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JimHayward.com | |||
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2026 EVENTS | |||
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Jan. 23-25 Reviving Tiki: The Early Years of Polynesian Pop Rediscovery, 1990-2000 Pop culture trends come and go, but none has returned from the grave as spectacularly as Polynesian Pop, aka Tiki Culture. Left for dead in the 1980s, America's fascination with exotic South Seas motifs in art, architecture, music, fashion and (especially) cocktails was ushered back into vogue by a ragtag assortment of devotees in the 1990s. Who were these early urban archaeologists, and what drove them decades into the past to forge their own path into the future? Journalist and Tiki enthusiast Jim "Hurricane" Hayward of The Atomic Grog blog explored the roots of today's robust movement in a multimedia presentation that answered those questions and many more. Feb. 8 5 p.m. at Moxy South Beach hotel, Miami Beach The first U.S. edition of the Tiki Master Cocktail Competition wass a showdown between nine professional bartenders from around the region. Previous competitions were held in Italy in May and Fiji in October. March 27-29 Florida Tiki: The Good, the Bad and the Future of Polynesian Pop in the Sunshine State In a state built on tourism, there's a remarkably broad history of Tiki culture spread across the history books. From spectacular resorts to roadside dives, Florida's legacy is rich with diversity. The 21st century revival brought a creative new wave of authentic Tiki that Floridians continue to ride today, from events to new bars and restaurants. Are we in the midst of Polynesian Pop's golden era, or is the best yet to come? Journalist and pop culture enthusiast Jim "Hurricane" Hayward of The Atomic Grog blog will connect the dots between the past, present and future in a multimedia presentation that celebrates Florida's rich and colorful affair with Tiki culture. May 29-June1 Presentation date and time to be announced |
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FEATURED VIDEOS The Ma-Kai was a sceneic setting for a fun chat about my Tiki journey and the return of the Polynesian Palace. There's also an audio version on Spotify, Apple Music and other services. [Links here] Spike's Breezeway Cocktail Hour Full coverage on The Atomic Grog • The 16 most iconic photo spots at the Mai-Kai MORE ON SPIKE'S BREEZEWAY THE ATOMIC GROG ON YOUTUBE | |||
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EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF THE MAI-KAI Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening Guide Okole Maluna Society: The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide | |||
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Special features: Events calendar | Cocktail recipes | |||
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 Jim Hayward, The Palm Beach Post (1979-82, 1986-2022) December 2022 In December 1979, there were no computers in the newsroom at 2751 S. Dixie Highway when I started working as a "copyperson" at my hometown newspaper, The Palm Beach Post, during my freshman year in college. My duties included filling glue pots, stripping the wire machines, running copy, and pulling photos from the library - Essentially ensuring that the newsroom ran like the well-oiled machine it was. In 2022, I work (usually from home) on a laptop computer as part of Gannett's statewide planning team. I orchestrate the daily production of both the print and online editions of The Post - creating budgets, scheduling digital news alerts, overseeing the front page design, among other duties. It seems light years away, yet eerily reminiscent of, my first newspaper job 43 years ago: Greasing the wheels so an exceptional staff of journalists can shine. During those 43 years, I graduated from the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications, where I studied and participated in early experiments in "online journalism." In 1983-86, I worked at the Miami Herald and helped launch Viewtron, the first commercial "videotext" service in the United States, a decade before the commercial internet.  Returning to The Post in December 1986 as a copyeditor, I've ridden every technological wave on the newspaper industry rollercoaster for the past 36 years. I was the newspaper's first Web producer, helping develop and run fledgling online products, including the long-running "Storm" sites that were dedicated to hurricane coverage and tracking. Over the years, I worked with nearly every department in the newsroom in one way or another, keeping my hand in writing and a presence in news meetings. I'm proud to have known and collaborated with so many talented professionals, way too numerous to mention here. But you know who you are. As the industry changed and evolved, I ended up back in the trenches of daily production (both print and digital), combining all of my past experience into my current role as The Post's lead planner. Having come full-circle in the only industry I've ever really known, the time seems right to bid adieu to the newspaper that has been my fulltime workplace for parts of the past six decades. In retirement, I plan to indulge many interests and hobbies, but I'll always remain a journalist at heart and in mind. And for that, I thank The Post and all of those who helped make it the outstanding newspaper that it remains. "My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?" - Dr. Seuss LinkedIn: Jim's full professtional history and experience | |||
