Tag: Oakland

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Mai Tai Day 2024 Recap

Trader Vic’s Emeryville’s Mai Tai Weekend finished with another great Mai Tai Day event, including a larger group of vendors, performances by APE, Hot Laundry and DJs, a silent auction, seminars from Eve Bergeron, spirits tastings, guest bartenders, plus Trader Vic’s cocktails and food. The format was basically the same as the last couple years and a commemorative Mai Tai Day 2024 glass was given to ticketed attendees.

Eve Bergeron’s seminar about her grandfather Trader Vic was a highlight for me, as she shared personal stories and details about the creator of the Mai Tai. Some of the displays left over from the Black Tai event were referenced in the seminar.

A variety of Trader Vic’s cocktails were available in the main bar, plus the Mai Tai Boat in the dining room. We also enjoyed a Mai Tai popsicle. Guest Bartenders from The Kon-Tiki, Forbidden Island, Pagan Idol, Sobre Mesa, and The Barbary meant that guests could try Mai Tai variants from other bars as well. We really enjoyed The Kon-Tiki’s Third Voyage and thought that Pagan Idol’s nutty Mai Tai riff was tasty. Guest could vote for their favorite with Pagan Idol winning.

While cocktails were only available via purchase, several spirits companies were doing tasting for no additional charge. We got to try rums and bottled cocktails from KōHana and rums from Myrtle Bank and Planteray.

Crazy Al doing Crazy Al things

APE was in fine form with their blend of surf, calypso, and reggae, fronted by Crazy Al who carved a tiki in real time to the beat of the music. These guys are always a fan favorite, especially when Al interacts with the audience.

Trader Vic’s CEO Rhett Rosen led the attendees in a toast, saluting the team who made this amazing weekend happen and to anyone who appreciates Trader Vic’s and the Mai Tai. There was another great turnout of people once again this year.

Mai Tai Boat
Christ and Carlos from The Kon-Tiki
Tiki Lindy repping Myrtle Bank rum
So Many Mai Tais
Mai Tai Popsicle
Pagan Idol’s Winning Cocktail
Cheers Trader Vic’s
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Trader Vic’s Tiki Tai Treasure Hunt Crawl

The second event of Trader Vic’s 90th Anniversary weekend started off with a reception for three-day passholders. We had a reception in the Captain’s Cabin room and were treated to a Mai Tai and a half ounce pour of Appleton 17 Legend Rum. Where Trader Vic’s found three bottles of this I’ll never know, but it was nice to try this fabulous rum once again. Some bites were also part of this reception.

Cheers from Trader Vic’s

For anyone willing to participate, Trader Vic’s provided a map of nearby tiki bars. You were encouraged to visit these bars and have a featured cocktail that payed homage to Trader Vic’s cocktails of the past. For those not on the three day pass that would start at Vic’s with a cocktail. For teams able to get through all eight locations, they could upload a photo of their stamped map to possibly win a prize.

The participating bars were Smuggler’s Cove, Pagan Idol, Zombie Village, and Last Rites in San Francisco, plus Alameda’s Forbidden Island, and Kon-Tiki and The Barbary in Oakland. These were good choices, though Last Rites tries to pretend they’re not a tiki bar, and The Barbary isn’t tiki either but at least the owners are former Vic’s bartenders.

Cheers from Smuggler’s Cove

We heard Smuggler’s Cove was opening early for passholders, so Lyfted over and entered the doors at 4:08 pm to find four empty seats at the bar, practically unheard of. I totally loved the Eastern Sour riff that used fresh lime and orange along with quality Jamaica rums. I also had the Cove’s legendary Mai Tai.

Our next stop was Zombie Village right at opening where we enjoyed the Kapua Swizzle and Mrs. Mai Tai’s favorite the Coco Pandan. After some socializing we headed over to Pagan Idol and loved their Fogcutter riff called the Apple Crank. I really dug this, and also had an excellent Jungle Bird. We took a break for dinner across the street at Cafe Tiramisu.

We were starting to run out of steam, and regretting not sharing more of the cocktails. We finished at The Barbary, a bar new to all of us that has a tropical and nautical vibe. We liked the decor, though it was really warm inside. But none of really enjoyed the cocktails, with the off-menu Mai Tai being pretty terrible.

A salute to the teams who completed all the stops. This was a fun event that once again demonstrated the respect and admiration the various tiki bars have for each other and how Trader Vic’s remains the beating heart of the genre.

Appleton 17 Legend
Appleton 17 and Mai Tai
Jamaican Sour at Smuggler’s Cove
Kapua Swizzle at Zombie Village
Thank you Brenda and Glen for crawling with us
Apple Crank at Pagan Idol
The Barbary
Mai Tai at The Barbary
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Mai Tai Trivia Recap

What a fabulous evening in downtown Oakland last night for the first ever Mai Tai Trivia event, hosted by The Kon-Tiki. We had a packed house of people testing their knowledge of arcane Mai Tai and Tiki Bar trivia, or just to see famed YouTuber Derek from Make & Drink make a live appearance.

We did four themed rounds of trivia, starting with Mai Tai Origins, What’s in a Mai Tai, and Stretching the Definition. We dedicated one round to general Tiki Bar trivia. Questions ranged from the simple (“In what city was the Mai Tai invented”) to deeper cuts such as the longest continuously operating tiki bar in Southern California. Hint: it isn’t Tiki Ti or Tonga Hut.

Teams were formed with up to four people, including some timely and themed names such as East Bay Dunder, Our Tai, and Demure. Prizes included some great Make & Drink Mai Tai glasses and coasters, Make & Drink pins, a tiki mug, and Surfside Sips glass straw gift packs.

The winning team was Cooler than QB that included hometown “Oakhana” regulars, followed in a tie for second from Hinky Drinkers and Squeaky Tikis. Congrats to these teams and thanks to all who played. We also thank Mrs. Mai Tai for helping with passing out and collecting ballots.

Arminder from Rum Revival and Derek from Make & Drink

We have to thank the amazing Kon-Tiki team who welcomed a large crowd and did a great job keeping up with orders. I enjoyed the Dhalia Negra cocktail from the happy hour menu and bartender Kriss made a Q.B. Cooler that was fantastic. I also made sure to enjoy a standard Mai Tai that’s not on the menu but always available, and Kon-Tiki’s Mai Tai is one of the best anywhere.

Question: when was the first Mai Tai Trivia Event?
Answer: The Kon-Tiki Oakland, August 21, 2024.

Cooler than QB
Hinky Drinkers and Squeaky Tikis
Dhalia Negra with Hibiscus-infused Charanda, Lime, Azucar
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Pau Hana Studio Open House in the Oakland Hills

We had a grand time yesterday for the first of two open house events for the new Pau Hana Studio in the Oakland Hills.

The project is the brainchild of Laura and Woody Miller and the venue serves as a production studio for Woody’s burgeoning mug and tiki art business. Pau Hana will also host arts and crafts classes on various topics including ceramics, mugs, plant hangers, and tiki lamps. The space includes warm accent touches, skylights, and a wonderfully colorful tropical pattern on the back wall. Some of Woody’s lamps and other art from the defunct Kon-Tiki Room at Palmetto are present to make the space inviting and also providing a showcase for Woody’s diverse portfolio of projects.

Pau Hana includes a great deal of storage for Woody’s various tiki mug projects. We saw mugs in various stages of production including the fabulous event mug for the Sacramento Ohana Home Bar Tour event, and another one that this author thinks is even better and set to debut at a San Francisco tiki bar in the near future. Stay tuned… There’s also storage for wood and other materials.

The registration for some upcoming classes are sold out, but look for more classes to be announced soon. Pau Hana will be hosting another open house on Saturday August 17 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, 11144 Golf Links Rd, Oakland, CA.

Woody and Laura Miller
Mrs. Mai Tai made this with stamps
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Mai Tai Trivia at The Kon-Tiki, August 21

Kick off Mai Tai anniversary weekend with the ultimate Mai Tai Trivia challenge coming to The Kon-Tiki Oakland on Wednesday August 21 at 7 pm. Mark your calendars and join us for Mai Tai and Tiki Bar trivia, plus drink specials and prizes. Work as an individual or team to win bragging rights for life as the winners of the first and maybe only Mai Tai Trivia night.

Mai Tai Trivia is hosted by Kevin Crossman from Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai and Derek from Make & Drink YouTube.

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Kamala Mai Tai

Re-remembering the family background of presumptive Democratic nominee Vice-President Kamala Harris made me think of making a tribute recipe for this Oakland native based on the Mai Tai, Oakland’s most famous cocktail. Harris’ parents are from Jamaica and India, so the rum ratios for a Mai Tai naturally fell into place.

Kamala Mai Tai by Kevin Crossman
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Orgeat
¼ oz Demerara Syrup
½ oz Orange Curacao
1 oz Oakland Rum (Wright & Brown)
½ oz Indian Rum (Amrut Two Indies)
½ oz Jamaica Rum (Worthy Park 109)

This was a really good Mai Tai, with the Jamaica rum presenting itself up front and a long finish with the barrel notes from the aged Wright & Brown from Oakland. I know most folks don’t have this rum, but if you want it to be authentic it has to come from Oakland.