Post #433397 by telescopes on Mon, Feb 9, 2009 5:43 PM

Oh, I pretty much know what he's going to say - however - having read both his books many times over, and having participated in tiki in the late 70's onward, I still maintain that their is an essence to tiki that transcends any "formula" of physical elements. The "whole" is often more than the sum of its parts. Trader Vics in Vegas failed not because it lacked a specific tiki item, but because it wasn't grounded in the spirit of what Don and Vic initially put forward. Personally, I believe that the revelation of tiki is always evolving and growing. I don't believe the canon is closed, nor is the essence of tiki a dead language such as Latin. Drinks, food, and an atmosphere that elevates you away from life's concerns and transports you to a far away exotic place where the women are playful and flirtatious, Politically Correct behavior is laughed at, and the scenery is reminiscent of a Tahitian dream, there you have tiki.

This leaves lots of room for experimentation, modernism, and stylization.