Tiki-est place in North America - General Tiki

T Thomas Member Lake Mojave Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 372	T Thomas Posted posted on Sat, Nov 26, 2005 2:32 PM This idea of "what makes a place tiki" sounds silly but touches on some interesting things. If you mean a place with a selection of indoor tiki establishments with storied pasts, tiki events such as at art galleries, and the ability to see exotica bands play live at clubs, obviously it's the urban centers represented so well here on TC by members and in the many discussions of tiki events and gatherings. Just by perusing TC we can see where the centers of action are. However, you pose the question in a way that suggests that by "a 'tiki' place" you have in mind other factors like warm weather, beach life, and a less stressful social environment than our great cities are generally known for. Live in short-sleeves most of the year, be able to afford a nice home without working 80 hours a week, and make up for the lack of a tiki "scene" by making your own scene, even if only in your own home and (most importantly) mind. Ideally one can have both of these scenarios, and many do. But with the explosion of housing and living costs along the coasts and near the coastal cities (and of course in Hawaii (!)), economics forces choices on most of us. Maybe you should make a list of things you find "tangentially tiki." For me, this would include: warm weather ; low cost of living ; large bodies of water (aquatic sports) ; beaches ; an element of travel and tourism in the local economy ; palm trees ; somewhat of a climate of vice, to put it bluntly (e.g. liberal attitudes towards booze; gambling) ; a certain "frontier" element (many newcomers to area; rapid change, unlike in long-settled areas) ... If this list bears some resemblance to your own, you might Google (and Google Images) on Laughlin, NV ; Lake Havasu ; Lake Mohave ; Topock ; Avi Casino ; etc. If desert landscapes and notably high levels of summer heat strike you as totally untiki though (and I know they do for many folks), don't even bother. (By the way, are there like three threads along this line of discussion? I wonder if some merging is in order.)

This idea of "what makes a place tiki" sounds silly
but touches on some interesting things. If you mean a
place with a selection of indoor tiki establishments
with storied pasts, tiki events such as at art
galleries, and the ability to see exotica bands play
live at clubs, obviously it's the urban centers
represented so well here on TC by members and in the
many discussions of tiki events and gatherings. Just
by perusing TC we can see where the centers of action
are. However, you pose the question in a way that suggests
that by "a 'tiki' place" you have in mind other
factors like warm weather, beach life, and a less
stressful social environment than our great cities are generally known for. Live in short-sleeves most of the year, be able to afford a nice home without working 80 hours a week, and make up for the lack of a tiki "scene" by making your own scene, even if only in your own home and (most importantly) mind.

Ideally one can have both of these scenarios, and many do. But with the explosion of housing and living costs along the coasts and near the coastal cities (and of course in Hawaii (!)), economics forces choices on most of us.

Maybe you should make a list of things you find "tangentially tiki." For me, this would include:
warm weather ; low cost of living ; large bodies of water (aquatic sports) ; beaches ; an element of travel and tourism in the local economy ; palm trees ; somewhat of a climate of vice, to put it bluntly (e.g. liberal attitudes towards booze; gambling) ; a certain "frontier" element (many newcomers to area; rapid change, unlike in long-settled areas) ...

If this list bears some resemblance to your own, you might Google (and Google Images) on Laughlin, NV ; Lake Havasu ; Lake Mohave ; Topock ; Avi Casino ; etc. If desert landscapes and notably high levels of summer heat strike you as totally untiki though (and I know they do for many folks), don't even bother.

(By the way, are there like three threads along this line of discussion? I wonder if some merging is in order.)

Post #200131 by Thomas on Sat, Nov 26, 2005 2:32 PM