Tag: Fort Lauderdale

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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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The Mai-Kai, now officially historic, celebrates its 57th anniversary with style and special events

UPDATED (Jan. 4, 2014): See the event recap

Long considered a “Tiki temple” by its fans and followers of timeless mid-century Americana, The Mai-Kai can now stake a claim to being an official South Florida landmark. And to honor its 57th anniversary this month, the venerable Polynesian restaurant has scheduled several special events.

The Mai-Kai
(Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Mai-Kai events
* Friday, Dec. 27: Surf rock party with The Novarays, 6-9 p.m. in The Molokai bar.
* Saturday, Dec. 28: Customer celebration party, 1:30-4 p.m., featuring a showing of the PBS documentary Plastic Paradise.
Where: The Mai-Kai, 3599 N. Federal Highway, between Commercial and Oakland Park boulevards. Valet and paid self-parking. Call (954) 563-3272 or go to MaiKai.com.

In November, The Mai-Kai became the first commercial property to receive historic designation by the city of Oakland Park. While the restaurant is typically listed as being in Fort Lauderdale, it sits in the southeast corner of the small city to the north of its larger South Florida neighbor. The designation by the city’s Historic Preservation Board was in honor of The Mai-Kai’s history and architectural character. A national historic designation is also being sought.

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The Hukilau’s Tiki Kiliki announces ‘The Final Aloha’ in 2014

UPDATES: The Hukilau announces return for 14th year in 2015 (April 2014)
See all of The Atomic Grog’s coverage

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014, at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Latest updates: TheHukilau.com | Facebook or Twitter

The Hukilau: The Final Aloha

After 12 years of hosting one of the largest and most authentic gatherings of Polynesian Pop enthusiasts from across the globe, Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White announced today that The Hukilau in June 2014 will be the event’s “Final Aloha.”

“I am lucky enough to be embarking on a new career and as we all know, life has the tendency to naturally shift your focus and you follow another path,” White posted today on the event’s official website. “We feel honored to have accomplished what we set out to do many years ago – to bring awareness to Tiki palaces on the East Coast and to help in their preservation so that many more generations are able to enjoy the spirit of Aloha.”

The Hukilau’s 13th and final event promises to be “the Big Kahuna – The Hukilau to end all Hukilaus,” White announced. “We are extending the event to five glorious days in the sun this year. Each one will bring new experiences and special performances.”

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The Hukilau changes hotels, plans major announcement

The Hukilau: June 11-15, 2014, at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Latest updates: TheHukilau.com | Facebook or Twitter
UPDATES: See all of The Atomic Grog’s coverage

The Hukilau

The East Coast’s largest annual festival dedicated to Polynesian Pop culture is returning in 2014 to the hotel that hosted some of the largest gatherings in the 13-year history of the event. In addition, a big announcement is planned for tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 18) by co-founder and organizer Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White that you won’t want to miss.

It will be announced tomorrow that The Hukilau is expanding to five days (June 11-15) with additional Wednesday events in addition to the usual Thursday through Sunday happenings such as the Tiki marketplace, retro-themed bands, rum-fueled parties, informative symposiums and much more. And, as usual, there will be events centered around the historic Mai-Kai Polynesian restaurant, the Fort Lauderdale treasure (est. 1956) that dates back to the original mid-century Tiki craze.

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Photos: Halloween partygoers, band raise hell at The Mai-Kai’s fifth annual Hulaween

The Mai-Kai’s Molokai bar was filled with costume-clad revelers on Friday, Oct. 25, for the historic Polynesian restaurant’s frighteningly festive Halloween bash known as Hulaween. South Florida surf band Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays performed three sets of retro classics and choice originals, there were many creative entries in the costume contest, and a good time was had by all at the fifth annual event.
See below: Browse 20 photos from the event

Skinny Satan (Jimmy) & the Stingrays get the crowed revved up at the fifth annual Hulaween at The Mai-Kai
Skinny Satan (Jimmy) & the Stingrays get the crowed revved up at the fifth annual Hulaween at The Mai-Kai. (Atomic Grog photo)

The bar opened at 5 p.m. for happy hour and exotic Halloween tunes programmed by The Atomic Grog. The band hit the stage after 7, cranking up the energy as Skinny Jimmy channeled Satan himself. The rest of the band took on the personas of famous Halloween characters as they ripped through instrumental surf hits from the past 50 years, including such appropriate songs Moonlight Surf, Dark Eyes, Jack the Ripper, Ghost Riders, and the Munsters TV show theme.

A Mexican wrestler and a pirate, better known as Mai-Kai manager Kern Mattei and marketing director Pia Dahlquist, once again hosted the costume contest and awarded the grand prize to a creative couple who came to the party as a pair of Tikis. Runners-up included several artistic Day of the Dead couples, the scary Sleestak and a confused Rastafarian Scotsman.

The band kept the party rockin’ until midnight as attendees enjoyed The Mai-Kai’s legendary tropical drinks in the nautical-themed lounge. Sponsor Captain Morgan also presented rum and cocktail samples featuring its tasty Captain Morgan Black.

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Video clips guaranteed to get you in the Hulaween spirit

Updated Nov. 1, 2013
RECAP: See photos from Hulaween 2013

*** Friday, Oct. 25 – Hulaween 2013: The Horror of Party Beach featuring Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays at The Mai-Kai, 3599 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. (954) 563-3272. Free admission. Valet and paid self-parking. Happy hour 5 to 7 p.m. Live music and costume contest in The Molokai bar, 7 p.m.-midnight. [MaiKai.com | Facebook event]
* Event history: Oct. 25 marks five years of frightening fun at Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party
* Full preview: Beware the ‘Horror of Party Beach’ at The Mai-Kai’s Hulaween

Hulaween 2013

The fifth annual Hulaween at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale will feature a lot of classic elements, from the surf music of Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays to the cocktails, food and decor at the 56-year-old Polynesian palace. One additional classic element for 2013 is a theme centered around a classically bad B-movie.

The Horror of Party Beach is a 1964 horror film intended to be “a take-off on beach parties and musicals.” What it ended up being is one of the 10 worst films of all time, according to The Book of Lists. It was also among the films in the 1978 book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time.

Shot in black & white on a miniscule budget in Connecticut, the film stars laughable creatures that are said to be derived from water plants and dead human tissue mutated from radioactive waste. The monsters become humanoid by attaching themselves to skeletons in a shipwreck, then proceed to hunt down and kill a series of comely young women. The official trailer:

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Oct. 25 marks five years of frightening fun at The Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party

Updated Nov. 1, 2013
RECAP: See photos from Hulaween 2013

*** Friday, Oct. 25 – Hulaween 2013 featuring Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays at The Mai-Kai, 3599 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. (954) 563-3272. Free admission. Valet and paid self-parking. Happy hour 5 to 7 p.m. Live music and costume contest in The Molokai bar, 7 p.m.-midnight. [Official website | Facebook event]
* Full preview: Beware the ‘Horror of Party Beach’ at The Mai-Kai’s Hulaween
* Video: Clips guaranteed to get you in the Hulaween spirit

Hulaween 2013

The 56-year-old Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale hosts many signature events throughout the year, such as The Hukilau in June and the legendary Polynesian restaurant’s anniversary party in December. But perhaps the most distinctive (and frighteningly festive) is Hulaween every October.

Marking its fifth anniversary on Oct. 25, Hulaween has become one of South Florida’s most authentically fun Halloween bashes. No fancy gimmicks or wacky concepts, just a good old-fashioned costume party in The Mai-Kai’s nautical-themed Molokai bar featuring some of South Florida’s best retro-themed bands.

Deerfield Beach surf band Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays will be making its Hulaween debut this year, providing the perfect soundtrack of classic instrumental tunes from the ’50s and ’60s, plus their exceptional originals. Once again, The Atomic Grog will dig up 50+ years of rockin’ Halloween tunes to play between sets. Expect the dance floor to again be filled with zombies and monsters of every persuasion.

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Beware the ‘Horror of Party Beach’ at The Mai-Kai’s fifth annual Hulaween party on Oct. 25

Updated Nov. 1, 2013
RECAP: See photos from Hulaween 2013

The Mai-Kai’s Hulaween, one of South Florida’s most distinctive and festive Halloween parties, celebrates its fifth anniversary on Friday, Oct. 25, with a retro surf-themed bash dubbed “The Horror of Party Beach.” The event is free and runs from 5 p.m. until the witching hour in the legendary Fort Lauderdale Polynesian restaurant’s Molokai bar.
* Join the Facebook event
* Video: Clips guaranteed to get you in the Hulaween spirit
* Event history: Oct. 25 marks five years of frightening fun at Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party

Hulaween 2013

Continue reading “Beware the ‘Horror of Party Beach’ at The Mai-Kai’s fifth annual Hulaween party on Oct. 25”

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PBS stations say aloha this week to long-awaited documentary on Tiki culture

We got a sneak peek at The Hukilau in April 2012, then an exclusive premiere at The Mai-Kai during the 2013 edition of the Tiki event in Fort Lauderdale. Now, the rest of the world will be exposed to Plastic Paradise: A Swingin’ Trip Through America’s Polynesian Obsession, a documentary that traces the history of America’s love affair with exotic style and tells a fascinating story of pop culture.

Plastic Paradise: A Swingin' Trip Through America's Polynesian Obsession

Filmed at Tiki events, bars and restaurants across the country and produced by Miami’s award-winning commercial and documentary filmmakers Common Machine, Plastic Paradise has finally been released to PBS affiliates. It was commissioned by Miami affiliate WLRN, where it premieres this Wednesday (Sept. 18) at 8 p.m. It will air again on WLRN on Thursday at 2 a.m., Friday at 7 p.m., and Monday (Sept. 23) at 11 p.m. It will also be carried by WXEL in Palm Beach County beginning on Saturday (Sept. 21) at 8 p.m. WLRN’s Plastic Paradise page also lists air times on PBS stations in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois and Washington. It also encourages you to call your local PBS station if you want to see the documentary in your area.

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Photos: Laramie Dean and Jimmy Dale in South Florida

The summer tour featuring surf guitarist Laramie Dean and drummer Jimmy Dale made three stops in South Florida last weekend. The Southern California-based band made the cross-country trek to Dean’s former stomping grounds for two full shows plus a special acoutistic set.

Dean & Dale
Laramie Dean (left) and Jimmy Dale play a rare acoustic set in The Mai-Kai’s Molokai bar on Saturday, July 20.

On Friday, they hit Churchill’s Pub in Miami for a “surf-punk party” with local favorites Pool Party, Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays, and Sandrats. Also performing was touring opener Hardship Anchors, the rockin’ SoCal punk band featuring bassist Trevor Lucca, who also plays with Dean & Dale. Laramie looked and sounded great, obviously fully recovered from recent health problems that kept him off the road for the past few years.

Before Saturday night’s concert in Pompano Beach, Dean and Dale donned acoustic guitars and played their first unplugged set ever, along with the band’s sax player Alex Lewis. Opening with the classic Miserlou (popularized by Jimmy’s dad, the legendary Dick Dale), they rocked the packed Molokai bar in the famous Fort Lauderdale Polynesian restaurant.

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