Posted on: Tuesday, April 1, 2003
THE LEFT LANE
Rhapsody in blue
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Hpnotiq, the fruity, vodka-charged cognac blend with the unearthly aquamarine hue is as sought-after a potion these days as martinis were a couple of years back. Cognac moved from the boardroom to the dance floor in the 1990s when it landed placement in rap and hip-hop videos as a symbol of affluence and success.
Hpnotiq was brewed up by a twentysomething guy in France a couple of years ago to capitalize on the cognac craze; he got really rich really young but couldn't keep up with demand. Then Heaven Hills Distilleries of Bardstown, Ky., acquired the name and began brewing up enough of the stuff to keep bartenders around the country busy. Its attraction: the raw, urban aura and that jewel-like turquoise color.
'Art Stories' to debut
A new three-part series on PBS Hawaii will showcase the arts. Called "Art Stories," it is hosted by Elizabeth Lindsey Buyers, and the first segment will air at 7:30 p.m. April 10 (repeats at 10 p.m. April 13).
The first installment looks at the history of the Honolulu Academy of Arts, 'Iolani Palace and the new Hawai'i State Art Museum. Future shows will visit the Steinway piano factory in New York for selection of the Honolulu Symphony's new instrument, cover the Hawai'i Opera Theatre's educational art outreach program to Moloka'i and peek at the Contemporary Museum's Biennial Art Show.
Not so hot, after all
Poor ratings have killed off two of ABC's highly publicized unscripted series. "Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People," which has been off the air the last two weeks because of war coverage, will show both its semifinals and finals Saturday and then disappear. The network has also yanked "Profiles From the Front Line," the real-life series from producer Jerry Bruckheimer that chronicled U.S. soldiers fighting in Afghanistan last year.
