Mai Kai in New York Magazine

I really had hopes they would be more serious with this. The gal at New York magazine is a fan of the Mai Kai she said. Maybe she is a fan of the "cheesiness". Many people love it and see it that way too. Oh well.

Here is the online version. I supplied the image.

We all gotta hype the Mai Kai when ever we can. This will get it on a lot of people's radar maybe...

Great article! And, a wonderful image to supply!

Now lets beat Tara Mandy with a tiki......

I love and hate to see articles like this. It is great that there is an interest in the Mai-Kai. It is great that people (and journalists) are seeking out the Mai-Kai and talking about it. The more people talk about it the more interest there is, etc.....

But then... I hate to see anyone use the term tacky-tiki. I really hate to see that term used in connection to the Mai-Kai. I realize that not everyone understands and/or appreciates what the Mai-Kai is and the history it represents. But I do realize that these people actually consider the place to be tacky-tiki ground zero... As if this is the place that gave birth to all of the wonderful stuff that Party City is passing off as tiki these days.

Well, maybe I am being a bit harsh in wanting to beat Tara Mandy with a tiki.... Lets invite her to the Hukilau, or to Oasis, or to somebody's house, and show her what Tiki is really is all about.

bah!.....the less people know about the mai-kai, the less likely it will be over-run with the "wrong" type of people...places like maikai have survived the years without excessive fanfare and with out a spotlight on them....people that appreciate tiki for what it is will eventually gravitate to it, with or without the hype....we don't want a frat party brewin' over there, which is what will happen if it all goes unchecked....

Aue countraire. Could you say the same about other now lost gems of Tiki's hey-day like the Kahiki? That one especially strikes home since I grew up just outside Columbus and I can't help that think that the more people who knew about the Kahiki the harder it would have been for friggin Walgreens to waltz in and raze it. I don't want to see places over run withthose who don't appreciate them but that is ultimately better than having them shuttered and turned to rubble (Barney or otherwise).

I disagree - Tori Mandy did us a favor.

The Mai Kai was the eighth, and final destination listed. If you are a sports fan, or a jock, or a fisherman, or a history-buff, or on spring break, you will have identified with one of the previous items, highlighted the item, and are likely already planning your Florida adventure, and are thus diverted away from the Mai Kai.

It is a sifting process, where the cream of the crop (the botanists and the kitsch lovers, and those who do not fall in any of the above categories) are saved for last.

There will be a few of the sports/jock/fisherman/spring-break types who will read beyond their initial category, and reach the final Mai-Kai listing ..... and that is fine. We will end up with the more literary, curious, and adventorous percentage of those demographics, who are likely be the good ones of the bunch.

Vern

My favorite thing about Hukilau is getting to experience the Mai Kai with hundreds of people who are dressed appropriately for the occasion, people who appreciate the elegant experience being presented to them.

If the choice is between having a Mai Kai full of t-shirt clad gawkers or not having the Mai Kai at all, I'll take the gawkers. But if the choice is between t-shirt clad gawkers and people looking for an elegant night out, I'll take the elegance seekers.

The assertion in the blurb that the Mai Kai is the antithesis of elegant... it's just absurd, and it may be educating the public about the existence of the Mai Kai, but it's mis-educating the public about what the Mai Kai is all about.

The Mai Kai has brochures in every hotel in the area. They work very hard at getting everyone they can in the place. They are not picky. They need a few hundred a night to come for diner to keep doing what they do. They very definitely want to tell everyone about the place.

They do their thing though and do not cater to a particular "frat" crowd. They serve celebrities and locals and tourists alike.

If they were only interested in the "tiki fan" they would be gone in a day.

What does set them apart in their love of the tiki fan. The owners have been very happy to have Hukilau there and welcomed Sven with gladness. If you go and mention Hukilau, they will be extra happy to see you. We brighten their work. We help them enjoy what they do. Hukilau is a time when they can do what they do all year and know everyone there is totally into it. You don't get that often.

I now knwo the photo editor I worked with was a fan, but the write had no clue. I hate seeing terms like cheesey, kitsch and tacky used to describe the Mai Kai above all tiki places. But I am glad to see them on yet another tops list. Although it is sort of an underhanded compliment.

We will slowly educate America.

I may be sensitive to this because I see a lot of this attitude in New York, but I've never understood why pupu platters and scorpion bowls would be considered "tacky." With apologies to my fellow New Yorkers, in many ways it really is the most conformist place on earth and liking something like tiki (or Elvis or whatever) brands you as "edgy" or "weird." You can't just like it because you like it--you have to be making a statement. My husband has worn aloha shirts to gatherings and been complimented for his "irony" when such a thought never crossed his mind.

On 2006-10-02 10:18, rugbymatt wrote:
Aue countraire. Could you say the same about other now lost gems of Tiki's hey-day like the Kahiki? That one especially strikes home since I grew up just outside Columbus and I can't help that think that the more people who knew about the Kahiki the harder it would have been for friggin Walgreens to waltz in and raze it. I don't want to see places over run withthose who don't appreciate them but that is ultimately better than having them shuttered and turned to rubble (Barney or otherwise).

the kahiki is gone because walgreens waved the right amount of money under their nose..-it's as simple as that....regardless of how many were visiting the place (and they were't hurting for business)......the mai kai would be gone in a heartbeat, under the same circumstance regardless of how many folks were visiting, or how much they love the tiki supporters...when money talks, tiki bars always take a walk.....right into oblivion.

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2006-10-02 13:12 ]

On 2006-10-02 12:19, velveteenlounge wrote:
You can't just like it because you like it--you have to be making a statement. My husband has worn aloha shirts to gatherings and been complimented for his "irony" when such a thought never crossed his mind.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hipster: "Ah, how chicly camp, dahling! And you pass it off without a trace of irony! However do you do it! Smashing!"
(Takes drag off cigarette in long holder)

Mr Velveteenlounge: "Um, I was just wearing it because it's comfortable and I love aloha shirts."

Hipster: "Oh, do stop! You're killing me! Huruki, Asbestos, Sage - you guys come see this hilarious fellow!"

"Campily chic"...and elegant,
F

On 2006-10-02 14:13, Formikahini wrote:

On 2006-10-02 12:19, velveteenlounge wrote:
You can't just like it because you like it--you have to be making a statement. My husband has worn aloha shirts to gatherings and been complimented for his "irony" when such a thought never crossed his mind.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hipster: "Ah, how chicly camp, dahling! And you pass it off without a trace of irony! However do you do it! Smashing!"
(Takes drag off cigarette in long holder)

Mr Velveteenlounge: "Um, I was just wearing it because it's comfortable and I love aloha shirts."

Hipster: "Oh, do stop! You're killing me! Huruki, Asbestos, Sage - you guys come see this hilarious fellow!"

"Campily chic"...and elegant,
F

:lol:

They're giving us a lot more credit for premeditation in our wardrobe planning than we deserve! We just have loud taste! :)

It's good to see the Mai Kai get a mention. While I'm not a major fan or subscriber to it, New York Magazine does posess a certain level of sophistication that so many other national (and in some cases regional) magazines do not. I would rather see the Mai Kai on a list in New York Magazine than I would in say People or Star Magazine. That said, I also cringe at the 'tacky-tiki' description. All that says to me is "I don't know what to make of this place so I'll just resort to the garden variety dumb-ass way of describing what Kitsch is to the average Joe and Jane Blow by calling it 'tacky' ". Annoying? Totally. This is the same mentality that is used in alot of those 'I Love the 70s' and 'I Love the 80s' shows. It's just alot of snickering and sarcasm over the way things used to be in previous generations and it kinda pisses me off. The message always seems to be 'look how dumb that was'. Perhaps this is true in some ways, but all I have to say about that is 'you think all of the socio-cultural things that surround us now are cool because...???" Let's face it: measure by measure, drop by drop, pound for pound things WERE cooler at other times in US pop-cultural history than they are now. I think alot of people have a hard time recognizing that and would rather criticize it, turn on their TVs and watch American Idol. That's fine with me. They can stay home, watch 'Wife Swap' and I'll be at the Mai Kai drinking their Mai Tai.

*special thanks to Echo & the Bunnymen for letting me borrow their lyrics.

[ Edited by: donhonyc 2006-10-02 19:50 ]

Before doing any interview anymore, I insist that the journalist never use the words "tacky" or "kitsch" in the same sentence as the word Tiki. Using either of these words next to the word Tiki in a headline is particularly forbidden. If they won't agree to this, I won't talk to them (anymore). We all ought to do this.

On 2006-10-02 13:10, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
the kahiki is gone because walgreens waved the right amount of money under their nose..-it's as simple as that....regardless of how many were visiting the place (and they were't hurting for business)......the mai kai would be gone in a heartbeat, under the same circumstance regardless of how many folks were visiting, or how much they love the tiki supporters...when money talks, tiki bars always take a walk.....right into oblivion.

That's true and not true at the same time. Enough money, at the right time will do a lot of things. And, enough money at the wrong time will get you nowhere.

Do you really think the Kahiki was doing well? Honestly? Considering the size of the place and the staff required? I dunno.

James: That is a very good suggestion. I was working with the staff photo editor and didn't think the writer would veer off this way. The person I dealt with is a huge fan. It's good to think about exercising our control. It's not so much that we are being asses to not talk to them, but it gives us a chance to educate them and understand what it means rather than going down the sad, boring "tacky tiki" road that is responsible for us losing places through the years. We gotta build understanding and respect for these places, not perpetuate the ignorance.

like it or not Tiki is Kitsch. That's part of it's charm. Her use of the word "Cheesiness" smacks of unimaginative writing. It's New York Magazine not the New Yorker. You can bet the word "cheesiness" would never get by the editors there.

I kind of agree, that tiki and kitsch, if not equaling the same thing, reside in the same neighborhood of the universe. Having a fondness for kitschy items, especially from the 50's and 60's (i.e. Tretchikoff), is a good indicator that you will also enjoy tiki -- certainly more so than being a fan of the New York Mets, or owning a fishing boat.

Having said that, I would not declare the Mai Kai as the best tiki destination in Florida, if you are in search of kitsch. That honor would go to the Hawaiian Inn in Daytona Beach. Their live luau/hula show features black-light colored backdrops, a smoking day-glow volcano near the food buffet line, a bubble machine that operates when the song 'Tiny Bubbles' is played, and a on-stage full trap-set drummer who sings most of the songs. You never really feel you are on an authentic South Pacific island. Instead you are hallucianting on a 70's representation of a hotel luau show, or on the set of a Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon ..... and that is the charm of the Hawaiian Inn show.

The Mai Kai, on the other hand, is more of an authentic Polynesian experience, done in a more upscale setting. With the Mai Kai, you get more of the feel like you are on an authentic National Geographic expedition, with more authentic food, more authentic dances, more authentic decor, etc.

One of the definitions for kitsch is 'having a fondness for the overly sentimental.' What is more sentimental than a generation of ex-soldiers and sailors, treasuring the memories of their South Pacific adventures, and wanting to recreate that in their hometown? Tiki mugs are kitschy ... and yes, they can be works of art too.

I'm not afraid to raise and fly the kitsch flag in my home - but then, I am the guy who commissioned a big-eyed tiki road-trip portrait of himself ... so my view of the world is already skewed a bit.

Vern

On 2006-10-03 20:07, ikitnrev wrote:
I kind of agree, that tiki and kitsch, if not equaling the same thing, reside in the same neighborhood of the universe. Having a fondness for kitschy items, especially from the 50's and 60's (i.e. Tretchikoff), is a good indicator that you will also enjoy tiki -- certainly more so than being a fan of the New York Mets, or owning a fishing boat.

One of the definitions for kitsch is 'having a fondness for the overly sentimental.' What is more sentimental than a generation of ex-soldiers and sailors, treasuring the memories of their South Pacific adventures, and wanting to recreate that in their hometown? Tiki mugs are kitschy ... and yes, they can be works of art too.

I agree with Vern. I consider "tacky" a put-down. I have a house full of kitsch and I love it. If I thought it was tacky I wouldn't have it. To me it's fabulous and beautiful, period.

In the last little bit, I have heard things I liked called "cheesy." I have realized that there are those who see something like the Mai Kai and are transported. They buy into the illusion. Same for Disney and any number of other escapist places and events. Then there are those who are not interested. To them, it is cheesy.

There are probably degrees. Mai Kai vs. Hawaiian Inn. Those people would likely never return to the Hawaiian Inn, but might think the Mai Kai was okay.

I think it's not even a matter of education or anything else. You can't get some folks to like these things. It's just the way they experience life. You might get them to appreciate it a bit, but maybe never enjoy it and certainly not on the level we do.

Vern, we really need to get together and comission someone to design "the Kitsch flag." I want to fly mine too!