Smuggler's Cove - An Attempted Visit

Saturday, February 18, 2017

For my annual trip to visit Warren in California I decided to try and visit a couple of notable San Francisco Tiki Bars. Warren, Scott, and I got into the city around 3:00 p.m. and settled in at Twin Peaks for our first cocktail. At around 5 pm we called for an Uber to take us to Smuggler's Cove and arrived around 5:30 only to find a long line out the door which wasn't moving.  We found out from someone else in line that staff let a group in right when they opened at 5:00. They were filled to capacity and that they'd start letting more folks in at 6 p.m. but it would be one in one out. We decided to head over to Pagan Idol.

Pagan Idol - First Contact

Saturday, February 18, 2017

We ubered from Smuggler's Cove to Pagan Idol in the Financial District where we arrived 10 minutes before opening and were met by a line of only two people. A few more folks lined up after we did but it ended up being no where near as long a line as at Smuggler's Cove which is, I imagine, quite the tourist destination due to the book published within the last year. 

Pagan Idol - Fish Tank

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Upon entering the bar we passed a beautiful fish tank full of tropical fish.

This not so little guy was quite the spirited fish. He moved quite quickly.

Turns out he's a puffer fish named Puff Daddy.

Once in we bellied up to the bar.

Pagan Idol - Stained Glass Window

Saturday, February 18, 2017

From a photo I took of the stained glass window above the front bar. I touched it up a bit with a photo painting app I use.

Pagan Idol - Quite the Place

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Pagan Idol was smaller than I pictured it and the decor was not over the top. The walls were paneled wood with video portholes along them which showed fish and other saline going by. The whole experience mimicked being in the hull of a moving ship.

Top photo, mine.

Bottom photo from Instagram (ccharrington1)

Pagan Idol - One Year Anniversary

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Happy one year anniversary to Pagan Idol and I love the seahorse tiki mug to commemorate the occasion. Wish I could have joined you.

Pagan Idol - Nicki

Saturday, February 18, 2017

The drinks in the foreground weren't for us. That's Nicki in the background and we were fortunate enough to have front row seats to watch her make incredible looking tiki drinks.

We sat at the bar right where the bartender, Nicki, was making the tiki drinks. We commented to her about how the bar filled up quickly over the first 15 minutes of opening and how crowded it became. Nicky told us that at 7:00 we'd be docking at Pagan Island which meant the back part of the part of the bar would open up creating a lot more room for people to spread out. She told us there was another bar in the back and that there was a volcano, a waterfall , and some custom made tikis as well (custom made for the bar itself). We told her she better not be messin' with us cuz all that sounded just to cool to be true. As it turned out, Nicki don't mess.

Pagan Idol - Sparkle and Froth

Saturday, February 18, 2017

For cocktails I started out with the Sparkle and Froth. You could order the drink with a mug that was custom designed for Pagan Idol by the same guy who carved the larger than life size version they house in the back. 

Photo from Instagram as posted by doc_parks.

The drink menu describes the cocktail as follows:

"Rhum Martinique, Jamaican & Trinidadian rum, falernum, pineapple, lime, fassionola, spices and 
absinthe. Served in our limited first edition mug!!"

It was quite expensive to order the Sparkle & Froth cocktail with the mug, but, hey, how often do I travel halfway across the country on a pilgrimage to visit a tiki bar that has its own limited first edition custom made tiki mug? You could order it without the mug at a lower cost, but what the hell.

Warren and Scott ordered mai tais  which are pictured on either side of my cocktail.

Pagan Idol - Second Round

Saturday, February 18, 2017

I'm not sure what Warren and Scott started with cuz I was so giddy about getting a limited edition custom made tiki mug.

For the second round Scott ordered a Hemingway Is Dead which came in a skull tiki mug, which he let me have cuz he is awesome. You could also order most drinks to come in a coconut rather than a regular glass which is what Warren did for his second cocktail.

Better shot of the skull mug from Instagram (doc_parks)

Happy Birthday

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Happy 110th birthday to Don the Beachcomber!

Pagan Idol/Pagan Island - Docking

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Video Porthole

Well, just as Nicki said, at 7:00 a big loud bell was rung and an announcement came on that we were docking at Pagan Island. Half of the front of the bar emptied out and it quieted down quite a bit. We stayed put at first to hold on to our bar seats.

My photo of the front of bar.

Better photo of front of bar from Instagram (by mr_erictomlinson)

Pagan Idol - The Pineapple Express

Saturday, February 18, 2017

For my second round at the Pagan Idol I ordered the Pineapple Express which consisted of demerara and pineapple rum, lemon, passion fruit, egg whites, and bitters. The egg whites gave it a frothy top onto which they sprinkled cinnamon or nutmeg over the stencil of a pineapple. It was most awesome.

Pagan Idol/Pagan Island - Tikis

Saturday, February 18, 2017

We each took turns going to the Pagan Island part of the bar in the back so we could hold on to our bar seats. The decor was splendidly authentic.

Pagan Idol/Pagan Island - Mask and Canoe

Saturday, February 18, 2017

We each took turns going to the Pagan Island part of the bar in the back so we could hold on to our bar seats. The decor was splendidly authentic.

Pagan Idol/Pagan Island - Tiki Mask and Wallpaper

Saturday, February 18, 2017

We each took turns going to the Pagan Island part of the bar in the back so we could hold on to our bar seats. The decor was splendidly authentic.

Flashback Friday

Leaving today today to visit Warren in California. Our plan is to visit a few tiki bars. This photo is from a visit a couple of years ago when I visited him there and we went to Nick's, a fabulous old school supper club, on the Pacific between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco. The drink pictured is called the Bermuda Bomb

Happy Valentine's Day

Share a tiki drink with someone you love. Artwork by Tiki Tony.

Tina Louise

Tina Louise had a birthday yesterday. Whenever people ask me the Ginger or Maryanne question I have to tell them I can't decide because I adored both of them equally. 

Gilligan's Island was probably my earliest exposure to Polynesian Pop. It was what made me first want to go to a tropical island. Little did I know that I'd have to wait until 2001. 

Throwback Thursday - Tonga Room

Last year on a trip to California to visit my friend Warren, we visited the Tonga Room in San Francisco. We ordered Mai Tais which turned out to be most fabulous and took in the sights and sounds of the place. What a whole bunch of fun. The place had a pool in the middle of it with a floating stage. Unfortunately there were no musicians playing on it at the time. In addition to all this, it was fixed up to rain over the pool every so often. How cool is that? I found the above photo on Instagram today. 

Tiki Bar Tour

Sunday, February 5, 2017

In a couple weeks I'll be making a California trip to visit my friend Warren who winters there. I'll be staying with him and his friend Scott who lives in Half Moon Bay. We plan to take a trip into San Francisco to visit a few tiki bars. I texted this graphic I made to Warren a few days ago to let him know which bars are at the top of my list. 

Psycho Suzi's - January 2017

Friday, January 27, 2017

Tater tot bar is a thing? Too cool.

Dale and I had a double date with Maggie and Cindi tonight at Psycho Suzi's. They were a little late due to having to cart their son home from a massage appointment that ran long. Dale and I were starving so we ordered a couple appetizers. First was the deep fried asparagus (yummy) and second was the poutine tater tots (super yummy). Cindi and Maggie eventually showed and they were worth the wait as they were their charming and effervescent  selves. 

Psycho Suzi's - Dale

Friday, January 27, 2017

Dale checks things out upon our arrival. A tiki bar is a wonderful distraction from a cold winter night. So thankful for Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge.

Psycho Suzi's - Fu Manchu

Friday, January 27, 2017

I started with a Fu Manchu. Dale wasn't in a drinking mood so he went with an iced tea.

The Fu Manchu is one of my new favorites having only tried it on my last visit to PS's. I love the drink menu description:

"Only one foo will do, in this not so foo-foo fighting beverage. Special Kung Fu flavors of Jamaican rum, coconut, and Hawaiian coffee."

Psycho Suzi's - The Psychotic Suzi

Friday, January 27, 2017

My second drink of the night was a Psychotic Suzi, a favorite of mine.

Psycho Suzy's - Perfecto

Friday, January 27, 2017

A good time was had by all tonight. I only wish we could have stopped in to see the house band Exotica-Go-Go. Sadly, the upstairs lounge where they play was closed for a private event.

In other news, three people tonight complimented my Schott Perfecto Biker Jacket.