Vera

Vera Freeman the 93 year old founder of "Vera's White Sands" Tiki restaurant in Lusby, Maryland died on January 23, 2007. The ailing Ms. Freeman was able to transfer ownership of her restaurant/marina property in 2006, to another party who has renovated the place to an overall more nautical/non-Tiki vibe!

Vera's for all who got to sample it in its heyday was probably the last old time, real deal Tiki kitsch haunt in Maryland. Thanks for the memories Vera!

Thortiki

Here is a photo of Vera and myself, taken in September, 2005.

An excerpt from the book shown above ... 'The Legendary Vera: A Life of Glamour' ....

" I liked Egypt because history began there, but Thailand and Bali are the most exciting, and Tahiti is perhaps the most thrilling place. I felt as though it had all been done for me individually.

My life has been so full, but I would like to go back there. I've even tried the Tahitian way of life for a period of time. I lived in a grass shack, took my swims in a clear pool below, and dried my laundry on a banana tree. One night I even stepped into a Tahitian dance. The music was great, and before I knew it, I was in front of a bonfire feeling the beat."

From the same book, here is an undated picture of Vera (on the right) with a partial view of a larger tiki sculpture that was then on the grounds.

Here is an article about Vera, from the Baltimore city Paper, circa 2003.
http://www.citypaper.com/special/story.asp?id=6635

Rest in peace, Vera

Vern

ikitnrev,

GREAT photo thanks for posting that!

Thortiki

Thought I'd share some further photos as well... here's a photo we took of Miss Vera in July 2005:

She came into the bar for a cocktail, then went home (next door I believe) to change for dinner - this is the outfit she came back in:

I'm hoping they'll keep her 2 seats seat reserved at the bar in tribute:

She was always very kind whenever we told her how much we enjoyed her place or asked to take a photo with her. Very soft-spoken and full of style. Thanks for this post, Vern & Thortiki; sad news for the DC area tikiphiles.
~Rupe

[ Edited by: rupe33 2007-01-26 05:00 ]

I came across a good appreciation, from the Bay weekly newspaper.

Included is this quote ...

“She did everything she wanted, several times over”
Vera's stepson Lee Freeman

and this excerpt ...

When, over the years, the service was slow, the food less than scrumptious, the set tarnished at the edges, Vera persevered and her legend added depth and dimension. How long, we wondered, could she last? What would become of her, and her kingdom without her?

For we had glimpsed, behind the glamour girl, the woman who got past losses as real as yours or mine by her sheer determination to live the life she liked.

The full article can be read here
http://www.bayweekly.com/year07/issuexv4/reflectxv4.html

Vern

Sorry to hear of her passing. ikitnrev took me to White Sands last year for dinner but, unfortunately, she wasn't in that evening (probably due to the torrential rainfall).

The restaurant still retains a bit of its previous glory, but everything tiki about the bar had been completely removed.

Note to Humuhumu: I couldn't find Vera's White Sands Beach Club or Solomon Islands Tiki Bar in Critiki.

Weblog: Eye of the Goof

[ Edited by: MrBaliHai 2007-01-26 16:12 ]

I was at Vera's restaurant about 2 years ago, and it was the coolest place! Vera was in an outrageous caftan outfit and she was just spectacular! I went home vowing to get a sparkly caftan. I had a great time at the restaurant. I am sad to hear of her passing. She is now in the great tiki bar in the sky!

What a regal queen she was in her caftan. I met her only once. Sitting at the bar, she barked at the bartender for not giving timely service to me. Then she turned to me and admired/admonished me about wrinkles and pulled some salve out of her caftan. We were old buddies for a moment until the next customer came in.

Vera, you will be with me in my dreams tonight. You created quite a palace. thanks for the wonderful times.