Post #269105 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Nov 27, 2006 11:03 PM

Ha! That's funny! And now, oh so soon, the BOT itself is propelled into being a subject of Urban Archeology, it's evolution/devolution mirroring the decline of so many pop cultures:

1st Phase: Publication, spreading enlightenment. 2nd Phase: Unavailability, and subsequent ignorance of it. General/generic Tiki popularity takes over. 3rd Phase: Digging it up again out of the jetsam and flotsam of consumer culture (Vampiress' garage). :)

How soon until the second Tiki revival?
Or has it already begun? When viewing Ojaitimo's post at the very top of this page, it might appear so. He is not only one of the most enthusiastic new members of TC, but has also greatly contributed to its visual library with his mother's Tradewinds files http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=19144&forum=1

Yet as a newcomer he is completely unaware of the prolonged, intricate history of the Palm Springs Tropics Motel, closely tied to Tiki Central, and the BOT.

A very brief, incomplete re-cap (the dates might be off a little):
In the mid 90s I take the first photographs of the well preserved Tikis on the grounds of the Tropics (which subsequently make it into the BOT), and lead a small tour of it's grounds on the occasion of Joey Cheezey's Palm Springs Lounge Bus Tour.
In 2000, Otto von Stroheim organizes the first Tiki Oasis on the grounds with big success.
In the winter of 2000, after hearing about renovation plans, Pete Moruzzi, chair of the Palm Springs Modcom, brings the BOT to the new owners/managers Casey and Charly. The book convinces them to drop their Spanish colonial renovation concept (CALIENTE Tropics), and go for preservation and embellishment of the Tiki theme (which marks the BOT's first preservation success).
Subsequent yearly Tiki Oases grow in scope and popularity. Tiki Centralites have bonding experiences in room parties (like #105), making the Tropics THE Mecca for the Tiki Revival experience. Bosko, Crazy Al and Bamboo Ben get to ad their touches to the place.
In 2005(?), our loving patron of the Tiki arts, Tropics manager/part owner Casey Jones is ousted by the bigger shareholder/owner, much to the frustration and anger of Tiki Centralites, who have relied on his gracious hospitality throughout the years.
2006: Because of this and other incompatibility with the new management, Otto decides to move the Tiki Oasis to San Diego

And now Ojaitimo, obviously unaware of all this, shows the current manager the BOT, who has never seen the Tropics in it. Can we blame them for not having been "with it" before? No, because Tim, just like the Americans in the 1950s, comes from an approach of genuine love for the theme, and this is what counts. It might make it hard for old TC Ohana to feel like a whole part of the Tiki revival history is already forgotten...but it is not, is is here, deep in the files of TC..and on video, somewhere. We can only hope that it will be considered, but not EXPECT everybody to to know everything. It is still supposed to be fun, not work, to be into Tiki...just like reading/viewing the BOT is.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2006-11-28 03:07 ]