Interview with Kern Mattei of the Mai Kai - General Tiki

CAA Chip and Andy Member Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai. Joined: Jul 13, 2004 Posts: 2277	CAA Chip and Andy Posted posted on Fri, Aug 31, 2007 8:16 PM OK, the tikis that Will is casting look horrible in the pictures. The colors are garish and the presentation is less than expected for the Mighty Mai-Kai.... But, seeing them in the garden... surrounded by everything in the garden, the fifty year old orchids, the waterfall, in a word magical. The first time I saw the new tikis I thought F....ing great, more painted tikis getting closer and closer to something Disney-esque and less Mai-Kai-esque. Well, then I looked again and realized they aren't bad. They are casts of the 'original' tikis, some of which are still there and looking good. And then I realized that they only look bad because they look so new. They have no patina of age and look out of place against everything else. In four or five more months when the Florida sun has dulled the shine, the Florida rain has softened the edges... they are going to be fantastic! Judge them all you want, paint or not.... until you get to 'see' them in the gardens first hand, they are just horrible pictures of not so horrible tikis.

OK, the tikis that Will is casting look horrible in the pictures. The colors are garish and the presentation is less than expected for the Mighty Mai-Kai....

But, seeing them in the garden... surrounded by everything in the garden, the fifty year old orchids, the waterfall, in a word magical.

The first time I saw the new tikis I thought F....ing great, more painted tikis getting closer and closer to something Disney-esque and less Mai-Kai-esque. Well, then I looked again and realized they aren't bad. They are casts of the 'original' tikis, some of which are still there and looking good. And then I realized that they only look bad because they look so new. They have no patina of age and look out of place against everything else. In four or five more months when the Florida sun has dulled the shine, the Florida rain has softened the edges... they are going to be fantastic!

Judge them all you want, paint or not.... until you get to 'see' them in the gardens first hand, they are just horrible pictures of not so horrible tikis.

Post #329450 by Chip and Andy on Fri, Aug 31, 2007 8:16 PM