SHOW BIZ
Sheryl Crow soaking up the sun on Maui
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
NAME-DROPPING: Singer Sheryl Crow had guests at Kimo's on Maui rocking and rolling with delight when she dined in the restaurant's upstairs room. Crow, who did her "Soak up the Sun" video on O'ahu, was accompanied by fellow singer Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac fame. Crow also is making appearances on MTV on Kid Rock's "Picture" video. ...
Paul Schommer, a star server at Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar at Kapalua, has become something of a national celebrity. He turned up on the Travel Channel's Ten Best Eating Contests recently. He won the onion-eating contests at the 2001 and 2002 Maui Onion Festivals; the latter was featured on the national cable show. A couple of weeks earlier, he was named Sansei Kapalua's Employee of the Year. Way to go! ...
Kinugasa, sometimes called the Babe Ruth of Japan, dined at Nick's Fishmarket a few nights back. He told the staff it was the best dinner he'd had in Hawai'i, which naturally thrilled v.p. Ben Dowling and his crew. ...
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ITEMIZATIONS: Randy Caparoso, now a full-fledged winemaker, was home last week to promote his Caparoso Wines for local restaurateurs and friends. His three wines, designed to complement local and Asian-inspired food, have been very popular, particularly in New York. "I actually sell five times more wine in Manhattan alone each month than in the entire California (area), ... where I started the business," he said. He's off to similar promo trips in New Orleans, Miami, and (brrrrrr) Chicago, and then New York. ...
Rea Fox is pau at the Ship's Tavern at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, and a parade of new acts has been booked for the weekends. Kit Samson and Miles Jackson played last Friday, and Ginny Tiu on Saturday; the upcoming slate includes Sonya Mendez and Rich Crandall this Friday, Kit Samson and Willow Chang this Saturday, and Azure McCall Jan. 31, with music from 9 to 11 p.m. ...
Estelle Green hosted a Studio 54-type 1970s-themed birthday party last week for lawyer husband Michael (who's 60) and daughter Liana (who turned 21) — and an uninvited guest, hearing the vintage sounds outside the Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room, peeked in and was invited to sign the guestbook. (He was ultimately invited, but declined). It was Harry Wayne Casey, better known as KC of KC & the Sunshine Band of "That's the Way I Like It" fame. ...
Sorry to report the death last week of Frankie Day, a music industry veteran, who helped produce or master a number of local recordings, including "Honolulu City Lights" by Keola and Kapono Beamer, albums by The Ali'is and The Krush and many more. For years, he managed Bobby Rydell and was involved in Chicago's career, too, and yes, he loved Hawai'i and visited often. ...
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RANDOM NOTES: The good news — Al Waterson and his karaoke gig will mark an 11th anniversary from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Fisherman's Wharf, with the likes of Forté, DisGuyz, Tani Lynn and others. The bad news — this week's shows will be the last at the second-floor lounge, which will be closed. Waterson and his talent manager/wife, Nancy Bernal, are negotiating for another site and expect to be back in biz in February. ...
Reminder: Rhonda opens a Friday-and-Saturday engagement this Friday at the Esprit lounge. ...
Allison Chu, a little girl with a big talent, performed at Randy Smith's closing at Esprit last month. At 9, she's really going places — with a just-out CD. The two celebrated their same birthday with Tom Moffatt, the show presenter, who dined recently at Trattoria with long-time pal and business partner Glen Larson. ...
The Trattoria, by the way, has a new manager — Wolfgang Schmidt, who has a 30-year career in food and beverage. Before coming here, he worked at New York's popular Tavern on the Green ...
And that's Show Biz ...
