Post #453252 by Bewitched By Tiki on Mon, May 11, 2009 8:59 PM

After seeing the Tikiyaki Orchestra on New Years Eve I was blown away! I was led to Tiki Central and it has been a whirlwind of adventure ever since. We have attended several events, been to Oceanic Arts, Purple Orchid, Frankie's Tiki Bar in Vegas, Tiki-Ti, the new Trader Vics and it goes on. My husband and I are excited to be attending our first Tiki Oasis this year and look forward to meeting more of the faces behind the screen names. I truly am "bewitched" by all things tiki, thus my screen name. We are finally turning our patio into a Tiki Terrace now that we have found so many wonderful artists and resources for Tiki!

My attraction to Tiki, Exotica etc began as a toddler in the Enchanted Tiki Room. I have fond although vague memories of Kelbos, Don the Beachcomber and the Original Trader Vics. I had long thought that type of lifestyle was gone. I once told a friend I was following the Tiki and he asked me to explain. I said "Well.... I mean in the figurative sense rather than the literal..But if a Tiki sprouted legs and started walking yes, I would follow. My concept of Tiki the... Island style escapism is what I follow. It is an attitude. The music, the vibe, the hypnotic rhythms, the spirit of Ohana" ....It is so funny that all of what I was talking about was going on right under my nose all the time! :)

This website has been such an awesome resource and I am so excited to have a place to share and learn, I have been blown away by the awesome talent that I have seen and overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge that so many of you have. I have read both Modern Tiki and Book of Tiki. I am also working on Kon Tiki and Aku Aku. I have a lot to catch up on!! There were so many things out there that I was unaware of I am almost embarrassed to admit I am a native southern Californian! Oh well at least I know now! Better late than never. Mahalo Tiki Central.