Post #439389 by POCKETIKI on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 6:58 PM

On 2009-03-11 05:41, Ghis wrote:
Nice to catch up and meet some of you last night.

Ghislaine.

[I am the blond girl with the checkered shirt sitting at the table during the raffle]

Actually Ghislaine I thought you were the 'blond girl with the checkered shirt sitting at the table behind the detritus of a SERIOUS drinking session, ha, ha!

ATOMICTONYTIKI and his travelling companion 'Capt. Hold Fast' caught the Tartan Express down to the Big Smoke and picked up the accolade of being the 'Long Distance Tiki Trekker'! We were hono(u)red...a toast to the toaster!!

ATOMICTONYTIKI, my much much better 'alf Sian, and our lovely neighbour Kirsten, waiting for their Mai-Tais...as soon as the flamin' buffoon with the camera gets out of the barman's way!

Ian (KORERO BOOKS) was busy selling 'TIKI MUGS' books and a couple other of the titles to discerning punters, while the photographer who took the great photos of a big chunk of my tiki mug collection, Nick Grant, looked on in amusement.

TIKI RACER and his friend Anil were busy in the restaurant...such a lovely couple, and impeccable table manners!!

Dave & Sue of HOT ROD TIKI fame chewed the fat with their friend Julien. I'm guessing cars and tikis were the subject?

Anjy and Jamie, the CHEEKYTIKIs, chilled out with the Cambridge contingent Liz & Chris...and a few Mai-Tais!

Sian posed with her 'handmade' jewelry that the young ladies working in Trader Vic's in London all wear. She also has a display cabinet by the stairs where you can see and buy 'EXOTIC Jewelry made exclusively for Trader Vic's'. Shameless plug? You betcha!! I owe this woman BIG TIME!! By the way...that was not the last time that night that Sian was stood next to a mighty impressive tiki pole...but that's another story.

These two lovely ladies obviously got lei-ed, which is more than can be said for some! Man, I never tier of that pun...it's a tried and tested corker!!

First FREE raffle winner of the night won a MUNKTIKI 'No Name' tiki mug and Tiki Racer's winning 33 ticket bagged him a TIKI FARM 'Flame Man Chu' mug both kindly donated by HOT ROD TIKI!

These young ladies won a Skull mug (very apt judging by the outfit) and one of TRADER VIC'S great saucy story mugs, kindly donated by our generous hosts for the event TRADER VIC'S!

Poor old Pete from the CHEEKYTIKI team's elation was short lived when he realised it was actually a CHEEKYTIKI 'Headhunter' mug he had won...he felt he couldn't accept it and kindly put it back in the raffle (what a gent!), where it was promptly snapped up by a very exotic looking 'geisha'!

CHEEKYTIKI also donated the much admired 'Tangaroa' mug in its classy blue/teal glaze. Yet another happy winner!

We put in a couple of mugs ourselves, the first being a vintage Swiss 'Movenpick' mug which was bagged by Martin Shaw the photographer who travelled down to Poole in Dorset with Yak, to get some killer pictures of the HOT ROD TIKI collection. We're not sure who was most pleased? Martin or the suave looking gent in the background? The second, the first out of captivity of our 'KU' head mug, another vintage DUNCAN mold project we are having fun with. Lucky lady!

During a chat with Dave, Sian discovered that he had not picked up a raffle ticket so she kindly gave him hers. The jammy beggar went on to win a signed ATOMICTONYTIKI 'Capt. Hold Fast' mug with it!! My lady be your luck tonight Dave!

The final raffle prizes were donated by TIKI RACER. First up his cool and beautifully packaged 'Pistoniki' mug, which judging by the smile on the young lady's face, was much appreciated. Secondly...and finally...the awesome 'one-off colo(u)rway' artist proof 'Pia-kua', one of only five made (each one different). That is some prize!!! Look out for the regular version 'Pia-kua' at a tiki emporium near you soon!!

I must say that the evening was judged by many as a great success, a cool atmosphere, gallons of Mai-Tais, plenty of tiki ceramica, page after page of Polynesian Pop heaven and that raffle was real FUN!!!

REALLY BIG THANKS go out to:

JAY STRONGMAN for giving us the latest 'must have' book on the subject most dear to our hearts! And for being BRITISH!!!! RULE BRITKI, BRITIKI RULES THE WAVES!!!

IAN & YAK at KORERO BOOKS for bringing the project to fruition...GREAT job guys!

All the collectors who contributed to the pages of this awesome tome.

All the artists whose work we collect with an unbridled passion.

Dusan & Jane at TRADER VIC'S for allowing us to launch the book at such a prestigious and precious place and being on hand to cater for our needs.

CHEEKYTIKI who pulled out all the stops to get the limited edition 'Moai' mug ready in time, at very, very short notice!

All our friends across the pond who wished us well.

And..everyone who came along and had fun on the night!!

THANKS!!!

If you got any photos last night that can enhance the post...get 'em on!

It's way past my bedtime...YET AGAIN! So...If I've made an embarassing faux pas or seven, or missed out anyone (I probably have) I apologise in advance. Now...BUGGER OFF...I've got some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzs to catch!

Take care - Trader Jim (Make mine a Mai-Tai!).

[ Edited by: pocketiki 2009-03-12 13:03 ]