INSIDE: BLACK
TIE
FAMILIAR FACE: Bill Sadlo reflects on his foray into philanthropy. 8 > < LIP SYNC SHOWDOWN: Area breweries battle it out. 4
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT SEE THIS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017
YOUROBSERVER.COM
“People remembered this movement like it was some sort of dream. They weren’t sure it really happened.” — Sven Kirsten, author of “The Book of Tiki”
Ringling Circle Members Dinner Artists and donors peek at “Skyway.” PAGE 7
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A Torch for
Tiki Tradition In the dark corners of a North Trail dive, a uniquely American art movement lives on.
AJC Lunch and Learn
NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR
Seffi Kogen speaks on antiSemetism. PAGE 8
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‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ The Players Centre for Performing Arts brews up a killer comedy. YOUROBSERVER.COM
Nick Friedman
Bill Dillard (left) is a longtime Bahi Hut customer and tiki enthusiast. Scott Spear hopes to preserve the history of the Bahi Hut, one of just two authentic tiki bars that remain in Florida.
t looked harmless enough. The photo showed an oversized sandblasted wooden tiki mask, standing 6 feet tall and sporting a toothy, ear-to-ear grin. Its various ornamental details are painted in a day-glo palette of bright, beachy hues — fuchsia, lavender and baby blue. The Bahi Hut, a longstanding North Trail tiki bar, recently posted the picture to its Facebook page as a preview of some new décor that management had in the works. Its caption invited fans of the late-night hub, known for its stiff drinks and unpretentious atmosphere, to weigh in. “What do you think?” More than 100 commenters from around the country flocked to the post to weigh in. The reaction? Resounding disapproval, to put it lightly. Tiki purists and Bahi diehards didn’t mince words with their cries to not ruin their beloved bar. As it turns out, tiki culture is alive and well. And it has a passionate, outspoken following, not to mention a strict set of standards for authenticity. SEE PAGE 2