Hotel Lexington's 'aunties' to discuss life in Big Apple

By Ben Wood

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 30, 2012

~~HOTEL Lexington's Hawaiian Room, a popular New York City nightspot that opened 75 years ago in 1937, showcased hula and song by Hawaiian entertainers for 30 years. Some of the former Lexington performers, mostly "aunties," will appear Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. at Windward Community College's new library building, Hale Laakea. The program is free. A multimedia exhibit focusing on the Lex's Hawaiian Room is on display until the end of the year in Hale Laakea's lower level, according to Maile Loo, executive director of the Hula Preservation Society. Important names in Hawaiian entertainment performed at the Lex. They include Alfred Apaka, Ed Kenney, Hilo Hattie, Kui Lee, Manu Kanemura Bentley, Lei Becker Furtado, TeMoana Makolo, Mona Joy, Ray Kinney, "Uncle" Keola Beamer, Olan Peltier Carpenter, Leialoha Kaleikini, Jennie Woodd and Lani McIntire. The ‘Oiwi Film Festival's opening night at Doris Duke Theatre on Nov. 10 featured the premiere of the hula society's film, "The Hawaiian Room." The group worked with Native Hawaiian filmmaker Anne Marie Kirk on the picture. A reception with food, music and much hula was included at the screening. The former entertainers have inspirational, enlightening and humorous stories about working at the Lexington. Their tales of culture shock, winter fashion faux pas and life in the big city were in the film and will be discussed Dec. 6 by the aunties. …
<img style="float:right;padding-left:1em;padding-bottom:1em;" alt="" src="http://media.Staradvertiser.Com/images/20121130_FEAwoodMUGS.jpg" />
~~

HOTEL Lexington's Hawaiian Room, a popular New York City nightspot that opened 75 years ago in 1937, showcased hula and song by Hawaiian entertainers for 30 years. Some of the former Lexington performers, mostly "aunties," will appear Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. at Windward Community College's new library building, Hale Laakea. The program is free. A multimedia exhibit focusing on the Lex's Hawaiian Room is on display until the end of the year in Hale Laakea's lower level, according to Maile Loo, executive director of the Hula Preservation Society. Important names in Hawaiian entertainment performed at the Lex. They include Alfred Apaka, Ed Kenney, Hilo Hattie, Kui Lee, Manu Kanemura Bentley, Lei Becker Furtado, TeMoana Makolo, Mona Joy, Ray Kinney, "Uncle" Keola Beamer, Olan Peltier Carpenter, Leialoha Kaleikini, Jennie Woodd and Lani McIntire. The ‘Oiwi Film Festival's opening night at Doris Duke Theatre on Nov. 10 featured the premiere of the hula society's film, "The Hawaiian Room." The group worked with Native Hawaiian filmmaker Anne Marie Kirk on the picture. A reception with food, music and much hula was included at the screening. The former entertainers have inspirational, enlightening and humorous stories about working at the Lexington. Their tales of culture shock, winter fashion faux pas and life in the big city were in the film and will be discussed Dec. 6 by the aunties. …