TIKI OASIS IV - How was the Event? How was the Resort? How was The REEF? - California Events

H Humuhumu Member San Francisco Joined: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 3691	H Humuhumu Posted posted on Wed, May 12, 2004 2:12 PM In my heart of hearts, I really do believe that Tiki Oasis (for me) couldn't have been much better. However, I didn't have anything stolen, I didn't have kids, and I live in an area that gives me as much tiki as I want, pretty much. I can understand some of the feedback, though. I think the parking passes for those staying in the hotel is a great idea. I don't know what the turnout was for the M Modern event was like, but I know one reason I didn't head over there was that I didn't want to lose my parking spot. Is there a nearby parking lot that could be rented for non-hotel guests? Ice is probably trickier -- I doubt those ice machines are capable of keeping up with us. Mig & I bought a cheap cooler & a copule bags of ice at the grocery store, and that worked really well. I'm torn on the vendors -- overall I really liked the larger vendor area this year, and people did a great job making their booths visually interesting. But I REALLY didn't that couple strolling around pushing (heavily) their craptacular glittery Buffet-esque parrot sunglasses. And the folks with the fez-shaped booth may have had some neat stuff, but I stayed away because of their aggressive barking. If I'm interested in your product, I'll come to you, don't hassle me. And there was a truck/booth just outside the Reef bar/Outrigger building that didn't seem to be selling anything special -- same crap I could find in a bad mall. Those three things made Oasis feel a bit more commercial than it probably was, and detracted from the folks who were selling quality items. My biggest feedback would have to be on the "futuristic tiki" theme. I understand the desire to shake it up after years of throwing the same event, so I tried to withhold my judgement until the event to see how it would play out, but the only theme I feel is necessary is Tiki -- straight Polynesian Pop. I agree that it strayed too far (for my personal taste) away from Polynesian Pop. However, it's up to Otto how he wants to theme the event, and maybe it turned out exactly as he wanted. No matter what, when our group gets together, we bring the tiki, so I didn't feel like it was a huge issue, but too much of it could really shift the tone of the weekend for future. The major difference I see between Oasis & Hukilau is that Oasis is much more of a party atmosphere (and it attracts more of my So Cal 'ohana), and Hukilau feels like a bit more of a pure Polynesian Pop experience, due largely to the Mai Kai. I don't necessarily expect that to change. On the burlesque front: the celebration of the female form is a huge part of Polynesian Pop to me, from the semi-nude figures found on ephemera to the Mystery Girls and the Mai Kai calendar, and the smoothing of Bamboo Ben stickers over lovely bouncing busoms. I LOVE the idea of hiring some more traditional dancing troupes, but if the burlesque performers could keep in the theme of Tiki (via music or costumes), that would do the trick for me.

In my heart of hearts, I really do believe that Tiki Oasis (for me) couldn't have been much better. However, I didn't have anything stolen, I didn't have kids, and I live in an area that gives me as much tiki as I want, pretty much. I can understand some of the feedback, though.

I think the parking passes for those staying in the hotel is a great idea. I don't know what the turnout was for the M Modern event was like, but I know one reason I didn't head over there was that I didn't want to lose my parking spot. Is there a nearby parking lot that could be rented for non-hotel guests?

Ice is probably trickier -- I doubt those ice machines are capable of keeping up with us. Mig & I bought a cheap cooler & a copule bags of ice at the grocery store, and that worked really well.

I'm torn on the vendors -- overall I really liked the larger vendor area this year, and people did a great job making their booths visually interesting. But I REALLY didn't that couple strolling around pushing (heavily) their craptacular glittery Buffet-esque parrot sunglasses. And the folks with the fez-shaped booth may have had some neat stuff, but I stayed away because of their aggressive barking. If I'm interested in your product, I'll come to you, don't hassle me. And there was a truck/booth just outside the Reef bar/Outrigger building that didn't seem to be selling anything special -- same crap I could find in a bad mall. Those three things made Oasis feel a bit more commercial than it probably was, and detracted from the folks who were selling quality items.

My biggest feedback would have to be on the "futuristic tiki" theme. I understand the desire to shake it up after years of throwing the same event, so I tried to withhold my judgement until the event to see how it would play out, but the only theme I feel is necessary is Tiki -- straight Polynesian Pop. I agree that it strayed too far (for my personal taste) away from Polynesian Pop. However, it's up to Otto how he wants to theme the event, and maybe it turned out exactly as he wanted. No matter what, when our group gets together, we bring the tiki, so I didn't feel like it was a huge issue, but too much of it could really shift the tone of the weekend for future. The major difference I see between Oasis & Hukilau is that Oasis is much more of a party atmosphere (and it attracts more of my So Cal 'ohana), and Hukilau feels like a bit more of a pure Polynesian Pop experience, due largely to the Mai Kai. I don't necessarily expect that to change.

On the burlesque front: the celebration of the female form is a huge part of Polynesian Pop to me, from the semi-nude figures found on ephemera to the Mystery Girls and the Mai Kai calendar, and the smoothing of Bamboo Ben stickers over lovely bouncing busoms. I LOVE the idea of hiring some more traditional dancing troupes, but if the burlesque performers could keep in the theme of Tiki (via music or costumes), that would do the trick for me.

Post #90817 by Humuhumu on Wed, May 12, 2004 2:12 PM