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Many Happy Hours in Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Is it really possible I haven't posted anything new on this blog in a year? oops.

I've been caught up with my Tokyo blog, and writing my novel. I'm actually in Tokyo as I write this, working my way around eateries and various drinking establishments. Check out my drinking and dining adventures on my other blog, Tokyo Dreaming.

Square One Cucumber Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:38:00 +0000

Excellent! The cucumber flavor is clean and refreshing, not heavy on vegetation. This is a crisp, pure tasting vodka that goes down like water. Very good with seafood, but highly recommended with any of your happy hour snacks. Nice bottle, too.

Wine at Masa's in SF

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:45:00 +0000

Some crazy expensive wine we had at a special Masa's dinner. Not from our cellar, of course...we were relying on the kindness of rich friends.

Prairie Organic Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:04:00 +0000

I am a sucker for nice packaging, so when I saw this vodka I'd never heard of at the local mom and pop market where I usually buy my vodka, I had to try it. I love the bottle shape and the label design - nice colors too, reminiscent of retro European labels. My eye was also drawn to the fact that it's organic. It has a nice clean flavor, with a subtle hint of a pleasant herbal quality.

Their site is surprisingly urban and slick for a home-grown sounding name like Prairie. They state that their vodka is crafted in Minnesota from organic corn with a cooperative of over 900 farmers. It's also certified kosher.

Frozen Watermelon and Campari

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 04:37:00 +0000

This is the perfect summer drink for Campari lovers like myself. So refreshing. Bittersweet Campari blends well with the juicy sweetness of watermelon, and the color is gorgeous. This drink deserves a good name…

2 cups watermelon chunks, well frozen
4 oz Campari
Juice of 1 small lime

Blend ingredients at high speed to the consistency of a smoothie. Pour into chilled glasses and serve with a straw. Makes two 8 oz drinks.

Hibiscus Tequila Cocktail

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:46:00 +0000

I just had to try this cocktail from Jacques Pépin posted on the Food and Wine site. Instead of making the tea, I used a Knudsen brand Hibiscus Cooler. Since that was already sweetened I omitted the sugar. Not sure if mine turned out the way it’s meant to but it was delicious anyway. Refreshing, floral with a hint of spice, and beautiful to look at.

The Most Simple Sangria

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:27:00 +0000

I’ve tried Sangria many times over the years, and I’ve decided I prefer the kind that doesn’t get you hammered and headachy after a couple of glasses on a hot day. It should be light and refreshing, enjoyable alone or with food. To this end, I wanted to use good wine with fruit juice and avoid additional sugar or other alcohol, creating an easily drinkable, punchy beverage.

This recipe is embarrassingly simple, but I always get positive comments when I serve it so I figure it’s blog-worthy. It goes quickly, so be prepared to make a few batches during a party.

You will need:

Red wine (use decent quality red wine with strong fruit, such as a Sangiovese. The wine should be good enough to drink alone.)
Pineapple juice
Limes
Lemons and oranges, sliced in thin half-circles with rind on

Fill a large pitcher with 2/3 wine and 1/3 pineapple juice. Add juice of half a lime. Add sliced citrus and stir. Other fruit can be added, such as sliced pineapple or strawberries.
Let sangria chill for a couple of hours…or not. It’s pretty good served right away, too. Serve over ice.

Burgundy vs. Nebbiolo, Part Two - June 22

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:49:00 +0000

I’d been hearing about this wine event for weeks, and the day finally arrived: two wine teams meeting up for the big Burgundy vs. Nebbiolo showdown, Part Two. The first round of this experiment was conducted in March, when the maximum price per bottle was $60 retail (each participant brought a bottle for all to taste). This time the retail limit was raised to $120.

The purpose of the side-by-side blind evaluation of these two monovarietals was to determine which offered more consistent quality for the value – Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region or Pinot Noir grown in Burgundy. The challenge for each team was to select six wines believed to offer the best quality-to-value ratio.

For us novices, here’s some more info on these wines: our experts in the Nebbiolo camp claim that their powerhouse wines offer better consistency and quality for the money than the Burgundies. For a number of reasons, including interactions between terroir, climate, and the temperamental quality of the Pinot Noir grape itself, Burgundies have a reputation for being unpredictable when it comes to quality. Even an exorbitantly priced, highly prized vintage can prove to be a disappointment. However, when all factors work in a Burgundy’s favor, the outcome is exquisite; and because the possibility of a sublime experience is hard to refuse, Burgundy enthusiasts are willing to take what Karen MacNeil of The Wine Bible calls “wine’s ultimate crapshoot.”

The second taste-off was held at our home, as was the first one. I was out of town during the first tasting, so wasn’t present to witness Burgundy’s defeat. (You can read about it here, on Jeff's blog.) For the second tasting, the teams were kind enough to let me participate, although I was the only non-wine expert and the only female. (Reluctant to be an intrusion on this boy’s wine club, I had offered to make myself scarce, but the guys were nice enough to let me in this time – and I decided it would be a blog-worthy event.)

The gods of the vine must have been pleased with our endeavors, because the heat wave of the previous week gave way to a beautifully mild afternoon. We set up our tasting tables out back by the fig trees, the Nebbiolo team seated on one side, Burgundy team on the other.

Members of the Nebbiolo Team:

Thomas Koehorst – Italian and Austrian Wine Director, Southern Wine and Spirits, No. Cal
Jeffrey Porter – Beverage Buyer, Andronico’s Market
Giancarlo Paterlini – Owner, Acquerello Restaurant
Gianpaolo Paterlini – Sommelier, Acquerello Restaurant and Michael Mina Restaurant
JD Dirickson – Italian Wine Importer, Zigzagando
Marin Blomquist – Sales Manager, The Estates Group

Members of the Burgundy Team:

Tom O’Connor – Beverage Director, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering
Vijay Toke – Wine Enthusiast and future wine bar owner
Noah Dorrance – Business Development Director, Crushpad
Pete Monteleone – Northern CA Sales Rep, Martine’s Wines
Chris Miller – Sales Manager, Chambers and Chambers Wines
Aki Gibbons – Writer/Blogger/Wine Imbiber

The Rules, as outlined by Jeff Porter, instigator and organizer of this event:

1. Each team shall have 6 members.

2. Each team shall choose 6 starting wines with three alternates in case a wine is corked.

3. Each wine can be NO MORE than $120.00 (USD) in today's dollars.

4. The Burgundy team can choose any wine grown within the AOC of Burgundy as long as the wine is 100% Pinot Noir.

5. The Nebbiolo team can choose any wine grown in the Langhe region as long as the wine is 100% Nebbiolo.

6. There are no vintage requirements (price is the ONLY requirement).

7. Each team may confer before the tasting. The line-up will only be single blind to the other team.

8. This is a team tasting, we are not searching for a single wine to “win,” we are looking for the best region/grape.

9. Each team can set their line up in any manner they feel will show their wines off best (think like a batting order).

10. Tasting will be scored by a 100 point tally for each wine. The team with the highest average score will be the winner:

Aroma = 15 pts, Flavor profile = 15 pts, Structure/Texture = 15 pts,
Length/Finish = 15 pts, Balance/Overall = 40 pts

The Wines:

Round 1

1967 Barolo, Fratelli Barale
vs.
1982 Hospices de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru Cuvée Clos des Avaux, Maison Leroy

Round 2

1998 Barolo, Cascina Francia Serralunga d’Alba, Giacomo Conterno
vs.
2002 Vosnes-Romanée, 1er Cru Les Chaumes, Domaine Robert Arnoux

Round 3

1989 Barbaresco, Santo Steffano, Castello di Neive
vs.
2002 Corton Rognet Grand Cru, Domaine Chevalier, Pére and Fils

Round 4

1997 Barolo, Brunate, Ceretto
vs.
2001 Nuits-St. Georges, Emmanuel Rouget

Round 5

1999 Barbaresco, Gaja
vs.
1996 Chambertin Grand Cru, “Les Vignottes” Premeaux-Prisse, Maison Fery-Meunier

Round 6

1996 Barbaresco, Camp Gros Martinenga Barbaresco, Marchesi di Gresy
vs.
1990 Mazys-Chambertin, Pierre Bourée Fils

The Results:

A tie. Lowest scoring wines were dropped – the Fratelli Barale Nebbiolo, and the Domaine Chevalier Burgundy, which was corked. Total points actually point to Nebbiolo as the winner, but the Nebbiolo team scored their wines higher. For Nebbiolo, the Castello di Neive was favored as the best; the Mazys-Chambertin was considered the best Burgundy by all.

I was taken by both teams’ expertise and respect for each wine, as well as the attitude of fair sportsmanship that came across even though both sides seemed to defend their favorite grape with passion. Appreciative and analytical comments were made all around, and interspersed with the occasional jab at the opposing team (some remarks which went over my head) were murmurs of admiration as superiority was conceded when appropriate. The most impressive thing of all was the consistency of these observations. I don’t think there was a single instance where participants butted heads. There were near-simultaneous responses of agreement when a wine was considered stellar, such as the 1990 Mazys-Chambertin, or over the hill, as in the case of the 1967 Fratelli Barale, or too young, as in the 1999 Gaja.

Which brings me to the question of a wine’s readiness. There was one Burgundy which, although all agreed had a spectacular nose and a certain youthful excitement, would benefit from a few years’ aging. All were unanimous in this regard, except for myself, who kept sniffing repeatedly in an attempt to comprehend how they knew this and remained clueless. How do you predict when a wine will mature, soften, transform into a ready-to-drink state? There is no hard and fast science for this, and Thomas has tried to explain how he imagines the way a wine will develop in future. I think this is something that comes with years of experience tasting countless bottles and making comparisons.

Before I launch into my own humble observations and preferences, let me preface by clarifying that I am an uneducated beginner compared to these distinguished participants. One would think, being married to a wine expert, that simply by osmosis I’d possess a spectacular knowledge of wine. But I admit I’m a spoiled bon vivant, and lazy, and my poor brain is capable of retaining only so much information at a time. After all, I live with a walking encyclopedia of formidable wine knowledge – why should I bother to remember anything? All I have to do is ask Thomas when I have wine questions, and then meander down to the cellar and select something with a pretty label. Yes, I’m that spoiled.

With that said, I have been told that I have a pretty decent palate. I know I have excellent olfactory nerves (I’ve given thought to becoming a perfumer in my next fantasy career). So these traits, along with a writer’s overactive imagination and a lack of proper training, combine to form these conclusions, and at the risk of coming across as a complete girly-girl with too much bubbly on the brain, I offer the following.

In my experience with these particular groupings of Nebbiolo and Burgundy, a distinct personality formed itself through each set of wines. These two personalities were so different from each other they almost couldn’t be compared. How can you compare brawn with beauty?

The word “overwhelming” is the first description that comes to mind when thinking of the Nebbiolos as a group. These were truly bold, massive wines. With each one, I had a hard time getting past the nose, but once I did, a complexity of characteristics started revealing themselves, which I’m sure would open up further with time. The 1967 Fratelli Barale that we tasted on the first round blew me away with its initial stench of pond water. Apparently this wasn’t offensive to anyone else, because somehow the others were able to see past this and were already contemplating the intense fruit and other virtues of this bottle. Once I took a sip of this wine, I could begin appreciating its other layers. I wanted to sit for a while and get acquainted with it, as I wanted to with all the Nebbiolos. But we had about ten minutes per bottle to formulate an impression and take notes, and let me tell you, I had to scramble to keep up.

If I were to describe these Nebbiolos as characteristics of a person, I’d say this was a real man’s man, reliable and solid. From the initial scent of primordial bog emerges a powerful masculinity, emitting vapors of leather, tar, meat, and at times the scent of barnyard, along with anise and ripe fruit. Given time, what comes across initially as overly assertive or harsh evolves into something more refined, complex, with backbone and integrity, solid and reliable. A bit predictable maybe, but comforting, a man who can always be relied on to bring home the pancetta, one who will mellow and become more pleasing with maturity. With Nebbiolo, you’ll nearly always get your money’s worth and you can count on a rewarding experience. I can see why these wines are so highly respected. I think I would learn to appreciate these better if given a chance to linger with them in front of the bonfire with a big piece of roasted meat.

By contrast, the Burgundies, or at least, these particular examples that I was fortunate enough to sample, were immediately beguiling and filled with surprises. (And this isn’t just about support for my team.) If the Nebbiolos were the gentleman farmer with his boots up by the fire, then the Burgundies were the perfumed enchantress with that ineffable je ne sais quois. The first impressions brought to mind, in varying degrees of seductive complexity, were midsummer gardens redolent with jasmine, ripe plums, berries, and sun-baked roses. In some, I detected layered scents of vanilla custard and buttered toast along with the pleasant, tangy bite of black tea, or the spicy notes of sandalwood. Tasting always brought further complexity, a bit of earthiness and enough acidity to balance out the flowers and fruit – in the words of Tom Waits, that essential “little drop of poison” to keep it interesting. Burgundies may be capricious and unreliable, but how can one resist the chance at transcendence? It’s like the secret tryst that will haunt you forever, and you’ll keep trying to recapture the experience even if it bites you in the ass or takes you for all your money.

Which brings us to the question of money. Perhaps I’ve missed the point entirely by not addressing the quality vs. value issue. Do I think any of these wines are worth $120? I honestly can’t say. It all seems so subjective. It’s like asking, assuming I were a gazillionaire, would I rather pay 80 million bucks for a Monet or a Warhol? (It all sounds ridiculous, considering I haven’t been able to afford a new Francesco Biasia handbag for many, many moons.) And personal preferences aside, there are physiological differences to consider. We are all imperfect beings with vast variations in body chemistry, experience, memories, and so forth. I think I had the fates on my side with this tasting, as all the Burgundies could have easily been crap, but instead, to me, they were splendid and eye-opening. I seem to have become a convert. If I learned more about Burgundy I might feel confident about investing towards a bottle or two, in which case, I’d say it would be worth the excitement of the gamble. But there are few of us who can afford a Burgundy habit, so I’ll just keep dreaming about my next chance encounter.

I’m sure the Nebbiolo advocates have a lot to say on their own behalf…perhaps Jeff will write about it on his own blog.

Apparently there will be a third showdown, with a no-limit price per bottle. Unless I come into a small fortune soon, I think I’ll have to back out of the next tasting and relinquish my spot to a more experienced Burgundy devotee. Is anyone game?

Photos: part of the Burgundy line-up; the Burgundy team; beautiful wine color; the Nebbiolo team; emptied Burg and Nebb bottles lined up in a harmonious row.

The Trappist

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:54:00 +0000

Our friend Mariana is about to pack up and move to The Big Easy with her family, so Jenny and I met her for a farewell toast at The Trappist in Old Oakland. The Trappist is a specialty beer pub tucked into a tiny space on 8th Street, featuring a handsome bar with a European feel to it. A large selection of Belgian, Dutch, French and American micro brews are offered, including 15 on a rotating tap. The staff is knowledgeable about their well-crafted beers and treat them with due respect, ensuring that each one is served at proper temperature and in the appropriate drinking vessel. I’m woefully ignorant when it comes to beer; although I enjoy the flavor, it’s rarely my drink of choice because it’s so filling. The Trappist offers such an interesting selection of complex, unusual beers that I’m inspired to go back and sample others. Plus, the cozy interior was like a little escape to Holland or Belgium. The experience was more like wine tasting – the bartender offered advice and a taste before we made our choices.

The first beer I tried was one on tap called Koningshoeven, the only Trappist ale from the Netherlands: it had a rich honey color, with lush layers of tropical fruit and spice on the nose, and a warm nuttiness and earthiness to round it out. Jenny tried the Chimay, and Mariana had a Belgian style, triple fermented golden ale from Quebec with the charming name of La Fin Du Monde. The only nibbles offered are a couple of cheese plates, and we tried a delicious cheese made with beer, served with excellent, super-crisp crackers.

On a Thursday night at 6:30, the small establishment was pretty full, although I’m not sure if this was a normal crowd or overflow from the Thursday Night Live event happening outside on 9th. After fifteen minutes of hovering by the bar we were able to snag seats by the front window. I’d imagine when it’s fully packed it would get somewhat claustrophobic and noisy. I’d definitely go back on another weeknight.

Photos: bar at The Trappist; killer cheese

Bill's Kick-Ass Bloody Marys

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:16:00 +0000

The Bloody Mary is the comfort food of the cocktail world, perhaps because it feels like a nourishing and refreshing meal in a glass, a cure-all for travel jitters, jet lag, hangovers, or whatever nameless malaise that ails you. We used to think the best Bloody Mary of all time was made at Dick’s Place in Mendocino, rivaled perhaps only by the Orbit Room in San Francisco, whose extravagant Bloody Mary’s are like a spiked salad in a glass.

Then we tasted our neighbor Bill’s version. His Bloody Mary takes the prize – in most ways very traditional, with a simple celery stick garnish and a good kick, but with unusually refreshing, zesty flavor. After some analysis we determined his secret: a copious amount of fresh lime juice from fruit off of his own tree. The tree is enormous, about the size of a small house, and bears large, extremely juicy limes that turn yellow when ripe. As far as we can determine, this seems to be a Bearss lime (also known as Tahitian or Persian), which has benefited from the fertilizer that Bill always feeds the neighboring tomato plants. We’ve never encountered limes with such wonderful flavor and aroma, and we squeeze the juice on practically everything that comes out of our kitchen. It adds instant sparkle to so many things. This lime tree makes us feel rich, and I’m not kidding when I say we feel a bit bereft when a crop is depleted. It inspired us to plant our own Bearss tree, but it has a ways to go before producing on the same level. Anyway, here’s Bill’s recipe.

In a small pitcher, mix the following:

3 parts vodka
6 parts tomato juice
juice of 3 to 5 Bearss limes, depending on size, to taste
dashes of Tabasco, horse radish, and Worcestershire sauce
celery salt and black pepper
celery stick garnish for each glass

Pour over ice and garnish with celery.

Photos: Bill enjoys a Bloody Mary with Fritzi; Bill in his mini orchard with the lime tree

Desk/Cocktail Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:34:00 +0000

At least ten years ago when we were still living in the Castro, I was walking around the little hood known as the Deco Ghetto and saw the most amazing piece of furniture in one of the antique shop windows: a beautiful little Art Deco desk that made me stop in my tracks. It had a compact and efficient cocktail bar built into it! So perfect. I gazed wistfully at it for a long while, but unfortunately, it was beyond my means at the time. I've been kicking myself over it ever since because I haven't been able to locate anything quite like it, even online. I love multi-purpose furniture, and what a natural pairing of two important tasks: a perfect item for the writer who spends many solitary, angst-filled hours laboring in her studio. However while searching retro furniture sites today, I did come across this drawing from the Modern Mechanix blog: a 1947 idea for a desk/bar - "For Fun-Loving Executives." I like the addition of the custom fridge...I don't know how many times I'd threatened to install a mini-fridge in my cube when I still had an office job.

Bars with a View: Pied Piper Bar, The Palace Hotel, San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:39:00 +0000

This bar doesn’t have a view in the traditional sense, but it needs to be mentioned because it’s provided more hours of escape than any other bar in the city. After all, sometimes it’s not just the bar itself that makes it mentionable, but the memories created there. During the eight years I worked on New Montgomery Street, the Pied Piper offered consistently reliable service, comfort food and cocktails, and the solid reassurance of its wood-paneled, clubby interior. After a hard day of doing time at the Big P, Megan (my partner in crime) and I spent many happy hours here in the perpetual twilight of Maxfield Parrish’s Pied Piper mural, mulling over life with a martini. I see the mural as sort of a view, as well as the elegant hotel itself: grand views into San Francisco’s rich history.

Photo: Here's to you, MG!

Bars with a View: Grandviews Lounge, Grand Hyatt San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:37:00 +0000

The bar interior is nothing to write home about, and could probably be described as corporate at best – but possibly for this reason, it’s not on the list of hip places to be seen, and remains a quiet retreat after a hectic day of shopping on Union Square. This amazes me each of the several times I’ve been here and scored a window seat, since the views are truly spectacular. I go here to reconfirm my belief that San Francisco is one of the most breathtaking cities on earth, and also for the classic seafood Louis loaded with fresh crab.

Bars with a View: Onyx Bar, DO & CO Hotel, Vienna

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:35:00 +0000

There can be such a thing as too much splendor, and after days of indulging in museums, marzipan and Mozart, a little palate-cleansing might be in order. Take a moment to gather your giddy senses in the cool confines of the Onyx Bar in the DO & CO hotel. It can be found on historic Stephansplatz, situated in the heart of beautiful Vienna. This hip hangout has allure day or night, thanks to the magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral that looms right outside. I’ve heard the restaurant is also quite exceptional, but I was too busy gaping at the extraordinary view to notice the menu.

Bars with a View: Café at the Pantheon, Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Nothing makes you feel more young and vibrant than taking a moment to sip a cold drink at the foot of a centuries-old monument. This could have been any number of café/bars outside the Pantheon, and honestly, I don’t think it really mattered which. The point was picking a central spot for people-watching, somewhere near the façade of this awe-inspiring temple. After hours of navigating the swarming streets of Rome during an Easter weekend, it was the perfect reward. It’s still hard to grasp that Europeans live, walk and shop among structures and streets that are ancient beyond imagining for us Californians, but that are so commonplace for them. Here’s a toast to the gods!

Bars with a View: Peak Bar, Park Hyatt Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:31:00 +0000

My second favorite happy-place bar is the Peak Bar, located in the Park Hyatt Tokyo. First off, everything about this hotel is world class. You’ll pay a small fortune, but for this you are offered complete escape from the mundane. You can expect impeccable bilingual service, luxurious amenities, sophisticated design down to every tiny detail. And of course, stunning city views throughout: glamorous views from your room, the restaurants, bars and spa that have you feeling you’re perched at the height of civilization. And you must deserve it, because you’re being treated like a celebrity, with discretion and reverence.

The Peak Bar offers a serene yet urbane, paper lantern-lit setting for a cocktail with a million-dollar view. The bartenders clearly take their craft seriously, and each order will deliver a perfect martini with a beautiful bamboo pick skewered through flawless olives. You will lose all sense of time as you sip your drink and float under the spell of Tokyo’s shimmering ocean of lights outside. By the second drink, you’ll never want the dream to end.

Photo: Masa at the Peak

Bars with a View: Duke's Waikiki

noreply@blogger.com (Aki) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:16:00 +0000

While savoring an icy vodka during happy hour yesterday, I began recollecting my most impressive bar experiences. I found myself getting misty-eyed, the way one might when experiencing aches of nostalgia over past love affairs. I tried to distill the top qualities common to all of these places: ambience, of course; superior service; and it goes without saying, a good drink. Then it struck me that the one superstar quality of each of these bars, the thing that takes them to another level, is their view. Something about a great or even decent bar paired with a spectacular view creates an unforgettable experience that borders on sublime. Perhaps it’s about being tucked away someplace with a favorite person, where you’re being served a well-made libation, and you can gaze up from your drink to see a bit of extraordinary scenery, a glimpse of what’s beyond if you choose to venture from your little getaway spot, giving you a sense of being on top of the world, one of those rare all-is-as-it-should-be moments.

Two bars immediately come to mind as top favorites in this bar with a view category. Seriously, these are bars I call to mind when the pressures of modern living threaten my tenuous sanity, and I need to go to that happy place in my head and pull it together again.

The first bar is Duke’s Waikiki. Like Vegas or Disneyland, it seems people either love or hate Waikiki – it’s tourist-infested, over-developed, kitschy. I happen to love Waikiki, but then I also happen to love aloha shirts and drinks with orchid garnishes, and Waikiki is just like one big tiki bar, right next to a gorgeous beach. Duke’s is an oceanfront bar located in the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel, and was named in honor of Duke Kahanamoku, legendary surfer and Olympic swimming champion.

To step into Duke’s is to immediately leave the rest of the surly world behind. Although tables are available for full dining, my favorite spot is at the Barefoot Bar, where you get a quick Mai Tai and some pupu’s from friendly bartenders and can sit and watch the ongoing stream of beach girls, surfers, shoppers and local characters. And right outside, Waikiki Beach glistens with the promise of every tropical island fantasy. If you’re lucky, the band will be playing, but if not, the sigh of surf is better than any music.