The Left Lane
Isle entertainer returns
Isle singer Nalani Olds has just returned from a Mainland tour presenting "He Po'ai Aloha," the program that celebrates the music and life of Queen Lili'uokalani. The program toured libraries in Hawai'i a year ago.
Olds, who also served as interim trustee with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Thursday gave a performance at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. She also joined musician and scholar Jon Osorio there in addressing audiences about the overthrow of the monarchy.
Performances followed Saturday and Sunday in New York at the Museum of Natural History.
— Vicki Viotti, Advertiser staff writer
Hey, Buster
A while back, O'ahu acquired a distinctive, if temporary, landmark in Buster the Crab, an inflatable crustacean that flew over the original Dixie Grill location on Ward Avenue. Now Buster's on his way back.
Buster and his 75-foot legs will wave aloft June 1-13 at the new Dixie Grill location at 99-016 Kamehameha Highway in 'Aiea, and June 14- 30 at the original restaurant at 404 Ward Ave.
Buster's here to celebrate the Grill's Crab Fest 2001, when chef David Saccomanno creates special menu items, such as the Trash Can O' Crabs, featuring snow, king, Dungeness and softshell crab.
— Wayne Harada, Advertiser staff writer
City feet
Wheeling, W. Va., has launched a drive to get all its residents to take a hike: Wheeling Walks urges everyone in the city to walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day to improve their health.
If the walking initiative works with the former steel town's 33,000 residents, the program may be launched in other cities across the country, says Bill Reger, associate professor of community medicine at West Virginia University-Morgantown who's in charge of this pilot project.
"We're attempting to develop a model that could be taken to any community throughout America and optimistically throughout the world," Reger says.
Doctors are writing walking prescriptions and public health educators are talking up the effort.
Researchers will conduct a random telephone survey after three months, and then after a year, and will monitor the use of the trails during busy times of the day.
— USA Today
Crowning glories
The delicate crown flower, said to have been Queen Lili'uokalani's favorite, is the inspiration for a new line of merchandise.
At the request of the DFS Galleria, local artists and designers have created stationery, jewelry, even a box of chocolates with the flower motif. Leighton Lam's line of gold and sterling silver jewelry features earrings, pendants and bookmarks with a crown flower quilt pattern. Forever Hawaiian Creations developed Fimo crown flower lei, earrings and hair ornaments. Island Heritage printed a stationery line including notepads, notecards and mini photo albums adorned with photos or drawings of crown flower lei. And there's more to come.
Items range from $2.50 to $175 at Kalakaua General Store in the DFS Galleria Waikiki. A portion of the sales benefits the Washington Place Foundation, which is overseeing the renovation of the queen's former residence.
— Paula Rath, Advertiser staff writer
