Category: Art

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The Hukilau 2019 rewind: Photos and video from social media

The Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau 2019

Updated Jan. 23, 2020

Like the daily thunderstorms that didn’t seem to dampen anybody’s spirits, The Hukilau careened through Fort Lauderdale last week for its 18th annual Tiki weekender with an exhaustive schedule of events at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel, B Ocean Resort and the historic Mai-Kai restaurant.

See below: The Atomic Grog’s social posts
More from The Hukilau villagers: Instagram | Facebook | Flickr | YouTube

The Hukilau 2019 official artwork by Baï
The Hukilau 2019 official artwork by Baï.

The host Pier Sixty-Six shut down immediately after the event for several years of expansion and renovations, so it was a bittersweet party. But that didn’t stop The Hukilau’s villagers from throwing their cares to the wind while enjoying a seemingly limitless supply of Tiki cocktails, educational symposiums, mixology and craft classes, dozens of live music performances, vintage mermaid swimshows, all-day pool parties, dinner and shows at The Mai-Kai, plus a whole lot more.

Photos: 10 highlights from The Hukilau 2019 in Fort Lauderdale NEW
Photos: 10 highlights from The Hukilau 2019 in Fort Lauderdale
Take a look back at the five days of festivities at Pier Sixty-Six and The Mai-Kai with dozens of photos and many memorable moments, plus two bonus cocktail recipes.

Look for more upcoming posts with photos and special reports on events including the Tiki Tower Takeover and our Rums of The Mai-Kai class and symposium. Here’s a look back at all the fun via social media posts …

Continue reading “The Hukilau 2019 rewind: Photos and video from social media”

Minimalist Tiki
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The Hukilau 2019 latest news and updates

Updated Jan. 23, 2020

Photos: 10 highlights from The Hukilau 2019 in Fort Lauderdale NEW
Photos: 10 highlights from The Hukilau 2019 in Fort Lauderdale
Take a look back at the five days of festivities at Pier Sixty-Six and The Mai-Kai with dozens of photos and many memorable moments, plus two bonus cocktail recipes.

The Hukilau 2019 rewind: Photos and video from social media
The Intoxicators play Friday night's High Tide party at Pier 66 during The Hukilau 2019. (Photo by Hukilau Mike)
>>>> SOCIAL POSTS FROM THE ATOMIC GROG AND VILLAGERS

The Hukilau 2019: Women of Tiki take over the tower
The Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau 2019
Thursday, June 6, was tropical cocktail heaven during the opening festivities of The Hukilau at Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina in Fort Lauderdale. The signature Tiki Tower Takeover cocktail party included eight of the world’s top female Tiki bartenders. Between sampling all the delicious drinks, hanging out with friends and enjoying the gorgeous views from the 17th-floor Pier Top Lounge, we managed to snap a few photos. Coming soon, a blog recap featuring more photos plus cocktail reviews and ratings.
>>>> CLICK HERE FOR THE FACEBOOK PHOTO GALLERY

MORE RECAPS COMING SOON

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Event spotlight: Arizona Tiki Oasis brings Polynesian Pop party to the desert

Arizona Tiki Oasis artwork by Mookie Sato

April 12-14 – Arizona Tiki Oasis in Scottsdale. An island lifestyle party in the middle of the desert at the historic Hotel Valley Ho resort. Featuring a marketplace with more than 60 curated artisans, more than 20 educational seminars, mid-century architectural tours, live mermaid performance, art show, luau featuring Polynesian dancers, plus more.
* Facebook event | Event app | Official program
The Tiki Times: See all the upcoming events

Arizona Tiki Oasis
Arizona Tiki Oasis artwork by Mookie Sato.
Live on social media
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The Hukilau 2019 update: Last party at Pier Sixty-Six? Rooms, events selling fast as new cocktail classes added

The Hukilau 2019 update: Last party at Pier Sixty-Six? Rooms, events selling fast as new cocktail classes added
The Rums of The Mai-Kai with Hurricane Hayward
New cocktail classes on sale: The Rums of The Mai-Kai with Hurricane Hayward and Tiki Mayhem with Daniele Dalla Pola, Georgi Radev and Ian Burrell. Click here or scroll down for details
NEW: Full preview of The Rums of The Mai-Kai, presented by The Atomic Grog

Updated June 1
Click here for updates on sold-out events, see the full schedule:
The Hukilau 2019 Pier 66 map
NEW: THE HUKILAU 2019 – Unofficial Schedule
Due to popular demand, The Atomic Grog presents a handy-dandy schedule in spreadsheet format for all five days of the upcoming Tiki weekender in Fort Lauderdale, including lots of new info like band set times, Saturday night at The Mai-Kai and more. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE

As The Hukilau fast approaches its 18th annual Tiki weekender in Fort Lauderdale in June, hotel rooms at the host Pier Sixty-Six are sold out, and the more popular symposiums and classes are filling up. But new events are still being added, including a Saturday cocktail class and Sunday symposium on the rums of The Mai-Kai hosted by The Atomic Grog.
* More below: Passes available | Special event tickets | Pop-up Tiki bars | New, upcoming

More on The Atomic Grog: Tiki Tower Takeover sold out – Preview, photos and complete history

Meanwhile, news just broke that Pier Sixty-Six will be closing for a massive two-year renovation immediately after The Hukilau 2019. This news is not unexpected, and plans for a new 2020 site have been in the works. “There should be no uncertainty that we will have a great venue for 2020,” said The Hukilau’s owner/organizer, Richard Oneslager. “I do think it’s the end of an era at Pier Sixty-Six, and it is special that we get to cap it off.”
See more below: Is this the last fling at Pier Sixty-Six?

The Hukilau: Wednesday through Sunday, June 5-9, 2019, at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina, B Ocean Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Featuring Tikiyaki Orchestra, Tikiyaki 5-0, Surfer Joe, The Volcanics, The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Gold Dust Lounge, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, The Swingin’ Palms, Slowey and the Boats, King Kukulele, Brother Cleve, Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid, Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell, and 25 top Tiki bars and bartenders from around the world.
* TheHukilau.com | Facebook: Page and Group
ORDER NOW: Get your multi-day passes and individual event tickets
SCHEDULE: Check to see what’s happening on all five days

The Hukilau 2019 designs by French artist Baï
The Hukilau 2019 designs above and below by French artist Baï.
(Click above for larger version)

Pier Sixty-Six, a landmark property developed in 1956 on the Intracoastal Waterway and home of The Hukilau since 2015, has sold out of rooms for the event. But The Hukilau organizers have lined up a great back-up option less than a mile away, directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach. The recently renovated B Ocean Resort, formerly known as the iconic Yankee Clipper, has plenty of rooms at a special rate for villagers attending the festive Polynesian Pop party.

Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid endorses her favorite rum during a swimshow at The Hukilau 2016. (Provided by Medusirena)
Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid endorses her favorite rum during a swimshow at The Hukilau 2016. (Provided by Medusirena)

Staying at “The B” also gives attendees easy access to The Wreck Bar and its porthole views of Medusirena, aka Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid and her retro revival swimshows featuring her “pod of aquaticats.” The Hukilau will provide a free shuttle between the hotels, running from breakfast until 2 a.m.
BOOK A ROOM: Click here for the link to get the special rate

Marina’s special shows for The Hukilau are always among the more popular events, and capacity is limited in The Wreck bar to allow all paid attendees prime viewing. So it’s advised that you act now if you don’t want to get left out. There are three performances on the schedule, but Wednesday night’s late-night burlesque show and Thursday’s 2 p.m. show are already sold out. Tickets remain only for the 2 p.m. matinee on Friday ($20 plus service charge).

Other sold-out tickets as of May 20:

Continue reading “The Hukilau 2019 update: Last party at Pier Sixty-Six? Rooms, events selling fast as new cocktail classes added”
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Inuhele celebrates Atlanta’s meteoric rise as Tiki destination

Updated Feb. 17

What city best exemplifies the recent explosive growth of Tiki bars and Polynesian Pop culture? A strong argument could be made for Atlanta, which has been blessed with at least three new exotic cocktail destinations since 2015. Now, in just its second year, the Tiki weekender known as Inuhele has greatly expanded to include three days of bar-hopping, panels, vendors, bands, demos and more geared to the area’s burgeoning scene.

Feb. 15-17 – Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend
See below: Bonus cocktail recipe – Makani Pahili
* Previous story: Iron TikiTender goes on tour at Inuhele
Inuhele: Atlanta's Tiki Weekend
* Facebook event | Get tickets
The Tiki Times: See all the upcoming events

Tiki in Atlanta

Tim "Swanky" Glasner, who will be presenting a symposium at Inuhele 2019, was one of the co-creators of The Hukilau in Atlanta in 2002.
Tim “Swanky” Glasner, who will be presenting a symposium at Inuhele 2019, was one of the co-creators of The Hukilau in Atlanta in 2002.

The vibrant multicultural city has long had a connection with modern Tiki and its surrounding subcultures. After all, the Atlanta Hilton hosts the country’s longest operating Trader Vic’s location, circa 1976. The Hukilau started there in 2002 before moving to Fort Lauderdale the next year. Atlanta is home to talented lowbrow artists such as Derek Yaniger and Jonathan M. Chaffin of Horror in Clay. And there’s a longtime instrumental surf scene celebrated at the annual Southern Surf StompFest, along with a history of events (such as the late, great Drive Invasion) spotlighting other retro music styles.

But things really got interesting when the Tiki and craft cocktail revivals merged, creating a hot trend among bartenders and owners worldwide. Atlanta caught the bug, resulting in the opening of The S.O.S. in Decatur, just northeast of Atlanta, in 2015. In 2018, the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta saw the opening of Tiki Iniki, the first stateside franchise location of the concept created by Todd and Michele Rundgren in Hawaii. And while not truly traditional, Match Bamboo Lounge offers spirited aloha in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood.

Derek Yaniger at Inuhele 2019

Meanwhile, the city’s Tiki underground organized on Facebook in The Atlanta Tiki Revival Society group. And the area’s home bars (such as the Enchanted Treehouse High on the Hooch, Mon-a’ Roa Lanai, and The Kingfish Lounge) received high ratings and worldwide recognition on the Critiki website.

Just in time for Inuhele 2019, the city will get its newest full-blown exotic cocktail locale when the ambitious, three-story Tiki Tango opens in the former Lava Lounge space in Midtown (grand opening set for Friday, Feb. 15). The opening will indeed be grand. As part of the festivities, there will be an attempt to set a record for the world’s largest Mai Tai with a 55-gallon cocktail.
Press coverage: Say ‘aloha’ to Tiki Tango, Midtown’s new three-story Tiki bar
* First Look: Tiki Tango brings Tiki drinks and food to Midtown
* Atlanta Eats: Polynesian vibes and specialty cocktails

About Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend

All this activity spurred Horror in Clay’s Jonathan and Allison Chaffin to organize the first Atlanta Tiki Homebar Tour, dubbed Inuhele (for “cocktail journey”) on Feb. 24, 2018. It was a small affair with 50+ people taking a bus tour of local home bars for a day, then concluding the night at Trader Vic’s.

Atlanta Tiki Home Bar Tour

For 2019, the Chaffins are taking Inuhele to the next level as a full-blown weekender on the same scale as other mid-sized Tiki events such as the pioneering Tiki Kon in the Pacific Northwest, which also started as a home bar tour nearly two decades ago. The Marriott Century Center has been secured as the host hotel, and the Chaffins promise “a weekend of bar hopping, panels, bands, demos, sharing of ideas, and most importantly community building.”

Eekum Bookum at Inuhele 2019

The community definitely came together to help make such an ambitious undertaking possible. Among the more than a dozen sponsors are:
* Tiki Tango, host of the “Tiki Hop-on Hop off Shuttle” and Friday night party.
* Spiribam rum specialists, presenting sponsor of the home bar bus.
* BG Reynolds, the premium bar syrups purveyor and man behind the “Iron TikiTender On Tour” event that will take place on Saturday at the Marriott.
* Royer Corp., the popular swizzle stick manufacturer known for its cutting-edge designs.
>>> See all the sponsors here

Inuhele highlights

Friday kickoff and bar crawl: Events at the Marriott Century Center include classes and meet-ups, the trading post, a DJ dance party with Brother Cleve, plus more. Meanwhile, a bus will shuttle guests to Trader Vic’s, Tiki Tango, and Tiki Iniki all evening.

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Hukilau 2019: Tickets on sale, book your room now for June 5-9 bash in Fort Lauderdale

The Hukilau 2019

The Hukilau has announced an impressive lineup of bands, bars and booze experts as it launched a new website with tickets now on sale for the 18th annual Tiki weekender in Fort Lauderdale. Guests can also book rooms at two hotels: the host Pier 66 and the nearby B Ocean Resort.

The Hukilau 2019

Among the highlights:

First-time performances by Surfer Joe, The Volcanics, The Swingin’ Palms, and Slowey and the Boats. Plus these returning musicians and DJs: Tikiyaki Orchestra (and Tikiyaki 5-0), Brother Cleve, The Hula Girls, King Kukulele, The Intoxicators, Gold Dust Lounge, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, James Brown’s Sweat.

New guests bars from across the world: Laki Kane (London), Esotico (Miami), Archipelago (Washington, D.C.), 4 Kahunas (Arlington, Texas), Manolito (New Orleans), The Polynesian (New York City), Tiki TNT (Washington, D.C.), UnderTow (Phoenix), The Zombie Village (San Francisco), and Tiki Underground (Hudson, Ohio). Plus returnees Death Or Glory (Delray Beach), Dirty Dick (Paris), Flask & Cannon (Jacksonville), Foundation (Milwaukee), Hidden Harbor (Pittsburgh), Nu Lounge Bar (Italy), Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago), Pagan Idol (San Francisco), The S.O.S. (Atlanta), Tonga Hut (Los Angeles), and Trailer Happiness (London).

Tikiyaki Orchestra
Tikiyaki Orchestra

Women take over the Tiki Tower Takeover, featuring world-class mixologists Sierra Kirk (Hale Pele), Jeanie Grant (Pagan Idol), Libby Longlott (UnderTow), Sarah Clarke (Hidden Harbor), Shannon Mustipher (Gladys NYC), Phoebe Esmon (Curate), Ayme Harrison (Death or Glory), and Marie King (Tonga Hut).

New symposiums on Trader Vic’s (with granddaughter Eve Bergeron), Tiki mugs (with Tiki Diablo, Eekum Bookum, and Holden Westland of Tiki Farm), surf music (with Jon Paul Balak and Lorenzo “Surfer Joe” Valdambrini), rum and the British Navy (with Matt Pietrek, aka Cocktail Wonk), and home bars (with Ron Ferrell).

Special low-cost presentations on “Women of The Mai-Kai” and “Women Who Tiki” with many special guests.

The return of Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell for his “$1,000 Rum Tasting” and a new presentation with “rum professor” Stephen Remsberg.

Ian Burrell

Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy classes led by Ian Burrell, Matt Pietrek, Georgi Radev (Laki Kane), Kevin Beary (Three Dots and a Dash), Scotty Schuder (Dirty Dick), Adam Henry (Hidden Harbor), Ian Jones (The S.O.S), Jeanie Grant (Pagan Idol), and Shannon Mustipher (Gladys NYC).

More craft classes from South Florida artists Tom Fowner and Will Anders, plus California’s Tiki Tony. And Nicole Brauchler returns with another make-up class.

Three swimshows led by Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid at The Wreck Bar in the B Ocean Resort.

Continue reading “Hukilau 2019: Tickets on sale, book your room now for June 5-9 bash in Fort Lauderdale”

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The Hukilau 2019 updates: Hotel room parties are back, The Surfrajettes return to The Mai Kai, plus more

The Hukilau 2019 official artwork by Baï, an artist based in Paris

As promised, news and updates on The Hukilau 2019 are flowing like rum from a barrel as villagers gear up for Feb. 1, when tickets and hotel rooms will go on sale for the 18th annual Tiki weekender in Fort Lauderdale.

Announcements last week included this year’s featured artist, plus countdown parties at Miami Rum Congress in February and The Mai-Kai in March featuring The Surfrajettes. Now, we have exclusive news that The Hukilau will be hosting its first guest room parties in nearly a decade. Scroll down for all the details …

The Hukilau 2019 official artwork by Baï, an artist based in Paris.
The Hukilau 2019 official artwork by Baï, an artist based in Paris.

The Hukilau: June 5-9, 2019, at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.
* TheHukilau.com | Facebook: Page and Group | Twitter | Instagram
Previous story: First official announcement promises enhancements, same vintage experience

NEW: Latest announcements on The Hukilau 2019

Hotel room parties return: It’s been quite a while since The Hukilau’s guests, known affectionately as “villagers,” have been able to throw their own official full-blown room parties at the host hotel. It was 2010, in fact, when we last enjoyed an official “crawl,” back when The Hukilau was at the Bahia Cabana and special guest artist Shag served as one of the room party judges. There’s now a pent-up demand for such parties, but they have unfortunately long been a logistical challenge.

In 2019, however, The Hukilau organizers have risen up to meet that challenge. There will be 10 room parties approved by Pier 66 and sanctioned by The Hukilau, we’re told. They will be held on one night only: Thursday, June 6, following the signature Tiki Tower Takeover. Organizers will begin accepting proposals for themed rooms starting next Monday, Jan. 21, and ending on Feb. 8.

Flashback: During The Hukilau 2010 room crawl, the artist Shag visits Robotiki's Planet of Forbidden Tiki while the Disasternauts perform in the Go11 Spaceport at the Bahia Cabana on Fort Lauderdale Beach (RIP). Click photo for a recap and gallery.
Flashback: During The Hukilau 2010 room crawl, the artist Shag visits Robotiki’s Planet of Forbidden Tiki while The Disasternauts perform in the Go11 Spaceport at the Bahia Cabana on Fort Lauderdale Beach (RIP). Click photo for a recap and gallery.

“This is a great opportunity for villagers to get more involved and help create and shape part of The Hukilau experience,” said Richard Oneslager, the event’s owner and head organizer. He explained that applicants will be selected with an eye toward creating a broad mix of styles and unique experiences. In other words, if you want your party proposal to be picked, be creative.

Continue reading “The Hukilau 2019 updates: Hotel room parties are back, The Surfrajettes return to The Mai Kai, plus more”
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Event spotlight: SoCal’s Original Tiki Market Place celebrates seventh anniversary

The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary print by Clee Sobieski

Jan. 12 – The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary in Garden Grove, Calif. At the Garden Grove Elks Lodge, conveniently located just 2.5 miles south of Disneyland and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. Featuring Tiki vendors, live Hawaiian entertainment, cocktails, food, and more. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $10 (cash only; includes a drink voucher).
The Tiki Times: See all the upcoming events

The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary

About the Original Tiki Market Place

Launched in 2012 at the now-closed Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach, the Original Tiki Market Place was conceived as a tribute to Don and the original International Tiki Market Place in Waikiki. Held seasonally, it quickly became a favorite spot to buy and sell vintage wares in Southern California, attracting the top artisans from the area.

In 2015, the market place moved to its current location and has out-lived a competing event that replaced it at Don the Beachcomber, which closed in 2018. Through more than 50 events, the organizers have always stressed a friendly “ohana” atmosphere and this vibe has permeated the event since its inception. A post on Tiki Central states: “We are grateful for our friends, both vendors and guests, for your support!”

The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary print by Clee Sobieski

Event highlights

* Free high-quality art print (11-by-14) by Clee Sobieski (see above) to the first 70 paid guests. After those run out, there will be more available for $10.

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Epcot’s Native American art exhibit includes Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts

The Hawaii and California display spotlights one of seven geographic regions of Native American art, both historical and modern, in the American Heritage Gallery at Epcot. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

During a recent visit to Epcot at Walt Disney World, we made sure to visit the new exhibition celebrating American Indian art. The American Heritage Gallery always does a great job with its exhibits, featuring multimedia and interactive displays plus plenty of artifacts and poignant narratives in the relatively small space. The previous exhibit on African-American history and culture was a must-see.

The Hawaii and California display spotlights one of seven geographic regions of Native American art, both historical and modern, in the American Heritage Gallery at Epcot. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Hawaii and California display spotlights one of seven geographic regions of Native American art, both historical and modern, in the American Heritage Gallery at Epcot. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

The exhibit, “Creating Tradition: Innovation and Change in American Indian Art,” opened in July at the American Heritage Gallery inside the American Adventure Pavilion in World Showcase. It’s a collaboration between Disney Imagineering; the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.; and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

All of the artwork comes from the collections of those two museums. Included among the 89 pieces representing 40 different American Indian tribes is a prominent display dedicated to California and the islands of Hawaii. It includes models of a canoe and a sailboat based on those used by Polynesian seafarers who settled the Hawaiian islands more than 1,700 years ago. There’s also a huge piece of Polynesian tapa cloth, circa 1900s. Of interest to more modern tastes is the hand-printed He’e Aloha Shirt crafted by native Hawaiian Craig Neff of The Hawaiian Force. You can find his store in downtown Hilo, Hawaii.

Tapa cloth on display at "Creating Tradition: Innovation and Change in American Indian Art," a new exhibit at Epcot in Disney World. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Tapa cloth on display at “Creating Tradition: Innovation and Change in American Indian Art,” a new exhibit at Epcot in Disney World. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Native communities from six other geographic regions across the United States are included. Members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida performed at the exhibit’s opening.

The goal of the exhibition is to showcase authentic, historical artifacts alongside contemporary works of American Indian art. Guests learn how cultural traditions have been handed down through generations via interactive displays with narration and insights by some of the artists with works on display.

Objects from the 1800s are displayed alongside those created within the past year as a way to show the complete arc and look toward the future of American Indian art. Many of the contemporary pieces have never been on display, according to the Smithsonian magazine for the National Museum of the American Indian.

The Hawaii exhibit includes a sailboat model, circa 2000, made of native materials such as balsa wood, coconut fiber and canvas. It's on loan to Disney World from the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Hawaii exhibit includes a sailboat model, circa 2000, made of native materials such as balsa wood, coconut fiber and canvas. It’s on loan to Disney World from the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

The three interactive video exhibits feature displays that resemble a campfire. When guests wave their hands in front of the flames, the displays turn into video presentations. The music heard throughout the gallery was recorded by Native musicians from the regions showcased in the exhibition.

Among the featured artists are fashion designer Loren Aragon (Acoma Pueblo), doll-maker Glenda McKay (Ingalik-Athabascan) and Juanita Growing Thunder (Assiniboine Sioux).

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They’re back: Flaming Tiki swizzle sticks from Grider Adventure Art

Grider's Torch Swizzle and the 2018 Mai-Kai Barrel Mug by Tiki Diablo. (Photo from GriderCo.Etsy.com)

The must-have Tiki bar accessory of 2018 may have been the custom swizzle sticks designed and made by California artist Michael Grider that take flaming cocktails to a new level.

Grider’s Torch Swizzle and the 2018 Mai-Kai Barrel Mug by Tiki Diablo. (Photo from GriderCo.Etsy.com)

It didn’t take long for these inventive items, priced at $25 each, to sell out on Etsy. Grider’s Torch Swizzle also requires a specially formulated lemon extract “Torch Juice” developed by Grider. Buy four and you got a free Torch Juice Kit.

But if you’re a procrastinator like me, you missed the boat when these first hit the Internet and took off like wildfire. The last batch was shipped in November. These are not mass produced, but hand-sculpted by Grider and then created using a centrifuge and a mold filled with hot metal. After the top is cast around a stainless steel rod, it’s hand-sanded and polished before it’s sent to be plated and receive a copper, nickel, or brass finish. Grider then completes each swizzle with patina, polish and a coat of clear enamel.

I hate to clue more people into this, but what the hell: A limited amount of torch swizzles will be up for grabs on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 6 p.m. (Pacific time). Grider and his wife Karissa promise that a few torches will go online for pre-order. They won’t be available again for a few months due to Michael’s upcoming surgery, so now’s your chance to snag one at the same $25 price tag, plus $15 for the juice kit. The kit includes Torch Juice in a reusable dropper bottle for easy dispensing, two replacement wicks, and four replacement screens. The free kit offers stands if you’re able to snag four torches.
Go to GriderCo.Etsy.com to pre-order

Continue reading “They’re back: Flaming Tiki swizzle sticks from Grider Adventure Art”