Bali Hai remodel

Lots of Money doesn't always mean things turn out for the better.
Lets all cross our fingers they keep it tiki and not just go for modern classy.

Jeff(btd)

That is such a to-die-for view of the bay and city from there (whether you are sitting inside or out). Hope the beautiful flowers will still be there too. I don't know what it is about the Goof, I never liked him, but now that I have the Goof mug and the remodel is underway, I think I will have a new respect for him. Thank goodness wonderful care has been taken of Mr. Bali Hai...he is just the coolest thing on Shelter Island.

Any news?

On 2010-01-25 08:22, cheeky half wrote:

'The Goof Gets The Girl'

And the girl has the same dental plan

I heard from a reliable source that they are upping the TIPSY factor considerably, and adding an outdoor deck upstairs, already mentioned. Supposedly, the horrible 80's paint is going away too. We can only hope, but from what I understand, they are embracing their classic tiki roots more.
We can only hope.

As long as they dont take the sweet and sour chicken off the menu...then it's war.

I had to run out to the airport Friday afternoon so I swung by and took a few phone pics...

The old A-frame facade is gone and siding has been added. The lava rock wall just beyond the blue tarp is still in place.

Scaffolding has been erected around the Goof. I spoke with a few locals out walking their dogs and they were pretty sure that this is for restoration, not removal.

Looking straight down from the Goof you can also see what appears to be a small elevator - probably for ADA compliance. No sign of Mr. Bali Hai; it looks like the entry has been built out to the spot where he resides.

Most of the landscaping has been removed and there is a lot of trench-work for irrigation/additional plantings/water features/all of the above??

I hope they go with a ark brown for the exterior...that pastel yellow they've had is just awful.
The A Frame going is a bad sign tho' :o

Kind of looks like the space needle "saucer" flew to San Diego. At least I have my photos of the "old" entry - I suppose adding that rounded front gives them more seating space inside? Here's hoping the rest of the remodel is better than the front.

Uh oh...missing A-Frame...scary. I'm sure Mr Bali Hai is in hiding until the unveiling...after all...he IS the Bali Hai!!! Hope they keep him out front and still have a circular drive-way...always liked gawking at him even if I didn't have time to go inside.

This is a picture I took while I was there in April last year:

Here it is so far:

I am excited about some of the changes but it is always a little sad when the old becomes new. I hope this is for the best. The view and the food was awesome! Can't wait to get back there!! At least we can all say that about this place!

TabooDan

Although I would have preferred the A-Frame remain, it was awkwardly placed on the West corner of the building, as opposed to the main entrance. I am glad that irrigation is being added (apparently), in the hopes of tropical foliage.

I see the upper deck construction is underway as the exterior wall has been demolished.

As much as I liked the A frame, I don't think it was on there originally. And from the looks of it, there is no A frame present in the architectural renderings on the architects website. In fact... the place is starting to look like the architects plans. What I'm really curious about is the interior!

On 2010-02-08 23:43, Tiki Shaker wrote:
As much as I liked the A frame, I don't think it was on there originally. And from the looks of it, there is no A frame present in the architectural renderings on the architects website.

Tiki Shaker,

Your are correct sir. Here is an early postcard I have showing the Bali Hai without the A Frame, and the plans Sabu posted also showing no A Frame.

I agree with you, sure hope the interior returns to its former glory.

DC

Well thankfully the goof will be saved for sure. Here is a link to some photos showing an artist repainting it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/photos/galleries/2010/feb/25/bali-hai/

Truly amazing close-ups of the goof!

[ Edited by: Tiki Shaker 2010-02-26 08:35 ]

Tiki Shaker,

Thanks for the link great to see that the Goof lives, those photos are amazing. We need to buy the intrepid young lady painter a Mai Tai for that perilous work!

DC

Thanks Tiki Shaker for posting. I didn't realize the head was paper mache. I'm surprised it survives the elements so well. Also, I was interested in the news that some kind of LED lights are being put in the Goof's eyes. hmmmmm.....

So glad I got a Goof mug last time I was there. In one picture on that link...his tooth kinda looks vampire like...I'm just sayin'.....

Nice closeup of the Goof! Closer than any of us will ever get I would imagine. I'm guessing we are the "mai-tai loving crowd" mentioned in the article...have you tried the mai-tais at the Bali Hai? Yeesh.

Bali Hai Mai Tai's...

When I saw them advertised on the drink menu as "STRONG" that should have been the first clue.

Mel and myself each ordered a Mai Tai with our lunch one fine San Diego afternoon back in 2008.

The cocktails came to our table - at first glance they looked proper in color and presentation. One sip and WHOA!! STRONG & all LIQUOR!!

Mel couldn't drink past a couple sips so I drank mine and hers over the course of my meal.

(I had a great time the rest of the afternoon playing at the tide pools near the old lighthouse :))

Definitely not a proper Mai Tai in terms of a true Trader Vic's or Don The Beachcomber or Hiphipahula or Tiki Ti etc.

Hopefully with the renovation they also re-think the philosophy of proper tropical drinks?

Long live The Goof! I love that silly bastard!

Thanks for posting the link, Tiki Shaker! Very cool shots. I'm glad the light will be replaced - I've been complaining about his eyes being out for ages.

There are also some pictures up on the Bali Hai website; although they're really small so it's hard to get a good view. Just go to the 'remodel' tab.
http://www.balihairestaurant.com/

I selfishly don't mind that some folks don't like their Mai Tais. More for me!

It was nice to open my paper this morning and see the picture of Ms. Guerin lying on her side & painting the Goof. :D

As for rethinking the "philosophy of proper tropical drinks," I say Vive la Différence! If you want a Trader Vic's Mai Tai, go there; if you want a Donn Beach Mai Tai, go there. You don't expect to find Tiki Ti's version in Maryland, or expect to find the Hawaiian Hilton version in Oakland, why do you expect someone else's version at the Bali Hai?

Here's a nice picture of the Dining Area with the Bar removed:

The stairwell, that they're supposed to open up with the Glass Wall:

Thanks to all for the pics and links. Looking good. I only hope I've got the moolah for Oasis 2010 so I can see the re"VAMPED" BH (that's for the new Vampire Goof)!

I see some wall art stacked like it's going to go back on. But the important thing is whether that "3D" relief map of the South Pacific with regional tikis in front of it is still around. That's almost the coolest thing in the whole place, inside or out.

Brent

It does seem that they've planned space for all the art. That map is key! I completly panicked when it was mentioned that the wall was being taken down ("But the MAP!!") I was assured it would still be there somewhere.

On 2010-02-26 09:16, Jason Wickedly wrote:

I was absolutely astonished when I saw Kinny on the roof with the Goof but, then I realized it was just my imagination playing tricks in my head, after a few Goof Punches. :D

Thanks for the pictures Freddy, keep us posted!
Trader Bob

I just have to laugh at Mr. NoNaMe's post about the artist looking like Kenny - after reading that I could see how that "mistake" was made! Just poking fun Kinny!

A little bit of intel: We were at Oceanic Arts yesterday morning, and the owners of the Bali Hai were there shopping. So they definitely have Tiki in mind...I didn't see what they bought, but Leroy pointed them out to us. A good sign anyways!

Jason,

Awesome field intelligence work! That is some good news.

DC

Now that's what I call good news!

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/26/bali-high-repainting-restaurant-statue/

uh oh.
"and a more modern version of tiki culture."

this could be scary.
:o
just sayin'

Jeff(btd)

...and a Furry Hat!!!

( her hand looks cool. kinda Rodin-ish)

at least they didn't tear it all the way down.

Where are they hiding Mr Bali Hai? Hope they don't go all modern on him!!!

Good work Agent JW. :wink:

We drove by the Bali Hai tonite, after a visit to The Pearl. The front of the restaurant is covered in plastic, and the entrance is fenced off. But we could see Mr. Bali Hai still there, in all his glory.

On 2010-03-06 18:35, VampiressRN wrote:
Where are they hiding Mr Bali Hai? Hope they don't go all modern on him!!

Thanks for checking on him...I'm feeling better now. :)

OK, I'm going to come out and say it. I think Mr. Goof is one aspect of classic Tiki-style we would have been better off without. I can appreciate his historic Tiki significance but aesthetically I think he sucks.

oh John,
oh no you didn't.
you've gone and done it now.

sometimes, you gotta just bite your tongue.
believe me, I know.

Jeff(btd)

It's not so much about "biting your tongue", it's more like "THINK! before you post", BTD.
Discussions about personal taste are pretty pointless here. Some folks don't like the design of Tiki Bob, others don't like Witco, and others think this or that Tiki are "ugly". Everybody is entitled to their personal aesthetic preference. Just remember that at one point in Tiki history, ALL of it, or 98%, was considered "ugly". It is the context that matters, and with the Goof we truly have a unique character history tied into Hollywood, with it's travels from Catalina Island to Balboa, Waikiki, and San Diego, from Pre-Tiki to Tiki, --and the enduring mystery of its artistic origin. The Goof is weird, ugly, bad taste -that IS what is cool about it. But most of all, despite the vagaries of time and taste, the Goof just IS. :)

Point well taken BTD and BigBro. I should have qualified my reply a little more (sorry I was on my 3rd Jameson). It's not so much I think the Goof is ugly but from the first time I saw him he seemed like either a mid-century racial caricature or a mean-spirited imagery of the mentally handicapped. Yes I know Tiki culture is supposed to be politically incorrect but that's the bad vibe that I get.

And yes I agree the cultural or historical significance should outweigh the (perceived) bad taste in today's climate. I'm just making an observation that others may have hesitated in pointing out. (or maybe I'm the only one being over-sensitive about it). What the original intent or inspiration of the Goof was, I guess we'll never know.

The Goof abides.

On 2010-03-09 23:26, JOHN-O wrote:
It's not so much I think the Goof is ugly but from the first time I saw him he seemed like either a mid-century racial caricature or a mean-spirited imagery of the mentally handicapped. Yes I know Tiki culture is supposed to be politically incorrect but that's the bad vibe that I get.

:roll: Of course it's a racial caricature, what else would it be !? I just don't think it was done "mean spirited", in a racist kind of way. But cartoons and caricatures are by their definition meant to make fun of something. It's supposed to be F-U-N-N-Y.

On 2010-03-06 21:29, tikipedia wrote:
We drove by the Bali Hai tonite, after a visit to The Pearl. The front of the restaurant is covered in plastic, and the entrance is fenced off. But we could see Mr. Bali Hai still there, in all his glory.

I love the Pearl...what a great place.

On 2010-03-10 00:09, tikiyaki wrote:

On 2010-03-06 21:29, tikipedia wrote:
But we could see Mr. Bali Hai still there, in all his glory.

I hope they're finally going to replace the missing bone in his nose.

On 2010-03-10 08:13, arriano wrote:

On 2010-03-10 00:09, tikiyaki wrote:

On 2010-03-06 21:29, tikipedia wrote:
But we could see Mr. Bali Hai still there, in all his glory.

I hope they're finally going to replace the missing bone in his nose.

From what I understand, that is not likely to happen. The problem seems to be that people (kids mostly) will stand on the bone, which may break off the bone, or otherwise damage Mr. Bali Hai.

You can ask people not to do it, but seeing how many hands touched the ahem bosom of the female statue by the stairs going to the 2nd floor, it isn't likely to happen. :)

Thanks for the info. Kids ruin everything.