What can we do to give this place a shot in the arm? - General Tiki

S Swanky Tiki Socialite Hapa Haole Hideaway, Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 03, 2002 Posts: 5398	S Swanky Posted posted on Thu, Dec 7, 2006 7:42 AM On 2006-12-07 07:27, GatorRob wrote: On 2006-12-07 06:37, Swanky wrote: You know what I am waiting for to really get a boost on TC? Florida. Kailua Geoff has been researching, but really has not shared it here. Folks down there tell me about this place and that place they found, but they don't post it here. There is a huge untapped tiki knowledge down there. There may be as much in Florida (or used to be) as in California. Florida peeps gotta step up! I wish there was as much tiki here as in California. According to Critiki's top 25 best rated locations, 16 are in CA. 1 is in FL. Of course, I'll take one Mai-Kai over a dozen lesser (but still great) establishments, but that's just me. The only new place in FL that jumps to my mind that took a while to get notice on TC is the Jetsetter Lounge. And I think that's been rectified with a number of postings and event pics from there. As far as Florida tiki history is concerned, I too would love to know more. I haven't seen a single picture of the St Pete Trader Vic's for example. But as far as Florida peeps stepping up, I think Tiki Kiliki is doing a fantastic job with regards to the Mai-Kai. And TikiGardener has the wonderful Tiki Gardens site with lots of pics and info on that long-extinct attraction. For example, Hoffa lives right around the corner from the Mai Kai and has told me about an apartment building a couple of blocks away that is tiki-fied and old. He has found many places around the coast that he has never seen mentioned. Some of the old timers from the Mai Kai have laundry lists of places they used to perform at that are not mentioned in TRT and maybe no one else knows about. In a day in Daytona with Sven, we wander across a half dozen places and I don't know if half have been mentioned on TC or anywhere. It's out there. Even the venerable Basement Kahuna handed me a postcard for "Trader Vic's Hawaii" and I knew it was the Outrigger in Florida thanks to KG's work and it was. Knowledge of these places is just not out there. Unfortunate that most are long gone... Florida seems to have a short memory.

On 2006-12-07 07:27, GatorRob wrote:

On 2006-12-07 06:37, Swanky wrote:
You know what I am waiting for to really get a boost on TC? Florida. Kailua Geoff has been researching, but really has not shared it here. Folks down there tell me about this place and that place they found, but they don't post it here. There is a huge untapped tiki knowledge down there. There may be as much in Florida (or used to be) as in California. Florida peeps gotta step up!

I wish there was as much tiki here as in California. According to Critiki's top 25 best rated locations, 16 are in CA. 1 is in FL. Of course, I'll take one Mai-Kai over a dozen lesser (but still great) establishments, but that's just me. The only new place in FL that jumps to my mind that took a while to get notice on TC is the Jetsetter Lounge. And I think that's been rectified with a number of postings and event pics from there.

As far as Florida tiki history is concerned, I too would love to know more. I haven't seen a single picture of the St Pete Trader Vic's for example. But as far as Florida peeps stepping up, I think Tiki Kiliki is doing a fantastic job with regards to the Mai-Kai. And TikiGardener has the wonderful Tiki Gardens site with lots of pics and info on that long-extinct attraction.

For example, Hoffa lives right around the corner from the Mai Kai and has told me about an apartment building a couple of blocks away that is tiki-fied and old. He has found many places around the coast that he has never seen mentioned. Some of the old timers from the Mai Kai have laundry lists of places they used to perform at that are not mentioned in TRT and maybe no one else knows about. In a day in Daytona with Sven, we wander across a half dozen places and I don't know if half have been mentioned on TC or anywhere.

It's out there. Even the venerable Basement Kahuna handed me a postcard for "Trader Vic's Hawaii" and I knew it was the Outrigger in Florida thanks to KG's work and it was. Knowledge of these places is just not out there. Unfortunate that most are long gone... Florida seems to have a short memory.

Post #270978 by Swanky on Thu, Dec 7, 2006 7:42 AM