Mai Kai 50th Anniv. - a look back in pictures!

Aaaah...so it IS the same print than on the photos on page 148 of the BOT. Not the Cook Islands god but the "Tahitian Cannibal Carvings"...these guys are a pet research subject of mine.

WHY did they become the logo Tikis of the Mai Kai? Because the Thornton brothers were inspired to go and open their own Polynesian Paradise through their favourite hangout in their home town of Chicago: Don The Beachcomber's, in Chicago in the 1940s.

And it was Don Beach who first introduced these three Tikis into Polynesian Pop (BOT p.69 and 72/73). They were his personal Pet Tikis, he even took them to Waikiki with him. You can see them in the back bar in Hollywood on page 72. I was lucky to find a set at the PCC fleamarket years ago, you can see them on my mantlepiece in the Kon-Id mug thread in Marketplace.

After Don and the Mai Kai, Stephen Crane used them for The Luau, and later his Kon Tikis. Of course, the design these were based on was not Tahitian, but Marquesan.

I want to see the beachcomber lamp shirt print real bad, too, please!

Here's todays photo everyone. From the Mai Kai archives. This gal is amazing!!

This thread is simply AMAZING!!!!!!! :)

Thanks for the history lesson Tiki Kiliki and Bigbro.

I want a time machine too! Not like the one in Napolean Dynamite though :wink:

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

It's been two days without a new picture. I'm stttarting to gget the jjjitters.

:wink:

Sorry - I went to Orlando this weekend and had to prepare today for something pretty important.

Here's the latest..no doubt either a private party or exclusive function with all the boys in suits. I think one of them is in love.............

I think one of them is in love.............

Looks to me like at least 3 of them are in love! :wink:

Thanks for the fix. I was going through withdrawals. :)

Aloha - it's late but it's here. I've been so busy with the holidays lately that I've been posting these later than normal. Sorry about that guys but expect better timing in the coming days.

This one is a table of flight attendants. One of my favorite shots. I believe one of the gals is wearing a Malia dress and the other a Shaheen.

Enjoy..

On 2006-12-11 17:25, tiki_kiliki wrote:

Here's the latest..no doubt either a private party or exclusive function with all the boys in suits. I think one of them is in love.............

Is it just me, or does the guy giving the snarky look on the right look JUST like a young version of the Narrator ("ASS-HOLE!") from Rocky Horror Picture Show?

Admitting that she saw Rocky Horror Picture Show more times than she will actually admit,
F

On 2006-12-13 13:05, Formikahini wrote:

Is it just me, or does the guy giving the snarky look on the right look JUST like a young version of the Narrator ("ASS-HOLE!") from Rocky Horror Picture Show?

This guy has a neck, so I'm not so sure!

I bet those guys in their suits all thought that they could go home with the serving staff, The gals ofcourse. That pic looks just like a shot before a kiss. See how both of them are leaning in.

Oh yeah, they're drinking Derby Daquiris so these suits are probably from Gulfstream.

That pic looks just like a shot before a kiss. See how both of them are leaning in.

Not only that, but I got a feeling from the look on the face of the waitress...that I know where the dude in the white blazer's hand just might be.

:wink:

On 2006-12-12 21:08, tiki_kiliki wrote:
This one is a table of flight attendants.

Enjoy..

hubba hubba

The latest photo - I've been absent so there's two here. Both the lovely ladies of the Mai Kai.

Both tiki's on the right seem to be having TOO much fun! :wink:

Cheers,
Jeff

To supplement the wonderful pictures Tiki Kiliki is posting, here is some eye candy from the Mai-Kai 1978 calendar.

Notice the sign above her head for the Bangkok Room, which is now the gift shop.

And now for the "B" sides:

Apparently they liked their steaks REALLY rare back in the day.

This picture is obviously staged, but nice anyway. I mean, who wouldn't want to join them?

Ah, here we have Susan (Miss May) enjoying a cocktail in the gardens.

Bravo GatorRob - Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More great stuff! Thanks! :)

That Fijian War Dancer looks like Gecko on a bad day!! :lol:

Thanks for posting the wonderful eye candy!!!

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Here's an amazing shot from a slide - not super clear but worth showing. The drummer standing just behind the guitar player is Toti - still playing at the Mai Kai today. The beautiful dancer in the middle is none other than Kern Mattei Jr.'s mom Louise. I'm unsure of her Tahitian name. This is an early shot as you'll notice the poles holding the sign are behind them - this wasn't the first sign outside of the Mai Kai but most likely the 2nd. Enjoy..

Great stuff, TK! These archival images are just awesome. :)

TK-

I knew Kern's mom was a Molokai girl when she met her husband-to-be; she was also a dancer?
Or did they just stage her to be one for the photo since she's drop-dead beautiful?

(What a GREAT photo!)
F

On 2006-12-18 08:37, Formikahini wrote:
I knew Kern's mom was a Molokai girl when she met her husband-to-be; she was also a dancer?
Or did they just stage her to be one for the photo since she's drop-dead beautiful?

According to this interview with Kern, she was a Mai-Kai dancer.

Yes doll, she was a dancer. Here's a pic of Kern's mom (on the far right) in costume right beside her sister Mireille (center). They were both and still are so beautiful!!

Yee-Haw & Aloha,

The World of Tiki Kiliki

[ Edited by: tiki_kiliki 2006-12-18 11:51 ]

I dug out my 1990 Calendar to add to the mix.

January (Mireille looking lovely as usual)

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

And then the 'B' sides

My favorite picture of the bunch

Ok, back to Tikis. Here's one of my most favorite pictures. Amazing..

Love that B&W tiki shot! :)

Now re the 1990 Mai Kai Calendar...

April

Makes we willing to write bad checks. While...

September

...looks like I tried to cash one with her!

:)

Damn!! what GREAT decor.
and the Mai Kai looks really good too :wink:

Jeff(bigtikidude)

[ Edited by: bigtikidude 2006-12-19 21:40 ]

On 2006-12-19 21:03, PremEx wrote:

September

...looks like I tried to cash one with her!

:)

Mmmm duck carcasses!

Here's MY favorite waitress photo. Not in a calendar yet.

Here's todays photo - a look at the gardens. The outrigger was once able to take you from this view of the restaurant to the shore just a few feet away...another escape from the outside world....

Here's todays picture. These fern gods were once in front of the Mai Kai as you've seen in the pics previously posted - here they find a home across the driveway into the parking lot which is where they remain today. Weathered by hurricane Wilma only one is completely intact.

Yee-Haw & Aloha,

The World of Tiki Kiliki

[ Edited by: tiki_kiliki 2006-12-22 11:44 ]

TK-

Thanks for this glimpse back in time. These images are indeed priceless. I am so appreciative that you are sharing them here. I have got to tell you, I was not originally planning on attending the Mai Kai 50th because there is so much going on over the holidays, but after seeing this thread I do not want to miss it. My family traditions will have to remain preserved until next year.

Long live the Mai Kai.....

Karbora

Here's the latest photo. Have a Happy Holiday everyone!

Karbora,

I'm so glad that you're attending the 50th!! It certainly would not be the same without you!!

great thread, great pics

Here's the latest and last of the photos. There were a few days that I missed posting but more than 28 images were shared over the last 28 days. I certainly hope that everyone enjoyed them.

We're off to share a wonderful evening with ohana and the Mai Kai staff. Also, our special guest - Jeff "Beachbum" Berry. I'm so glad he has the chance to join us tonight. Also in attendance will be Mariano's son, Ron Licudine.

If you haven't yet made it to the Mai Kai please make it a part of your near future. You never know what might happen. And I'm sure everyone will agree with me that you will never be the same after experiencing what is inside - the history, the decor, the staff and the family.

These images come from the Licudine scrapbook. Here the story talks of the screened area, the dining rooms, the diorama once behind the surfboard bar and other facts about the Mai Kai.

Enjoy...

On 2006-12-28 07:04, tiki_kiliki wrote:

So can I pull up in my wee-little car and have a wee-little Mai Tai and see a wee-little dinner show?

Or is this the Barbie Dream House Polynesian style?

We're heading there right now... and the Mai-Tai's better NOT be wee-little!

Wish I could be there.-Sigh- I am gonna miss the Bum.

...and I wish that model with the mini sign and 3 Tikis would still exist. Great post, a fitting ending to a great thread, thank you Christie! I never really knew who the Mai Kai's architect was: It is the same guy who did the Castaways in Miami.

Very cool thread, and even better pictures. Man, I gotta get to Florida.

There is a lot on the web about Charles McKirahan. His buildings in Florida are getting recognition. I wanted to post his name here so that Google will now link Mai Kai and Tiki Central and him in the future, although, on several websites he is already cited as the Mai Kai architect, and a tropical design architect. Too much to read right now. Dig this mention.

MiMo and McKirahan at the Mai Kai
Saturday, 5/21, 5-7 pm, 3599 N. Fed Hwy, Fort Lauderdale. As Miesian Modernism flourished in the Postwar era, the outlandishly commercial cult of Tiki sprang up to satisfy man's and woman's desire for more earthy delights. Join Broward MiMo moguls for 2-for-1 Happy Hour at the Mai Kai, with remarks on the life and work of Mai Kai architect Charles McKirahan by Diane Smart of the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation.

Swank Blather- Talkin' atcha

[ Edited by: Swanky 2006-12-29 06:11 ]

I'll be reporting on so much about the Mai Kai in my upcoming article for Tiki Magazine coming out in the summer of '07. And of course, the history of the Mai Kai will now become a permanent highlight of Hukilau!

So glad everyone enjoyed the thread!

On 2006-12-29 07:59, tiki_kiliki wrote:
I'll be reporting on so much about the Mai Kai in my upcoming article for Tiki Magazine coming out in the summer of '07. And of course, the history of the Mai Kai will now become a permanent highlight of Hukilau!

So glad everyone enjoyed the thread!

Yeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!!! I can't wait to read THAT!! 8)

What a wonderful thread Tiki Kiliki. Thank you very much.

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Tiki Kiliki, thank you for all the pictures and your effort. This is a great thread!

Christy,

September

She looks like she'd be the one most likely to serve a Mystery Bowl. The eyes have it!

Sorry I couldn't be there for the 50th, but early December was fun with you and Will P too. Thanks for hanging with us and showing us Virginians around the Mai Kai.

Now where's those pictures I have from that night... hmmm. Too many Jet Pilots.

It was really good to finally meet you! See you at the next Hukilau!
Thanks for the great postings in this thread too!

Greg

[ Edited by: tikigap 2007-01-03 10:58 ]

Hi,
The fourth girl down(Diane)was my first wife.
My father, George Hines and I(I got a small portion of his talent) were the first haoles to play at the Mai Kai.
We played the 'off' night and learned their show and also played in the Molokai bar. GOOD times!!!