What the Heck?

Coming Distractions? Outside of the Case-Akaka battle and the subsequent tizzy to fill Case’s seat, it’s been a dull election so far.
Mike McCartney, new head of the Democratic Party, when asked whether the Dems have some surprise candidates up their sleeves, said, „If we do, I’ll be surprised just like everyone else. People think we have a back room where we make decisions, but, honestly, the guys in the back room are wondering, too.“

We’ll know soon enough. Final filing deadline is July 25.

Not In My Car: If you were ever going to fall ill at a social event, your best bet would have been the Honolulu Magazine party last Thursday. All the guests were M.D.s on the magazine’s „Best Doctors 2006“ list.

Hundreds of top docs showed up at the Honolulu Mercedes-Benz showroom, for wine, martinis and food from Hoku’s, Chai’s and the Bistro.

Among the door prizes was a year’s lease of a bright red Mercedes C230 sports coupe. The winner, perinatologist Dr. Keith Ogasawara, immediately gave the keys to wife Jan.

The Ogasawaras have two sons, ages 5 and 8. „I think Keith better take the boys to school from now on,“ laughed Jan. „I’m not sure they’re allowed in my car.“

From the Ashes: The fire at UH Lab School last month had a strong emotional effect on its small community of alumni.

„I cried,“ said Celia Khim, class of ’86. „It was like having your grandmother’s house burn down.“

For weeks, her classmate, attorney Elizabeth Lee, stopped by the site every day. „It was like I could hear the orchestra playing, the choir practicing. I could even smell the sweat in the weight room. All gone.“

Khim and Lee want eventually to raise $100,000 to replace the musical instruments and other equipment lost in the fire. For starters, they’ve put together a benefit matinee of the Kumu Kahua play, „Tea,“ next Sunday.

„We’re hoping fellow alumni will come. There’ll be a reception after,“ says Lee. The $50 tickets, of which about half remain, are available at Khim’s downtown store, Gift & Gourmet, 212 Merchant St.

Hungry for Business: Last Wednesday and Thursday, the Blaisdell hosted the Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality and Foodservice Expo. Those industries are huge in Hawaii and include people from hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, lunch wagons, military bases, even hospitals and prisons, which are, in their own way, lodging and food service facilities.

Nearly 7,000 people showed up, 10,000 if you include those working the 576 booths.

The event’s not open to the public — for a reason. Although vendors range from software companies to drapery suppliers, what gets everyone’s attention is the food. You could sample everything from hot dogs to beef tenderloin, hush puppies to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Girls in red bikini tops passed out samples of Budweiser. Some 30 other booths dispensed wine, beer, sake, liquors.

David Nip of JMD Beverages poured a first-rate Babcock chardonnay. „I love being here,“ he says. „You see old friends. You meet people from the neighbor islands, the military, even the schools. Everybody in the industry shows up. Partly because, for two days, this is the best place in Hawaii to eat and drink.“

For What It’s Worth: Do you have grandfather’s old aloha shirts hanging in a spare closet? A pair of Duke Kahanamoku aloha print tennis shoes? Something equally rare and nostalgic? David Bailey of Bailey’s Antiques & Aloha Shirts will do free appraisals from 2 to 3 p.m. next Saturday and Sunday at the Hawaii All-Collectors Show. „I’ve seen people sell something for $35 they could get $300 for,“ says Bailey. „They should know what it’s worth.“

The show features everything from contemporary kitsch to Hawaiian artifacts. By far, the oldest things for sale will be Keith Krueger’s coprolites. A coprolite is, not to mince words, petrified prehistoric poop. „People ask me which animal they came from,“ says Krueger. „I tell them we don’t know, but we know which end.“

It Also Makes Whoever You’re Drinking With Look Better: On July 27, the Joy of Sake, Hawaii’s premiere sake event, will draw nearly 800 people to the Convention Center. There may be a bigger crowd if word gets out that sake makes you look younger. Scientific studies in Japan show that drinking sake improves the hydration of your skin. Sake-based cosmetics are on the way.

„I believe it,“ says Honolulu sake guru Chris Pearce. „You meet some of the gnarliest old sake masters in Japan and they’ve all got soft hands and great skin.“

Disappearing Act: This weekend and next Tom Moffatt is presenting master magician Franz Harary at the Hawaii Theatre. On his last visit to Honolulu in ’97, Harary made then Mayor Jeremy Harris disappear. Unfortunately for Honolulu’s sewer system, he brought him right back again.

Source: starbulletin.com