Romeo
meets his matchBARDWALK blues: Waialua High grad Romeo Ibrao, currently on active duty with the U.S. Navy at Barber's Point, was apparently trying to live up to his first name by volunteering for escort duty at the Miss Universe Pageant parade down Kalakaua. After meeting the beauty queen -- oops, I mean "delegate" -- he was to escort, they engaged in a bit of chit-chat and she asked him his name. "Romeo," he replied, and the young lady let out a squeal. "How wonderful," she gushed. "My name is Juliette." Turns out she was Miss Bahamas, Juliette Sargent. Alas, the two-proved to be star-crossed thanks to Romeo's wife, Tanya ... That brings us to the question, could you call Monica Lewinsky and her alleged companion "Starr-crossed." That special prosecutor is one Starr I'd like to see flicker out after eating up some forty million taxpayer dollars with his investigation ...
THE staff of Paul Brown Salon was awfully busy Friday doing hair and makeup for the Miss Universe wannabes in the show of local fashions. That was just fine with current Miss Universe, Brook Lee, a regular at Paul Brown's salon where her long-time stylist, Paul Tamaoka, works ... It's a difficult job, but Ritz-Carlton Kapalua chef Patrick Callarec answered the call and agreed to be the only one of nine Hawaii chefs not from Oahu who'll help prepare the Miss Universe Coronation Reception May 12. The handsome Callarec may be at home in the kitchen, but he has an eye for the ladies wherever he is ...
Flush with victory
OVER a quarter-of-a-million dollars richer and now wearing a customed-designed gold bracelet is localite Jeff Ross. Jeff just returned from Las Vegas where he became the first person from Hawaii to win the World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe. Ross, who admits to playing "kitchen table poker" a couple of times a month with a one- or two-dollar limit, was up against 349 other competitors, many of them pros like runner-up Layne Flack who owns a cardroom and was a former casino manager and poker dealer. The turn-around hand for Ross was a diamond flush, and should he choose, he could be relatively flush in diamonds yet again ...THEN there's the full-page color ad for the grand opening of Caesars Cleaners at Pearlridge on May Day. The ad featured comic Mel Cabang in short pants. Some may find it ironic that Cabang was subsequently indicted on gambling charges. The cleaners, by the way, has no connection with Caesars Palace in Vegas ...
AMONG those taking in Ron Bright's brilliant production of "The King and I" Saturday night at Castle Performing Arts Center were Gov. and Mrs. Ben Cayetano. Once again young Kathleen Stuart was exquisitely good in her swan song before leaving for study at Mountview Conservatory in London, England, but the rest of the cast was also impressive. Particularly Mahi'ai Kekumu as the King, complete with clean-shaven head, Tiana Louis as the first wife and the beautiful Jewl Anguay and sweet-voiced Isaac Calpito as the "Young Lovers." ...
Alfred's is alive and well
WITH the surprise closing of Andrew's Restaurant in Executive Center last week, word of mouth spread and many people got it wrong. Chef Alfred Vollenweider of Alfred's in Century Center, has been fielding calls from regulars asking if it's true his restaurant has closed. Absolutely not, he tells them. Alfred refuses to hang up his ladle, be it good times or bad. While Andrew's is gone, Alfred is alive and, well, still turning out some of the best food in town ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.