Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025

Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025

Updated Feb. 9, 2025

This year has been significant for the Tiki and Polynesian Pop scene in the Sunshine State for both its ups and downs. Luckily, the high points have been more plentiful than the lows with 2024 marked by the arrival of the first new Don the Beachcomber restaurant in decades, the debut of the Tiki-a-Go-Go event, and the triumphant return of the Mai-Kai.

Related: Iconic restaurants revived: Don the Beachcomber, Mai-Kai, Trader Vic’s are top Tiki stories of 2024

The calm before the storms: The Don the Beachcomber crew, including Justin Peterson (left) and Marie King (right), at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The calm before the storms: The Don the Beachcomber crew, including Justin Peterson (left) and Marie King (right), at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

But in true Tiki fashion, there’s always a little bittersweet that goes into any potent cocktail. In this historic year, that meant a tumultuous hurricane season that wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, leading to the closing of Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, and heavy damage elsewhere.

Tiki bars feel the brunt of the storms
Don the Beachcomber: Down but not out
The Honu: Turbulent season takes its toll
Bar Tiki: Weeks of closures but miraculously unscathed

But resilience is a hallmark of the southernmost mainland state, and we’re happy to report that this year’s hurricane season did not deliver a knockout punch. To the contrary, many of those affected by the storms have emerged stronger than ever, poised for an even more memorable 2025.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active and devastating one, reportedly the second-costliest on record with more than $220 billion in damage. Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida: Debby (Aug. 5), Helene (Sept. 26), and Milton (Oct. 9). The category 1 Debby brought heavy rain, flooding and widespread power outages to Florida’s Big Bend, but it was just a hint at what was still to come.

Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida in 2024.
Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida in 2024.

Jump to more below
Florida Tiki spotlighted in Exotica Moderne magazine
Bonus cocktail recipe: Hurricane Dunder

The category 4 Helene caused widespread damage from the Gulf Coast to North Carolina. It was the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental U.S. since Katrina in 2005, with more than 150 deaths. In Florida, the storm cut a path of destruction from Naples and Fort Myers through Sarasota, Tampa and all the way to Tallahassee.

The category 3 Milton brought significant damage with a destructive storm surge resulting in many homes and businesses damaged. Milton’s impact still lingers with debris clean-ups across Central Florida and residents near bodies of water still dealing with flooding, according to Orlando’s WESH 2.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton both severely impacted Florida's Gulf Coast and beyond.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton both severely impacted Florida’s Gulf Coast and beyond.

Our deepest condolences to everyone impacted by this year’s calamitous tropical weather, especially those who lost loved ones. This story is intended as snapshot of how several of Florida’s most high-profile Tiki establishments were impacted and how they pulled through in a time of crisis.

As my story in the current issue of Exotica Moderne shows, we’re all looking forward to a fresh start in 2025 as we build a bigger and better Tiki community. Check our Tiki Times guide for the latest event announcements and follow our continuing coverage on the blog all year.

Continue reading “Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025”

The Year in Tiki 2019: Recap all the top events with photos and video

The Year in Tiki 2019: Recap all the top events with photos and video

The Tiki Times

Once again, The Atomic Grog documented an entire 12 months of events in 2019, following the top Tiki and rum events, plus mid-century modern, surf and rockabilly music, Disney and other happenings of interest to the Tiki community. Check below for official artwork and links to the official sites along with our own unique coverage. Under many events, you’ll also find images and videos from social media plus links to news sites.
NEW EVENTS: UPDATED 2020 CALENDAR
Social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

THE TIKI TIMES: 2019 EVENTS RECAP

Jan. 12 – The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary in Garden Grove, Calif.
* Atomic Grog event preview
The Original Tiki Market Place 7th Anniversary print by Clee Sobieski

Jan. 17 – Tiki Bingo at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale.
* Atomic Grog event preview
Tiki Bingo at The Mai-Kai

Jan. 19 – The Mai-Kai Takeover in Fort Lauderdale.
Special event: ‘Demerara Rum – The Mai-Kai’s Secret Weapon’
Demerara Rum: The Mai-Kai's Secret Weapon on Jan. 19, 2019, at The Mai-Kai The Atomic Grog was pleased to present a special happy-hour talk during The Mai-Kai Takeover event on Jan. 19, presented by the Magical Tiki Meet-Up and Retro Rekindled. Click here to check out our full event recap, including photos and highlights of our Demerara rum discussion.

Continue reading “The Year in Tiki 2019: Recap all the top events with photos and video”

New cocktail books, magazine prove Tiki underground is alive and thriving

New cocktail books, magazine prove Tiki underground is alive and thriving

In the 21st century pop culture landscape, you typically gauge the health and success of a subgenre not by its mainstream success but by the vitality of its core audience. While Tiki has flirted with crossover fame for decades, it remains deeply rooted in the wants and needs of its devoted constituents. As evidence of this, we have the latest slew of new book and magazine releases aimed directly at this loyal demographic.

More details below:
* Hardcover book salutes Tiki home bartending community
* Spirits educator’s book puts modern spin on rum and Tiki cocktails
* Fans fund bartender’s Tiki cookbook adventure
* Exotica Moderne celebrates release of Issue 3
Bonus recipe: Lost Treasure by Syd Thomas of Tonga Hut

This year marks the publication of several new cocktail books along with continuing releases of a new quarterly magazine devoted to the revival of Polynesian Pop and mid-century culture. Who says social media and the Internet have killed off the printed word?

Hardcover book salutes Tiki home bartending community

The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples

The most ambitious and anticipated Tiki cocktail book in years is being unleashed to a thirsty and ever-growing home bar community. The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples from Koreo Press is the culmination of decades of work by Southern California mixologist Kelly “Hiphipahula” Reilly. She co-wrote the 272-page hardcover opus with longtime home bartending cohort Tom Morgan.

It features a forward by Polynesian Pop godfather Sven Kirsten (author of Tiki Pop and The Book of Tiki) plus artwork by Tiki Tony Murphy, Jake Geiger and Doug Horne. You can find 150 original recipes that were served in legendary home bars, such as Kirby’s Rumpus Room in Los Angeles, plus photos of these secret lairs.

The official U.S. release date is not until April 1, but The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails is already is among the top new releases in the alcoholic spirits category on Amazon thanks to relentless promotion by Reilly and the loyalty of her followers. Over the years, she’s probably served most of the California Tiki community at home parties, major events including Tiki Oasis and Tiki Caliente, plus a stint at Tonga Hut in North Hollywood.

The new book by Kelly "Hiphipahula" Reilly and Tom Morgan, profiled in the new issue of Exotica Moderne magazine, pays homage to the Tiki home bartending community.
The new book by Kelly “Hiphipahula” Reilly and Tom Morgan, profiled in the new issue of Exotica Moderne magazine, pays homage to the Tiki home bartending community.

A book release party was held on Sunday, March 10, at the Tonga Hut featuring live music by The Glasgow Tiki Shakers and special limited edition Mai Tai glasses. Joining the authors at the meet-and-greet and book signing were Kirsten, Murphy, Horne, and Geiger. Exotica Moderne magazine also joined the party, with artist Big Toe signing copies of the new issue featuring his cover artwork (see story below).

Reilly met Morgan – who teaches film, screenwriting and public speaking – through a shared interest in Tiki mugs. After many Rumpus Room gatherings, Morgan planted the seed for the book, but it was tough talking Reilly into sharing her secret recipes, according to an Exotica Moderne article on the book. This is a tradition dating back to the early days of Tiki cocktails, when mixologists feared others bars would steal their drinks, but Reilly also was leery about today’s free-for-all on social media. Luckily, she finally relented and the book was born.

Included among the 150 cocktail recipes are several created specifically for the book, plus the secrets to making your own exotic syrups such as ancho chili, lemongrass, sesame, and hibiscus. Full-color photos of a half-dozen home bars are splashed across the book’s pages. “These folks spend months and years and thousands of dollars on these bars, and it shows, we’re thankful,” Reilly told Exotica Moderne.

The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples
ORDER NOW: Amazon.com | Koreo Press (UK)
* Hiphipahula: Official website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
* Related: Hear Kelly Reilly and Tom Morgan on Koop Kooper’s Cocktail Nation podcast

Spirits educator’s book puts modern spin on rum and Tiki cocktails

Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails

It’s no surprise that all three of the new books profiled here are written or co-written by female mixologists, long under-represented in the bar industry at large and Tiki subgenre in particular. But a new breed of talented professionals are quickly putting their creative mark on the Tiki and rum worlds, led by a Brooklyn-based cocktail consultant and spirits educator Shannon Mustipher.

Mustipher’s new 192-page hardcover book, Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails (release date: March 19 on Amazon), is the culmination of her short but intensive journey from bartender at the Caribbean restaurant Glady’s in Brooklyn in 2014 to her current role as “spiritual adviser” and founder of the Women Who Tiki pop-up that spotlights women slinging some of the best tropical cocktails behind the bar. She’s also a founding member of Women Leading Rum, an industry organization dedicated to education and career development.

In a short 5 years, Mustipher has taken her passion for Caribbean rum and raised it to the next level via brand consulting and speaking engagements across the country. Her writing, recipes and opinions have appeared in publications including Imbibe, Punch, GQ, and Liquor.com. While overseeing the bar program at Gladys, she took her show on the road representing brands including Denizen(former brand ambassador) and Pusser’s (currently brand education specialist).

Shannon Mustipher is a Brooklyn-based bartender, cocktail consultant and spirits educator. (ShannonMustipher.com)
Shannon Mustipher is a Brooklyn-based bartender, cocktail consultant and spirits educator. (ShannonMustipher.com)

A book tour is planned, along with classes at Arizona Tiki Oasis April 12-14 (“Like a Hurricane – Flavor Hacks and Remixes on Iconic Tiki Cocktails”) and The Hukilau June 5-9 (“Attack of the Zombie Women” with Jeanie Grant). An April 7 book signing at Trader Vic’s in Emeryville, Calif., will be hosted by Ladies Who Tiki and will include a panel discussion featuring Pagan Idol‘s Grant, rum expert Suzanne Long, Michelle Perez, and Critiki.com creator and blogger Humuhumu.

Mustipher is known for taking tropical drinks to the next level by incorporating flavors of Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Zombie, Mai Tai and Jungle Bird. Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails (Rizzoli/Universe) also includes original recipes, techniques, tasting notes and recommendations plus tips on style and music. The book promises “a focus on refreshing flavors, fine spirits, and high-impact easy-to-execute presentation.” It also promises to be one of the most visually stunning cocktail books in recent memory, considering Mustipher’s prior career as a styling assistant in the photo industry.

Continue reading “New cocktail books, magazine prove Tiki underground is alive and thriving”