The Enchanted World of the Luca Lanai

Project Name: The Luca Lanai
Opening: 2022
Role: Creative Director, Producer, Show Writer, Graphics, Bar Program Manager, SFX Lead, Game Designer
Overview: The Luca Lanai isn't just a backyard bar; it's an escape into the mysteries of Edendale Island. It's a world were handcrafted cocktails are shared over remarkable stories and magic is real. Here, you enter an old shipping warehouse that has been transformed into a whimsical adventurer's club, filled with rare artifacts from across the globe, friends, and secrets waiting to be discovered. Its even said that some of this enchanted relics come alive, if, that is, you know just what to order...
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Overview

Upon moving into our new home, my fiancé and I were intrigued by the old chicken coop/shed in our backyard. knowing we wanted to have an outdoor space where we could entertain, we settled on turning it into some sort of a bar where we could host our family and friends. Building upon my background in creative directing and producing, I set about writing a couple of different pitches he could choose from that would become the basis for our little bar. Erick ended up selecting an eclectic mix of an exotic explorer's style tiki bar run by an eccentric Italian explorer.  A little bit Jungle Cruise, a little bit the Pixar Animated Film Luca, and a whole lot of fun.  I had a blast creative directing this project; writing the backstory of our bar, assembling the copy and print materials, designing the bar program, building out the operations plan, laying out the interiors, programming the little moments of magic, and and crafting a secret society that only the most enterprising of guests have even begun to uncover... 

Key Elements

  • An Immersive Escape: The bar is a treasure trove of the explorer's trinkets, from ancient crates to mystical artifacts. Each piece, photograph, or book hidden about the bar tells the story of our intrepid host, Captain Massimo Paguro, who has seemingly always just left when guests arrive. However, he may just have a telegram waiting for them, if they know the secret code that is. 
  • ​Pick your Poison: Despite being a members only bar we knew we didn't want to offer just stereotypical home bar fare and we also didn't want to be beholden to the more questionable drinks that come part and parcel with that enigmatic world of Tiki Bars. As such, we developed a menu of 16 drinks, now 32, that form the base menu for the Lanai. Some are unimpeachable classics, others variations on a beloved favorite, and still others entirely original creations inspired by the colourful personalities in our own lives.​ Many thanks to Maria Mondloch, for her work on the cocktail sketches throughout the menu. 
  • Some Enchanted Evening: A few drinks have even been impacted by the artefacts tucked away throughout the bar and may cause them to come to life with magical special effects enhancing the sense of wonder and surprise. Imagine ordering a drink that unexpectedly glows, smokes, or even changes flavor as you sip – these enchanting details captivate and delight guests and stay with them long after they set sail for home .
  • The Mysteries of Membership: Eagle-eyed guests may notice mysterious symbols scattered throughout the bar in some of the photographs, framed correspondence, or perhaps even in the menu. Should they investigate, it's rumoured that they may pique the interested of a certain secret society that operates here on the island. The bravest and the wittiest may even be offered the chance to join, but such a passage is challenging and treacherous though not without its rewards...

Special Events

The Luca Lanai is the new home of an annual Halloween experience I have had the pleasure of putting on with some of my other friends from the world of Entertainment every year since 2017.

​Since renamed The Spookilau, each year the event features a new theme that dictates the decor, food, drinks, and even a challenging scavenger hunt ensuring the event is fresh and exciting every spooky season. Perhaps we'll see you there this year, there's always room for one more!