Post #88586 by Sabina on Wed, Apr 28, 2004 5:30 AM

I sent the below over to the MD/DC/VA Tiki page this morning, some of it may be considered 'local intrest' as TCers won't neccessarily know the names or some of the layout of what I'm talking about.

On the seven pleasures link, though- you'll find pictures of getting the two entryway Tikis down. Some of David and Anna, and the now emptied Honolulu. After some TLC, the poles will be finding a new home here at the Lounge of the Seven Pleasures.

If anyone has any information or even guesses on who the artist(s?) may have been or other details, please chime in! They're assumedly about 26 years old- if they were installed when Honolulu began.

Thanks!

(from the MD/DC/VA Tiki page's messageboards- http://www.marylanddctiki.com/marylandwelcome.htm)

Well as promised- one last 'update'. The final Aloha finally came for Mike and I yesterday. And I have someone out there to thank for it. I have no idea who- but whoever you are, let me begin by saying thank you! (And then continue over and over!)

So, the tale-

As I mentioned in my other post, I had recieved a final unexpected phone call from the Honolulu, a series of events unfolded which then led to one last trip down to VA.

As I said, we had bid on things in the auction from Ohio- so our bids were beyond blind, they were a shot in the dark. Well, Sandy called and said that someone else had won the outside entryway Tiki poles, (which we had also bid on), and another clamshell light, and the other person had decided not to take them. So as we had the next highest bid would we want them?

Naturally we said absolutely!!! on the poles. But feeling like we had already had such great luck I said the other light should go to someone else since we already had one. Call it Tiki Karma- I couldn't deal with us having two and someone else having none.

So the poles, well, we spent yesterday wrestling them loose from the building. I took lots of pictures and spent last night getting them up.

The entire final visit was even more sureal than the last. Honolulu looks very different now- as I'm sure you can imagine. We took a few pictures of it for those of you who want to see it. Yes, it's heartbreaking, and if you don't want to see it, I completely understand.

On the other hand, to see it so empty should also be a great inspiration to us all- because if Honolulu can emerge from the box they had to work with- Tiki can spring forth from ANYWHERE!

A few other last details; Ms. Chan took us on sort of a tour of the behind the scenes parts of the restaurant- it was a rabbit warren of small rooms, an office, the walk in refrigerator, hallways, it just kept going- much larger than we ever would have imagined.

I won't go into a lot of detail about the Tiki rescue as the pictures and thier tiny captions speak volumes of what it was like yesterday- all told it took about 4 hours to get them loose safely. All though that time we worked and every so often the Chans would come out and would help or keep us company so we spent some time learning little details.

For example- apparently the roof canopy used to be supported by four Tikis, but two kept getting bumped by cars parking- so eventually there were only two. And at one time the outside Tikis were brightly colored too!

When it was all over, we went inside to pay for the Tikis and Anna and her daughter went through and found us copies of each of their menus- including one of the ones from when they first opened and one of the handcolored cocktail menus. (All of which we need to scan and share.)

Over and over, we were both just overwhelmed by their kindness, their generousity, and how much anyone who was part of Honolulu is Ohana to them.

Honolulu may be gone, but the Chan's aloha spirit is still going strong!

So, without further ado- the pictures- http://www.sevenpleasures.org/gallery/albums.php (click on the fifth album down, titled "Honolulu Tiki Preservation, & Final Aloha".

(I thought it was important to get these up ASAP in case any of you were driving past Honolulu and were worried by it's now Tikiless entry.)

[ Edited by: Sabina on 2004-04-28 05:30 ]