A postcard of dinner at the Kahiki. Are you sure it’s the Kahiki? Why, yes, it says so right on the pig!

But to a collector, this is a laundry list of things to strive for.

Penang #1 Drink mug - Paul Marshal “Peanut” mug. Unmarked, these are very common.

Starboard Light glass by Imperial Glass Company, used by many Polynesian places.

Native Nectar - Coconut mug - Marked on the bottom

Salt and Pepper shakers - there were at least 5 types used at the Kahiki  - usually marked and not too hard to find

Necklace? Often hard to find, they are being seen more often. Marked.

Silverware, marked Kahiki

Mystery Blossom drink glass - The “Martiki” in saucer form by Morgantown - unmarked

Malayan Mist drink glass - unmarked

Chairs -generally found in Columbus, but likely all long gone

Tables - many in use at the Tropical Bistro

Ashtrays - sometimes marked

Sauce jar, lidded and marked

Menus - there are at least 3 types of drink menus out there. This looks like the 1961 version in the postcard. Later version above.

Idol’s Cast bowl by Hoffman Pottery - two varieties

Lamps - by HiTiki? - several types

Zombie glass holder - extremely rare

What do you collect? Me, I have a postcard or two, and a menu or two, and a mug or two…

Every piece brings more clues.

NSFW set of vintage Polynesian Maidens. The mailing address on the pack is in Hawaii, so it has some credibility, and the gals do look like islanders. A little Eye Candy to go with today’s Ear Candy.

Nude with Tiki Torch and Conch

Nude with waterfall

Nude in water

Nude with Pineapple

Nude with Lei

I have had requests to re-upload a couple of records. So, I have put Henri Rene’s Compulsion to Swing and Bob Thompson’s Mmmmm Nice back up. get ‘em while they’re there!

If you have listened to my Live 365 radio station, you probably have heard some of these. In the days of the radio jingle, CRC was king. Their intros and lead ins were just fantastic and they covered a couple of decades with their chorus singing “It’s Friday!” or whatever. I picked this record up on Ebay ages ago. The original tracks had an opening and closing with a 30 second or so blank space for the announcer in the middle. My download has the two pieces broken apart. This site gives some history and some great free downloads. I love this stuff. I have kept it to myself for years, but am sharing it now since my radio station is pay to listen only now.

Download here

These images come from Tahiti. They are from the grounds of the Beachcomber Hotel, which is apparently still there, but is now the Beachcomber Intercontinental.

Yeah, that’s some tikis.

 Detail of a Kahiki postcard. Man, that’s the life.

Here are a couple of other pictures of my parents I came upon lately.

First this picture of my Dad, who appears to have a cast on his arm, in front of the convertible he drove when he met my Mom. I think my oldest sister said she used to sleep in the top boot on trips when she was little.

And this image of Mom and Dad, that is indeed color, but I could not get Photoshop to make it look any better than this. Early days of color. I know my Mom’s lipstick was bright bright red. But, you can’t tell here.

I am starting to get acclimated to the new house and having time for the things I neglected while renovating, and then getting to the things that are just sort of normal life again… This picture is a leftover. When we were moving, I snapped this picture after I had emptied all the bottles out of the bar. Sort of weird packing liquor up in liquor boxes. All the liquors, liqueurs, bitters, and sundries fit in 6 boxes. There is one more boxes with juices, and of course, the machines and utensils. This is not everything needed to work through The Bum’s books. I had scaled back buying as we went in to this house buying thing. Is this a lot of booze or a little? Seems like a tiny bit to me…

My stats are through the roof for the last couple of days thanks to a post on Metafilter. Good to have you. But, I don’t want to pay $5 to register, just to answer the negative comments there. So, I’ll do it here!

For the record, my site may not predate Lileks‘, but it came about at the same time and before I knew of his. It is not a copy. We both started on AOL, and have similar interests. I discovered his site searching for more images by Art Frahm, and have been in contact ever since. My site started in the mid-90s.

Secondly, unlike Lileks’, I have not gone back and reformatted my pages. They are largely just as they were when they were created. I don’t have the large amounts of free time he has, and I would not spend it making my site look all pretty if I did. I am more interested in adding content.

Thirdly, I am not a professional writer, and I would not compare my snarky commenting to his. He is much better at it. I just say the first thing that comes to mind. It’s not like I am writing books for publishing or anything! Plus, again, that was all written 10 years ago, for the most part.

Fourth, It’s my site, I can be as snarky as I wanna be. That’s the title of my new rap CD too. “Snarky As I Wanna Be.”

When you pick up my book for $20, then you can be critical as all get out. Don’t be too hard on the free stuff. I bruise. Well, not easily, but, still.

Yeah, yeah, it’s the internet. Everybody has a voice and they are just commenting and all that stuff. I just think people don’t have the right context for what they are looking at is all. If I did all this stuff this year, it would look very differently and maybe the writing would be better, or not…

Thanks and enjoy.

I was reminded of this picture of my Dad as a friend is off to Alaska with the military. He served in Adak, Alaska in the Navy. They promised him a “girl behind every tree.” There just were no trees! Here he is as bartender.

Check this out. I just picked up a Kahiki skull mug.

Believe it or not, this is the only skull mug I own.

Dig this very crisp mold. A very nice mug. And, how much was it?

25 cents! In yer face sukahs!

I had the good pleasure to meet Beachbum Berry at Hukilau. Heard his discussion on drinks and drink making. Talked drinks with him and even talked drinks at the Mai Kai. I also found out he was relocating just over the mountain from here in Asheville, NC.  I was pleased to learn he knew of my efforts with the Grogalizer, and now I am very pleased that he has added the handy online tool to his website. I hear I get some sort of mention in his new book. I can’t wait to get my copy from him at Hukilau this year!

Spring came early this year. A year ago on April 1st we were in the mountains at Coon Tiki and nothing was in bloom and it was a little cool. This April 1st, everything was in bloom and it was in the 80s and 90s.

It was hot for weeks. Everything started blooming from the Azaleas to the Dogwoods.

Tulips bloomed beside Iris and that never happens.

Wisteria, everything was blooming. It was just Spring flowers like crazy!

And then it snowed last night and hit about 30. Will be in the upper 20’s the next few nights and every bloom on every tree and bush will be dead. Thanks Mother Nature!