August 30 2009 Officially Mai Tai Day in Oakland!

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A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 11:53 AM OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL HEAD REBECCA KAPLAN TO OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM AUGUST 30 "MAI TAI DAY" IN OAKLAND AT THE CONGA LOUNGE! CELEBRATE THE MAI TAI'S 65TH BIRTHDAY AT THE CONGA LOUNGE, THE HOME OF THE OAKLAND MAI TAI CAMPAIGN, RIGHT HERE IN OAKLAND, HOME OF THE MAI TAI! In August 1944, "Trader" Vic Bergeron invented the original Mai Tai recipe at his first restaurant on San Pablo Ave., right here in Oakland. Not Hawaii. Not Tahiti. Not Manhattan. Not even the exotic island of Alameda, home of the Conga's sister tiki lounge, Forbidden Island. It was in OAKLAND. http://www.tradervics.com/mai-tai-1.html THE CONGA LOUNGE has mounted a two year campaign, created by Mano and Michael Thanos and aided by their Jersey enforcer Will the Thrill, to have the Mai Tai officially proclaimed the Cocktail of Oakland, since it famously and internationally conjures universally positive images of retro-relaxation, portable Polynesia, a liberal lifestyle, multi-cultural mixology, exotic diversity, delicious creativity and the friendly spirit(s) of Aloha - just like Oakland, itself the perfectly blended urban cocktail. It is a pop cultural milestone that deserves recognition. Your hosts for this special celebration: Conga Lounge co-founders Mano Thanos and Michael Thanos, and tiki publicist Will "the Thrill' Viharo and his lovely wife Monica Tiki Goddess (of Thrillville and formerly Parkway renown) Featuring: Vintage Exotica and Classic Hawaiian music from DJ Tropic! LIVE hula dancers! $5 Mai Tais - both Vic Bergeron's original recipe and the Conga's popular "remix"! Free appetizers and more! Sunday, August 30, 5-10PM Officially declared MAI TAI DAY IN OAKLAND by Big Kahuna council rep REBECCA KAPLAN - in person!! at THE CONGA LOUNGE 5422 College Ave (above Cafe Rustica), Rockridge, Oakland - "Home of the Mai Tai" http://www.congalounge.com/ Press contact: Will "the Thrill" Viharo, 510.701.4633 As our savior Jack Lord would say: Be there. Aloha. Will "the Thrill" Viharo http://www.thrillville.net/ http://www.willthrillville.blogspot.com/ http://www.forbiddenislandalameda.com/fi/ http://www.congalounge.com/ [ Edited by: AquaZombie 2009-08-07 13:19 ]
CL Coco Loco Member Exotic Isle of Alameda Joined: Mar 21, 2004 Posts: 820	CL Coco Loco Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 12:07 PM Congratulations Will and Michael!!! I know how hard you worked on this. It's a good thing for Oakland. Oakland's a great town and anything that helps it's positivity is good!! Well done gentlemen!
JW Jason Wickedly Tiki Socialite LBCTIKI Joined: Jan 01, 2008 Posts: 704	JW Jason Wickedly Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 1:49 PM That's pretty awesome news, congratulations guys. In related news, Mad Dog 20/20 has been named the official drink of Long Beach.
P pablus Tiki Socialite www.thecrazedmugs.com Joined: Jul 23, 2003 Posts: 2163	P pablus Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 2:51 PM NO POLITICS! just kidding... that's pretty remarkable work. Next stop, Sacramento.
TB Trad'r Bill Tiki Socialite Hercules, CA Joined: Oct 14, 2008 Posts: 498	TB Trad'r Bill Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 4:23 PM I definitely don't mean to be a killjoy here, but does this mean the city council opted to not name the Mai Tai as the official cocktail of Oakland, but rather name August 30th as Official Mai Tai day? Either way this is a cool accomplishment and I will be there on the 30th to celebrate! Trad'r Bill
M Mongoloid Member Long Beach Joined: Apr 25, 2008 Posts: 590	M Mongoloid Posted posted on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 5:21 PM On 2009-08-07 13:49, Jason Wickedly wrote: That's pretty awesome news, congratulations guys. In related news, Mad Dog 20/20 has been named the official drink of Long Beach. That's right Jason and i see that you are a man of distinguished taste with your choice of raspberry! After drinking this you become the most interesting errrrrr drunkest man in the world!
MM Molokai Mike Member the birthplace of the Mai Tai Joined: Jun 26, 2003 Posts: 513	MM Molokai Mike Posted posted on Sat, Aug 8, 2009 10:36 AM On 2009-08-07 16:23, Trad'r Bill wrote: I definitely don't mean to be a killjoy here, but does this mean the city council opted to not name the Mai Tai as the official cocktail of Oakland, but rather name August 30th as Official Mai Tai day? Well, not really. Or at least I hope not! As we reported in the earlier thread http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=32436&forum=1&25 the item was not agendized for the July 28th Council Meeting because the Rules Committee did not have a quorum. So, the soonest that it could happen would be mid September, because the Council is on summer recess following the July 28th Council meeting. All the city folks we've spoken with are still very much in favor of the resolution, especially Rebecca Kaplan. Personally, I think that by her drafting the Mai Tai DAY resolution, she's putting it out there and hoping to convince her fellow city council members to pass the Official Cocktail resolution come post-summer recess.
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Wed, Aug 12, 2009 1:27 PM A shout out in DIABLO MAGAZINE online: http://www.diablomag.com/D-blog/Diablo-Dish/August-2009/Oakland-Invented-Mai-Tai-Gets-it-039s-Day/index.php
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Thu, Aug 20, 2009 2:19 PM FYI Though we'll open at 5PM, Rebecca Kaplan will be presenting the official proclamation of MAI TAI DAY IN OAKLAND at 6:30PM sharp on Sunday August 30 at the Conga. I suggest getting there way earlier....aloha, Will check out Tanoa's postcard:
D dcman Member Upstate New York Joined: Apr 25, 2009 Posts: 116	D dcman Posted posted on Thu, Aug 20, 2009 6:27 PM I used to live in Oakland (and later farther into the East Bay), but moved out close to 10 years ago. I happened to be visiting there less than 2 weeks ago (see thread under tiki travel about visiting Trader Vic's and the Tonga Room). We actually stayed in downtown Oakland for the first half of our trip, and the city is clearly starting to revive after many years of decline. I was thrilled to see some life and good things returning. Go to Le Cheval (not-tiki), for some damn good and reasonably priced french-vietnamese cuisine. Get the vietnamese coffee, kind of like a mocha that has enough caffeine to keep you up for days. I'm sorry I'm going to miss this this whole mai-tai thing, I would have loved to be there.... dcman
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Tue, Aug 25, 2009 6:04 PM Here's an article on MAI TAI DAY from the Oakland Tribune (and in all the affiliate Bay Area Newsgroup papers around the Bay), print version comes out Sunday: http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_13201236 aloha!
MM Molokai Mike Member the birthplace of the Mai Tai Joined: Jun 26, 2003 Posts: 513	MM Molokai Mike Posted posted on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 11:32 AM Conga Lounge's Mai Tai Anniversary Party - this Sunday! Rebeca Kaplan's Mai Tai Day proclamation at 6:30pm. Channel 7 has confirmed they will be there. Head on by in your finest tiki attire! Forbidden Island will be participating as well, by offering $2 off all Mai Tais all day long!! Viva La Mai Tai!! Viva Vic Bergeron! 65 years ago this month
TB Trad'r Bill Tiki Socialite Hercules, CA Joined: Oct 14, 2008 Posts: 498	TB Trad'r Bill Posted posted on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 9:21 PM The Trad'rs will be in attendance - sounds like fun! See you there Mike Let's see if we can get Rebecca Kaplan a little tipsy :D Trad'r Bill
JT Jungle Trader Member Trader's Jungle Outpost, Turlock, Ca. Joined: Jan 04, 2003 Posts: 3772	JT Jungle Trader Posted posted on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 11:18 PM Oakland gets classy. Much cool!
BB Bora Boris Mr. Unreasonable Boogie Wonderland Joined: Mar 25, 2005 Posts: 2616	BB Bora Boris Posted posted on Sat, Aug 29, 2009 12:14 AM Congratulations Mike, Will and Oakland!
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 12:54 AM It was a great night! If you missed it, you can watch it all here, thanks to Larry Kakos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKsZwe97COo Hella pix by photographer Stephen Woo here http://picasaweb.google.com/swoophoto/MaiTaiAtTheCongaLounge# We made the 11 o'clock news on NBC, too! a few of my own shots below. aloha! with city council head Rebecca Kaplan, her chief of staff Andre Jones, Michael and Mano Mano and Rebecca, together at last! it's official: Mai Tai Day! Monica Tiki Goddess, Rebecca and me Hula dancers! Michael's wife Denise with my wife Monica Our star bartenders: Jarrod and Jordan [ Edited by: AquaZombie 2009-08-31 14:58 ]
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 1:47 AM Here's the text of the proclamation: WHEREAS the Mai Tai was created in 1944 by legendary restaurateur Victor J. "Trader Vic" Bergeron at the original Trader Vic's on San Pablo Ave and 65th Street in the City of Oakland (formerly known as "Hinky Dink's); and WHEREAS, the Mai Tai "conjures universally positive images of retro-relaxation, portable Polynesia, a liberal lifestyle, multicultural mixology, exotic diversity, delicious creativity and the friendly spirit of Aloha - just like Oakland itself, the perfectly blended urban cocktail" said Will Viharo in an Oakland Tribune article recognizing the Mai Tai; and WHEREAS, the Mai Tai, Tahitian for "the very best," is known worldwide as the quintessential tropical cocktail; and WHEREAS, Oakland is a thriving, diverse and creative community which deserves its recognition as the Birthplace of the Mai Tai; and WHEREAS, Oakland continues to to be a destination for world class entertainment, food and drink, the home of an innovative and flourishing nightlife, and about which Her Caen wrote that the "best restaurant in San Francisco is in Oakland;" Now therefore I, Rebecca Kaplan, At-Large Council Member of the City of Oakland proclaim, on this thirtieth day of August two thousand and nine, Mai Tai Day in the City of Oakland. Molokai Mike with Rebecca Kaplan, city council rep of Oakland [ Edited by: AquaZombie 2009-08-31 02:00 ]
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 12:10 PM Famous local news anchor Diane Dwyer just sent me this link on the NBC page, though it incorrectly states Rebecca declared the Mai Ta the official drink, we're still working on that... http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around-town/food-drink/Cheers-to-Oakland-the-Home-of-the-Mai-Tai-56359902.html
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 1:50 PM These were taken by Enid Westberg, she has a great camera! The last one is me with Trader Vic's PR rep Tara O'Leary. [ Edited by: AquaZombie 2009-08-31 13:51 ]
L leleliz Tiki Socialite NorCal Joined: Sep 02, 2008 Posts: 1982	L leleliz Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 2:01 PM I love Oakland and this is great news. Congrats to everyone who put their effort in to make this happen. Having lived here for a few years now i have to say that Oakland is one of my favorite places to hang out and something like this just shows what positive direction the city is moving in. Viva la Oakland!
A AquaZombie Member Thrillville Joined: Aug 01, 2003 Posts: 461	A AquaZombie Posted posted on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 6:00 PM Oh yea, forgot this one, check it out - the old guy is named Henry, he worked at the ORIGINAL Trader Vic's in Oakland!!
C christiki295 Member LA-2547 mls east Hawaii &5500 Easter Is Joined: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 3837	C christiki295 Posted posted on Thu, Jun 16, 2011 12:37 AM On 2009-08-07 11:53, AquaZombie wrote: OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL HEAD REBECCA KAPLAN TO OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM AUGUST 30 "MAI TAI DAY" IN OAKLAND AT THE CONGA LOUNGE! CELEBRATE THE MAI TAI'S 65TH BIRTHDAY AT THE CONGA LOUNGE, THE HOME OF THE OAKLAND MAI TAI CAMPAIGN, RIGHT HERE IN OAKLAND, HOME OF THE MAI TAI! Is this an annual holiday?
H Hamo Grand Member (3 years) Colorado (via Iowa) Joined: Aug 22, 2016 Posts: 2068	H Hamo Posted posted on Fri, Aug 30, 2019 5:54 PM Happy 10th anniversary to Oakland's Mai Tai Day!

Pages: 1 22 replies