Post #2574 by jukeboy56 on Fri, Jun 21, 2002 5:28 PM

I just returned from a quick trip to Las Vegas and wanted to report what I found.

The Taboo Cove is alive and well. We stopped in there for a drink and were served by Mo, who was very informative about the decor and awesome tiki mug collection. Shag-o-philes need to visit the place just to see the huge painting (or reproduction?) gracing the entrance between Taboo Cove and Venus. We snagged some Taboo Cove and Venus swizzle sticks and Shag matches and napkins (no, I'm NOT going to put them up on eBay), and bought a drink in a mug. Taboo Cove is definitely a must for tikiphiles. (Others may complain that they weren't hearing Martin Denny and Les Baxter when they were there, but be honest here, do you really listen to that stuff when you're alone in your car??)

Shopping tips: The merchandise store at the Hard Rock Hotel had a fairly good selection of the aloha shirts that Shag did for Toes On The Nose. They also had BOT and a few other Tiki or Shag books. They also had an awesome tiki bar for sale for $1,000. It had a carved tiki on the bamboo front that looked like Bosko's work, and I think it came with 4 really cool barstools. They also had some Tiki Farm mugs for sale.
Gary's Island at the Rio Hotel had more of the Shag aloha shirts and another non-shag aloha with a lot of different mugs that was pretty cool. I couldn't justify buying both since I wear white dress shirts and ties to work every day of my damn chained-to-my-desk-forever-life and I already have a closet of aloha shirts, so I went with one of the Shag models. (Don't let the opportunists on eBay sucker you into paying $100 for these shirts-I paid $60 for mine I think. They're NOT limited edition and I think there will be plenty for everybody if you keep looking.) Gary's Island also had a Tiki Farms mug or two for sale.