B-days holidays
in this familyIT stood to reason that Benjamin James Makena Rivera-Concannon was born on All Saints Day. Mother Cathy figured it would be then or on Halloween. You see, holidays are when babies are born in her family. Her only sister, Donna, was born on July 4; a brother-in-law, Edwin, was born on Christmas Eve; two nieces, Jasmine and Crystal, were born on Admission Day and Flag Day; and a nephew, Jeremy, was born on Veterans Day. Jim Concannon is the proud daddy, whose datebook has two listings on many holidays ...
IT'S hard to say whether Hanalei E. Williams was more surprised or thrilled to see his Hanalei Salon Boutique selected as one of the best in the country in the October issue of Allure magazine. It's one of those rare times when Kakaako goes national ... Kakaako's Side Street Inn is also getting attention, at least locally, thanks in part to chef Alan Wong. It was Wong's restaurant pick on Emme Tomimbang's "Local Grinds on the Town" TV show with famous isle chefs. It's also where Emme reunited with the same chefs, Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Jean-Marie Josselin, Russell Siu and sommelier Chuck Furuya for her birthday last week. And also where Wong celebrated his own birthday Monday night ... With the Ihilani Resort's first Oktoberfest under his belt, resort G.M. Mike Kueffer is off to Chicago to accept the Five Diamond Award, presented by Triple A ...
Wine enthusiast feted
OENOPHILE Dr. Gene Doo was invested as Mr. Gourmet 1998 by the Society of Bacchus of America last week. The honor was celebrated by three incredible dinners attended by some 80 wine lovers from around the world, including Margrit & Robert Mondavi, Remy Krug of Krug Champagne, who flew in from France, and Dennis Foley of San Francisco, who auctions off wines for Christie's. To say Doo is a frequent buyer is an understatement. The first dinner was at Alan Wong's Restaurant and wine lovers will read with envy what was served: Corton Charlemagne white burgundy from 1993, '92, '91, '90 and '86. Red wine was Petrus 1975 and 1959 and dessert wines were 1959 Steinberger BA and Trochenbeerenauslese (TBA) with a 1795 Madeira ending the evening ...THE next two dinners were equally impressive, one at the First Hawaiian Bankers Club and the third a black-tie affair at the Halekulani Ballroom where 1959 Latour, Mouton and Lafite was followed by 1959 Chateau D'Yquem and Quinta Noval National 1931 and Regular 1931. The cost of the wines alone would equal the GNP of some third world nations ...
TOMORROW night the Girl Scouts will be honoring "Good Sports," namely LPGA great Jackie Pung, Olympic swimming Gold Medalist Pokey Watson Richardson, volleyball Olympian Bobbie Perry and, posthumously, surfing great Rell Sunn. The event is being held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom, and on hand to make the presentation will be LPGA pro and former Wahine golfer Cindy Flom ...
Not such good sports
CERTAINLY there's no more discrimination at the Pacific Club -- or is there? Anita Liptak and Carole Gibbs-Fisher have to be wondering. After the two won the 1997 Pacific Club annual cribbage tournament, the response was something less than enthusiastic. This year the tournament announcement reads, "Two Man Teams, Members Only." The two women signed up to defend their title, but their names were crossed off the sign-up sheet. They promptly signed up again, figuring it ain't over 'til it's over ...
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.