{"id":162,"date":"2006-09-01T11:36:16","date_gmt":"2006-09-01T15:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2006\/09\/01\/mai-kai-the-postcards\/"},"modified":"2018-02-24T09:40:18","modified_gmt":"2018-02-24T16:40:18","slug":"mai-kai-the-postcards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2006\/09\/01\/mai-kai-the-postcards\/","title":{"rendered":"Mai Kai &#8211; The Postcards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <a title=\"Mai Kai\" href=\"http:\/\/www.maikai.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale<\/a> is my favorite place on Earth. It&#8217;s far beyond words. Knowing the owners only makes me love it more. If you don&#8217;t know about the Mai Kai, look at my page <a title=\"Mai Kai\" href=\"http:\/\/maikai.hukilau.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a> for a little information.<\/p>\n<p>As part of my love for the place I started work on a Mai Kai fan site a while back. If I had more time, it would be done by now, but, you know how that goes. I have managed to get images of every vintage postcard the Mai Kai produced (as far as anyone can tell me.) So, here is that sampling of the Mai Kai ephemera catalog.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image211\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"tropical\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/tropical.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"tropical\" align=\"left\" \/>Early card showing the cannibal trio of tikis on the sign.<BR CLEAR=left> <\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image206\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc14\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/night-post-card1.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc14\" align=\"left\" \/>Perhaps the earliest photo card. The coverig for the valet area is not there yet. Look how few trees are around. It really was out in the middle of nowhere.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image207\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc15\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/night-post-card2.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc15\" align=\"left\" \/>A slightly later image, now showing the covered valet area. These two are some of the most common pastcards.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image208\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"sign\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/night-road-sign.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"sign\" align=\"left\" \/>Another early photo card.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image194\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc11\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mai-kaiempty.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc11\" align=\"left\" \/>Early interior shot.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image210\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"surf room\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/surf-room.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"surf room\" align=\"left\" \/>This was the bar before the renovation in the 1970s that created the Molokai Lounge. I am told it was really an incredible room and this single image does it no justice. There was some sort of mural that I am told was incredible.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image202\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mk9\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk9.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mk9\" align=\"left\" \/>I assume this is an early card just because it is linen. Linen postcards went out of style a long time ago in favor of chrome. I\u00c2\u00a0think this is likely where the garden area is now.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image200\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mk5\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk5.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mk5\" align=\"left\" \/>This is perhaps the oldest card. It seems to be an architectural drawing of the Mai Kai, done perhaps before they opened in 1956.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image195\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mystery\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mai-kaimystery.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mystery\" align=\"left\" \/>The famous iconic Mystery Drink Lady. This piece of Polynesian Pop was invented by the Mai Kai.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image193\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"guests\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mai-kaidiners.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"guests\" align=\"left\" \/>A classic luau scene at the Mai Kai.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image196\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"gals\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mai-kaistaff.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"gals\" align=\"left\" \/>The friendly wait staff of the Mai Kai.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image192\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"coffee\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/maikaicoffeegrog.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"coffee\" align=\"left\" \/>The pouring of the Flaming Coffee Grog.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image184\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc3\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/day-post-card1.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc3\" align=\"left\" \/>This is a little later than the\u00c2\u00a0second card above. The covered valet area is there now.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image182\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/acz.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc1\" align=\"left\" \/>This is also perhaps a very early card from before they opened showing an architectural rendering of the Mai Kai.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image183\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"bartender\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/bartender.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"bartender\" align=\"left\" \/>The coasters on the bar and the style of the Rum Barrel tell that this is a very early image. Likely 1950s, maybe early 1960s.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image185\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc4\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/derby-d-coupon-card.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc4\" align=\"left\" \/>Here is his counterpart. I think this card is dated 1963. I know that&#8217;s got to be a wig, but, wow, what hair! The picture is taken in exactly the same spot as the one above. It could be the same photo shoot which would make the above image not 1950s.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image204\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mk11\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk11.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mk11\" align=\"left\" \/>An exterior shot from the road. This tiki is still there in front of Bora Bora. My guess is that this is from the\u00c2\u00a0mid 1970s, but I am not sure.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image197\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc12\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk1.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc12\" align=\"left\" \/>A wider shot of the with the same tiki. You can see the city now coming to meet the Mai Kai. The car is early 70s. I think this is an image after the remodel that added to the Mai Kai in the 1970s.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image199\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mk3\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk3.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mk3\" align=\"left\" \/>The first of a trio of paintings of the Mai Kai that were made into postcards.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image189\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc8\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/maikai02a.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc8\" align=\"left\" \/><BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image186\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc5\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/long-painting-2.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc5\" align=\"left\" \/><BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image213\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"longpic\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/09\/long-picture.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"longpic\" align=\"left\" \/>A long picture card.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image205\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"molokai\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/molokai-linen.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"molokai\" align=\"left\" \/>A linen card of the Molokai Lounge.\u00c2\u00a0 That means it came out in the 1970s, but the style is old. Maybe this is also an architectural image of an uncompleted lounge, before it was opened.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image201\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"mk8\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk8.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"mk8\" align=\"left\" \/>The performers of the Mai Kai. I think this is from the 1970s as well.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image190\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc9\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/maikai03.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc9\" align=\"left\" \/>I think these are interior images from before the renovations.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image187\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc6\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mai-kai-street-yellow.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc6\" align=\"left\" \/>I think this is a later shot. Maybe 1970s.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image209\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc3v\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/postcard-3-views-70s1.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc3v\" align=\"left\" \/>This shows the room that would become the gift shop after the remodel. I think it is from the early 1970s.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<li><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image198\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"pc13\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/\/uploads\/2006\/08\/mk2.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"pc13\" align=\"left\" \/>A recent postcard.<br \/>\nI think it is all\u00c2\u00a0of them. If you have any not here, please send me images of them.<BR CLEAR=left><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you have not been to the Mai Kai, you need to put it on the top of your to-do list and think about coming down in a month to <a title=\"Hukilau\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hukilau.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hukilau<\/a> when it will be filled with enthusiasts from around the world. It is truly greater than any description can give.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UPDATE:<\/strong> Another new one found.<br \/>\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/maikai.jpg?w=840\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale is my favorite place on Earth. It&#8217;s far beyond words. Knowing the owners only makes me love it more. If you don&#8217;t know about <span class=\"readmore\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2006\/09\/01\/mai-kai-the-postcards\/\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[542,11,539,540],"tags":[184,234,10,315,316],"class_list":["post-162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tiki-collecting","category-polynesian-pop","category-retro-goodies","category-retro-preservation","tag-hukilau","tag-mai-kai","tag-tiki","tag-post-card","tag-postcard"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/09\/tn_Untitled_Panorama1-2.jpg?fit=750%2C505&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p731sH-2C","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":192,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2006\/11\/20\/update-new-mai-kai-postcard-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":0},"title":"Update: New Mai Kai postcard found","author":"Swanky","date":"November 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"I should have known that Basement Kahuna would have in his possession, a Mai Kai postcard I had never seen. Well, that's half true. I had not seen this postcard, but I owned it's doppleganger. You see, this postcard in his collection: Is a mirror image of this postcard in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":438,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2008\/11\/01\/mai-kai-postcards-another-one-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":1},"title":"Mai Kai Postcards &#8211; Another One Found","author":"Swanky","date":"November 1, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Another card to add to the original post and now website of Mai Kai postcards. This is the famous large Barney West at the south end of the Mai Kai. It stands there to this day. But today the highway has encroached to the point that this guy is right\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/maikai.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":467,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2009\/02\/21\/another-new-mai-kai-postcard-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":2},"title":"Another New Mai Kai Postcard Found","author":"Swanky","date":"February 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"You'd think that after searching for 6 years for all things Mai Kai I would have seen every postcard there was. No. This one appeared on Ebay a few weeks ago. More things to try to find!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/tmaikai-500x322.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":372,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2008\/07\/08\/mai-kai-postcards-new-finds\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":3},"title":"Mai Kai Postcards &#8211; New Finds","author":"Swanky","date":"July 8, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/uploads\/2008\/07\/3-pic-long-300x119.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":291,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2007\/10\/21\/mai-kai-calendar-a-day-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":4},"title":"Mai Kai Calendar a Day #7","author":"Swanky","date":"October 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Kawana is Miss june 1964. This is one of the large tikis that used to be in front of the restaurant. Here it is in a postcard. This tiki was stolen in the night long ago... Sponsored by Tiki Daze - The only damn calendar that matters!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":259,"url":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/2007\/06\/02\/1967-mai-kai-calendar\/","url_meta":{"origin":162,"position":5},"title":"1967 Mai Kai Calendar","author":"Swanky","date":"June 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"To rev up to Hukilau coming in less than two weeks, I am sharing some Mai Kai schwag... Mrs. Thornton, the choreographer for the Mai Kai dinner show and owner of the Mai Kai. She is the spirit of the place and an incredible lady. Day-am! LOVE THE HAIR! and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;\"Tiki\" Collecting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"\"Tiki\" Collecting","link":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/category\/polynesian-pop\/tiki-collecting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1554,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162\/revisions\/1554"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swankpad.org\/blather\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}