Mai-Kai History Symposium - West meets East

I will be sharing the history of the Mai-Kai in images, interviews and video, at Tiki Oasis this year. Learn how what started in Hollywood with Don and traveled to Hawaii, and then stopped off in Chicago, eventually became the culmination of Tiki in Fort Lauderdale at the Mai-Kai.

For an added treat, we will raffle off the chance to receive the Mystery Ceremony live from Marina, the former Mai-Kai performer and current Mermaid!

Tickets on sale soon!

Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs coming Spring 2011!

[ Edited by: Swanky 2011-06-27 15:21 ]

Swanky,

Sounds like a great presentation, wish I was going to Oasis this year so I could check it out. That added bonus for the lucky raffle winner is too cool. Do they get to keep the mystery bowl?

DC

Swanky - Why are you doing this at Oasis and not at the Mai kai a few weeks ago during Hukilau?

I am glad Swanky is doing this. I had to miss the final day of Hukilau (the Mai-Kai archives) so it's nice that we will get to hear some of the backstage stories! Consider two tickets sold!

On 2011-06-23 14:52, ZuluMagoo wrote:
Swanky - Why are you doing this at Oasis and not at the Mai kai a few weeks ago during Hukilau?

I tried to do it last year, but it didn't work out. Maybe next year. I'd love to do a walking tour of the Mai-Kai as well, but there are a lot of details to something like that. We'll see if it can happen.

Hoping to turn more people on to the Mai-Kai and get them excited about going at Oasis. We were already planning on coming to Oasis this year and Otto asked about me doing a symposium and so, yes, I'd be happy to!

A walking tour of the Mai-Kai could be verrrrrry easily turned into an instant Hukilau tradition, culminating in an exhibition like this year's. It would be huger-than-huge.

On 2011-06-24 06:34, jokeiii wrote:
A walking tour of the Mai-Kai could be verrrrrry easily turned into an instant Hukilau tradition, culminating in an exhibition like this year's. It would be huger-than-huge.

It sounds great, but travel to and from the Mai-Kai, and you'd have to have a certain limited number per group. It would mean a lot of tours all day maybe. It just is a lot of details to try to manage.

I have been giving 1 on 1 tours for a while as I meet friends there. Making it an organized thing is harder.

On 2011-06-24 06:40, Swanky wrote:
I have been giving 1 on 1 tours for a while as I meet friends there. Making it an organized thing is harder.

Hmm. Let me think, let me think. There is ALWAYS a workaround.

Swanky, perhaps if you leave it up to the professionals of The Hukilau we can help you organize this for the event in 2012. I also wondered why Swanky would do this at Oasis rather than The Hukilau but he assures me it is to promote The Hukilau as well which we really appreciate Swanky!

So, let me know if you are actually serious about this symposium at The Hukilau next year and we will talk. As long as it's not interfering with other events we can work it in somehow.

And thanks again for promoting the East Coast's best Tiki event - The Hukilau!!

The Mai-Kai story goes straight back to 1933 and a little place in California opened by Don the Beachcomber. Even in the 1950s when the Thorton brothers were planning the Mai-Kai, DtB and California figured prominently into their plans and lives, as well as Hawaii and the other Polynesian islands.

I'm glad Otto asked me to tell the story I have been researching as a fan for years. I hope those who have never been to the Mai-Kai will come and understand the importance of this place. And I hope those who have been will come and learn more about how it became what it is.

I'm really looking forward to this !! I hope it's on Sat or Sun since I won't be able to make it to San Diego until Sat morning.

Here's an interesting fact that I read about in Jeff Berry's "Sippin' Safari" to make the Mai Kai presentation at Oasis even more significant, especially since Thursday's opening night is at the Bali Hai.

According to Jeff Berry, the Thornton brothers' first choice location for the Mai Kai was San Diego !! Because of the Bali Hai (and Luau Room at SD's Hotel Coronado), they opted for Fort Lauderdale instead.

It boggles the mind. Just think if the Bali Hai was never built, you might be enjoying Oasis opening night at the Mai Kai (in San Diego !!).

:D

As of now, it is on Sunday, though that is not final.

*" I hope those who have never been to the Mai-Kai will come and understand the importance of this place. And I hope those who have been will come and learn more about how it became what it is. " *

I should really think about going to Oasis, but then that means traveling and well...me and foreign locales. Dago is far, right?

Even for those that have been already, to learn more about the Grand Dame is definitely worthwhile. For those unlucky folk who have never been, the more one knows, the more one will want to see the Mai Kai in person. I used to think, "Meh, Mai Kai seems nice and all, but it's just another..." Then I went and learned why I should listen to some TC'ers more, as in, "we're stupid for not coming here sooner!"

"For an added treat, we will raffle off the chance to receive the Mystery Ceremony live from Marina, the former Mai-Kai performer and current Mermaid!"

Swanky's knowledge on the subject and chance for a Mystery Ceremony? Thats about as close to the Mai Kai one'll get without flying 1200 (sic) miles to Lauderdale! Sounds like a real winner.

Shanghai Chicken and a Derby Daiquiri, sigh...
midnite

If you venture over to Flickr you can get a head start on a visual history of the Mai Kai...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/maikai/

Get a look at both Old...

The incomparable Miss Linda

and New...

The divine Miss Jordon

Photos of the Mai Kai.

Ooops. Forgot to show the Mystery Girl....

Proto-type Mystery Drink

[ Edited by: Swanky 2011-06-27 07:01 ]

On 2011-06-27 06:44, Chip and Andy wrote:
Ooops. Forgot to show the Mystery Girl....

Proto-type Mystery Drink

And you will learn the identity of the lady in this picture at my seminar!

On 2011-06-24 21:31, jokeiii wrote:

On 2011-06-24 06:40, Swanky wrote:
I have been giving 1 on 1 tours for a while as I meet friends there. Making it an organized thing is harder.

Hmm. Let me think, let me think. There is ALWAYS a workaround.

This may not be as personal as walking around a small group but if you placed a couple of docents in specific locations to talk as a group gathers.... Kind of like what the museums do with the ipod and numbers (play track 12 for this exhibit) only you would have people doing the talking as a group gathers.

"Welcome to the Main Dining Room. If you look closely over my left shoulder you can see....{insert interesting story here}.. Any questions? Thank you and if you move along to your right Sally over there can tell you all about....."

Using just the Mai Kai Family and then filling in the gaps of coverage with the long-time regulars it would be a cinch to take large groups through the Mai Kai. Bring them in waves, busload at a time, by the time the first busload has moved through about half the 'stops' the second busload would be just starting, and the third busload would be pulling in as the first busload was finishing.

Just thinking out loud because I really don't want to work today.

On 2011-06-27 12:05, Chip and Andy wrote:
This may not be as personal as walking around a small group but if you placed a couple of docents in specific locations to talk as a group gathers.... Kind of like what the museums do with the ipod and numbers (play track 12 for this exhibit) only you would have people doing the talking as a group gathers.

"Welcome to the Main Dining Room. If you look closely over my left shoulder you can see....{insert interesting story here}.. Any questions? Thank you and if you move along to your right Sally over there can tell you all about....."

Using just the Mai Kai Family and then filling in the gaps of coverage with the long-time regulars it would be a cinch to take large groups through the Mai Kai. Bring them in waves, busload at a time, by the time the first busload has moved through about half the 'stops' the second busload would be just starting, and the third busload would be pulling in as the first busload was finishing.

Just thinking out loud because I really don't want to work today.

I like where this is going with the docent model. Maybe holding it at a pre-Happy Hour hour with selected Mai-Kai (sample size?) cocktails at selected stops?

You kids on Facebook, Please check-in here and let me know you are coming!

Adding never before seen vintage home movie footage of the Mai-Kai!

Thanks to all who attended my seminar. It was just a small part of the many stories I have collected over the years and was glad to share them. There were many calls for making it into a DVD or a book. That is all being considered. But every week or so I get more stories and who knows when it will be "finished".

Marina was fantastic as our Mystery Girl.

If possible, we'll do something at Hukilau this year.