M
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 3197
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M
This event is only barely tiki because he may only have a few "tiki" related sldes to show, BUT his slides shows are fantastic and I highly recommend going to them!! I give it a TWO ZAZZ up rating!
"Charles Phoenix wrote:
Hello!
Tickets are on Sale now for
THE RETRO VACATION SLIDE SHOW TOUR of the USA
February 25, 26 & 27, 2005, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday,
2 p.m.
Curtis Theater in Brea. To order tickets 310.506.4522 or
http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/section.cfm?id=385
Tickets go on sale next Thursday February 3 for
CHARLES PHOENIX’S TOUR OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Experience the staggering similarities between downtown and
Disneyland!
Tour dates: Saturdays and Sundays March 5, 6, 12 & 13, 2005
And now for the Slide of the Week: BALI HAI RESTAURANT,
SHELTER ISLE,
SAN DIEGO, 1962. On the marquee: EXOTIC CANTONESE CUISINE –
DANCING
TONIGHT – POLYNESIAN FLOOR SHOW - near the marquee: A 1959
Rambler.
Last week I couldn’t leave San Diego without enjoying a
tiki-taste-treat
sensation of the highest order- the lunch buffet at the Bali
Hai.
Architecturally the restaurant is a cross between a Tiki hut
and a
flying saucer.
You may arrive by boat. They have a dock. It is on Shelter
Isle after
all. But I arrived by car. The first thing you notice when you
get out
of the car is what they call “The Goof” on the roof. Upon
closer
inspection he seems to be half man-half tiki donning a chef’s
hat and
large hoop earrings similar to those worn by the lord of the
manor, Mr.
Bali Hai himself, a half Mr. Potato / half Tiki God who greets
customers
at the front door. Like countless others and I have been
before, I was
charmed by his big wide eyes, red lips, hoop earrings and
friendly
spirit (you can see him on the left in the slide).
Once inside, I ogled the vintage décor until it was upstaged
by the
lunch crowd that I would be dining with: a group of sensible
seniors
that were most likely bussed in from somewhere far less
exotic. Together
we lined up at the bank of chafing dishes helping ourselves to
sweet and
sour pork, chicken chow mein and macaroni and cheese - which
by the way
are especially good when stirred together on your plate into a
pan-Americana goulash. And when washed down with a big
gulp-scale mai
tai served in a Mr. Bali Hai souvenir Tiki mug – your stomach
will thank
you. If you can bear to take your eyes off of your plate or
the buffet
table, the view across the bay to the city’s skyline is
absolutely
picture perfect. One wonders (but not out loud of course) how
this space
age Polynesian restaurant has survived on this perfect plot of
land for
more than five decades.
After I piled my final plate high with a slice of lemon cake
decorated
with real live orchids and cottage cheese garnished with rip
kiwi slices
(I eat healthy), I stumbled into the gift shop and just
couldn’t resist
a pair of Mr. Bali Hai salt and pepper shakers. Yes, any
restaurant with
a gift shop is VERY special. And the Bali Hai is no exception!
Here to you and another 50 years of the Bali Hai!
Charles Phoenix
P.S. Save the date
June 16, 2005 THE RETRO SLIDE SHOW TOUR OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
under the
stars at the John Anson Ford Theater in Hollywood.
http://www.godblessamericana.com "
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