FORMER Hawaiian Airlines DC-3 hostesses threw another fabulous party at the Ala Moana Hotel Saturday night. The women of Koa‘e Kea("high-flying bird") are talented: Many of them danced hula as they did in the ’40s and ’50s on neighbor isle flights. This kamaaina party was special, as singer Jimmy Borges was booked and he turned it on with his jazz and pop numbers. Pianist Betty Loo Taylor was supposed to back up Jimmy with bassist Steve Jones and drummer Darryl Pellegrini but was injured in a fall, and Dan del Negro stepped up. Guests were given lei as they entered the Garden Lanai Room to the sounds of Naluhoe — Vicky Hollinger, Kawika McGuire and Joe Recca.Joe danced "Kahipukai" with his daughter Delys.Manu Bentley put aside her cane and danced "Kawohikukapulani" beautifully. Halau o na Wahine Hula Nani — Alice Booth, Delorinne Wong, Kathy Wada, Eula May Sweet, Likelike Davis, Marian Zahn andVivian Luning — danced to "Ho‘onanea" andmoved quickly to "Kaneohe," which tells about the first electricity in the islands.Emcee Hale Ka‘ohu Rowlanddanced to songs of the island on which she was born, "Aloha Kauai" and "Nani Kauai." Lorna Kaeck sang the ever-popular "Waikiki" as Janu Cassidy‘s hula more than lived up to the classic. Ivanelle Mountcastle Choy told the story of the wonderful parties held at the home of Francis I‘i Brown as Roy Benham sang "Keawaiki." Roy also sang the doxology after B.J. Feldman gave the prayer before dinner.
Borges stole the former high-flying wahine’s hearts as he sang "Fly Me to the Moon," the theme of the evening. He got people up to dance with his swinging favorites and love ballads. Capt. Jace Hearn, retired HAL pilot, was dubbed "Twinkle Toes" by some of the women for his footwork. Jimmy and guest singer Ana Lisa had the crowd jumpin’ and jivin’ to "Kansas City." Saturday was Jimmy and wife Vicki‘s 25th wedding anniversary, but she was ill and missed the party.
The officers of Koa‘e Kea are Luning, president; Lorraine "Brownie" Williams, vice president; Sweet, secretary; and Trudy de La Fontaine, treasurer. Co-founders are Carol Mae Vanderford and Abigail Chong. Others who worked hard putting the party together were Rowland, Mercy Bacon and Monica Bacon, Peaches Smith, Carol Hugho, Kanani Estrada and Stacey Domingo. …
STORMY WEATHER: Kristian Lei was in New York to work on her upcoming album when superstorm Sandy hit Oct. 29. The little singer was almost blown away when she stepped outside a relative’s home in Queens to feel the storm’s power. "It was like nothing I ever felt or saw," Kristian said in an email. "Huge trees fell on power lines. Power lines in front of our home caught on fire, the FDNY had to come to secure the perimeter and many street lights started to flicker and explode before my eyes. I almost blew away. I went back in shortly after getting some footage on my iPad. I wondered at that moment if a tree would be the end of me. Life is a comedy! They grounded all flights, no electricity or Internet." Kristian should include the song "Stormy Weather" on the album.
She said flights resumed Nov. 1, the day she was booked to fly home on Hawaiian. "You knew people on the flight were ecstatic because when we landed in Honolulu, all the passengers clapped and cheered." Kristian said the last time she was in New York, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack took place. "I was there for two major historical events in NYC! I did not cause them, though. Let’s just put that out there!" …
HONOLULU City Lights will brighten the city Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m., and the program at Skygate next to City Hall will feature entertainment by Melveen Leed, Frank De Lima, Anuhea, Ballet Hawaii and the Kapolei Performing Arts Group, which includes PAC Kids and Company. …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
