ART SHORTS

Chinatown merchants offer Tuesday deals

The ever-creative Chinatown arts district is presenting one more reason to get out and visit the art galleries and other venues of downtown Honolulu.

It's called “;10% Tuesday,”; and for Tuesdays during March, businesses in the district are offering a 10 percent discount on local art, gift items, home accessories, clothing and food. The intent, of course, is to stimulate the local economy and save jobs.

Participating venues include 808 Real Estate Gallery, the Art Board, the Art Treasures Gallery, Bethel Street Gallery, Chinatown Boardroom, “;InTo,”; Kamalino Designs, Kim Taylor Reece Gallery, Louis Pohl Gallery, Pegge Hopper Gallery, Pacific Traditions Gallery, Roy Venters Studio, Hanks Cafe Honolulu, Indigo Restaurant, J.J. Dolan's Pizza Pub, Little Village Noodle House, Soul de Cuba Cafe, Restaurant Epic and Tea at 1024.

Master of 'kumihimo' will discuss braiding

Makiko Tada, internationally renowned 'kumihimo' artist, will discuss the history and future of the Japanese silk braiding art at the Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild's monthly meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Academy Art Center.

Tada has been designing kumihimo for 40 years; she also has 20 years' experience making Andean braids. She is a professor at the Kyoto Institute of Technology and lectures at Nihon Women's University.

The Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild promotes stitchery and fiber arts.

Printmakers receive awards at exhibition

Awards of Excellence were presented to nine artists or art groups exhibiting in the 81st Exhibition of Honolulu Printmakers show last week during its opening reception.

Recipients included Allyn Bromley, Charles Cohan, Lollie Groth, Erika Johnson, Robert Molyneux, Paul Mullowney, Judith Nelson, Paul Weissman and the AV Club of Honolulu. That group consists of artists Duncan Dempster, Vince Hazen, Mat Kubo Alan Konishi and Michael Sweitzer.

Michael Krueger, an associate art professor at the University of Kansas at Lawrence, served as this year's juror.

The Printmakers also honored “;Living Treasure”; Dodie Warren and 2009 Gift Print Artist Maile Yawata.

Yawata's five-color lithograph “;The Umbrella-snatching Wind”; is based on the artist's memories of childhood trips to Oahu's Pali. The Gift Print is commissioned by the Printmakers each year, with proceeds supporting the organization's programs.

Warren, a longtime instructor at the Academy Art Center, retired this year. She is known for her mastery of the mezzotint technique, and her works are included in collections of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Honolulu Academy of Arts and other corporate and private collections.

GALLERY

Watch Jack Johnson perform in HD

Seeing Jack Johnson in high definition? What could be better?

Johnson's performance at last year's Kokua Festival at the Waikiki Shell was shot in HD, and it will debut today at 3 p.m. on the HDNet channel (Oceanic digital Channel 1355).

The popular singer-songwriter will be shown performing such songs as the steel drum-, slide guitar-driven “;Flake”;; the upbeat blues of “;Sitting, Waiting, Wishing”;; and the clever sing-along “;If I Had Eyes.”;

HDNet is an exclusive, high-definition channel for original programming in news, sports (particularly mixed martial arts), movies and a concert series that includes Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and, now, Johnson.

Call 643-2100 or visit www.hd.net.

RESTAURANT REPORT

Restaurants team up in fight against AIDS

Dine out on Wednesday and part of your tab could go to benefit the Life Foundation and its work fighting AIDS.

Eighteen restaurants have signed on for the sixth annual Oahu Dines event and will donate a portion of their proceeds to the charity.

Boots and Kimo's Homestyle Restaurant, Big City Diner-Ward and Diamond Head Market and Grill have pledged a minimum of $1,500 of their sales.

Donating 20 percent of their proceeds will be 12th Avenue Grill, Baci Bistro, Ben and Jerry's, Cinnamon's Restaurant, Giovanni Pastrami, Hapa Grill, India Cafe, JJ Bistro and French Pastry, Le Guignol Restaurant, Los Chaparros Mexican Restaurant, Tea at 1024, Soul de Cuba Cafe, Spices, the Wedding Cafe and Vino.

The Life Foundation provides free services to more than 600 men, women and children on Oahu and offers free HIV testing and education.

Visit http://www.oahudines.org for updates on participating restaurants and to bid in a benefit auction on dining gift certificates and trips to New York and Las Vegas. Call 521-2437, ext. 250.

Sergio's offers cuisine of Emilia-Romagna

Sergio's Italian Restaurant pays a culinary visit to Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, known for its homemade pasta, prosciutto and Parmesan cheese.

“;Taste of Emilia-Romagna”; runs from tomorrow through next Sunday, featuring such specialties as Cappelletti di Spinaci Homemade (pasta rings filled with organic spinach and ricotta cheese), Strozzapreti con Vongole (pasta tossed with clams, roasted bell peppers, pancetta and white wine) and Contro Filetto di Manzo alla Piacentina (pan-seared strip loin with mustard seeds and brandy cream sauce).

Sergio's chef Alfredo Lee is highlighting different regions of Italy each month.

Sergio's is at 449 Kapahulu Ave. Call 737-4461 or visit the Web site http://www.sergioshonolulu.com.

Outback Steakhouse offers military special

If you're in the military and into steaks, Tuesday's your night at Outback Steakhouse.

All Hawaii locations are offering 10 percent off to active-duty military personnel and their families on Tuesdays through Armed Forces Day (May 16).

Just don't forget the ID.

Outback restaurants are in Hawaii Kai, Waipio, Kapolei and Waikiki on Oahu; Lahaina and Kihei on Maui; and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Visit http://www.outback.com.