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HAPPY NEW YEAR: Town & Country’s January 2013 issue lists four getaways in its Beach Guide section that it recommends as prime locations to shake off the winter cold. Hawaii island is the only U.S. beach destination in the section. The others are Anguilla in the Caribbean, Jose Ignacio in Uruguay and Phuket, an isle off Thailand. More than beaches are listed. Unique attractions, restaurants, popular watering holes and visiting celebrities are named. Local highlights include Kilauea volcano and Hawaii’s "pristine" beaches. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Merriman’s, Huggo’s, Lava Lava Beach Club, Parker Ranch, Hilo Farmers Market and Kohala Coffee Mill are all given a shot. Travel writer Paul Theroux also briefly describes his "happiest" Big Isle experience.
The mag calls the island a favorite getaway for Silicon Valley and Hollywood execs, adding that Paul Allen has a Kona compound and neighbor Michael Dell owns the local Four Seasons franchise. As for celebs, the story counts Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts as visitors and says Roberts is rumored to be moving there soon. Hey Julia, are you there yet? …
MISS HAWAII 1996 Melissa Short Zapin, working hard on her opera career, is home from New York for a holiday visit. She made her fourth operatic appearance at Carnegie Hall Nov. 26. The soprano has appeared in operas in France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Hungary in the past 11 years and would enjoy singing with the Hawaii Opera Theatre. A highlight for her was singing with tenor Marcello Giordani last March at the Ohio Opera. "I will be having my first audition for the Metropolitan Opera House this spring," she said. She has sung at Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and Feinstein’s in the Big Apple. She even sang opera in an episode of "Elementary" on CBS and was also in a "Sex and the City" episode. Melissa is here with her husband, promoter Ross Zapin, an exec with SiriusXM. Each Christmas she and her best friend, former Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee, meet here. Melissa’s website is encompassarts.com; click on sopranos and look for Melissa Zapin …
HOT PLATE: A friend recently sent me a clipping from the Sept. 13 about a 7-by-8-inch plate that pictures President Barack Obama‘s Hawaii birth certificate. The plate is being sold at Fishs Eddy, a Manhattan housewares store, for $19.95. Call 212-420-9020 if you’re interested. According to the story, Julie Gaines and David Lenovitz, a married couple, started the store 25 years ago. Julie said they researched the birth certificate, did a lot of work online and what they are using seemed to be the most authentic. She said by phone they’re not afraid of any challenges to Obama being born in Hawaii, not even from Donald Trump, who is well known for claiming that Obama was not born in the U.S. "We’re not afraid of him," Julie said …
LARGE PLATES: Charlie Beeck and Olivia Kwong tossed a dinner for Skippa Diaz and his pals Dec. 20 at Chart House. The eatery’s GM Scott Okumoto made sure plenty of good food was dished up because some of the guests were big former football stars, including ex-pros like Skippa. Guests included Rockne Freitas, Jim Nicholson, Buzzy Hong, Mike Hirohata, Lou Kamanu, Wally Abreu, Herbie Moriyama and Craig Mitchell …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
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