“She needs a Black Magic,” Mirielle offered. When Christie walked into the Mai-Kai for her first visit, Kern, Pia, and Mireille, like diplomatic ambassadors, greeted her at the door. Christie was starting to get overwhelmed with tears of joy when Kern asked, “What would you like to drink?” Before Christie could answer, Mireille suggested one […]

Cajuns revel in lagniappe. It roughly translates to a little something extra. So when I returned to N’awlins, it should have been no surprise that one simple invitation turned into something much more. Vico heard I was coming to town and invited me to visit his home bar. Since Vico is the godfather of the

Sara and Brian found the perfect Crab Rangoon. Then, they lost it. For those that might not know, Crab Rangoon is classic Tiki. Although many might erroneously think the appetizer could be traced to traditional Chinese cooking, it’s not. Crab Rangoon was birthed in a tiki bar. You won’t find cream cheese in Chinese (or

“Need a light?” The visitor’s question made Doug blush, but he answered it anyway. “No, thanks. I have around 100 lights already, in a variety of shapes and sizes. You should check them out.” Doug was feeling brazen. He suspected this might be the first of several sexually-charged and possibly inappropriate tiki questions from the

An hour into our conversation, Andy grinned and said, “I love to tell stories.” Andy is talented at storytelling. He has cultivated the lost art of heartfelt conversation. Hawaiians have a unique phrase for this gift. They call it “talk story.” On the islands, when you “talk story,” you are generous with the time it

Tiki bars are for grown-ups, right? Not so. Captain Lou’s Shipwreck Lagoon, located near the ports of Mystic, Connecticut, is a harbor for kids and grown-ups. When Lou and his family want to spend time together, they break out a fun collection of Tiki-inspired board games. Some games are new; some are decades old. A

The menu offered mouth-watering options. What would I order? Water Chestnut Pork? Precious Shrimp? Steak Kue? Surely some Crab Rangoon. Something fried? Or, should I go saucy? The Poly-Asian offerings were only $1.95, and the Cantonese feasts were $3.95 per person. I’d definitely need a tropical libation to pair. Knowing me, I’d order an extra

“Houston, we’ve got a problem.” Bryce couldn’t recreate the Mai Tai, and this was a problem. He found the recipe for the drink, got some rum, and bought some fruit juice, but when he tried making it at home, it didn’t taste right. But Bryce wasn’t going to give up until he made it perfectly.

You might be stoked about surfing if you’re willing to compete in an arm cast. That’s Jim for you. It all started when Jim heard from one of the Thunderbirds that the Air Force was looking for Surf Club recruits. Each year, there was a surfing invitational among the military branches. Although he couldn’t jump