Official Introductions Thread. New Members, Post your introduction here... - General Tiki

R rupe33 Tiki Socialite DC Metro Area (MD) Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 375	R rupe33 Posted posted on Fri, Jun 3, 2005 2:13 PM Greetings... I've posted a few places here in the last few months but just realized I'd never introduced myself. My (nick)name's Rupe and I'm outside D.C. in Southern Maryland. For 4 years I had the utterly fantastic fortune to live literally within staggering distance of the (late) Honolulu Restaurant in Alexandria, VA. The Honolulu was my major intro to tiki culture - owners David and Anna Chan really had a very special place together for over 20 years. Enjoying the various mugs and drinks while celebrating life's victories and mourning its defeats really hooked me. I miss it so very much since its closing in April 2004. A year later the building is still there - a constant irritation to me. The highway project set to demolish it still has not gotten that far yet. It'd be so much easier to move on if the building wasn't physically still present. At least it would stop me from thinking, "We could've had another YEAR at the Honolulu!!!" Local stories when it closed said that David Chan had been Nixon's favorite bartender when he'd been at the DC Trader Vic's, with his Navy Grog being Tricky Dick's potion of choice. Since my Honolulu indoctrination 5 years ago, there's been some considerable tiki questing going on. Have made it to the Kona Kai in Philly, Taboo Cove in Vegas (RIP), Vera's White Sands in Maryland, Disney's Polynesian, Waikiki Wally's & Otto's Shrunken Head in NYC, Trader Vic's in Atlanta and Tiki Lounge in Pittsburgh. The mug collection is beginning to overflow my display areas, even after adding 2 shelves over the bar itself. Yikes. Oddly, I never did make it over to Politiki - since I've lived here in DC, their status seemed to always be on hold or questionable. Have been seized by a major tiki rush lately and have taken to hitting the local thrift stores & Value Village to some effect. No major finds, but some average ones keeps you going. I hope very much to make it out to Chicago to explore or a Hukilau event sometime, though this year my other vacations seem to be in conflict with those. :( Although... one of those vacations is taking me right past a couple joints in Massachusetts that I'll be stopping at, including Kowloon! Huzzah! If anyone - especially in the DC or Baltimore areas - wants to chat and such, feel free to PM me here. These boards have proven an extremely useful place for info - mahalo again to everyone responding to my request for Les Baxter recommendations! Anyway, hi everyone! cheers, Rupe

Greetings...

I've posted a few places here in the last few months but just realized I'd never introduced myself. My (nick)name's Rupe and I'm outside D.C. in Southern Maryland. For 4 years I had the utterly fantastic fortune to live literally within staggering distance of the (late) Honolulu Restaurant in Alexandria, VA. The Honolulu was my major intro to tiki culture - owners David and Anna Chan really had a very special place together for over 20 years. Enjoying the various mugs and drinks while celebrating life's victories and mourning its defeats really hooked me. I miss it so very much since its closing in April 2004. A year later the building is still there - a constant irritation to me. The highway project set to demolish it still has not gotten that far yet. It'd be so much easier to move on if the building wasn't physically still present. At least it would stop me from thinking, "We could've had another YEAR at the Honolulu!!!" Local stories when it closed said that David Chan had been Nixon's favorite bartender when he'd been at the DC Trader Vic's, with his Navy Grog being Tricky Dick's potion of choice.

Since my Honolulu indoctrination 5 years ago, there's been some considerable tiki questing going on. Have made it to the Kona Kai in Philly, Taboo Cove in Vegas (RIP), Vera's White Sands in Maryland, Disney's Polynesian, Waikiki Wally's & Otto's Shrunken Head in NYC, Trader Vic's in Atlanta and Tiki Lounge in Pittsburgh. The mug collection is beginning to overflow my display areas, even after adding 2 shelves over the bar itself. Yikes. Oddly, I never did make it over to Politiki - since I've lived here in DC, their status seemed to always be on hold or questionable.

Have been seized by a major tiki rush lately and have taken to hitting the local thrift stores & Value Village to some effect. No major finds, but some average ones keeps you going. I hope very much to make it out to Chicago to explore or a Hukilau event sometime, though this year my other vacations seem to be in conflict with those. :( Although... one of those vacations is taking me right past a couple joints in Massachusetts that I'll be stopping at, including Kowloon! Huzzah!

If anyone - especially in the DC or Baltimore areas - wants to chat and such, feel free to PM me here. These boards have proven an extremely useful place for info - mahalo again to everyone responding to my request for Les Baxter recommendations!
Anyway, hi everyone!

cheers,
Rupe

Post #163393 by rupe33 on Fri, Jun 3, 2005 2:13 PM