Carlos 'n Charlie's showed that they have mastered the art of taking our minds off the mercury, even on a 102-degree day. As the front deck of the restaurant began to fill with boys and men from every walk of life, and the tequila began to flow, I suddenly felt that perhaps I had made an error in judgment by agreeing to cover the Miss Hawaiian Tropic Model Search. Next weekend is the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Volleyball Tournament. We have one of only two permanent outdoor volleyball courts in the U.S., so those types of events are sort of our specialty. Not surprisingly, they also participate in several Jose Cuervo events every year.
Some girls are in sequined bustiers, some in stripy things that zip, some in tiny scraps of denim.
All but one wear high-heels. As they begin their short but animated parade across the stage, smiling and waving at the judges like old friends, I take a closer look at the honorable judges myself. The manager of Sugar's, Don King, smokes a cigar and waves right back, since he knows nearly half of the contestants from around the office water-cooler. There is a Carlos 'n Charlie's employee or two, some staffers from Hawaiian Tropic, and even a used car salesman. Back in the dressing room, the professional beauty queens are easy to spot.