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Mai Kai - Tiki Archeology |
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
|  Posted: 2012-01-25 09:25 am Permalink
Oh, one other note, if I didn't already say this. As extensive as that 1970 renovation was, the Mai-Kai never closed. The Mai-Kai has only been closed 8 times in history! 1 of those, at least, was a private wedding party. The workers were required to work at night and to do everything so that customers at the Mai-Kai never knew anything was happening. It was done quietly and shielded so that it could not be seen...
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Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3935
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-03-03 10:05 am Permalink
Found this cool ad featuring 52 varieties of Rum at the Mai Kai.
Many of which can still be found today as seen in this photo by Hurricane Hawyard.
DC
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10563
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-03-05 10:33 am Permalink
It was wonderful to very recently meet an original Mai Kai Mystery Girl at Hakalugi's house. A Tahitian native, Leilani Doucet-Mann had worked at the Mai Kai in the 1960s, and was surprised to find her photo on page 63 of Tiki Modern at Barnes & Noble one day. Here she is holding Claudette Barjoud's Mystery Girl statue:
And here with her husband David, signing her photo in Tiki Modern:
She was most lovely and lively, and still with a cute French accent, answered many questions about the Mystery Girl tradition. She is looking for the 1968 (?) Mai Kai calendar that had her in it, if anyone has one to spare.
Another interesting aspect of her family story was that her aunt Anne Chevalier had been the female lead in "TABU" as Reri:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=302&forum=1&vpost=510011
I am now even more looking forward to Swanky's upcoming Hukilau Seminar on the Mystery Girl tradition!
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2012-03-05 11:37 am Permalink
For those playing along at home, Leilani was known at the Mai-Kai, and in the calendars as Leila.
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Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
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White Devil
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 26, 2009
Posts: 227
From: The Interior, Deep South Pacific
| Posted: 2013-01-29 08:28 am Permalink
"The Hawaiian Room, one of seven dining areas, where you enjoy gourmet's fare--Cantonese cuisine and tropical rum drinks. The award winning Mai-Kai has recently been featured in an Esquire story."
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