Tiki Centralite Hunt in Waikiki?

C.B. and I are yearning for the islands big time - we haven't been in years.

So what do you'all think of setting up a rendezvous for hunting tikis in Hawaii?
If we booked far enough in advance I think we can get airfares pretty cheap. We could rent out a couple of rooms (condo/house?) so those on a budget could crash together?

I am proposing we shoot for Waikiki, Oahu because that's where the best deals are to be had. (and those who want to organize side trips to other islands can do so as well) Plus Waikiki is close to everything and you can rent cars/mopeds/catch a city bus or tour/walk just about anywhere from there.

Timeframe: Spring/Summer 2003 Does it make sense to space it apart from Tiki Oasis and Tiki Bash or combine it with one of those so anyone fying from other areas can do a triangle trip? Or later in the mid-summer after those big events.

Any travel agents in our group?
International Marketplace here we come!

[ Edited by: Futura Girl on 2002-10-17 16:13 ]

Futura Girl,

Funny you should mention it. Al & Shelly, and me and my tribe are planning to meet in Waikiki during Spring/Easter Break '03. The tentative date to meet is April 18 & 19. I'm sure will hook up with Gecko at La Mariana.

We go every year to hunt for furniture and other hawaiiana.

It would be totally cool to set up a meeting with the crew.

Futura Girl,
I thought about this and wondered how feasible it really is. Would be ultra cool if we could pull it off. Thought it would also be cool to do some kind of Tiki Road Trip. For example, we could set out on a tour up the Coast of California hitting all the Tiki Joints from San Diego to San Francisco.

Where do you plan to stay? I hear there was a cool low-rise motel on southwest end of Waikiki across from the Outrigger Reef - not tiki but still retro.
Of course there's always the Ilikai where Jeanie and Major Nelson stayed :)

Jesus, can you beleive planning this far ahead and me already having plans. I'm suppossed to be in Vegas for the weekend that iki Bong brought up. I'm going to be there for teh Viva Las Vegas weekender, I saw a few Tiki Centralites at the last one so I'm sure a few will be planning on making it to the next one.

woo hoo!!! I found it!!! The place is called the Hawaiiana Hotel. It's an old time low rise a block from beach and the gardens have TIKIS!!! They have live Hawaiian entertainment on Sunday evenings
http://www.hawaiianahotelatwaikiki.com/

I spoke with the manager and got group rates from her. She said she can give us the good rates if we come after spring break in April. If we have 5-10 rooms rates are as follows:

Standard Room: regularly $85 - with group rate $65 - with week stay $50
Garden View: regularly $95 - with group $76 - with week stay $65
Plus taxes of course. And extra persons beyond a double are $10 more...

I think this might be a new tiki tradition!

Oh my god that is incredibly affordable!

Futura Girl,

Those are excellent rates to be sure. Unfortunately our date is set and paid in full.

BUT I have a great idea that me and Al will prepare. That is this: we're going to hide tikis and other stuff in and around Waikiki. Then we'll provide you all with clues as to where these items are. Some may be hidden in some rather risque locations (no body cavities!). I've done his little gig before for other friends and as dumb as it may sound - it's fun!

The cheapest airfare I could find for that time frame was around 360.00 to Honolulu, once upon a time I was a Travel Agent, if you could get a big enough group together I am sure you could get a discounted rate. Usually that is around 10 to 15 people. Didn't I read that the next Tiki Bash if Holden's deal came through was going to be on Easter weekend? I'll keep my eye out for any deals on air to The Islands :)

I stayed at the Hawaiiana and highly recommend it! I recommend the rooms with a lanai.

I go to Viva Las Vegas every Easter weekend.

Holden did say there might be some big event at the Hard Rock in Vegas that same weekend.

Lady Velour and i will be ging to Viva Las Vegas, too. We have been talking about a trip to the Islands and havent set a date yet. So I'm saying count us in!

Futura Girl,

I believe the motel you are talking about is on Beachwalk. Very near Chuck's Steakhouse, the one place on Ohau where we could actually drink from asian style tiki bowls. That was one of the ONLY tiki type bar we were able to find last January. We did not know of Gecko and the Mariana then. Chuck's was pretty cool though, and they had a piano bar for those hipster seniors.

Al and I were actually considering getting a night or two at the hotel you mentioned or the one down the street called The Breakers. We will be in Kauai for the week before Easter weekend and are planning to rendevous with the Bongs on 4/18 and/or 4/19 in Waikiki.

I'd change the whole trip to the week after Easter if I could, but that is when O-side is in school, so I gots to be there. We are locked into Kauai, since we got this trip package at a charity auction this summer for $1700. Air and lodging for two for a week on Kauai. Can't beat that.

Let the gang know what you decide to do! Cheers, Shelley (Bianca Blue)

I say we all crash the little party on Kauai. I'm sure we could squeeze 10 or so people into Al and Shellys pad. Theres a great tiki bar near Hanalei. Hele on!

Aloha friends,

whew cuz I been busy, still busy! Anyways, It's nice to see I might be meeting a few new TC members here on Honolulu! suuupa! as brahda IZ wud sey!

La Mariana gona B B Bizzy! Da kine opens dis munt too "Tikis grill & Bar" on Kapahulu down town Waikiki.

Honolulu is a good spot fo Tiki hunting! Got plenny ant-teek sto! I got my Steve crane rum Barrel and da one wit da yello face and da big red lips fo $40 ea. That was a year ago though.

You can also go see da old trader Vics in da International market place in Waikiki, Bong know wer it is. Take some pictures on da trader vics parrot walk...try take old carvings....betta not. Although some of da Tikis haved walked out of there.

An den da main ting...LA MARIANA!!!! ewey! u gon luv dis place! U will get to sit at ORIGINAL tables from da "original Don" Don da beach babby!!! sorry I luv dat guy! Look up and u see da old trader vics colored glass float lamps, shell lamps, puffers, some of da Tahitian Lanai Canable Tiki trio and TV Tikis, da old Kon Tiki sign in da interance (me no care bout da sp?) da bamboo & Thatch etc etc. Annette da owner of La Mariana is usually down on Friday nights. I can intra-duce if like? dats when all of da hip old ppl are down singing songs like, Honolulu city lights, white sandy beach, Hawaiian luluby etc. Dem old crackling hips HULA too! but it's on a friday so remember if can!

We got good grinds (food) here on da islands too. like spam fried rice, spam & eggs, spam musubi, spam katsu. ok we got udda tings beside spam.

Oh and u will like da Hawaiiana Hotel. its right across from an ABC(7-11)store so u can run ova if u forget anyting small.

And if u like pick up a coconut tree carving by da Gecko is cool wit me. Or some of my udda tings like da wall shields and udda kine tings fo da bar. I'll try to carve some extras befo u guys come.

well gotta go if u have any ? just ask and I'll try too to get da answers

Live Aloha
Gecko-

Shoots brah,
Thought about you on my last trip to Oahu in Sept. But not much time to search for the elusive Gecko. Stayed with kamaainas on the windy side. Surfed Chuns, small but fun. Then over to Philippines for biz. Back to Honolulu for one day, straight over to Sandy beach for back adjustment, then to Dukes fo suckemup. Short and sweet! Wish we could've hooked up. Next time we go. Hele on!! Aloha nui loa, Wes (Ka Hale Tiki)