Trader Vic's to open in VEGAS!! (Closed) - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Fri, Sep 7, 2007 8:37 AM I really have to apologize to PD for my harsh perspective on his hometown. He is a valuable contributor and I have always enjoyed his posts. Also to Mr and Mrs Smiley and Lee for not looking them up. I had a miserable time with the heat and work the 4 days I was there two weeks ago. I got to see both of Lee's stores in the Antique malls there, they were virtual Tikis Oases in a sea of junk. But in my outlook on Vegas, you have to see where I am coming from: I practically LIVE in the past...the mid-century one. Vegas has systematically destroyed every example of its very iconic, glamorous history from that period. I went to Vegas in the 80s, when I fell in love with THE MINT, what a gorgeous example of neon architecture that place was! I shot a low budget movie there in the early 90s and stayed at the El Morroco Motel next to the Peppermill and La Concha. The La Concha's sign and lobby were still intact. The rooms at the El Morroco had not been changed since forever, they were so original that Martin Scorcese chose one several years later to shoot the Sharon-Stone-cheating-with-that-nasty lil guy (?) scene in Goodfellas in them without changing a thing about the decor! And we all know that great Stardust sign photo from the Book of Tiki! Incredible. My favorite case for preservation is this sign: We all know it. It is THE logo of Vegas now, not only for all the souvenir shops there, but it is used in ads, movie posters, on buildings, in any conceivable form. That little sign. Well, I remember a time when the L.V. city council was talking about tearing that sign down, because it looked outdated. Now they could not pay for the branding value this sign has created (well, actually, if anybody, they could...) I wish I could go back in time to the early 90s and take that sign down, and watch all the product and ads out now suddenly go blank. I know there are a few cool places left, I went to Battista's this time, and the Liberace Museum, and Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden... but in comparison to what was there and what replaced it!? There are a lot of people who cannot understand how one can live in Los Angeles, I just say everyone has to decide for themselves what their reasons are. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-09-07 08:39 ]

I really have to apologize to PD for my harsh perspective on his hometown. He is a valuable contributor and I have always enjoyed his posts. Also to Mr and Mrs Smiley and Lee for not looking them up. I had a miserable time with the heat and work the 4 days I was there two weeks ago. I got to see both of Lee's stores in the Antique malls there, they were virtual Tikis Oases in a sea of junk.

But in my outlook on Vegas, you have to see where I am coming from: I practically LIVE in the past...the mid-century one. Vegas has systematically destroyed every example of its very iconic, glamorous history from that period. I went to Vegas in the 80s, when I fell in love with THE MINT, what a gorgeous example of neon architecture that place was! I shot a low budget movie there in the early 90s and stayed at the El Morroco Motel next to the Peppermill and La Concha. The La Concha's sign and lobby were still intact. The rooms at the El Morroco had not been changed since forever, they were so original that Martin Scorcese chose one several years later to shoot the Sharon-Stone-cheating-with-that-nasty lil guy (?) scene in Goodfellas in them without changing a thing about the decor!

And we all know that great Stardust sign photo from the Book of Tiki! Incredible. My favorite case for preservation is this sign:

We all know it. It is THE logo of Vegas now, not only for all the souvenir shops there, but it is used in ads, movie posters, on buildings, in any conceivable form. That little sign. Well, I remember a time when the L.V. city council was talking about tearing that sign down, because it looked outdated. Now they could not pay for the branding value this sign has created (well, actually, if anybody, they could...) I wish I could go back in time to the early 90s and take that sign down, and watch all the product and ads out now suddenly go blank.

I know there are a few cool places left, I went to Battista's this time, and the Liberace Museum, and Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden... but in comparison to what was there and what replaced it!?

There are a lot of people who cannot understand how one can live in Los Angeles, I just say everyone has to decide for themselves what their reasons are.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-09-07 08:39 ]

Post #330937 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Sep 7, 2007 8:37 AM