Tag: LongBeach

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Rum Curious Summit 2025

I’m really excited to share I’ll be heading down to Long Beach for the Rum Curious Summit on Memorial Day. The event is a “rum fest” with over 20 rum brands plus cocktails, where attendees can experience and learn about over 80 different expressions. This is a medium sized event where you’ll have plenty of opportunity to learn about rum and learn from the various rum producers and brands.

I’m very interested to attend the educational seminars from luminaries including Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails author Shannon Mustipher, Doc Parks of Zombie Village fame, and self-proclaimed Rum Champion Bryan Inman who is also organizing the event. I’ve tried a lot of rums over the past few years but I always learn something new when experts such as these are providing context to the material. I’ve attended several seminars from Mustipher and Inman and they do a great job presenting material that’s interesting to both novices and experienced spirits consumers. While I haven’t attended any seminars from Doc Parks, I’ve seen his magic from across the bar so I have high expectations. #docparksismyhomeboy

The Rum Curious Summit will be held in downtown Long Beach at Altar Society Brewing, across the street from Secret Tiki Island, and ought to be a lot of fun. Tickets are available now, but don’t delay in securing your spot as there is a limited availability. We’ll see you in Long Beach on Memorial Day.

Shannon Mustipher
Doc Parks
Bryan Inman
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Secret Island Tiki Lounge, Long Beach Speakeasy Tiki Bar

We met up with some of Mrs Mai Tai’s friends at this downtown Long Beach speakeasy-style tiki bar. Located in the basement under Shannon’s Corner, Secret Island Tiki Lounge has a fantastic entrance experience that has to be witnessed to be fully understood.

Inside there’s a long bar with tables and booths just behind. Intimate but not too small. The decor of the bar is modern, with black light, and the music is modern tropical. Not too clubby but not vintage either. Decor in the back is pretty traditional with some nice bamboo and tikis throughout.

Pele’s Throne

Food was was mostly good Pu-Pu style apps, with the pineapple fried rice being a highlight and the spam misubi being the only lowlight. We had prompt and friendly service.

Cocktails overall were pretty good. The Mai Tai (and perhaps others) was batched but at least was competent and plenty boozy. Their signature drink Pele’s Fire was on the spicy side but really good and is plenty large. This fire bowl could easily be shared. Be sure to sit in Pele’s throne for a photo.

Straddling modern and traditional, party time and relaxing lounge, Secret Island is a sort of jack of all trades, master of none. If you don’t have a good time you’re not trying hard enough.

Pink Panther and Mai Tai
Pele’s Fire
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Hardcore Tiki Marketplace at Bamboo Club

Mrs. Mai Tai has spring break from teaching so we are taking a trip to Southern California. Our first day was to get us as far as Anaheim for some socially distant gazes at Mickey’s house. We did arrive locally early enough for us to check out the last hour of the Hardcore Tiki Marketplace taking place at Bamboo Club in Long Beach.

This was a nice tiki marketplace with about 10 vendors. We picked up this painting by Ken Ruzic that will go great in our bedroom.

The Bamboo Club was open indoors and also with their very large covered outdoor space, so we opted for an early dinner. The DJ was playing garage rock which I didn’t love at first (it was pretty loud), though the ecclectic set of patrons demonstrating their retro rock sensibilities seemd to be loving it. I liked it more after my Mai Tai.

The cocktails at Bamboo Club were pretty good. My Mai Tai was good, not great, but more than passable. Meanwhile Mrs. Mai Tai loved her Fluffy Banana (which I agreed was excellent). We enjoyed the food, too. I had Spam & Eggs and Julie had a veggie curry which she said was outstanding.

We took a peek at the indoor portion and this place seems like a dark, dirty and retro tiki bar. Very cool, and glad we made it this time.