Trader Vics, St. Petersburg, FL (restaurant) - Photo Updates from Visit - Locating Tiki

K Kailuageoff Member Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE Joined: Mar 27, 2002 Posts: 1506	K Kailuageoff Posted posted on Thu, Mar 16, 2006 7:10 PM Marian and I finally went to see and stay at the site of the long-lost Florida Trader Vics in St. Petersburg. It is an older hotel but nicely kept. Bigbro said one time that when looking for old tiki establishments look for really tall palm trees. This place qualifies. Other vegetation gives an aged and tropical impression as though someone was planting with Polynesia in mind. Other tell-tale signs are a few nautical relics. These overlooked-in-the-remodel architectural details look vaguely Polynesian. A group of wild wahines could still be found expressing joyous abandon. These young ladies were studied extensively during our visit. Here is the other best find of the journey, a full-size outrigger canoe that is certainly in keeping with the Vics motif. Maybe leftover from the glory days... But what about the bar/restaurant? It is in the right location according to the old postcards. It is now called Nemos for the Captain in Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. I think he controlled his submarine by playing a pipe organ similar to the one behind the bar. The restaurant area, as well as the bar, are larger than they appear in these photos. And here is the clincher that, yes, this was indeed the site of an ancient tiki temple... ...although I would characterize this poor fellow as a suffering yellow bastard! This was an awesome location for a Vics and a really nice place to spend a weekend. They did erect a new, industrial-strength and hurricane-proof "tiki" hut on tall pilings complete with a sterile blue metal roof. They had a few tiki drinks on the menu, but what I really liked was Warsteiner on tap. Oh, and here is a shot of the beach. It was 85 degrees and beautiful last weekend. The Sunshine Skyway bridge is on the horizon. Aloha, KG & Wahine Marian [ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-03-16 20:02 ] [ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-03-16 20:07 ]

Marian and I finally went to see and stay at the site of the long-lost Florida Trader Vics in St. Petersburg. It is an older hotel but nicely kept.

Bigbro said one time that when looking for old tiki establishments look for really tall palm trees. This place qualifies.

Other vegetation gives an aged and tropical impression as though someone was planting with Polynesia in mind.

Other tell-tale signs are a few nautical relics.

These overlooked-in-the-remodel architectural details look vaguely Polynesian.

A group of wild wahines could still be found expressing joyous abandon. These young ladies were studied extensively during our visit.

Here is the other best find of the journey, a full-size outrigger canoe that is certainly in keeping with the Vics motif. Maybe leftover from the glory days...

But what about the bar/restaurant? It is in the right location according to the old postcards.

It is now called Nemos for the Captain in Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. I think he controlled his submarine by playing a pipe organ similar to the one behind the bar.

The restaurant area, as well as the bar, are larger than they appear in these photos.

And here is the clincher that, yes, this was indeed the site of an ancient tiki temple...

...although I would characterize this poor fellow as a suffering yellow bastard!

This was an awesome location for a Vics and a really nice place to spend a weekend. They did erect a new, industrial-strength and hurricane-proof "tiki" hut on tall pilings complete with a sterile blue metal roof. They had a few tiki drinks on the menu, but what I really liked was Warsteiner on tap.

Oh, and here is a shot of the beach. It was 85 degrees and beautiful last weekend.
The Sunshine Skyway bridge is on the horizon.

Aloha,
KG & Wahine Marian

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-03-16 20:02 ]

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-03-16 20:07 ]

Post #221329 by Kailuageoff on Thu, Mar 16, 2006 7:10 PM