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Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL (restaurant) |
Mo-Eye
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 17, 2006
Posts: 600
From: Costa Mesa, CA
|  Posted: 2009-07-12 09:00 am Permalink
Found a Feb. 1970 article about the Zimco Housing Corp. of Pompano Beach. They made a modular home called the Mai-Kai which was inspired by the restaurant. Features include "rain cape thatch, basket weave grass matting, bamboo and Manila line mouldings, traditional south Seas rattan furniture and colorful shag carpeting."
Now, someone go find one of these out there in Florida!
_________________
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http://stores.ebay.com/Taboo-Island
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tabooisland
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2009-07-12 12:07 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-07-12 09:00, Mo-Eye wrote:
Found a Feb. 1970 article about the Zimco Housing Corp. of Pompano Beach. They made a modular home called the Mai-Kai which was inspired by the restaurant. Features include "rain cape thatch, basket weave grass matting, bamboo and Manila line mouldings, traditional south Seas rattan furniture and colorful shag carpeting."
Now, someone go find one of these out there in Florida!
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There are images of it in the Mai Kai scrapbooks. Great shots with the Mai Kai girls there. Makes it look very inviting!
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Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2079
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2009-09-16 2:16 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-09-08 11:17, hala bullhiki wrote:
more pics!!!, more pics!!!!..... |
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Many of the smaller tiki's in the gardens are being replaced with concrete versions that should stand for a good long time. This guy is a good example.
another of the concrete additions.
No Fair getting there early to get a good seat. They say 5 and they mean it!
And when you are done looking at the bevy of beauties, take a look at the sign on top..... 2 Shows 10:30 and Midnight.
These pix and more can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/groups/maikai/pool/
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-10-05 8:07 pm Permalink
An old photo slide of the entrance.
DC
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2009-10-05 8:18 pm Permalink
Hey DC,
That slide is actually flopped but it's a quick fix. 
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Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2079
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2009-10-06 04:44 am Permalink
Is there a date on that slide?
I ask because the big Moai that used to be up front is not in that slide.... We know he was there before the 1972 expansion that created the Bora Bora room (which is the building in that shot). After the expansion was completed the Moai went walking and no one is quite sure when he left on his Journey. A date on that shot could help.
[ This Message was edited by: Chip and andy 2009-10-06 05:58 ]
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1766
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2009-10-07 2:44 pm Permalink
If you look to the left of that pic, the wooden bridge entrance has a bamboo railing. This 1974 calendar pic shows the bamboo has been replaced with ropes. Ropes remain today, but not quite this dramatic. So Dusty's pic is pre-1973 (1973 being the year the calendar would have been shot).
Or... not.
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TIKI DAVID
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 07, 2004
Posts: 1904
From: North Coast
| Posted: 2009-10-07 3:17 pm Permalink
there are ropes in that pic?
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-10-07 5:29 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-10-06 04:44, Chip and Andy wrote:
Is there a date on that slide?
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Sorry it took so long to get back on the question, I had to track down the slide on ebay. The listing says it is from 1969.
Here is a larger shot from the listing.
DC
[ This Message was edited by: Dustycajun 2009-10-07 17:31 ]
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2010-04-21 2:04 pm Permalink
Adding this info for the possibility of relatives out there searching.
"J. Craig Hille, a portrait artist for MGM studios, immortalized the stars
at the pinnacle of their careers. Stricken with throat cancer, the gifted
painter, whose Polynesian nudes grace Fort Lauderdale's landmark Mai-Kai
restaurant, took his own life in 1972."
Also, Bert Sadkin did sketches of the Mai-Kai girls in the mid-sixties that eventually became a sort of mural at the Mai-Kai. It was apparently removed in the late 80s. He went on to run a gallery on the "SS Mardi Gras" which was the first Carnival Cruise ship. He did caricatures mostly I am told.
_________________
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nibblegribitz
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 29 | Posted: 2010-06-05 8:45 pm Permalink
That's Kelly holding up the bridge.
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donhonyc
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Posts: 1173
From: The Quiet EAST Village
| Posted: 2010-06-05 9:01 pm Permalink
I was at the Mai Kai on the Friday of the Memorial Day Weekend around 6 or so and the Molokai bar was paaa-aacked! I hadn't been since November and it's good to see that the place is going strong...not like there was any doubt.
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nibblegribitz
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 29 | Posted: 2010-06-06 04:33 am Permalink
Nice picture of the Mai Kai Islanders.
That's Ruita(at that time married to manager Kern Mattei Sr.)
The girl whose head is poking out between the second and third seated girl was my first wife Dine.
To the left of the front left tram roof support pole is Mireille(married to owner Bob Thornton)
On the right of the pole is my current wife, also Diane, of 27 years.
Good times!!!
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nibblegribitz
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 29 | Posted: 2010-06-10 8:01 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-09-16 14:16, Chip and Andy wrote:
Quote:
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On 2004-09-08 11:17, hala bullhiki wrote:
more pics!!!, more pics!!!!..... |
|
Many of the smaller tiki's in the gardens are being replaced with concrete versions that should stand for a good long time. This guy is a good example.
another of the concrete additions.
No Fair getting there early to get a good seat. They say 5 and they mean it!
And when you are done looking at the bevy of beauties, take a look at the sign on top..... 2 Shows 10:30 and Midnight.
On 2010-06-10 Nibblegribitz wrote:
Nice picture of the Mai Kai Islanders.
That's Ruita(at that time married to manager Kern Mattei Sr.)
The girl whose head is poking out between the second and third seated girl was my first wife Dine.
To the left of the front left tram roof support pole is Mireille(married to owner Bob Thornton)
On the right of the pole is my current wife, also Diane, of 27 years.
Good times!!!
These pix and more can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/groups/maikai/pool/
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nibblegribitz
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 29 | Posted: 2010-06-10 8:03 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-10-07 14:44, GatorRob wrote:
If you look to the left of that pic, the wooden bridge entrance has a bamboo railing. This 1974 calendar pic shows the bamboo has been replaced with ropes. Ropes remain today, but not quite this dramatic. So Dusty's pic is pre-1973 (1973 being the year the calendar would have been shot).
Or... not.
On 2010-06-10 Nibblegribitz wrote:
That's Susan Matteis' sister Kelli holding up the bridge.
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[ This Message was edited by: nibblegribitz 2010-06-10 20:05 ]
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