Mr Smiley Visits the MAI-KAI

Hello, Mr. Smiley will be visting the Mai-Kai and Some other attractions in Florida this weekend. If you have any personal comments or reccommendations of places to visit, please email me at before Wedsnesday night. Thanks.
I will be visiting places between Ft. Lauderdale and Isla Morada. If you have any general recommendations for any one visiting Forida(like the Hukilau folks in June), please feel free to post them here as that could be useful to all of us---thanks

Smiley, I lived in Miami for three months last summer. Email me if you need more info on the following suggestions.
Fox's, on highway 1 in Coral Gables is an authentic, totally original, 50s lounge. Everything is as it was, including the menu (where else can you get a manhattan to go with your Hungry-man-style shishkabob?). Even some of the clientele look like they've patronized the place since the 50s.
The art-deco district in Miami Beach is a pleasant surprise. It's much bigger than I expected (occupies a considerable area) and the buildings are nice eye-candy as are the beach goers.
Fort Lauderdale has a great flea market called the Swap'n'Shop (aka the circus flea market). If you can get past the elephants that are sadly paraded around the parking lot in shackles, it's well worth a visit. I found tons of rare old Mai Kai junk there in only three visits. Now's the perfect time to visit too as the weather is not too hot. I think they are open 7 days. I also had very good luck at Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale thrifts, but no luck whatsoever in Miami thrifts (and I visited them all, believe me).
The old neighborhoods of Coral Gables are stunning and worth poking around if you have some time to kill. If visiting Fairchild (see below) drive south from Coconut Grove on Old Cutler Road. The banyan's, other landscaping, and the houses are all spectacular.
If you have a lambretta scooter, then you probably should visit Casa Lambretta, in Coral Gables.
If you like plants, you've got to check out the Fairchild Tropical Garden (www.ftg.org) in Coral Gables (South of Miami). Their web page can't convey the beauty of the Garden. Again, if you like tropical plants, you have to make some time to visit. Their gift shop is kind of cool, also. They don't stock tiki stuff per se but have a lot of nice tropical accessories and a great bookstore if, like me, you appreciate obscure plant books.
Miami is a very interesting city...I miss it. Have fun.

[email protected]
http://www.tikigardens.com

On 2003-03-16 21:53, traderfranks wrote:
Fox's, on highway 1 in Coral Gables is an authentic, totally original, 50s lounge. Everything is as it was, including the menu (where else can you get a manhattan to go with your Hungry-man-style shishkabob?). Even some of the clientele look like they've patronized the place since the 50s.

Some great suggestions. I wish we had consulted with you last year when we (me and mrsmiley and 2 others) went to Florida. We did go to Fox's and we loved that bar! Very friendly and great atmosphere.

Just a reminder to mrsmiley of other places we went to last time:

Also in Coral Gables is the Biscayne Miracle Mile cafeteria for filling & cheap food that tastes much better than one would expect cafeteria food to taste like.

http://digitalcity.com/southflorida/dining/venue.adp?vid=62124&type=overview

In Miami Beach there's an old steakhouse called Curry's with great neon signs and old murals of hawaiian scenes inside. I thought the food wasn't that great but I would try it again.

http://digitalcity.com/southflorida/dining/venue.adp?vid=120924

Don't forget Wolfie Cohen's Rascal House!

http://digitalcity.com/southflorida/dining/venue.adp?vid=62265

There's the Wreck Bar!

http://www.sheratonclipper.com/

Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor (a lot like Farrell's) on Hwy. 1 in Dania Beach, as mentioned in this recent article:

http://www.philly.com/mld/miamiherald/living/5371833.htm

WARNING: Don't go to any bars on Lauderdale Beach and South Beach - those damn Spring Breakers will be out in force this time of year! Same goes for Holiday Isle at Islamorada!

Thanks for the info--if any one else has anything to add, please do.
nice meeting you at the crawl, Traderfrank.

It was nice to meet you, too. Too bad we didn't get a chance to talk more. Laura told me you were a mod and also revealed the Smiley secret...A clever play on words!
I also really enjoyed meeting the Jab. I've been on email lists with Dean for almost ten years, I think, but only met him for the first time at the Tiki Crawl.

[email protected]
http://www.tikigardens.com

Are there any good places to snorkle on the East Coast of Florida in the general area of Ft. Lauderdale down to Islamorada? By good, I mean with clear enough visibility to be worth the trouble. Thanks

Oh, by the way Enid and I (bruce) will be at the Mai-Kai tommorrow night (Thursday) around 9 pm for drinks if anyone is in the area. We might have dinner Friday or Sunday night --I haven't decided which night

A co-worker friend of mine just got back from a trip to Florida (he went to the Mai Kai on my suggestion!) and had an incredible day snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park near Key Largo. The best coral reefs in Florida are a ways offshore so you have to take a boat out there. When we tried snorkeling at Bahia Honda we didn't go out far enough to see anything.

At John Pennekamp they take you out on a boat and rent you the equipment for about $30 a head. You should start early to allow for driving out there. They have you wear life vests so beginners shouldn't feel nervous about getting in the water. They also have glassbottom boat tours for $20 to the area but I think you can see much more by snorkeling.

http://www.pennekamppark.com/

General article about snorkeling in the keys:

http://www.flausa.com/interests/article.php/articleId=22496/superSection=Interests/section=divesnorkel

On 2003-03-19 10:44, mrsmiley wrote:
Oh, by the way Enid and I (bruce) will be at the Mai-Kai tommorrow night (Thursday) around 9 pm for drinks if anyone is in the area. We might have dinner Friday or Sunday night --I haven't decided which night

You are going to have dinner and see the show right? Enid should get to experience that once.

"You are going to have dinner and see the show right? Enid should get to
experience that once"

YES, JABBO, we are going to do dinner and the show--bruce

This was an old post--I love going to the Mai Kai in Ft "Luau"derdale!!! The Hukilau trip was #5 in 3 years, I believe. Not bad for a California boy!

I just rec'd news that the Biscayne Cafe in the Miracle Mile is CLOSED for good!!!!!