U.S. SEN. DANIEL INOUYE entered Neiman Marcus on Saturday as I was exiting and I spoke to him briefly. I reminded him that he walked me into the Watergate hearings when I visited him in Washington in 1973, and as we neared the hearing chamber the media descended on us, with flashbulbs popping and reporters rushing the senator. It was "rock star" time, I said Saturday. "That was a long time ago," the senator replied with a smile. Inouye’s outstanding work during the hearings sent his stock soaring with the national Democratic Party and the public. Earlier in my D.C. visit, we had spoken about how the hearings had rocketed him into national prominence and the senator cautioned that a politician could fall just as fast. Well, such a fall never happened to Inouye, now the Senate’s president pro tempore, with 47 years’ service. The pro tempore position makes the 85-year-old Medal of Honor recipient third in succession to the presidency, behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It is for that reason Inouye was accompanied by two very fit-looking guards during his Neiman visit. …

…SAILING ON: The USS Missouri Memorial Association presents its second "Night of American Heroes," a celebration dinner in honor of people who epitomize the ideals of American heroism and values, Sept. 3 at the Sheraton Waikiki. This year, the gala will honor three men with Hawaii ties: Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki; William W. Paty Jr., trustee of the Mark A. Robinson Trust, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army — Hawaii Region, and World War II prisoner of war; and Edwin L. Carter, former president and CEO of Bishop Trust Co., founder and chairman emeritus of the USS Missouri Memorial Association and a Navy Reserve commander who served in World War II. Proceeds will benefit the continued preservation of the Battleship Missouri and expansion of educational programs. Tickets are $250, call 455-1600, ext. 244, or visit ussmissouri.org. …

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DANIEL DAE KIM of "Hawaii Five-0" celebrated a birthday with dinner at Tango Contemporary Cafe in the Hokua building Aug. 4. His small group of family and friends included Grace Park, also of "Five-0," and publicist Erika Kauffman. They all must have been happy about the new series being the cover story on the Aug. 16-22 double issue of TV Guide. A solid shot in the arm for the show. … Marking her 100th birthday Aug. 4 was Vivian Tyrrell, a former professional clown in Chicago known as Toot-Z who lives in Hokua with her son, Realtor Jack Tyrrell. …

IT WAS GIRLS’ night out at Tiana Torii‘s birthday reception and dinner, which had a Louis Vuitton Murakami theme at Trump Hotel’s Wai’olu on Aug. 12. Tiana arrived in her red Ferrari, Charlyn Masini in her Lamborghini and Paulina Cutter in a Porsche Turbo. Other guests included Chile’s honorary consul Gladys Vernoy, Lexie Agsen, Kristi Komeya, Kim Yoshino, Eva Rojek and Catherine Lin. Tiana’s husband Nobu was there to see that all went smoothly for the women. … The Society of Seven Classic returns to the Outrigger Waikiki showroom Tuesday. …

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COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO: Peterson’s Upland (Egg) Farm in Wahiawa is marking its 100th anniversary this month. It’s quite an achievement and Alan Wong has not forgotten it. Alan started going to the farm with his parents as a boy to buy eggs in 1965 and the restaurateur has been doing it ever since. To mark the farm’s centennial, Alan is holding an "Eggscellent" recipe contest, with entries due Tuesday. For details, contact communications@alanwongs.com. … Congratulations to the Waipio team members who have battled their way into the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Watch their game at 9 a.m. tomorrow on KITV. Go Waipio! …

…—— Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things Fridays. E-mail him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.