The sunset in Honolulu - where the days never last long enough (Jerry Garrett Photos)

HONOLULU, Hawai’i

A neighbor tells me that a trip to Honolulu is “like having to fly five hours to get to Orange County.”

Yes, there are similarities: the palms, the weather, the traffic. But what makes Honolulu all that special, or unique – or worth the long flight to get there? Where is the “Hawai’i-ness” in Honolulu? I’ve got 36 hours to find out.

First stop: Chinatown

Did you bring an Aloha shirt or dress? There’s a Hilo Hattie’s, right in the airport (Note: HH also has a store in Orange Co., ironically) , though it’s pricey. But deals on colorful Hawaiian apparel everywhere (when you get home, you’ll smile: ”I wore that in public!”). Chinatown’s a great place for vintage Aloha clothing, at dirt cheap prices

Why pay more?

($3-$5 for Reyn Spooner, Tori Richard, Kahala, etc).

Get lei’d: You can buy leis anywhere, but Chinatown has the best. The freshest. Most beautiful selection. Least expensive ($5-$15!). Male or female, a lei is always in style in Honolulu; wear it and love it while you’re in town – because the agricultural inspection grinches at the airport will take it from you and throw it away, when you leave. (Past security, they will sell you the same lei for $35.)

For dinner in Chinatown, try Legend Seafood. Freshest lobster in town: under $25. Vegetarians: Try Legend’s meat-free annex next door.

Last stop: Chinatown, too

While in Chinatown, try to take in a show at the Hawaii Theatre. Or at least look inside this lavishly restored 1922 treasure. On a recent night, the Brothers Cazimero (island idols) were scheduled to serenade a mostly local audience. Many performances finish with everyone in the audience – yes, including total strangers – holding hands and singing  the hauntingly beautiful state song “Hawai’i Pono’i”. You may need a hankie.

BTW, where should you stay? A personal favorite is the Royal Hawaiian, the first resort (built in 1927) on Waikiki Beach, and still the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”, despite what Sheraton has done to usurp its once-lush gardens for more high-rises. The original building has the Royal Hawaiian’s most authentic rooms.

The Pink Palace of the Pacific - the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach

But why spend a lot for a hotel these days, while tourism is down, and bargains abound in Honolulu? Besides, if you spend much time in your room on this trip, you’ve missed the whole idea behind 36 hours here.

Loco for moco

Eat breakfast early; most places stop serving it too early, IMHO. Loco moco is an island favorite: fried eggs on hamburger patties on top of rice – smothered in gravy. You can almost feel your arteries harden.

Work that ballast off with a climb to Manoa Falls.

Manoa Falls - worth the hike

It’s a bit hard to find: Up a canyon behind the University of Hawaii campus. But it’s a magical, gentle mile-long climb through a lush rainforest, adorned with tropical flowers, exotic fruits and weird creatures – to a pristine 160-foot-high waterfall. Souvenir vendors at the parking lot will loan you a walking stick for the sometimes slippery journey; be honorable and return it afterward. This place is not overly touristy, even though it is reputed to be O’ahu’s second most popular hike (other than climbing Diamond Head – a worthwhile alternative, if you don’t mind the crowds).

For lunch, assuming your loco moco feast has been atoned for, try a Hawaiian plate lunch – usually some kind of beef, pork or fish with “two scoop-a-rice” (plenty of soy sauce) and macaroni salad or a veggie or two. The Rainbow Drive-In on Kanaina Avenue is an authentic hang-out for this.

Hanauma Bay - swim inside a volcano crater

Blue Hawaii

Afterward, take in an arts/craft show in Kapiolani Park (there’s always one), or sample the famous surf at Waikiki. Too many tourists? Water not gorgeous enough? Try public beaches nearby by at Ala Moana park and Magic Island, Papaoneone or pay the $10 admission to Hanauma Bay Nature Park (in a hollowed out volcano crater). Try to find blue water that color in California.

There are sublime jogging, biking and rollerblading trails all through Honolulu, and some quintessentially Hawaiian sights to see along the way, like

Bo Tree at Foster Botanical Garden

any of the five botanical gardens in town, or elegant ‘Iolani Palace (America’s only royal residence).

At sunset, you should be drinking a mai tai (complete with a little umbrella and pineapple wedge) at

La Mariana Sailing Club

La Mariana Sailing Club – O’ahu’s last honest-to-goodness tiki bar. The iconic and popular proprietess, sadly, passed away in 2008. But her picture and a small memorial still stand guard in the lobby. La Mariana is not easy to find – out behind some steel buildings on the road to Sand Island (another great in-town beach). It is not to be missed. The sunset? You will probably miss it here – because you can hardly see it through the forest of sailboat masts in the marina, tiki god carvings around the restaurant. But, order another mai tai; you won’t care. The food is not as famous as La Mariana’s cocktails (see Mai Tai No. 2 recommendation).

The view from the Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant on Waikiki Beach

The Kama’aina Choice

An alternative dinner suggestion is the Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant at the far end of Waikiki; locals love it, and they know the menu boasts grass-fed beef from a Hawaii ranch. Almost like dining in Argentina! But $$$$!

If you’re still in a romantic or festive mood, try a little dancing, poolside at one of the Waikiki hotels, such as under the giant banyan tree at the Moana Surfrider.

Dawn petrol

Breakfast, seaside at the Royal Hawaiian is unforgettable, especially if you ask the server for their magnificent macadamia nut pancakes (which are not on the menu any more). Served with hot, real maple syrup or lilikoi jelly.

Early risers should not miss a sunrise walk along Waikiki Beach, before the city comes alive. The beach is deserted, seas are glassy, the waters impossibly blue, and the waves perfect. The surf calls to you – like it did to surfing pioneers like Duke Kahanamoku (see his webcam here) and King Kamehameha I (see his famed statue here) – and you’ll want baptize yourself in the calm, warm waters and gentle swells. You are a Honolulu convert now.

Get baptized in the blue Hawaiian Pacific; you're a convert now

If you stop for coffee, know that the Starbucks locations here (and only here) sell bags of 100 percent Kona coffee. The ubiquitous Honolulu Coffee Co. is also a good source for Kona. Sharp-eyed shoppers might even rarer beans from Maui, Lana’i and Kauai. You’ll be tempted – and well advised – to take a few bags home.

Stock up on macadamia nuts and other silly souvenirs (flip-flops, anyone?) at one of the zillions of ABC Stores in town. Why do they need so many ABC Stores – some of which are next door to each other? Like Hawaii’s raindrops, no two are exactly the same.

I’m cheating here on the 36-hour time limit. But you will be sorely tempted too, as well. If you’ve truly tried to avoid the tourist trap luau shows, fire dancers and silly designer shops, you’ll realize at least three things: That this is the one place to experience the original Hawai’i, at its heart, it’s nothing like Southern California; and 36 hours is not enough.

Jerry Garrett

December 15, 2009

We figured the obvious thing to do with Absolut Boston would be to highlight the black tea flavors to create a warming wintertime drink. 

So we did the opposite. And look at the fun we’re having!

Beantown Mai Tai

1 oz. Absolut Boston
.5 oz Cointreau
.5 oz Myers’s rum
.5 oz apricot brandy

Combine in a cocktail glass and top with a splash each of sweet & sour and pineapple juice.

SHAZAM!!!!!!!!!!

Garden and waterfall at Polynesian

If you love sushi like I do, then you crave it. There are places in Walt Disney World to satisfy that craving.

You are best advised to go outside of the Japan pavilion in Epcot and venture into the Polynesian, the Contemporary or the Swan Resort. There you will find Kona Island Sushi Bar, California Grill and Kimonos respectively. Sushi is almost completely absent from the menus of both Teriyaki House and Teppan Edo in Epcot. Aside from an eel roll or the common California roll, there aren’t many sushi choices the Japan Pavilion. I’m guessing that for most families sushi is probably as foreign as the country of Japan itself. Kids may not like it, but what about the adults?

Follow me to the Kona Island Sushi Bar in the Polynesian Resort. It is not the best of the three above mentioned places but it does have it’s unique attributes and strong points.

Sushi and Tikis

Let’s start with atmosphere. Located in the second floor lobby of the Great Ceremonial House of the Polynesian Resort, the sushi bar is directly across from the Monorail. It is situated immediately to the left of the entrance, on the outside perimeter of the Kona Cafe. (During the daytime, the sushi bar converts to a coffee/pastry bar).

Seating at the sushi bar is extremely limited. There are only about seven stools. Another 10 or so are lined along the window looking out toward the monorail. Originally I had intended to eat at Ohana. I had a reservation but I had arrived early and had also brought along two new friends. After waiting longer than I had liked with a pager in my hand, anticipating that it would soon light up or vibrate or something, it didn’t happen quickly enough for my growling stomach.  I turned the pager in and headed over to Kona Island Sushi Bar located just steps away. I lucked out. Four of the seven stools became available almost immediately.  The tiki gods were smiling on my hunger.

We took our places around the sushi bar. Surrounded by a view of tikis, a garden with a waterfall, in short by all things Polynesian, the mood is set for a festive, Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii kind of good time. One point for Kona Island.

Next, the quality of the food. Even though the full menu of Kona Cafe is available at the bar, we order sushi. It seems right. I have eaten sushi many times in my life. I am not expecting a life changing sushi experience.

Kona Island does put their own spin on sushi. Ingredients associated with Polynesia such as pineapple and mango are incorporated into the dishes. Our chef, Dre, served our sushi with impressive presentation accentuating the dish with designs of fruit puree or infused mayo.

We ordered the Volcano Roll which is spicy tuna with tempura crunch. Priced at $13.99  I really like spicy tuna rolls and I always order them. The Volcano Roll satisfied my craving. We also tried the Dragon Hand Roll which is barbecued eel wrapped in rice and covered in seaweed. Hand rolls are large and as the name implies are eaten by hand, not with chopsticks. That was delicious but on the expensive side at $13.99 We also ordered some salmon and yellowtail sashimi. You can not mess that up. The fish was fresh and light. The sushi chef can also make whatever you request if it’s available.  Overall, we were pleased with our food. It will satisfy any craving you have for decent sushi. Like I said, my expectations were set to decent and my expectation was met. That’s good. Disappointment is not a good.

Chef Dre serves up sushi with a side of cool.

What also gives Kona Island Sushi Bar an edge over it’s competitors is the specialty drink menu. Awesome that you can get a Mai Tai served in a tiki mug while enjoying sushi. It definately enhances the fun factor. A variety of sake, wine and beer is also offered. I was offered quite a large sample of sake by the waitress and liked it so I then ordered sake to go with the Mai Tai. Yee haa. (Mai Tai are made with rum and an assortment of tropical fruit juices). Since we were winding down our day and not driving, we mixed and didn’t worry. Priced at $8.25, Mai Tai were a good deal. You do not get to keep the mug, but then again I didn’t ask.

That Mai Tai has met it's match.

One too many Mai Tai for that camera flash!

I  recommend Kona Island Sushi Bar as a good option for those dining solo, with a date or with a couple of friends. Operating hours are from 5pm-10pm. Kona is great for those seeking sushi served in a fun, casual atmosphere. No reservation is required, just a little luck or alot of patience. Make sure to enjoy what makes Kona Island Sushi Bar special, it’s signature cocktail the Mai Tai.

Mahalo!

The third day begins early with surprisingly little hangover. This calls for sport and adventure. You decide between snorkeling, a four wheel drive tour and a half-day cruise. Parasailing, the submarine and the more exotic sports are tabled with insincere thoughts of tomorrow.

There is still good sun when you return. After all that work, its poolside again. Now to work once more on that tan. The thought brings a smile as you beckon the waiter. The office crew back home warned you of how lethal the sun could be at the equator. You have been wise from day one by using a number eight sunscreen. After all, a tan is the only proof of where you have been. It must be captured and worn as a symbol, even though the evidence can only be flaunted in front of co-workers for a week or so.

Learn more about a new, different kind of Hawaiian vacation here

The second day goes by as equally relaxing. A leisurely stroll in the village is sprinkled with a bit of shopping, reserving the big buys for the wisdom that comes from checking out the territory. In a moment of wild abandon you purchase a ridiculous Hawaiian shirt. With a bravery you didn’t know you possessed, you actually wear it out of the store. For a while you glance around in defense of any laughter. No one notices. Others are wearing wild shirts too, in  couple look alikes. People pass by in the same one you are wearing, with some wearing outlandish flowers in their hair. You note how absurd it is for men to behave that way. You have a delightful fresh catch lunch in an open air cafe, seaside. Common food now has dormant taste buds exploding in orgasm.
Back at the hotel the sunset is a technicolor celebration, serenaded by native music you have never given a moments notice to before, now exquisite to your ears. Another mai-tai is ordered and paid for by flashing you room key. After all, is it your vacation. You forget that the ingredients are 140 proof. It slams you in the face with a goofy smile. Everything is wonderful to the point of want to kiss strangers.

Excerpted from Pila’s “The Secrets & Mysteries of Hawaii”
Learn more about a new, different kind of Hawaiian vacation here

So I am breaking Berlin down into a few sections, pictures at the end as always.

First, this was the craziest weekend of my life.

I arrived to Berlin at 20.30 on thursday evening, caught the S-Bahn from Schoenfeld Airport to my cousin’s flat on Savingyplatz.  It was late, I had been travelling all day long, and so we settled for a few drinks in the apartment, I checked blogs, and went to bed around 0.30, quite early.

On Friday, we woke up and stuck out into the coooooooooollddddddddddddd weather (it was something like 5C when we went outside) and proceded to see the Brandenberg Gate, a few museums, the Reichstag and ended up eating a not very German lunch at the German version of Vappianos (spoiler alert: its much better than the american version).

After lunch, we headed out to a Christmas market in Alexanderplatz, where I had my first of many run-ins with Glühwein, ice skating, and a generally über-german cultural immersion (or what it seems german culture would be in story books).  I got very good at saying “Ein glühwein mit amaretto” while I was at this particular christmas market, and to date it is probably the most useful german phrase I have learned, well, except for “Zwei glühweinen mit amaretto.” xD

Around 18.30, I got a text from my cousin, and so we went home and had some cocktails, and then proceeded to dinner around 21.00.  We decided to eat in Kreutzberg at a really cool restaurant called Gorganzola Club.  The food was spot on, the prosecco was amazing, and the martini was perhaps one of the best that I have ever tasted.  After dinner, we proceded to progress through some of the most ridiculous bars you have ever seen in your LIFE.  First stop, this place called Roses, which had pink fur ALL OVER the walls, it was just a shithole…and it was absolutely fantastic to see the people that had decided to patronize this place.  (I would later find out that some of my friends had also had run-ins with this same bar…small world).

Next, we went to Viktoria Bar, where Negronis and Mai Tais kept us occupied for the next few hours.  This is my favorite type of bar, as it is low-key, retro, good crowd, and awesome bartenders that know how to make a drink, and put on a show while doing it.  My cousin calls this an S&M bar… (Stand & Model) …and that is exactly what it was.  Those of you who really know me know that I was right at home =D.

(not my picture, but at least an idea of how the place looks)

Next, we continued on to a bar whose name I do not remember, maybe Küpplenest (but it was equally as tacky as the first one).  After another glass of vodka topped with tonic, and another, I found myself dancing to oldies and Micheal Jackson…what a combination.  Around this time, it was 3:30, and I was getting a little bit tired of the mature bar scene…but at the same time, I wasn’t ready to strike out onto the club scene at 4am, alone, in a city I didn’t really know.  So with this, cousin, Kosta, myself and three friends in tow got into a taxi and headed back to Charlottenberg for the evening.

All in all, a win of a first night in Berlin, a little edgy, and little classy, retro, and 100% remembered.  I can’t say that I use those adjectives all to describe the same night much anymore…so it was a welcome change.

]]> http://alteregoishere.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/review-milani-blushes/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:00:11 +0000 charan http://alteregoishere.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/review-milani-blushes/ http://martinimadness.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/arrrgh-and-other-cocktails/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:50:00 +0000 rachelroust http://martinimadness.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/arrrgh-and-other-cocktails/

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Black Dog Martini

6 parts light rum, 1 part dry vermouth, pitted black olive for garnish

Well, similar to last night, I dropped the ball on the garnish with this one.  I didn’t have any black olives on hand.  Usually I have a can of them hanging around in my pantry and fully expected to find them.  No.  Nary a black olive to be found.  I have four different kinds of GREEN olives in the fridge, though!  I threw in a standard pimento-stuffed green so it wouldn’t just look like I was drinking a glass of water out of a fancy glass.  A real shame not to make the drink legit, I do like black dogs (other than Dobermans and Rottweilers, which I guess is most of them, no?).  Well, Sue’s family used to have Shelly, the black lab who had a tendency to eat stray underwear that fell out of the laundry basket.  She was an interesting dog, a big ol’ ‘woof’ dog as I like to call them.  She could always be counted on to thump a happy tail against you when you came by to visit.  Shelly, this one’s for you.

Purely Gratiuitous Shot of Johnny Depp

Now I’m not a huge rum drinker.  Much as I love Captain Jack Sparrow and the quote, “But why is the rum gone?”, it’s just not my thing.  A little sweet and strong for my taste, unless it’s in a pina colada.  But I’ve given those up in my latter years once I realized how fattening they were.  But I did love them in my younger days; however, that was more to do with the tropical imagery they conveyed than with the rum.  I can remember a dorm party in my freshman year at UC Berkeley where they served alcohol in the dorms (yes!  I kid you not!  to underaged kids!) and we mixed up a batch of pina coladas with a blender we’d borrowed with Bacardi 151.  Oh my.  Not even sure I got through one of those.  Tasty, though.  I think I’ve had maybe one or two decent Mai Tais in my life but the rest always taste like a bucket of turpentine with orange juice thrown in – too harsh.  And rum and Coke?  Yuck.  Still not my style.

So I’m not expecting much from this.  I will admit I did sample a few different rums a couple years back at Rum Jungle in the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.  That was fun.  Admittedly, I liked the vodka sampler from Red Square much, more better!  But I have more of a palate for vodka than I do for rum.  We’re all built differently, I suppose.  So I mixed up my rum-based martini … which to me is a bastardization of the drink anyway.  But then again, to the martini purist, the only real martini is a gin-based one, so I’m hardly one to talk, given I only drink vodka ones when not trying to drink my way through a recipe book in 80 days (no, wait, it was 73 … less than that now)!  Added my green olive, although for the sake of color matching, I did contemplate a Milk Dud out of the bowl of Halloween candy I have sitting in wait for Saturday night, but that doesn’t seem right.  Does anyone out there actually EAT Milk Duds?  I remember tossing those out when I got them in my Halloween candy collection as a kid!

Okay, enough ranting.  Not my style on the first sip.  But by the end of the glass, a decent drink.  Nothing I’d rave about, but if I was down to only rum and vermouth in my liquor cabinet, I’d mix this up and have a go, and perhaps then I’d even have black olives.  Might be good with Mexican food, and usually a spare black olive can be found as a garnish there anyway.  I’ll have to remember that.  Not so good with a dinner consisting of a Reese’s peanut butter cup and a piece of garlic bread.  On the other hand, I went to the doctor today for a cortisone injection in one of my two bad knees, and between that and the lidocaine that preceeded it, I probably wouldn’t care what you served me for dinner.  I’m in an oddly happy mood.  Maybe because I’m looking forward to (hopefully) one of my knees not hurting me for the first time in months once the shot kicks in.  We shall see. In the mean time, Fido (my Black Dog) and I bid you a good night’s rest.

Happy mixing, Cathy

View from the Bay live

It was a great experience to watch live show in the studio. I felt surprised about how many lights it needed in such a small studio while entering to it, moreover the audience seats are not as many as I expected. There are only five short rows of auditorium. the Staffs who work there are really good at leading audiences emotion. Before the show officially started, a staff  taught us how to clap, how to look into the camera, and taught us to smile to the camera during the show.

Next, the host Janelle and Spencer appeared.  This was the first time I saw them in person, previously only saw them on television, strange to say, I felt that they looked bigger in real persons than on TV. First of all, they exchanged greetings with us for a while and briefly explained the content of today’s show. I adore Janelle who is very cute, in particular, sweet smile. She gets the TV host look, comfortable and approachable, but when she opened her month, sharp speech style came out.

The first part of the show was “shopping for men”, in which introduced the three different men’s styles and how to mix and matched with them. The three styles were casual look, business casual look and formal look. three male models were invited to showcase the looks. They played safe on the style, and the color is too dark, but models were all very attractive.  The second part of the show was “the food section” in which a variety of cocktails and exotic food was introduced to the audiences. There was a wine called Mai Tai that is referred to as the official drink for Oakland left me special impression. Following to the food section, it was home section in which the two hosts presented some new exciting home solution, including home therapy and moonlight and so on.

Me and the hosts Janelle Wang and Spencer Christian

The show reached its peak when the young actress Alicia Sliver appeared. The audiences immediately set off rounds of applause. There are a lot of her fans in the auditorium. I think she is photogenic and looks average in person. But I admit that she looks younger than her actual age 33, and looks in her twenties, but she talks, her lips moved too much and formed strange shapes,  but in the eyes of her fans might be cute bar. The purpose of her appearance is to sell her new book called the kind diet, and this book records her 11 years of catering experience, how can people eat healthy with not missing the delicious food? This is what we all want to know, this illustrated book will give you the answer. By the end of the program, she personally demonstrated to the audience a number of delicious dishes, and how to make them.

Overall the show was well done but is it worthy to wait out for over an hour for half hour show, I think one time experience is good enough. I’d rather to turn on the TV and sit at home.

10/20/09

Walking in to The View from the Bay’s studio was exciting, as this was my first time being a part of a studio audience.  After a young lady gave a brief summary of what our jobs were as the audience (including clapping on cue, and “whooping”), we got a nice little greeting by Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang (the hosts ).  I have always loved Spencer Christian on the show, because he constantly reminds me of my dad!

The first segment they did was Dress Your Man on a Budget with their in-house fashion “expert” Audrey Mansfield.  I picked up one good tip;  If you are taking a man shopping who, like most men, gets tired after just walking in to a store, it’s a good idea to arrive early and pick out a preliminary selection of items for him to try on.  If you have things already picked out and waiting for him in the dressing room, then all he has to do is try them on!

The next segment, which they showed us a live feed of on their monitors, took place on the other side of the bridge, in Emeryville.  Trader Vic’s in Oakland is known for leading the Tiki bar trend.  It’s founder, Victor Bergeron claims to have invented the popular drink, the Mai Tai.  The beverage manager from Trader Vic’s showed how to make one of their famous Mai Tais, using their “secret” recipe (not so secret anymore!).  I was a little upset to hear that a city council member of Oakland declared the Mai Tai as the official drink of Oakland.  Being born and raised here, I can tell you that is total crap!  I have had 4 years of (legal) drinking experience in Oakland bars, and I can’t recall a single time I have ever seen anyone order a Mai Tai! Insidebayarea.com gives some more explanation on this, debatable, topic.

< Check out my favorite Tiki bar in the Bay Area: Kona Club >

After a few minutes of sulking about the whole Oakland-Mai Tai bullshit, I was brought back to reality by the (to quote Chelsea Handler) “silver fox”, Evan Farmer.  He talked a lot about home decor and sustainability, but I spent most of that segment just staring at Mr. Farmer, instead of listening, since I don’t have a home of my own to make any improvements to.

I found it a little humorous that they brought in the founder of 1-800-DENTIST, Fred Joyal.  [I think he's a big cheez-ball on all of his commercials]  He spent most of his time lecturing about oral health, and making me feel terribly guilty for having avoided the dentist for the past 2 years… I made an appointment the next day!

I think my heart skipped a few beats when I found out that I would be sitting in the same room as Alicia Silverstone!  I grew up on Clueless and have, shamelessly, memorized practically every line.  As a high school freshman, I idolized Silverstone’s character, Cher, and dreamt about what it would be like to be able to walk in her shoes… literally!  But Alicia was not there to talk about Clueless, she was there to promote her new cookbook (really, a way of living), The Kind Diet. And time has definitely been kind to her!

I was instantly amazed by how healthy her skin looked (she doesn’t look a day over 25).  I have lots of respect for her as an animal rights activist, and I have “flirted” with being a Vegetarian and Pescaterian since I was in high school.  She was incredibly positive, and gave off a major Hippie-Bohemian vibe (which I adored).  I completely understand her passion for the lifestyle, but a few times through out the interview, I felt like she was bordering on some sort of brainwashing-obsessive talk.

Keep it real, Alicia!

Pretty basic… but here’s the recipe for Trader Vic’s famous Mai Tai:

1 oz. Jamaican Rum

1 oz. Martinique Rum

1 oz. Curacao

1 Lime, juiced

Squeeze 2 halves of a lime in to a cocktail shaker (keep one half for garnishing the drink later)

Add the Rums and Curacao

Add about a cup of ice in to the cocktail shaker

SHAKE, POUR, and DRINK!

Above photo taken from TraderVics.com

*LUPEC Boston’s latest ruminations, in case you missed ‘em in this week’s Dig.

by Pink Lady

Ever tried a Zombie or a Suffering Bastard, or any drink served in a scorpion bowl or skull mug? With out-there names and kitschy vessels, tiki drinks are apt to inspire a giggle among cocktail neophytes. In their original incarnation, these were balanced, palatable drinks built upon rum, fresh juices and flavorful syrups—legitimate cocktails that would make modern bar snobs swoon.

The tiki craze has roots that reach all the way back to Prohibition, when thirsty Americans took to the Caribbean seas (where rum flowed freely) for rum cruises. They developed a taste for exotic island cocktails, meaning the market was ripe by the time Ernest Beaumont-Gantt opened his “Don the Beachcomber” bar in Hollywood in 1934, just after repeal. Victor Bergeron soon followed suit, revamping his Oakland eatery into “Trader Vic’s,” complete with South Seas décor. Post-World War II, the tiki phenomenon blossomed into a true craze that lasted well into the 1950s.

If Ernest Beaumont-Gantt, aka “Don the Beachcomber” and Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron were the emperors of American tiki, a cornerstone of their empire was the mai tai—a drink they both take credit for inventing. Trader Vic alleges he innovated the drink as a simple way to make use of a bottle of 17-year-old J. Wray Nephew rum from Jamaica in 1944. He served it to Ham and Carrie Guild, two friends visiting from Tahiti, and after one sip, Carrie pronounced it: “Mai tai—roa aé,” Tahitian for, “Out of this world—the best.” And the mai tai was born.

Don Beach’s last wife, Phoebe, purports to have written proof Don invented the drink, in the form of a letter from a journalist describing a 1972 incident where Victor confesses that Don was the drink’s true progenitor. Some say both accounts are false, and the drink originated somewhere in Tahiti. Debate rages on, even after the movement and its founders are long gone.

When properly made, a mai tai is a revelatory cocktail; it’s no wonder Americans clamored for this delightful beverage and its tiki cousins for decades. Start your own tiki craze at home with one of these as you get in the mood for the LUPEC fall fundraiser this November: It will be a tiki bash of epic proportions.

MAI TAI

2 oz aged Jamaican rum

0.75 oz fresh lime juice

0.75 oz orange curaçao

1 tsp orgeat syrup

Shake well with ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, a mint sprig and, if possible, an exotic orchid

CIN-CIN!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE LUPEC TIKI BASH SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH! CHECK BACK SOON FOR DETAILS!

Tonight my boyfriend and I went to an amazing Japanese restaurant, Sake. I drive by this place everyday and have never been there.  It is locate on a main highway and, from the outside doesn’t look like much. I was searching online for good restaurants to go to (I am so tired of our usually rotation). I found that Sake had a bunch of positive reviews. When my boyfriend (A meat and potatoes kinda guy) said he would try it, I said “let’s go!” before he could change his mind.

When we got there, the atmospheric  was extremely pleasant, boasting traditional Japanese decor. I loved it the minute I walked in. They had a great sushi menu, and a traditional japanese menu for anyone weary of sushi. My boyfriend ordered the stake, which came with miso soup and salad, and I got the steamed salmon topped with scallions in a light soy sauce. My meal also came with miso soup and salad. The meals were unbelievable flavorful and delicious!!

I wanted to try the sushi, it looked wonderful, but I am still a little weary of all that raw food, and don’t relay know how to order it. I’m going to have to do some Sushi research before I go back!

Not to mention, the mai tais are fresh, sweet, strong and absolutely delicious. (We each had 2 )

overall, this was one of the best dinners I have had in along time forever!

I forgot my camera so I don’t have any pictures, you’ll just have to take my word for it! Delectable!

 (Save it, Baby! Count me in!)

So, it goes like this . . .

My chicks and I go way three times a year.

Palm Springs spa weekend.

Mammoth Lakes ski weekend.

And, Vegas, Baby, Vegas weekend.

Yeah, we’ve been trippin’ for a long time now.

For the last 10 years. Yeah, Ba-bay!

WE HAVE GOT IT DOWN.

Our so-called weekend getaways have now stretched into five night minimum stays.

We know where we are going to eat… who serves the strongest mai tais… where the ”I Dream of Jeanie” (Oooooh Master!) slot machines are… and where we can laugh the loudest not get thrown out of the place.

You might say, that after all these years, we could be professional partiers.

You might be right.

But, alas… we are just moms that have maneuvered a tri-annual ESCAPE for the last decade.

Admit it now, you’re jealous.

It’s okay, we understand jealousy.

These are required outings for we, the core four.

Since my girlfriends would have a coronary if I actually named them, I’ll just give you our names that we developed one year when we watched “Malibu’s Most Wanted.”  Since we are all Mom’s and can’t seem to get out of the freaking kitchen . . . you may sense a theme here.

I am “White Top” AKA Wonder Bread, Sunbeam, Goya Loaf. They seem to think that I have lead a conservative life . . . I let them think what they want as I spread my three fingers and bang it on my chest like I am a “bro in the hood.”

Bang, bang, bang (three fingers) “White Bread, yo?”

Yeah, that, popping a couple of my ”Move Free” glucosamine/chondroitin pills and my hair spray makes it all very convincing…

Then there is “Cinnabon.” As you can imagine she’s a beautifully tanned mother of two, and makes her hand into “C” shape and whacks it on her chest. “Cinnabon, Buya!” 

Then of course, we can’t forget “Bagel.” She hysterically tries to form a “B” shape with her fingers to bang on her chest.  And, then groans, “Bagel. You guys, I got a crummy name.”

“Oy! Such is life Heidi Goldbaum,” not really her name, “You be Bagel, and don’t give us any shen-agle!”

And, then lastly . . . There is “Buttertop.”  She doesn’t have to make any hand signals at all, because frankly there’s no room left on her chest. She has the most beautiful store-bought breasts any woman (or man) could hope for.  So yes, she is “Buttertop.” And she doesn’t have to do a thing to just stand there with that perfectly shaped shelf of breasts.

You could put a plate of sandwiches on those breasts…

So, it’s basically us four — White Bread, Cinnabon, Bagel and Buttertop, and we try our best to terrorize Vegas within an inch of it’s questionable life.

Yo.

Yo Momma.

Me Momma?

You Momma.

We da Mommas.

We da Ho’s.

Well, I guess you can see what we “think” we are accomplishing here…

But really, life is too short to be Mommies all the time.

Sometimes . . . we have to be just girls.

Girls gone wild!

Girls gone wild…

With cellulite…

And baby-tummy.

And, thyroid conditions, and children’s college tuitions to pay.

And . . . And . . . Well, 40-ish Girls gone half-mad might be a better description.

But, ALL, and I mean ALL of Vegas knows that we have a good time!  It take the city a whole year to recover from us.

Yeah, we DO know how to play…

Our husbands wish so desperately to be flies on the wall…

“No, no, no, Joe.”

“Just fo the Ho’s. You get to stay home and play Mommy, mo-fo!”

But, remember . . . most people say, “What Happened in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!”

However, OUR mantra is . . . “What Happened in Vegas . . . Never Happened!”

So, you want to go to Vegas, baby?

Yeah, I could show you the town!

Some of the Crew

The Core Four - White Bread, Bagel, Buttertop & Cinnabon

Be well,

Belle

S. Belle Karper, Author, Speaker www.BelleKarper.com
THE WIDOW WEARS BLACK - An Edgy Memoir from an Outspoken Survivor
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Save it, Baby! Count me in!

While many of you have undoubtedly consumed a Mai Tai in your lives, few if any of you have had an actual one. …Imagine if you’ve been told that you’re going to enjoy a meal prepared by Guy Savoy, but in fact (and without you’re knowledge) it’s prepared by Guy Fieri instead. Naturally your reaction would be something along the lines of “I don’t see what’s so special about this meal,” or “tastes like something a douchebag would make.”

weekend to do list:
- learn how to make a real mai tai.

One of the big things Mr. Baseball and I planned for our Chicago trip was a Cubs home game—my first! Much to my Southside-born-and-raised family’s chagrin, I had a wonderful time. I know most people love the brick and the ivy, but I was enamored with the marquee…

And the brass band playing Dixieland music. There was even a banjo player!

Mr. Baseball took me around Wrigleyville for a bit beforehand. We went to the batting cages above Sluggers and drank some Goose Island’s 312. (If anybody knows where to find this in LA, I would be extremely grateful.) I figured that and Bud/Old Style at the park would be the extent of the day’s beverage selection.

I went to the concession stand to pick up some classic snacks like Cracker Jack (it was invented in this town!) and a hot dog, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I scanned the board. They serve Mai Tais here?!

So, of course, how could I not get one, right? And there’s a baseball embossed on the souvenir cup, to boot. The Mai Tai was made with Fresh Island mix—pretty tart and not that great, but worth it for the sheer novelty.

I was so tickled to find another serendipitous convergence of baseball and tiki. Even better, the Cubs beat the Brewers so we got to sing the “Go, Cubs, Go” victory song by Steve Goodman. Good times.

In honor of Tiki Oasis, here in San Diego, which kicks off tonight at the Bali Hai Restaurant and then moves to the Crowne Plaza San Diego (Hanalei Hotel) for the rest of the weekend, I decided this week’s music would be event appropriate.  Thus, we are listening to exotica this week.  A brief history of the music styling goes something like this:  After World War II many returning soldiers from the Pacific Theatre held onto a fascination of the islands and cultures encountered throughout the Pacific campaign.  Over the next decade as the Lounge music scene begins to unfold wrapped up in this is a sound reminiscent of Oceania, Polynesia, Micronesia and Hawaii.  Trader Vics was on the scene before the war, but his legacy of the Mai Tai was introduced the year the war was over and his brand and expansion grew extensively during the 1950s as he opened South Pacific themed restaurants.  By the end of the decade there was a full “tiki” culture.  That’s the briefest of histories.

Now this was not a real culture in the anthropological sense, especially as you begin to approach the music.  It was a memory, a fantasy of various cultures, both present and lost.  Most of the music was a play on the percussion heavy polynesian rhythms used for their traditional dances.  Some music tried to invoke ideas of lost civilizations such as the Aztec and Inca.  The term “Exotica” was coined by Martin Denny and used as the title for one of his albums.  While there was  an effort made to procure polynesian (or even african) instruments:  congas, bongos, Burmese gongs, boobams, marimba and Japanese kotos these “traditional” instruments were fused with western accompaniement such as strings and the motor driven vibraphone.

Martin Denny and Les Baxter were the two largest pioneers of this musical form.  Both were staples of the lounge music scene with many albums in the space-age pop genre (if you can even quite identify it as a genre).  So, in honor of the largest and longest running Tiki event on earth here are four selections from two double disc albums (that I think are now out of print).  So, mix yourself a Mai Tai, sit back, close your eyes and imagine a place that never truly existed.

~J

 A gente adora fazer parte de um mundo globalizado e ter amigos viajados. Convidei o Cesar Teranova, grande amigo, dj, vj, fotógrafo, fervido e super viajado (ele vira e mexe está em tudo quanto é canto do planeta) para conversar um pouco consoco.

Aqui nessa entrevista ele conta um pouco de por onde anda, dá dicas de viagem para a Polinésia Francesa – onde mora atualmente e conta de seus novos projetos: musicais e o filme.

Como é viver viajando pelo mundo?

Desde 2004, quando comecei a trabalhar como fotógrafo em um navio, entendi a expressão: “quem fica parado eh poste”.

Trabalhei 3 anos rodando no navio e viajando ainda mais nos períodos de ferias, principalmente na Europa.

Tenho minha primeira ida pra Londres como minha passagem para o mundo adulto, mas todos os locais que visitei marcaram de alguma forma minha personalidade e historia pessoal.

Sendo fotografo, desenvolvi uma forte ligacao com as cores, texturas, formas e detalhes que tornam únicos cada canto do planeta. Sei reconhecer em fotos a maioria dos locais que visitei, do piso utilizados em Las Ramblas em Barcelona, as placas de trânsito de Marmaris na Turquia ou a cermica utilizada na Mesquita Hassen II em Casablanca no Marrocos. Acabei por unir o util ao agradável, aprendi a trazer para meus trabalhos um pouco de tudo que ja vi por ai. Seja na musica, na fotografia e agora ate no video, tenho sempre disponivel um gama de variedades que me ajuda nos momentos de escolha e composição.

Pq as pessoas devem pensar em viajar para a Polinésia Francesa? O que tem de mais bacana?

Estou agora na minha terceira visita de 3 meses e a partir de Dezembro posso morar oficialmente por aqui.

Acho maravilhoso ser inundado de Luz todas as manhas. Me inspira vida regrada, durmo as 9 da noite e acordo as 6 da manha.

Acabei encontrando no marasmo Tahitiano a paz que preciso para trabalhos mais longos na frente do computador.

tahitiano

Atualmente ando trabalhando no meu 3o Album ” My Mother Told Me”, músicas que comecei em trens, locais públicos, avião e casa de amigos na minha ultima viagem pela Europa.

Só aqui consigo trabalhar dias em uma música, mantendo o foco. Comecei também agora pré-editar o material que já tenho pro meu documentário. Em algumas semanas começo tb gravar por aqui.

Amo os Tahitianos, os jovens sao animadérrimos, e todos são muito educados e cordiais. Todo mundo se cumprimenta na rua e geralmente as faixas de pedestres são sagradas.

Visitei varias Ilhas de alguns dos 5 Arquipelagos da Polinesia Francesa, praias paradisiacas, sitios arqueologicos, áreas rurais.

A maioria dos turistas vem para visitar Bora-Bora, a estrela de toda a Polinesia. Com sua laguna em forma retangular, foi utilizada como Base Militar Americana durante muitos anos. Paradisiaca, mas a quantidade de hoteis ja transformou a Ilha em um grande Resort.

Mercado da capital Papeete

Tahiti, arquipelago Ile-de-Societe, onde moro, as praias não são lá grande coisa. As duas mais proximas aqui, uma tem areia preta e a outra eh em pedra, mas a capital Papeete eh parada obrigatoria para se comprender os Tahitianos. Aqui, Deus é Americano e ama grandes Caminhonetes 4X4.

E a vida noturna é agitada, ou apenas viver o dia em ambientes paradisíacos?

A vida noturna é ultra limitada, porém bem frequentada. Os preços são altos, porem o poder aquisitivo do Tahitiano á elevadíssimo. Com os Francs-Pacific 120 = 1Euro, um simples drink pode chegar a 1000FP, mais de 20 reais.

Pelo menos aqui recebo o maior cachê como dj que ja recebi. Tenho residência Mensal nas Sextas-Feiras do Morrison’s (o bafo aqui é o Long-Set de quase 5 horas, pois cada dj toca sozinho na sua noite)

Qual língua se fala aí?

Francês e Tahitiano. Falo francês com sotaque daqui, acham que sou louco na França.

 As coisas são caras para quem pensa em ir passar uma férias? Qual é a moeda?

Tudo é caro! Muitos surfistas vem pra passar temporada na casa dos Tahitianos, pagando pouco, ai rola. Sempre encontro um povo no avião vindo pra cá. Taxi é inviável, então vale se jogar na carona, porque aqui é tradição ajudar o povo na beira da estrada.

Aqui do lado a ilha MOOREA tb tem opcões baratas de hospedagem e as praias ja são mega paradisíacas, incrível pra mergulhar e ja é possível até mergulhar com os tubarões a preços muitos módicos.

Francs-Pacific 120 = 1 Euro.

Indica umas coisas que não se pode perder aí?

Mergulhar ate mesmo com snork.

Tostar no Sol.

Ver o Sol se pôr no mar.

Surfar.

Fumar unzinho local. O Pakalolo.

Tomar um Mai-Tai.

Quais lugares do mundo que vc recomendaria para conhecer antes de morrer, pensando em apenas 3 e pq?

AMSTERDAM – Igualdade social, liberdade e diversão.

PARIS – Respira-se Arte!

EGITO – Sentir na pele o passado da humanidade.

E o documentário que está em fase de andamento, trata sobre o que?

Estou numa pesquisa sobre o trans-gênero. Na Polinésia, o transexual é tido como parte integrante da familia e da sociedade no geral, os RE-RE estão por todos os lados, e trabalham em caixas de supermercado, restaurantes, hoteis, normalmente.

Esse fato me chamou a atenção por ter tido contato com outras realidades, então acabei escolhendo esse assunto como pesquisa para meu primeiro projeto em vídeo.

Fiz gravações em Paris, Berlin e Amsterdam; em São Paulo estou trabalhando com a Renata Bastos, ja lançamos at um teaser na net. Pra 2010 faço ainda entrevistas na Europa. Em setembro agora terá o concurso anual de Miss Vahine Tane daqui, transexuais das ilhas da Polinésia, vou estar la gravando e farei entrevistas.

Pq escolheu esse tema e resolveu diversificar em nacionalidades?

Como amo estar sempre circulando, acho que tenho uma visão abrangente sobre as diferente sociedades pelo mundo.

Acho até natural que qualquer assunto que trate acabe sendo de forma comparativa, analisando distantes realidades. Ainda mais com um assunto que carrega a coisa do preconceito, mostrar diferentes níveis de preconceito em lugares distantes, pode mostrar realidades como possíveis e não somente idealizadas.

Quando poderemos conferir o resultado, e aonde?

Estou numa grande pesquisa, cada vez descubro novos mundos e possibilidades, na verdade nao tenho mais pretensão de colocar uma data para conclusão do projeto. Mas em breve lançarei pequenos fragmentos como curtas de uma serie, que findariam em um longa reeditado. Aguardem!

Alcohol drink mixtures come in many shapes and sizes.  These head divers and slow drivers can put you down fast.  Drink responsibly, for it only takes one of these drinks to catch that buzz.

For serious head diving drinks visit North Carolina’s Most Potent Mixed Drinks.

For Long Island Ice Tea, Long Beach Tea, Blue Whale, Green Dinosaur, Electric Lemonade Drink Mixtures visit the Difference Between Drink Mixtures.

Here’s a couple of potent alcohol drink mixtures that turns all the fixtures upside down.

Mai Tai Flyer – 1 1/2 oz of Rum, 1 oz of triple sec, 1 oz of Almond Syrup, 1 oz of Grenadine and sour mix.  Amaretto can sustitute the non-alcoholic Almond Syrup.  Hold on, it’s double time on this flight.  This head diver can land you on top of a table, head first if you are a lightweight or you drink more than three.

B-51 Rum Chaser – 1/2 of Kahlua, 1/2 of Bailey and a splashing 1/2 of 151 Rum.  Unlike the traditional B-52, the chaser is what gets you since you have to have a shot glass on tap with one shot of Captain Morgan’s Rum.  After you take a taste of the B-51 it’s slammer time with the shot, take it quick for it may be second to the last drink you have all night.  This power driver of a mixed drink is perfect for Rum lovers.

Just two reasons why you should drink responsibly, the Mai Tai Flyer and the B-51 Rum Chaser are dangerous drinks when consumed one after the other.  Do not drink and drive after consuming either one of these drink mixtures.  Sure you will feel as if you can drive at two miles an hour or at high speeds but you can also injure of kill another human being in the process.  An act for which there is no escape.

You should only have one of these mixed drinks within one night, that is if you do not want to feel like a cast member of “Dude, Where’s My Car?”…

July 28, 2009

In 1979, I was part of a group of graduating high school seniors who flew to Hawaii for a week long trip. While 21 was the legal age for drinking alcohol in California; most of us would be 18 which was the legal age for alcohol consumption in Hawaii at the time of our Summer trip. The few classmates who were only 17 magically secured identification stating they were in fact 18 at least. While there was much alcohol consumption, and at least one couple paired up due largely to over consumption of alcohol, this tale will not be about young drunken island sex.

At the age of 18, I spent one afternoon surfing. I had never surfed off the coast of Northern California, where I live, because the water is far too cold for surfing. I did water ski and had done so for several years on both rivers and lakes.

I went to the beach in Waikiki and found someone renting surf boards. In 1979, surf boards were roughly the size of Greyhound busses and nearly as heavy. After perhaps 2 minutes of instruction at the beach, I paddled the QEII out past the first breaking waves to the next set of waves. I turned my board around, timed a wave, paddled to build momentum, felt the board start to catch, moved quickly to get my feet under me, and just like that I was surfing.

I surfed for about an hour, catching several rides that day, and felt quite accomplished.

Ten years later, in 1989, I returned to Oahu for business, and on a day off I headed down to the same beach to try surfing again.

Remembering the ease with which I previously surfed, and the fun I had doing it, I paid for three hours of surf board rental. While the technique to get up on the board hadn’t changed in ten years, the boards certainly had. The boards available for rent were all shorter, narrower, lighter, sport type surf boards. I paddled my board, seemingly not much bigger than a skate board, out past the first waves and past the second waves until I reached the third waves forming and breaking. There were only two others out as far as I was, everyone else was trying for shorter rides. I turned my board around, spotted my ride begin to swell, paddled like mad, moved my feet under me, and felt my board slip out from underneath me like a banana peel on a frozen pond. I went one direction, my board another, and I realized that I was pretty far out to be without a board, so I turned to look in the direction my board had shot off to find it smashing into the bridge of my nose.

If you are ever hit in the face by a wave propelled surf board when you are out by yourself in the ocean, far beyond any other surfers, and feel yourself start to lose consciousness, you too may regret paying for three hours of board rental as it seems one hour would suffice for your drowning and death.

With blood exploding from my nose, instinctively I threw my arms around the board, and held on, resting my head on the board, letting waves wash over me. Holding on for I have no idea how long, until I was able to straddle the board more securely, and until I finally regained full consciousness and awareness.

Smarter people than I would have paddled into the beach and been grateful to trade their unrideable small surf board for their life. I thought about the three hours of paid for board rental, paddled in to where there were more people in case of another mishap, and tried to get up on my board for a ride again.

Out of perhaps two dozen attempts, I may have succeeded in getting my feet under my upright body three times, once riding the board for an entire five seconds.

I spent nearly three hours laying on the surfboard, paddling back into position after each failed attempt to surf. During the entire three hours, the sun beat down on the back of my body and was reflected by the water onto the front of my body.

When I turned my board in, I was the reddest a human being can be and still live. The severity of my sunburn became increasingly evident as my clothing caused pain and children pointed and ran crying from the lobster man.

The pain only swelled with the passage of time. The skin over my nose had been split by collision with my surf board, both my eyes were blackened, and my body except the area my shorts protected was radiating red hot waves of pain.

I bought the largest container of aloe vera gel sold on the island and proceeded to slather it all over my body by emptying half the container into the bathtub, getting naked, laying down in the gel, and rolling until I was covered.

The relief was incredible but short lived. I had to reapply the aloe vera gel often but gladly did so because the alternative was a feeling of salt being ground into exposed flesh all over my body. Gel, good; pain, very bad.

I ended up curtailing many of my daytime activities in Hawaii, unable to withstand any more direct sunlight; and my aloe vera gel baths continued two full weeks before I felt it safe to stop. My red skin had changed to the look of tanned skin, clothing wasn’t painful to wear any longer, and aloe vera gel isn’t cheap in the quantities I was being forced to use to slather my entire body.

Within 36 hours of aloe vera withdrawal, my body started to peel. I felt more snake than human as enormous patches of skin were sloughing off my body at the merest contact. It was freaky to have my facial hair and body hair be the only thing preventing shedding my entire skin in just two pieces, one above and one below my shorts.

I now know that renting the biggest longest, widest, heaviest surf board is the way to go; but on my last trip to Hawaii in 2007, I chose instead to spend my trip in search of the perfect Mai Tai. Unlike my previous search for the perfect wave to ride, every Mai Tai turned out to be perfect.

Just sayin’.

Der  Rumtrader ist eine sehr kleine versteckte Bar im alten Westen und, wie der Name schon sagt, spezialisiert auf Rum. Herr Scholl, der Besitzer, verfügt über eine enorme Auswahl und Kenntnis dieser und selbstverständlich auch anderer Spirituosen. Schließlich ist er würdiger Nachfolger von Herrn Schröder, bei dem angeblich der Bond-Martini gemeinsam mit Flemming kreiert wurde. Herr Scholl ist ein gestrenger Herr über seine Bar und Gäste, verkörpert die 20er Jahre, und wer einen Caipirinia bestellt, bekommt Hausverbot, also Vorsicht. Ich empfehle MaiTai Stufe 2, definitiv der beste MaiTai in town, oder rum sour. cheers!