Author's posts
Jul 29
Easy Grilled Pineapple: Caramelized Tropical Fruit for the Grill
Fresh pineapple becomes something completely different after a few minutes over a hot grill. The juicy fruit develops dark grill marks, lightly caramelized edges, and a deeper sweetness while keeping enough acidity to remain bright and refreshing. This easy grilled pineapple recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and works equally well as a simple …
Jul 22
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken & Pineapple Skewers: Easy Tropical-Inspired Recipe
Juicy grilled chicken, caramelized pineapple, and a sweet-savory teriyaki-style glaze make these colorful skewers an easy favorite for summer cookouts, backyard parties, and casual weeknight dinners. The chicken marinates in shoyu, pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar before being grilled until lightly charred around the edges. Fresh pineapple cooks alongside it, becoming sweeter and …
Jul 15
Hawaiʻi-Style Macaroni Salad: Classic Plate Lunch Mac Salad Recipe
Creamy, soft, slightly tangy, and wonderfully simple, Hawaiʻi-style macaroni salad—usually just called mac salad in Hawaiʻi—is one of the defining sides of the local plate lunch. It commonly appears beside two scoops of white rice and a hearty entrée such as chicken katsu, kalbi, teriyaki beef, shoyu chicken, or hamburger steak. Rather than competing with …
Jul 09
Best Tiki Bars in San Diego: Classic & Modern Tiki Spots to Visit
San Diego is one of the best cities in the United States for exploring tiki culture. Few places offer such a clear view of the movement’s evolution. On Shelter Island, you can still visit Bali Hai, a genuine survivor of Southern California’s midcentury Polynesian Pop era that has been serving San Diegans since 1954. A …
Jul 02
Tiki Mug Makers: Artists Behind Handcrafted Tiki Mugs
A tiki mug can be a drinking vessel, a miniature sculpture, a restaurant souvenir, a piece of midcentury design history, or the centerpiece of an entire collection. Sometimes it is all of those things at once. What began as part of the theatrical world of American tropical restaurants has developed into a remarkably creative ceramic …
Jun 29
11 Luau Party Games & Activities for Kids and Adults
A backyard luau-style party is much more fun when guests have something to do between eating, talking, swimming, and returning to the snack table for one more plate. The good news is that party games don’t have to be complicated. A few simple activities such as limbo, tropical bingo, a scavenger hunt, ring toss, or …
Jun 25
Tiki Umbrella Ideas: How to Add Shade & Tropical Style to Your Patio
A good patio umbrella does more than keep the sun out of your eyes. It can define an entire outdoor seating area, make a hot patio more comfortable, add color and texture, and turn an ordinary backyard corner into a place that actually feels inviting. If you love tiki style, the umbrella is also an …
Jun 25
Disney’s Tiki Room Song: The Story Behind “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room”
Few theme-park songs announce themselves as efficiently as “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room.” Within moments, the Sherman Brothers’ relentlessly catchy tune tells Disneyland visitors where they are, introduces a room in which birds speak and flowers sing, establishes the playful tropical atmosphere, and prepares the audience for a kind of entertainment that was almost impossible …
Jun 18
Hawaiʻi-Style Char Siu Manapua: Steamed Pork Bun Recipe
Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet-savory char siu pork are one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved portable foods. Known locally as manapua, these generously sized buns evolved from Chinese char siu bao after Chinese immigrants brought their food traditions to Hawaiʻi during the 19th century. Classic manapua are usually larger than the char siu bao …
Jun 10
Hawaiʻi-Style Malasadas: Fluffy Portuguese Doughnut Recipe
Hot from the fryer, crisp around the edges, unbelievably fluffy in the center, and covered generously with granulated sugar, malasadas are one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved sweet treats. But malasadas aren’t originally Hawaiian. Their roots are Portuguese, particularly connected with immigrants from Madeira and the Azores who came to Hawaiʻi during the plantation era beginning …
