Texas tikiphile gathering at Dallas Trader Vic's May 5th, 2007

Cinco de Mayo!!

May 5th is the day of our official gathering of Texas Tikiphiles at Trader Vic’s in Dallas.

Details are still being worked out, but the plan is for everyone to arrive and meet at the bar between 5:00 and 7:00 with dinner starting around 7:00.

This is something we have been ready to do for a couple of years and now that Trader Vic’s has opened the timing is PERFECT. If you're from out of town or out of state and have been wanting to see the new/old Vic's this is the time to visit!

I need an approximate head count to make the reservations which I’d like to do by the first week of April or so. If you think you can come, respond to this thread so we can start our guest list.

The list so far:

Unkle John + guest
Rugbymatt + guest
Formikahini
Kenike + guest
Dobrolic + 2 guests
Benehune + guest
Rumbuddy + 3 guests
Calldon + guest
Limbo Lizard + guest
Don D'Ablo + guest
PremEx
blixathecat + guest

[ Edited by: Kenike 2007-05-02 17:16 ]

Something quick I whipped up. I have a better design in my head (coming soon).

Texas Tikiphiles Unite!

[ Edited by: Unkle John 2007-03-14 13:35 ]

bump

Yee-Haw! Glad I planned my return to the Big-D for that weekend. I am looking forward to meeting all the Tejas Ohana.

Thanks so much for the invite Kenike! =D

Not sure right now if I'll be able to make it.
Will let you know if I can make it for sure. ;D

Come in, Dallas...do you read me?

bump

Thanks to everyone who responded to my PM's. Looks like it's going to be a small party but it will most definitely be a blast! Finalizing reservations this weekend.

Where's all the Dallas ohana that COULDN'T WAIT for Trader Vic's to open so we could have a party?

Kenike,
My wife and I will try to make it if we can find a sitter. If not, I will beg my wife to let me go alone.
Benehune

On 2007-04-03 09:44, Benehune wrote:
Kenike,
My wife and I will try to make it if we can find a sitter. If not, I will beg my wife to let me go alone.
Benehune

Great to hear it! Please keep us posted.

Woohoo! Add two to the list for Dallas May 5. My husband and I just went Saturday night and I can't wait to go back for more tiki puka puka etcetera! After a few sips of one, I can't talk straight but I'm sure I'll have the best time!

I'm torn!
Part of me hopes we'll be a large group, and part of me hopes we're small enough to fit into the cool private room (a 10-seater?)!

Oh well, we win either way!
:)
Counting the days.....

Welcome Rumbuddy! FINALLY....someone else from the Dallas area.

Our reservations are in the Puka Room which is the room in the back behind the main dining room.

Yes, Kenike, I am here, practically your neighbor, I live in Allen. I was on Tiki Central and believe we briefly met here a while back (one year? two years? I dunno where the time goes)when I first found the site and was dumbfounded that I was not the only tiki crazy person. None of my friends get it. I couldn't even talk them into coming to Trader Vic's with us, can you believe it? I told my husband we would just need to make some tiki friends at the bar, and here you all are, just another cocktail away.

Rumbuddy

Wow! More people!

Man I knew it was going to be a good day for tiki since i picked up a Daga "Maui Lu Luau" coconut mug today and got some good news that the local Dollar Tree may be getting those libby mugs in soon. Now this! Man what other good news could I get today? :)

GROG wish GROG could join ya'll but GROG will be finishing up this damned Simpsons movie. GROG originally from Texas, grew up down near San Antonio. GROG went to east Texas State University in Commerce (now a division of A&M), just east of Dallas. GROG have a number of old college buddies and people that GROG worked with that still live in Dallas area, and a sister and her family that live outside of Dallas.
Ya'll have fun, and eat some Bluebell Icecream and some good Texas Barbecue for GROG.

[ Edited by: GROG 2007-04-09 22:17 ]

GROG! Are you also a movie star (in addition to being a world famous bon vivant)? Or might your expertise be behind the scenes?

And if so, is my old school buddy Jeff Martin (also a Texas boy) working on it? He wrote for many years on the Simpsons (and Letterman, having been a Harvard Lampoon guy, as were 99.9% of all Letterman/Conan/Groening folks).

Further impressed by GROG's worldliness and bummed that GROG can't join us on the 5th,
F

GROG animator, so GROG work behind scenes.

GROG not meet any Simpsons writers, they're in a separate area way far away from the artists. They don't want to hear the artists complain about having to animate so many stupid crowd scenes
(Simpsons at baseball, game, hockey game, concert, town riot, etc).They also don't want to hear the artists complain about how funny the shows were BEFORE they aired on TV. They go over the scripts so many times, then see storyboards, then see the rough animatic, so they get used to their jokes and re-write them putting in less funny jokes, or they have to edit out some of the funniest jokes because the shows are too long. As funny as the Simpsons are on TV, they're even funnier in the rough animatic form before it's animated and colored. But GROG digress.

Yes, it too bad GROG can't join you guys at the Trade Vics in Dallas, the pics of the place look great. Have fun. Hopefully next time GROG out that way, GROG can meet up with Texas Tikiphiles.

Rats!
I was hoping to see a certain familiar, sexy caveman do a scene with Marge - or maybe with one of her sisters, as a sister's new boyfriend, maybe?

But I digress from Dallas Trader Vic's and the party....

On 2007-03-13 08:00, Kenike wrote:
Cinco de Mayo!!

May 5th is the day of our official gathering of Texas Tikiphiles at Trader Vic’s in Dallas.

Details are still being worked out, but the plan is for everyone to arrive and meet at the bar between 5:00 and 7:00 with dinner starting around 7:00.

At this point, I will plan to also be there, unless I get a paying gig that night. If I had a portable organ, I would bring it and play Hawaiian tunes with tacky drum machine rhythms.

Is anyone making name tags? I have a wonderful memory...it's just short.

D*

Great news Calldon! Limbo Lizard is in for dinner as well.

NOW it's looking like a party!

Hmmm, name tags...hadn't thought of that.

Actually I was going to suggest name tages as well, but I haven't been on to mention it. I think it would be a good idea. WE should put both our online name and real name.

Howdy,

Don D'Ablo here from Houston. I am friends with Formikahini and interested in joining the meetup. Please put me down for one + guest.

Thanx,
Don

Hooray The-Artist-Don-Diablo-Formerly-Known-as-Robotparts!!
So glad you and Mz Stephanie can make it.
We are turning into QUITE the soiree!

Don Diablo has never come to my house without a supercool gift (not that you're ever required to in the future!).
I'm looking forward to all of y'all getting to meet him and vice versa -
Hell, to all of us getting to meet each other!!!
:)
F

On 2007-04-18 10:46, Formikahini wrote:
Hooray The-Artist-Don-Diablo-Formerly-Known-as-Robotparts!!
So glad you and Mz Stephanie can make it.
We are turning into QUITE the soiree!

Don Diablo has never come to my house without a supercool gift (not that you're ever required to in the future!).
I'm looking forward to all of y'all getting to meet him and vice versa -
Hell, to all of us getting to meet each other!!!
:)
F

Woohoo,

As always, look forward joining the lovely miss Formikahini and meeting some cool Texas Tikiphiles too!

Peace, Love, Little Pink Umbrellas
~ Don D'Ablo

We can definitely make it. We found a sitter. I can't wait to meet other Texas tikiphiles.

On 2007-04-23 13:04, Benehune wrote:
We can definitely make it. We found a sitter. I can't wait to meet other Texas tikiphiles.

Outstanding!

If anyone else is still thinking about coming it's not too late!

PremEx is working on joining ya'll, if 'ya don't mind...coming from California by way of Houston. I'll be driving the Houston-Dallas leg if I can mooch a car from a friend and score a decent hotel in Dallas on-the-cheap (on a tight budget these days). So please put me down (Party of 1) as a desperately trying "maybe." Should know for certain in a day or two. :)

On 2007-04-09 22:14, GROG wrote:
GROG wish GROG could join ya'll but GROG will be finishing up this damned Simpsons movie.

Hey GROG...you think you might get some work outta the just announced Simpsons rides at the Universal theme parks?

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963652.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

:)

Woohoo - May 5 will be here before you know it!

My husband and I just spent the weekend in San Antonio for the first 3 days of Fiesta, a ten day reason to party day and night, attending several events and parties. We even made the newspaper and TV news by playing croquet in the rain at the Sticky Wickets event, how funny! So, why in Krakatoa am I telling you this? Because our crazy best friends in San Antonio told us they would come to the Dallas TV May 5 event with us if we went to SA for Fiesta, so, please add two more to the list!

While we were there we attended a Fiesta party at some lady named Cici's home. Wild night with congressmen and the Cavaliers and the King's court (it is a Fiesta thing) and a live rockin' band. Beneath the tallest palm tree, I discovered a memorial shrine to Don Ho, complete with photos, memorabilia and candles. It was sparking lots of memories and conversations.

On 2007-04-24 14:31, PremEx wrote:
Hey GROG...you think you might get some work outta the just announced Simpsons rides at the Universal theme parks?

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963652.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

:)

Yes, coming to a theme park near me, it's the Bart-Xeroxes-His-Butt, Homer-Falls-On-Aerosmith ride. Can't wait. (Sarcasm aside, Marge is quite the hottie.)

Never mind the day or two posted above...Please count me in!

Party of 1. Hotel confirmed. :)

FYI...I rolled the dice and did a "Name Your Own Price" on Priceline...and got the Hotel Palomar (where Trader Vic's is located) for only $105! Nets to $128.50 all in with taxes and fees included! Lowest available from the hotel or Travelocity was $219 plus taxes...so a pretty sweet deal. I'm happy. :)

If anyone else wants to take a gamble to get the same deal...choose only the "Knox-North Park" checkbox for the area of Dallas you're bidding on, and also check off only the "4 Star-Deluxe" box. I had read elsewhere on the internet that someone had failed at $95...but got it at $101 last month. So I bid at $105 and got it! But keep in mind that with the Priceline "Name Your Own Price" option...you could get some other place or nothing. No guarantees. No cancellations or changes. Run of House room.

If you give it a roll...Good Luck!

Looking forward to meeting you all and seeing what looks to be one of the great Trader Vic's out there!

I'm jazzed! :)

On 2007-04-24 16:30, PremEx wrote:
...I rolled the dice and did a "Name Your Own Price" on Priceline...and got the Hotel Palomar (where Trader Vic's is located)...

I know where we will all be crashing at the end of the night :wink:

Texas Tikiphiles Unite!

[ Edited by: Unkle John 2007-04-25 06:31 ]

I'm going by Trader Vic's this evening and will give them our final (but flexible) count. If your name is on the list and you CAN'T come PLEASE email me ASAP. If your name is NOT on the list and you WANT to come...please email me ASAP.

See everyone on the 5th!

Did everyone have a great time at the new Traders Vics? I was in San Francisco that weekend and had to miss the party. Let me know if you plan on having another gathering soon.

=)

On 2007-04-30 18:59, blixathecat wrote:
Did everyone have a great time at the new Traders Vics? I was in San Francisco that weekend and had to miss the party. Let me know if you plan on having another gathering soon.

=)

You're in luck! You didn't miss it... it's this weekend. Hope to meet you.

Hey!

I live in the Dallas area and am planning on attending Satuday evening. Cinco De Mayo is my son's birthday, so I may bring him along.

Sean (blixathecat)

On 2007-05-02 15:59, blixathecat wrote:
Hey!

I live in the Dallas area and am planning on attending Satuday evening. Cinco De Mayo is my son's birthday, so I may bring him along.

Sean (blixathecat)

Great...see you then!

BTW, I sent PM's a few days ago to everyone who plans on attending with some extra info that I'm not going to post here (like my phone #). If you haven't read it yet please check your PM's.

Only a little over a day to go! Can't wait to suck down that first Mai Tai with 'ya all! :)

Man...I'm gonna need it after what just happened to my Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills. :(

Gettin' ready and packing the aspirin! :)

Just wanted to say my Wahine and I are about to leave the house in an hour a so. I hope everyone who is traveling any distance has a safe trip and hope to see all who have RSVP'ed can make it out. I'm going to try to pick up some name tags for all of us, but someone might want to do that also incase I don't get a chance.

I got off the phone with my family and they just got their electricity back on from the storms a few days ago. I don't know how stable that connection will be, but I'll try to get online and check in tonight or tomarrow (got to clean the car up).

But anyways, after 2 years in the making it looks like everything is coming to those who wait. Thanks to Kenike for handling all the reservations and communicating with TV and TC. I have a few extra gifts for you that I think will go great in your collection of Dallas tiki restraunts.

One last thing. For those who are coming up I-45 for the first in a long time, there is construction going on, so becareful and watch out for the local idiots who weave in and out of construction zones. Unless it's moved South, it was North of Waxahachie and stopped at the Dallas county line.

See yall soon.

Texas Tikiphiles Unite!

[ Edited by: Unkle John 2007-05-04 08:10 ]

Our San Antonio guests have arrived and said that there was not a construction bog down at Hillsboro like there usually is, so that is good. I can hardly wait for tomorrow, whoohoo!

Aloha Everybody,

Howdy from Dobrolic. My wife Susan, our daughter Castle and I (Ted) are looking forward to the gathering at Trader Vic's tomorrow in Dallas. We'll be driving up Saturday morning from Austin and staying overnight at the Hotel Palomar.

Bottoms Up!!! hiccup :)

Ted Smouse (aka Dobrolic)

BIG mahaloz to everyone for making this event happen. Hopefully this will be the first of many.

See everyone tomorrow night!

~K

Hi everyone! =D

I've been absent from the boards for so long. I quit posting my art work for awhile and kinda disappeared. I really miss this place.

I'm going to try and make it for drinks tomorrow. I haven't even made it to Trader Vic's since the opening! Isn't that just awful?!

I was always hoping to get a friend to go with me to check out Trader Vic's, and now I'll get to go check it out with about 25 new friends! =D

I'm acutally alergic to rum (did I hear screams of horror?!? I believe I did), so I hope Mai Tai's taste okay with whisky.

On 2007-05-04 18:28, gretanicole wrote:
Hi everyone! =D

I've been absent from the boards for so long. I quit posting my art work for awhile and kinda disappeared. I really miss this place.

I'm going to try and make it for drinks tomorrow. I haven't even made it to Trader Vic's since the opening! Isn't that just awful?!

I was always hoping to get a friend to go with me to check out Trader Vic's, and now I'll get to go check it out with about 25 new friends! =D

I'm acutally alergic to rum (did I hear screams of horror?!? I believe I did), so I hope Mai Tai's taste okay with whisky.

Glad to hear you'll try to stop by tomorrow night!

Try a vodka mai tai...not too sure how whiskey would taste in a mai tai.

Feel free to stay for dinner...we can make room!

Thanks Kenike =D

I totally agree that vodka would taste better.....however...LOL...I kinda got sick on vodka (and Everclear, yikes) too many times back in my younger days and now can't stand even the smell of either. ;D C'est la vie. =D

Counting down the hours. :)

Great people. Great drinks. Great food. Great tiki. Great place. Just doesn't get any better.

Many Thanks to Kenike for hosting this great evening. I could tell you were often worried about how things were coming off, but really...it couldn't have been any better. Well done!

Many Thanks also to Formikahini for the fun raffle and surprise prizes. What fun!

And Thanks also to all those others that contributed, and to everyone that made this non-Texan feel very welcomed. Hope to see ya'll again someday soon.

I would post a blow-by-blow of the festivities, but I've gotta check-out and hit the road back to Houston before someone reports the car stolen. :)

Can't wait to see some pictures. :)

What a fun time!
DEFinitely worth the drive up and back!

Thanks so much to Kenike and his lovely wahine Eva for not only making this all happen, but also for letting me crash on your futon....in Kenike's tiki room! Visions of Hawaii Kai and Port o' Call mugs danced in my head. Actually, for quite a while, because the previously mentioned coffee creme brulee had a KICK (thanks for reminding me to get it, Rumbuddy!)! Or maybe I was just wired from the immense fun at the beautiful Dallas Trader Vic's. Or from playing with Pepper, the World's Cutest Carolina Dingo, who narrowly escaped being grabbed and stuffed in my car for Houston.

By Kenike, not by me ("You want him? He's yours!").
But his son intervened, so I didn't get to add Pepper to my canine population.

I so enjoyed getting to see Benehune and RugbyMatt again, and to meet so many terrific TC (and non-TC) Texans (and non-Texans)! If I try to name everyone I'll miss someone, so I won't try, but I enjoyed all of you! And I look forward to the next Texas Tiki Gathering :)

And to the next Texas Trader Vic's :wink:
F