years "through three owners and five sets of musicians." CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Rene Paulo and Rene Paulo Jr. took a well-deserved break as the party was winding down. It is always a great party when Rene Paulo sits in on keyboards, and Rene Jr.'s superb Hawaiian luau buffet provided generous helpings so that even the largest local-style appetites were satisfied. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Jimmy Borges caught up with Linda Wong, second from left, and the organizer and hostess of her mother's birthday party, Sharon Weiner and Tracy Wong. Borges said that after years of using hairspray and styling gel to create his trademark 'do, he'd decided to "go natural." His wife, Vicki Borges, confided later that she likes the change: "Now I can touch it." CLICK FOR LARGE