SIGHT 'EMS: At a change-of-command to-do at the Halekulani's Hau Terrace last week, outgoing g.m. Fred Honda and his successor Janis Clapoff were both duly honored. He, of course, is ending decades of stewardship at various hotels and clubs here and on the Mainland. The Halekulani — certainly a gold ring in a hotelier's merry-go-round ride at different properties — is retaining him as a consultant, which suits Honda just fine, because he's not one to fully retire. Claphoff comes from California with lofty credentials and had a first-hand taste of the aloha spirit and hefty serving of Island hospitality. ...

Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Speaker of the House Calvin Say, City Council Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi and U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka all heralded Honda's accomplishments and leadership in the hospitality trade. Halekulani chief operating officer Peter Shaindlin and Halekulani vice president Patricia Tam also praised both managers. ...

Soprano Cathy Foy sang; Eddie Kamae, a childhood pal of Honda (from their Kauluwela School days), was a nice surprise performer, who whipped out his 'ukulele and rendered a couple of tunes. No, Honda and Kamae weren't classmates. "He's older than me," said Honda. "At that time, he had a girlfriend who lived near me. And he was the bull of the school." Hard to believe, considering Kamae is Mr. Mellow these days — and a master of the uke and still toiling as an indie filmmaker. ...

Meanwhile, Honda and wife Julie are planning an Italy trip in October to celebrate not just his "retirement" but their 40th wedding anniversary. ...

HERE 'N' THERE: George Mavrothalassitis, chef/owner of Chef Mavro, has returned to his kitchen at King and McCully after a four-day "Chef Mavro Hawaii Fair" at the very luxe New Otani in Osaka, Japan. "Japanese cooks are top gun," said Mavro. "We couldn't talk (language was a difficulty) but when it came to cooking together, nothing was lost in translation!" Their favorite recipes? Lobster, vanilla "bubble tea" sauce, sweet-potato purée and, of course, liliko'i malasadas. Accompanying the culinary ace were Kevin Chong, chef de cuisine; and Hiromi Okura, pastry cook. ...

Lothar Matthaus, former German world football champion, spent a leisurely week with his family at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. While his kinfolk snorkeled and swam, Matthaus enjoyed spa treatments at the Kohala Sports Club & Spa. He books stays at Hilton sites four months of each year. ...

Don Carlos, the reggae performer who was in town for a Pipeline concert, ventured to the "Ulalena" show on Maui — and loved it. It was the first time he'd seen such a live production. ...

Actor Joey Caldarone showed off a bald head at a Hawai'i State Theatre Council affair recently at the Ko'olau Ballroom. The star of last season's "Miss Saigon" (Caldarone played the Engineer) was trying to give himself a haircut ... but he buzzed off so much, he had to get it all off, a la Daddy Warbucks in "Annie." It was a tad embarrassing, since his dad owned Custom Cut, a large chain of salons in New Jersey. Caldarone, a real-estate man and designer, just returned from a San Francisco trip where he huddled with architects and developers. But he's unveiled a new talent — as artist — with the W Honolulu hanging two of his works. ...

Mahlon Moore has exited 99.5 The Breeze, triggered by a lifestyle issue when the station rejected an ad for Hula's Bar. He's still breezing along, in a manner of speaking, via his www.breezeofhawaii.com Internet radio station. Meanwhile, more winds of change are imminent at Salem Communications. Stay tuned. ...

Roger Long, veteran University of Hawai'i drama director-professor, is the Hawai'i State Theatre Council's Pierre Bowman Award winner.

DATEBOOK: Augie T performs at 7 p.m. (for families) and 9:30 p.m. (for folks 21 and older) Friday at the 'Iao Theatre in Wailuku, Maui. Part of the proceeds will aid the theater's restoration efforts. ...

Liz Damon headlines the "'70s Salute to Our Troops" at 8 p.m. Friday at the Pacific Ballroom of the Renaissance Ilikai hotel; at that time, she will perform her signature hit, "1900 Yesterday," and her "Me Japanese Boy" album from earlier times will be reissued on CD, with portion of the receipts going to the Hawai'i Army National Guard's 29th Support Battalion's homecoming celebration for Hawai'i's troops in Iraq. Other acts on the bill: the King Pins, Flashback, Greenwood and Soulz. Tickets are $30. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...