Post #513324 by Bohemiann on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 7:16 AM

It's amazing to me how knowledgeable peeps are in the restaurant and tiki bar "Business" here. Trader Vic's has been around for how long...? Amazing it has survived this long without the opinions and guidance of the TC community. I could not guess all of the intricacies of TV & TV corporate and dealing with all the individual franchise owners, locations, contracts, municipalities, licenses, distribution, trainining, and multitude of nuances and minutia. But I think we tend to think about these places in the vacuum of our own expectations and amazingly as if we are actually entitled to dictate what they should be doing because??? we know better ?... and not in the reality of...It's a Themed Restaurant fighting for survival in a very competitive environment and presently a lousy economy.

I may be ignorant as to some of the supposed evils and bad decisions of Corp. TV but can't help but think that there may be more to it than we are seeing and some things are just business with no emotion attached. I am not defending anyone or anything. I am suggesting we may not be privy to all the information decisions are based on and there is no perfect road to travel and certainly no magic road map to help us along our way. I made a bad decision just the other day and today I move on better armed.

Dudes & Wahines..... I love that there is a place we can all talk and have a healthy debate over these topics. I like that the tone and discourse has ,for the most part, taken a more civil and tolerant course. I found myself not posting on TC as much in the past few years as I felt Negativism and un-Aloha have taken the fun out of it and made posting and sharing things less a friendly interaction and more a combative debate. Part of it is my own fault for feeling obligated to call it out but thats how I roll. I enjoy my own explorations and endeavors in Tiki & Poly-pop but I was visiting tiki bars, carving, and collecting mugs long before I found TC and will continue till I drop. I hope that I can share a cocktail with each of you and especially those who may hold contrary opinion. We all share a love for tiki and our differences of opinion are small compared to our shared interests. This is supposed to be fun and stimulating. It is my escape from he stress and pressures of life. I certainly am not going to play in a place that ADDS angst to it.

If we are to "Celebrate classic and MODERN Polynesian Pop" as the TC heading would imply we will need to be nicer, more respectful, and less negative. I am no better than any of you and NONE of you are any better than the rest of us on this playing field, we are all just fans of this culture and way of life and there are only subtle differences that separate us. Some may be more active and some have quite a lot to offer in the different arenas BUT Anyone that thinks they are above the rest should take a reality check. We are here to share and interact on the same level and I do not believe in caste systems of any sort.

So...I call myself out....because that first part of my post was a very smart-ass remark not aimed at anyone in particular and not oozing with Aloha but I am starting to get cynical again so it may be time for another hiatus.

Please continue to propagate a friendly environment so we all feel this is a great place we can safely and honestly express ourselves without putting a bullseye on our chest. I truly believe there are those who do not post because it's not worth stepping in the line of fire.

Aloha.