Author: Hurricane Hayward

A journalist and Florida resident for more than 40 years, Jim "Hurricane" Hayward shares his obsession with Polynesian Pop and other retro styles on his blog, The Atomic Grog. Jim's roots in mid-century and retro culture go back to his childhood in the 1960s, when he tagged along with his parents to Tiki restaurants and his father's custom car shows. His experience in newspaper journalism and more than 20 years as an independent concert promoter have given him a front-row seat in the South Florida scene since the 1970s. He promoted hundreds of rock, punk, and indie concerts under the Slammie Productions banner since the early 1990s. A graduate of the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications in 1983, Jim was a longtime editor and web producer for The Palm Beach Post before his retirement in 2022. He earned his nickname by virtue of both his dangerous exotic drinks and his longtime position overseeing tropical weather coverage in his stormy home state. Jim now spends his time mixing cocktails, attending events and writing stories for this blog, which launched in 2011. The Atomic Grog extensively covers events, music, art, cocktails, and culture with a retro slant.
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Dada in Delray Beach embraces rum with new cocktail menu

If I have one complaint about the proliferation of craft cocktail bars, it’s that many of the mixologists tend to shun perhaps the most versatile and tasty base spirit of them all. Of course, I’m talking about rum.
Related: Innovative watering holes fuel rise of craft cocktails

A barrel of small-batch rum at Dada in Delray Beach
A barrel of small-batch rum at Dada in Delray Beach. (Facebook photo)

So when I heard that Dada in Delray Beach – already one of the best spots for mojitos in South Florida (not to mention the award-winning food) – was expanding its bar menu to include new rums and cocktails, I regained my faith in the new cocktail culture. It took a while to get down there to check out the offerings, but on a recent visit I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and variety of the drinks. Pairing them with delicious food and lounging in Dada’s outdoor dining area only enhanced the experience.

Previous: A Taste Of … Dada in Delray Beach (February 2013)

While Dada is often mentioned among the top restaurants to grab a cocktail, and boasts some acclaimed bartenders, it’s typically not mentioned in the same breath as some of the area’s top craft cocktail spots. The mojitos are great, but there was nothing there for those who prefer a classic, or something a little less fruity. That all changed last summer, when Dada released its own line of small-batch spiced rums.

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A journey back in time on Main Street U.S.A. uncovers author’s ‘Disney side’

The latest marketing effort from the PR folks at the Disney parks urges guests to “show the world your Disney side.” For many fans, that simply means posting photos and video, acting goofy and showing their love for the iconic brand.

A young Hurricane Hayward enjoys his first visit to the Magic Kingdom in December 1972
A young Hurricane Hayward enjoys his first visit to the Magic Kingdom in December 1972. Finding the location of this photo today became quite a challenge.

But to truly show your Disney side, you first have to find it. My search was a bit more complicated than most. It started with my first visit with my future wife in 2009, involved a trip back in time to 1972 in search of a mysterious turn-of-the-century street, and culminated with a simple haircut.

I recalled most of this story in a letter published in the March/April issue of Celebrations, a magazine for fans of the Disney theme parks, resorts, and films. Below are more details along with the story’s conclusion.

My first visit to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando was in late 1972. I have vivid memories of the Main Street parade, the Haunted Mansion, the monorail, and much more. Over the years, the few photos that remained from that trip continued to remind me of that initial exposure to the magic. But it was another 37 years before I returned, and much had changed by then.

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The Hukilau adds new band, symposium to lineup for June’s ‘final aloha’

UPDATES: The Hukilau says ‘Aloha’ but not goodbye, adds more entertainment (May)
The Hukilau announces return for 14th year in 2015 (April)

With tickets rapidly selling out and Tikiphiles flocking from around the world for the 13th and final edition of The Hukilau, organizers could certainly rest on their laurels. Instead, the annual Tiki event in Fort Lauderdale is getting an injection of new entertainment to add even more value (and fun) to the festivities.

The Sweet Hollywaiians perform at the Bahia Mar during The Hukilau in June 2010
The Sweet Hollywaiians perform at the Bahia Mar during The Hukilau in June 2010. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014, at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort and The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale. Get tickets and make hotel reservations now at TheHukilau.com. Get updates on the Facebook page.
Previous post: Schedule announced for The Hukilau’s ‘Final Aloha’ in June

The Sweet Hollywaiians, one of the most memorable bands in the history of the event, will be making the trek from Osaka, Japan, to perform for the second time. The ensemble, formed in 2002 by a group of street musicians, carries on the 1920s and ’30s string band tradition with their all-instrumental arrangements. They seamlessly combine a smorgasbord of vintage styles such as Hawaiian, Swing, Ragtime, Blues, Calypso and Italian. The foursome plays an array of string instruments, such as lap steel guitar, banjo, tipple, ukulele, mandolin, and bass.

The band first wowed The Hukilau faithful in 2010, when they performed at the Bahia Mar and The Mai-Kai. They will return to both venues in 2014, headlining the Friday night Main Event at the hotel and making a special Mai-Kai appearance on Saturday. Previously announced entertainment includes The Left Arm of Buddha from Belgium, The Smokin’ Menehunes from California, and Florida bands The Intoxicators, Skinny Jimmy & The Stingrays, Slip and the Spinouts, and Gold Dust Lounge. Click here for more info on the bands and special guests.

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Disney World announces refurbishment schedule for Polynesian Resort, but no word on Trader Sam’s

UPDATES: Disney rushes to finish Polynesian renovations, Trader Sam’s (March 2015)
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto design, merchandise revealed (October 2014)
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village (May 2014)

One year from now, stepping into Disney’s Polynesian Resort in Orlando could be a much different experience. With construction on the 42-year-old iconic hotel’s timeshare additions in full swing, work appears to be moving forward on the resort’s nerve center, the Great Ceremonial House.

Previous post: Trader Sam’s could be key part of Disney’s Polynesian Resort refurb

Construction sign at Disney's Polynesian Resort
Construction sign at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

Last week, Disney World officially announced that the Great Ceremonial House – the giant A-frame building designed after a Tahitian royal assembly lodge – will be refurbished from March through December. Capt. Cook’s, the 24-hour quick-service restaurant perhaps most well-known for its self-service Dole Whip machine, will be closed during dates to be announced from some time in March until June. The adjacent Wyland Gallery has already closed and won’t be re-opening. No other specific restaurant or store closings or changes have been officially announced.

Disney is tight-lipped, as usual, about exactly what the Great Ceremonial House will look like when work is complete. But Polynesian insider Steve Seifert is reporting on his authoritative Tikiman Pages website that the long-rumored addition of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is expected to be completed by February 2015. This report, along with all the official dates, comes with the usual caveat that Disney reserves the right to take as much time as it needs, pushing projects well into the future.

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Schedule announced for The Hukilau’s ‘Final Aloha’ in June, tickets selling fast

UPDATES: The Hukilau says ‘Aloha’ but not goodbye, adds more entertainment (May)
The Hukilau announces return for 14th year in 2015 (April)
The Hukilau adds new band, symposium to lineup for June’s ‘final aloha’ (March)

In just over four months, tikiphiles from around the world will flock to Fort Lauderdale for The Hukilau’s 13th and final celebration of authentic mid-century Polynesian Pop culture. If you want to join the party, you might want to act fast. All-access tickets and one special event have already sold out.

The Intoxicators at The Mai-Kai during The Hukilau in June 2013
The Intoxicators at The Mai-Kai during The Hukilau in June 2013. The Tallahassee surf band has performed every year since 2005. (Photo by Go11Events.com)

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014, at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort and The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale. Get tickets and make hotel reservations now at TheHukilau.com. Get updates on the Facebook page.
Previous post: The Hukilau announces entertainment lineup for ‘final aloha’

The tentative full schedule was just posted on the official website, providing the first day-by-day rundown of all the festivities. Also recently announced was the sellout of author and historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s symposium on the Tiki cocktail de-evolution and revival. “Tiki’s Dark Ages: From Fern Bars To Rebirth” is scheduled for Thursday, June 12, at 1 p.m. in the dining room at The Mai-Kai restaurant.

But you’re not entirely out of luck if you missed out on tickets to Berry’s final symposium at The Hukilau, and perhaps his last for quite a while as he turns his attention to his upcoming Tiki bar in New Orleans. He will be meeting guests and signing books, including his new Potions of the Caribbean, at the Cocktail Kingdom vendor booth in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar at the host hotel, the Bahia Mar Beach Resort.

Continue reading “Schedule announced for The Hukilau’s ‘Final Aloha’ in June, tickets selling fast”

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Innovative watering holes fuel rise of craft cocktails in Palm Beach County

The craft cocktail scene in Palm Beach County has come a long way in a very short time. No longer must residents trek south to Fort Lauderdale or Miami to get a wildly creative adult beverage skillfully made by talented mixologists.

Nowhere is this recent explosion more evident than in a list of the Ten Best Bars for Cocktails in Palm Beach County published this week on the food blog Clean Plate Charlie on the Broward/Palm Beach New Times website. Only one of the 10 existed before 2009, a testament to the impact these establishments have had on the local food and drink scene.

The Dead Ringer cocktail (Cruzan Black Strap Rum, Velvet Falernum, fresh lime, Dandelion & Burdock Bitters, plum bitters) at Sweetwater Bar & Grill in Boynton Beach
The Dead Ringer cocktail (Cruzan Black Strap Rum, Velvet Falernum, fresh lime, Dandelion & Burdock Bitters, plum bitters) at Sweetwater Bar & Grill in Boynton Beach. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, June 2013)

While such lists are always subjective, I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with writer Nicole Danna’s top picks. I’ve been singing the praises of Sweetwater Bar & Grill (No. 1), Kapow! Noodle Bar (No. 2), and Hullabaloo (No. 4) for the past several years.

And I’m eager to check out No. 3 on the list, HMF, which is technically a new venue (est. in late 2012) but is housed in The Breakers, Palm Beach’s historic hotel originally built by railroad pioneer Henry Morrison Flagler (aka “HMF”) in 1896. The grand hotel’s main bar was re-imagined as a swank cocktail den inspired by mid-century style, classic cocktails and delicious small bites (it was featured in an episode of Emeril’s Florida on the Cooking Channel).

The other three joints are a bit more accessible to the Average Joe, but they all offer spectacular food and drinks that are far from pedestrian. Sweetwater, which opened in 2009, remains my second favorite spot in all of South Florida to indulge in those pleasures (trailing only a certain 57-year-old Polynesian palace in Fort Lauderdale). The food menu may be small, but ingredients are always fresh and the dishes decadent and delicious. I can’t get enough of the tacos (pork or fish), sliders (beef or bison) and flatbreads.

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Mai-Kai cocktail review: Tiki Swizzle bows out, joins list of ‘lost cocktials’

Updated June 2018
See below: Our Tiki Swizzle review | UPDATE: Official recipe
Related: New cocktail menu unveiled at anniversary party | Mai-Kai cocktail guide
NEW: The Mai-Kai updates bar menu, adds classic ‘lost’ cocktail

In 2014, when The Mai-Kai rolled out the first major update of its classic menu of tropical drinks in decades, it also made the rare introduction of a new cocktail. The Tiki Swizzle also held the distinction of being the only drink on the menu to feature spiced rum.

The Tiki Swizzle in September 2016. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Tiki Swizzle in September 2016. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Unfortunately, the Tiki Swizzle’s a run on the menu didn’t last long. It was removed during the next major menu update in May 2018, replaced by the iconic Suffering Bastard.

While four years may be a long run on a menu at a modern craft cocktail bar, it’s merely the blink of an eye at The Mai-Kai. Most of the drinks have been on the menu for decades, and a majority date back more than 60 years to the restaurant’s 1956 inception.

The Tiki Swizzle now joins a small group of “lost cocktails” that were removed from the menu over the years. While certainly not as iconic as the Demerara Float or Liquid Gold, it does have a back-story and history that connects it to the current Tiki revival.

The drink was introduced at The Hukilau in June 2013, created by The Mai-Kai for Kahakai Tiki rum. It was promoted in the months that followed on special table cards in The Molokai bar and proved to be so popular that it made its way onto the revamped menu.

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The Hukilau announces entertainment lineup for ‘final aloha’ in Fort Lauderdale this June

UPDATES: The Hukilau says ‘Aloha’ but not goodbye, adds more entertainment (May)
The Hukilau announces return for 14th year in 2015 (April)
The Hukilau adds new band, symposium to lineup for June’s ‘final aloha’ (March)
Schedule announced for The Hukilau’s ‘Final Aloha,’ tickets selling fast (February)

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014, at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Get tickets and make hotel reservations now at TheHukilau.com. Click the links below for more info.

When Tikphiles from around the world gather in Fort Lauderdale in June for the 13th and final edition of The Hukilau, they’ll be treated to an eclectic assortment of bands, speakers and entertainers that the event has been known for, from an “exotic” orchestra from Belgium to Tiki’s most famous cocktail author.

The official website launched early today with full details on the five-day festival that honors authentic mid-century Polynesian Pop culture like no other. The entertainment lineup includes seven bands, two special guest performers, four symposium speakers, and a cruise through Fort Lauderdale’s famous waterways.

Continue reading “The Hukilau announces entertainment lineup for ‘final aloha’ in Fort Lauderdale this June”

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Historic Mai-Kai celebrated, new cocktail menu unveiled at anniversary party

Updated Jan. 20, 2014
NEW: The new cocktail menu made its public debut on Jan. 17. Check out our review and recipe for the new drink, the Tiki Swizzle.

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The Mai-Kai celebrated its 57th anniversary with a customer celebration party that not only recognized the landmark Polynesian restaurant’s storied past, but also looked ahead to the future.
* See below: New tropical drink menu sneak preview

The Mai-Kai's new cocktail menu (right) harkens back to its 1956 original (left), with all the drinks displayed on an impressive centerspread
The Mai-Kai’s new cocktail menu (right) harkens back to its 1956 original (left), with all the drinks displayed on an impressive centerspread. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

There was much to celebrate at the Saturday, Dec. 28, event: The recent historic designation by the city of Oakland Park, the 50th anniversary of a longtime employee, and the screening of a new PBS documentary filmed at The Mai-Kai. But attendees were also given a sneak peak at what’s to come: The first major redesign of the Tiki palace’s iconic cocktail menu in more than 30 years.

The celebrating actually started on Friday night, with a rare South Florida performance by instrumental surf band The Novarays in The Molokai bar. The Orlando band ripped through three sets of classic covers and original tunes. On Saturday, the bar was nearly full at 1:30 p.m. for an early happy hour to kick off the day’s special events.

The several hundred guests then filled the main dining room, which sits beneath the original, awe-inspiring A-frame structure built in 1956 by brothers Bob and Jack Thornton, a couple upstart restaurateurs from Chicago who envisioned the world’s grandest Polynesian palace in Tiki’s mid-century heyday.

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Rum festival expands, introduces Miami Cocktail Week in 2014

2014 Miami Rum Festival recaps:
Upstart spirits share spotlight with major players | Cocktails reach new heights

As distillers and brands expand their offerings to meet the public’s ravenous appetite for rum, the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival continues to grow exponentially. Now entering its sixth year, the festival is adding an exciting new feature – Miami Cocktail Week – to its list of events that cater to both industry reps and consumers.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

“We’re expanding the size and scope of the festival again this year,” said show manager Robin Burr in a Dec. 30 announcement. “Rum producers from many more countries will participate in the exhibition, bringing an exceptional selection of cane spirits to a larger audience of consumers that appreciate fine rums.”

The event’s major draw will continue to be the Grand Tasting events held Friday for industry and press VIPs, and Saturday-Sunday for consumers. The $50 admission price ($75 for VIP access) gives participants unlimited samples of a dizzying array of rums and cocktails. Last year, more than 200 were on display.
* See The Atomic Grog’s 2013 review and recap

“There is no better way to discover all the best rums in the world from so many different countries,” Burr said in the announcement. “We’re excited to introduce many new upscale luxury rums to our friends that appreciate the finest quality.” The weekend events will also again include expert seminars, live music and island lifestyle vendors.

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