Post #235493 by Cammo on Fri, Jun 2, 2006 10:37 AM

Thanks to everyone for showing up last night. And an extra-speacial Mucho Mahalo Arigato to Larry Baumann for leaving the giant wedding party he was running downstairs to visit us for some talk story.

Larry could have given us a quick 15 minute session about the history of the Bali Hai, told a few jokes and left us, and we would have been quite satisfied. Instead he sat down for more than an hour, basically had dinner with us and told us every stage of the Bali Hai's ups, downs, ups and downs. It was impressive and oddly inspiring.

Among the choicer bits;

• The whole Bali Hai was built UPSIDE DOWN! The original blueprints called for the building to be wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, excatly the opposite of how it was actually built. He didn't seem to know why.

• The place went through two bankrupcies before his family took it over. The original owners ran out of money, and couldn't afford to furnish the place inside. That accounts for a lack of the traditional lighting/overdone decor you'd usually see in such places.

• The central bar upstairs was originally a Tiki Hut! They had to change it with the new fire codes, as it was covered in real thatching. The Fire Marshall had a fit, apparently.

• The Baumanns plan to close the place after the summer to do a major renovation and bring it back to it's original Polynesian glory. This may very well mean more Tikis and cool lights. They're at least going to strip and sand-blast all the original wood, and varnish it up good.

• The menu and drinks may go even more retro-tiki than now! Crab Camaroon, anyone? Or Pina Colada Cake?

• The "Woods from Around the World" sign wasn't stolen, it's going back up on the wall after the renovation. Same with the big Bali Hai Tiki head on the front of the restaurant!

Anyway, Larry was really friendly, talked highly of Otto and says they're planning a bigger better Oasis for next year. He's serious, next year may be pretty wild. Larry LOVES the Oasis. Plans are still being tossed around, so stay tuned.

Next Tiki Club meeting will be in early July,
I'll keep you posted!