Feedback wanted for Tiki Crawl 2009

We are starting to rough out this year's Tiki Crawl 9, and would like everyone's feedback on previous years' crawls, as well as any feedback for this year and future crawls. There are actually a lot of areas that lend themselves to this topic. Take for example, lodging: we can continue to use the Phoenix Hotel for an anchor hotel, or use another place in San Francisco, or move the lodging location to the East Bay, or do away with an anchor hotel entirely. Another topic for discussion are the actual bars and restaurants themselves: are there any places that you would like to see on The Crawl, or places you'd rather not see, as well as the amount of time spent at each place, etc. Then there's bus vs. no bus, South Bay Day vs. no South Bay Day, what weekend to have The Crawl - to name a few.

We have a rough idea of what we want to do for this year, but before we get the ball rolling on everything, we'd like to get some feedback from everyone. I'm particularly interested, since I was only able to attend 2008's East Bay Saturday (due to circumstances out of my control). Input from veteran crawlers would be especially appreciated, but we'd like to hear from new crawlers as well. Let the discussions begin! :)

It's too far from Los Angeles.

One night at each bar.

It's too fast!

Teleport system or Bullet train to get to Nor. Cal.
:wink:

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Yes, Mai Tai, obviously a crawl is impossible without you PERSONALLY implementing a high speed rail system from San Francisco to Los Angeles. :wink:

In all seriousness, the one thing I love about the SF crawl and I would like to see continue is - a BUS (yes, I know that's the biggest hassle but it is what is the most fun about the crawl for me). Bus rocks. In SF too. Cabs get spendy and I had to take it easy Friday because I was driving.

I think visiting Tiki Bob is a fun addition and should be left in (we missed it this past year with no SF bus).

Trad'r Sams, Tonga Room, Emeryville TVs, Conga Lounge, and FI are obvious yesses. I LOVE PA TVs but found that the south bay day was a little slim for my taste otherwise... maybe see the tikis in the park again we did a few years back on the Peninsula? In SF, maybe add an optional side stop at Le Colonial (original SF TV's site, for historical purposes?) Not tiki, but cool decor and decent cocktails.

Raffle?

Bus Drinks?

Bands?

Let me know the dates and I'll be there. With Conchy Jr.

Suzanne

We had a blast at the 2008 crawl in the East Bay. The bus is always a good idea. I will suggest that maybe the establishments have a couple of drinks that are ready to go and quick for the crawlers. I get a little unbalanced when I walk into a place and can't get some booze quickly(some of you may have witnessed this on past occasions).
I unfortunately didn't even get to have a drink at Conga Lounge because of the the long lines. We had to walk across the street to have a beer(still fun though).
Looking forward to the 2009 crawl!

Bring back the HanfordCam!

I'd like the San Francisco night to start at the De Young Museum. I always seem to be hearing about these cocktail receptions that they host. It would be a good first stop since not many people would be too sloshed that early in the evening and would hopefully be on their best museum behavior.

Just a thought.

South Bay night was OK at best. Not to diss on any one place but I think the S.F and E.bay were beter. Maybe a couple of passes to F.I would be in order. No matter what you plan though The lovely miss Amelia and I will be there.

I can't think of anything to improve it.
I always have a blast with great people as well.

Oh, I think next year "certain people" might require a GPS collar around their neck.

We have iPhones and can find you now, Unga.

Suzanne

Hmm, I would say "So Long Trad'r Sams!" Grouchy Grouchy!

Can the Kona Club stop be about a half hour instead of two hours? I know they want their menu's back but can I get my two hours back? Jeez! Hall and Oates anyone?

I agree with Tiki-Kate a stop at the De Young Museum would be nice.

Bring back Hawaii West.

What's The Aloha Room on Fruitvale? Mai Tai why don't you put on your Fez and a Disneyland shirt and hop over there and scout it for us? I suggest a Friday at 1:27 AM.

More time at Forbidden Island for the out of towners that go back to work on Monday and can't hang around for wind down Sunday.

How about a stop at Steve Miller's house? I think his song Jungle Love should be the official theme song for Tiki Crawl 9, especially since it's stuck in my head at the moment.

Someone please tell Boz Scaggs to put a shirt on. Thank you.

Bus is a must. It's one of the plusses to the crawl.

I'd like to see some of the places better prepared for us. The Tonga Room last time was just plain rude and not a good start to the evening. They acted like they didn't want us there. And the Kona Club was happy to see us but plain unprepared.

I liked the commemorative mug.

And before the next crawl, keep the wife away from staircases. I missed having her on the crawl.

[ Edited by: Chief Bartender at Brenda's Tiki Hut 2009-02-06 07:21 ]

I would suggest a memorial stop at the Grand Piano Coffee House on Haight street, since that is where I started my American existence as a dish washer ...but it doesn't exist anymore, boohoo!

The classic career!: From dish washer to Tiki millionaire!

On 2009-02-06 08:01, bigbrotiki wrote:
I would suggest a memorial stop at the Grand Piano Coffee House on Haight street, since that is where I started my American existence as a dish washer ...but it doesn't exist anymore, boohoo!

The classic career!: From dish washer to Tiki millionaire!

For now on I'm calling you "Tony" !!

Great feedback, peeps! Keep it coming!

On 2009-02-05 13:36, metikiman1705 wrote:
South Bay night was OK at best. Not to diss on any one place but I think the S.F and E.bay were beter.

No diss taken, metikiman. :) We definitely want to hear what people liked, and what people thought were shortcomings on The Crawl. It's easier for San Francisco and the East Bay to outshine San Jose, especially when you factor in historical significance. But compared to the S.F. and the East Bay, the South Bay seems to be catching up, and developing it's own scene, which seems to be getting better every year. Even though we lost Martini Monkey as a destination on the crawl, new things keep developing in that area.

On 2009-02-05 11:35, Tiki-Kate wrote:
I'd like the San Francisco night to start at the De Young Museum. I always seem to be hearing about these cocktail receptions that they host.

On 2009-02-05 22:34, Bora Boris wrote:
Hmm, I would say "So Long Trad'r Sams!" Grouchy Grouchy!

Can the Kona Club stop be about a half hour instead of two hours? I know they want their menu's back but can I get my two hours back? Jeez! Hall and Oates anyone?

I agree with Tiki-Kate a stop at the De Young Museum would be nice.

Bring back Hawaii West.

More time at Forbidden Island for the out of towners that go back to work on Monday and can't hang around for wind down Sunday.

The DeYoung Museum is a good idea, Kate and Grouchy Boris. All very good points. I can't make any promises for a shirted Boz Scaggs, though.

On 2009-02-06 07:20, Chief Bartender at Brenda's Tiki Hut wrote:
I'd like to see some of the places better prepared for us. The Tonga Room last time was just plain rude and not a good start to the evening. They acted like they didn't want us there. And the Kona Club was happy to see us but plain unprepared.

Yeah, some places are going to give surly service no matter where they are located, or how much business you bring to them. There are a couple of diner type restaurants in Manhattan that will throw your ass out and maybe ban you for a month plus for simply trying to substitute something on your order, or bringing more than a party of 4, or even trying to split up your party of 4 into smaller groups. Ridiculous, yes. But it happens, that's life.

I think that some of the stops will always be unprepared, have servers that are irritated that they have to work a busier than normal crowd (even though they are getting tips from us, or have virtually no business at all during that period), and even have managers and owners that aren't really all that welcoming of the business that we bring to them. People on The Crawl feel it, but as Crawl organizers we feel it even more. Just try to look at it as part of the experience: those folks in Manhattan that get kicked out and temporarily banned from the restaurant keep coming back for the experience.

And before the next crawl, keep the wife away from staircases. I missed having her on the crawl.

Sean, staircases are the enemy! Even more so than Buffett! Heh heh.

One area that we'd especially like feedback on is the anchor hotel. Do folks like staying at the Phoenix Hotel, and should we keep that as the anchor hotel? It made a lot of sense to stay at the Phoenix when Trader Vic's San Francisco was right up the street. Sadly, that Trader Vic's is now gone. Would people still prefer to stay at the Phoenix, or would they rather stay at a place in the East Bay that is closer to all of the East Bay locations on The Crawl? Do out of town Crawlers look forward to spending the weekend in San Francisco? Or is it a non issue to them whether they stay in San Francisco or the East Bay? Or are there even enough out of towners to justify having an anchor hotel - especially considering everyones' tight finances in todays economy? Inquiring minds want to know!

If I sleep at all, it's usually on someone's floor, so my half cent isn't going to pipe in here.

Suzanne

Seems Tiki is San Francisco is in sad shape these days
For something different why don't we go to
Classic cocktail bars for the SF night, instead of tiki bars
keep the Tonga Room if you must, but skip the rest
did someone say........Bourbon & Branch !

I thought the Phoenix looked cool but we stayed in the East Bay ourselves. It was just as convenient.

On 2009-02-05 11:30, The Granite Tiki wrote:
Bring back the HanfordCam!

I second that. Not much of a crawler myself, but so loved the cam....it was funny to see when an enthusiast ordered a drink over the phone for Hanford...and the tunnel was fun too. I watch all of it. :)

More skin on Love Boat!

Ok, so my pat answer for requested feedback is not entirely germane herein, but I like to throw it out nonetheless.

Crawl wise? yeah, I seen a few. Here we go: I'd have to say the anchor hotel is a good idea, and East Bay for the location as well. Stops per night should stay at four, maximum. In terms of SF, ugghh. We have to keep Trad'r Sam's for pure history's sake. Tonga as well, even though each time I visit that once great room in the Fairmont I leave sad and discouraged. East Bay? More time at FI would be great, the drinks there are the best overall. Conga, sadly, is just too small and while Kona is beautiful and has plenty of space I cannot say I visit it anytime other than the Crawl. South Bay, I like a small start to things...Vic's and the Stanford (eek!) garden would be fine with me. Remember, the Crawl is a marathon, not a sprint!

The Emeryville Vic's stop was great last year, much better than starting there in the early afternoon. That would be the one "new" thing I'd like to see repeated.

One thing I wish we'd see more of is out of towners attending the festivities. I mean, sure, I don't necessarily wish to see the SF Crawl a global media event with corporate sponsorship and Pay-per-View, but more visitors is better. Heck, I recall when we'd get people coming from Canada, and once there was a guy from France...Paris, that is. Even the Hoities have been fewer are farther between.

So, in conclusion...double Isaacs for the SF Crawl!

Set a course for adventure,
midnite

On 2009-02-06 21:21, Rum Runner wrote:
Seems Tiki is San Francisco is in sad shape these days
For something different why don't we go to
Classic cocktail bars for the SF night, instead of tiki bars
keep the Tonga Room if you must, but skip the rest
did someone say........Bourbon & Branch !

I Haven't done any of the crawls however.
I like Bourbon and Branch. However on a busy night you can wait for up to 40 mins for your drinks as we did last week with reservations. With a crowd as big as the Tiki crawl you want to rent out a room. You would have to call to see how much that would cost . However the place makes very good cocktails.

Only went to East Bay night this past crawl, but loved it. I like the idea of a bus. I might have done the SF Crawl if there had been a bus, because it's just easier Dealing with taxis, Muni, or parking can be a real drag.

Even tho I don't need the anchor hotel, since I live in SF, it does seem like a good idea. I'm guessing those visiting from afar, would prefer a SF hotel for the tourist factor.

I wasn't that interested in the South Bay Crawl. Perhaps if you just had SF and Oakland that would be plenty? Also start times were a bit too early for me since I'm local. I might be able to take off early on a Friday, but not Thursday too. That's why the East Bay worked well for me, it was Saturday.

Overall, this is a great event, you can do as little or as much as you want. It seems to work for everyone. Met a bunch of great new folks and got to hang out with some of my fave people too boot.

Oh yeah, the TV ending was great! They were so nice to us and I hope we can end there this year too. Can't wait for TIKI CRAWL 09!

Always love the crawl!

The bus is a plus, for sure. I regret not being able to go to TV in Emeryville this year where the crawl ended, but it's kinda way out there -- hard to get back to any kind of transit for those not driving....

Conga Lounge was also tough -- the lines were VERY long, and there's just not a lot of room. Maybe we could colonize the downstairs?

As others have mentioned, many locations are great for atmosphere, but pits for drinks and/or service. Any possibility something could be negotiated with any of these places to have guest bartenders? Or request a special drink or two on the menu for our group? I think access to quality drinks, and trying new drinks, would be a big plus!

by the way,
when is the crawl going to be?
I would like to try to make it this year.

mini crawl this weekend.
FI sat. 5 to 8 pm
sun. maybe TV Emeryville for brunch.
FI sun. nite. 8 ish.
:wink:

Jeff(bigtikidude)

BUS BUS BUS.
well, hopefully I won't miss it again.
It sucked missing the last one after going from #1 on!!!
even the time I flew down on Sat, then back home sunday morning. hahahaha
anyhow, I think the bus is best!
Can't say about the east bay, south etc, since I never know where I really am there anyhow, just let me off the bus and direct me to my next drink...

oh yeah, any dates figured out?

How about the Novato Grotto and Notch's hot rod shop. (Sorry Martin and Notch, very rude of me to do that, but were getting desperate.)

Maybe we can dedicate one night for a home Tiki crawl? I think we did that at some past bar crawls, like a medley ( public bar/private home/public bar). That is if people are willing to open their doors to us wackos.)

How about a stop at Trader's Jungle Outpost? Okay, I know it's a long shot.
What about a Polynesian Dance Show? With Drums of The Pacific? I love that!

On 2009-02-20 12:28, Jungle Trader wrote:
How about a stop at Trader's Jungle Outpost? Okay, I know it's a long shot.

That's because you never have any dancing girls.

On 2009-02-20 14:02, Unga Bunga wrote:

On 2009-02-20 12:28, Jungle Trader wrote:
How about a stop at Trader's Jungle Outpost? Okay, I know it's a long shot.

That's because you never have any dancing girls.

Would you be happy if she just STOOD there?

sigh, I supress.

Let's go wherever former Forbidden Island Martin is. Even if he is just setting up drinks on a cardboard box on the sidewalk it would be worth it.

Is there a date set for the crawl? I would like to be a first-time crawler...

We have roughed out a date for The Crawl, and have a rough itinerary laid out as well. We'll make an official announcement, or at least a "Save The Date" announcement soon. In the mean time, keep the feedback coming, especially on whether we should have an anchor hotel in San Francisco, or move it back to the East Bay.

We'd really like people's feedback on this, because we want The Crawl to be logistically easy for people to get around when they're on their own on a no bus day. A major advantage to having the anchor Hotel in San Francisco is that the people that stay there are already based in San Francisco, so they can conveniently get to the San Francisco locations on The Crawl on their own, and then for the East Bay day the bus will pick them up at that SF anchor hotel to take them to the East Bay. That, and the Phoenix is a cool hotel, but in a sketchy neighborhood - it made sense to use it as the anchor hotel when Trader Vic's San Francisco was right up the street.

But if we move the anchor hotel back to the East Bay, then more people can get more time at Forbidden Island if they want - in fact, if we choose an anchor hotel in Alameda, then people could get time in at Forbidden Island every night of The Crawl, if they so desired. A lot of Crawlers are requesting more time at Forbidden Island, so moving the anchor hotel to Alameda or Emeryville is one way to fulfill that request. But at the same time, if we move the anchor hotel to the East Bay, then people need to find a way to get to San Francisco, whether that is carpooling with a designated driver, or taking BART, or taking the ferry - the ferry terminal in Alameda is actually close to a nice hotel, and they serve drinks on the ferry to boot!

So those seem to be the two main arguements for where to place the anchor hotel - keep it in San Francisco to make it easier on everyone for San Francisco day, or move it to the East Bay so people can have more time at Forbidden Island (and Trader Vic's too). Please post your feelings about this, and any other feedback you want to give, and do it soon, because we want to roll out our announcement soon! Thanks!

I haven't been on this crawl, yet, but AceyTiki and I are really trying to go to this years. We are going to be going to Tiki Oasis, so a date in October would mean we could go, while a date in September would mean we couldn't. I noticed from past crawls that seemed to be the two months that it would happen in.

Like the idea of an anchor hotel for us out of town guests. That way we all have a place to stay together and get to help each other back to our rooms.

Honestly, I don't get having a bar crawl without a bus. We have so many bar crawls in Portland and the bus ones are always the best. Don't have to worry about parking, walking to far in heels, or the dreaded DUII. It just makes everything so much easier.

I vote for having an anchor hotel in the East Bay and having a bus for San Francisco day that picks up and drops off in the East Bay. That'll sure make the San Francisco leg easier for us East Bay locals who don't want to spend $$ on a hotel, and don't want to drive across the bridge after all that drinking.

I also vote for dropping Trad'r Sam's. It's so far from everything else, the drinks are bad, and the rest of the clientele hates us (oh, except for the one guy who was grabbing girls asses and pretending it was an accident). Seriously, what's the point?

Hawaii West is my FAVORITE North Beach dive! It being directly across the street from the police station makes for some very interesting clients. Always a good time there!

I would like to recommend a stop at the location of the original Trader Vic's on "Trader Vic Lane" (aka: Cosmo Street/Lane?) in downtown San Francisco. For a while now, there has been a lovely tropical-Asian restaurant called "Le Colonial" in the original building. They serve some tropical style drinks. (I had a lychee martini.) Anyway, I think it would make for an interesting stop in the tour so everyone can see the building and take their photo under the "Trader Vic Lane" sign. Go do a location scout before you put this on the tour schedule. I was last there just over a year ago, and things may have changed since then.