SHOW BIZ
Romance and roses set stage for an actor

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

"It was magical," said Meader, who works with Tim Bostock Productions. "My plan was flawlessly executed." He had orchestrated a whole scenario — sending her a bouquet of 11 long-stemmed roses, each one carrying a personal message, at her office. The 12th rose was waiting for her at the tented, intimate beachfront restaurant where he proposed; he had planned for the wait staff (who knew to shoot pictures for that Kodak moment). He even had a back-up table reserved — under cover — in case of rain.

So when's the big day? "We'd like to do it early in summer 2004," said St. Romain, giving Mainland friends and relatives ample time to plan. ...

BLUE HAWAI'I: Actress-writer Priscilla Presley was in town the weekend of the 26th anniversary of her ex's Elvis Presley's death, picking the Big Island (where she owns a condo at Waikoloa) over Graceland. The one-time chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises spent a quiet weekend with family at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, enjoying the quiet ambiance and Italian food at Donatoni's. ...

Aloha Joe, a kingpin of Hawaiian music on the Internet and a true friend of island songs, will launch Aloha Joe's Cafe Waikiki 7-10 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Banana Patch Lounge of the Miramar Waikiki Hotel. Joe is an international booster of local acts and a supporter of the local music industry. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Singer-composer Jay Larrin is off to Vancouver, British Columbia, for several weeks. Canada has inspired him to write poems and songs, so he's taking time to boost his creative juices, returning to Honolulu in November. He was one of the surprise music-makers at OC 16's media preview launch last week at the Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, when he performed "The Snows of Mauna Kea" as Kanoe Miller danced the hula. Many were surprised to see Larrin with a beard. ...

Tristan Fischer, a Colorado native who's now a Hawai'i Pacific University student, was "discovered" during a St. John photo shoot here. He also works at the Abercrombie & Fitch store at Ala Moana, and he's en route to Vermont for a shoot for the A&F catalog. So this self-proclaimed surfer-lumberjack is one to watch for. ...

Kahala Hilton Maile Restaurant alumni aren't the only ones who celebrate reunions, as they did recently at Bali-by-the-Sea at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Halekulani ex-ers — wait help, housekeepers, etc. — annually get together to reflect on old times, and a group gathered last Friday at the Parc Hotel. ...

PARADISE ALLEY: The unseen hero — or heroine — in Oceanic Cable's OC 16 "launch" party Wednesday at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College was Karen "Bree" Bumatai. She mounted and directed a swiftly paced show that combined filmed clips with live performances, hyping the all-local, all-original shows that will air on OC 16 this fall. Nice assortment of local talent — pianist Jay Larrin, hula stylist Kanoe Miller, Na Leo Pilimehana, Yvonne Elliman, Henry Kapono — joined OC personalities Lina Girl, Bruddah Sam, Tiny Tadani, June Jones, Davey D, Russell Shimooka, Andy Bumatai, Ray Bumatai and more. The chicken-skin moment happened when last year's OIA champs, the Kahuku Red Raiders, appeared in uniform — and danced. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...