Pre-order a copy of Ninety Years of Classic San Diego Tiki as a gift. It makes a great addition to any tikiphile’s collection!
Bars
24 Days ’til Tiki – Bradley’s 5 & 10, Horton Plaza
A 1957 photo showing Bradley’s 5 & 10 in Horton Plaza, San Diego. They served 150 brands of imported rum and many exotic tiki cocktails in their day…
25 Days ’til Tiki – Behind the Scenes: Sanborn Fire Maps
25 | Behind the Scenes: Sanborn Fire Maps How do you check up on old addresses and buildings when researching? Cross-referencing newspaper articles and city directory listings with Sanborn […]
26 Days ’til Tiki – The Island Cafe, Coronado
The Island Cafe was Coronado’s first pre-tiki, Hawaiian-themed restaurant and bar, operarted by John Douglas Jacks and family.
27 Days ’til Tiki – Tropic Cafe, San Diego
The Tropic Cafe (1935-1946), San Diego’s first pre-tiki nightclub, was helmed by ‘Skipper’ John Ewing, and served its large transient military population.
28 Days of Classic San Diego Tiki
28 | Aloha Cafe, Tijuana The Aloha Cafe (1928-2011), Tijuana’s first pre-tiki bar, was located on Avenida Revolución (then known as Main Street by Americanos) for over eighty years. […]
Recipe: Chicken of the Gods from Bali Hai
Chicken of the Gods This is a classic entrée from Bali Hai’s midcentury Cantonese menu, and to this day is remembered fondly by many San Diegans. Bali Hai Restaurant is […]
Aloha Cafe, Tijuana, 1948
The Aloha Cafe (1928-2011) Tijuana’s first pre-tiki bar, was sporadically located on Avenida Revolución (then known as Main Street by americanos) — for eighty years! It changed hands, was burned […]
Recipe: Whaler’s Grog from the Whaling Bar
A little holiday tummy-warmer from times past! Here’s a simple, hot-cocktail recipe from the old Whaling Bar at the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California. Whaler’s Grog, La Valencia […]
Recipe: Grant Grill’s Drambuie Flambé
Recipe for Drambuie Flambé, as made by U.S. Grant Grill bartender Ralph Pipkin, San Diego, 1954.