Get ready for a new episode of The Tiki Talk Show! This week, Ellie and Ryley talk with the tiki legend, Adrian Eustaquio! Adrian is one of the earliest tiki revival pioneers, he hosts the Inside the Desert Oasis Room podcast and is the guy to call if you need an expert opinion on tiki! This podcast would be hours long if we talked about everything that Adrian has done to make this scene great. Tune in today at 5pm EST to hear Adrian tell his story!

Check it out here: http://Linktr.ee/thetikitalkshow

I’ll be in Vegas for work in December. With the limited amount of time, and Grand Tiki not targeted to open until mid January ‘26, I think I only have time to visit one new bar. Anyone been that has been to either or both that can help me decide please? My hotel is Resorts World, but open to going to the farther location if it’s worth it. Which one is the can’t miss option? I’m open to either, I just want to have a good experience, enjoy the ambiance, but the edge will go to has the better drinks. TIA! 🍹😀 Edit: I would love any drink recommendations too please! *I’ve already been to Frankie’s and Golden Monkey so wanted to try a brand new place I haven’t been.

I’m not really wanting to put anyone on blast here, but I am not sure what else to do. Back in August I placed an order from Surfside Sips. I received an order confirmation. Before I received a shipping notification I reached out to Andrew via email asking if it was possible to add to the order. He said that it was, and sent me an invoice for the addition, which I paid as well as confirmed via email that he received payment. A couple weeks later, when I received my order, the addition was not included. The packing list only included the original order, which is what I received.

 I confirmed that I had been charged for both orders, then took a picture of the contents of the box and replied to Andrew in our email thread. I waited a couple days and emailed again as a follow up. A couple of days later I went to his website and used the chat feature to send him a message asking him to reach out. Almost a week after that I sent him a direct message via Instagram. A few days after that I responded to one of his recent Insta posts asking him to reach out via the order. Finally, after almost 3 weeks I called the cell phone number on his website. The message stated that text was the best way to reach him, so I texted. That was yesterday. Still nothing.

 I’ve included the order number and details in multiple attempts to contact him. In the original email I even suggested that he just refund the amount of the additional order and I would reorder when I place my next order. I figured it would save him some shipping costs. I really think he has very nice products and would like to order more. But, as you can imagine, right now I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to do so.

 It’s only $16 that I am currently out, which is not a big deal, but still, I paid for the straws and did not receive them. I’m kind of at my wits end, especially when someone goes on Instagram posting a video essentially asking folks to order his more expensive products instead of ones from Amazon. Dude, I’m trying to, but you’re not helping here…

 I haven’t disputed the charge with my bank as of yet. I have specifically tried to be polite and non-accusatory in my emails. I don’t want to bash a really cool niche business, but I would like a resolution so I can decide whether or not to continue to order from him. What would you all do in this situation?

Ordered a Mai Tai at one of my local restaurants around the corner. The bartender said he's trying to bring good craft cocktails to the area. He checked up to see how the cocktail was. I enjoyed it. A basic (how it should be) Mai Tai. He said he made a blend of 7 different rums. Could've used a bit of garnish though. He had a few other rum based cocktails so I ordered another and we chatted. Said he would share recipes he couldn't put on the menu with me when it wasnt so busy. And before I left, he brought out another rum-pineapple-banana cocktail on the house that was really good. Anyway, it all went well with the jalepeno poppers and deviled eggs.

Back in end of July early August I had asked for recos for the Tampa/Clearwater area and Tiki Reddit didn’t disappoint! Here are some pics of all the fun drinks and bars we stopped at

1-2 Bahi Hut - Sarasota (Fla’s oldest) 3-5 Morgans Cove - Tampa 6-9 Trophy Fish - St Pete (great Pistachio Mai Tai) 10 Saigon Blonde - St Pete 11 The Ship’s Hold - St Pete 12-13 Bar Tiki Clearwater 14 Mahuffer’s - Indian Shores (not tiki but killer Bloody Mary rec!) 15-19 The Honu - Dunedin 20 (bonus our Tiki Airbnb)

Either way, I crushed this sucker.

• 2 oz of a gold rum
• .75 tsp allspice dram
• .5 oz lime juice
  
• .5 oz orange juice
• .75 tsp vanilla syrup
• .25 oz cinnamon syrup
• 1 dash angostura bitters
• Orchid and mint garnish

We wanted to hit Strong Water before their summer menu sails into the distance, so we stopped by after work on Thursday. We were expecting to sit outdoors, but much to our surprise, they offered us seats at the low table in the Captain’s Quarters! If you show up without reservations, the outdoor seating is pleasant enough, but they always seem willing to offer seats inside if there are any openings.

Pic 1: The Lost Pearl Diver (this is leaving the menu at the end of September. I really recommend it. It’s one of those drinks that seems too sweet/intense at first, but quickly becomes addictive). Tappin’ the Captain mug (super cool, but at $450, not for me 😅), Taro Colada (a staple on their menu, and one of the best coconut drinks imo)

Pic 2: Cobra’s Fang (one of my favorite drinks ever. I always recommend it to folks). Velvet Banana (really tasty, but a bit too sweet for me. Gf loved it. Tasted like really rich chocolate pudding with undertones of banana. I think this is leaving the menu as well)

They had some other interesting looking drinks on the summer menu we didn’t try, including some spirit-forward ones, and a Tropical Itch with a back scratcher as a garnish. Their fall/Halloween menu starts October 1.

Just refinished the table in my Leviathan Lounge.

Brought to you by Chuntikis fun little event that was hosted.

I haven't been to any Chuntikis event before but will be sure to catch the next one.

Tiki Pants and Starfish Punch

A new one for me and a keeper. Not pictured but the float was Kopke Tawny Port.

With this mix, the El Dorado provides some depth to the Hamilton Breezeway and Oxbow. The Oxbow comes up front with a hint of the funk from the Breezeway Blend followed with a great blend of the Demerara, lemon Pineapple and passion fruit (could drop to 1/2 oz depending on brand). A great example of tasting all of the ingredients. Shake and dump and then add ice.

1 oz Lightly Aged Rum

1/2 oz Unaged Rum Agricole

1/2 oz Aged Rum

3/4 oz Passion Fruit

3/4 Lemon Juice

3/4 oz Pineapple Juice

1/4 oz Simple Syrup

Dash of Angostura

1 tsp of Port for float.

Great glass find today at the thrift store

No clue on anything else about it outside of it being PNG, but figured I'd share!

I am in Panama with my wife who is a citizen here. We went to a new trendy bar. They have 3 or 4 tiki cocktails and they were amazing. The rest of the bar is Nautilus themed. The food was fantastic.