Category: 00 Tiki Time

Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar

10/19/2018

Fairmont San Francisco

When Don and I learned about the Tonga Bar, we were so excited we switched our evening plans and had an Uber take us to The Fairmont Hotel, instead. Our driver drove us to the top of Nob Hill, but instead of taking us to the classy front entrance, he dropped us on the side.

We walked in a side door and got pretty lost. But that was no problem. It was 5pm and the popular lounge had just opened. We weren't in too big of a hurry.

The Grand Lobby

The Fairmont is a fun place to get lost in. The swirling columns in the lobby did not look very Polynesian. We moved on.

Hidden Down Below

We found the entrance to the exotic lounge in the basement. There was a crowd, even though the bar had only been open for 5 minutes. There was a line of people, hoping to dine beside the lagoon, when the food service began at 6.

The Fairmont Plunge

In Pre-Tonga Room days, things looked a little different in the lower level of the hotel. In 1929, a 75-foot swimming pool was added to the hotel. Traveling guests and movie stars, like Ronald Reagan and Helen Hayes, were lured to the new hotel pool!

Tropical Paradise

By 1945, the pool became a lagoon when MGM set designer, Mel Melvin transformed the area into a tiki themed paradise.

A Floating Boat/Bandstand

It took a while for our eyes to adjust when we first made our way inside. The blue-green water surrounding the boat, reflected the playful light display above.

The Bar

It took us a while to figure things out. The tables on both sides of the water were reserved for diners. The bar, housed inside what looked like a pirate ship, had a few available tables. We attempted to grab one, but learned there was a system for bar seating. No seats for us.

Hanging By the Lagoon

We were totally fine with standing at the railing, near the lagoon. We had a great view of the water. The diners, under their palapas and the mostly younger-than-us-crowd at the pirate bar, gave us some good people watching. And of course we had some very yummy drinks in coconut cups and tall tiki glasses, with lots of umbrellas and fruit.

Empty Boat

I was very curious about the lagoon's best feature. Back in the day, the boat acted as a floating stage, with an orchestra. The boat was empty and quiet during our visit, but I'm sure it gets put to use on weekends.

My Pirate

My very own pirate kindly posed for me, so I could capture a little of the bar area, with all its bamboo and ropes. Don was pretty delighted with the place, that he'd just read about hours before. If only we'd had more planning time, we would have dressed in our tropical best. Next time.

Rainstorm!

We hadn't been in the bar long before we experienced our first storm. There were many of them and the thunder and lightening and rainfall, made us crack up each time. It was very clear which guests were visiting for the first time. They were the ones grinning and attempting photos, like us.

Enjoying the Decor

Don and I kind of loved our little spot right on the railing, where we could take in all the carved decor and thatched roofs. We were busy taking it all in, when a young couple, asked to share a little of the railing space. They turned out to be a delightful pair and we swapped lots of stories.

Sharing the Railing

We were glad to that our new friends were just as giddy over all the tropical gimmicks, as we were. They had seen The Tonga Bar featured on Anthony Bourdain's show and were excited to finally make a visit, themselves.

They couldn't stay long, since they were going to see a friend perform Flamenco at another club. They invited us along and we were tempted to add Spain to our international evening. But we had plans for dinner in Chinatown.

Next Time

We hardly had time to scratch the surface at The Fairmont, but it was time to move on. We waited for our Uber, under the blowing flags. We will definitely come back for some Polynesian dining next time. Maybe we can stay the night... if we win the lottery.

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Tiki Time at Hale Pele in Portland!

8/26/2018

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Celebrating with the Kiddos

Don and I love tiki bars and we have passed that on to our children.

Maybe that's not a good thing. But it seemed like the perfect thing, after we helped our daughter and son-in-law move into their new Portland apartment, in August.

It was about a 1-mile walk from the apartment, but a lot easier than flying to an exotic island!

Happy Hour!

The hostess met us at the door, wearing a mumu and a flower in her hair. She hardly looked like a bouncer, but she asked all 4 of us for IDs. Then she led us to a table and handed us menus.

Thunder Storms and Volcanic Eruptions

We weren't seated long before the lights dimmed and a pounding drum-sound filled the lounge. Some kind of misty-smoke puffed out into the space and filled the tropical room. The whole volcanic eruption was pretty silly and we were the perfect audience.

A while later a little rain storm drama gave us some more excitement. Gotta love some lightening and thunder, when you're surrounded by glowing blowfish and carved tiki faces.

Our Cozy Booth

We felt pretty lucky to have gotten the last booth. The cute little storefront tiki bar wasn't very large. After our eyes adjusted enough to read the menu, we placed our exotic orders.

Lots of Fruit and Rum

The Happy Hour special for $6.00 was hard to beat. I just had to get the Blue Hawaii, with a floral accent. Don got the Lapu Lapu, in memory of our favorite tiki bar from 35 years ago... The Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach, CA.

Cheers to the Newlyweds

Jamie and Heidi were ready to celebrate, since they had just completed their TX to OR drive and had spent the day unpacking. What a perfect place to start enjoying their new hometown, Portland!

Nibbles and Drinks

Luckily we found something besides drinks on the menu, which meant some of us were able to sample a second tiki cocktail. The drinks were marked for strength, which was helpful, for this lightweight.

Happy Staff

The staff was more than willing to do a little pose behind the bar for me. Or maybe they were scared to say no, to the lady who was old enough to be everyone's mom. Anyway, the staff was friendly and we left happy. Can't wait to return!

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Tiki Tolteca in 2017

8/16/2018

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Tiki, Nola Style!

I'm having a throwback spotlight on a tiki-evening we enjoyed in the French Quarter.

Up We Go!

A year ago in May, we were in New Orleans for our son's graduation from Tulane Law. This was one of the places he wanted us to experience.

You just have to do what your son wants, so we entered the white door and headed up the stairs. Two wicker chairs welcomed us, with some coconut art!

Dark

Tiki bars are almost always dark. It takes some nerve to flash your camera, when the locals are gathered at the bamboo-canopy-bar.

Art on a Brick Wall

But the island masks and ship decor were all worthy of my camera's sudden spotlight.

Cozy Corner

Luckily it was early and there was ample seating available. We found the best corner.

Moai and Flames!

Sitting beneath the Moai tiki god, we felt the need to order something equally bold. The flaming bowl of booze lit up the corner!

Heidi and Jamie

Our daughter and her fiancee were happy to demonstrate, how to share a rum-filled cocktail.

Plus Boozy Bears

To balance out the dangerous adult drink, we added a playful order of gummy bears on ice. Of course the bears were filled with alcohol, so it wasn't exactly balancing anything.

The Kids

It's kind of scary how many photos we have with our kids enjoying cocktail adventures. Oh well.

With the Parents

This guy graduated from law school the next day, so I guess all our parenting wasn't bad. Cheers to Scott and cheers to tiki bars!

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Jungle Bird in Sacramento

6/8/2018

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Tiki Time in February!

It was chilly when Don and I visited the California capital, early this year. Our son and daughter-in-law had just moved from New Orleans and their blood was as thin as our Texan blood. Surrounding ourselves in tropical decor, sounded like a good idea.

Scott and Chali had heard about the Tiki Bar in Sacramento's Midtown. We arrived on a Sunday night to check it out. For a moment, the dark windows made us think the place might be closed. But evidently the windows are kept dark on purpose.

Corner Hut

The first thing we saw was a corner bar, under a thatched roof. The bamboo stools were mostly taken, but luckily there were more options for seating.

Birds!

There were birds hanging from the ceiling, but also a wall covered in bird prints. Don and I love a tiki theme, but this additional bird theme should have pleased our son the most. As a little boy, Scott was obsessed with birds. He had as much bird decor at his 4-year-old "Bird-Day Party" as the well decorated tiki bar.

Where to Sit?

The 4 of us were hungry and cold and ready to cozy up with food & drink in the jungle atmosphere. Luckily it was early and it wasn't crowded. The wicker chairs would have been nice, if it had just been Don and me. One corner had a nice little palapa roof and some carved masks.

Dining in Back

We found a nice table in the back with some interesting art work above our heads.

I'm pretty sure there is a good story behind every collected piece in the bar/restaurant.

I wanted to ask a ton of questions, but our server was a little rushed. She clearly was not up for chit chat, about all the tiki decor surrounding us.

Festive Drink Menu!

I've never been in a tiki bar that was bright enough to read a menu. My cell phone light was helpful, though. There were lots of delicious drink ingredients to choose from, but I basically chose my drink because of the vessel it was served in.

Posing

We hadn't even had more than a sip or two, when we snapped these photos. But these drinks made us very cheery. Our drinks came with fruit garnishes and umbrellas, curly straws and lots of alcohol. I'm lightweight, so I took my time.

Tabar Island Toucan

All the drinking containers were mighty fine, but I was the only one who had to hand over my credit card for collateral. My 10-dollar drink with vodka, syrup, mint and lime was worth it. Evidently, my credit card would have been charged $100. if my 4-pound copper bird had accidentally slipped into my large purse.

Our Tiki Gang

The youngin's were good sports when I asked our, not so friendly server to take our photo. But after 3 sips of tiki drinks, none of us were too concerned about looking touristy.

Pu Pu Platter

It's never a good idea to do your tiki-drinking on an empty stomach. We shared a Pu Pu Platter and a rice bowl. Having a flame at the table added a little more drama, but we didn't really use it. The food was satisfying, but mostly Jungle Bird is about the drinks.

Music Changes

After enjoying ourselves a while, the vibe suddenly changed at Jungle Bird. Early on, we'd enjoyed sipping our drinks, to the Faux-Polynesian Exotica tunes of Arthur Lyman. There is no better music for Tiki! Suddenly at 9 pm, the volume was cranked up and sounds of Metallica, replaced marimba and bird sounds. Ugh. Our little escape to paradise, lost its magic. We finished up and ordered an Uber.

Inquiring Minds...

The next day I called up Jungle Bird. I had to find out what the deal was. Maybe they turned on that music to get the Oldsters out. It turns out, we were experiencing Savage Sunday. Every Sunday at 9 pm, the tropical music haters get to enjoy a little heavy metal. Good to know.

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Sip 'n Dip Lounge in Great Falls, MT

10/26/2015

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Liquid Lunch?

Last month, Don and I found ourselves driving through Great Falls around the lunch hour. I did a quick search on TripAdvisor in search of food. Suddenly I laughed out loud. "What!!"

The O'Haire Motor Inn

Sometimes you have to make a quick change in plans when an opportunity just leaps out at you. Don and I forgot lunch and headed for a retro motor inn, built in 1962. As it turns out, they do have a decent cafe, but we were headed for the lounge with the curious name, Sip-n-Dip. In recent years, we have developed a thing for kitschy lounges, especially Tiki themed. We couldn't pass this up.

Where?

The pleasant woman behind the lobby desk said the lounge was indeed open. She pointed to a door and we headed upstairs. This seemed very silly.

Since 1962

There were no customers when we entered the dimly lit lounge. We walked past the piano bar, which was carefully covered with cloth, waiting for 81 year old "Piano-Pat" and her next performance. Marcy, the bartender seemed a little surprised when we decided to sit down and have cocktails.

Mermaid Images

Don and I were pretty giddy over the bamboo ceiling and shell decor. We've visited a few iconic Polynesian style places in California and Las Vegas, but none of them had quite this focus on mermaids. Not only were there mermaid lamps and mermaids painted on black velvet... there were "real" mermaids!

Where?

Sadly there were no mermaids performing on Sunday afternoon, but we got to see the glass windows behind the bar where the mermaids swim... on the nights that Piano-Pat is not performing.

Tropical Drinks

If we'd been on a cruise ship or a beach in Mexico, it would have made more sense to be sipping a Blue Hawaiian and a Mai Tai around noon. We weren't even watching mermaids perform. We were basically watching Marcy clean up the bar from Saturday night. But Marcy was a good sport and took our picture and then her husband came upstairs from the restaurant and joined us for a bit.

Learning the History

Marcy's husband Donnie looks a little weary in this photo. He has been the hotel's bar and restaurant manager for 13 years, so he should be tired. But actually it's just bad timing with my camera. He was actually pretty animated and enthused as he told us stories about the lounge.

Colorful Place

Donnie said the tiki themed lounge has stayed pretty much the same since the motor inn first opened. The pool wasn't built for shows, but for motel guests. The windows just happened to look through to the bar area. They added a mermaid show about 20 years ago, but guests are still welcome to swim when there are no shows going on. "Sometimes guests have to be removed from the pool if they do anything inappropriate." Now that was a bit of a creepy thought. I didn't ask any more questions about that.

The Pool

Donnie took us up the stairs to see the enclosed pool. It was hard to see the underwater windows, so I wonder how many guests have gone swimming, unaware. Supposedly there are signs warning you, but I didn't see them. Donnie said they usually have 4 mermaids per show and they take turns just swimming around for 4 hours, in their special mermaid tails and bikini tops. "We have to lock them in this pool area when the show starts. You gotta keep out the crazies."

Posing With... The Window

Macie invited us behind the bar for a photo. That was sort of silly since there were no mermaids to pose with, but we ended up hearing more stories. Marcy said years back, Daryl Hannah and Nick Nolte were in town filming, when they stopped by the lounge. Daryl recreated her mermaid role by trying on a tail and swimming in the pool. Both signed the glass, but their autographs were lost a few years later when the glass had to be replaced due to a crack. Luckily the pool was drained before 22,000 gallons flooded the lounge.

What a Hoot!

Don and I were tempted to change our road trip route and stay a night at the motor inn. If we could have enjoyed Piano-Pat and Mermaids in one evening, we might have gone for it. We'll put it on the Next Time List.

Who knows, maybe we'll bump into David Letterman if he gets really bored with retirement. Donnie said he hasn't shown up yet, but now and then he leaves his nearby ranch and comes to local ballgames. He might show up. Don and I have noticed, retirement makes people try odd things!

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Tiki Time Out West

7/8/2014

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Tiki Stops in Nevada & California

This past spring Don and I had a chance to make 3 retro Tiki Stops on our road trip from Texas to California and back. There wasn't much dining to be had at the first and no time for dining at the other 2, but they were all quite worthy of a write up!

1- Frankie's in Las Vegas!

Being in Vegas puts you in the retro mood. We took a 10-minute cab from our hotel to this 24-hour lounge, far from the touristy Strip. Our driver chuckled with us and took our photo before entering. (More or less wishing us luck) When we stepped back out later that evening, we got to see the bright pink neon.

Interior

When we entered through the red door, we thought our daylight eyes would adjust. They didn't. It was so dark we couldn't see the bamboo walls or mermaid on the ceiling, until viewing these "flashy" photos.

Décor

It took nerve to use the camera flash, since we seemed to be the only tourists. But we wanted to see (and remember) this awesome setting that was designed by Bamboo Ben. He and owner P. Moss, with the help of a number of tiki artists created an atmosphere of southseas exotica and modern primitivism! Frankie's Tiki Room has been hopping since it opened less than 10 years ago. I admire Moss' mission to revive the tiki glory days while preserving the name and stucco structure of an actual 1950's Vegas cocktail lounge.

Bar & Drinks

The bar was an exciting clutter of Polynesian delights. The black and white TV played beach-y film clips while retro island music played. We used our cell phones to light up the tropical menu, all priced at $9. It wasn't an easy choice since there were 77 cocktails offered at Frankie's. I chose a tasty, coconut Malakula. The menu gave it 3 skulls for "strength" instead of 5.

Bartender, Mike

A space opened at the bar, so we moved to chat with Mike, the most energetic, upbeat bartender you could hope for. Being tourists, we bought some quite amazing tiki mugs designed by a local artist and Mike called our cab. There's no food to be had at Frankie's, so some of us can only linger so long. But it was well worth the cab fare to come enjoy for a while!

2- Bali Hai in San Diego Area

We discovered this tiki lounge/restaurant on Shelter Island after seeing it pictured, along with a recipe in a 1959 Ford Motor Co. Travel Cookbook. We were mighty excited to find it open and still being operated by the same family since 1955!

Not Sure...

These Polynesian figures are shown in the cookbook illustration. No one seems to know the full history of the character nicknamed "The Goof" on the roof top. The other greeter was by the door. "Mr. Mai Tai" was less cheery, but equally odd. I'm not sure about political correctness at tiki bars, but there were many more carved tiki figures to wonder about once we stepped inside.

Grand Round Room

When we stepped inside, we were greeted by live acoustic Hawaiian music and about 100 tiki artifacts.

The shiny, massive support logs were impressive, as was the wall of glass with its spectacular view of San Diego Bay. But from 4 to 6, the action was centered around the dramatic bar under a narrow cone-shaped ceiling.

Mai Tais

We squeezed in at the corner of bar, with light illuminating the thick stone surface. The timbers holding the cone roof held dangling lanterns and glowing puffer fish, as well as a sign with changing numbers. A man drinking a Mai Tai beside us, warned us about the strength of Bali Hai's Mai Tais. "No juice. You have to be careful." Just then, the sign changed to 2,285,362. That's a lot of Mai Tai's served at Bali Hai!

So we each ordered a Mai Tai.

I ordered mine in the special Mr. Mai Tai mug. Once again, I'm not sure about these tiki images. But I think the half closed eyes are a reminder of what you will look like if you have more than one.

Meal with a View

The dining area was beginning to fill around 6, but we had to take off. It would have been nice to have dined with that view!

Quick Chat Before Leaving

Big Brian, (as he told us to call him) was the only bartender. He was moving fast, whipping out the cocktails, but I couldn't leave without showing him the cookbook. That odd book had acted like a treasure map, luring us to our little our island paradise. Big Brian's reaction was pretty fun! He nearly hopped over the bar to get to the book. He was giddy over the "Chicken of the Gods" recipe and raced back to the kitchen (abandoning the bar) to show the chef. It was a perfect ending to our second Tiki Adventure. (I look like I had numerous Mai Tais in this photo)

3- Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach, California

It was a bright Sunday afternoon when we found Don's on the Pacific Coast Highway. Once again we aimed early for a tiki visit, but the place was throbbing by 5.

Arriving

The wonderful swooping roof and swordfish sign lured us right off the Highway. It was tricky getting into the parking area, which was bustling with very efficient traffic directors, who must double as security guards or bouncers. They were having their weekly Reggae Event and we made the mistake of trying to go in the VIP door. We eventually found the bamboo door in front, with sign. "Host to Diplomat and Beachcomber, Prince and Pirate."

"Don" or Ernest Gantt from Texas

This is the guy who started the real Polynesian craze in 1930's Hollywood. Inspired by his own island travels, he ended up with a chain of Tiki Lounges all over the country and a list of over 80 patented drinks. None of the original restaurant/lounges remain, but the nostalgic chain has been revived in 3 US locations. The other 2 are in Hawaii.

The Other Don

I had my Don pose with the sign before heading in. A man snickered nearby, when I snapped the photo. "He must be important!" the man teased. I agreed, "Oh he is! This is Don." I felt bad when I had to explain to the man that "my" Don wasn't "The" Don. That Don died in 1989 at 82. I guess the teasing man was a tourist or he would have known that.

Dining

Once again, I wish we had been able too stay for a meal. It would have been a slice of tropical heaven to sit beside a waterfall or Hawaiian mural and sample the Polynesian foods that became especially popular after WWII. The real tiki craze began in the '40's after soldiers returned home, craving the exotic foods they had sampled in the Pacific. I'm sure there wasn't really anything that unusual about the dishes served up then or now, with all their decorative pineapples and flowers, but I wouldn't mind trying!

The Bar

We passed up the Reggae event, and headed for the cozy Dagger Bar where karaoke was in full swing at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Enjoying the Show

Once again we found ourselves relaxing with more locals than tourists. There seemed to be some karaoke regulars and a few were pretty decent. A couple made us wince, but that's all part of it. The fine fellow with gray beard, knit Rasta hat, braids and croqueted eye patch (with crocheted eye) was quite the performer. The lai-adorned woman pictured dancing along, was actually our delightful server. I had a chance to tell the "pirate" he did a nice job before we left. He said "Thanks!" instead of "Aye!" So I guess we didn't get to meet a pirate, prince or diplomat after all.

The Hut... Next Time!

We only had 3 Tiki Adventures on our trip. But on our way home we did spot this fine image not far from our hotel in Tucson. We'll have to try The Hut on our next Western Road Trip! I have a feeling there could be many more to choose from. Tiki is making a comeback!

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Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar

Tiki Time at Hale Pele in Portland!

Tiki Tolteca in 2017

Jungle Bird in Sacramento

Sip 'n Dip Lounge in Great Falls, MT

Tiki Time Out West

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