Northeast Tiki Tour (NETT) 8/25/07

On 2007-09-04 11:28, kristiki wrote:

On 2007-09-04 11:04, Bargoyle wrote:
Thinking weekend of Oct 20th rt now, but thats subject to change.

Argh argh, bad weekend! (Unless it's Sunday.)

LOL, that's one of the good weekends for us!

Bargoyle, the tour was just too good. Now we'll all die if we can't go!

The 20th works for me. Better than the 13th, but that's also possible not just as good.

20th Yay! Im in! What can I do? Mai Tais!! Pu-Pu's!! Tikis!! Mugs!! Hula!! Okonkuluku!! Gotta love it!

20th is perfect for the Johnman.

We're in Salem, MA the following weekend to check out the witchy stuff before Halloween. Any tiki bars in Salem? LOL

The pictures are great!!! Looks like you all partied hard....with great places to imbibe. I liked how that flock of birds were roosting on the mugs in the hotel room...very organized!!! :)

On 2007-09-05 20:38, johnman wrote:
20th is perfect for the Johnman.

We're in Salem, MA the following weekend to check out the witchy stuff before Halloween. Any tiki bars in Salem? LOL

Beth accidentally found a place called the Mai Tai in the area. I moved out of Salem 6 years ago, and never heard of the place...

It seems that it's on Rantoul St in Beverly:
Mai Tai Cafe
Address: 208 Rantoul St, Beverly, MA 01915
Phone: (978) 922-8808
This is on Rt 1A, perhaps 2 miles from downtown Salem. I have NO idea of its Tiki-ness, but with a name like that it's a MUST. We expect a report, of course.

There's also Fantasy Island on the Swampscott line, right in Vinnin Square. It has been MANY years since I've been there - I don't think the food was that good - and I barely remember the inside so I have no idea of its Tiki-ness.
Fantasy Island
Address: 516 Loring Ave, Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 745-1700

As for Salem that weekend... Good luck, man. I moved out of Salem because of the month of October - too many freaking tourists. It once took me 59 minutes to drive 1 mile. Insane. If you're going there, I would get there early - well before dark - and find a space in the parking garage downtown on Derby St (Rt 1A, you can't miss the garage at an intersection where Rt 1A turns a corner). Visit the shops on Pickering Wharf, grab dinner, and hang out until the festivities start. If you get there late, there won't be any parking, so they bus people in from the Northshore Mall in Peabody.

Ah...the magic of Salem in October. Scott, I know exactly what you are talking about. And it seems to be getting bigger every year. Birdgirl and I moved from there about 4 years ago, but we both still have family living there.

Anyway, if anyone happens to go to Salem, Fantasy Island is definitely worth checking out for the drinks, especially the mai tai. But Scott is right, they have just about no tiki whatsoever in the joint. They do have Keno and karaoke, which seem to be mandatory for tiki bars in MA, but no actual tiki.

The good news is that the bartenders have all been working there forever and the mai tais are really good. The other drinks are good too, but everyone in there will be drinking a mai tai at the bar, even the people who would usually drink a beer.

The pu-pus are good, especially the crab rangoons. I never had any of the other dishes. Food-wise, I think its better than the kowloon but not as good as bali hai, and at great personal risk I will also say that the drinks are better than the kowloon or bali hai (uh oh...I probably just started something there). Mug usage is minimal - I remember they do have some coconut mugs and scorpion bowls, but the mai tais come in a double-old-fashioned glass, just like god intended.

If it were not for the fact that the place is a little off the beaten path and has no tiki, I would have recommended Fantasy Island for the NE tiki tour, not that Bargoyle or Pappy needed any help from me.

Nicole and I will be in Salem next week and definitely will be stopping by the Island because you just can't get a good crab rangoon in NYC (probably just started something there too). If anyone will be around, let me know.

On 2007-09-06 05:50, leisure master wrote:
Nicole and I will be in Salem next week and definitely will be stopping by the Island because you just can't get a good crab rangoon in NYC (probably just started something there too). If anyone will be around, let me know.

All of next week, or the weekend?

I have plans for this weekend, but my arm could be twisted to go up to Salem one night after work. The wife's away, ya know... And I wouldn't mind checking out the Mai Tai Cafe in Beverly if you're there and up for it, though a good Mai Tai and a good Crab Rangoon at FI is hard to beat.

Scottes' Rum Pages - Rum Reviews & Info

[ Edited by: Scottes 2007-09-06 05:55 ]

Actually, only in town for the weekend next week, arriving thursday night. Most likely timing for FI would be next Friday afternoon/night.

Next Friday, the 14th?? Actually, I can most likely make that. I have the 14th off since my wife is flying back, and she'll probably be so jet-lagged that she won't mind me running off in the late afternoon or night.

Keep me in mind when you make plans and I'll see if I can get up there.

On 2007-09-06 03:50, Scottes wrote:

Beth accidentally found a place called the Mai Tai in the area. I moved out of Salem 6 years ago, and never heard of the place...

It seems that it's on Rantoul St in Beverly:
Mai Tai Cafe
Address: 208 Rantoul St, Beverly, MA 01915
Phone: (978) 922-8808
This is on Rt 1A, perhaps 2 miles from downtown Salem. I have NO idea of its Tiki-ness, but with a name like that it's a MUST. We expect a report, of course.

What he meant to say was I have no sense of direction & drove by this place when I thought I was lost in Downtown Salem! Thanks for not mentioning I had no idea where I was other than some place in Mass! And thanks for finding out the place really exists even if I was in Beverly at the time.

You weren't too far from downtown Salem. That's "barely lost" :)

20th is good! The 13th is Jill's birthday. But I did talk her into getting on that bus, so maybe I can convince her a tiki-themed birthday is a good thing.

Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure she's taking me to the Hu Ke Lau tonight for my own birthday. So if anyone wants to recreate the wonder of pineapple juice and cheesy-fantastic live entertainment, meet us up there! (it's a 'surprise', but I'm 99% sure that's where we're going)

Happy Birthday Paige!!!

You may want to get yourself a birthday gift before you go...maybe a flask....maybe full of good rum... it'll make those hukelau cocktails MUCH better!

Have a blast.

[ Edited by: Bargoyle 2007-09-07 13:58 ]

Well thanks, Bargoyle! GREAT idea, too.

Flask, check...
5th of Sailor Jerry's, check...
Not driving, check!

Now I just need a pair of crutches so they won't pull me onstage.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE! Yeah Bargoyle has it right - you need to strengthen up those Hu Ke Lau cocktails.

Leisure Master and Scottes - thanks for the Salem suggestions. I'm planning on Mai Tais and crab rangoons at Fantasy Island at a minimum. Pics and reviews will be available at the end of October.

Ok folks, my huge plans for the 20th of october have crashed & burned.

SO, in place of them, we're just gonna open the Lono Lounge, mix some good drinks & relax with the ohana.

The doors are open to any who want to come, and we'll be doing a rum tasting with Scottes at some point during the day (with a lecture on the different islands & styles & what to look for as you sip fine rums)

More details to be worked out, as usual.

Prob not gonna do the whole big pig roast or food thing. Little snacky things, so if you wanna come & you wanna help out...bring food-stuffs... (and quarters for the pinball machines...bargoyle needs $$)

PM me if you're in.

Happy Birthday Paige!
Hope your birthday is full of Pineapple, rum and Leis!

Wow, Psychedelic! What did they put in that pineapple, man? Everything's LIME...
I'm currently downing faux mai tais from Hukelau mug #2. The show was good last night, but it felt weird riding back to CT instead of the North Attleboro Super 8. Can't I just hop on a Middletown transit bus and start drinking? Well, I guess I wouldn't be the first...

Back to the tour....

You guys look like you had soooo much fun.. Sorry I missed it..

Rick

I was just told this Saturday that I was climbing the rigging at the Kowloon. I honestly have no recollection of this adventure, I guess I was on auto-pilot (or auto-idiot). Was anyone else cognizant enough to get a photo of my shennanigans?

No photo, but the image of you in the rigging will forever be embedded in my mind.

:)

I seriously thought you were going to fall at one point, but you managed.

I second this; I was right next to you when it happened, and for a second, thought it would result in our being given the bum's rush, from the expression on one of the waiters.

Maybe that's why I remember the waiters all coming over and giving me extra swag just before we left. "Give him stuff so he goes away"

I missed it, but heard all about it. I wish it had been caught on film. It did seem like we were rushed out soon after, but that may have been due to the drunken tiki-dancing going on!!

Oh, and the "BIG" plans for the 20th kind of fell through, but we're still on with the tasting. Details here:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=25585&forum=4&0

Seriously, RugbyMatt climbing the rigging was THE highlight of the day for me. You were directly overhead, singing the Indiana Jones theme. The staff was horrified.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

On 2007-09-10 06:01, rugbymatt wrote:
I was just told this Saturday that I was climbing the rigging at the Kowloon. I honestly have no recollection of this adventure, I guess I was on auto-pilot (or auto-idiot). Was anyone else cognizant enough to get a photo of my shennanigans?

As drunk as I was, I DO remember that!
And yes...it WAS hilarious!

I am glad somebody remembered it.

p.s. How did I manage to not be hungover SUnday morning?

[ Edited by: rugbymatt 2007-09-11 15:02 ]

Not hungover??

Actually I think I was drunk until Monday myself...

I think one thing that was almost as good as Matt's rigging shenanigans was the incredibly sleepy bartender behind our table...

He must have taste-tested every one of our drinks....

[ Edited by: Queen of Everything 2007-09-11 18:09 ]

lol. Makes me sleepy just looking at him.

Ok, the event on the 20th has been moved one week earier to the 13th!!!!

I hope this doesnt screw anyone up too bad. I had somehting come up and I'll be out of town on Oct 20th.

So, same deal pretty much...13th....moved the start time up too.

All details are changed on the thread. Peep them here: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=25585&forum=4&16

I was right where Matt tried to climb the rigging, and as soon has he saw the waiter coming to stop him, he gracefully apologized and moved along. It all happened really fast, so no surprise that there are no photos.

Here are the last the Tour Pics. (mine, anyway)

http://www.northeasttikitour.com/pics/index.htm

The ones at the beginning of the page I posted earlier.

Thanks again to everybody who made it a great time. Don't forget to patronize our Tour Friends if you want to see a Tour next year!

Thanks Pappy! At least know I saw the infamous "rigging". To many swashbuckler's as a kid and too many Mai-Tai's as an adult! Just be glad there weren't any swords hanging about.

Just catching up on all the happenings - Bargoyle is the run tasting now on Sept 13th? If so, I cant make it. Damn.
Hey all NE tiki family - Lilikoi and Rapscallion are finally tying the knot.
Must have had something to do with the tiki tour!!! Can't imagine what else it could be.
October 5th is the day. Just a little something at home with the JP.
But it wouldn't be wedding without some tiki, right??? So I'm -errr, we - are planning to go to the Bali Hai for a couple (he he he) of drinks (theirs are pretty damn good) then perhaps up the road to Kowloon...
We'd love the company of any who'd like join us. Bali Hai sometime around 7:30 or 8:00...

On 2007-09-12 18:06, Rapscallion wrote:

Hey all NE tiki family - Lilikoi and Rapscallion are finally tying the knot.

Congrats!

Congrats Rapscalion!!!

I'm not sure if we can make the reception at the Hai, but we'll try.

Sorry you cant make Rumology 101, but perhaps the 201 class at our northern extention school will work?

Bargoyle, Rum 201 sounds great. I hope to work my way up to some graduate level courses.

Congratulations!!

Congratulations! May your marriage be sweeter than a singapore sling and stronger than a zombie (Awwwwwwwww). Sorry Nicole and I won't be in town that weekend.

On vacation this week, and doing some Tiki hunting. Of the stops from the Northeast Tiki Tour, which ones had mugs for sale? I'm thinking of trying some of the stops over the week.

I have to make up for the missed event..

Cheers!

Rick

Bali Hai and Kowloon were the ones with mugs. Bali Hai had some nice ones with their name on the back. Kowloon had a MUCH MUCH larger selection, but lots of it was the typical stuff you can find online. Don't be afraid to ask if they can go out back and hunt down ones with the Kowloon name on them....

Congrats and good luck Lilikoi and Rapscallion! May the Tiki Gods shine great fortune over your new life together!

As Tiki Magazine didn't use any pictures we sent 'em, I'll post a link here. Well, actually, I'm too lazy to sort them out so here's a link to ALL the pics I took that day (that didn't feature a giant thumb). These are all full-sized, hi-rez and G rated. After this week, they're getting zapped so take any ones you want.

"I can't die until the government finds a safe place to bury my liver."
Phil Harris

[ Edited by: pappythesailor 2013-09-20 03:00 ]

They also had to edit Gina's article down to less than half of its original size, so in the near future we'll post it in it entirety on the NETT site (with Gina's permission of course)

Jebus! We were a rag tag mob of messy so-n-sos by the time we got to Kowloon!