The Hukilau 2012 Official Thread & Announcement!

No pics of Angie Pontani or the Rum Barrel Conga Line in the Molokai?

Oh man - bummer.

On 2012-04-24 14:07, pablus wrote:

No pics of Angie Pontani or the Rum Barrel Conga Line in the Molokai?

Oh man - bummer.

I think (know) I have some. First chance I get, I will post.

Good times!

Cheers!

We can also look forward to the motherlode from Go11. They usually make us wait a bit too long, but it's always worth it.

Nothing yet :>(

http://photos.go11media.com/Hukilau/Hukilau-2012

In the meantime, here is my ode to the Mai Kai:

The mighty Mai Kai is like a film set...

...where in richly embroidered interiors...

...the most potent potions are served

Even the tables they are served on...

...are works of art!

Add to this beckoning Wahines...

...and warriors with big Tikis...

...even the Haoles join in to dance...

..and sing the Hukilau song: We are going...to the Hukilau...

Huki Huki HukI Huki Huki Huki

I'm so enjoying the pictures. Please keep them coming! I'm so sad I wasn't able to go....

Sigh. Perhaps next year, you never know!!!

Here's some of my photos

Gina, Angie, and Kathleen

Captain Brian Miller and the Lani Kai Pirate Crew o' Rum Runners

Ben

Beachbum Berry, Diablo, and Sven

Gaylord

Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge

The photogenic half of the Primativa in Hi-Fi DJs, Gina of the Jungle

Pablus poolside at the Best Western

The young Fire Dancer

The Intoxicators!

Kathleen

Angie Pontani!

happy party people

Richard Boccato of PKNY chainsaws the ice!

Valentin Gonzalez of PKNY, master Tiki drink Bartender

PKNY serving table - pre-pineapples

Richard Boccato making the drinks!

The PKNY pineapples arrive!

The PKNY seminar gearing up - featuring Sailor Jerry spiced rum

Exotika a Go-Go performing at the Molokai Bar

Pablus at the Molokai Bar

Rum Barrels all around, courtesy of Smuggler's Cove's Martin Cate!

Marie and Matt at the Mai Kai

PKNY at the Mai Kai - Val seems to like it there :wink:

A round!

[ Edited by: tabuzak 2012-04-25 14:15 ]

Nice pictures all around! Sven, reeeeaaalllly niiiiice photos! Great low light photography on those. Are the large versions on Flickr or some such site for the photo hoarders like myself??

Edit: Actually... There's already a great Mai-Kai group on Flickr that would be a perfect home for them if you are so inclined. :)

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2012-04-25 17:19 ]

What an incredible five days (four days? three days?) we spent in Fort Lauderdale. It was our first trip to The Hukilau and our first trip to Florida. Loved the warm, humid, breezy weather!!!

(Lower earth orbit satellite photo of King Kukulele, Tiki TomD, Sven, and Swanky)

Thank you Sailor Jerry and PKNY, Lani Kai, and George Jenkins for some memorable beverages (especially the Kilauea! - mmmm)

We looked forward to breakfast with B.W O'side host Frank in charge of the dining room.
(image stolen from tripadvisor.com)

The Baha Cabana was rocking on Friday night.
Including the thunderstorms and crazy downpour!

Angie Pontani, the burlesque dancer.
When she got around to Sven's table, it all started coming off...

Exotica-a-go-go, Dan Cunningham the Elvis impersonator, and
The Martian Denny's smoked the patio crowd with scorching sets.

Saturday afternoon between Beachbum's Zombie symposium and dinner.
A Moonkist Coconut for Kalola Kini, and for me...I have no idea,
but it was delicious and I got to keep the souvenir Mai Kai mug.

The gardens at the Mai Kai...absolutely enchanting.

Saturday night's dinner and Polynesian dance show at the Mai Kai was fantastic.
The entire evening was a feast for all the senses!

Had a great time making a lot of new friends, including Floridians (by way of Bar Harbor, ME) Beth and Shaundra

All in all it was a wonderful trip and we'd recommend it to everyone. Next year it returns to its previous June time slot, so maybe you Mojave Oasis-ters will see us in Newberry Springs next April!

Hey Tiki Kiliki - Thanks for putting on such a classy event! YOU ROCK!

Thanks everyone for the amazing weekend at Hukilau...
I have to say that it's the first time that I've ever had an event dedicated to me... (Thanks Christie)

I also would like to say thanks to all of the performers/lecturers, volunteers, and attendees... Oh also the maintenance guys at The Mai Kai...

I was constantly blown away by almost everyone this year...
From The Martian Denny Orchestra playing a show without a PA or sound guy (and kicking ass doing it), to Angie Pontani bringing on the rain showers with her Blaze Starr bongo routine, to Exotik a-go-go holding court at The Mai Kai for two sets (great musicians... as well as great guys...), King Kukulele for keeping us grounded... and for keeping the natives un-restless... Pablus for the Rum Barrel song and general all around awesome mahalo-ness (Let's do this again in St Petersburg on June 10th)... and Dan Cunningham for waiting in the wings to perform when the rains came in... (One of the best Elvis shows that I have seen... this guy has a great voice :) )
Sven, Jeff, Swanky, and Paul for top notch lectures...
Kern at The Mai Kai for all of the help... and rum...
Woody Compton and Kim Harris for all of their help... (In case you didn't know, Woody built the drum kit that we used this year... Absolutely amazing!!)

OK... I'm sure that I am forgetting something...
Here's a few of the pictures that I took over the weekend...

Cheers!
Brian
Entertainment Coordinator - The Hukilau
The Intoxicators!
The Disasternauts

Here are our shots!!

Thanks for the memories, all photo posters - even the ones I regretfully missed, like the Pablus Rum Barrel performance! Great shots of the New York bartenders and their rum presentations: To have all these yummy craft cocktail creations given to one for free made one feel really welcome! I luxuriated in tasting and holding multiple potions, what a treat!

Does anyone have any pics of the vendors? I was amazed of how much cool vintage wares were offered by all, even this old collector still found some treasures.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2012-04-26 09:38 ]

bigbrotiki, I about died laughing at seeing that pic of King K. clutching you desperately in his arms.

It was crazy, but clever, how the Hukilau vendors deconstructed their hotel rooms and rebuilt them as retail storefronts, while still occupying them. I regret I could only find one vendor photo: I believe this image was taken inside "Buried Treasures" (from NY). Nice folks.

And thanks everyone for posting photos - More Please!

@20th Century Man I was thinking the same thing after I left. There was one that a screen, it almost felt like more than one room, and didnt even notice the bed, they used everything in the room to convert them into retail showrooms. Pretty impressive.

amazing time, and a huge thanks to the organizers as well as the performers, speakers, bartenders, etc...this was our first one, and i think we've truly found our tribe.

on the note of the vendors...someone left a bunch of bamboo mat rolls in their room on the third floor. housekeeping had them at the end of the hall about to toss out, and i scooped them up and put them in our room. monday morning i went over to the fed-ex shop in the sheraton and shipped them back home, so thanks!

it was earth day after all :wink:

thanks again to everyone that made for such a great weekend.

loved it, thanks for a great time Christie and all!

Thanks to all who planned the Hukilau! It's a really professional, classy event. If you are a west coast tikiphile, you've got to check this out!!

It's always good to see newbies (GuayaTiki, porco, Kalola Kini) feel welcomed. We especially need more South Florida folks involved.

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2012-04-29 13:14 ]

On 2012-04-29 11:56, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

Does anyone have any photos from Sunday's Tiki bowling event? I unfortunately had to skip it.

The neighborhood association pulled the plug on the tiki bowling event at the last minute. So it didn't happen... :(

Here's a few more photos...

On 2012-04-29 11:56, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
We especially need more South Florida folks involved.

Really? You haven't been to that many Hukilau's, have you?

More of the South Florida folks might have gone if the event dates weren't stacked right on top of another event in town. I don't mean close, I don't mean two weeks later, I mean the exact same weekend.

More of the South Florida folks might actually vend the event if it didn't cost $300 to vend out of our own hotel room that we also have to pay for, and being local there is no need for a hotel room in the first place. And, no, the tickets you get out of the deal are not a deal because you're vending when everything the ticket gets you is happening.

More of the South Florida folks might return to the event if there was a reason to go. The format hasn't changed since 2005, the venues change every other year or so and not for the better, and the ticket price has gone up every year while the ticket value has gone down. And everything is an 'extra ticket.' And some one just mentioned the Tiki Bowling was a no-go (not surprising, it belongs to a condo association and the event organizers won't get the appropriate level of liability insurance to rent the place)... how much were those tickets and when can everyone expect their refunds?

I am happy the newest arrivals had a good time. I truly am. Most everyone's first visit to the Mai Kai is magical. More so when you have some friends to share the experience with.

Having said that, I am sorry to be the buzz-kill on an otherwise happy thread. Calling out the locals for their lack of attendance is arrogant and rude and shows how little the host and organizers of the event actually care about the South Florida folks that you are trying to call out for their lack of attendance.

You went to Hukilau, you had a blast. I'm happy for you.

Me, I am a South Florida Folks and I went somewhere else and had a blast.

When Hukliau provides a reason for the South Florida Folks, like me, to attend/return then we can talk.

Just so everyone knows, Chip and Andy are the Official Buzz Kill of South Florida. So glad we didn't have to deal with you guys this year. Much, much Aloha...

You're kind of proving my point about being arrogant and rude to potential guests of your events, local or otherwise. Two posts in five pages from you on the 'official' topic of your event, and one of them is to call me names.

A more involved and caring business owner/event organizer would see the opportunity presented in the feedback offered and want to know more. A more professional event organizer would try to open a dialog with their guests, present and past, and see what they liked or didn't like about the event with the goal of improving the event overall. Find out what worked and what didn't.

And to be very clear.... I am posting this, Chip.

Not Andy. Not Chip and Andy the couple.

Chip.

If anyone is the "Official Buzz Kill of South Florida" it is me, Chip.

Andy has nothing to do with this conversation.

Say what you will Chip, your handle speaks for itself.

You didn't even attend the event, and have bad mouthed several people involved while we have done nothing.

Go ahead, embarrass yourself, it's sad and pathetic but that is your MO, hijack another thread, we all had a great time this year in the spirit of Aloha and the Mai-Kai. We are all happy about that and we can't wait til next year.

...also known as "Chip on their shoulder". How else would you explain the reaction to such a simple request as:

On 2012-04-29 11:56, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
We especially need more South Florida folks involved.

...come out in such a reactionary manner as:

On 2012-04-29 19:09, Chip and Andy wrote:
Calling out the locals for their lack of attendance is arrogant and rude and shows how little the host and organizers of the event actually care about the South Florida folks that you are trying to call out for their lack of attendance.

OK, kids, let's not get carried away here. It won't do anybody any good to snipe at each other in public.

Within Tiki or any other scene, there are lots of hard-working folks who sweat and toil to bring events to the public with little or no financial reward. I would put The Hukilau in this group. Christie and those who assist her deserve some amount of respect, especially on this forum.

Sure, feel free to disagree with the way things are run. Complain all you want. Just post comments to that effect in the proper forum. A thread that at this point is nothing more than guests talking about how great a time they had, and posting their photos, certainly is not the place to do that.

I'm not really sure how my comment that "we especially need more South Florida folks involved" got misinterpreted into "calling out the locals for their lack of attendance." I said nothing about lack of attendance and really have no idea how many locals attended vs. out-of-towners.

"You haven't been to that many Hukilau's, have you?" Well, five years isn't too shabby. In that time I've seen the event go through many ups and downs, including the near-closing of The Mai-Kai. I know for a fact it's been a gut-wrenching past five years for Tiki Kiliki, yet she manages to keep the event relevant, exciting and interesting. The three symposiums this year (featuring Jeff Berry, Sven Kirsten and Tim Glazner) were among the best I've seen.

So, please let's not jump to conclusions or get too emotional about this. I would never call out the locals for lack of participation. Everyone has their reasons for attending or not attending. My point is simply that we need more people, more fresh faces, more new ideas, more positive and enthusiastic participants in South Florida. That's just a necessity for any event to thrive and survive.

In the Poly Pop scene, South Florida is a mere shadow of California or even New York. And it doesn't really need to be that way. We have The Mai-Kai. We have great beaches, tons of vintage hotels, architecture, and tourist attractions that have no equal. I've always felt that we need to embrace all aspects of what the Sunshine State has to offer and be much more inclusive in welcoming newbies into the fold. As far as I'm concerned, we'll never have enough people involved. We should always be reaching out to attract more participation. As a promoter, that's what I do.

When I run into people who just discovered The Mai-Kai, or just discovered The Hukilau, it makes all the thankless work seem worthwhile. I just hope negative comments and behavior don't drive them away.

Please folks, let's try to take the high road and keep things moving in a positive direction, for everyone's sake.

It was the BEST Hukilau ever, and I will always be a Hukilau girl no matter what. It will always be the most honest Tiki event, with true aloha and Ohana spirit.

P.S. Amen, Jim :)

That concludes our test of the Emergency Tiki Network. :roll:
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. :D

Some photos from Harold Golen ...

Drinks from PKNY fit the mood perfectly.

Artists Donella and Joe Vitale enjoy the drinks and company in The Molokai.

Sven Kirsten and Jeff Berry are up to no good.

Paul Roe and Gina Santucci discover the charm of the Mystery Drink.

Robert, Jasmine, Jose and Harold are dressed to the nines.

Jeff, Sven and Christie savor the moment.

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2012-04-29 21:59 ]

Being 1 of the 3 people who has attended every Hukilau, I can say without question that they are never the same. One year the party is in the ocean, in our underwear with a kiddie pool full of rum, next year it is in the Penthouse with Pablus and then it is a great time in the hot tub and then it is in a room with band members jamming all night. I gave up trying to predict and it took yet another turn this year and we had a great time in the gardens of the Mai-Kai.

We had a great time this year and it was not like any other year. New faces, old faces, new cocktails, old cocktails. Smaller crowds mean talking to more people. Martin Cate sneaking away from the Rum festival to hang with us.

Good times!

This is a long overdue thank you to so many. After The Hukilau ends I have to immediately go back to work and unfortunately, this year, we have lost 2 people so I went back to a huge workload needing a vacation from my working vacation.

That said, it was all worth it. To see everyone having a great time, new people, existing friends, and all those that keep coming back for more. We even saw some folks make the trip from Miami's Rum Renaissance Festival to gather in the festivities - nothing/no one could keep them away.

Special thanks to the Mai-Kai and their entire staff for making things seem so simple! You all are my hero!

Many thanks to my staff of fantastic people: Jim Hayward, Brian Crum, Dave Wolfe, George Jenkins, Shelley Knepper - thank you for all the free time you give the event and your tireless efforts to help me keep it going.

Many thanks to Paul Roe, Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, Sven Kirsten and Swanky for outstanding symposiums. Since I missed Sven's slideshow last time it was particularly wonderful to be able to be a part of that, in the Mai-Kai!! Paul, my tattoo means more to me each time I get to tell the story. Jeff, I want more Zombies and Swanky - release the book electronically to include all the video segments please!

To newcomer Angie Pontani, out of this world wonderful, talented and giving. The Martian Denny Orchestra, King Kukulele, The Intoxicators!, Exotik-A-GoGo, Gold Dust Lounge - all stellar outstanding performances this year!

Our great vendors this year that survived the rain and the new location/setup - thank you for returning and believing in us!

Tiki Diablo for our fantastic Mug!

Go11 Media for never getting tired of snappin' away and for the killer Tiki photo booth this year!!!

Heelgrinder for the website and undying dedication to me and The Hukilau.

Our sponsors - Sailor Jerry Rum, Fee Brothers Bitters and Syrups, Tiki Magazine and Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge!

And to each and every person that came to the event - we do it all for you and to keep Tiki alive. See you June 6 - 9, 2013!!!

Yee-Haw & Aloha,

The Hukilau

[ Edited by: tiki_kiliki 2012-04-30 17:32 ]

This year was my 9th year of attendance at Hukilau, and I found myself enjoying this year's event more than I had expected to. I had just done a dream trip to the Marquesan Islands this past December, and I wasn't sure on whether I would enjoy yet another Hukilau so soon after that South Pacific trip. But with my birthday falling on Hukilau weekend, I realized that there was no place I wanted to celebrate other than the Mai Kai, and be with friends who would be there.

Having attended eight previous Hukilaus, I've met and remet many friends over the years. Many of them, for whatever reasons, could not or chose not to attend this year - and this includes friends from the D.C. area, friends from Florida, friends from Texas, friends from California, and friends from Chicago, Ohio, and numerous other locations. I missed you guys, and hopefully our paths will cross again, sooner rather than later.

But it was wonderful, as it is every year, to meet new people, to sense their enthusiasm at discovering the Hukilau event. And it was good to hug and talk to people I have not seen in several years, to say things that have more meaning when spoken face-to-face than via some text message over a computer screen.

I did something this year that I had not done before. Usually for the Saturday night Mai Kai dinner, I prearrange to be seated with friends. But this year, I thought to myself 'I want to do a Mystery seat assignment', so I went to the maitre-d and said 'a party of one' and was the initial person seated at a table.

I ordered a Test Pilot, and waited to see who would be seated with me - first it was another friend from Colorado, then a group of four from Canada that I had met two days ago, and finally it was a couple from Key West I had never met before. (I told the woman that I had been hoping that a beautiful woman would be seated next to me for my birthday, and that the wish had just come true - I received a nice birthday kiss in return for that comment!) It was a completely wonderful dining experience, with companions provided via tiki roulette style. And I felt that if I was seated at some other table, with other people, that it would also be a wonderful dining event. And that is kind of what Hukilau, and what I believe most other tiki events - even the ones I've never attended - is like. If you allow it to happen, and leave yourself open to possibilities, then good things will happen.

So thanks to all the organizers, vendors, and participants of Hukilau, for creating an environment where good things happened. The ambiance of the Thursday night Best Western event was wonderful, the free drinks offered by PKNY and Lani Kai were amazingly good (I need to make a return trip to NYC soon), and I did enjoy that each evening was capped off by a shuttle ride to the Mai Kai.

I regret that there were a few friends I was not able to spend as much time talking to as I would have liked - that seems to happen with every Hukilau. And I regret that my body is a bit older, and doesn't have the stamina to seek out late-night parties like I used to.

But I am glad I chose to attend this year.

Vern

The full recap is now posted:

It was a jam-packed four days of informative symposiums, live music, artists and vendors, and – of course – many tropical-themed cocktails ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/04/30/hukilau-rewind-a-whirlwind-weekend-of-tropical-delights/

More coming soon ...

Just wanted to post a big thanks to all involved with the planning and execution of this year's Hukilau. This was my first visit to both the event and the Mai Kai (40th birthday gift from my girlfriend) and it was truly a blast. Loved everything about it, but the symposiums were the highlight for me (after the Mai Kai, of course). I don't think I've seen anyone post a link here to the 2012 photo booth gallery, so here it is:

http://photos.go11media.com/Hukilau/Hukilau-2012/Hukilua-Photo-Booth-Images/

I was surprised to see that my girlfriend and I are in the very first photo in the gallery. Now you know what we look like. Looking forward to seeing the group shots and other images from Go11 once they're uploaded. Will be sitting down to go through mine soon to post the highlights...once I get a free weekend to myself. :)

Cheers!

Just wanted to say I love the Tiki Diablo mug from 2012! Nice work TD!

A bit late, but more pics from this year's event:

http://tornadotiki.com/gallery/2012/042212/