Post #45011 by pablus on Mon, Jul 28, 2003 7:55 PM

When it's raining here in Tampa, and especially at night, I'll step outside for a smoke and sit at the bar, under the fan, surrounded by 30 or so palms lit dimly from the glow of the pool light and the low voltage light that shines on the carved 5 foot palm tiki at the entrance.
The masks and assorted oddities I've collected over the years seem to want to join in singing with the Hawaiian music that plays softly over the outdoor speakers.
I sip some tropical beverage and pretend that I'm in the Islands waiting for a dive in the morning.

Then, when I'm driving throught the mad traffic that Tampa has spawned through the influx of mutant yuppies and their "angry about having everything" progeny, I can hum a Hawaiian melody and think about my little hideaway, The Lagoon Lounge.

More and more, friends call during their busy weeks at their most stressed times and ask the simple question, "When's Tiki Time this week?"

My obsession began early - age 8 - dad brought me back a blue hawaiian shirt from the islands and took me to the Trader Vics in D.C.

Now he enjoys sitting at the Lagoon, although a tee-totaler, and watching his grandchildren and a few of his children sitting around playing ukes and various island percussion instruments and singing and swimming and eating lots of spam...

...well, not the spam. That's one part of the islands I haven't embraced.

Now I find a place on the web that gives me some of that same simple joy.
Thanks folks.

P.S. Kiliki and Swanky, congrats on the Hukilau - I ordered some matches and swizzle sticks from your site. Very cool. I'm dreadfully bummed that I missed the shindig but I just couldn't make it. I've already put next September on hold for it.