[PICS] On the Scene: Tropics Bar & Grill

Tropic Bar & Grill opens big at the Hilton Hawaiian Village

Photos by John Berger / jberger@starbulletin.com

Cecilio & Kapono performed for more than an hour a full-length concert at the formal grand opening of Tropics Bar & Grill on June 26 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Many of the business people who had come to show face and sample the new menu had gone home by the time C&K took the stage around 8 p.m., but the guests who stayed were rewarded with a great show.

The duo did most of their biggest hits and also included their high-energy version of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, the song that started it all for them in 1973.

Architect Ross Murashige of Group 70 International relaxed in a booth at the back of the restaurant with Miss Hawaii 2008 Nicole Fox, left, and Donna Chun.

Group 70 designed the expanded restaurant it now includes the space formerly occupied by the Tropics Showroom in conjunction with the interior designer, the Hatch Design Group of California.

The Tropics party was Foxs final public appearance as the reigning Miss Hawaii. She crowned her successor, Miss Hawaii 2009 Raeceen Woolford, at the Hawaii Convention Center the next day.

Kit Ebersbach, front center, posed with the other members of Don Tiki Ryoko Oka, left, Jon Hawes, Jason Segler and Starr Kalahiki after they entertained the wall-to-wall crowd as the sun was setting.

Ebersbach and Lloyd Fluid Floyd Kandell created Don Tiki to perpetuate the Exotica music of Martin Denny, and the group was the perfect choice as the other major musical act at the party. True fans know that it was while Denny was playing at what was then Kaisers Hawaiian Village in the mid-1950s that he created Exotica music.

Cecilio Rodriguez entertained Denby Dung, left, and Candes Meijide Gentry while they took a break from selling raffle tickets at the door.

Little Albert Maligmat, left, and Henry Kapono Kaaihue discovered that they have something is common that has nothing to do with their careers as musicians theyre both the fathers of twins.

These are tough time for many local musicians, but the hard-working Maligmat is so busy these days that hes working each night that the original Society Of Seven is back at the Outrigger Main Showroom this week and wont be able to join them what a reunion that would be!

Nightlife veterans remember Maligmat as a high-energy SOS member in the 70s who left and then returned for a second stint in the 80s.

Taz Vegas was the envy of some of the other men at the party while he was enjoying the party with Anela Cook, left, and Kili Perkins.

Tropics is supporting local music as well as local food sources fish, mushrooms, Hawaiian salt and Nalo Farms greens are on the new menu and Vegas is one of the artists scheduled to perform there.

Honolulu City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle persuaded his wife, Judy, to stay until the end of the raffle drawing just in case his name was drawn.

Carlisle had his eye on the grand prize, a stand up paddle board, and since the rules included must be present to win he was determined to be present if his name was called.

The first 14 tickets pulled for the board belonged to people who had already gone home, but the 15th ticket pulled belonged to another die-hard party guest whod also stayed to the end.

Several post-party parties got started on the top floor of the Alii Tower after the raffle drawing was over.

UH-Manoa linebacker coach Mike Smith, left, shared a couch with Marggret Steinmeier, Kahani Olny, New York Jets Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine, Sarah Roenberg, Justin Yoshino of Market Advantage/Partymasters, and Cacia Lam.