By Dave Donnelly
Friday, December 27, 1996Dave Donnelly is on vacation.
His column returns next year.
Gov. Ben Cayetano, Roy Yamaguchi
Gov. Ben Cayetano, Roy Yamaguchi
THERE are various ways of trimming off some of the excess weight we all tend to put on around the holidays, and Gov. Ben Cayetano and some others have agreed to go on the "Waianae Diet." Dr. Terry Shintani will be monitoring the diet and the governor, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and several cabinet members will all sit down at the Mabel Smyth Auditorium for 21 straight nights for a feed designed to make them both lighter and healthier. The diet consists of traditional Hawaiian foods and is heavy on vegetables and fruits that should go over well with Lt. Gov. Hirono, who's a vegetarian already. Joining the group for the diet will be OHA's Clayton Hee and Bishop Estate trustee Lokelani Lindsey for whom a Hawaiian diet would seem to be a natural. And while Gov. Cayetano is opening Washington Place Jan. 17 for a reception celebrating the third season premiere of chef Roy Yamaguchi's "Hawaii Cooks" program on KHET, he'll be forced to steel himself from sampling any of Roy's culinary goodies ... Gov. & Co.
going on Hawaiian DietIN his morning wrap-up of the California Bears' defeat at the hands of Navy in the Aloha Bowl, KHNL's Russell Yamanaha said the game "looked to be a shutout" when he surely meant "shootout." I walked into the stadium just as Charo was beginning to implore the crowd to join her in the "Macarena," and very nearly walked right back out again. And this seems a good time to mention that when George Groves auctioned off a "Tickle Me Elmo" doll on KGMB's "AM Hawaii" show, it went for a reported $1,000. The "Macarena" and "Tickle Me Elmo" doll are two prime examples of what Sports Illustrated calls "proof the apocalypse is upon us." Let's hope this is the final mention of these not only in 1996, but forever ...
WHILE Lea Uehara of Tropical Music lost the Hoopii Brothers to another label, she still demonstrated the aloha (and Christmas) spirit when they came out with a new release called "Ho'omau" just before the holidays. She'd been planning to release an anthology of 17 songs by Rick and Sol made for her label, but delayed the release so they wouldn't be competing with themselves. Her collection of their Poki releases between 1975 and 1990, "Na Mele Henoheno" ("Cherished Songs"), is now available in record stores and demonstrates the artistry that enabled them to be recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship award, the nation's highest recognition for performers of traditional and folk arts ... Santa (noncompete) Clause
ONE sharp-eyed reader noted a headline over a volleyball story in the morning paper's sports section. It quoted a person: "You can never underestimate Hawaii fans." Now the reader wonders if the person meant you "should never underestimate" them or you "can never overestimate" them. 'Tis a puzzlement. ...
DIVERSION magazine, an upscale, slick magazine "For Physicians at Leisure," celebrated its 20th anniversary a couple of months back by doing a special report on "America's Classic Resorts." In the December issue they've published a follow-up of America's "new classics" (less than 15 years old), which are not only living up to the lofty standards of their older cousins, but "in some cases raising the bar even higher." The first two that Diversion lists are in Hawaii: The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows and the Lodge at Koele on Lanai. An honorable mention goes to the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea ...
I'M TAKING the rest of the year off - it feels good to say that, even if it's only a few days - but not without wishing one and all a happy 1997. As I move into my 29th year of writing this column, this has been a tough year. For many friends both here and in San Francisco, where I visit often, it was their final year. The most recent to go were real estate man Walter Clark (services tomorrow morning at Hawaiian Memorial Park) and Warren "Waldo" Johnston, with services after the holidays. So, here are hopes of keeping that list short in '97, with wishes of health and happiness for all ... That’s a wrap
