Tiki Central / General Tiki / Official Introductions Thread. New Members, Post your introduction here...
Post #231816 by Aloha Ed on Fri, May 12, 2006 10:10 PM
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AE
Aloha Ed
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Fri, May 12, 2006 10:10 PM
Aloha! Very pleased to be here among you good people! I just found about this little island of tiki the other day when I met Basement Kahuna, who knocked on my door almost at random to ask if I could identify a lost dog. Life is funny... So my earliest tiki experience dates from around age 7 or 8. We lived in Columbus, Ohio, during the late 70's, where my dad was executive chef at the Wine Cellar, Lee Henry's medieval themed steakhouse that was right up the street from the Kahiki. I only got inside the Kahiki a couple of times, but each trip across the bridge and through the waterfall hallway was like a trip into a kind of dark and mysterious Disneyland at that age. I loved the simulated lightning and rain! The move to rural Georgia in 5th grade pretty much took tiki off my map until I bumped into a copy of The Book of Tiki a few years ago, the photos in the book bringing it all back. Since then a cross-reference of Tiki Road Trip has been a part Basement Kahuna thought some of you might get a kick out of my impressions on some of these, mostly written for the non-tikiphiles in my life: Mai Kai (Fort Lauderdale, FL): Kowloon (Saugus, Mass): Headhunters (Austin, TX): Kon Tiki (Tucson, AZ): Bahi Hut (Tampa, FL): Authentic tiki in Tampa Jungle Gardens. Was not there when we went back in 2005! Minnies (Modesto, CA): More Modesto Tiki (bottom half of page): The Tiki Lounge (Pittsburgh, PA): So I really dig being in the immersive tiki environment, the illusion of paradise, the powerful designs of the tikis and their world. I'm not as much into the collecting side, as far as minding if a cool mug is vintage or anything like that. Likewise, with my mixocology I like my drinks sweet and powerful, less concerned if whether or not a specific recipe is being followed perfectly. Check out this phenomenal punch bowl my sister made for me for my birthday a few years ago! http://www.brainrock.com/gallery/album42?page=3 Here's a couple of pics of the hot tubbing environ out back, just the most bare-bones sort of a tiki grotto but not without a small measure of charm. We have since found another place for the trash can and recycling bins, so that's an improvement. http://www.brainrock.com/gallery/album42/DSCN0170 Anyhow, looking forward to lurking about in Tiki Central to get the lay of the island, chatting with you good people. Cheers! Aloha Ed |