4th annual Florida Ohana Luau @ Hawaiian Inn, Daytona Beach

Wayne and the boys get BIG mahalos for doing Hawai'i 78 especially for Rustiki.
Man, he would have flipped over that just like I did.

Thanks to Mai Kai Gents - because Koka Nut and I worked up 2 of the tunes from their CD and jammed them into the ground with Haole Kats.

The food was out of sight this year. That rum cake was EVIL. EVIL. Whoa. I could have that for breakfast every day. And Lunch.

I want to kill that Casio. Steve - get a uke. Please. I'll pitch in 20 bucks.

Flounder, how's the head? LOL. That Zombie recipe is a true siren. So sweet for a time.
Wow it was good. I added a bit more orange juice and grenadine and it came out just right. Dude - that artwork you gave me ROCKS. Everyone I show it to is geeking out. Mahalo.

Josh truly CAN melt drywall. What a kid. You can always tell when he's bored. He could play music for a thousand hours straight I think.

Great to see Joe and Donatela Vitale there. They're always a kick to be around. Joe could be the most sarcastic person I've ever met. But it's hard to tell... that's the beauty of true sarcasm.

The girls were as beautiful as always. I love this "non event" because it always brings out the sweet dresses and lots of hugs and kisses. And not just the wahines, I kissed and was kissed by Al-ii at least a half dozen times. I love that guy. You know, in a manly brotherly affection kind of a way.

Kanekila, how's that Red Opu?

Tikilicious gave us all "FEVAH!"

No cops this year, while I was there anyway.

I'm sure I'll think of more later.

Now that is what I call a memorable weekend! Sometimes in life it is all about showing up. I will definitely be a "repeat offender" at next years event. Meeting most of you for the first time was such a thrill for me. As if you couldn't tell from my enthusiastic response each time I heard a familiar TC name being mentioned. Especially the locals from O.Ville. I instantly knew their were going to be many kodak moments when I met up with KG and Marian when I first arrived at the Hawaiian Inn and the stories started flowing. Thanks for all you did to organize this event. I was elated when I found out Jon Pez was sitting across from me at the Luau (although he would not divulge any secrets behind the white sauce at Kobe steakhouse) and was able to swap stories about local habitats. Then there was the ceremony to reunite Flounder with a long lost piece of art from his past. It was a beautiful thing. I still have to get more facts from him on this item but not always good to delve into a history lesson when the crowd is well in to one of Pablus's zombie barrels. They tend to make you live for the moment!

Going out on walkabout with Christy, Liz and Al on Saturday was super cool (minus the Witco whiplash I got from cranking my head around to catch all the sightings). Beautiful day, great company, fantastic stories. I was ultra impressed that at one point in the afternoon we ended up in the same antique mecca where Tikilicious, Steve, Chip and Andy were treasure hunting. I half expected some kind of tiki meltdown. Can you image the forces that are generated from 8 TC's in the same location? Seems like most everyone found one or multiple must haves and helped each other with the finds. The camaraderie among this group always astounds me!

Other highlights for me included the inspiring musical talents of Pablus and the Haole Kats. Hanging out with Martini (and Tiki Bree and Tristan :). Spotting the gnome all over Daytona Beach who was such a long way from home........and of course all of the fabulous retro inspired fashions. I literally could not wait for the next event to see what everyone would be sporting. You all rock! By the way KG I hope your cool jacket makes it as it was listed as DOA after Julian’s. Keep us posted :)

I can not close without personally thanking the Neptune tikis for allowing me to hound them all weekend about their tiki interests and collecting strategies. It is such a rare opportunity for me to meet people who have such similar interests and passions that I could not STOP talking about it! I tried to be cool but who knew I would get to discuss such things with those who have gone before me. I hope you realize how much I appreciate your words of wisdom and your willingness to share through experience. I am truly grateful and am personally so glad to have had a chance to meet you and hope their will be more events soon! We need to make the rounds here in Central Florida in 2006. Of that I am certain.

Anyway my final summary of the weekend:

An ocean front room at the Hawaiian Inn with kitchenette and glow in the dark decorative fish............................................................................................$89.99

Tequilla Hawaiian Luau (black light included)...................................................$35.00

Hanging out with Tiki Centralers all weekend.................................................PRICELESS

(Too late to count excalmation marks in this post)

Kim

Karbora, how fantastic it is to hear what a great experience you had meeting up with TCers. It's just such a neat thing -- that feeling that in nearly any city you visit, there are others there who share your interests, and are eager to meet up with you and revel in it all. I wish everyone had it, and it makes me smile every time I hear there's a new person who's experienced it.

The 'ohana rocks.

FANTASTIC weekend! First of all, I wanted to thank the gorgeous sexy amazing gentlemen who accompanied me in my musical performance. It was a dream come true to sing with you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you to Chip and Andy, our favorite traveling companions. Thank you for the whiskey, the cheese, the 12 (or more? I lost count) stops of thrifting, thank you Andy for your lamps :wink: I will always think of you and how much I adore you when I see them!, thank you both for the endless space in "Pussy Galore's" back trunk (I cant BELIEVE how much stuff we could fit in there from all that thrifting! WOW! The PERFECT vehicle for doing just that!) Thank you for the laughter that went on and on until we were in TEARS, the sing-alongs, the beautiful walk along the beach, the seagull chasing, thank you for the tongue tacos :wink: , for being my pole-dancing audience, and ABOVE ALL, thank you for TRYING to help me kill Steve's casio. I love that man. I can love the man, and hate the casio. But God help me, I love him. sigh Anyhoo, thanks for trying to help me kill it, and trying to help me make it look like an accident while he was in the shower. It may not have worked, but you TRIED, and for that, I will love you always.

Thank you TK (Tiki Kiliki) for the amazing CD mix you made! I LOVE IT! It was SO sweet of you to do it, and the mix is absolutely wonderful. It really is! I counted a bunch of new songs I am dying to learn! Chip had me sing along with him on the way home, and he cheered me on to do the harmonies. That mix may have created a monster! I LOVE IT! Thank you for devouring the popcorn with me (WHO THE HECK BROUGHT THAT POPCORN?!?! Where did you get it?!?!) and for drinking out of that hilarious clown mug I got you all night long. Thats the markings of a true friend, and Im glad to have you as one. :wink:

Thank you to Liz for THAT CAKE! HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, THE CAKE! The best cake Ive ever had! And for just being such a sweetheart. Liz (I dream of tiki) is a real doll. OOOOH I LOVED watching her dance at the parTAY! Those HIPS!

Thank you to Tiki Bree and Tristan (and Martini!) for just being such gorgeous lovely amazing people. And for the invite! Steve and I accept! Later on this year, you will see us standing on your front door step with marketing kits, luggage for the weekend, and bottles of rum in hand. BIG smiles on our faces. Just so elated to see you both again. We adore you DEARLY. And Bree, thank you for astounding us with your incredible beauty and grace as always. I cant wait to see your gravel art collection!

Thank you Flounder (how is your head sweetie?) for sharing my apple with me, and cheering me on to sing.

I could go on and on and on forever and ever.... but instead, I will just say MAHALO TO EVERYONE for an AMAZING weekend! MAHALO MAHALO MAHALO!

And HUGE Mahalos to that man of mine, for making my weekend so romantic, wonderful, and memorable. I will treasure those memories always. (minus the Casio tone). I will love you always. :wink:

xoxo,
Tikilicious!

[ Edited by: Tikilicious 2006-01-31 05:53 ]

The Hawaiian Inn I like. Room 106 will be requested again next year. That patio made it a large as we wanted it to be.
Joe the Beachcomber made fast friends with the neighbors and warned them. It took.

The show, as Vern put it last year, is "delightfully cheesy."
Wayne and Teauila and company dance well and have a lot of fun with the audience and I enjoy it.

I gotta tell ya, those drinks are some of the most foul concoctions ever offered.
But at least they're served by a surly mobster. I took 3 sips and left the rest.
The Nascar guys in the back of the room added to the surreal bar experience.

The whole blacklight thing going on in there reminds me of when I was 13 with the glowing posters in my room playing Edgar Winter's 'Frankenstein' over and over again.

I missed Wayne Coombs this year. I was gonna challenge him to an arm wrestling match.

Yeah right.

I missed maikainagirl a lot and hope she's feeling better every single day.

I just have to jump back in and say, Pablus my man, you look so friggin AMAZING!!!! Steve and I were talking about it when we got home. You are GORGEOUS, brother! :)

Hot for you,
Tikilicious :wink:

(mmmmmmmmrrrrow!)

[ Edited by: Tikilicious 2006-01-31 07:33 ]

Wow what the hell happened? Are you guys sure I was even at this event? It would explain the walking dead kinda feel I still have.

On 2006-01-31 08:53, FLOUNDERart wrote:
It would explain the walking dead kinda feel I still have.

THAT, my dear, is why they call it a "ZOMBIE". :wink: lol!

If it makes you feel any better, I can tell ya that you had A LOT of FUN. :)

Wowsers.
What a great time!
Pulled in kinda late, threw on some old jacket that I had :wink: and ran on in.

Thanks to all for putting on such a soireé, Geoff and Marian, and thanks to the bunch for the faboo party room. Must have been kinda odd for people with adjoining walls to hear the sweet strains of ukeleles (and an odd beeping Casio noise) coming through till the wee hours. Betcha they didn't know the room came with a free concert...

• Flounder, hope you had a nice nap on the beach. Good thing fiddler crabs don't like rum or else you might never have made it back alive.
• Thanks to the Kats, Pablus and Scott for the great tunes.
• Pablus (King of the Barrel Drinks), you are my own personal, but smaller, Iz. You look great man, and sound wonderful, so sublime! Thanks for the "rabbit ears" in the group pic. Brought me back to my years as a Playboy bunny. If you made it all the way back to Tampa that night without a nap, you are my hero. Either that or I have narcolepsy and I like the ambiance of rest stops...
• Bree, Trader Trick and Martini are forever a welcome combo to be around!
• Tiki Kiliki, the CD made the drive quite bearable on the way home. Thank you! (PM me the playlist, will ya?)
• Seeing Karbora ooze jealousy at the mere mention of Neptune's Witco was a sight to see, but we are all friends here, and envy isn't one of the worst deadly sins, is it? Wonderful to meet you, Kim, and I'm sure we will run into each other while thriftin'. Maybe between the two of us, we can tap into the undeniable power of Kono in making some great finds in our own backyard...
• Chip and Andy, nice to meet you, wished I had been in on the thrifting excursions everyone was talking about, but maybe next year...
• Always good to see Ali'i again, you seemed to be having a huggable good time!
• Ah, I Dream of Tiki, always scrumdelicious... Wow, that sounded kinda creepy, sorry about that. I was talking about the rum cake.
• The Neptunes were great to see again, sorry I didn't have any Witco for ya this time. I'm always looking, but I may have to fight Kim for it now.
• Tikilicious and Steve, it was great to see you both, just wish we could have chatted some. The Casio was like a warning beacon though, keeping me on the periphery.
•Humuhumu, missed ya this year. PLEASE try and make the next one!

Next year, I have to eat at Julians!
AND
I am buying a black light to see exactly which ensemble will glow the best in the warm glow of Wayne and Teauila's stage. I'm thinking of making a small trophy we can give out to whomever puts off the most god-awful glow.

Thanks to all!
Jon

Looks as if everyone had a great time. Sorry i missed most of you, but for the brief 20 mins i was a Julians it was great to see such of motely crue of fine folks. Next year i will try and make if for the entire weekend.

Wow, what a great time!

Thanks to everyone for making it so much fun!

Kats, it is always great to hang and jam.

The ladies were as beautiful as always. Thanks for the great food.

I Dream of Tiki, the rum cake was unbelievable!

Kaliki, the mix CD helped Pablus and I make it back to Tampa safe and sound.

Chip and Andy it was great to see you again. Chip, sorry we didn't get to teach you some songs.

Tikilicious difinitely has the Fevah. Steve, I liked the Casio.

Geoff, thanks for the great Zombie barrel! And thank you very much for Wayne and the band singing Hawai'i 78 - it meant a lot.

Tiki Bree and Tristan, although we haven't had much of a chance to talk yet, I think I have now seen you two at more events than anyone else on TC. (Hale Tiki opening, Hukilau and now the Hawaiian Inn.)

Flounder, thanks so much for the art cards. Your work is truly outstanding.

To all those I have not mentioned, it was nice hanging with you and I hope to see you all next year.

Mahalo,

Scott / Koka Nut

[ Edited by: Koka Nut 2006-01-31 10:49 ]

On 2006-01-31 10:48, Koka Nut wrote:
Wow, what a great time!

Chip and Andy it was great to see you again. Chip, sorry we didn't get to teach you some songs.

It was great hanging out with you guys! While I didn't learn directly, I learned enough to know I need to get busy learning so that next year I can at least attempt to play along with you guys!

On 2006-01-30 20:09, pablus wrote:

Great to see Joe and Donatela Vitale there. They're always a kick to be around. Joe could be the most sarcastic person I've ever met. But it's hard to tell... that's the beauty of true sarcasm.

Yo Pab, Hey you gotta remember I'm from New York........... It comes natural.

We're glad we made it out. It was cool to see everyone.......... no, really....??

-Joe

Stop it Joe, you're killing me.

BTW, Thanks for the mugs and tell Donella I'm sorry I spelled her name wrong.
It had nothing to do with the wine I drank. Nothing at all.

On 2006-01-31 10:48, Koka Nut wrote:
Wow, what a great time!

Tiki Bree and Tristan, although we haven't had much of a chance to talk yet, I think I have now seen you two at more events than anyone else on TC. (Hale Tiki opening, Hukilau and now the Hawaiian Inn.)

Scott / Koka Nut

[ Edited by: Koka Nut 2006-01-31 10:49 ]

Hale Tiki opening was definitely for the hard core Tiki Fan-natics and fun.
We do have to make a talk-fest a priority next time we see each other.

Miss Martini send her warmest cuddles to everyone. She was particularly impressed that everyone knew her name in spite of the fact that she was meeting the group for the first time. She wants to know if we can all get together again SOON.

Here are some photos.......

 

Great pics! Thanks for posting them. For those of us who weren't able to make it and are new to the group, would you mind putting some names to the faces? Thanks!

I'm the girl with the white feather hat on.

Mahalos to everyone who helped make this event happen!

Pablus & Scott -- Your generosity is greatly appreciated -- thanks! I can't wait for our next uke jam!

Geoff - I'm so glad we made it after all. We didn't get to any surf music this year, but there's always next time! Keep that girl of yours outta trouble!

Karbora -- Thanks for the yummy treats!

Flounder -- You're a madman! Let me know when you're in St Pete again -- I'd love to tag along to the Dali museum.

Dave & Leslie -- I think I left mt wig in your room...I'll e-mail you my address...Ha!

Liz -- It was great getting to know you (and your cake) a little better. Hopefully we'll get a chance to hang out again before too long.

Tikilicious & Steve -- What can I say -- That voice, those keys....we oughtta take this show on the road!

Kiliki -- As always, it was great seeing you. Drop me a line and we can work out details for Atlanta in April and Hukilau. Thanks for the compilation!

Chip & Andy -- It was a pleasure chatting with you both -- Chip -- If you'd like, I can e-mail you some easy to read chord charts for Ukulele...we'll get you jamming yet!

AL -- Great meeting one of our Cali Cohorts....I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk more...thanks for the kind words!

Bree, Tristan & martini - I'm still basking in your Fabulousness!

To anyone I may have forgotten -- they don't call them Zombies for nuttin'!

ALoha!

Josh
http://www.whollycatsband.com

Glad everyone had much fun. Should we do it again?

In my company we sometimes do a de-brief after an activity to decide what we liked and what we would do different next time. Suggestions?

Here's mine...
A party in Tampa/St. Pete. Stay at the Sun Spree resort in St. Pete (Home of a long-gone Trader Vics) with a day sail and party on the HMS Bounty!

http://www.tallshipbounty.org/main.html

http://www.stpetersburg.com/holiday-inn-sunspree/

Anyone intersted in something like this?

Flounder is in charge!

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-02-01 16:28 ]

That's a GREAT idea.

I'd love to throw a TC luau at the Lagoon Lounge on the Friday night.
You haven't heard Haole Kats until you've heard them there.
I'd be willing to set up a bus to take the lubricated participants from and back to St. Pete.

Then the next day stop by Hula Hula - do a bit of thrifting in St. Pete - then onto the Bounty - could be a stellar weekend.

East Coast Tiki Revival!

kinda

Sounds like a fabulous weekend.............when do we wanna do it? March---early April???
Remember we want to attend the Polynesian Luau "en masse" in May (probably on the 20th).
Anyway, we're tied up the last weekend in April so right now everything up till then is open........

Let's lock down some dates.

I assumed he was talking about next year instead of the Hawaiian Inn.
Maybe not.

Oh this is killing me! Seeing all the ohana I missed through your posts and pictures. I had the money, the time and the motivation to make this and bingo! A bad case of intestinal flu struck and struck hard Friday afternoon! I was flat on my back with pain and a fever Friday night through Sunday morning. Sorry I missed it. I'm OK now. Well, maybe next year. (sob)

Yeah, next year same time frame. I've got other travels to do during the year, so the January tiki party works really well for me. The reason the Bounty is available in January is because it winters over at the St. Pete pier. In the Spring and Summer they sail elsewhere. In fact, it is at the pier right now.... Go check it out.
I just knew Pablus would embrace this idea...... You da man, Paul! I think we need a planning meeting at the Lagoon Lounge in the near future.
KG

Bree: Plan on coming over to our place sometime soon after I get back from my trip to Huntington Beach next week.

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-02-02 17:46 ]

On 2006-02-02 17:36, Kailuageoff wrote:
Yeah, next year same time frame.
Bree: Plan on coming over to our place sometime soon after I get back from my trip to Huntington Beach next week.

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-02-02 17:46 ]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh..........instead of Daytona.....I get it now.

OK, lets keep in touch and we'll come visit.

Aloha! We had a blast ..... as always! I am dying to post my pics.... but I have to retrieve them first. The memory stick is claiming no pics. Which is interesting since I just looked at them on the way home from the Hawaiian Inn back to Neptune beach. I'll figure it out..... and post some soon.

I'm the guy with the uke and hawaiian shirt. HA!

Finally getting a chance to check in about last weekend.

I was flat on my back with pain and a fever Friday night through Sunday morning. Sorry I missed it. I'm OK now. Well, maybe next year. (sob)

Trader Rick -- That was me, but just on SUNDAY! Too much zombie and waaaaay too much cigarettes. Nasty, evil things, those.

Aside from my hangover that day, WHAT A GREAT TIME! I won't go down the list, as so many have already done, but I REALLY want to give a shout out to Koka Nut and Pablus for letting Haole Kats basically crash their swank pad, in which they didn't even get a chance to sleep. Braddahs, I really sincerely hope we didn't chase you outta your own crib. We literally could not have made the trip without your generous hospitality, and for that, many large MAHALOS!

Anyway, I love the idea of the Bounty and St. Pete next year. They won't be shooting any more porn movies on it again, will they?

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/18/Tampabay/Yo_ho__yo_ho__oh_no.shtml

:)

Definitely need a Lagoon Lounge (soon to be known as The Rusty Key in Russ's honor) hang soon. I really can't wait until the temps are back in the 80's, and the air has that sweet balminess again.

Pablus, when were you thinking of doing that? The Kats are booked every weekend this month, but it looks like March 10th so far is open. We also have the 3-4th, but that will most likely get booked, I'm guessing.

Mahalos again to all the TC ohana for a great time. Can't wait for the next luau.

Aloha pumehana,
Kanekila

Kanekila

[ Edited by: Kanekila 2006-02-04 08:13 ]

Thanks for the item about the Bounty.

There is something vaguely appropriate about a porn movie being shot on the Bounty since the historical crew's activities in Ploynesia were quite infamous.

I hope they didn't foul the rigging...

Aloha! I would like first thank Geoff for his hospitality and organizing the tiki revival. We came from California and where greeted with open arms from the Florida Ohana. Lots of new friends were made. We enjoyed meeting you all. Terri, Rick and Gulliver

On 2006-02-11 14:37, isotiki wrote:
Aloha! I would like first thank Geoff for his hospitality and organizing the tiki revival. We came from California and where greeted with open arms from the Florida Ohana. Lots of new friends were made. We enjoyed meeting you all. Terri, Rick and Gulliver

Likewise Rick. Glad you and Terri and your gnome buddy could join us, and that you had a nice cruise afterwards! Actually, Neptune Wahine was glad Gulliver could make it since he had to sit in for Mr. Neptune...
KG

I was really glad at the Hawaiian Inn the gnome was there ---- he wasn't much of a talker.... but with Jonpez getting him liquored up...

More pictures to follow . . . ALOT more Exciting!

The fabulous sign that greeted the Tiki Central group. Thanks to Kailuageoff!

Jullian's Pics:
Bree and I aka Big Bird

A man desperately wanting to join our table....

The Neptunes

Marian

The ladies

Marian and Kailuageoff in the infamous jacket that has au jus sauce on it and all over it!

Jullian's interior -- fabulous bar!

Welcome back to the Hawaiian Inn where the real party began

Kailuageoff mixing up some mai tais

Let's drink some mai tais

Josh wearing the Big Bird wig

More pictures to come......experiencing technical difficulties!!!!!

[ Edited by: Neptune Wahine 2006-03-04 08:19 ]

Mrs. Neptune,
Great pics. Thanks for sharing them. I'm really glad you wore your feather wig/hat because it helped tone down my jacket.:lol:

For those interested in next year's East Coast Tiki Revival, take a look at the Locating Tiki thread to view pics of the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort - where a Trader Vics used to be located. This is the place we are thinking of using for the 2007 party. It is about 15 minutes from where the Bounty docks at the St. Pete pier. I also have photos of the Bouthy that I will post in a few days.
KG

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-03-18 17:47 ]

Here are the rest!

Watching the show Saturday night.

Holding Flounder up ....

Martini joins the party!

Matching outfits!

That was a great weekend! It gets better every year! Looking forward to next year in Tampa!

Its getting close to January!!

When can the planning start? Oh yeah, is there any hope of having the event on the first weekend of February instead? (can't get out of work that last weekend in Jan)

wishing.... hoping... dreaming...

Yeah, I have a date circled on the calendar, but nothing written there. I plan to make it down there this year.

Is this going to be kicking or be kicked to the curb / beach ?

Hubby and I are hoping to make it this year! Been to busy with the kiddo last couple ones but we can't wait for another chance to hang!

A number of people have been asking about the Hawaiian Inn party which we have held in late January for a few years now. As much as we have enjoyed ourselves, Marian and I are going to take a pass on it this year. Everyone that wants to do this event should still feel free to plan something. The hotel is there. The show is there. Just pick a date, tell everyone when you are going to meet up and go have fun. Pablus and I are trying to plan something a bit later in the year over in St. Pete, and we'll let people know about it fairly soon.

While Geoff and Pablus are masterminding the destruction of all of the Rum stocks on the West Coast of Florida......
(insert thundercrash and manical laughter here)

Who is up for another get together in Daytona?

Or, who wants to recommend another destination in Florida or Southern Georgia?

On 2006-12-08 20:01, Kailuageoff wrote:
A number of people have been asking about the Hawaiian Inn party which we have held in late January for a few years now. As much as we have enjoyed ourselves, Marian and I are going to take a pass on it this year. Everyone that wants to do this event should still feel free to plan something. The hotel is there. The show is there. Just pick a date, tell everyone when you are going to meet up and go have fun. Pablus and I are trying to plan something a bit later in the year over in St. Pete, and we'll let people know about it fairly soon.

:

I'm up for it!
Fall/winter is booking up for me fast, but hopefully we can agree to a date and locale soon........

Any interest in the Polynesian Hotel for show or at least dinner at Ohana?

Julian's is a must if it still exists........

HEY ! I want to play too!

I'm in for Ohana, lets pick a date!

-adrian

OK, the Planning Committee are going to start a new thread soon with dates (looking at Febuary 2008) and other details that sound all important like......

But, while we have your attention for a moment....

Daytona and all of its wonderful stuff (Hawaiian Inn, Mai-Kai Hotel, Julians, Pirates Golf Land, Etc....)

or

Weeki Wachi and all its fabulous Old-School Florida Tourist Attraction-ness (and all of the greater Tampa-St. Pete area)

or....

This is where you get to fill in the blanks _______________

Your thoughts?

So many options......so little time.......

Let's do Ohana relatively soon

Daytona a bit later
AND

Weeki Wachee after that!

As you can see I WANT IT ALL!!!!