Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL (restaurant)

On 2015-03-22 08:32, Tattoo wrote:
I did learn that the arrival of the mystery girl with your mystery drink was heralded with a Chinese Gong - which "

Tatoo,

Very cool article. Here is the Mai Kai Mystery drink girl next to the Gong.

The gong was emulated at the Kahiki.

And Aloha Jhoe's had one for their Aloha Orchid Bowl.

DC

Thanks DC for posting those pics. I never quite made the connection before with the gong on the postcards and it being part of the ceremony. Definitely gave it a nice theatrical touch!

Have a Mai Kai Mystery Drink and you will be LONG GONG (:

May 3rd

Heads up to hukilau peeps
Gift shop is still poorly stocked.. Only had coffee mugs and mystery bowls. no mens shirts (unless you want a golf shirt)

I cant believe I didn't win #rumbarrelchallenge2015 with this pic!!

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On 2015-05-15 09:57, Dagg wrote:

I cant believe I didn't win #rumbarrelchallenge2015 with this pic!!

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There's no way you could have won with that picture, the contest entry has to include a Rum Barrel in it! :wink:

The Mai-Kai will be featured tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern time in a new show on Food Network ...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/craziest-restaurants-in-america.html
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Here's a video of The Mai-Kai segment ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddQYEk_hi1s&feature=youtu.be

And more upcoming showtimes: http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/craziest-restaurants-in-america/100-series/too-hot-to-handle.html

On 2015-06-04 11:13, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
Here's a video of The Mai-Kai segment ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddQYEk_hi1s&feature=youtu.be

And more upcoming showtimes: http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/craziest-restaurants-in-america/100-series/too-hot-to-handle.html

A pretty fair and complimentary review, thought the twerking and kitsch references bugged me.

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2015-06-06 08:15 ]

Hi all,

I'm going to Fort Lauderdale with my wife and our two kids in about a week, of course we will visit the Mai Kai.
Do you recommend a reservation ?

thanks in advance,

HT

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[ Edited by: HelveTiki 2015-09-17 00:32 ]

On 2015-09-17 00:26, HelveTiki wrote:
Hi all,

I'm going to Fort Lauderdale with my wife and our two kids in about a week, of course we will visit the Mai Kai.
Do you recommend a reservation ?

thanks in advance,

HT

For dinner, yes, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Also, slip a tip to the person who greets you and checks your reservation to get a better seat.

On 2015-09-17 06:41, Swanky wrote:

On 2015-09-17 00:26, HelveTiki wrote:
Hi all,

I'm going to Fort Lauderdale with my wife and our two kids in about a week, of course we will visit the Mai Kai.
Do you recommend a reservation ?

thanks in advance,

HT

For dinner, yes, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Also, slip a tip to the person who greets you and checks your reservation to get a better seat.

Thank you,
we're looking forward :)

On 2015-09-19 03:01, HelveTiki wrote:

On 2015-09-17 06:41, Swanky wrote:

On 2015-09-17 00:26, HelveTiki wrote:
Hi all,

I'm going to Fort Lauderdale with my wife and our two kids in about a week, of course we will visit the Mai Kai.
Do you recommend a reservation ?

thanks in advance,

HT

For dinner, yes, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Also, slip a tip to the person who greets you and checks your reservation to get a better seat.

Thank you,
we're looking forward :)

we are thrilled !!
everything was perfect.
the Mai Kai is magical.

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The Mai-Kai says mahalo with 59% off at Dec. 28 anniversary party

The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale is giving back to its loyal fans and followers on Dec. 28 during its annual Mahalopreciation Party. In honor the historic Polynesian restaurant’s 59th anniversary, all guests in The Molokai bar will get 59 percent off most drinks and appetizers starting at 5 p.m. and running all night.

Get all the info in The Week in Tiki on The Atomic Grog: http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/12/23/the-week-in-tiki-nov-30-dec-13-2015-the-mai-kai-anniversary-party-the-hukilau-updates-jungle-cruise-restaurant-at-disney-world-polynesian-resort-lights-torches-plus-more/

Included is info on Swanky's upcoming book, "Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of The Iconic Tiki Restaurant" ...

Plus, Tiki Diablo's latest Mai-Kai mug ...

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On 2015-12-24 00:22, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
In honor the historic Polynesian restaurant’s 59th anniversary, all guests in The Molokai bar will get 59 percent off most drinks and appetizers starting at 5 p.m. and running all night.

Hmmm...really a shame I won't be alive when they celebrate their 101st anniversary, when it'd actually PAY to drink there.

howlinowl

Mahalo to Dave, Kern, Pia and everyone at The Mai-Kai for another great anniversary party. There was a line out front when we arrived at 5, but we were quickly seated and had a lovely time. They kept The Molokai close to its seated capacity all night, which made for a very comfortable experience.

The food and drinks were top-notch, as expected. I highly recommend the new sushi rolls (I had the spicy shrimp). A huge portion and very well presented. Of course, the cocktails were the star ...

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Cobra's Kiss and Special Planter's Punch

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Black Magic

And the music of Rose-Marie set the mood perfectly ...
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A highlight was legendary Polynesian performer Nani Maka's impromptu dance during one of Rose-Marie's songs.

Looking forward to next year's 60th bash!

Until then, I'm sure there will be lots of 60th anniversary events. There's also a special new mug by Tiki Diablo, available now in The Mai-Kai Trading Post ...

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[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2015-12-29 13:58 ]

Steve "Tikiman" Seifert (of Tikiman's Unofficial Polynesian Resort Pages fame) made his long-awaited first visit to The Mai-Kai last night ...

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Here's the story behind the project spearheaded by The Hukilau’s Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White and master carver Will Anders (pictured) to create and install two giant Tikis in The Mai-Kai's garden in June ...

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/01/27/the-week-in-tiki-jan-1-15-2016-new-tikis-to-rise-at-the-mai-kai-lost-lake-honored-smugglers-cove-book-release-tiki-in-south-beach-plus-more/

In case you didn't see the news elsewhere ...

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As promised, the new mugs inspired by The Mai-Kai have been released to the general public by Tiki Diablo. The mug is available in three different glazes for $75 each and can be purchased online via Tiki Diablo's store:
http://tikidiablo.bigcartel.com/

They should also be available in The Mai-Kai Trading Post within the next week. Tiki Diablo will also be crafting the official mug for the upcoming book by Tim "Swanky" Glazner ...

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http://www.maikaihistory.com

"Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant" now has an official release date: July 28. The 176-page hardcover book (11 inches wide by 8 1/2 inches high) is being released by Schiffer Publishing. It’s already available for pre-order online via Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mai-kai-tim-glazner/1123344761?ean=9780764351266

Swanky is planning a release party and special events at The Mai-Kai in August, followed by a West Coast tour and book-signing at Tiki Oasis. He'll also be previewing the book at The Hukilau in June, where he'll present a symposium on June 10 at 2 p.m. More info and tickets:
http://thehukilau.com/2016/project/tim-swanky-glazner-mai-kai-history-mystery-and-adventure/

Get the full story on The Atomic Grog:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/02/07/the-week-in-tiki-jan-16-31-2016-the-mai-kai-mugs-and-history-book-the-art-of-tiki-updates-shag-events-and-art-plus-more/

Adventure ( Adventure Magazine )
Volume 141 Number 5
June 1965
Florida's Mai-Kai Girls
(full resolution page scans at)
http://martiantiki.com/maikai-adventure-june1965/

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Found this today

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On 2016-02-28 18:39, martian-tiki wrote:
Adventure ( Adventure Magazine )
Volume 141 Number 5
June 1965
Florida's Mai-Kai Girls
(full resolution page scans at)
http://martiantiki.com/maikai-adventure-june1965/

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This image is of interest for what you see in the background. This photo was taken in the Garden seating section. If you sit in front of the stage today, that is still known as "Garden". At this time it was an open air area. There were lots of palms and live plants in there they swapped out weekly. But behind Bob Thornton you see glass. Those large sliding glass doors were on both sides of the dining room. You are looking at Samoa, but they also enclosed Hawaii, Oahu, Tahiti, and all the rooms. This way, those areas were air conditioned and the main room was open air and had large lauhala matting punkha fans overhead making a constant breeze. A stream ran through the whole restaurant starting at the large waterfall out front, through Molokai and Garden and back out to the feeder pond out front.

More details in my book coming out in August!

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Like "Mai-Kai: History & Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant" the book

[ Edited by: Swanky 2016-03-22 07:52 ]

Some very cool updates are in the works at The Mai-Kai that will enhance the guest experience:

In addition to the giant Tiki that Will Anders is carving for the garden, there will be other new Tikis (by three different artists) installed elsewhere on the property. I'm sworn to secrecy, but there should be an announcement on this shortly.

A less obvious but no less important enhancement is already in the works: A complete refresh of the lighting throughout the entire building is underway. May of the old lighting fixtures were not working, and the bulbs required constant maintenance. Recently, a contractor has been brought in to replace all of the decorative lighting with state-of-the-art LED bulbs.

The switch to LED has obvious benefits: The bulbs will last a lot longer, and they're much more energy-efficient. And I can assure everyone that great care is being taken to make sure they have the same vintage look. In fact, the updated lighting fixtures have never looked better. And new features are being added, such as lights over seating areas being tweaked to focus a small amount of white light onto customers, allowing them to actually read menus without pulling out their smartphone flashlights.

Owner Dave Levy gave the contractor photos of how the lights looked back in the day, instructing him to make it look exactly like that. I haven't had time to explore all the rooms yet, but The Molokai bar looks awesome. I got a chance to talk to the contractor there on Thursday. He told me that the bar was completed, along with most of the old A-frame area of the dining room (the Garden and Tonga). I think he said that Tahiti and Moorea are also done, with the other dining rooms coming next.

All the lighting should be done in time for The Hukilau in June. If anyone has old photos of the lights, it might be a good chance to shoot new photos to compare.

When i was fortunate enough to make it to The Hukilau and the Mai Kai in 2014 i was completely blown away by the amount of lights that are in that building, and yes, half of them were not even working, but what i'd really like to know, and this is something either Swanky, or yourself Hurricane Hayward, might be able to answer, but how many actual lights are there exactly?

Found an oversized postcard today

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Changing bulbs in those Tiki bar lights is one of the biggest problems. Not the Mai-Kai, but everywhere. Even in my own home bar, the small bulbs will get loose and stop working. They are all a pain to get to and fix. Imagine getting up in the 40 foot tall Mai-Kai to change a bulb. Looking forward to seeing the changes.

And the lights in the dining room is great too because it came to a point that they were leaving the clean up fluorescent lights on to allow people to see and order. Maybe we can get back to the real lighting...

As for how many, I lose count after the 3rd Mutiny...

"Imagine getting up in the 40 foot tall Mai-Kai to change a bulb."

Not that hard in a Genie Lift really.
Used to do this for OSU as a job.
You can rent or buy one, not cheep.
Plus there is an A frame ladder, THEY suck but work.

But the LED thing is going to interesting to see how that looks.
I for one don't think that LED can look as good.

On 2016-03-21 06:29, tikiskip wrote:
But the LED thing is going to interesting to see how that looks.
I for one don't think that LED can look as good.

Yup, rip out the railings, the tables, and everything else, and you can roll a 2000-lb Genie lift anywhere you want! (Just joking, but obstructions are an issue, and so is the weight of the lift on the stage, in the garden areas, on the floors, through narrow passageways, etc.)

As for how LED lights look, it's all about color temperature and filtering. Start with warm color temperature of 2700K or lower. If your LEDs can't produce that, then color filters or stable liquid coatings applied directly on the emitters is the big secret. Very good point though - LEDs can suck. There is a difference between a simple installation and a correctly designed installation.

As for how LED lights look, it's all about color temperature and filtering. Start with warm color temperature of 2700K or lower. If your LEDs can't produce that, then color filters or stable liquid coatings applied directly on the emitters is the big secret. Very good point though - LEDs can suck. There is a difference between a simple installation and a correctly designed installation.

My first reaction after talking to the guy doing the work is that he knows what he's doing, so I would encourage everyone to go see for themselves. One of the ways he got the most authentic look, he said, was to use different paint colors on the bulbs. Ace, I assume this is what you meant by "liquid coatings applied directly on the emitters."

Swanky: I think that the issue of having to use those fluorescent lights was one of the driving factors in getting this project done quickly.

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-03-23 17:30 ]

The LED lights look fantastic and do not give off what everyone is used to. I was very concerned when I heard about it. When I saw the outcome I was so pleased!!!! They have replaced most of the bulbs in the A-Frame and it looks wonderful. Those of you coming to The Hukilau will love it!

"The LED lights look fantastic"

That is great news.
And the LED bulbs I was talking about was the off the shelf here ya go type.
Did not even know they painted them.
Do know that the C7s are not so good.
I do know that the Mai Kai uses bigger bulbs.

Going to be interesting to see how much longer they last.
Being a skeptic new energy saving stuff can be not so great, like low flow toilets.

And remember how coconut oil was so deadly.

Great to have them lit by Hukilau.
Wish we were going to be there.

Could someone post some photos whenever possible showing the new lighting (-:

I did a thorough walk-through last night and talked to general manager Kern Mattei. The intallation of LEDs in all the dinning rooms is now complete, he said.

Please forgive my old, cheap point-and-shoot. A new camera is on my wish list. Also, I wish I had some recent "before" photos to compare. Maybe someone out there does. I'm usually preoccupied taking these kinds of photos:

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First, a few shots of The Molokai ...

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I ran into Kern out in the Garden (the main dining area in front of the stage). He confirmed that since they installed all the new lighting, they're no longer using the white house lights in the showroom. During the walk-through, I didn't see any white fluorescent lights in any of the front dining areas (the Garden, New Guinea, Hawaii, Moorea, Tonga). Here's a shot looking toward the left of the stage ...

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Kern mentioned that the old bulbs were a huge pain to replace, especially in the upper reaches of the A-frame. They would have to wait until a bunch of them burned out before they went to the trouble of getting out the huge ladders to replace them. They're hoping for a much longer lifespan with the LEDs. Here's a shot from the center of the Garden ...

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The installation of the new lighting was not done willy-nilly. Kern said they had to adjust colors and brightness of different lights throughout the dining rooms to ensure the right level of brightness and ambience, and he pointed out a few. A few areas were too bright, so they dialed back the strength of the blubs. The goal was to keep it looking the same, but also make it easier for people to see the menus and the food. The tables in the Garden did look a bit brighter ...

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Here's a view from the walkway behind the Garden, looking up at Tonga ...

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The back corner of Moorea ...

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A few shots from out on the Lanai ...

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I didn't get any shots of Tahiti or Samoa, which are considered the back dining rooms and have no view of the stage. They do still contain some low-level white lighting above the tables that give off a soft glow, and I assume this is the only way to keep them illuminated to a reasonable level. I did notice people throughout the building still using their cellphone flashlights to view menus, so this may be an indication that the brightness isn't really jacked up that much.

Moving back behind the stage, here are a few shots up at the A-frame from the Tiki garden (the best view, IMHO) ...

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The upper level of Tonga, near the gift shop ...

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And one more look at the A-frame from the back of Tonga ...

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When you visit The Mai-Kai, even more now than ever, don't forget to look up!

The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide
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The official blog of The Hukilau

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-03 13:57 ]

Just visited the Mai Kai for the first time last week. This is truly a worthy destination. You can see why this place has lasted 60 years! Very magical. We were greeted by a man dressed in an off white suite. I was expecting a "Welcome to fantasy island". :) The Black Magic was my first drink and did satisfy. The entire place was just beyond expectation.

This guy will come alive if you sample more than two cocktails!
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The Lanai was where we had our first Mai Kai dinner.
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Hey baby, where are you goin' with those drinks? :)
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[ Edited by: Tim_Tiki 2016-04-08 13:08 ]

On 2016-04-08 12:31, Tim_Tiki wrote:
Just visited the Mai Kai for the first time last week. This is truly a worthy destination.

Good to hear, Tim! Keep going back -- it just keeps expanding in your mind as you explore more and more. The same is true for the drink menu - awe-inspiring options there. It's always fun!

I was at the Mai Kai on Sunday and the LED lighting is really quite good. The interior looks much clearer because of it.

Already craving a return trip....

Hurricane H thanks for posting the LED Mai Kai pics. Next time won't have to read a menu with a cell phone. (-:

On 2016-04-19 07:00, EPCOTExplorer wrote:
The interior looks much clearer because of it.

How clear it remains after a few Barrels 'O Rum remains to be seen. ;>)

Locals and anyone in town on Apil 30 is cordially invited to join us for the 5th anniversary party for The Atomic Grog, "A Fifth of Grog."

The party runs from 6 to 10 p.m. in The Molokai and will feature live instrumental surf music from Skinny Jimmy Stingray, drink specials, giveaways, and more.

The Yeoman's Grog will be half price all night, and from 6 to 7 a special "lost cocktail", the Demerara Float, will be available. There will also be a Mai-Kai trivia contest with the winners receiving four-day Aloha Passes for The Hukilau, along with other goodies like an Atomic Grog T-shirt and perhaps a bottle of rum or two.

Here's the full preview on the blog ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/04/19/a-fifth-of-grog-celebrate-our-fifth-anniversary-at-the-mai-kai-on-april-30/

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The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide
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The official blog of The Hukilau

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-20 20:50 ]

On 2016-03-20 22:37, hang10tiki wrote:
Found an oversized postcard today

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The Mai-Kai had a table full of that oversized postcard as a giveaway when I was there two years ago; now that card is selling on eBay for five dollars and up. I wonder if that particular postcard is the one they're still offering or if there's a new one now.

I'll be at the Mai-Kai tomorrow evening (yay!) so hopefully my rudimentary picture-taking skills will result in at least one decent shot of something! :wink:

The Mai-Kai welcomes King Kai

A new 10-foot-tall Tiki, carved by South Florida's Will Anders, is dedicated during a special ceremony on Sunday, May 22. Photos by The Atomic Grog.

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New Mai-Kai employee Kai (right), a native of Hawaii, performs the ceremony welcoming King Kai and honoring carver Will Anders.

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From left: Mai-Kai owner Dave Levy (left) with the prime movers of the new King Kai carving: The Hukilau’s Christie "Tiki Kiliki" White and artist Will Anders.

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A plaque honors those responsible for making the installation of King Kai happen.

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King Kai was carved by Fort Lauderdale artist Will Anders from a 10-foot-tall Florida Black Olive tree trunk.

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The Mai-Kai's owner, Dave Levy (third from left), is joined by most of those responsible for making King Kai possible (from left): Pete Ginn, Lonnie Dryden, Christie "Tiki Kiliki" White, Will Anders, and Virginia Decker.

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King Kai now stands in The Mai-Kai's tropical garden in a spot formerly occupied by a historic Tiki that will be moved to the indoor gardens.

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Fort Lauderdale carver Will Anders shows off the award he received for creating King Kai, flanked by two others who were essential in pulling off the installation: Artist Tom Fowner (left) and Lonnie Dryden.

Very cool, HH. Thanks for sharing the occasion with us via photos. What was the tiki that was there and is getting moved indoors?

The Mai-Kai continues to gain (or re-gain) respect in United States drinking/liquor circles.

Liquor.com started a feature in 2015 -- "Drink Here Now: The 173 Bars That Matter The Most - Right Now." The Mai-Kai made it onto the list at #96 today, and I can't remember it placing on the list in the past. That's in the top 100 in the US -- pretty dang good.

The full article/feature is here.

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AceExplorer: That's an article from last October or November. I wrote about it in The Week in Tiki blog I posted on Nov. 21 ... http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/11/21/the-week-in-tiki-nov-2-15-2015-the-hukilau-and-miami-rum-fest-tickets-makahiki-arrives-wayne-coombs-tribute-tiki-bars-galleries-and-more/

finky099: In answer to your question, there's quite a fascinating history ...

Originally, that spot in the garden was occupied by a famous Tiki carved by Barney West (most likely dating back to the early '60s) that was dubbed "Barney." Here's a photo I took in April of 2008 ...
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Unfortunately, old Barney was in an advanced state of decay. In June 2009, he fell over backwards and crashed through the fence into the furniture store parking lot, smashed beyond repair. Barney later became the official mug at The Hukilau 2010: http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/all/mug.cgi?mode=view&mug_id=4209

He was quickly replaced by a Tiki that The Mai-Kai pulled out of their warehouse, which many noticed was familiar:
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(June 2009 photo by AlohaStation)

You can see more photos and read about the saga of Barney in the "Mai Kai - Tiki Archeology" thread here:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=26630&forum=1&start=60

It turns out that this new Tiki (carver unknown) formerly stood guard in the old Surfboard Bar, which was The Mai-Kai's main bar in the years before The Molokai was built:
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You can also find it in a famous artist rendering that appears on page 136 in The Book of Tiki and also on this postcard:
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Note the wings attached to his back. Owner Dave Levy tells me that the wings are still in the warehouse, and they will be reattached when the Tiki is refurbished and installed in the indoor garden behind the stage.

I was on hand at The Mai-Kai on Saturday, May 21, when he was removed to make way for King Kai ...

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Will Anders (right) and Tom Fowner guide King Kai into place.

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Tiki Kiliki and Will Anders in the first photo taken with King Kai.

I have lots of photos of the installation that I'll be posting in a special report on The Atomic Grog on the entire history of the King Kai project, plus an in-depth look at the work Will Anders has done creating replicas of Tikis throughout The Mai-Kai.

The next major project: Will, Tom and Jeff Chouinard are creating three new Tikis to replace these old, decayed fern wood Tikis under the porte-cochère ...
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(Photo by Tiki Kiliki)

The hope is that these will be installed in time for The Hukilau in two weeks. Speaking of The Hukilau, it's worth noting that the official 2016 mug is also inspired by a historic Tiki:

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The official limited-edition mug, sculpted by John Mulder and produced by Eekum Bookum.

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The mug was inspired by this Tiki that used to live in The Mai-Kai's garden.

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At some point, he was moved inside, where you can find him behind the stage in the main dining room.

On 2016-05-26 20:32, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
AceExplorer: That's an article from last October or November. I wrote about it in The Week in Tiki blog I posted on Nov. 21 ... http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/11/21/the-week-in-tiki-nov-2-15-2015-the-hukilau-and-miami-rum-fest-tickets-makahiki-arrives-wayne-coombs-tribute-tiki-bars-galleries-and-more/

Thanks, Jim, for the correction. I thought the article was somehow an updated version. Dates on their features are hard to discern at times, and I fell into that trap due to my excitement for the Mai-Kai.

Three new Tikis carved by Florida artists Will Anders, Tom Fowner and Jeff Chouinard now greet guests at The Mai-Kai. The installation was completed today ...
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Will and Tom installed their Tikis yesterday ...
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Jeff's Marquesan-style Tiki went up this morning ...
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Will's carving is based on the Hawaiian Lono style ...
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Tom's Tangaroa-style Tiki is based on the design of The Mai-Kai's vintage decanter ...
http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/all/search.cgi?terms=mai-kai+decanter&des_id=any&man_id=any&img_id=any&shp_id=any&clr_id=any&details=yes&mode=search_process&x=0&y=0
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All three were carved from Cypress trees from Central Florida. Mahalo to The Hukilau's Christie "Tiki Kiliki" White for spearheading this project. You can share the photos on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/atomicgrog/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1092882324111605

I'm guessing that the three Tikis that they replaced are these, before they were moved to the porte-cochère ...
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(Does anyone know if these date back to 1956?)

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-05-29 12:47 ]

Swanky says he believes they were 1956 originals.

New ash tray Tikis now greet guests at the entrance, again mahalo to the prolific Will Anders!

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On 2016-06-08 07:44, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
New ash tray Tikis now greet guests at the entrance, again mahalo to the prolific Will Anders!

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Just keeps getting better and better. So wish I could be there right now.

‘King Kai’ leads procession of new Tikis into The Mai-Kai

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Thanks to a dedicated group of artists and supporters, The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale has been blessed with the arrival of a new clan of Tiki carvings, most notably the 10-foot “King Kai” that now holds court in the outdoor garden. It’s believed to be the most extensive infusion of large stylized carvings since the 1960s.

Full story: http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/06/09/king-kai-leads-procession-of-new-tikis-into-the-mai-kai/

King Kai, a Hawaiian Ku design carved by Fort Lauderdale artist Will Anders, was installed May 21 and christened during a special ceremony the next day. Anders had lots of help in realizing the project, which was the vision of The Hukilau’s Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White. She enlisted several key people to make the dream a reality: Securing two Florida Black Olive tree trunks and transporting them to South Florida, then erecting the finished carving at The Mai-Kai.

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See also: Exclusive photo gallery of King Kai, new trio of Tikis
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/06/09/king-kai-leads-procession-of-new-tikis-into-the-mai-kai/#photos

What else is new at The Mai-Kai?

Guests of The Hukilau may want to keep an eye out for many other positive changes at The Mai-Kai that have been under way over the past year:

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A new chef, Mark Rivera, is transforming the staid menu with his new spin on classic Polynesian fine dining.

More: http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/06/09/king-kai-leads-procession-of-new-tikis-into-the-mai-kai/#new