Charo, the ageless cuchi-cuchi cutie who once was a star on the Waikiki circuit, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 17th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards, set for the Music Box at the Henry Ford Theater in Hollywood on Thursday. Since forsaking her Island residency, Charo has had a presence on the multi-generational, if not multicultural, VH1 reality show "The Surreal Life," and even had a Geico commercial spot. ...

Actor Ned Van Zandt has been tapped by director Neal Israel and producer Isaac Berg to reprise his role of Captain Cook (Van Zandt played Cook in a Hawaii International Film Festival trailer) in a commercial for Little i Mirror Mints, which will air in Europe. Berg, who owns the mint company, plans a U.S. rollout. Van Zandt, now a Kailua resident, spent 10 years in New York, where he won a Drama Desk Award for "The Iceman Cometh" with Kevin Spacey and Michael "Lost" Emerson. ...

TRADE WINDS: Afatia Thompson's yuletide CD, "Seasons of Love," due to be released last Tuesday, has been delayed because of manufacturing problems. Should be out early next week. ...

Thompson will make an appearance at a Mena fashion show, from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday at The O Lounge, when Mena and Soleil debut Samoan and Polynesian-inspired fashions. Cost is $20 at the door ($15 in advance). Call Soleil at 735-5360 or go to www.soleil808.com. ...

Tito Berinobis' "Night Rhythm" CD launch party is set for 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at The Chart House. ...

Keahi Conjugacion will perform at the Honolulu Zoo Society's "Tropical Zoo Lights," a private Christmas party for zoo members on Sunday. ...

And Pepper (local boys Bret Bollinger, Kaleo Wassman and Yesod Williams) will headline the Kona Town Music Festival Dec. 15 at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua, Kona. Also on the bill: Iration, Ho'aikane and Slightly Stoopid. Doors open at 4 p.m; tickets are $30 in advance, with proceeds to be used in efforts to combat drug abuse. ...

NAMES 'N' FACES: Marcelo Pacleb's "Ink" shows were such a hit at Paliku Theatre last week, a hana-hou performance was added. One of the performers, Cole Horibe, didn't know his mom, Wanda, wanted to pull a surprise by flying in sisters Cara and Laurel, former 24-7 dancers of Pacleb, who learned about their arrival and insisted they take the stage, too, in a matinee performance. Cole happened to see a monitor, with Laurel dancing, and didn't realize that Cara was part of the number, too, till the duet was over. Both sisters have since returned to Los Angeles. ...

When the Honolulu Theatre for Youth presents its holiday feel-good classic, "Christmas Talk Story," premiering at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tenney Theatre, Cynthia See will be joined by two new actors who comprise the ensemble: Kimo Kaona and Pomai Lopez. This year's will be the final of a rich tapestry of Island vignettes by local writers; remaining performances will be at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. every Saturday through Dec. 22. ...

Peter Aaron Maharaj hosted Colt Brennan (UH Warriors) and Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers) for dinner at Aaron's. ...

Paul Booth's "Empty Streets" screens at 7 p.m. today at the rRed Elephant. Admission is $5 at the door. ...

HITHER 'N' YON: Jack Cione is off to Samoa for the Miss Samoa Pageant. Upon his return, he'll start rehearsals for "Les Mardi Gras Follies," the show he'll direct Feb. 1-3 at the Hawai'i Theatre. Then on Dec. 12, he and wife Maydelle take an inter-isle cruise for the holidays. ...

Emi Espinda, who handles group sales for Ruth's Chris Steak House on Maui and the Big Island, was having lunch in Ed Wary's original Auntie Pasto's on South Beretania Street when she spotted Peter J. Dietrich, assistant general manager of the new Ruth's Chris at Waikiki Beach Walk, having lunch with his dad, Peter A. Dietrich. The elder Dietrich was g.m. of the Waikiki Yacht Club and spent many years working for restaurateur Randy Schoch at Nick's Fishmarket and The Black Orchid. Schoch holds the Ruth's Chris franchise here. ...

At Schoch's other franchise, Romano's Macaroni Grill at Ala Moana Center, a pre-Thanksgiving lunch crowd included Nick's owner and g.m. Ben Dowling and singer-actor Jim Nabors in the company of his California holiday houseguests. ...

Lucky you're not in New York during the stagehands' strike. Since nearly 30 shows have been "dark," the few operating have bumped up prices — a result of supply and demand. According to TicketsNow, some samples of the current (post-strike) range of tickets: "Young Frankenstein," $129 to $749; "Mary Poppins," $118 to $428; and Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, $87 to $441. They get you one way or another, don't they? ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.