Formikahini enjoys a Mai Tai at the Dallas Trader Vic’s, photo by Kenike

Very, very exciting times in Dallas… the long-anticipated day has finally arrived, and the Dallas Trader Vic’s has reopened. The great news, the fabulous news, the pinch-me-I’m-dreaming news, is that they’ve worked hard to keep it intact. Some updates and repairs had to be made, but the architect working on the project, William Baker of Jones Baker Interior + Architecture, took care to preserve the original look as much as possible, including tracking down vintage fixtures, matching the original carpet, and having carvers reproduce original panels. (William Baker is also working on the interiors of the new Destin, Florida Trader Vic’s location.)

Dallas Trader Vic’s, photo by Kenike

Tiki Centralites Kenike and Formikahini (pictured above) have posted their trip report from a soft-opening night at the Dallas Trader Vic’s. These two are hard-boiled tikiphiles, with a discerning eye — and they’ve come away more than pleased. The pictures tell the story: the Dallas Trader Vic’s is quite possibly now the best of the stateside Trader Vic’s. It’s gorgeous, people.

The bar at Dallas Trader Vic’s, photo by Kenike

Dallas Blue Star cocktail, photo by Kenike

In keeping with Trader Vic’s tradition (hooray for Trader Vic’s tradition!), a new drink has been created to commemorate the opening: the Dallas Blue Star, pictured here in a photo from Kenike. The drink has tequila, agave nectar, cointreau, lime juice and is garnished with a star fruit slice — very pretty. Formikahini notes that the drink is a bit sweeter than is her preference, but points out that you get to keep this glass, a Dallas Trader Vic’s exclusive, which is essentially a taller, more slender variation on the classic Mai Tai glass.

Original massive moai at Dallas Trader Vic’s, photo by Kenike

Kenike and Formikahini were treated to a full tour of the restaurant, including a rare visit with this massive moai, carved by Barney West, which stood guard at Trader Vic’s for many years until the restaurant closed. The moai is not in the greatest shape, but is currently being restored with hopes of returning it to its proper post once more.

I could go on and on and on… this is so exciting to see. This is what a tiki bar should look like. Bravo to everyone involved in making this happen — it probably wasn’t always easy, and there probably was more than a bit of convincing involved. Thank you for your efforts! Thanks also to Kenike and Formikahini for doing such a wonderful job of documenting the opening for those of us who can’t be there in person. It’s making me want to check air fares to Dallas….

To see more of Kenike’s excellent pictures, and hear more details (including the fascinating backstory on that Barney West moai), be sure to check out this thread on Tiki Central. The Trader Vic’s Dallas website also has more pictures.

• Trader Vic’s, Dallas, TX (restaurant) [Tiki Central]
• Trader Vic’s, Dallas [Critiki]
• Trader Vic’s Dallas
• Trader Vic’s Coming to Florida Panhandle [Humu Kon Tiki]
• Trader Vic’s Update: Chicago, Bellevue, Scottsdale, Las Vegas and Dallas [Humu Kon Tiki]

Eli Hedley-carved Moai at
Sunset Park in Las Vegas,
photo by aquarj

This great big moai is perhaps the most famous of all of them — after the originals on Rapa Nui, of course. This moai was carved by Eli Hedley for the Aku Aku restaurant, at the Stardust casino. There were two of them, and they stood guard at the front of the casino, looking over all the tourists passing by along the strip. The moai were such a strong visual that even in a city defined by its strong visuals, they were a standout, and became icons for not just the Stardust, but for Vegas itself. It is depicted on the moist towelette from the Aku Aku I posted on Monday.

After the Aku Aku closed, one of the moai made its way to Sunset Park in Las Vegas, which is off the strip, near the airport. There is a pond at the park, and this moai sits on an island in the middle of the pond.

• Aku Aku, Las Vegas [Critiki]
• Sunset Park, Las Vegas [Critiki]
• Las Vegas photos [Tiki Central]
• Nothing Says “Fancy” Like a Moist Towelette [Humu Kon Tiki]

Postcard from the Suttles’ Tiki Point, from the collection of SilverLine

For some reason, moai statues have a way of cropping up in the most unlikely and random places. One of these is the Moai that overlooks Courtyard Hollow, a small part of the Great Lake o’ the Cherokees, in Grove, Oklahoma. SilverLine posted the above postcard, which probably dates from the late ’60s, on Tiki Central, which is labeled “The Suttles’ Tiki Point, Located on Lake Road #6, Grove Oklahoma,” and tikijackelope and ZuluMagoo dug in to find what could be learned about it. Sure enough, the fellow’s still there. The moai may have been constructed in 1967 by Earl Suttle, who once owned the land it sits on. The moai may not be accessible by road, but it isn’t hard to get to by water, and ZuluMagoo has seen it in person and shared recent photos on Tiki Central.

• The Suttles’ Tiki Point, Grove, OK (other) [Tiki Central]
• The Suttles’ Tiki Point? [Tiki Central]
• The Suttles’ Tiki Point [Critiki]

My friend Sabu and I have been wanting to go document the massive moai (over 5′) in our neck of the woods, and inspire others to do the same. We haven’t been able to do our explorations just yet, but fellow tiki explorer Tikijackelope has spotted some fantastic moai — four of ‘em — right here in Hollywood. They’re at C. P. Three Prop House (not a Star Wars reference — C. P. stands for Cinema Props, it’s the third of four prop houses), owned by Omega Cinema Props, and have reportedly been used in a few film productions. They’re strapped right to the side of the building, and are in plain view.

• C. P. Three Prop House [Critiki]
• C. P. Three Prop House [Tiki Central]