We ventured out of the downtown area of Dublin to check out Hole in the Wall, the ironically named pub that’s the longest in Europe. Tightly nestled between a suburban road and Phoenix Park, the pub owners acquired a series of buildings which now seemingly go on and on and on. The venue dates from 1651 and there are so many little nooks and treasured contained within.
We arrived at lunchtime and were seated in the front room, as the venue was not particularly crowded. We enjoyed lunch, beer, and cider. When our meal was done we wandered through to some o of the other rooms, seeing that each room had its own character.
The brightly colored Temple Bar is named after the Dublin neighborhood where it resides. The place has something of a reputation as a tourist trap, in fact our taxi driver warned us that it wasn’t worth it. We arrived at around 10:00 am with an opening time listed as 10:30. We did see that some of doors were open with people inside so took a look to check out the venue.
Inside, we saw that one of the bars was already open and so it seemed like an opportune time for a Guinness. People told us that Guinness tastes different here compared to the states, though I couldn’t ascertain the difference myself. The venue has all kinds of little rooms that are fun to wander within and hang out in, and the people watching is so good a group of four lads asked me to take their picture. The myriad historical details are interesting to check out and it is wall to wall stickers on the way down to the toilets that may have had a recent addition.
By the time we left there was traditional Irish music being played by a trio and the space was starting to fill up. The visit was anything but a tourist trap, though it wouldn’t have been worth it later when you have to wait for an hour to get a drink. Like a lot of things, being early has its advantages.
Daytripper is a new Richmond Grove Sacramento craft cocktail bar that focuses on agave and cane spirits in a Latin America themed setting. We’d heard great things and despite being open only a few weeks it seems like they’re already in prime form. The menu includes an array of classics from the Caipirinha, Pisco Sour, Paloma, and Ti’ Punch plus a variety of Margaritas, some originals, and NA options.
We arrived a little before 6 pm on Saturday and had to wait for about 10 minutes in line to enter, expected as the venue does not currently take reservations. Upon entering, we immediately saw various Latin American decorative elements, plus a large spirits collection focusing on local spirts from that region. We found a couple seats in the bar area, but the turnover was fairly quick and could have waited only a short bit longer for a table. Service is from a server unless you’re seated at the bar.
I was very intrigued by the Mai Tai, only $12 but still getting rave reviews. Indeed this is a delicious Mai Tai and was told it was made with Charanda from Mexico, Probitas, Denizen (presumably Denizen Light), plus a float of OFTD in the lime shell. It’s really great and is super approachable without heavy grassy or funky notes that I might appreciate but I know can be off-putting to many. It’s a Top 20 Mai Tai of the year so far, and a great value for the price.
Mrs. Mai Tai tried a coffee drink called Carajillo made with tequila, Liquor 43, and espresso – served over ice it was pretty good with a just a hint of tequila. We were quite intrigued by the Miami Vice on the menu and ordered one with two straws. This was by far the best Miami Vice we’ve ever had with the Strawberry Daiquiri component being very well balanced and providing some tart elements to balance the heavier sugar found in the Piña Colada. Even if you don’t love slushy drinks you owe it to yourself to give the Miami Vice a try, it’s that great.
The tropical vibe in Daytripper was so much fun, and they even have a vending machine with some eclectic items inside. They also sell some very nice looking glassware and tassel keychains for sale, with a “clipper club” coming soon. We already love these kind of cocktails but the travel theme expressed on the menu and in the venue is a good way to position it for those who don’t like in the rum or mezcal rabbit holes.
Mai Tai Day is the day each year where we celebrate the birth of the world’s greatest cocktail and the man who invented it, Trader Vic Bergeron. The date is based on Oakland’s 2009 Mai Tai Day proclamation, the city where the Mai Tai was invented.
Trader Vic’s Emeryville has been hosting ticketed Mai Tai Day celebrations since 2019, with varying degrees of scope depending on the year. A couple years ago it was the 80th anniversary so there was a three-day celebration including a “Black Tai” event that was all-inclusive in the restaurant along with a dressy theme. In most years, Mai Tai Day has featured a festival vibe with vendors and performances in the parking lot plus drink and food stations inside.
Trader Vic’s Emeryville recently announced this year’s theme and a different scope for event ticketing.
Flight departs August 30th. Destination: paradise.
Mai Tai Day 2026 is an all-inclusive tropical takeover: themed rooms, Tahitian dancers & drummers, rum tastings, island food, and enough Mai Tais to forget you never left the Bay. 3PM – 8PM. 21+. Limited seats. This one will sell out.
This one-day event seems to be similar to the Black Tai event with an all-inclusive food/drink format and ticket price of $200 plus fees. This setup will provide for a more intimate experience but has also generated some consternation from some previous attendees who are balking at the high entry price. That’s certainly understandable, especially for those who won’t drink their “money’s worth” of Mai Tais and other cocktails. We will see if this actually sells out or not, and whether this format works better for Trader Vic’s, but in any case we’ll see you there.
The travel theme seems to be paying homage to the Oakland Airport and Kona Hawai’i locations that are opening in the near future. The airport location is supposed to open very soon, though several rumored April and May openings have passed. The Kona location is connected to a refreshed Hampton Inn by Hilton Kailua-Kona Bay property that is taking reservations for October, and the venue just launched their website and Instagram profile @tradervicskona.
Our trip to see the Giants play at Oracle Park started early with a visit to nearby Cavaña, a rooftop bar and restaurant that’s across McCovey Cove and part of the LUMA Hotel. The day was cold and breezy so we spent most of our time inside at the bar, but the rooftop views of the ballpark and Mission Bay are spectacular.
Cavaña leans into Central and South American flavors for both the cocktails and their food offerings, so the drinks have Agave spirits, Cane spirits, or Pisco. Many cocktails include floral and herbal elements, such as my Papaya which combined Pisco and Elderflower liqueur. Mrs. Mai Tai was immediately drawn to the coffee-forward Banano that included Santa Teresa rum as well as banana milk. Perhaps the best of the standard menu items was the Guayaba that included tequila, guava, and rose petals. All of these were outstanding and offered unique flavors you don’t experience at most places, and there a number of interesting non-alcoholic options as well.
Guayaba
There’s a very nice spirits list at Cavaña, and I spotted a bottle Rivers Royale rum from Grenda, a potent flavor bomb that’s wild and pungent. Seeing a Caipirinha on the menu, I asked for a spirit sub with the Rivers. The bartender cogently informed me that this was really high proof, which I said was okay, and then when he presented the drink, the bartender chuckled and said “that’ll get the job done.” This was a really good format for this powerful spirit, just enough lime and sugar to support the amazing flavors.
This was our second stellar visit to Cavaña, which is a great option for drinks and food before or after events at Oracle Park or nearby Chase Center. The authentic flavors drive a stellar lineup of offerings that offer something for everyone.
My company gave me Friday off for a “wellness day” so Mrs. Mai Tai and I went over to the Santa Cruz area for shopping and lunch. After a quick visit to Capitola and Soquel, we drove onto the Santa Cruz Wharf for lunch at Makai Island Kitchen and Groggery.
Makai has been a favorite of ours for some time, including the rotating bar area. This is such a unique feature and you have full views of the ocean, Makai’s Captain’s Table room, and the rest of the restaurant. We also saw a vast rum list that was over 30 pages and according to staff features over 620 rums, very quietly one of the largest collections of any venue in the United States. We both enjoyed our lunch, I had the Poke Bowl that includes lychee and crushed macadamia nuts as different kind of options, with Mrs. Mai Tai having the Halibut Green Curry Bowl.
There are bunch of different cocktail options including many developed by the crew. I started with a 1944 Mai Tai that I should have loved, featuring Appleton Signature, Smith & Cross, and Planteray Xaymaca rums (three of my favorites), but this Mai Tai was too lime forward and I could barely taste the rum. We had much better luck with the other cocktails, including the sweet banana flavors of Squid Ink, the light gin and lavender flavors of Purple Haze, and the not-too-sweet ube and coconut Triumph & Disaster. Our favorite was Pau Hana, a gin and elderflower cocktail that incorporated lemon and raspberry. This cocktail was developed by Hana Kingsbury (see what she did there) who was our server and posed with a photo with her creation.
The cocktail and rum options at Makai remain strong, plus their island far remains high quality and moderately priced. We enjoy things inside in the rotating bar, but the patio outside is pretty nice including a couple of very large tikis to help set the mood. Along the way, we saw birds and sea lions from our vantage point, and then strolled to the end of the pier to check out more sea lions, sea birds, and seagulls.
If you’re into themed bars, Wizard & Wands offers a Harry Potter-inspired experience featuring good cocktails, immersive decor, and some special effects. The bar is located in San Francisco’s Marina District, and includes Drag Brunch events on the weekends. Our party decided to visit later on a Saturday afternoon for some cocktails and conversation. Patrons are even encouraged to dress in costume while visiting.
The entry area features some thematic elements and occasional light shows. There’s a nice dark tavern vibe in this area which is where our party of six was seated. There are a few themed cocktails including riffs on standards plus beer choices. I quite enjoyed the Love Potion with tequila/hibiscus and the Butterbeer flavored Wizard Brew was also very good. Some of the drinks come with special features, such as the smoke with Glen’s or the note that’s set on fire with Julie’s Espresso Elixir, though they don’t lean heavily on the drink gimmicks here.
Every so often there would a light show and some thematic music, including the ceiling tiles in the lower room which are screen-based. Mostly though we spent the afternoon in conversation with a variety of dance tracks (Charli XCX, Dua Lipa) playing in the background. Wizards & Wands also serves bar food, which our party also enjoyed.
Unlike some bars that change theming every quarter, Wizards & Wands is committed to this theme and so it is more immersive than most pop-ups. If this kind of theme is your thing or if you’re just in the Marina looking for a place to escape, Wizards & Wands is a great option.
