Tiki Gardens Memorial

The memorial would like to extend its congratulations on the founding of a new and much faster message board.
And offer an invite to The Tiki Gardens Memorial Website, as we've continued to add new images and info.
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Just added some new info about the Poster girl of tiki gardens. It is on the "More Stuff" page which is off of the 2nd Miscelaneous Page. Also added the images of a cool Tiki Gardens Souvenier Spoon. And if I didn't mention it, theres a very cool image of The Signal House on the In Memory of Page, from the early days.
More soon.
Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com
Grab yer Mai Tais!!! :drink: and stroll...

Great work getting even better... check out my post in Florida tiki about the Hawaii night club in Indian Rocks. Know anything about that?

Nope, but I'll run the name by swizzledd, as she lives down there, and has that huge swizzle collection!!!
Actually talked to her for the first time on the phone today, shes got a lot of other stuff in the works, and I've got some other stuff coming along.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Another update! More added to the second scrapbook page, and to the Tikis page. More to come!
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com
Tiki Gardener

Thanks to the kind people at The Florida PhtotGraphic Collection, and Kailuageoff, we're in the process of adding up to 30 (!!!) new images of Tiki Gardens.
Check the Tour page, and click the "floral walkways" text link.
The first "never before seen" photo link on the "In Memory" page features a great shot of the results of Trader Frank's hard work.
A new shot of Oro has replaced to archway postcard image on "The Tikis" page.
The"Kahona" page has two new images of Kahona with worshippers.
The "Stylin" map has new photos added it, and those who feel that they are not worthy to make an offering to Kon Tiki's Temple, will get a treat, instead of being directed back to the main tour page.
More images from the Florida Photographic Collection will be added soon!
Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

It is a pleasure to finally see Kahona with a smile on his face. Great job adding the new pics!

Thanks, more stuff getting added today.
check the misc3 page, and the link on the second misc page that leads to some of the items you could find at the shops, and a new item should be viewable through one of the Trader Franks Restaurant page. Maybe more!

[ Edited by: TikiGardener on 2002-04-23 15:28 ]

The other day, my job took me into the headquarters of a major corporation to move some artwork so they could polish their floors.
It happened that some of what I was moving was polynesian artifacts. Of particular note
was an 8 foot tall tiki carved from tree fern.
Which immediately brought to mind the "Tree Fern God and Macaw" Postcard image which can be found on the "Tikis" page at the memorial.
I had always thought that the rough hewn look of the tiki was due to its being carved from lava rock. But I was wrong, it seems these tree fern tikis were carved from the fibrous trunks, and then covered in plaster which was highly decorated. The tiki itself was quite interesting, a large figure holding a smaller one, ala cannibal tikis, but its style was much different. I'm slated to go back and move everything back into place, and hope to be able to get some pics of it, and a tribal drum.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

[ Edited by: TikiGardener on 2002-05-17 22:05 ]

Coincidentally, I happened to pick up a paperback on trees of Hawaii for 35 cents at a local thrift, and found a picture of a Hawaiian tree fern as well as a photo of a Hawaiian tree fern carved into a tiki. The book says, "The common hapu'u that the Hawaiin orchids and antheriums are planted in comes from the tree fern. It grows abundantly in the forests of Hawaii, especially on the island of Hawaii. The trees form a lacy roof overhead. The cool green fronds uncurl from the hapu'u base which is covered with a soft golden brown silky material the Hawaiians call "pulu". The pulu has been used for stuffing pillows and matresses. Tiki gods are made from the hapu'u (see left), also slabs are cut from t and used for fences, pathways, and orchid logs."
What is really weird about this for us, is we planted a so-called "Australian" tree fern in our garden last year that looks the same as the plant in the book, but we had no idea there was a tiki connection.

Another pic of the fern tree tiki god is on tiki gardens viewmaster reel two...

Tiki Gardener -
Any chance of reviving the idea of making the Tiki Gardens LP available on MP3?
I'd still love to hear this record.....

I can't do mp3 files, but i do hope someone who has the ability and the album will make some or all of it available.
On another note, I'll be adding some more stuff tonight, after 7 pm pst.
Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Ok, the latest update is minor, but major in its own way.
On the "Thee Map" page ( click on maps, and then click on the link to the more detailed map ) we've added two contributed pictures. Both great almost airborne vantage points of Kahona and his court, and a view into the Mangrove Swamp.
On the second scrapbook page we've added an add from a Clearwater travel brochure.
All three were contributed by M. Clark.
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com
TG

Great use of the new B&W images. I'm pleased to report I am now the proud owner of a milk glass Lono mug. Also, a volcano is rising from the landscape near I-4 and Sand Lake Road in Orlando. Could this be the new home of the Tiki Gods? More investigation is necessary...

I've yet to score the Lono Milk Glass, but hope to possess one some day. I did score the Lono Tumbler which looks great next to the Lono Shot Glass.
TG

OK, tomorrow I go back to the office building that has the Tree fern tiki, so I'll try to get a good shot of it, and the tribal drum they have.
I'll probably try and work it into the Memorial to explain the tree fern god shot.
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

More stuff coming soon!
Tiki Gardener

Hey folks, it has been a busy time for the gardener. Given that the web counter for the site has broken 10,000, I'd like to thank all of the visitors, contributors, and supporters of The Memorial. I've managed to come across some more stuff, but time is not being an ally right now.
Thanks again!
TG
http://exotic-tiki-gardens.com

several new photos added to the second scrapbook page, they are small as the scans weren't to big to begin with. But they do offer some more tourist eye views of Tiki Gardens.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Well, The Memorial has hit the 10 meg wall. Sadly, that means we can't post any more stuff to the url...

But I went and got some more megs, so I've done a little spring cleaning!!! The Second Misc. page has had some items removed, so it will load much faster. The items have been moved to a new link on the main tour page called "Bou-Tiki!!!" On which have been collected some of the items that one could find in the various shops at Tiki Gardens.

More stuff to be added soon.
The Tiki Gardens Memorial
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

TG

More people have sent in photos, so another update.

There is now a third scrapbook page, the second photo of the Tiki Chapel is now a link to some reader contributed wedding photos. And after a long absence, we've got our guestbook back. We've relogged the entries from the original guestbook, and some of the email comments we've gotten while it was down.

More stuff soon.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

After a days worth of tweaking a whole passle of new images, we've begun adding them. We've added two new images to the Bout-Tiki!!! Page, and a series of of text links on the THEE MAP PAGE lead to a plethora of new images ( new unseen tikis, The Mangrove swamp, etc...)
Thanks to a contributor, we're about half way through about 30 to 40 new images.
More updates soon..., but sleep beckons as it is one a.m.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Thank you so much for putting those up! Really great pix..... in the 1970s we had a childen's "Adventure Playground" called Jungle Island at Knott's Berry Farm here in California - similar in the sense of wandering jungle-ish paths & lots of exploring.... The paths were strewn with "wood-imals" - carved wooden animals made from odd-shaped branches. Although it wasn't Tiki - it was mysterious & fun!

Hey, no problem! I hope to add even more tonight.

Heres a question for everybody, does the sort of non linear nature of the Memorial add to or hinder the experience?

Does it make a sense of mystery as to what lies on the next page, or does it frustrate becuase it doesn't take you from point a to point z?

TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

To be honest - the navigation is a liitle difficult... But I don't mind doing a little extra work to see the great pix!

On 2002-10-03 11:01, Tangaroa wrote:
To be honest - the navigation is a liitle difficult... But I don't mind doing a little extra work to see the great pix!

Hey thanks for the reply. I'm working on ideas to help the navigation. Targets and stuff like that, plus a special quick version of the Tiki Gardens experience, that will lack some of the in depth info, but will give you a chance to get the idea.

You other visitors are welcome to chime in also!

Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Thanks to Swanky, we've got the Tiki Gardens theme back. The link is on the first page, so fire up your media players, and enjoy.

I've also included a link to Swankpad.org, where you can download the entire album, and listen to it in higher quality. All the while we hope you'll stroll the Gardens while listening.

TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Well folks,
I just got an email regading the Theme Track we've been providing thanks to Swanky, and unless I can work something out with the owners of the work, today will be your last day to enjoy the theme ( albeit a very compressed version of it ) while strolling the grounds.
Unless swanky has already pulled the link.
Perhaps anyone wishing to have the theme kept avaialable can use the guest book option to ask that we be allowed to keep it.
So there ya go, one last stroll before I get home from work to edit out the theme.

Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Ok, it's in the experimental phase, and theres only one link, it may take time for those of you with a non dsl line ( like me )
to load, the reverse link doesn't work, it's 12:52, but I have just begun work on the "quick tour" which after quite sometime, I hope to use to revamp a fair portion of the Memorial. Mostly to make navigation a tad bit simpler ( there'll stillbe a fair amount of exploring to do, but a little revamping might be a good thing since the memorial is on the verge of outgrowing the initial haphazard format I started out with.

So, the VERY formative stages of the quick tour are at

http://home.earthlink.net/~tikigardener/TikiGardensQuickTour.html

Click the three peaked roof of the Main Entrance.

I'm going to try and do some more work to it this weekend.

TG
Http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

[ Edited by: TikiGardener on 2002-10-19 02:07 ]

Good start! I think navagating a tour that way may be a little more fun... Seeing where you are on the map is interesting - that way you get more of a sense of the place - which is what it's all about, right?

On 2002-10-19 09:54, Tangaroa wrote:
Good start! I think navagating a tour that way may be a little more fun... Seeing where you are on the map is interesting - that way you get more of a sense of the place - which is what it's all about, right?

Yup, Thats my reasoning. I'm going to try and keep a fair portion of the old endless exploring, but gice the option of the quick tour so people can get their bearings, and then let them explore the dense undergrowth of the rest of the memorial.

TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Well the Tampa Tribune has run the article on Tiki Gardens, and it can be read at

http://pinellas.tbo.com/pinellas/MGAYSDXR08D.html

So given the last comment, I may call upon fellow tiki centralites who've offered up services.

And plans are under way for a fund raiser.
Tikis may rise over Tiki Gardens yet.

Tiki Gardener
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

[ Edited by: tikigardener on 2002-11-03 21:48 ]

Interesting article! Sounds like the Mayor was a little condescending though.... I'm just glad someone is keeping the memory of this place alive...
So - what's the fundraiser gonna be?

If 100 members of this site kicked in twenty bucks each, we'd have 2 grand to build the memorial. I'd just want to know exactly how the money was going to be used. You know, definite plans so our money didn't vanish into thin air.

On 2002-11-04 11:22, Kailuageoff wrote:
If 100 members of this site kicked in twenty bucks each, we'd have 2 grand to build the memorial. I'd just want to know exactly how the money was going to be used. You know, definite plans so our money didn't vanish into thin air.

Precisely, I've talked to OTTO, and want everyones input! I'm gonna call on several Tiki Carvers ( at least one of whom has offered to carve up a tiki ) to see if they are interested in doing somework. It would be a great publicity thing to carve a Tiki For the Memorial, heck might even get us a discount ( Free would be damn nice! ).
Right now, write the Tampa Tribune, and let them know you want a tiki (maybe a few!) back at Tiki Gardens.
I actually think the Mayors comments were quite hopeful, other comments in the article were much more condescending.
Set aside your $20.00, and we won't need any "yuppie money".
It's time to start this discussion, and I hope every one chimes in, the raising of a tiki at Tiki Gardens could be a huge Tiki Event.
TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

Having construction problems with the site,
for now you can access the site at
http://home.earthlink.net/~strngcrgonyc/tikitour.html

and the exoti-tiki-gardens.com redirect will hopefully work soon

tg

Ok after sifting through the stuff people have sent me, I have begun to organise it all.

I've added a fourth scrapbook page featuring contributions from Cindy Crowell.
This is about half of what she has sent.

It is not accessible from scrapbook page three at the moment, as I have to go back and retool that page.

But here is the url to view some tourist snapshots from the eighties, click
http://home.earthlink.net/~tikigardens/tikigardensscrapbookfour.htm

TG

Damn I wish Tiki Gardens was still there.

Good to see that your working on the site again TG.

TG do you have an image of the Tiki Gardens salt&pepper shakers? I saw an image on TC about a month or two ago but can't seem to find it now. I think I found a set at a flea market.

Original Art by Flounder

http://www.flounderart.com

[ Edited by: FLOUNDERart on 2004-07-23 08:19 ]

I have a couple images, I'll get them to you, but check collecting tiki forum. The image is in there somewhere. Gott get to work!