VIDEO: ‘Soul Sessions’ feat. Tanenbaum and Fox

Michael Tanenbaum and Stephen Fox

When Michael Tanenbaum and Stephen Fox first met in 2001, it was love at first listen. When Fox came to hear Tanenbaum at the former Anna Bannana’s in Moilili, he knew he had found a soul mate, and so started a musical bromance that has lasted more than a decade.

Both Tanenbaum and Fox began their musical journeys as children playing piano. From there, they took very different paths to arrive at the same place, but those initial sensibilities of classical composition taught them how to understand each other in what they played. Both men have extensive experience composing for film, and a cinematic sensibility fills their work individually and together. They also share a number of influences, including The Pat Metheny Group and Michael Hedges.

On meeting Tanenbaum, Fox knew it was time for the santur to be heard. Much of the modern repertoire for santur/dulcimer is Celtic or Celtic-inspired, and Tanenbaum’s Celtic flavor stirred Fox’s Manx core. Tanenbaum’s compositions provided the perfect compliment to the instrument’s delicate tones, and the two have gradually found ways to meld their styles and sounds.

Since meeting, the two have frequently lived in different states or countries, but have continued to play concerts as their schedules allowed, beginning with the Lucid Dreaming and String Theory concerts of 2001 and 2004 at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, as well as club and casual dates along the way. It is always a joy when they get together, as evidenced by frequent large grins exchanged between tunes.

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Video courtesy Soul Sessions USA. Visit www.honolulupulse.com every Tuesday for more performances by various Hawaii-based recording artists.

Related Post:

‘Soul Sessions’ partners with The Pulse

Outtakes Online: Welcome to the jungle

Alex O’Loughlin as Steve McGarrett, taking aim at Wo Fat’s helicopter. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

Even in the world of television, which operates at a much faster pace than in feature films, it can take half a day to shoot a scene that’s over after just a few minutes.

The climactic jungle shoot-out between the crime-fighters of “Hawaii Five-0” and ruthless terrorist Wo Fat in this week’s episode was shot in early March at Kualoa Ranch and took repeated takes to get right.

Daniel Dae Kim (as Chin Ho Kelly) rides an ATV during filming. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

The scene — shot in Hakipuu Valley between passing ranch tour vehicles filled with wide-eyed, photo-snapping visitors — often filled the air with the sound of machine guns. The show uses scaled down rounds that create noisy, blast-spewing weaponry without the bullets.

Nearly everyone on set wears ear plugs, even the actors.

The final scene, as “Five-0” exchanges gunfire with Wo Fat, was shot around a real helicopter wreck. Burning pressed logs and gas-fed tubes were used to create smoke and fire. Before each take, a production assistant would walk through the set with a smoke machine, but the smoke kept drifting away.

Mark Dacascos as the severely burned Wo Fat. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

The make-up that was used to turn actor Mark Dacascos into the severely burned Wo Fat was better looking on the set than on TV. The small screen didn’t do it justice.

He really looked bad, his head and upper torso painted red and half of his hair missing. It will be interesting to see how disfigured he becomes in future episodes.
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Mike Gordon covers film and television in Hawaii for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at mgordon@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his weekly “Outtakes” column Sundays in the Star-Advertiser.

Truth from Dare: Slide into summer

BY DERIN DEREGO / Special to the Star-Advertiser

This year is flying by! I guess that’s what happens when you make it a point to stay busy. The fact it’s already May and we’re heading into summer baffles me.

Guests fill a courtyard at the Honolulu Museum of Art during "ARTafterDARK" in February. (Star-Advertiser File)

Speaking of May, in honor of Earth Day the Honolulu Museum of Arts took to the theme last weekend during the monthly “ARTafterDARK” party. “Plant One”, as it was called, celebrated all things green. The evening started on a festive note with African drum and dance group Sewa Fare; afrobeats artists Jamarek followed, leading into sets by DJs Zachariah and Rhythmstar. One of the highlights of the evening was a green marketplace, where attendees could buy art, crafts, and trinkets from earth-friendly vendors.

Another unique feature about this month’s “ARTafterDARK” was a post-party concert featuring Quadrophonix and Anton Glamb in the Dorris Duke Theatre. The show added a nice touch, as I always feel like “ARTafterDARK” ends a little too early.

This weekend signals the start of our sleigh ride into summer. I call it that because there’s usually so much going on in the month of May that June and July descend quite quickly upon us.

Friday, May 3, is another First Friday in Chinatown. Last month’s edition didn’t seem as spread out as in months prior; with the closing of SoHo Mixed Media Bar and hiatus of Indigo, it seems like everyone is contained within the block of Hotel Street flanked by Smith and Nuuanu.

Aaron Martin at work putting his art up on the walls of thirtyninehotel in Chinatown. (Courtesy photo)

Lucky for me, the main thing I’m looking forward this month is at thirtyninehotel. The hip art space and bar is unveiling a new exhibit, “Walls of Fur and Fang,” featuring floor-to-ceiling psychedelic panda paintings from artist Aaron “Woes” Martin.

For you true hip-hop heads, Friday also brings the return of Nas, arguably one of the biggest rappers of the 1990′s. Best known for bangers like “If I Ruled The World” and “Made You Look,” Nas usually sits atop many fans’ all-time lists. If you grew up in the ’90s or were club-hopping a lot at the turn of the century, you’re sure to be bobbing your head if you head to this show.

Saturday, May 4, head to Chinatown for the annual Cinco De Mayo block party. Organizers opted to throw the party a day early in hopes that it will draw more people. This is probably a good call, since the Block Party starts at 5 p.m. with several stages hosting live Latin bands, DJs and dance groups. There’s also a moustache contest scheduled at 8 p.m. After the block party is finished, a number of after parties are slated to take place in downtown and at M Nightclub at Waterfront Plaza.

Johnny Helm. (Courtesy photo)

On Sunday, May 5, I’ll be celebrating Cinco De Mayo at Wahoo’s Fish Tacos on Ward Ave. The usually mellow spot is having live music all afternoon on the patio and specials on margaritas and tacos. The Pulse will also be at Wahoo’s Kahala restaurant, hosting another Cinco de Mayo celebration with food and drink specials, a photo wall and live entertainment by Johnny Helm, Matty McIntire and Melanie and the Meltones starting at 3 p.m.

With so much going on the first weekend of May, it’s no wonder the month feels like a slide into summer. If the weeks continue this way, 2013 is going to be a wrap before we know it. Make sure and stop to smell the roses!
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When he’s not out and about at the hottest parties and other events in Honolulu, Derin “Dare” Derego works as an account executive at a local radio station group. Reach him via email at derinderego@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.

Food La La: ‘Pitchers and Pupus’ at Wahoo’s

BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Wahoo’s Fish Taco recently launched a new Thursday night happy hour, “Pitchers and Pupus,” at their Kahala Location. They invited me to check it out, so I went with some of my friends last week.

I’ve been to the Ward Ave. location a few times, but this was my first time at Wahoo’s Kahala. It is right near Kahala Mall, next to Olive Tree Café.

Every Thursday night, Wahoo’s Kahala offers happy hour prices all night on appetizers as well as drink specials. I tried a Skinny Pink Margarita, which is not skinny in any way — I couldn’t finish it all, so I shared with my friends. It is slightly sweeter than a regular margarita.

For comparison purposes, on the right is Wahoo’s 32-ounce pitcher of beer ($8-10 depending on the type) that my friends ordered, and on the left is the Skinny Pink Margarita.

By the way, I just bought a new camera — which I’m still learning how to use — so instead of torturing my poor friends by making them wait 20 minutes for me to take pictures, I asked my friend Brandon Yoon to take some of the pictures in this post. Thanks Brandon!

The best appetizer to share with a bunch of people is the pupu plater ($10) because you can choose three items from the following: French fries, Baja rolls, taquitos, onion rings or quesadillas. We got the fries, Baja rolls and taquitos. The taquitos were nice and crispy and went great with our drinks. I didn’t care too much for the Baja rolls because they were a little bland for my taste, so I probably wouldn’t order them again.

(Courtesy Brandon Yoon)

Wahoo’s obviously is known for their fish, but I have to say that I enjoyed all the pork items more. I tried the pork in their taquitos, tacos, and also these sliders ($8). The pork is tender and full of flavor.

(Courtesy Brandon Yoon)

We also got an order of sweet potato fries since they were only $4! Regular fries and onion rings are $3 during happy hour.

The rest of the food we ordered was not from the happy hour menu, but my friends and I wanted to try some of their regular items. This is one of their special quesadillas for April ($8) that came with tons of veggies, cilantro, jalapeño and cheese. We added pork for an additional $1.57. It came with an addicting creamy cilantro sauce that I kept pouring onto everything and dipping fries into it! Our server said that even though this is a monthly special, you can actually order this at any time because this is something that the employees love to eat.

This is the Outer Reef Burrito ($9.33) that we ordered “wet” with two types of sauces and filled with pork. My friends really liked the pork so we kept ordering it in most of our dishes. The burrito was filled with guacamole, sour cream, rice, cheese and black beans.

(Courtesy Brandon Yoon)

We also ordered some of tacos ($3.83 each) with shrimp, fish, steak, and chicken. My favorite of the four was the shrimp because it had a slight Cajun spiciness to it.

(Courtesy Brandon Yoon)

I didn’t know that Wahoo’s offered desserts, but our server insisted we try out their brownie sundae ($6.95). I’m so glad that we took her advice because that sundae was amazing and huge! The brownie was slightly chewy and soft, just the way I like it and went perfectly with the ice cream. This dessert still haunts me in my dreams – I have to go back just to have this again.

Wahoo’s Kahala is also a great place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Pulse. Come down from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, May 5, for food and drink specials plus live entertainment by Johnny Helm, Matty McIntire and Melanie and the Meltones. There will be a photo wall available, and a photographer from the Star-Advertiser will be there taking pictures!
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Lindsey Muraoka blogs about food and drink for the Pulse. Contact her on Twitter or via email at foodlalablog@gmail.com.

Grind Time: Fork in the Road Pop-Up Dinner

BY JASON GENEGABUS / jason@staradvertiser.com

A quartet of talented local chefs teamed up last week to launch Oahu’s latest pop-up dining experience, as Fork in the Road Hawaii hosted its first meal at Harbor View Center on April 24.

The entrance to Harbor View Center is just a few steps from the new location of Nico’s at Pier 38. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Now, you might be wondering: Where is Harbor View Center and why host a pop-up there?

Instead of trying to explain where this place is, I should first tell you about one of the chefs involved in this operation. Chef Nico Chaize runs the successful Nico’s at Pier 38 — which is located right next door to Harbor View Center. All the meals served last week were prepared in the kitchen at Nico’s and brought upstairs, where a sold-out room of more than 60 hungry diners awaited each course.

Joining Chaize to work on the pop-up are Nico’s executive chef Gregory Moad and sous chef Kaleo Chong, along with chef Jan Nagasako of Genius Lounge in Waikiki.

According to a press release, while “everyone recognizes Nico, Gregory has worked at local restaurants for (more than) 14 years, most notably assisting Chef Hiroshi Fukui open Hiroshi’s Eurasion Tapas and working with Chef Nico to open the new Nico’s at Pier 38.

“Jan and Kaleo have worked at restaurants all over Hawaii,” the release continued. “They even worked together at Palomino, a popular downtown favorite prior to its closure.”

Along with Chaize’s extensive culinary background, the other three chefs bring nearly 40 years of industry experience and knowledge to Fork in the Road. Of the six courses served last week, Nagasako prepared two, while Chong prepared one of his own and worked with Moad on another. Moad and Chaize had dishes of their own served that night as well.

A digital sign welcomes guests to Harbor View Center. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

While not the most daring menu I’ve eaten in a pop-up setting, the Fork in the Road crew did a pretty good job for their first attempt at a meal of this type. Working out of the Nico’s kitchen downstairs is a better strategy in theory rather than practice, as multiple courses arrived at our table at less than optimal temperature. Seating was staggered, evidently to ease the pressure put on the limited upstairs “kitchen” space at Harbor View Center, but it only caused more confusion among both servers and diners.

The good news? Fork in the Road plans to host upcoming pop-up dinners in different locations, so hopefully the next spot will include a dedicated kitchen for the chefs to work out of. And improvement can only come from experience, so I’m confident they’re learning from their mistakes as they go and will improve the dining experience for customers in the future.

Here’s a closer look at the six courses Fork in the Road served last week:

First Course: Cured Hamachi Carpaccio

Konbu Cured Hamachi with Citrus, Kizami Wasabi and Watermelon Radish. Served with Segura Viudas Aria Brut. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

This was one of my favorite dishes. Although there’s nothing really special about serving up hamachi carpaccio, this dish was executed nearly perfectly and paired beautifully with the sparkling wine served with the course.

Second Course: Asian Pear Goat Cheese Salad

Nalo Greens, Poached Asian Pear, Chèvre Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans and Spiced Champagne Vinaigrette. Served with 2010 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Some components of this salad — the Nalo greens, the pears, the dressing — were plentiful and delicious. The balance was off, however, when considering the rest of the ingredients.

My plate lacked enough cheese to cut through the pile of greens and pears I was served, and while the candied pecans were tasty, they pieces were way too big and way too sticky. I couldn’t break them into smaller pieces, and I was seriously worried about cracking a tooth trying to eat them. Not good.

Third Course: Pan Seared Scallop

Edamame Pea Puree, Crushed Wasabi Peas, Yuzu Cream and Chili Oil. Served with 2011 Champalou Vouvray. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Fourth Course: Braised Pork Cheek

Bacon Cauliflour Puree, Tomato Maui Onion Relish, Duck Confit Foie Gras Potsticker and Chili Truffle Emulsion. Served with 2010 Domaine De Fontsainte Corbieres. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Fifth Course: Veal Blanquette

Sous Vide Veal Tenderloin and Pressed Veal Sweet Breads. Served with 2007 Petaluma Riesling. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Dessert: Honolulu Bread Pudding

Chocolate Bread Pudding, House Made Coconut Marshmallows, Macadamia Nut Brittle and Vanilla Bean Brandy Anglaise. Served with Warre’s Otima 10-Year-Old Tawny Port. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

I loved the consistency of the bread pudding, which was even more delicious when paired with the brittle and anglaise. The marshmallows were a nice touch, although they were a bit difficult to break into smaller pieces and enjoy with the bread pudding.

According to Fork in the Road Hawaii, the next pop-up dinner will take place at the end of June; tickets will go on sale a few weeks in advance. Follow their Facebook page for additional updates.
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“Grind Time” is always looking for the latest places to get your grub on. Email Jason Genegabus with restaurant, bar or any other food/drink-related item at jason@staradvertiser.com.

VIDEO: ‘POSH’ Fashion Showcase

Nineteen seniors from Honolulu Community College’s Fashion Technology program presented five designs each during the annual student showcase, “POSH,” on Saturday, April 27, at HCC’s Marine Education & Training Center.

Featured student designers included:

» Thanh Apostolides
» Jocelyn Beldenx
» Pualei Beter
» Sera Brand
» Elizabeth Chang
» Pong Cheung
» Moses Gouveia
» Yuka Kanno
» Tiare Kaopua
» Leina Kelly
» Jacky Lau
» Chai Siang Lim
» Wanda Martin
» Milan Narag
» Monica Pacleb
» Jodi Park
» Ian Ramos
» Kitri Rowland
» Christina Wong

Review: Circa Survive at The Republik

Circa Survive performs at The Republik on Wednesday, May 1. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

REVIEW BY GENE PARK / Special to the Star-Advertiser

I never heard of Philadelphia indie band Circa Survive before last night. But the five-piece post-emo rockers made themselves heard so loudly, I can barely hear.

It was a night of danger at The Republik, and not just because of the crowd surfers, although there were a countless number of them at this show. I felt sorry for Republik security, under constant duress to carry euphoric fans out of the audience to safety — and sometimes out of the venue entirely.

But the music was dangerous, too; a muscular soundscape with noisy riffs from dual guitars, daring odd time signatures that even threw off the fans’ fist pumping, and lead singer Anthony Green’s high-pitched voice, sounding like a punkish Geddy Lee from Rush with electricity not heard since Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell.

Circa Survive’s Anthony Green on stage at The Republik on Wednesday, May 1. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

From my pre-show research, I couldn’t tell what kind of show I was in for. Their most recent release, 2012’s “Violent Waves,” was a self-released indie album to the core, made to remove the mainstream sheen and recreate the energy of their live shows.

I was skeptical. The new album sounded fine. But songs like “Strange Terrain,” which kicks off their most commercialized album to date, the 2010 Atlantic release “Blue Sky Noise,” were spit-shined and over-produced.

Last night’s performance, however, was unhinged and dirty, like I was listening to a different band altogether. “Strange Terrain” was unrecognizable in that it was a lot more fun to listen to live. And in “Sharp Practice,” their first single off the new album, Green sings, “We can’t sell our God damn souls anymore!”

Even on YouTube, the songwriting glows. When heard live though, it was a declaration of independence. Circa Survive lives and survives by its live shows.

Circa Survive lead singer Anthony Green gets up close and personal with fans at The Republik on Wednesday, May 1. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

One of the aforementioned crowd surfers, a brave soul in an aloha shirt, snuck on stage twice. The second time — when he grabbed Green from behind to lay a kiss on his cheek — earned him a ticket out of the venue. Green was visibly upset, not about the sneak attack fandom, but that the fan was kicked out.

“Can we let that guy back in? Come on, he was the best guy,” Green said, staring off to the side toward security. He wasn’t going to drop the issue easily, as he went on about it even while he was performing.

“Let him in. I’ll pay for his ticket. … As far as I’m concerned, that guy wins.”

I didn’t see the fan get back in, but it was a striking display of Green’s adoration for his fans. From the first song on, Green seemed more interested in the audience than any other frontman I’ve seen in a long time. He held the mic stand over the crowd. Audience banter punctuated the dead space between songs. He even partook in a bit of crowd surfing himself.

Circa Survive performs at The Republik on Wednesday, May 1. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

There was crowd surfing even during a recent single, “Suitcase,” which Green called “the most mellow jam.”

“Nobody told me you guys were so f—-ing rowdy in Hawaii,” he said.

Longtime fan and downtown Honolulu resident Janjeera Hail has seen the band perform live several times.

“After the first show, you want to go home and listen to their songs over and over again,” she gushed.

I suppose that would do for now. But I’m more enticed by one of Green’s last comments.

“We should just come back here once a month,” he said. “We’ll get jobs at the resort.”

Hear, hear.

Related Post:

PICS: Circa Survive at The Republik

Social Encore: Brush up your salsa moves

‘

There are so many different types of dance. With Cinco de Mayo coming up, you may want to freshen up your moves before you hit the dance floor.

Salsa No Ka Oi is a place that teaches several different Latin dance genres. Being in the business for more than eight years, their dance studio sits in the heart of Kaka’ako on Auahi St.

Owner Charlie Castro started dancing after his mother suggested he take classes publicized in the newspaper. Recovering from a basketball injury, he was looking for an outlet to keep up his fitness and thought dance would be a great way to keep active while learning more about his Puerto Rican culture.

“My grandma would always play (Puerto Rican) music growing up, but I never really took interest in learning how to dance to that type of music until I started dancing,” said Castro.

Castro said he grew up a true local boy, but was able to really get in touch with a part of who he was through dance. While learning how to dance, his instructor decided to moved to the mainland and Castro wanted to keep going and opened up his own studio.

Salsa No Ka Oi is located at 661 Auahi St. on the second floor. Visit their website for more information.
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Jermel-Lynn Quillopo is a multi-faceted, energetic individual with experience in both print and broadcast journalism. “Social Encore” aims to tell diverse stories about Hawaii’s food, events and people; share your tips with Jermel via email or follow her on Twitter.

PICS: Circa Survive

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Philadelphia-based rockers Circa Survive made their Hawaii concert debut at The Republik on Wednesday, May 1.

Related Post:

Review: Circa Survive at The Republik

PICS: ‘True Roots’ at Mai Tai’s

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PHOTOS BY JOAH BULEY / Special to the Star-Advertiser

The Mai Tai Bar kicked off “True Roots: Feel Good Music Wednesdays” at Ala Moana Center on Wednesday, May 1. The four-week promotion features Heineken specials and live music; Ooklah the Moc performed this week, with Mike Love, Paula Fuga and Sam Ites on May 8, followed by Guidance on May 15 and Rebel Soujljahz on May 22.

‘Legends’ offers complimentary pau hana

The cast of Legends in Concert Waikiki includes Steven Tyler, Elvis, Madonna, and Michael Jackson tribute artists. (Star-Advertiser File)

HONOLULU PULSE STAFF / honolulupulse@staradvertiser.com

Hawaii residents with valid state ID can take advantage of a special pau hana offer during the month of May, thanks to Legends in Concert Waikiki.

Steven Tyler tribute artist Chris VanDahl will meet-and-greet with guests prior to Friday performances in May. (Star-Advertiser File)

Starting tomorrow, May 3, those who purchase a cocktail show ticket will be able to access the Royal Hawaiian Theater’s new VIP lounge for a complimentary pupu, cocktail and wine tasting. Steven Tyler tribute artist Chris VanDahl will also make an appearance to meet-and-greet with guests before the start of “Rock-A-Hula” at 8 p.m.

“We love our local guests and we’re always looking for new ways to show them our appreciation,” said Legends in Concert Hawaii COO Brian Brigner. “Las Vegas has been fondly nicknamed Hawaii’s eighth island, but now island residents can experience the best of Vegas-style entertainment without stepping foot on a plane.”

The VIP pau hana will start at 6:45 p.m. Fridays, followed by the stage show that features Elvis, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Steven Tyler tribute artists, along with a live band and dance troupe. The full cast will also meet-and-greet with guests following each performance.

Tickets for Legends in Concert range from $47.79 to $145.80 for Hawaii residents; validated $3 parking (four hours) is available in the Royal Hawaiian Center parking lot. Call (808) 629-7469, go to the show’s Royal Hawaiian Center ticket kiosk or visit the Legends in Concert Waikiki website for reservations.

To Do: Mice Parade, Of Montreal, more

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TICKER:

Glenn Miller Orchestra: Relive the heyday of the big-band sound of the 1940s at the Blaisdell Concert Hall May 27; $69 & $99, ticketmaster.com.

Of Montreal: Kevin Barnes and his colorful band (and sound) return to Honolulu on May 28 to play the Republik; $25 & $35, flavorus.com

Do It: Shen Yun, Cinco de Mayo, more

(Courtesy photo)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8-SATURDAY, MAY 11

Fiery excitement comes to the Polynesian Cultural Center

If you want to see a “hot” show, head on out to Laie for the 21st Annual World Fireknife Championships, at the Polynesian Cultural Center in the next few days.

The spectacular show offers plenty of excitement, as the contestants dance with the fiery machetes, often tossing them high in the air, passing them between their legs or behind their back. Most of the advanced competitors use more than one knife.

The fire dance originated as a warrior dance in Samoa in which warriors danced with knives called “nifo otu.” Depending on how it is translated, that means either “tooth of death” or “cutting tooth.” As if that isn’t intimidating enough, a performer named Freddie Letuli added fire to the act in the 1940s.

The competition opens with preliminary competition on Wednesday, with the semifinals, juniors and group competitions on Thursday. The senior division finals will be held May 10 and 11 during the intermission of “Ha: Breath of Life,” PCC’s stage show. Admission to the show is required to see the finals.

Where: Polynesian Cultural Center, 55-370 Kamehameha Highway, Laie
When: 7:45 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m. May 10-11
Cost: $10 Wednesday-Thursday; May 10-11 finals require tickets to “Ha: Breath of Life,” starting at $45 (kamaaina rates available).
Info: Polynesia.com or 293-3333

(Courtesy photo)

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 3-5

Chinese troupe returns with a new production

Shen Yun, a New York-based performance troupe that promotes Chinese culture through music and dance, returns to the Blaisdell Concert Hall this weekend.

The group’s performances feature a mixture of acrobatics, tumbling and martial arts moves, as well as movements similar to Western ballet, all tightly choreographed to music performed by an orchestra comprising Western and Chinese instruments.

The dances often refer to traditional Chinese legends, such as the story of Mulan.

“It’s about reviving 5,000 years of Chinese culture that has been undermined in modern China,” said Hong Jiang, a spokesman for the company. The Falun Dafa Association, which sponsors the touring company, has been at odds with the modern communist Chinese government, as Hong Jiang’s statement hints, and the association’s activities have been banned in mainland China.

Politics notwithstanding, the shows have been praised by observers for spectacular costuming, beautiful sets and athletic, graceful dancing.

Shen Yun has performed here the past six years, but this is a new show, Jiang said. “It has new stories, a new music score. It is a huge production. That’s because they want to present the grandeur of Chinese civilization.”

Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
When: 7:30 p.m. today, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $60-$120
Info: ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000

(Courtesy photo)

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Latin community celebrates culture at annual festival

Celebrate Mexican independence and Hawaii’s Latin cultures at the annual Cinco de Mayo Hispanic Street Festival in Chinatown on Saturday, with a variety of entertainment from the traditional to the contemporary.

The celebration pays tribute to the islands’ diverse Hispanic population, which numbers about 120,000 people from more than 22 nations.

A stage will be set up at the intersection of Hotel Street and Nuuanu Avenue, featuring performers including the Santana Tribute Band, Latin band Son Caribe and dance groups Ballet Folklorico de Mexico and Epica Latin Dance Company. The Mariachi Loco band will stroll the streets performing popular folk tunes.

Also on hand will be an appearance by the “Alma Latina” radio show, the longest-running Hispanic radio show in Hawaii, and deejays from KTUH.

Hispanic street culture will be on display in the form of dozens of cyclists from 808 Lowriders’ Pride, a group of enthusiasts who trick out their bikes and ride them en masse through Waikiki. The lowriders will park their bikes on Hotel Street, while the Latin American Motorcycle Club will have 11 souped-up bikes on display on King Street.

Activities for kids include a keiki corner, prizes, pinatas and face painting, and for those able to stay out later, seven nightclubs will host an after-party with live music or DJs, with one $10 admission applicable to all clubs. The party begins at 10 p.m.

Where: Chinatown
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Cost: Free; get $10 tickets for the nightclub after-party from flavorus.com or call 855-235-2867.
Info: www.oospot.com

(Courtesy photo)

MONDAY, MAY 6

Chamber Music program will feature harpist Uejio

The harp, that most ethereal of instruments, takes center stage in Chamber Music Hawaii’s next program. Constance Uejio, pictured, principal harpist with the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra, will join CMH’s string and wind players in a wide-ranging program of chamber music.

The major work will be Ravel’s “Introduction and Allegro,” for harp, string quartet, flute and clarinet. Lest one think that classical music starts out with high artistic purpose in mind, this piece actually originated as a kind of marketing tool, Uejio said.

As the story goes, Debussy composed a piece, “Sacred and Profane Dances,” which was commissioned by a company that made pianos and harps.

“The Erard piano and harp company decided that they weren’t going to be outdone by Debussy, so they commissioned Ravel to write a chamber piece for harp,” Uejio said.

“His purpose was to show off the harp so that this Erard harp and piano company would sell instruments.”

The result was a piece that shows off all the harp’s wonderful qualities.

“Ravel used a lot of the different techniques that made it interesting, that showed off all the harp,” Uejio said, mentioning arpeggios, harmonics, fancy fingerwork and especially glissandos. “He uses the full length of the harp, from the lowest string to the highest string. That’s always interesting, too, because oftentimes the music is written just around the middle area.”

The program includes works by Johann Backofen, Albert Roussel, Jean Francaix and Ottorino Respighi. Most of them are new to Uejio and to Chamber Music Hawaii. “We’re all starting from scratch here,” Uejio noted.

Where: Doris Duke Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday
Cost: $20-$25
Info: www.chambermusichawaii.org or 489-5038
Note: The program repeats at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, at 7:30 p.m. May 11.

– Steven Mark

TICKER

» Join ManoaDNA in support of the Waialua High School robotics teams at a luau fundraiser, 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Dole Plantation. $40. 637-8200

Out ‘N’ About: Noelani’s 50th, First Friday, more

Jamba Banana Man Chase: A 5K race and keiki 500-meter dash benefiting the Hawaii Speed and Quickness skills training program, followed by family fun (free smoothies, entertainment, bounce house), 7 a.m., Magic Island. $15-$30 registration (5:30-6 a.m.). active.com, jambahawaii.com (Courtesy photo)

WEEKEND OF MAY 3-5

Shen Yun, Chinese cultural dance show, new for 2013 with live orchestra, 7:30 p.m. today, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Blaisdell Concert Hall. $60-$120. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

Islandwide Spring Crafts & Food Expo, 200 vendors, entertainment, 4-8 p.m today, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. $3-$4; kids 12 and younger free. 623-4050, islandwidecraftexpos.com

Friends of Waimanalo Library book sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Waimanalo Public & School Library meeting room. 259-2610

Orchid Society of Manoa orchid show and plant sale, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Noelani Elementary School. Free. 947-6343

Plant sale, by the O‘ahu Nursery Growers Association, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Thomas Square. Free. ongahawaii.com

Maoli Film Festival, third annual showcase of Hawaiian filmmaking, 4-10 p.m. Saturday and 3-7 p.m. Sunday, Kumu Kahua Theatre. $10 per seating; $15 per evening pass (up to three seatings). 536-4441, kumukahua.org

Blue Coral Trio piano trio concert, violinist Elaine Lu, cellist Pauline Bai and pianist Grant Mack perform Faure’s Op. 120 and Schubert’s Op. 99, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Lutheran Church of Honolulu and 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Christ Church Uniting. $15; free for students.

FRIDAY, MAY 3

Noelani’s 50th Anniversary Celebration & May Fair, with food trucks, talent show, May Day program, student dances and music, food and produce, dance contest, haku lei, silent auction and more, noon-6 p.m., Noelani Elementary School. Free admission. 988-1858, noelani.k12.hi.us

Royal Hawaiian Band, noon-1 p.m., Iolani Palace. Free. 922-5331

Ma‘ema‘e Elementary School Family Night, food booths, games, rides, entertainment, 2:30-8 p.m., Ma‘ema‘e Elementary School. Free admission. 595-5400

First Friday Honolulu, evening celebration of the arts at downtown museums, galleries, studios and theaters, 5-10 p.m., downtown and China­town. Free. 521-2903, artsatmarks.com

“Honoring Our Past, Shaping Our Future,” Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network fundraising gala with dinner, entertainment and awards, 6 p.m., Hawaii Prince Hotel. $150. 741-5966, tinyurl.com/hpcsndinner05032013

LAUD worship concert, Loud And UnashameD presents bands The Brewery, The City and the Sound and Life Church, 7 p.m., Bethel Chapel, Waipahu. Free. 206-1398

Spring Piano Concert, barbershop quartet HI Q led by Windward Community College piano student Bryce-William Irvine, 7 p.m., Paliku Theatre. Free. windward.hawaii.edu/paliku

“Are We Alone?: Current Efforts to Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” Explorers of the Universe lecture by Jill Tarter, chair of the California-based SETI Institute and the inspiration behind Jodie Foster’s character in the movie “Contact,” 7:30-9 p.m., Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Free; ticket required. uhifa.ticketbud.com

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Jamba Banana Man Chase, 7 a.m., Magic Island. $15-$30 registration (5:30-6 a.m.). active.com, jambahawaii.com

Mother’s Day Craft Fair, 30+ craft and food vendors, entertainment and community organizations, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Prince Kuhio Community Center, 91-1270 Kinoiki St., Kapolei. 394-0050, fb.com/PrinceKuhioCC

Hickam Spring Craft Fair & Family Fun Day, live entertainment, arts and crafts, food booths, youth activities and more, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Hickam Arts & Crafts Center, 335 Kuntz Ave., building 1889. Public access via Elliot Street and Kuntz Gate or via TheBus route 19. Free. 448-9907, ext. 101; greatlifehawaii.com

Mother’s Day sale, eighth annual event by local artisans, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Wai‘oli Tea Room, Manoa. 524-9594

Pearl City Bonsai Club bonsai show and plant fair, with suiseki (Japanese viewing stones) exhibit, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Pearl Ridge Elementary School. Free.

Free Comic Book Day, card-carrying patrons may choose a comic book from a variety including DC, Disney Fairies, Dragon Ball, Sesame Street, Strawberry Shortcake and Star Wars, while supplies last, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. except as noted, at Aiea, Aina Haina, Hawaii Kai (9 a.m.-5 p.m.), Kailua, Kalihi-Palama, Kapolei, Liliha, McCully-Moiliili, Mililani, Waimanalo (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) public libraries­. Star Wars and other costumed characters will appear at some libraries for photos, so bring a camera. librarieshawaii.org

Connect!Kids “Walk and Stop for St. Jude,” free family fun day benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital featuring dance performances, character appearances, balloons, photo booth, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Pearlridge Center, Downtown. 488-0981

Meet cartoonist Ray Friesen, California-based cartoonist and author of the graphic novel “Pirate Penguin Vs Ninja Chicken,” as part of Free Comic Book Day, 10:30 a.m., McCully-Moiliili Public Library. Free. 973-1099

Subaru Hawaii Love A Pet adoption and pet-supply drive, with adoptable dogs and kittens on-site, free $25 Petco gift card per adoption and waived adoption fees for Subaru owners, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Servco Subaru Waialae, 3361 Waialae Ave. subaruhawaii.com

“Violins, Voices, Flutes & Piano” concert, musical selections by violinist Sheryl Shohet, flutist Sue McGinn, flutist/keyboardist Anne Lum, sopranos Amanda Tafel and Donna Nanod Shaver and tenor Gary Nanod, noon-1 p.m., Hawaii State Library front lobby. Free. 586-3520

Aloha City Rollers roller derby game, Sneaky Tikis vs. Dash Dolls, 4 p.m., Mililani in-line hockey rink, 95-1000 Makaunulau St. Free. 808derby.com

The Green meet-and-greet, animal lovers in grades 6 and above welcome to meet local reggae band as it honors students in the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pet Power contest and to participate in an Instagram scavenger hunt with a Wet ’n’ Wild party as the prize, 4-6 p.m., Hawaiian Humane Society. $5 suggested donation. 946-2187, hawaiian­humane.org

Cinco de Mayo Hispanic Celebration Street Festival, Latino culture celebration presented by the Arts District Merchants Association with live entertainment (Mariachi Loco, Son Caribe, Santana Tribute Band, Sewa Fare, Activ8 Electro, Ballet Folklorico, others), samba dancers, food trucks, keiki corner with pinatas, mechanical bull, low-rider cars, appearance by Miss Latina Hawaii 2013 Steisha Sheather, DJs from KTUH, 808 El Control and KPOI, 5-10 p.m., Hotel Street and Nuuanu Avenue. Free. 521-2903, cincode­mayohawaii.com

Ho‘ala School Luau, featuring Hawaiian food from Alonzo’s at Mililani Golf Course, talent show, bouncers, dunking booth, face-painting, photo booth, bake sale, silent auction and door prizes, 5-9 p.m., Hoala School auditorium, Wahiawa. $20-$30. 621-1898

Saturday Night Mele: Koauka, launch of live music series features island reggae act, 5-7 p.m., Waianae Mall. Free. 696-2690, fb.com/waianaemall

The Queen Emma Ball, St. Andrew’s Priory annual fundraising gala with dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions, 5:30-10 p.m., Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom. $150. 532-2440, queenemmaball@priory.net

Passport to Clean H2O Soiree, pupu, beverages, music and 10-minute hair/cosmetic/massage stations, with all proceeds benefiting the Surfrider Foundation, 6:30-9 p.m., Ho‘ala Salon & Spa, Ala Moana Center. $50. 947-6141

‘Iolani School spring band concert, concert band program presents “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “The Inferno,” movie music by John Williams and tribute to graduating seniors, 7 p.m., Hawaii Theatre. $4. 528-0506, hawaiitheatre.com

Leeward Spring Choral Concert, local elementary and high school students perform with Leeward Community College singers, 7 p.m., Leeward Community College Theatre. $5 at door. 455-0380, lcc­theatre.hawaii.edu

Michael Tanenbaum and Stephen Fox, Hawaii Public Radio presents the musical collaborators (guitar and santur/cimbalom) in a night of Celtic-infused music with guest saxophonist Randy Wheeler, guitarist Stephen Inglis and pianist Robert Wehrman, 7:30 p.m., Atherton Performing Arts Studio. $15-$30. Reservations: 955-8821. hawaiipublicradio. org

Yoojin Cancio marimba recital, Royal Hawaiian Band percussionist and Seoul native who has worked with composers Tan Dun and Steve Reich performs Debussy, Piazolla, Bach and more, 7:30 p.m., Orvis Auditorium. Free. 956-8742, hawaii.edu/uhmmusic

SUNDAY, MAY 5

Hawaii Arthritis Walk, benefiting the Arthritis Foundation, with entertainment, keiki zone, vendor booths, 8 a.m. (7:30 a.m. registration opens), Kakaako Waterfront Park. 596-2900, hiarthritiswalk.org

Windward Potters Spring Sale, pieces by top island artists, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Kailua Elementary School cafeteria.

Malama Manoa Historic Walking Tour, 1.5-mile self-guided exploration of King Kamehameha’s ancient agricultural district of Pahoa in Manoa Valley, 8:30 a.m.-noon, with last tour leaving at 10:30 a.m.; from Honolulu Japanese Seventh-day Adventist Church (parking at Manoa Valley Park, shuttles to church). $40. Registration: 988-6181, malamamanoa.org

‘Iolani Palace Kama‘aina Sunday, free admission to galleries and docent-guided tours for Hawaii residents with ID, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and free audio tours 2:30-3:30 p.m., ‘Iolani Palace. Tickets distributed on first-come basis. iolaniplace.org

Cinco de Mayo Zumbathon Fundraiser, featuring host Theresa Espejo, DJ N-D Mixx, a benefit for the Visitor Industry Charity Walk, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Hawaii Prince Hotel, Mauna Kea Ballroom. $20. 923-0407, hawaii-lodging.org

Disco Kidz, dance and art party for ages 2-12 and their families, noon-2 p.m. first Sundays, Loading Zone, 47 N. Hotel St. $15 cover. 312-4781, loadingzonearts.com

Comic Jam Hawaii, local hobbyists and professional artists talk story and create collaborative art, 1-4 p.m., Pearlridge Center, Downtown Center Court. Free. 488-0981, pearlridgeonline.com

Hawaii Polo Club game: Maui vs. Oahu, with halftime entertainment, 2 p.m. (gates open 11 a.m. for picnicking, beach use), Hawaii Polo Club, Waialua. $8-$10; $25 clubhouse. 226-0061, hawaii-polo.org

“The Fukushima Disaster: Two Years Later,” Dean Otsuki of Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai‘i talks about the radiation leak and how to protect yourself, 2-3 p.m., Pearl City Public Library. Free. Ages 12+. 453-6566

Santacruzan Pageant & Parade, Flores de Mayo event featuring queens and princesses under flower arches, with food and live entertainment, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Filipino Community Center. Free. 680-0451, filcom.org

“A Time and a Place,” hula fundraiser concert by Mid-Pacific Institute’s halau Pupukahi I Ke Alo O Na Pua and kumu hula Michael Casupang, 5:05 p.m., Hawaii Theatre. $23-$53. 528-0506, hawaii-theatre.com

Choral Evensong, the Hawaii premiere of Steven Sametz’s “Magnificat” featuring the St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Lutheran Church of Honolulu choirs, 5:30 p.m., St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Free with calabash offering. 524-2822, ext. 217

MONDAY, MAY 6

Keiki clown show, with Bungie the Clown, 10:30-11 a.m., Town Center of Mililani. Free. 625-0108, towncenter­ofmililani.com

Tresemble concert, Chamber Music Hawaii performs works by Johan Backofen, Albert Roussel, Jean Francaix, Ottorino Respighi and Maurice Ravel, 7:30 p.m., Doris Duke Theatre. $20-$25. 489-5038, chambermusichawaii.com

TUESDAY, MAY 7

Philippine Trade Forum & Expo, Flores de Mayo event, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Filipino Community Center. Free. 680-0451, filcom.org

Hi‘ikua, performance part of Mele Mei monthlong celebration, 7-9 p.m., House Without A Key, Halekulani Hotel. Free. 593-9424, melemei.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Teen Movie Nights: “Red Dawn,” PG-13 movie screening with reading suggestions, 5 p.m., Mililani Public Library, Quiet Room. Free. 627-7470

“Stargazing,” live star show, 7-8 p.m., Hokulani Imaginarium, Windward Community College. $5-$7; free for kids under 4. 235-7433

21st annual World Fireknife Championships, four-day event kicks off with senior division preliminaries, 7:45 p.m., Polynesian Cultural Center, Samoan Village. $6-$10. 293-3333, polynesia.com

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Waialua Robotics Team Luau Fundraiser, featuring ManoaDNA, silent auction and robotics demonstration supporting the team’s travel to mainland competitions, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Dole Plantation, Wahiawa. $40. 637-8200, dole-plantation.com

21st annual World Fireknife Championships, junior Pacific divisions, senior division semifinals and open group competition, 7:45 p.m., Polynesian Cultural Center, Samoan Village. $6-$10. 293-3333, polynesia.com

At the Movies: ‘Iron Man 3,’ ’42,’ more

Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, who faces a new enemy called the Mandarin in ‘Iron Man 3.’ –Walt Disney Studios

OPENS TODAY

‘Iron Man 3′ 1/2
When Tony Stark’s world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Ben Kingsley star. (PG-13, 130 minutes)

LIMITED RELEASE

‘Blancanieves’
A twist on the Snow White fairy tale set in 1920s Seville and centered on a female bullfighter. At Kahala 8 (PG-13, 104 minutes)

‘A Deeper Shade of Blue’
Jack McCoy’s documentary about the history of surfing. At Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and Pearl Highlands Stadium 12 (R, 90 minutes)

NOW PLAYING

’42′ 1/2
The life story of Jackie Robinson, the first black Major League Baseball player, and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey. As with Robinson himself, the movie is a class act, though not always an engaging one. It’s such a familiar story that any faithful film biography almost inevitably will turn out predictable, even a bit routine. But it does feature an earnest performance by Chadwick Boseman in the title role and enjoyably self-effacing turn by Harrison Ford as Rickey. (David Germain, Associated Press) (PG-13, 88 minutes)

’56 Up’
British director Michael Apted continues his fascinating series of documentaries that revisits the same group of people that he’s spoken with since they were children, interviewing them every seven years to find out what changes over time have been made in their lives. Apted has always been the interviewer throughout the series, and that continuity has been invaluable in encouraging from-the-heart candor from the participants. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (NR, 144 minutes)

‘The Big Wedding’ 1/2
Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton lead a cast starring in this romantic comedy about a long-divorced couple forced to play happy for the sake of their adopted son’s wedding after his ultraconservative biological mother unexpectedly decides to fly halfway across the world to attend. This is the latest limp comedy about seniors behaving badly, and it doesn’t have a single moment of recognizable humanity. (Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch) (R, 90 minutes)

‘The Company You Keep’ 1/2
A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who has discovered his identity. Actor-director Robert Redford has made an involving but often predictable drama set in the present but dealing with volatile events that occurred in a nation roiled by the Vietnam War. What gets revealed should rattle, but it doesn’t. (Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post) (R, 121 minutes)

‘The Croods’ 1/2
The world’s very first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. This colorfully vibrant feature from Dreamworks Animation is a familiar mix of generational clashes, coming-of-age milestones and generally relatable laughs. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) (PG, 98 minutes)

‘Disconnect’ 1/2
Jason Bateman and Hope Davis star in a drama about Internet-infused alienation in an anonymous New York suburb. The film is a heavy-handed cautionary tale. Strong performances notwithstanding, the movie never connects. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune) (R, 115 minutes)

‘From Up on Poppy Hill’
Goro Miyazaki works from a screenplay from his father, Hayao, to tell the animated story about a group of Yokohama teens who look to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball amid preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This is a sweet and honestly sentimental film. The fantastical element present in the senior Miyazaki’s films is not a factor here, but the father’s ability to transport us to other worlds is very much echoed in the son’s work. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (PG, 91 minutes)

‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’
The battalion of soldiers not only fights its mortal enemy Cobra, but also is forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis star in what is basically a live-action version of a ’80s cartoon that was designed to sell toys. Things go boom and the one hour and 50 minutes zip by like, oh, two hours and 10. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 110 minutes)

‘Graceland’
When a kidnapping goes wrong, a desperate father risks everything to save his daughter from the men who hold her captive. Ron Morales directs this breakout Filipino noirish thriller that may devastate or puzzle you, but it is unlikely to leave you unmoved. At times melodramatic, the film has unexpected twists, somber cinematography and a gripping story line that are worth your time. (Elizabeth Kieszkowski, Star-Advertiser) (NR, 84 minutes)

‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’
The third and final installment of the popular “A Very Special Love” Filipino romantic comedy series, with the return of stars Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. (NR, 108 minutes)

‘The Lost Medallion’
This faith-based family movie tells the story of two teenage friends who uncover a long-lost artifact that transports them back in time. (PG, 97 minutes)

‘Mud’
Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail and to reunite him with his true love. One of the best films of the year, it has the feel of a novel that’s rooted deep in American soil. McConaughey brings depth to a character who at first seems merely brashly macho, and Reese Witherspoon is nearly unrecognizable as the fugitive’s troubled girlfriend who has made many bad decisions in her life. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 130 minutes)

‘Na Ali’i of Comedy: Da Movie’
The documentary follows longtime local comic favorites Andy Bumatai, Mel Cabang, Frank De Lima, Ed Kaahea and Augie Tulba as they embark on a tour around the state. (NR, 144 minutes)

‘Oblivion’
Tom Cruise stars as a veteran assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources who begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself. Stitched together from spare bits of other, often better films, this is the Frankenstein’s monster of science-fiction movies. It stumbles awkwardly in story and plot, shuffling toward the predictable explosions and fireballs of the final act. Yet, despite all that, this is surprisingly well-acted and so beautiful to look at that what at first seems like a cinematic monster is actually a handsomely compelling creation. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 126 minutes)

‘Olympus Has Fallen’
Gerard Butler plays a disgraced former presidential guard who finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack. This is basically “Die Hard in the White House” with a tin-eared script, just another movie manifestation of a first-person shooter video game. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 120 minutes)

‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 1/2
While director Sam Raimi’s prequel conceit and reinterpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” is loud and eye-poppingly colorful, it still doesn’t make for a very good Disney film, which is only mildly diverting an clever in spots. James Franco’s smirking performance as the magician and carnival charlatan doesn’t help much either. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG, 130 minutes)

‘Pain & Gain’ 1/2
Three bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie star in the new movie from Michael Bay that uses all the shock and awe and noise and bluster one expects from the director. It’s a two-hour onslaught of dizzy, drunken cuts, hot bodies in empty poses, shifting perspectives (with a babble of alternating character voice-overs to accompany) and often sickening images. (David Germain, Associated Press) (R, 130 minutes)

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’
A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective. Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Ray Liotta star in this drama about fathers and sons and their tortured bonds. Instead of the serenity and contentment suggested by the title, director Derek Cianfrance has created a troubling trilogy on the legacy of one brutal encounter that cuts a destructive path through multiple lives. (R, 140 minutes)

‘The Sapphires’
Four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls in 1968 learn about live, friendship and war when their vocal group entertain the U.S. troops in Vietnam. The movie sparkles with sass and Motown soul, and unapologetically aims for mass-audience appeal. It reduces the war, rampant racism, love troubles and showbiz chicanery to minor hurdles in this irrepressibly upbeat story. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune) (PG-13, 103 minutes)

‘Scary Movie 5′
The supernatural spoofs continue in this comedy franchise, starring Jerry O’Connell and Ashley Tisdale, with cameos by Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen. This movie comes up short in every way imaginable. It’s a series of short sketches that don’t end with a payoff, performed by actors who need a paycheck. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 85 minutes)

‘Storm Surfers 3D’ 1/2
The documentary follows legendary pro surfers Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones on their quest to ride big waves at previously unridden breaks. The film effectively delivers the visceral scare of riding these monster waves, but the audience also gets to know the two as people, not just athletes, and their dangerous enthusiasm is almost as fascinating as their sport. (Ryan Senaga, Special to the Star-Advertiser) (NR, 95 minutes)

‘Tai Chi Hero’
The sequel to Stephen Fung’s “Tai Chi Zero” has our hero still trying to find his place in a village filled with martial arts masters, even though he helped save the town from a frightening steam-powered machine. The production quality is top-notch and there’s undeniably an entertainment value to it, albeit an empty one. (G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle) (NR, 144 minutes)

‘Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor’
An ambitious married woman’s temptation by a handsome billionaire leads to betrayal and recklessness, and forever alters the course of her life. Perry’s latest movie is yet another take on his heavy moralizing routine, and his ongoing lack of interest in improving as a filmmaker is now seemingly part of his unshakable belief in himself and his insistence on doing his thing his way. (Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times) (PG-13, 111 minutes)

SPECIAL

‘Exhibition: Manet: Portraying Life’
2 p.m. Sunday, Kahala 8; $20
This is the first-ever major exhibition in the U.K. at the Royal Academy of Arts devoted to the portraiture of Edouard Manet, spanning his entire career. (NR, 100 minutes)

Doris Duke Theatre’s French film festival will feature ‘You Will Be My Son,’ about a prestigious winemaker trying to find a qualified successor to his business. –Universal Pictures International

ARTHOUSE

DORIS DUKE THEATRE

Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St., entry on Kinau Street (532-8768): $10 general, $8 museum members (tickets also available online at www.honolulumuseum.org)

‘More Than Honey’
1 and 7:30 p.m. today
A visually stunning examination of endangered honeybees, spanning California, Switzerland, China and Australia. (2012, 91 minutes)

Cinematheque Francaise Film Festival: ‘Renoir’
7:30 p.m. Saturday ($40 general, $35 museum members, includes opening-night reception; $15 and $12 for only screening)
The third annual festival returns with this lushly atmospheric drama that explores a pivotal time in the lives of master painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his war-wounded son, Jean. (2012, 111 minutes)

Ballet in Cinema: ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ from Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
1 and 6 p.m. Sunday ($25 general, $20 museum members)
Inspired by Victor Hugo’s novel, with music by Maurice Jarre, sets by Rene Allio and the renowned costumes of Yves Saint Laurent, the ballet returns to La Scala after more than a 10-year absence. (120 minutes)

‘You Will Be My Son’
1 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
A prestigious winemaker, disheartened by the notion of his son taking over the family business, leaps at the chance to choose a more qualified successor in the son of his dying estate manager. (2011, 102 minutes)

‘In the House’
7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 1 p.m. Wednesday
A teenage boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. Kristen Scott Thomas stars in the latest off-kilter comedy from auteur Francois Ozon. (2012, 105 minutes)

MOVIE MUSEUM

3566 Harding Ave. (735-8771): $5 general, $4 members; reservations recommended

‘The Happiest Girl in the World’
Noon, 3:30 and 8:45 p.m. today; 2:15, 4 and 5:45 p.m. Monday
In this absurdist comedy, a teenage girl comes to Bucharest with her parents to claim a brand-new car she won in a contest and to shoot a commercial. (2009, Romania, 99 minutes)

‘Happy People: A Year in the Taiga’
1:45, 5:15 and 7 p.m. today; 4 and 6 p.m. Sunday
Werner Herzog creates a portrait of the indigenous people of the remote village Bahktia in the Siberian Taiga. (2010, Germany, 90 minutes)

‘Silver Linings Playbook’
Noon, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45 and 9 p.m. Saturday
After a stint in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and during his attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife meets a mysterious young woman with problems of her own. Bradley Cooper and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence star. (2012, 122 minutes)

‘Samurai Saga’
Noon, 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday; and 1:45, 3:45 and 5:45 p.m. Thursday
The delightful Japanese adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” with Toshiro Mifune playing the hero with the outsize nose. (1959, Japan, 111 minutes)

‘After Life’
Noon and 7:30 p.m. Monday
The newly dead are met in a way station by a celestial staff whose members help them in choosing and then re-creating the memory — be it good or bad — that will be all that they take with them into eternity. (1998, Japan, 118 minutes)

‘Memories of a Marriage’
Noon and 8 p.m. Thursday
A man looks back at his lengthy relationship with his wife during a summer garden party with friends and family. (1989, Denmark, 90 minutes)

MAOLI FILM FESTIVAL

Kumu Kahua Theatre, 46 Merchant St. (536-4441); $10; 4-10 p.m. Saturday, 3-7 p.m. Sunday
The theater and Pacific Islanders in Communications present the third annual film festival that programs shorts and independent films produced by Hawaiian filmmakers and artists. Visit kumukahua.org for more information.

MONDAY MOVIE CAFE

TheVenue, 1146 Bethel St. (436-4326); $10, $5 students

‘Unfinished Spaces’
7 p.m. Monday
Following their emotional exile from Cuba in 1965, three architects return 40 years later to finish what was considered the world’s most spectacular and futuristic art school, which was left to ruin by the country’s revolution. (2011, 86 minutes)

The Pulse Top 5: Belaire Rose pool party, ‘Aloha Bash,’ Spam Jam and more

BY JASON GENEGABUS / jason@staradvertiser.com

–Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser

Quick Bites: BLT Steak, Alan Wong’s, more

COMPILED BY NINA WU / nwu@staradvertiser.com

East Honolulu Food Festival: It’s time once again for the Star of the Sea Church and School’s eighth annual Food and Wine Festival, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The theme is “Light Up the Night.”

Guests will be able to sample cuisine and wine from 22 of Hawaii’s popular chefs and restaurants.

Menu items include chef Michi Watarai’s Thai beef salad and braised beef short ribs on ginger coconut brown rice, chef Anthony Vierra’s bread pudding and Ninja Sushi’s Superman and Tiger Maki.

There will also be keiki games and rides, live entertainment and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Star of the Sea Church and School.

Cost is $60 per person in advance ($70 at the event), $25 for children ages 3 to 13; VIP tables are $1,200 and $3,000.

The festival will be held on school grounds at 4470 Aliikoa St. Tickets are available at the school or church offices during normal business hours. Call 734-0396 or email ehffinfo@gmail.com.

Hana Spring Harvest: Three talented chefs come together for the first time for the “Hana Spring Harvest” benefit May 11 at Travaasa Hana’s Plantation Guest House.

Chef Sheldon Simeon of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” fan favorite fame, Mark “Gooch” Noguchi of Pili Hawaii and Dave Power, noted bartender at The Feral Pig on Kauai, are the stars of the event featuring a five-course cocktail pairing dinner.

Proceeds from the event benefit Hana Youth Center and Mahele Farm. Cocktail hour (with pupu or appetizers) starts at 5 p.m.; Dinner starts at 6 p.m. Travaasa Hana is at 5031 Hana Highway.

Cost is $100 per person (21 and over only). Reservations required at www.travaasadinner.com. For more information and hotel/flight packages, call 877-713-4895 or visit www.travaasa.com/hana.

BLT Steak’s Mom menu: Treat mom to a special menu created by chef Johan Svensson at BLT Steak Waikiki on Mother’s Day, May 12.

Highlights include squid ink tagliatelle with bay scallops, tomato pesto and lemon oil; grilled New Zealand King Salmon with king crab crust and charred jalapeno cream; and braised boneless short ribs with brussels sprouts and bacon jus.

Sides include sauteed bok choy shoots in a miso broth and fried baby red potatoes.

Dessert options include a floating island with lemon custard and raspberries.

Items are available a la carte. BLT Steak’s regular menu will also be available. BLT Steak Waikiki is on the ground floor of the Trump International Hotel, 223 Saratoga Road. Call 683-7440.

Inspirations from Mom: Alan Wong’s Honolulu offers “Inspirations from Mom” as the theme of its Mother’s Day menu from 5 to 10 p.m. May 12.

Start with an “oyako donburi,” a popular Japanese rice bowl dish with chicken and egg. In Japanese, “oyako” means “mother and child.”

A trio of appetizers — crispy mirin chicken, pierogi and eggplant soboro (made with grilled Ma’o Farms eggplant) — comes next, followed by a “Seafood Sara Udon” of crab, shrimp, scallop, Otsuji Farms bok choy and crispy noodles.

Next, enjoy a tuna casserole of ahi and Hamakua mushroom truffle risotto, followed by a “Surf n’ Turf” of Maui Cattle Co. tenderloin, lobster salad and stuffed won bok cabbage.

Dessert is a banana custard tart.

Cost is $95 per person ($135 with wine pairings). The a la carte menu will not be served that evening. Call 949-2526.

– Email “quickbites” news to nwu@staradvertiser.com.

‘This Wave’ proves cathartic

(Courtesy photo)

By Gary Chun / gchun@staradvertiser.com

If her songs are any proof, Stef Mariani wears her heart on her sleeve.

The longtime Hawaii resident’s latest album, “This Wave,” uses the surfing metaphor of being held underwater for what seems an interminable period of time.

“That’s what life felt like to me when I was writing the album’s songs,” she said. “It was the culmination of events after a breakup two years earlier. But even though the force of the water is keeping you down, you know the wave will spit you out and eventually let you go.”

Working with co-producer/engineer Shaun Livingston Moseley at Soul Sound Studios in Kaneohe, “This Wave” won rock album of the year at the 2013 Big Island Music Awards. (It’s on the Hawaii island-based label Paniolo Records.)

Mariani hopes to go 2-for-2 as a Na Hoku Hanohano Awards nominee in the same category.

COMING FROM “a big family of musicians and artists,” Mariani was born and grew up in Santa Cruz, Calif., and cites her singer-songwriter mother as a big influence. As a performer, she uses the stage name Stef Muzic.

She has a distinctive singing voice — alto with occasional vibrato that might remind listeners of Grace Slick, and with emotional heft. In performance she sometimes has a catch in her voice when phrasing a lyric.

“It’s how I sing,” Mariani said. “When I write the lyrics and compose the music, there’s usually something going on in my life that is affecting me deeply.

“That inflection that you hear in my voice is how I feel. I know I’m asked, ‘Who do you sound like?’ and I honestly can’t say who. I guess that’s good for originality.”

Her sound is not, in her word, “islandy,” although there is that vibe in the sound of Bill Griffin’s “mando-lele,” combining mandolin and ukulele, on the album.

“I think my music transcends genres,” Mariani said. “I’ve been here in Hawaii for 12 years — 10 on Maui and two years and counting here on Oahu. I think I write and sing like my mother. Since she didn’t pursue a career in music, I’m doing what she didn’t do. We’ve talked about it, the opportunities she couldn’t take advantage of, what with her having children and all.”

“THIS WAVE” is stark in its arrangements. Besides Mariani on guitar and the veteran Piranha Brothers as rhythmic backup, other guests include Moseley on piano (playing on the soul-baring “You Don’t Own Me”) and Mano Kane’s Chris Chorney on cello on “Ode to Tyson,” a remembrance of a beloved pet.

In “Crossed My Mind” she sings about regaining her emotional bearings.

“That’s one of the first songs I ever wrote,” she responded. “It’s a really gut(-level), heartfelt song.

“The subject matter of ‘This Wave’ is definitely serious. But there’s always hope. I notice there’s this tension-release in my writing, where even though this drama may happen, something good will come of it. … We all go through the same emotions, but I try to be a good person, mindful and conscientious.”

“This Wave” is available through Reverbnation and CD Baby.

Mariani said things should lighten up on her next recording project.

“I’ve written four new songs, and I’ll start recording an EP next month for a planned release in early summer,” she said. “It’ll be unplugged, just me and my guitar, with maybe some percussion.”

On the Net » steftunes.com, reverbnation.com/stefmuzichawaii

Nas returns to Honolulu

Barack Obama walked on stage to Nas’ song “Black President” during his 2008 campaign. (Courtesy Matthew Salacuse)

By Sonny Ganaden / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Nasir Jones, who goes by the stage name Nas, is an icon of hip-hop. At the age of 19, he dropped his debut album, “Illmatic,” universally acclaimed by music critics, hip-hop heads and later by academics as a modern classic. Nearly 20 years later Nas has already had more than one “comeback,” though with his 10th album, “Life Is Good,” he proves that he never really left.

Nas remains undisputedly authentic, a veritable institution in the hip-hop scene. That authenticity comes from his grounding in pre-Giuliani New York, off the F line at the 21st Street stop for Queensbridge, the largest housing project in America. He experienced childhood during the nadir of the Reagan-era drug trade; before the Internet; in a hotbed of a concrete culture.

“Illmatic” opens with the arthritic rumble of the F train, and the steel doors creak open to Nas’ world of Queensbridge, which he describes by inhabiting characters in an eloquent rasp that always lands on the right syllable. At 40 minutes the album is a nearly perfect composition of sequencing. Side A of the “Illmatic” cassette tape ends at the conclusion of the song “Halftime.” It is one of the only albums to receive a perfect score from hip-hop magazine The Source.

On his second album, in 1994, Nas collaborated with Lauryn Hill on the political anthem “If I Ruled the World.” The song remains the most popular example of a hip-hop diatribe discussing the ills of a government disconnected with young people of color; it was mostly a yearning to be free.

Nas and the rappers of his generation now mean something to history. Modern scholars and politicians were shaped by albums like “Illmatic” in their youth. Ivy League professors discuss “Illmatic” in course work as a way to illustrate the surprising speed with which hip-hop’s voices from the periphery of the American experience moved to the center of American culture.

When “If I Ruled the World” was on the radio, it was nearly unthinkable that 12 years later an African-American square from the hip-hop generation would become the leader of the free world, until it happened. Presidential candidate Barack Obama walked on stage to Nas’ song “Black President” during the 2008 campaign. Obama now says he listens to Nas with his daughters on his iPod.

NAS was brash, brilliant and baby-faced in the ’90s. He is still all of those things.

He has since made six albums that have debuted at the top spot on the Billboard charts. He has made ads for the Gap with his jazz musician father. Most lists of the best MCs rank Nas somewhere in the top five.

The hip-hop artist has done all this without making significant crossover into pop music or other forms of entertainment, though not for lack of trying.

After a famous feud with Jay-Z, Nas tried acting in the 1998 Hype Williams movie “Belly.” When he was last in the islands in 2010, he played a small part in “Hawaii Five-0″ as a stool pigeon for the syndicate, getting arrested by McGarrett at Ala Moana Beach Park.

But Nas’ die-hard fans have never much cared for his ventures outside of rap. His previous album, “Distant Cousins,” a project with Damian Marley, was not embraced in part because it diluted Nas’ pure skill over expertly crafted beats.

The best place to hear Nas in Hawaii or anywhere else where hip-hop lives is still in a dark nightclub or booming out of a dangerously lowered sedan.

JUST AS there was no precedent for a black president before 2008, there was no real model for the aging hip-hop artist. Hip-hop has since learned to manage the swagger and bravado of the genre while dealing with the realities of adulthood.

In his latest album, “Life Is Good,” Nas deals with divorce and fatherhood in a way reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s classic album “Here, My Dear.”

On the album cover, he sits in a tuxedo in the back of a club, with his ex-wife Kelis’ green wedding dress over his lap and his head in his hand.

On the tracks “Accident Murderers,” a collaboration with Rick Ross, and “The Don,” he is in familiar territory as the best lyricist in the game.

He gives a more learned, seductive flow on “Cherry Wine,” a collaboration with the late Amy Winehouse.

On “Daughters” he manages to rap poetic about his teenager’s forays into social media and riding in cars with boys.

“Life Is Good” has received positive reviews from both critics and the fans who have been hooked since the “Illmatic” days.

Nas has become an institution, an ambassador of global hip-hop, a select elder statesman in a culture that has started to rule the world.

The life of Nasir Jones really is good.

He donated much of his earnings from the “Distant Relatives” album toward a variety of causes to alleviate poverty in Africa. Nas and Lauryn Hill are planning on reuniting for a tour in the fall.

As an artist, Nas has matured into the 21st century. His fans, from roughneck hip-hop heads to the president, are along for the ride.

Flores de Mayo a Filipino showcase

The Flores de Mayo celebration. (Star-Advertiser / 2011)

By Steven Mark / smark@staradvertiser.com

Philippine culture has long been a part of the ethnic salad bowl of Hawaii, getting its start in the early 1900s when migrant laborers came to the islands. More than a century later, that community is coming into its own, emerging as the state’s second-largest ethnic group in the 2010 census.

That growth and its hopes for future development will be celebrated in the next few days with Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May), an expanded version of the annual Filipino Fiesta.

The celebration includes two festive events: a religious and historical celebration known as the Santacruzan; and the Filipino Fiesta and Parade on May 11 in Waikiki, as well as a trade show Tuesday for people interested in doing business in the Philippines and Hawaii.

“We’re excited because the festival is to showcase our Filipino history and culture,” said Eddie Flores, founder of L&L Drive-Inn as well as the original Filipino Fiesta, more than two decades ago. “It’s 21 years now, so hopefully we’ll get more people to come over and enjoy our culture.”

In the Philippines, Flores de Mayo denotes a series of religious celebrations held in May to honor the Virgin Mary. Held in cities, towns and villages throughout the nation, the celebration includes traditions such as children dressed in white spreading flower petals on the way to the altar in church and nine days of prayer.

Its showcase event is a pageant known as a Santacruzan, which will be held Sunday at the FilCom Center in Waipahu to kick off Flores de Mayo activities.

The Flores de Mayo celebration. (Courtesy Photo)

A SANTACRUZAN commemorates an event from the early days of Christianity, in the time of Constantine.

Constantine was the first Roman emperor to declare his Christianity, an act that set the stage for Christianity’s spread throughout Europe and eventually the globe, reaching the Philippines through Spanish colonialists.

In A.D. 324, according to Christian tradition, Constantine’s mother, Helena, went to the Holy Lands in search of the True Cross, the cross upon which Christ was crucified. She found three, and had a sick servant lie on all three, declaring that the one that cured him was Christ’s.

“Upon finding the Holy Cross, it was brought back to Rome for a joyous celebration,” said Jean Jeremiah, president of the Oahu Filipino Community Council, which is organizing the Santacruzan. “And so from that point it was a portrayal of all the characters of that history.”

A Santacruzan features young women in elaborate, beautiful outfits, who carry certain items to symbolize their characters. On Sunday they will march in procession from the Hawaii Plantation Village to the FilCom Center, with a narrator providing commentary. Visitors can then enjoy an evening of music and entertainment.

The Santacruzan is not a competitive beauty pageant. Rather, the women are given the title “reyna” (queen in Spanish) and represent different virtues or incidents from both Christian and pagan tradition.

This year Miss Oahu Filipina Heaven Lee Fines represents Helena, the central character of the procession.

“There’s the queen of flowers, there’s the queen of prophets, there’s queen of virgins, there’s all these characters,” Jeremiah said, “The different queens symbolize different virtues — virtue of faith, virtue of hope, virtue of charity. … There’s even a Muslim queen because prior to Christianity the Muslim religion was predominant in the south.”

As a part of the traditional Flores de Mayo celebrations in the Philippines, which also mark the arrival of spring with its blooming season, flowers are a central part of the decoration.

Santacruzans in the Philippines sometimes feature movie and pop stars, and in previous years some have been included in Hawaii’s procession.

This year pop stars will be part of the Filipino Fiesta and Parade. Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica, who play a romantically involved couple on a Philippine soap opera, will appear May 11.

“Our large Filipino community, they still follow what’s going on over there,” said Rose Churma of the FilCom Center. “Last year the actors drew a big crowd, and they were screaming, following them around, the whole works.”

The festival also features Filipino culture through the prism of village life, with displays representing different regions or cultures, such as historic Cebu island or the headhunting tribes from northern Luzon.

The Flores de Mayo celebration. (Courtesy Photo)

L&L FOUNDER FLORES initiated Hawaii’s first Filipino Fiesta after he attended a Thai festival in Kapiolani Park and wondered why Filipinos didn’t have a similar celebration on Oahu. He led the organizing committee for 10 years and helped the fiesta become the largest Filipino celebration in the state.

To Flores the event represents a chance for people to learn about the Philippines and the local Filipino population.

“People don’t know that we have almost 1,000 islands, and there must be at least several hundred languages,” Flores said. “One island wouldn’t be able to speak to another, but in Hawaii we’re very glad it all came together for almost 100 years.”

Given the diversity of the Philippines, Flores said, there’s a lot to learn about Filipino culture, even amongst Filipinos themselves.

“Even myself, I’m from the Manila side,” he said. “If you ask me to go to the villages, I don’t even know the difference.”

Miss Oahu Filipina Heaven Lee Fines will be a participant in the Santacruzan pageant. (Cindy Ellen Russell / crussell@staradvertiser.com)