Isolated Tikiphiles - General Tiki

S Sabina Grand Member (1 year) The Lounge of the Seven Pleasures! Joined: Apr 08, 2002 Posts: 373	S Sabina Posted posted on Fri, Nov 7, 2003 2:04 AM I don't know if we quite match your word "isolated", as Mike and I are within roughly an hour's drive (depending on whether or not we're dealing with Washington DC's rush hour, which can make it more like two) of Politiki, Honolulu, the small smattering of Virginia Tiki restaurants or Vera's, and we're Tiki 'connected' via the Maryland DC Tiki group to other regional Tikiphiles. But in another sense, our home is slowly becoming somewhat of an island of Tiki in an otherwise pretty Tiki impoverished area. Maryland's glory era of Tiki has left few landmarks and fewer still Tiki survivors to show the way. There's a definite lack of the south seas tropical here in Maryland, a place that seems to have decided brick is a more appropriate construction material than bamboo. Sure, there are a few remnants of auto-phile culture and even a few mid-century goodies scattered about and up around Baltimore; we've got the largest Drive-in screen on the east coast at Bengies (http://www.bengies.com), and yes, we even have some interesting neon art, but as for Tikis, Vera's and the Solomon's Island Tiki bar (more known for beer than exotic cocktails, alas) seem to be our last vestiges, and both are an hour away and usually a summertime affair. The good news for Tiki isolationists, whether by choice or by circumstance, is that most of the places that were Tiki in the golden era were also some of the last places on earth you'd expect Tiki. I mean- Tiki in Idaho? Tiki in Mobile, Alabama? Tiki in Detroit, Michigan? Tiki in Philadelphia, PA? Tiki in Fairbanks, Alaska? Tiki in Brookfield, Wisconsin? Tiki in Kansas City, MO? Tiki in Memphis, TN (Graceland!) And most near and dear to my own heart- Tiki, Kahiki, in the middle of land locked central Ohio??? Go take a look at the picture of the Kahiki in the Book of Tiki page 144 and tell me what non-crazy person(s) envisioned a giant Tiki Temple on East Broad Street in a place that gets snow sleet and ice? I tell you, Tiki fever overcomes all obstacles! For that matter, Tiki in the middle of Maryland's Solomon's Island fishing villages and yacht-set? And a PINK Tiki palace at that! All of these are the fevered dreams of people whose relatives, friends, and for that matter- bank loan personel probably thought thier Tiki obsession was some strange passing craze, or fad of the day- yet these many years later, Temple tenders like Vera keep on keepin' on year after year- doing 'insane' things like growing bananas in Maryland. Think of all those budding Tiki entrepreneurs who asked banks, parents, and friends to support them in their quest to build these 'insane', 'tacky', and just plain 'weird' places we so treasure today. Mike and I just got back from a short trip that included a visit to the Omni Hut outside Nashville, TN. Despite it being "isolated" and "out of character" for it's surroundings, it lives on, a mighty Temple- and those who understand and seek the Tiki travel from miles around. There is something utterly unique about stepping into a place of such calm, where the bird calls of Quiet Village echo off the stone walls and Aloha-spirit runs as deep and mysterious as the fountain that still happily burbles along at the Omni Hut. That's what keeps that smiling couple dining over in the corner coming back. All these places are islands- as are the people who keep those torches lit- and usually they are in deep contrast to what lies outside their doors- that's part of the magic that is Tiki. Fact is, most of these strange places BECAME Tiki-ed via the love and hard efforts of Tiki-philes with dreams and/or memories of far away South Seas trade winds, and tropical isles, even while looking out the window at realities such as the Arizona desert. That which later was transformed into Poly-pop Tiki lands usually began by looking very much like the lands that surrounded them- until the vision, desire, and hard work of 'crazy' or 'strange' people made wondrous monuments to Tiki- even if "only" in their basements, backyards or homes. That is the process, the dream and the work, by which 'odd fellows' like Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt became Donn Beach- the pre-Tiki visionary. All the Tiki Books, The BOT, Tiki Road Trip, Tiki Quest etc are evidences of 'eccentric' folks just like you and I who brought their visions to pass in some of the strangest, least Tiki places imaginable. So dream and build. Bring Aloha to where you are, wherever you are, and keep the torches lit.

I don't know if we quite match your word "isolated", as Mike and I are within roughly an hour's drive (depending on whether or not we're dealing with Washington DC's rush hour, which can make it more like two) of Politiki, Honolulu, the small smattering of Virginia Tiki restaurants or Vera's, and we're Tiki 'connected' via the Maryland DC Tiki group to other regional Tikiphiles.

But in another sense, our home is slowly becoming somewhat of an island of Tiki in an otherwise pretty Tiki impoverished area. Maryland's glory era of Tiki has left few landmarks and fewer still Tiki survivors to show the way. There's a definite lack of the south seas tropical here in Maryland, a place that seems to have decided brick is a more appropriate construction material than bamboo.

Sure, there are a few remnants of auto-phile culture and even a few mid-century goodies scattered about and up around Baltimore; we've got the largest Drive-in screen on the east coast at Bengies (http://www.bengies.com), and yes, we even have some interesting neon art, but as for Tikis, Vera's and the Solomon's Island Tiki bar (more known for beer than exotic cocktails, alas) seem to be our last vestiges, and both are an hour away and usually a summertime affair.

The good news for Tiki isolationists, whether by choice or by circumstance, is that most of the places that were Tiki in the golden era were also some of the last places on earth you'd expect Tiki. I mean-

Tiki in Idaho?
Tiki in Mobile, Alabama?
Tiki in Detroit, Michigan?
Tiki in Philadelphia, PA?
Tiki in Fairbanks, Alaska?
Tiki in Brookfield, Wisconsin?
Tiki in Kansas City, MO?
Tiki in Memphis, TN (Graceland!)

And most near and dear to my own heart- Tiki, Kahiki, in the middle of land locked central Ohio??? Go take a look at the picture of the Kahiki in the Book of Tiki page 144 and tell me what non-crazy person(s) envisioned a giant Tiki Temple on East Broad Street in a place that gets snow sleet and ice? I tell you, Tiki fever overcomes all obstacles!

For that matter, Tiki in the middle of Maryland's Solomon's Island fishing villages and yacht-set? And a PINK Tiki palace at that!

All of these are the fevered dreams of people whose relatives, friends, and for that matter- bank loan personel probably thought thier Tiki obsession was some strange passing craze, or fad of the day- yet these many years later, Temple tenders like Vera keep on keepin' on year after year- doing 'insane' things like growing bananas in Maryland. Think of all those budding Tiki entrepreneurs who asked banks, parents, and friends to support them in their quest to build these 'insane', 'tacky', and just plain 'weird' places we so treasure today.

Mike and I just got back from a short trip that included a visit to the Omni Hut outside Nashville, TN. Despite it being "isolated" and "out of character" for it's surroundings, it lives on, a mighty Temple- and those who understand and seek the Tiki travel from miles around. There is something utterly unique about stepping into a place of such calm, where the bird calls of Quiet Village echo off the stone walls and Aloha-spirit runs as deep and mysterious as the fountain that still happily burbles along at the Omni Hut. That's what keeps that smiling couple dining over in the corner coming back.

All these places are islands- as are the people who keep those torches lit- and usually they are in deep contrast to what lies outside their doors- that's part of the magic that is Tiki.

Fact is, most of these strange places BECAME Tiki-ed via the love and hard efforts of Tiki-philes with dreams and/or memories of far away South Seas trade winds, and tropical isles, even while looking out the window at realities such as the Arizona desert.

That which later was transformed into Poly-pop Tiki lands usually began by looking very much like the lands that surrounded them- until the vision, desire, and hard work of 'crazy' or 'strange' people made wondrous monuments to Tiki- even if "only" in their basements, backyards or homes. That is the process, the dream and the work, by which 'odd fellows' like Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt became Donn Beach- the pre-Tiki visionary.

All the Tiki Books, The BOT, Tiki Road Trip, Tiki Quest etc are evidences of 'eccentric' folks just like you and I who brought their visions to pass in some of the strangest, least Tiki places imaginable. So dream and build. Bring Aloha to where you are, wherever you are, and keep the torches lit.

Post #58874 by Sabina on Fri, Nov 7, 2003 2:04 AM