Month: October 2024

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MAKING YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS

‘Tis the season for making yuletide cards.

OK, Christmas still is several weeks away, but I spent a few hours in October to create a couple of different holiday cards I use for  Christmas note-writing and /or inclusion with a gift.

Start early, avoid the rush,

It’s a merry time to get immersed in the holiday spirit. This is in addition to my annual pin-making and simultaneous project of creating tabletop Christmas décor, which works, too, as a holiday-type desk decoration.

One card design, conceived perhaps three decades ago, still is one of my favorites. The look of this card never goes out of style, so yes, it’s a classic.

The concept has been to form a Christmas tree, utilizing holiday wrapping paper with bright island images – of flowers, Santas, snowflakes, ukulele, lei and more – rescued from Christmas wrapping paper. I hand-cut cut three segments for a small top, a graduating middle size and a larger bottom. When put together, you get a representation of a tree.  Top it with a sticker of a star and include old wallpaper for a simple base.

For a bit of a twinkle, I use a string of holiday ties to ensure brightness separating the tree segments, to simulate trim on the tree. If you prefer, you can utilize springs of a tree instead of a bright trim, for an island mood. These greens are available on a spool at craft stores.

My two other designs are simple, if you can locate the right elements. I bought a box of commercial blank notecards with suitable designs and hues.

For one card, I discovered an artsy ribbon, on a spool, with repeating HO-HO-HO. Three hos are rather large to utilize side-by-side, so I cut two and then one, and arranged on a note card, accentuated by a Christmas tree sticker.

The other cards fit my needs; one had a series of triangular image that looked like trees; the other featured a series of triangular shapes. In the middle of  the tree-looking card, I used two stickers of mini-Christmas trees, with a small square wedge of ribbon and attached on it a silver sticker of a snowflake.

 Voila, a professional looking card. On the other card, I simply used three stickers of three trees, with a cut-out of a perfect slogan, “Merry & Bright,” found on a blue ribbon on a spool, so I have lot more of this wording for next year.

There are no rules in creating your own design, even if you cut out images of last year’s Christmas card. Your imagination has no boundaries.

Give it a try…

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CAROLE KAI 80TH BIRTHDAY BASH

Carole Kai turns 80 on Monday (Oct. 28), but family and friends will celebrate her birthday this Saturday (Oct. 26) at Oahu Country Club.

Kal, born Carole Shimizu and now Mrs. Eddie Onouye, is one of Honolulu’s most active philanthropist and charity enthusiast, with a remarkable list of performing and producing credits.

Carole Kai

Let me count some of the ways: singer-pianist, piano bar;  Carole Kai Bed Race, in Waikiki; Great Aloha Run, from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium,  the Local Divas with Melveen Leed, Loyal Garner and Nohelani Cypriano;  co-host of “Hawaii Stars,” with Kimo Kahoano, on local TV.

She’s an entertainer in spirit, who certainly does a lot of charity work, which is her top mission in life.  Hauoli la hanau, Carole…

DHT sets cast for ‘White Christmas’

Diamond Head Theatre has announced its cast for the holiday musical, “White Christmas,” which opens Nov. 22 and runs through Dec. 15.

The stage production is based on a 1954 Paramount film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, featuring music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The stage version features a book by David Ives and Paul Blake, and capitalizes on the classic Berlin tunes, including the iconic title song, plus hits such as “Blue Skies,” “I Love a Piano,” and “How Deep Is the Ocean.”

The plot involves war veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis,  who have a popular song-and-dance act following World War II. With love in their mind, the pair follow two singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at Vermont Lodge, owned by the soldiers’ former army commander.

DHT’s cast features Adam Allison as Bob Wallace, David Sheftell as Phil Davis, Lainey Hicks as Betty Haynes, Alexandria Zinov as Judy Haynes, Joe Martyak as General Wavery, Mary Chesnut Hicks as Martha Watson, Charlotte Miyahara/Anna Johnson as Susan Waverly,  Ralph Sheldrake as Mo Radke, Chandler Converse as Rita/Betty understudy, Amanda Ross as Rhoda,  Fedrico Biven as Ezekiel Foster, and Ken Roberts as Mike/Jimmy.

Quintet players are Samantha Allen, Sofia Garcia, Camille Michel, Reilly Choo, and Shane Nishimura.

The ensemble includes Samantha Allen, Kirra Baughn, Victoria Chang, Celia Chun, Reilly Choo, Chandler Converse, Sofia Garcia, Amanda Giang, Grace Gilbertson, Eriq James, Tyson Jao, Caris Leong, Brittany Lewis, Pono Lundell, Tai Malalis, Camille Michel, Shane Nishimura, Ken Roberts, Amanda Ross, and Brandon Yim.

Other credits: Marisa Capalbo is a swing actor, 
Celia Chun is assistant to the choreographer, and
Victoria Chang is assistant to the tap choreographer. 

John Rampage is director and co-choreographer with Caryn Yee, and Phil Hidalgo is musical director.

Playdates are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and also on select Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 3 p.m. select Saturdays and at 4 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets are $41 to $68, available at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 773-0274…

HJQ in last gig at Honolulu Beerworks

John Kolivas

John Kolivias’ Honolulu Jazz Quartet will be giving its final performance at Honolulu Beerworks from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday (Oct. 28).

The venue, at 328 Cooke St., is shutting down soon and is seeking a new location.

HJQ normally features Kolivas on bass, Tim Tsukiyama on saxophones, Dan Del Negro on piano and Noel Okimoto on drums.

However, guest musicians will perform Monday, including Jimmy Funai on guitar, Corey Funai on harmonica and vocals, Stacy Tanongan on drums and Kainalu Kolivis, John’s son, on vocals…

Broadway grosses for week ending Oct. 20

The reigning top three on the chart of Broadway shows –“Wicked,” “The Lion King,” and “Hamilton” — still are leaders of the pack, but “Hell’s Kitchen” is perched at fourth place, the highest it’s been since it opened.

The Top 10:

1—”Wicked,” $2.231 million

2—”The Lion King,”$2.006 million

3—”Hamilton,”$1.868 million

4—”Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.554 million

5—”MJ The Musical,” $1.471 million

6–“The Outsiders,” $1.468 milion

7—” McNeal,” $1.347 million

8—”The Great Gatsby,” $1.266 million

9—”Aladdin,” $1.233 million

10—”Sunset Blvd.,” $1.211 million

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League: :

And that’s Show Biz…

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MVT SETS IN-THE-ROUND ‘ISLAND’

Manoa Valley Theatre has announced the cast for its second production of the 2024-25 season, “Once On This Island,” opening Nov. 14.

Single ticket sales have begun, and those holding season seats may want to check where their seats are located, since the production will be staged in-the-round, so the usual arrangement of seats have been reimagined.

Rehearsals also are under way.

The show features a book by Lynn Ahrens, who also is the lyricist, and Stephen Flaherty is the composer.

The story, magical and mystical, is set on a Caribbean island, where a little girl is rescued from a disastrous storm by four gods, Asaka, Mother of the Earth; Agwé, the god of water; Erzulie, the goddess of Love, and Papa Ge, the Demon of Death.

The tone is mythical, the execution bountiful with breathtaking themes of opposites, like joy and sorrow and pain and hope, amid exotic and exciting tempos fueling infectious dancing.

MVT’s “Once OnThis Island” cast members pose for a picture.

The cast features Lelea‘e “Buffy” Kahalepuna-Wong as Asaka, Jarren Amian as Agwé, Jorin Young as  Erzulie, Kimo Kaona as Papa Ge, La Masae Faamausili-Siliato as Mama Euralie,  Keanu Roe as Tonton Julian, Alexis Bugarin as Ti Moune, Darian Aquino as Daniel Beauxhomme, Nicole Villejo as Andria Deveraux, and Jared Duldulao as Armand Beauxhomme.

Ensemble members are Pono Cummings, Landon Ballesteros, Marnita Nychelle Billups,  Caitlin Bright, Drew Bright, Journey Glasgow, Alexandria Holloway and Presley A. Wheeler.

Ahnya Chang is director and choreographer and Jenny Shiroma is musical director.

The production will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays,  and 3 p.m. Sundays (plus a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday Nov. 23), through Dec. 8. Tickets are $25 through $48, available at the box office at (808) 988-6131,  at www.manoavalleytheatre.com and at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35307/production/1195089 …

Broadway grosses, for week ending Oct. 13

Only two shows, “Wicked” and “The Lion King,” are in the lofty $2 million club, meaning their box office grosses top $2 million,

The Top 10:

1—”Wicked,“ $2.486 million

2—”The Lion King,” $2.198 milllion

3—” Hamilton,” $1.965 million

4—” Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1.642 million

5—” The Outsiders,” $1.502 million

6—” MJ The Musical,” $1.472 million

7—” Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.427 million

8—” Aladdin, “ $1.353 million

9—”Sunset Boulevard,” $1.291 million

10– “The Great Gatsby,” $1.271 million

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…

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A RASCAL AND A DOLLY REVIVE ‘MY HAWAII’ HIT FOR MAUI FIRE FUNDRAISER

Felix Cavaliere, a member of The Rascals and co-writer of the group’s popular “My Hawaii”  hit from the past, has re-recorded the tune with Dolly Parton.

The song, co-composed by the group’s lead singer Eddie Brigati, was a staple in the bands for years, and apparently was written  and recorded by The Rascals, formerly The Young Rascals,  following concerts in the islands.

Felix Cavaliere

The revival soon will be available for downloading and streaming as a benefit for the Maui United Way’s Maui Fire Disaster Relief Fund. I have heard the 2024 version sung and it is a splendid fundraiser for the 2023 wildfire tragedy that erased the Lahaina waterfront businesses and left hundreds homeless and more than 100 killed.

Cavaliere solicited  the kokua of Parton on vocals, to join the effort to provide financial assistance to the Maui community members whose businesses and residences, including the thriving Lahaina waterfront, were devastated in the wildfire.

Dolly Parton

Both Cavaliere and The Rascals, and country singer and iconic entertainer Dolly Parton, have had ties with the islands, and singing “My Hawaii,” with lyrics that mention Maui, was a natural means of creating a meaningful homage to the Valley Island.

“The song ‘My Hawaii’ is a token of love and gratitude to the people of Hawaii, especially Maui,” said Cavaliere.

The Rascals visited Hawaii for the first time in August of 1966 to perform at “The First Teen Fair”, a five-day event held from Aug. 24 to 28  at the Hawaii International Center (HIC)  Exhibition Hall, where admission was $1.  Because of terrific fan response, promoter Tom Moffatt rebooked The Rascals for five more sell-out gigs at the HIC Arena (now the Neal Blaisdell Center) between 1967 and 1969.

The Rascals, back in the day, from left: Gene Cornish, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli and Felix Cavaliere.

In August of 1967, following an arena show, Moffatt staged  a Neighbor Island tour, enchanting fans on Maui, Kauai and The Big Island.

Legend has it that Cavaliere and Brigati penned “My Hawaii” after a performance on Aug.10, 1967, at the Maui War Memorial Auditorium.

“My Hawaii,” introduced on The Rascals’ 1968 album, “Once Upon a Dream,” never was a single release, but it found an audience, particularly in the islands.

A Hawaii group, The Krush, adopted “My Hawaii” for its island shows, including the Main Showroom of the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel.

In recent years, Cavalier, minus The Rascals, performed at the Blue Note Hawaii club, which previously was the Main Showroom, at the Outrigger Waikiki resort.

It’s uncertain how Cavaliere was able to access the services of Parton to make “My Hawaii” a two-voice special. 

Parton had both musical and business ties to Hawaii. She concertized at Conroy Bowl at Schofield Barracks in May 1976 for a military audience, and headlined a Blaisdell Arena show in 1987. She also launched a restaurant, Dockside Plantation, a waterfront destination at the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center, which operated for nearly a year and a half.

The remake of “My Hawaii” is a crisp, fascinating find, rejuvenating one of the grand hit tracks from the past. Both Cavaliere and Parton take turns, articulating the lyrics, which have everlasting appeal; and midway in the song, there’s recitation of the words—rich with aloha, resourceful in tapping emotions. For a fund-raiser, this is fabulous in tapping emotions and nudging the heart.

However, I’ve been awaiting a link from Maui United Way that will enable supporters to hear the tune, with a gorgeous video of the beauty and the magic that is Hawaii (Cavaliere and Parton are not shown performing the tune), to download for streaming with a donation to support the Maui fundraising effort. If and when I receive that info, I will update this report and share the link…

Update: the tune has landed on YouTube, and here’s the link:

And that’s Show Biz…

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HANK’S HAUTE DOGS WILL CLOSE

It was great in its prime, but nothing is forever these days.

So, it’s no surprise that Hank Adaniya’s Hank’s Haute Dogs in the Kewalo area is closing Oct. 17, after a remarkable 17-year run.

I recall lunching there occasionally, while still working at the Honolulu Advertiser a short walk away. Upscale hot dogs — hence a monicker like haute dogs — have always been the draw, though burgers were added to the menu.

Adaniya is formally retiring, but like many retirees these days, he’s likely to reappear in an abbreviated version of his upscale hot dogs…

$2 hot dogs at Consolidated on Tuesdays

Speaking of hot dogs: If you’re a Mahalo Day patron on Tuesdays at Consolidated Theatres, you can buy a standard hot dog (not the overlong dogs at a premium price) for $2.

In case you didn’t know, discounted prices prevail on Tuesdays: $11 admission for all (keiki, adults, seniors) with a small popcorn going for $2 a bag (a petite size, but ample for one, but way cheaper than the regular $8 for a small on other days). You could buy four $2 bags of popcorn on Tuesdays and get a big bang for your bucks. No discounts for drinks, however.

Waffle shop at Koko Marina temporarily closed

La Liégeoise, the waffle shop at the Koko Marina Shopping Center, has temporarily closed.

Strangely, Its website says that the restaurant will reopen in July 2025.

Most patrons don’t remember its name, nor able to pronounce the name.

So closing shop for nearly a year is unusual for any restaurant.

The waffle, made to order while you wait, was OK but It an expensive product, with extra charges for toppings.

 While the store boasted its organic ingredients for the dough that was made in Belgium, you couldn’t really tell in taste.

The shop clearly didn’t do marketing surveys before opening, with a premium product with high prices in a zone lacking in customer traffic. Let’s see if it really opens shop next summer.

My Panya fave still is fabulous

A few nights back, I made it over to Panya, the Asian restaurant at Ward Center, and  had my still-fave, the Shanghai stirred-fried udon entrée,  and yes, ate half and brought the other half for lunch the next day.

Treated myself to a takeout bread pudding, which was satisfying for my sweet tooth, but not as delish as the crème brulee eaten in the restaurant during an earlier visit.

…