Actress Jessica Biel ("The A-Team," "The Illusionist") apparently has been home-shopping in Kahala, but not in the company of recent beau Justin Timberlake ("The Social Network," "Friends With Benefits"). He could be her ex, or perhaps they have worked out their apart-ness, but Hawaii could be a part-time rendezvous for her — or for them. …

Speaking of couples: Apparently, the seesawing relationship of actors Zac Efron ("Charlie St. Cloud," "The Lucky One") and Vanessa Hudgens ("Journey 2: The Mysterious Island") is on again. Though they spent time together while she was filming here as well as on Maui on repeated visits, they split in December, but were ascloseasthis again last weekend in Wilmington, N.C., where "Journey" was filming. They shared dinner, kisses and a hotel room — sounds like togetherness. …

And look for the aforementioned Biel and Efron (now with his mop shorn and worn short) in Gary Marshall‘s sorta spinoff of the holiday rom-com "New Year’s Eve," patterned after last year’s "Valentine’s Day," in which she also appeared. Such folks as Robert DeNiro, Ashton Kutcher, Hilary Swank, Abigail Breslin, Halle Berry, Lea Michele, Jon Bon Jovi, Seth Meyers and Michelle Pfeiffer are aboard. Director Marshall, a regular Christmastime visitor here, ought to do some island filming, don’t you think? …

THE LOCAL ANGLE: Kamehameha grad Christopher Bright, the musician-actor son of new Royal Hawaiian Band master Clarke Bright (and grandson of theater director Ron Bright), has brought new honors to the Kaneohe show biz ohana. Christopher has been tapped to be a member of the Blue Devil Drum and Marching Corps of San Francisco, the first islander selected to the competitive drum corps, and thus will be flying once a month for rehearsals in the City by the Bay from his current base, Chapman University in Orange County, Calif., where he’s enrolled as a freshman. …

And Bruno Mars‘ "Just the Way You Are" was on Fox’s "Glee" rerun last week. Just the way it should be for a hit song … on a hit show taking on a school bullying theme. …

It’s been a grand year so far for ukulele wiz Jake Shimabukuro; the current Time magazine pays homage to the four-stringed instrument, giving Shimabukuro deserved credit for its mounting appeal and yet another chance to utter his mantra, "If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place." Shimabukuro’s concert in Williamsburg also was reviewed ("buoyant musicianship and brisk proficiency") in The New York Times, more indication of his (and the uke’s) popularity. …

GOOD EATS: For the fifth consecutive year, Chef Mavro (George Mavrothalassitis) has earned praise and a spot in Gayot’s "2011 Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.," the lone Hawaii chef and restaurant to make the culinary world’s Oscars, so to speak. He’s among the best — Charlie Trotter’s, The French Laundry, Per Se, Le Bernadin. For the list, go to www.gayot.com/best-restaurants/finestrestaurantsusa.html. …

For his first meal out following surgery for his liver cancer, Tony Ruivivar and wife Karen celebrated his clean-bill-of-health recovery with dinner last weekend at the Aria at CityCenter in Las Vegas. "He’d been waiting for this moment," said a relieved Karen. The Society of Seven just wound up a gig at Muckleshoot, in Auburn Hills, Wash., with Martin Nievera and Jasmine Trias joining Ruivivar in the lineup. "I had to be sure I didn’t break my stitches," Ruivivar said. "It was nice to be back." …

FURTHERMORE: Manoa Valley Theatre’s "Around the World in 80 Days," an imaginative and energetic take of the Jules Verne fantasy, plays for the final time at 4 p.m. today. A five-member cast plays a variety of roles, but the one to watch is Shawn Anthony Thomsen, a bundle of vigor both visually and verbally. Good fun, but a skosh too long. …

Friends, family and friends will remember James MacArthur, the original Danno of "Hawaii Five-0," in a memorial at 2 p.m. today at the Hawaii Theatre. …

And that’s "Show Biz." …

Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.