‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is definitely Jennifer Lawrence‘s picture and she made it clear in a recent David Letterman show appearance that she enjoyed filming in Hawaii, a primary location for the film.
Hawaii’s waters and lush green forests have big roles in the hit. Lawrence is usually the actor who draws the most attention in whatever film she is cast and it appears that "American Hustle," which premiered in New York on Sunday, is no exception.
The New York Film Critics named "Hustle" best picture of the year and Lawrence as best supporting actress. Lawrence was also nominated for best supporting actress by the the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Thursday and the Screen Actors Guild Wednesday. "Hustle" also won the best screenplay award for Eric Singer and David O. Russell. Russell directed Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook," for which she won the best actress Oscar. "Hustle" opens Dec. 20 in theaters here. I’ll be there …
"SONGS OF JOY: A PBS Hawaii Holiday Celebration," featuring top Hawaiian singers and musicians, will be repeated at 9 p.m. Saturday. Co-hosted by PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox and Hawaiian cultural expert/musician Aaron Sala, the pledge program features Nina Kealiiwahamana with Sala, Manu Boyd, Hoʻokena with Maila Gibson, Kuana Torres Kahele, Henry Kapono, The Leo Nahenahe Singers, Gail Mack with Gordon Kim, and Peter Medeiros with Josh Silva and Nate Stillman …
HALEKULANI has been recognized with the Commitment to Quality Award by The Leading Hotels of the World, an organization comprising the largest luxury hotel collection. The award was announced during The Leading Hotels of the World’s Convention in New York last month. The Leading Hotels of the World is a luxury hospitality consortium with more than 430 hotels and resorts in more than 80 countries. Halekulani was the only property in the North America region to earn the 2013 Commitment to Quality Award. "We are proud to have earned this esteemed recognition from The Leading Hotels of the World, serving as the benchmark for the luxury hospitality industry," said Peter Shaindlin, chief operating officer of Halekulani Corp. …
CUSTOM TAILOR and men’s apparel store owner Andy Mohan, who died Nov. 13 at age 81, was a colorful character. When I would walk by his shop bearing his name in Topa Tower on my way to Clark Hatch’s fitness gym, Andy would practically grab me to chat or to make a deal on clothing. He always got the best of me. He often walked across Queen Street to visit with Bob LoPresti, owner of Joe Pacific Shoe Repair. "He was over here every day to talk. You know, shoes and clothes go together," said Bob, who mourned the loss of his friend.
One of Andy’s best customers was attorney Michael Green, a sharp dresser, who had suits made by Andy for 25 years. Andy also had shoes, with exotic skins, crafted for Green in Hong Kong. "He will be missed," Green said. "I was being fitted for a suit 24 days before he died. Who could sell suits in Hawaii (an aloha shirt paradise) besides Andy Mohan."
"It’s like selling ice to eskimos," Green said. But Andy did and did it well for 40 years … Green has landed another role in "Hawaii Five-0." He will appear in the Feb. 21 episode as a lawyer who kills his wife and her lover …
THE WORLD lost one of its greatest citizens when former South African President Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid, died Dec. 5. If politicians everywhere had a combination of just a portion of his leadership skills, dignity, courage, strength, tolerance and art of compromise, the world would be a better place …
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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.
