THE LEFT LANE
Nene-winning author back for awards role

Advertiser Staff and News Services

In keeping with custom, the past year's Nene winner is always invited to make a series of appearances and announce the next winner. Curtis will be on an interactive TV cablecast on PBS Hawaii at 12:30 p.m. Friday and will speak at the Liliha Public Library at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and at Wailuku Public Library on Maui at 3 p.m. Monday.

Southern sweet tea authentically Georgia

The Georgia General Assembly decrees, and Dixie Grill obeys. The Peach State's legislature recently required that any restaurant in the state that serves iced tea must serve "sweet tea" — pronounced in the South as though one word, sweetea, and defined as iced tea brewed from hot, sweetened tea and then chilled the old-fashioned way.

Just to be on the safe side, the Honolulu Dixie Grill barbecue and crab restaurant popped out a press release assuring customers, many of whom are Southern transplants here in the military, that they're servin' the real thing (and we don't mean Coca-Cola, which in Southern is pronounced Cocola).

Def Leppard defies '80s nostalgia label

Don't lump Def Leppard with those other 1980s hard-rock/heavy-metal bands clogging up clubs around the country with nostalgia tours. "I would hate to be called a nostalgia act," said Joe Elliott, lead singer for Def Leppard. The British rockers were one of the most successful hair bands of the late '80s, thanks to 1987's "Hysteria," an album that sold 16 million copies.

But it isn't another one of those groups still touring on the strength of songs popular back when mullets and Trans Ams ruled the day. Def Leppard still has a huge fan base, as evidenced by ticket sales for the band's current tour. The group is on the road again in support of "X," its 10th studio album.

Correction: Children's book author Christopher Paul Curtis will speak at Wailuku Public Library on Maui at 3 p.m. Monday, April 14. Information in a previous version of this column was incorrect.