Posts

Posted on

Craft cocktail bar goes ‘swankadelic’ this Saturday

Sweetwater Goes Swankadelic
Click on the image for the Facebook event

Boynton Beach’s Sweetwater Bar and Grill, one of the cool off-the-beaten-path treasures of the South Florida cocktail scene, will vastly expand its scope of entertainment this Saturday when DJ Mike “Jetsetter” Jones spins some out-of-this-world “retro-active” tunes.

“Sweetwater Goes Swankadelic” starts around 9 p.m. and will likely continue into the wee hours at the small, year-old speakeasy on Federal Highway, just south of Woolbright Road. Sweetwater’s classic and inventive cocktails and decadent small-bites menu have garnered rave reviews from many critics, including The Palm Beach Post and New Times.

Liz Balmaseda wrote in The Post in early June that Sweetwater “exalts its boozy identity, wraps itself up in a speakeasy aesthetic, and defies its unexpected location in a Boynton Beach plaza. Yes, rarely thrilling Boynton Beach is home to Sweetwater Bar & Grill, one of the county’s funkiest bars.” She praised the “fresh and wild infusions, barrel-aged rum, mad assortment of bitters and homemade syrups, extensive craft beer menu and nicely curated wine list.”

Continue reading “Craft cocktail bar goes ‘swankadelic’ this Saturday”

Posted on

Nekromantix, the kings of psychobilly, roll back into Miami

Show info: Advance tickets, more | Facebook event | Tour Facebook page

The “Tonight We Unite” tour, which hits South Florida for a date at Miami’s Grand Central next Friday (July 27), is billed as a union of the psychobilly and punk rock worlds. Though under-represented by having just one band on the bill, the psychobilly genre nevertheless stands almost equal by virtue of the tour’s co-headliner, the mighty Nekromantix.

Kim Nekroman of Nekromantix at Churchill's in Miami on July 20, 2010
Kim Nekroman of Nekromantix at Churchill's in Miami on July 20, 2010. (Photo by Moe)

Nekromantix is perhaps psychobilly’s most popular and prolific band of the past decade. As co-headliners, the band is joining forces with thrash-punk icons The Casualties for this summer tour that offers a great underground alternative to Warped and other corporate packages. No stranger to South Florida (they played a jam-packed Monterey Club last September), Nekromantix appeal to punks and rockabilly fans of all ages with an incredibly tight array of fast-paced original songs with a macabre twist.

Just one look at the song titles and you know you’re in for a tongue-in-cheek good time: Bats in My Pants, I Kissed a Ghoul, and Bela Lugosi’s Star are just three of the catchy tunes on the band’s most recent album, What Happens in Hell, Stays in Hell (2011, Hellcat Records).

Continue reading “Nekromantix, the kings of psychobilly, roll back into Miami”

Posted on

Harold Golen Gallery isn’t monkeying around with this art show

The monthly Second Saturday Art Walk in the Wynwood Art District of Miami can be a somewhat daunting affair, with more than 60 galleries showcasing works than run the gamut from brilliant to dubious at best.

Simian Spectacle at Harold Golen Gallery

As such, it can also be somewhat snooty – in that Miami fashionista sort of way. Amid this sea of pretension stands the Harold Golen Gallery, a down-to-earth beacon that showcases the best in pop surrealism and mid-century culture.

This month, the gallery continues to thumb its nose at the nearby artsy elite with a show that’s sure to warm the hearts of South Florida’s lowbrow art fans: “Simian Spectacle,” billed as “a show with teeth … and fur!” The show’s opening night coincides with July’s art walk this Saturday and runs from 6 to 11 p.m. It continues through Aug. 4.

Continue reading “Harold Golen Gallery isn’t monkeying around with this art show”

Posted on

Mermaids are alive and well after 65 years at Weeki Wachee Springs

Despite a recent report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that “no evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found,” fans of Florida kitsch and retro culture know better. In fact, perhaps the world’s most famous coterie of real-life mermaids has performed in the waters of Weeki Wachee Springs for 65 years.

65th Anniversary Mermaid Reunion at Weeki Wachee Springs

The legendary tourist attraction will be holding its 65th Anniversary Mermaid Reunion on Friday through Sunday, July 13-15, including shows featuring both current and retired mermaids. Weeki Wachee proudly embraces its history and holds regular events for its alumnae. But the anniversary weekend is the biggest, serving as a class reunion for the many women who have performed in the crystal clear waters.

There will be special shows all weekend, plus the alumnae will enjoy special swims in the spring, plus a dinner (presumably on dry land), and other reunion activities. For Weeki Wachee visitors, it will be a unique opportunity to see multi generations of performers who brought style and grace to one of the world’s most unusual attractions.

Continue reading “Mermaids are alive and well after 65 years at Weeki Wachee Springs”

Posted on

Pop surrealist artists put their own stamp on famous mouse

The Greedy Mouse Group Show that opens Friday at Howl Art Gallery in Fort Myers promises to take the iconic Disney character on a much more dark and dangerous journey than he’s accustomed to.

Greedy Mouse Group Show at Howl Art Gallery and Tattoo Studio in Fort Myers

Some of the most talented artists practicing pop surrealism today – Skot Olsen, Scott Scheidly, Andrew Spear, Todd Nolan, N! Satterfield, and many more – have put their own wicked spin on Mickey. The opening reception is 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, and the exhibit runs through July 31 at the gallery and tattoo studio run by artists Andy Howl (who also has a piece in the show) and Alainna Zwiernik.

Here’s a sneak peak and some of the artwork that’s already been posted on the Howl Facebook page and the official event page.

Continue reading “Pop surrealist artists put their own stamp on famous mouse”

Posted on

Take 5: Rodney Mayo, guiding light of South Florida’s indie entertainment scene

To say the South Florida nightclub and restaurant scene would be a much more bland and boring place without Rodney Mayo would be a great understatement. From humble beginnings in 1987 at his Respectable Street Cafe in downtown West Palm Beach to today’s empire of 13 hip bars and eateries with more in the works, Mayo has been at the forefront of South Florida’s growth of independent, wildly creative nightspots.

Respectable Street 25th anniversary party

He’ll be celebrating his 25th year in business on Aug. 25 when Respectable Street hosts its annual block party on Clematis Street. The event will feature four stages and 25 bands, including punk legends The Misfits. The entire event is free and also will feature an open bar from 8 to 9 p.m. at participating clubs. We’ll have more updates as the event approaches, or check Respectable Street’s Facebook page.

We caught up with the reclusive Mayo recently at his latest project, the Hullabaloo gastropub, set to open this summer across from Respectable Street in the old Lounge space. Adjourning next door to his surf-themed Longboards restaurant, we posed these five questions:

Continue reading “Take 5: Rodney Mayo, guiding light of South Florida’s indie entertainment scene”

Posted on

Old and new favorites take home South Florida “Best of” awards

Last week’s special “Best of 2012” issue of Broward / Palm Beach New Times recognized many of the area’s coolest places to eat, drink and hang out after dark. Among the winners are several Atomic Grog favorites worth noting:

Kapow! Noodle Bar in Boca Raton
Kapow! Noodle Bar in Boca Raton. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, December 2011)

“Best New Restaurant” and “Best Happy Hour” in Palm Beach County both went to Kapow! Noodle Bar in Boca Raton, which we reviewed in depth back in December. We loved the craft cocktails and small bites on the inventive menu and have been eager to return ever since. The latest recognition just gives us more reason to move it up on our bucket list.

New Times says the restaurant’s Mizner Park location “is flourishing, thanks in no small part to the challenging but accessible dishes streaming out of the kitchen during a slamming dinner hour and an aesthetic that is simultaneously trendy and unpretentious.” In Kapow’s second award, the alternative weekly praised the menu’s $3 bar bites menu: “These are treats — steamed buns, shishitou peppers, roasted cauliflower — that are well worth full price, drunk or sober. Add to that the cool tunes, hip décor, and energetic crowd and you’ve got a solution to the mystery of how to build a happy hour that doesn’t compromise standards.”

Continue reading “Old and new favorites take home South Florida “Best of” awards”

Posted on

Cocktail flights soar at Mai-Kai Mixer, reveal revolutionary use of rums

Related: ‘Mai-Kai Mixer’ shakes up South Florida with rockin’ retro cocktail party
Lemon Hart returns to the promised land | Mai-Kai’s cocktail family tree
Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide | Exclusive bar and kitchen tour

The first “Atomic Grog Mai-Kai Mixer” on June 9 served up not only a rousing party featuring a cool retro DJ and live vintage surf music, but also an inside look at some of the 55-year-old Polynesian landmark’s acclaimed tropical drinks.

Mai-Kai Mixer participants enjoy their cocktail flights and a prize from B.G. Reynolds' Hand-Crafted Exotic Syrups.
Mai-Kai Mixer participants enjoy their cocktail flights and a prize from B.G. Reynolds' Hand-Crafted Exotic Syrups.

Surf band Skinny Jimmy & The Stingrays and DJ Mike “Jetsetter” Jones rocked the house all night long as partygoers enjoyed the festive vibe in the Fort Lauderdale restaurant’s elaborately themed Molokai bar. Click here for a full recap of the entertainment, plus photos. But for some, the event’s highlight came during happy hour.

Early arrivals were promised “blind tastings” of three vintage cocktails presented by Mai-Kai manager Kern Mattei. There were 32 flights served in the packed bar, with at least 44 tasters participating. Prizes were awarded to those who correctly guessed which exotic drink they were tasting. Priced at just $15 for three 8-ounce drinks, it was a bargain for the lucky participants. In addition, everyone enjoyed the regular early Saturday happy hour featuring half-priced drinks and appetizers from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Continue reading “Cocktail flights soar at Mai-Kai Mixer, reveal revolutionary use of rums”

Posted on

‘Mai-Kai Mixer’ shakes up South Florida with rockin’ retro cocktail party

Updated June 16, 2012
See below: See exclusive photos from the bash

Related: Cocktail flights soar at Mai-Kai Mixer, reveal revolutionary use of rums
Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide | Rums of The Mai-Kai

The Mai-Kai’s Molokai bar was jumping on Saturday night, June 9, as an eclectic mix of cocktailians, Tiki enthusiasts, retro hipsters, and surf music fans gathered for The Atomic Grog’s first Mai-Kai Mixer.

Atomic Grog Mai-Kai Mixer

Doors opened at 4:30 for Saturday’s early happy hour, and dozens of Mai-Kai faithful queued up early for exclusive flights of the Fort Lauderdale Polynesian palace’s legendary cocktails. DJ Mike “Jetsetter” Jones got the festivities in high gear with his wide-ranging playlist of retro party music, and up-and-coming surf band Skinny Jimmy & The Stingrays nearly blew the doors off the place. The party went full-throttle until the midnight hour.

The event was held to celebrate the The Atomic Grog’s 52 weeks of Mai-Kai cocktail reviews and the recent reintroduction of a classic rum to the 55-year-old restaurant’s acclaimed drink menu.

The rum cocktail flights sold out quickly as more than 30 signed up to taste sample versions of three vintage drinks featuring Lemon Hart Demerara rum. Several hundred filtered through the bar throughout the evening for happy hour – which ran until 7 p.m. – and two high-octane sets from Deerfield Beach’s Skinny Jimmy & The Stingrays.

Continue reading “‘Mai-Kai Mixer’ shakes up South Florida with rockin’ retro cocktail party”

Posted on

Major changes in store for Disney’s Polynesian Resort?

UPDATES: Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village (May 2014)
Refurb schedule announced, but no word on Trader Sam’s (February 2014)
Trader Sam’s could be key part of Polynesian refurbishment (August 2013)
Trader Sam’s one of many changes likely at Polynesian Resort (July 2013)

Rumors have swirled for years about the future of Disney’s Polynesian Resort, the 40-year-old iconic hotel and one of the Magic Kingdom’s two original resorts.

The entrance to the Great Ceremonial House at Disney's Polynesian Resort
The entrance to the Great Ceremonial House at Disney's Polynesian Resort. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2011)

Affectionately known as “The Poly,” this sprawling 39-acre homage to the South Seas was one of the original two hotels built on the monorail line before the Magic Kingdom’s opening on Oct. 1, 1971. It was actually the first to open, beating the flagship Contemporary Resort by hours and hosting the press on opening day.

Like the Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian has remained true to Walt’s original vision (he was a fan of mid-century Tiki culture and explored the Pacific on vacations). Unlike the Contemporary, it has remained essentially the same stylistically, but with many upgrades to infrastructure and amenities over the years to keep it modern and comfortable.

But times are changing. Two major factors may be pushing massive renovations onto the Polynesian, though Disney officially remains tight-lipped on any speculation.

Continue reading “Major changes in store for Disney’s Polynesian Resort?”