Category: History

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Oceanic Arts

I made it, finally. But it was too late.

When we started planning our SoCal trip we decided that we should make this a priority. We’d never visited in the past, since most SoCal trips were centered in Orange County (and almost always with the kids). But we knew this place wouldn’t last forever.

Unfortunately, they closed just a few weeks before we got there. A missed opportunity, and a lesson learned: you’ve got to visit these places while they’re still around.

I’m really looking forward to the book about Oceanic Arts that I’ve already ordered and is coming soon.

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1953: The Mai Tai is Trader Vic’s Favorite

Found this in a gossip column from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, dated February 4, 1953. The article references the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s “newly revised drink list” which we all know was the place where the Mai Tai was introduced to Hawaii.

And quite notably, Trader Vic’s indicates that his favorite drink is the Mai Tai, “a heady concoction with a rum base.”

It is easy to see some of the statements about the Mai Tai from Trader Vic the man and Trader Vic’s the corporation through the lens of being behind a drink that became world famous. But here, at the birth of the Mai Tai’s rise to fame is Vic himself extolling the virtues of the cocktail. It also gives some perspective to Vic’s role in the “Mai Tai Origin Wars” and how much effort he went through to be known as the father of the cocktail. The Mai Tai appears to be his favorite child.

The article’s capper paints clearer picture of the man with the closing remark that “Vic says his job gives him heartburn about once a week.”

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1722 McCadden Place

This is the location of the original Don’s Beachcomber Cafe, the forebear tiki bar that opened in Hollywood in 1934. A couple years later Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt opened a larger place across the street called Don the Beachcomber, then subsequently changed his name to Donn Beach.

There’s nothing to see really, and as far as I can tell there’s nothing technically at 1722 anymore. There is a condo sitting over location of the second location.

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Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Rum

There’s a nice case of vintage Trader Vic’s bottles in the Cook Room at the Emeryville location.

This shot is of the Mai Tai Rum, which combined rums from Jamaica (70%), Martinique (20%), and Virgin Islands (10%), and coming in at a very nice 43% ABV. Likely a great rum to put in your Mai Tai (or your “Mai-Tai” according to the label, sigh). Man, I’d love to try some of this.

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Happy 4th Anniversary Kon-Tiki

It was no sure bet four years ago when Matt Reagan and Christ Aivaliotis opened The Kon-Tiki. Since then, they’ve carved out an important role in the download Oakland restaurant community, and the venue also serves as a hub for many in the East Bay and Oakland tiki community. The “Oakhana” have weekly meetups usually on Wednesdays. Come over and join the fun.

Over the years, the Kon-Tiki has hosted many events with rum producers and developed their rum club, the Kon-Tiki Expedition. When members complete the expedition they bang the gong and it is always a party. Kon-Tiki has hosted a few music events and who can forget the frequent appearances of Cosmic Lady Six for Tarot Tuesdays. And Kon-Tiki has hosted and participated in a number of events in the Oakland community.

These days, Kon-Tiki is the flagship location for everything tiki including a vast selection of rums, a large cocktail menu, and a modest but varied set of food offerings. Including their world famous Cheeseburger, of course. And there is now an “outpost” location a half mile away, the Kon-Tiki Room at Palmetto. And, who knows, maybe more outposts to come.

So many memorable visits over the past four years, ten photos doesn’t really do justice. Thank you to so many great staff members who’ve provided excellent hospitality: @christaivaliotis@tolkien_black_dude @tomatigre @doctorbyday @not_carlos@terrysixofficial @manuelenriquebonilla @jeanie.with.a.bottle@le_toine_official @stirmaxalot @splifford_robinson and more.

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Tiki Modern

Thanks to local tikiphile Monty Dunnington for selling me his used copy of Sven Kirsten’s Tiki Modern, and for offering it at a fair price. This completes my Sven collection, including the Book of Tiki, Tiki Pop, Tiki Style, and Sound of Tiki.

The book is long out of print, which is truly a shame since it is a really interesting look at the tiki art of the 1950s-1960s and it’s place amongst the larger Mid Century art movement and aesthetic. The part that reads most interesting to me, a decade after it was published, is the neutral tone of the text. It is almost like an anthropologist describing a culture on its own terms, not one made with modern sensibilities. It does not denigrate, nor celebrate, the art and architecture described in the book. It just describes it so that we can understand it.

Which isn’t to say that those current sensibilities should be ignored. Just that I appreciated the neutral tone. And there are a lot of fabulous images in the book as well.

Anyway, thanks to Sven Kirsten for the books over the years.