ROMANO’S Macaroni Grill GM Kunani Blake and his staff took good care of two VIPs, Malia and Sasha Obama, who came for dinner with eight other people last Friday night. The visit from the first daughters must have made Romano’s and Ruth’s Chris Hawaii franchise owner Randy Schoch happy. Randy arrived in town Sunday from his Scottsdale, Ariz., base to check on business …
THE DUST has settled and the dream season for Manti Te’o and Notre Dame ended with a devastating loss to powerful Alabama, 42-14, in the BCS title game Monday. But Manti, who won the hearts and praise of football fans throughout the country, and his team’s 12-1 record will not be forgotten. And let’s not forget Hawaii’s Marcus Mariota, who led Oregon to a 12-1 season and a 35-17 win against Kansas State Jan. 3 in the Fiesta Bowl. The AP’s rankings Tuesday had Oregon No. 2 and ND No. 4. For two Hawaii boys to lead two of the top four collegiate teams in the country through tremendous seasons is no small achievement …
WINDING UP the "Wood Craft 2012" highlights, we start with something tasty: "The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong," by chef Alan Wong, co-written by Arnold Hiura and published by Watermark. The book was named a winner at April’s prestigious annual International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards in New York in the "Chefs & Restaurants" category …
The last two awards of the night at the Golden Globes Jan. 15 went to "The Descendants" star George Clooney, for best actor in a drama, and to the movie itself for best dramatic picture. It was filmed in Hawaii with several isle actors getting roles and was based on Kaui Hart Hemmings‘ book. I felt confident the picture and Clooney would again score wins at the Feb. 26 Academy Awards but I was floored when "The Artist," a silent (except for music) black-and-white picture from France, won best picture and its star, Jean Dujardin, beat Clooney for best actor. Bummer! However, the Oscar for adapted screenplay went to Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash …
On Memorial Day ceremonies May 28 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., barefooted Billie Gabriel presented President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama with maile lei after laying a wreath at "The Wall." Billie, a Kamehameha graduate, said, "The Wall is a sacred place of healing and our Hawaiian culture teaches us to be ‘one’ with the aina (land) whenever you participate in a ceremony such as this. It was pono (proper) for me to be barefoot for the ceremonies, to be one with this sacred place and all the 58,282 soldiers who died for our country." When Billie introduced herself to the Hawaii-born president, gave him the lei and a kiss, she said: "He was smiling ear to ear and said, ‘The moment I saw you walking barefoot, I told myself, Now that’s a true local girl!’" Tom Selleck was ceremony emcee. Billie’s brother, James Kimo Gabriel, was the first Native Hawaiian and first Green Beret to be killed in Vietnam …
On May 31, Jimmy Borges made his biggest return to the stage since recovering from life-threatening liver cancer surgery July 18, 2011, with Matt Catingub and the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra. The next day he celebrated his 77th birthday. Then on June 2, he was surprised at a Prince Court birthday party arranged by his wife, Vicki, and his daughter Steffanie Juergenson. Jimmy summed it up best at the party, saying: "I didn’t know I was going to have a 77th birthday."… Sue Fujii Hill has been cutting men’s hair for 50 years and a group of her customers arranged a surprise luncheon for her at Assagio’s in Kahala…
———
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
