Post #172286 by Formikahini on Fri, Jul 15, 2005 1:26 PM

Finally back home, after staying behind a few more days to see the sites of Chicago (at least something that wasn't tiki-related!).

Big mahalos to Duke & Amy and Eddie & Melanie for all your hard work - the many, many, many hours of work. I can say I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed myself and it looked like everyone else around me was too!

Also, big thanks to all the bands and dancers who rocked my socks off and to the vendors who hooked me up with SUCH cool goodies! I love my shirt and jacket, Marcus! Jerry, I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy every one of the pieces that I was wanting from you. But I love my hook (yep, learned what it was at The Field Museum, where I spent 3 hours on Monday - free, thanks to being a teacher :) What was that I said about seeing the NON-tiki related sites? Oh well...)

And big thanks to tikibars, the Boutikis and the Bamboolodges for having me out to their FABulous home bars! I feel like I've now been in some holy Chicago shrines. I also am now filled with covetousness after seeing your collection in person, Dave. wow But the beauty of all the furnishings and placement made it even better.

Big thanks to jt for the late-night Chicago drinking tour for our whole gang Thursday night. I still want to know how JTD finally made it home after he bailed from the cab...

And of course, how GREAT it was hanging with old friends and aquaintances Tikivixen (thanks, fill-in roomie!), King Kuke, and the DC/MD/VA posse: ikitnrev, JTD (yay - no broken bones this year!), Turbeaux Gee, AwesomePowerOfTheTiki and M/M J$. Pure pleasure meeting you, BlackSandz & Co., Finkdaddy (aka, J$'s evil twin...or good twin?) and Feelin' Zombified (thanks for the cocktails, sweet thang!). Wish I coulda done more than just shake hands, EsQui & Lisette, Exotica 59 and Tikijunkman and all the rest whom I only too briefly met. And SHAME on you, the rest of the TC-er's there who hid!! Shame shame shame! (Sorry I didn't get to meet you, ManoKoa and Soren with that great make-up!!)

Thanks to all who made it fun for my traveling companion, Gregory Fleeman, aka, Don HO-rowitz and "the guy with the incredible jeep." His first tiki event (besides playing Trader Vics Atlanta in our old band) and I suspect not his last.

Countin' down the days 'til Hukilau.....

[ Edited by: Formikahini 2005-07-15 13:46 ]