Posted on: Thursday, September 23, 2004

SHOW BIZ
Best flowers forward at footwear firm

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

FLOWERS POWER: Judi Flowers, of Bonjour Fleurette, is a fashion-industry notable who managed the Waikiki Liberty House (now Macy's) for 15 years and was women's sportswear buyer for all the Liberty House stores. She's back in Hawai'i with longtime paramour Jerry Seltzer (he ran Roller Derby and BASS Tickets in Hawai'i); he's now marketing chief of her aloha-inspired footwear that will be exhibited today to wholesalers at the Ohana East Hotel. Judi co-founded Bonjour Fleurette with former Island resident Greta Longmire, who managed Gucci in Waikiki.

Hawaiian blooms inhabit the footwear that has been the toes of the town among the Hollywood and TV crowd, including Oprah Winfrey, with additional exposure on "Sex and the City," "Today" show, "Good Morning America" and "O" magazine. Bonjour Fleurette items are available at www.neimanmarcus.com and 1,200 stores nationwide. Here, check Riches at Kahala Mall, Maui Clothing and CinaCina at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, or www.bonjourfleurette.com. ...

NAMES 'N' PLACES: Maui-based Johnson Enos, a singer-composer, has co-written with Danny Gans an inspirational tune called "My Lord My Life." Gans, the Las Vegas superstar, has recorded a CD single, a real boost for Enos, who co-produced with Gans. For now, the disc is available only through www.dannygans.com, and an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show is in the works. ...

John Barbour, Broadway actor ("Assassins"), had to bow out of his Ballet Hawai'i "Black and White" ball commitment this Saturday because of an upcoming role in a new PBS miniseries, "An American Experience: John and Abigail Adams," in which he will play Thomas Jefferson. Regrets also from Kirsten Benton Chandler ("Ragtime," "Little Shop of Horrors"), who is pregnant and ordered by her doctor not to travel; her performing husband, Stan Chandler ("Cabaret") opted to stay home, too. Producer-director Jim Hutchison promptly latched onto Norman Large (from the original cast of "Les Miserables" and national touring companies of "Phantom of the Opera, "Cats") and his Broadway partner, Christina Saffran Ashford (from "Singin' in the Rain," "A Chorus Line," "Drood" and "The Music Man") from Los Angeles. The fund-raiser is a near sellout. ...

AROUND TOWN: Honolulu Symphony patrons had a treat at Sunday's Halekulani MasterWorks concert when guest violinist Cho-Liang Lin sat in with the orchestra after his Bernstein "Serenade" solo. He asked to sit in the back row of the violin section for Dvorak's "New World Symphony" (No. 9). The last time a guest asked to co-mingle with the orchestra was in 1999, when Yo-Yo Ma sat in the cello section. ...

Did you catch Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) tell Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) that "Rosie and I flew to Hawai'i and checked into the Halekulani to chill?" on last week's "Will and Grace" premiere on NBC? (This was the segment that featured Jennifer Lopez). How did the hotel get such a nod? Peter Shaindlin, chief operating officer at the Halekulani, earlier hosted a brunch for NBC execs who were here when "Hawaii" was launched. Jamie French, senior press manager for the network, was so impressed with the property, he told Shaindlin that the Halekulani name was written into the "Will and Grace" script. A man of his word — and an important lesson in how aloha goes a long way. ...

John Dominis was campaign central last Saturday morning when restaurateur and ex-politico Andy Anderson hosted mayoral candidate Mufi Hannemann for the Michael W. Perry and Larry Price KSSK brunch show (Dominis is Anderson's place). The Duke Bainum camp heard the interview and dispatched — less than an hour later, after Anderson and Hannemann left — another restaurateur, Roy Shimonishi, ex-owner of the Hungry Lion, who spoke on the merits of Bainum ... from the same table. ...

HERE 'N' THERE: Army Community Theatre honcho Vanita Rae Smith has received her 35th anniversary pin, marking her dedication. Bigger thrill: "West Side Story" is sold out this weekend — and Richardson Theatre has an 808-seat capacity! ...

At the Honolulu Jazz Quartet's Wine and Jazz Night last Saturday at Donato's, some jazz faves sat in with the group: Azure McCall, Keahi Conjugacion, DeShannon Higa and Todd Yukumoto. Next jam: from 10:30 p.m. Oct. 9. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.