Post #196207 by nicktiki on Wed, Nov 2, 2005 7:27 PM

I thought I'd share this with the TC Ohana. A couple of weeks ago I went with my wife to her 20-year high school reunion. I have to admit I wasn't very fired up for this. But, when I heard it was going to be at the Hanalei Hotel in San Diego, I figured I could make the best of it.
Halfway through the reunion, I told my wife that I was going to slip out to the bar, have a quick cocktail and come back. While at the bar, I noticed that they served tropical drinks in Tiki mugs where you can keep the mug. I asked the bartender if I could see the mugs that came with the drinks. He said, "Sure." I looked at the mugs, which looked very cheap, and said, "This one kind of looks like Mr. Bali Hai." The bartender said, "Who's that? I said, "You've never heard of the Bali Hai?" He said, "No." I told him that the Bali Hai was only about 5 miles away. He then came up with the lame comment of the night. "Besides they all look the same to me." I was stunned that you could work in a Tiki bar and have absolutely no respect for it. I picked up my drink (I didn't buy any of their lame mugs) dropped a Tiki Magazine business card on the bar and said, "They're not all the same." Then, I left. I hope none of you have experienced this kind of treatment. Why would an obviously Tiki establishment try to insult the people that are into them? It would be like going to a Padre or Dodger game and having the ushers tell you that Baseball sucks as you're trying to find your seat. Just thought I'd share.

Nicktiki