After five years in business, The Foggy Grotto has now closed. We thank you for your patronage.

It looks good at Mach One.
Uh, Roger.
DCS arm switch is on.
OK, Victor.
Landing rocket arm switch is on. Here comes the throttle. Circuit breaker's in.
We have separation.
Roger. Inboard and outboards are on. We're comin' forward with the sidestick.
All looks good.
Uh, Roger.
I've got a blowout. Damper three.
Get your pitch to zero.
Engine's out. I can't hold altitude.
Correction. Alpha hold is off. Trip select is emergency.
Flightcom, I can't hold it. She's breaking up. She's break-

It is with great sadness that I must announce the closing of our home bar, The Foggy Grotto. Since the Grotto opened in 1999, it has served more drinks to people from around the world than I ever thought possible. And many of those drinks were served to the good people I've met on Tiki Central. (Well, mostly to Pablus). Some of our best memories have been within these four lauhala walls, and we thank each and every one of you for being a part of them. Parties, Tiki Crawl Pre-Parties, the TC Drink Contest, the list goes on and on. We decided not to have a farewell party because it would simply to depressing and maudlin, much as this post is turning out to be, so I'll wrap it up.

The reason we're shutting down is because we are moving out of San Francisco. I have recently lost my job (company went bankrupt) and we can't afford the big city anymore. This is why I have only been on TC in a kind of spotty way lately. PCs must be packed, ISPs changed, etc. So I'll be back with moe information when I have it. Wow, could this post be any more cheery?!

I hope it doesn't seem self-absorbed to post this in the main discussion area, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone.

So, I will end on a positive note: Of course, this doesn't mean I'm throwing in the tiki towel. Far from it. Like a phoenix, the Grotto will rise again, hopefully by the end of the summer. And I hope you folks will make the trip up to northern Marin County to christen it.

The Foggy Grotto.
A bar barely alive.
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it.
We have the technology.
We have the capability to build the world's first bionic tiki bar.
The Foggy Grotto will be that bar.
We can make it better than it was before.
Better.
Stronger.
Faster.

I'm so sorry to hear that Martiki. It's really a good thing, though--now you'll have an opportunity to start fresh and use the lessons learned from doing it the first time to build the Perfect Foggy Grotto. Was your first Mai Tai your best one? Hell no!

In the meantime, I hope your move isn't too terribly stressful, and that you love your new location.

Hey, I'll bet you'll even have parking near your new place! Wow!

Martiki forgot to add that any one who helps him move gets to take home a box of tiki mugs! :)

Foggy Grotto RIP!
Novato Grotto here we come!!!

Thanks for the drinks, memories and hangovers....ouch!

The Foggy Grotto served the best drinks in the Bay Area, offered by two of the finest, most generous hosts that can be found. Thanks for raising the bar (pun intended) on home tiki bars Martiki! We'll miss it, but hopefully we won't have to miss you two. The best of luck on your move. May all your mugs arrive in one piece!

Martiki,

Sorry to hear about your job loss and relocation. I have however found that when I was faced with similar situations, something better always resulted. I wish the same for you.

Nothing is over, it's just changing.

Actually, this is a happy post.
A new horizon is always positive.
The one thing that sucks is that I did not have the opportunity to dine at the Grotto.
At least you have Mr. Vice Grip’s Bamboo Bar up there as well.
Long Live Novato Grotto!
GOOD LUCK!

On 2004-06-09 12:38, thejab wrote:
The Foggy Grotto served the best drinks in the Bay Area, May all your mugs arrive in one piece! (AT MR SMILEYS PLACE!!!!)

edited by Mr Smiley. :)

On 2004-06-09 12:38, thejab wrote:
The Foggy Grotto served the best drinks in the Bay Area, offered by two of the finest, most generous hosts that can be found. Thanks for raising the bar (pun intended) on home tiki bars Martiki! We'll miss it, but hopefully we won't have to miss you two. The best of luck on your move. May all your mugs arrive in one piece!

Well that Tiki sucks! Foggy Grotto was the best Tiki bar in San Francisco. And, second the rest of The Jab's post.

midnite (who?)

Well, thank goodness, I was starting to wonder if midnite_tiki had gone to partake in that great big bottomless Mystery Drink in the sky! Welcome back.

Also: in my earlier post, I negleted to say mahalo nui loa for all the great times, great company, great entertainment and yes, great drinks at the Foggy Grotto. It was a home bar of uncommon quality, and it will be missed while it's on hiatus.

I too, am honored to have had the good fortune of enjoying the magic of the Foggy Grotto. May it Rest in Peace.

Martin, sorry to hear the bad news. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Can I sew you some Tiki curtains for the new place?

I'm so glad I got to enjoy the fantastic drinks and island hospitality of the Foggy Grotto.

And - got it on tape as well.
As the Right Rev. Bamboo Ben would shriek: SCORE!!!

Looking forward to seeing your next incarnation.

Martin, can I do your hair up nice? oops, no hair, can I do your nails then,.... wash your feet?

There is no death, only a changing of worlds.

I never had the good opportunity to visit the famed Foggy Grotto, but got to drink a couple of Martiki's tastey libations at the Oasis.
Sorry to hear about losing your job, but hoping it'll turn out better in the end, including the future Grotto.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
foooooey, I never made it to the
famous Foggy Grotto.
Dagnabit.
Your new tiki bar will rule even more I bet.
I will make it a point to see the fabulous new place when it is finished.
hmmmm, another great stop for next years
SF tiki crawl?
Hope so!
PEa

On 2004-06-09 12:20, martiki wrote:

The Foggy Grotto. A bar barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic tiki bar. The Foggy Grotto will be that bar. We can make it better than it was before.
Better.
Stronger.
Faster.

The Six Million Dollar Bar - Excellent!!

An Era closes,
A new age dawns on the horizon.

I was one of the lucky ones to sample the exquisite nectar at this remarkable Eden by the bay. It's passing is a sad day indeed. There is new hope and larger living rooms in the suburbs. Good luck Martin and Rebecca may this minor setback lead you to greener pastures and more mysterious grottos. We tip our Mai-Tai to you. Good luck.
Mahalo,
Al

Wishing both great luck which I doubt you'll need after all the good feelings you have been responsible for through your tireless tiki effots.

I feel your pain, my man...

Even though I am very new to the TC, I know personally it is never fun to have to move, expecially when it is not by choice, I hope that your relocation is smooth and as worry free as possible, I am saddened that I was never able to personally visit the Foggy Grotto, but I do look forward to the future of meeting you both and having the chance of drinking in the Grotto 2.0

Hey Martin, you won't be coming out here for business anymore? Or are you going to try to get a job with another exporter?

What's your middle name? Whose your daddy? Do you play well with others?

whew

I made it to the Kahiki before it closed, and to The Foggy Grotto I (one) before it met its demise!

Silver lining:
That means I get to look forward to FG II!!

(sorry about the job loss. Their loss and Marin County's gain.)

F

Martiki, look forward to the rise of the Foggy Grotto II, hopefully in the near future.

Martiki, I can't wait to see what you create next! And just think...you're gonna have a YARD, right?!? Ohhh, the Tiki Possibilities!!!

I'm so glad I got to experience Foggy Grotto I, though. It was a true paradise. I'll never forget it.

(Funny, have you noticed your new bar seems to have a name already? hee hee. There's got to be a Marin County joke we can work in, though...)

Please bear in mind that as an out of work slob I have not just the inclination but also the actual free time to help you guys out any way I can. I'm just a phone call away, meep meep. Make use of me, I'm bored here in Valhalla, I mean Vallejo, and I want to avoid dealing with my own monolithic moving nightmare!

Hope to see you soon--

XOX Tikivixen

All the best to the Martikis. With your good looks, charm and quick wit, youse will have no problems with life wherever you are. Thanks so much for your hospitality over the years and I can't wait to break in the new foggy grotto! Closer to wine country, too! I'll help stock your cellar with primo vino.

-Weird Unc

Playing some long delayed catch up with TC.

Many many thanks for everyone's kind words. I need to get to work right away on The Novato Grotto because there is crap everywhere. It looks like someone set off some kind of tiki-bomb in here. Plus, I need a home for the 260 bottles of booze that we packed up. Progress reports and trips to OA will follow shortly.

Mahalo to you all.

Martin & Rebecca - Thanks for opening up The Grotto to us. I can honestly say I had the best cocktail ever in my life there (the Havana Club Mojito). We enjoyed the grotto immensely and your gracious hosting was always second to none. Can't wait for the Novato Grotto! Hey, while I'm unemployed maybe you need some help? What time do we knock-off for drinks???

A fine gathering - Int'l Tiki Day I think this was.

Best. Drinks. Ever.

Martiki, I know that your new grotto will be at least as lovely as the first. Unfortunately, there will undoubtedly be a lot of work in-between!