tabu tiki night - now it can be told!

One-year anniversary of Tabu Tiki nights!

If you make it to only ONE Tabu Tiki night event, make it THIS one!
Why wait?
It's summer time - live a little!

Experience!
The amazing King Kukulele, who will travel all the way from Los Angeles to delight and entertain you!

Hear!
JT's Kon-Tiki Sound System, (spinning vintage Exotica, surf, lounge, and Hawaiian music).

See!
Spectacular Tiki art by Chicago pop artist Esqui, and Tiki carvings, signs, and wall decorations by Dave from Lake Tiki.

Eat!
Complimentary pupus (appetizers) until 9:30.

Win!
Raffle for cool items from:

Lake Tiki (http://home.earthlink.net/~tikidavejenni/),
Tiki Farm (http://www.tikifarm.com),
Harmony Ball (http://www.harmonyball.com)
and
DvA Gallery (http://www.dvagallery.com)!

Imbibe!
Drink specials -
Our "drink of the month" special: a newly created rum cocktail invented just for tonight's event.

Save!
The usual $5 Zombie special will be in effect.

There's still room for artists and carvers to get involved - show off your work!
Contact James at: [email protected]

[ Edited by: tikibars 2005-08-03 12:27 ]

Any of the local Chicago Tiki crew want to get together at the Chef / Hala with King K on Monday or Tuesday?

PM me...

Hey hey... its Summer!

Congrats to JT and AJ for their dedication to keeping this great event going! Something to look forward to every month!

Hope to see all the usual suspects this Wednesday as well as many other new faces!

I've been real busy getting ready for the tiki art show at DVA, Tabu Tiki Night, Exotica and last but not least, Hukilau!
But I've managed to find the time to crank out some brand new items that will be premiering Wednesday night. Stop on down and take a look.

Bringing the handcrafted art of tiki to you here in the Midwest... Lake Tiki!

See you Wednesday!

Aloha everyone! Tomorrow's Tabu Tiki Night sounds amazing. Unfortunately we're going to miss the festivities since we're out of town again. We're gonna miss King Kukulele for the second time. :( Have a great time everyone and we'll see you for next month's Tabu Tiki Night and Exotica! Happy One Year Anniversary Tabu Tiki Night! Congratulations JT and AJ on your success!

Lissette EsQui

So sorry you guys have to miss this one... because the rumours are true - this is the FINAL Tabu Tiki Night.

I will post the whole sordid tale on Thursday (already written, and it is long - 7 pages!).

If you've been meaning to make it out to Tabu Tiki night, this is your chance!

As I type this, King Kukulele is watching DVDs in my living room, and I am about to pre-load my car for tomorrow - I have three boxes of raffle prizes to load up, and lots of other madness in store for the last luau.

No holds barred... this is going to be HUGE.

BE THERE!

I'm sorry to hear this, JT, that means I'm never going to get to go. :( My wife's in Chicago to go to her family reunion & I think she might be there at TV's tonight with our Son & Daughter-in-Law (I've been trying to talk her into going for a week & a half), and I'm going to try getting some cousins & maybe a Sister-in-Law to go, too. I'm going to be making last minute calls trying to convince them to go as soon as I get off work.

Cool Freddie.

Make sure they come over and say hi.

I have raffle and promo items from several different sources that were supposed to last me through the August event, but they're all going home with people tonight.

Few regulars or friends of the ohana will leave empty-handed, I suspect.

Take home Tiki mugs from Trader Vic's, and you don't have to steal 'em!
:)

crap, im reading this at 10:30 pm on wed. and 2 hours away......welp, hope to see you all at the barefoot hawaiian shin-dig on friday, or the dva tiki art show on sat, or exotica....


It will be sad to see those nights go. They were a hell uv a time (those that I could make). James, the King, Dave, and all else who participated- a great big MAHALO for making those nights such a great time. Can't wait to see those big carvings from Lake Surfer at DvA Gallery this weekend. I got a sneak peek from his camera. Hopefully see everybody Saturday.

Aloha

tiki junkman

I'll miss this guy every month... AJ is a class act.

What a great time the last Tabu Tiki Night was... such a shame to be saying that considering it was the last one, but we went out with a bang. The King was classic calling out Waiter Eugene and Waitress Angel... not to mention every other new person who entered the room was serenaded with "If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake." The King's bungee uke caught a few off guard too. It was great having you in the Midwest again Denny, look forward to seeing you at Exotica. I'll try to have "Underneath the Mango Tree" memorized by then!

Thanks to all those who took home a Lake Tiki product over the last year. It will be a bit harder to get a genuine Midwest tiki in Chicago without Tabu Tiki Nights but I'll have a truckload of tiki goodies at Exotica. And I'm making the voyage to Hukilau this year again.

JT... big mahalos for everything... I fully enjoyed the last year at Trader Vic's... look forward to seeing you at future tiki gatherings!

Say it's not true! What happened? It's bad enough that the event is over, but I missed the last one!!! Any other plans?

EsQui.

(I posted a long, long story of how the people at the Palmer House jacked me around when I was trying to keep this event going. A recent conversation reminded me of this thread. At this time, I prefer not to air my dirty laundry, even if it is nearly six years old, on a public forum. So I removed it.)

[ Edited by: tikibars 2011-03-05 11:32 ]

couldn't get through the whole thing,but what was interesting was the apparent lack of physical documentation... in the future document everything and, remember, if something is really important to you, kickbacks can work really well, too! you can leverage your interest if you grease the wheel and send it spinning into a corner... hard to get out of it without someone's help...

[ Edited by: alohabros 2005-08-03 13:11 ]

I agree with James. Go to Trader Vic's as much as you can! Buy its drinks and food!

Personally, as I mentioned at TV's last week, it's easy for me to forego a live band and other hoopla and just enjoy good food, good drink, good ambiance and good company.

James, that was terrible the way you were yanked around by those folks. If you would like me to write a disgruntled attorney letter on your behalf to the Palmer folks (sounds, at the very least, like a good small claims matter) - let me know.

If you have any connections to your local newspapers and media, you might want to place a call as well to see if anyone is interested in publicizing your story...

AH, baloney, all that James wanted is to get all this bs that he has been put through off his chest. There's nothing to prove, that the execs are dragging there feet to further their agenda is an obvious fact to those who follow the thread.

I commend your tenaciousness James, and be proud that you made it harder for them to get their way.

I had had info that the same thing was going to happen to the Beverly Hills TV when it changed ownership, but TV somehow made a deal and stayed. I would not be surprised that this is an attempt to squeeze TV for their fees, first tell them they have to leave and then say MAYBE if we won't haveto pay the full amount...you know, it's all about maximizing profits for the big corps nowadays, in whatever shitty way possible.

James,
This sad tale would make a great story for your local alternative newspaper. I suggest sending them a link to your post. Cockroaches hate daylight, so let it shine!
Best of luck and see you in Ft. Lauderdale.
KG

And all the time, I thought you cancelled it because you were LAZY!!!!

JUST Kidding!!!! What a loss for Chicago! The Palmer House gets a RAZZ!!

Tikibars:

Man..what a story, Brother! Brought back bad memories too! I spent some time in Chicago consulting for Lettuce on revamping their wine and spirits list for three properties in the the early 90's.
I was living in a mundane Oakwood building and bored so I made the sojourn out to various Windy City bars and found some great hangs. One of my favorites was the Duke of Pearth, for some decent fish and chips and a wee dram or two (or five).
I met a chap there, who worked at Buckingham's in the Chicago Hilton Towers and he told me about their extraordinarily single malt selection and I met him there on that week-end. I met the manager, and we shared many antedates, stories, and mused through the evening on Single Malt Whisky. On him learning that I was a lifetime member of the Keepers of the Quaich in Scotland, he invited me to conduct a tutored tasting for members of the SMWS who lived in the Chicago Metro area. I was reluctant, as I was technically on the clock of Lettuce which was a very decent gig. I told the GM that my fee was $150.00 per hour to conduct the tasting, and I would have to ask VP of Operations at Lettuce if they minded some freelancing by me on "my Time." I learned that they did not mind what I did in the evenings after I left Shaw's and I could do as I pleased.
Thinking this to be a fun side project, I told the GM that it was a GO. We decided to conduct the event the event the following Thursday evening and they would do an email blast to their regular customers and contact SMWS members locally. We agreed I would put together a work-booklet to help the attendees follow along the tutored tasting and sensory evaluation training. I spent about 4 hours the next few nights at a Kinko's preparing the aforementioned document.
Needless to say, on the night of the event eleven people showed of the 15 or so RSVP's. A great group of very nice people, and we had the best time. Everyone gushed to the GM about the event, and many stayed after the 2 hour presentation and we all drank copious amounts at the bar.
The staff and guests all seemed very pleased and all claimed to have learned so much.
It started to go wrong, when I was presented a bill for around $90.00 or so dollars. Perhaps, it was wrong for me to assume, but the host or guest speaker is rarely charged and generally comped by the House as a courtesy. I called the GM over and told him I would appreciate if he would deduct the amount from my $300.00 fee and cut me a check for the remainder and I really enjoyed the evening. He claimed that "my check" would be paid by the F & B Manager of the Hilton Towers. I politely told him that I probably could not find the time to return as my last two days with Lettuce would be concentrated and time consuming. I asked if he could take the amount from Petty Cash as a courtesy and be reimbursed by F & B the following. He stated rather ominously that he could not do that either.
The GM wrote down the name of Art Allis and a phone number to reach, and I thanked him. I paid my bar tab, which with tip came to $120.00 and departed back to my temporary digs.
The next day I left a message for Art Allis, and got no return phone call which is not that unusual. I called back and talked to his assistant, and explained I would be by the Hotel Lobby on Friday evening to pick up check and she rather cheerily assured me it would be there. I was leaving the following morning back to San Francisco from O'Hare. After a long walk and cab ride to the Hilton Towers I inquired to the Evening Shift Manager that I was there to pick up my check. She was nice, but stated nobody told her anything. Frustrated, I went back up to Buckingham's to see the GM. He wasn't there and had left for the evening, as well. I left a nice note for Mr. Allis letting him no I would submit a formal invoice to him from San Francisco, and I told him how much I enjoyed his restaurant and Scotch Bar.
I did exactly that and all I got was bumpkis. No reply and no call back. I talked to the GM again and he kept assuring me over the phone that it would come. Still weeks later, nothing. I left messages on his voice mail several more times, and finally, sent a scathing letter to his office letting him know how unprofessional and dishonest the Hotel was in not honoring the agreement.
It is not the money, I spend $300.00 on a good dinner or on ebay buying Tikis. It is the principle of the thing. I did not ask the Hotel to do a function there, THEY asked me. I told them my price and they agreed. Regardless, of whether or not the GM had the Proxy of Mr. Allis is not my concern. It has to be honored and I expended resources in time and money to support them and their venue.
It angered me, and changed the way forever, that I do events.
I agree with Tikibars, we cannot allow Trader Vic's Frigate to be sunk by those Skallywags at Hilton. The only Hilton I like is Paris when she eats a greasey Cheeseburger from Carl's Jr in her very small bathing suit.
Perhaps, we could get Holden to cast that image into a Tiki. Tiki Paris in bathing suit holding a cheeseburger! On no, I opened up the Cheeseboogah cheeseboogah cheeseboogah cheeseboogah. No Coke arguement again from Buffethaters! Opps..sorry guys!

I remember a friend of mine had an event in an "Oasis" in Palm Springs, and the management changed and things were really murky as to whether the new managers would honor the previous existing arrangement.

These examples all reinforce the idea that signed agreements/contracts can be a great idea. I wonder if Nolo press or (??? ) has a generic "host" contract for events.

you don't need an agreement to be written down in order for it to be enforceable, but it does save a lot of hassle when you're trying to "prove it up" later! contracts can be proven by cancelled checks, e-mails confirming the agreement, other acts that can be proven in writings that you wouldn't normally be doing unless you had contracted to do so (e.g., James paying for advertising for an event at Trader Vics).

I don't think Nolo press would have an entertainment template for this type of specialized arrangment, but anytime you verbally agree to do something involving money with a business, it's ALWAYS recommended to write a confirming e-mail or letter stating "this confirms our conversation on [date] where you agreed to pay or reimburse me $____ for me to do [xyz]... Please let me know immediately if any of the above does not comport with your understanding."

On 2005-08-03 13:33, dangergirl299 wrote:
...If you have any connections to your local newspapers and media, you might want to place a call as well to see if anyone is interested in publicizing your story...

while this is bummer of a tale, for better or for worse these types of arrangements and flaps occur daily... for better or for worse newspapers and media have more "compelling" news to publish...

some of the best advise once came from a very prominent attorney in New Mexico - document everything, everything, everything... digital or white paper, video or still photos... document everything...

handshakes and verbal mean very little - arm yourself with quality documentation and things will be a bit easier in the future...

On 2005-08-03 13:33, dangergirl299 wrote:
If you have any connections to your local newspapers and media, you might want to place a call as well to see if anyone is interested in publicizing your story...

Jen, actually I sent a copy of the above-posted lengthy document, which was originally written in June (and modified/updated a few days ago for posting), to the guy who wrote that big article about Tabu Tiki Night for the Chicago Reader in March.

He wanted to do a follow-up story about how I was jacked around by the Hilton, but I didn't want him to do it until after I was paid, for fear of pissing off the Hilton enough that they wouldn't pay me at all.

I emailed him this week, but we both agreed that it was a bit late for him to do a story at this point. It would have been relevant to his readers in June, but not now. Old news.

Anyway, being stiffed on a payment from a band I was working with last month on top of the Hilton thing, along with the comments from BigBro, AlohaBros, MrSmiley, and RumNumb all reinforce a sad truth that I have come to relaize lately, which is that in this day and age, you really do need something in writing for even the smallest and most casual business deal, even with people you know and trust.

Kailuageoff, thanks for the kind wishes for Hukilau, and you can bet that after my Hilton experience, I made damn sure that every single person associated with the Hukilau this year got a contract - for their protection and ours. Christie and Tim never sent them to the bands and entertainers in the past, but even within the ohana, it seems you can't take chances anymore. :(

Well, thanks for letting me get all of this off of my chest!

On 2005-08-03 13:34, bigbrotiki wrote:
I had had info that the same thing was going to happen to the Beverly Hills TV when it changed ownership, but TV somehow made a deal and stayed.

I have noticed, with some interest, that no one is doing a 50th anniversary party for the Beverly Hills Trader Vic's this year. Unless it fell under my radar?

when is the bev hills TV 50th?

I'm going to be there in september - booked a hotel room and everything!

James -- That's a real bummer, man. It's a shame that things turned out so sour. Although I was never able to attend one of your events, I understand how much time and effort is required to pull something like Tabu Tiki Nights off. I'd like to say thank you for your effort...the world could use more folks like you.

See you at Hukilau!

Josh
http://www.whollycatsband.com

On 2005-08-03 17:18, alohabros wrote:

On 2005-08-03 13:33, dangergirl299 wrote:
...If you have any connections to your local newspapers and media, you might want to place a call as well to see if anyone is interested in publicizing your story...

while this is bummer of a tale, for better or for worse these types of arrangements and flaps occur daily... for better or for worse newspapers and media have more "compelling" news to publish..."

You have got to be joking...... compelling? Right.
:)

KG

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2005-08-04 11:27 ]

I actually just read that ENTIRE thing! And what an ordeal you've been through! Oh my GOODNESS, thats just INSANE! I am SO sorry you had to go through that... and continue to go through the aftermath of it! You're a real trooper in the name of tiki. :wink: I hope it all works out in the end! May the tiki gods of Karma do their work!!!!

great big hugs!

I have been amazed by the regular stories of Chicago tiki institutions which seem to not want to make money. You come to them with a great plan to increase their exposure, revenue and general good, and they look at you like you are up to something, don't want to work with you, fight you all the way, make money anyway and then can't be bothered with you again! Craziness!

Hey JT,
This might not be exactly what you wanna hear, but even if you have to report the "income" you eventually got out of them, you can also report your expenses as deductions against that income. It's a pain to have to fill out the extra tax form stuff, but hopefully the income numbers would actually work out to be more accurate as far as what you ended up with after expenses.

Course dragging their feet with payment and all that is totally inexcusable though. But it's actually pretty normal for them to treat you as a contractor. They're gonna want to deduct their payment to you as an expense on their books too. The IRS deserves all our thanks for these extra pleasures.

-Randy

On 2005-08-03 13:33, dangergirl299 wrote:
...If you would like me to write a disgruntled attorney letter on your behalf to the Palmer folks (sounds, at the very least, like a good small claims matter) - let me know...

this guy learned his lesson... avoid writing "disgruntled" letters... doesn't help one bit, just prolongs the whole deal... without documentation(written) you have nothing in small claims but a long wait, extra parking fees, rude counter service and inaction in action!

live and learn, move on... or, do what you must, and do it well...

Sorry to hear about your challenges. I wish you had let me know and I would have done whatever I could from here in Atlanta to resolve. Obviously that Hotel is going through a period of flux.

I guess all the Chicago Tikiphiles will just have to come to Tiki Torch Nights which are going strong at Trader Vic's Atlanta.

hmm ...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-palmer18.html

Interesting. That would explain the financial tightening to clean up the pay-ables for acquisition purposes.
Just a thought.

I can't confirm this, but I have a very good source that tells me Vic's Chicago will be closed at the end of 2005.

Looks like James' suspicions are correct. Sorry for the bad news. Everyone enjoy it while there's still time.

headlines in todays chicago suntimes paper...palmer house has been officially sold!!! not long now folks......kiss the traders bamboo butt good-bye......that really sucks....

On 2005-08-18 15:56, c10 wrote:
hmm ...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-palmer18.html

... the article did not mention tabu tiki nights or anything tiki at all!

Here is an email I rec'd referring to an email I sent to someone in Vic's upper management;
"So I called him and asked if TV will be closing

He said he could not say but whatever happens is for the good

Which led me to believe that it will close but it is best because the new owners do not want it"

Sorry, my source at Vic's is being mum, but mum in this case probably isn't a good thing. :(
Time to write letters praising Vic's?

Move it to that closed-up place in the hotel near O'Hare.
Just a thought.