I’ve always loved this mug. Such a nice sentiment to have “Goddess of Love” tattooed across the top of a skull mug. A wonderful image for a drink. The Hawaii Kai is a legendary tiki bar from New York, best known as the location of Joe Pesci’s famous “Do I amuse you” scene in Goodfellas. I was very pleased to add this one to my collection.

  

Just when you think you know what’s out there, something else comes along. Until about a month ago, I had never seen this menu. It is the “missing link” in a way. Oddly missing from the Mai Kai drink menu that we all have seen that is dated 1957, is the Mystery Drink. That led to wondering if the Mystery Drink was around in 1956 when they opened. This is perhaps the answer. On this menu, dated 1959, is the Mystery Drink. There was a seperate menu for the Molokai and that’s where the drink was ordered. It is dated 1959 and not 1957. We had this dated menu from 1958, so, this menu doesn’t get us closer to 1957 for the Mystery Drink, just firms up the evidence. One interesting thing from the mini menu is the image of the Mystery Drink. It is the kneeling girl bowl that was common among many bars.

That bowl is seen in this image from the Mai Kai which is surely Annie Campbell:

So, perhaps the Mystery Drink started in 1956 when the Mai Kai opened, and the Mai Kai Mystery Bowl appeared a little later…

There’s always something new out there. This looks like a card that I already have, but it is not. I am anxiously awaiting a card I have never seen, and none of you have ever seen from Annie Campbell. Not sure exactly what it is. You’ll see soon.

 

I previously posted about the Okole Maluna Club at the Mai Kai. At Hukilau, Kern Mattei, GM of the Mai Kai blessed me with this bit of ephemera. The membership card for the Okole Maluna Society. Awesome! I just can’t decide if I should put my name on it and make myself a mixologist! I should have had Kern do it.

More Mai Kai goodness pre-Hukilau

Just got this card to add to the Vintage Server Girls thread on Tiki Central.

 

 

 

 

This gal is clearly none too happy to see her man getting lei’d…

 

 

 

 

In the UK they broke the rules and had blonde servers!

 

 

 

 

And the freaks have tikis with boobs!

The one great thing I credit myself with in the whole Hukilau event, is being able to promote and in some ways really help make the Mai Kai more well known and popular. We all love the place, but I love the people that run it. They are the best. The staff as well. Mai Kai.

I noticed there was not a good set of images of this magazine article on the web, so I thought I’d scan it and put it out there for everyone.

 

 

 

Considering all the images of this Barrel of Rum mug, you’d think they would be around, but I have seen this mug on Ebay once in maybe 5 years.
 

 

 

 

Is that me in that aloha shirt? Maybe at Hukilau?

 

 

 

 

Bob and Jack Thornton

Bob pours the Coffee Grog.

  

I have been lusting after wanting this postcard for a long time. It’s finally mine. Why do I want it?

Could be this guy, waiting and watching on the diving board.

Could be these mafia guys, planning something harsh.

Could be this gal, smiling, cocktail in hand with the awesome hairdo.

Could be this red hot mama. But…

Really it’s just the whole damn card!

  

 

A few more of the commercial slides. You can see a big difference in color in some of these as they had become very red with age. Photoshop corrected them a lot, but they are not quite right.

  

 

Okay, a few more. These are from a batch of commercial slides for the tourists.

I have been corresponding with former Mai Kai Mystery Lady Anne Campbell lately. Once again I cannot stress enough the importance of getting everything we can on the Internet so the generation who remembers can find it and share with us. It was thanks to my Mai Kai calendar posts that she found me.

Unfortunately, a lot of her photos and memorabilia from that time was destroyed by a varmit infestation while they were in storage. One piece she sent me really stood out to me. I had read and was told that Bob Thornton inspected the Mai Kai gals on a regular basis and even the future Mrs. Thornton was kicked off the squad for being a bit pudgy. Well, here is a bit of proof. A letter from 1965 from Bob congratulating her for being top gal, and reminding her to keep her weigh under 125…

 More to come!

Sven and Sabu give us a nerdrific lesson in the history of two tikis at the Caliente Tropics.

Moon Islander Menu, South Titusville, FL

Tuai is Miss December 1973 in the 1974 calendar. A bonus!

Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Something very modern looking about Kelli, Miss December 1974.


Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Pamela is Miss November 1974. I think this is what is now the gift shop.

Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Karen is Miss October 1974.

Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Liva is shakin it for September 1974.

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Patti is Miss August 1974. This is the lovely lady’s room at the Mai Kai. Mmmm. That hair just gets me. That’s not your typical 1974 style.

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Susan is Miss July 1974,

“When the gong sounds, the ritual begins. There’s a hush throughout the room. What follows is something very special. Between you, your soul and the Mystery Girl.”

Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Diane is Miss June 1974.

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Um, Miss May 1974 is Linda, and there appears to be flames coming out of her… Hot!

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Kainoa is Miss April 1974. We had the pleasure of Kainoa dancing in the opening ceremony for Hukilau 2004. An incredible lady. She dances with my good friend Talani’s Polynesian Proud Productions in South Florida.

Another drawing of the garden dining area.

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I had come across this cover many years ago, and this week, I finally found the magazine. As best as I can tell, it is from 1966. Maybe a bit racier than Playboy at the time and just full of pictures of girls. The tiki and the bar are apparantly owned by the same photographer who did this spread for Nylon Jungle magazine. The rest of the images in the magazine are NSFW, so, you click on the below links as you wish.

Buff Treasure - on Pleasure Island - Rare, indeed, is the day that a ship calls at the island of Secluda, so this lovely native celebrates the event.

The Phallocrypt

Page 3 - She’s asking the fire god who rules over the island to provide them with rainless weather so that the passengers and crew on board the ship can come ashore to sample the island’s hospitality. The native food is delicious, the dances are delights to behold and the people are friendly children. “Pleasure Island,” it’s been called, and with good reason. With luck, perhaps some day your ship will call at this pearl of the Pacific!

Page 4

Center Fold

It’s probably a good idea that the outrigger isn’t there now. I can definitely see Crazy Al rowing out to the waterfall at Hukilau…
Linda is Miss March 1974.



A drawing of the dining area in the gardens.


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Candi is Miss February. Now that’s sexy, I don’t care who you are.

A nice drawing of the show at the Mai Kai.
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Mireille is Miss January 1974 on stage at the Mai Kai.

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When your 1974 Mai Kai calendar arrived, this was the image that greeted you on the envelope. Nice.

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Gail brings up the rear as the last image for 1967.

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Liva is Miss December 1967
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