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Beyond Tiki, Bilge, and Test / Beyond Tiki / OktoberSvenFest

Post #11164 by Sabu The Coconut Boy on Wed, Oct 16, 2002 3:13 PM

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Ok, against my better judgement, here are some photos from OktoberSvenFest (or "OktoberFIST" if you will). In attendance were Bigbro, Mr. Smiley, Tikivixen, Atomic Cocktail, Vintage Girl, Floratina, Doctor Z, Z-Girl, Mano Tiki Tia, and myself.


From left to right: Bigbrotiki, Mr. Smiley, Tikivixen, Vintage Girl, & Atomic Cocktail


Tiki Central in der Haus! (Note Mr. Smiley's Tiki Stein).


Performing the Seated Chicken Dance. (ok, things were a little slow on a Sunday afternoon)


One can buy these kool German tikis at The Alpine Village.


Renting a copy of "Das Love Hotel in Tirol" for later.


Atomic posing with noted German, Roy Rogers.

So after a rousing afternoon German Beer-Garden songs, what could be better than Mexican Food? Nothing, you say? Well I am of the same opinion. So it's off to nearby Lomita and Arturo's Mexican Restaurant.


Arturo's is one of the hidden gems of the South Bay. Built in 1960 and still owned by the original family, it is a showpiece of classic 1960s modernism. Floor-to-cieling glass windows, globe lamps, wood-slat walls, clean and minimalist. It has a restaurant and a bar. The bartender, Kiko, has been mixing drinks there since it opened in 1960.

Best of all, for tiki enthusiasts, there are giant stone statues everywhere.

I have wanted to take some tiki centralites to Arturo's for some time, as part of a South-Bay tiki pub crawl, but wouldn't you know it, Bigbro already new about it and made the suggestion first. Is there no place left to discover that this man hasn't found?


In the center of the restaurant is a large, glass-enclosed atrium with tropical plants and giant Mexian Moai. At night, they are illuminated with lights, as is a fountain that gets turned on after dark.


Halloween decorations were a bit unnerving in this ancient temple of Mexican Modernism.

All in all, we had a great time. Good food and good conversation - and all the usual good-natured "fist" jokes. On the other hand, (no pun intended), maybe you shouldn't have been there.

Your Roving Tiki Reporter,

Sabu