My new outdoor bar area in progress

Hi, this is a pic of my new outdoor bar area. It still needs painting, furnishing, and the shag fire place intalled. but it has electricity and will be ready for a summer party.

A King palm goes through the top. It will be big enough for a corner bar, some seating around the fireplace, and maybe bar like seating facing the pool.

here's the view. My 60's pool is kind of amoeba shaped- you can't see but it bends around to another corner where the stairs are.

another view across the pool

Can't wait for summer! I'll post more pics when it gets furnished.
There are more pictures of my yard in the OC landscaping thread.
https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3358&forum=1&12

[ Edited by: laney on 2003-04-18 13:27 ]

[ Edited by: Laney on 2003-04-18 17:37 ]

Cool yard, Laney! I wish mine was that lush.... I've got a 50s kidney shaped pool with lava waterfall & planter, but 90% of the yard is concrete, so its kinda hard to make it lush and tropical. I'll be working on it this summer, hopefully host a pool party too.

Great work! Looks like you're ready for a party now! Is the pool heated? :)

:tiki:

Hey Laney,

Beautiful backyard and pool!

Your post comes just in time for summer. I have a similar backyard - mostly concrete with a pool. We have a queen palm that has grown significantly and I was wondering if you know anything about the roots of the queen. I know they are more of a bulb but do they expand? It's in a small planter area mostly surrounded by concrete and I fear it may end up cracking the cement or worse yet, the pool! Anyhoo, any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Pup, do you have any knowledge about this?

Anyone else?

Mahalo.

Aloha,

Sten

"Moai In The Backyard."

[ Edited by: stentiki on 2003-04-18 14:56 ]

Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime. Its summertiiiiiiimme. (Well almost)
Nice pad Laney. A great place to beat the heat during one of those blazing heatwaves that So Cal gets. The only thing that jungle is missing is a dang ol monkey in the trees. I would love a yard to plant in. All my plants go into containers so I can take them with me when the landlords starts buggin' I dont have any palms yet, but I have been eyeballin' some cycads down at the local nursery.
Although it is not really a climate for palms up here in the Monterey Bay a few seem to get by alright.
Keep up the good work on your stately grounds.
Chongolio

We've got a couple of queen palms that are almost 20 years old now, one is in an elevated brick planter that is about 2' wide. It seems well confined and happy in its snug home, no splitting or cracking of the planter at all. Queen palms tend to keep slender trunks, and a pretty small root ball for their height. Ours are about 25-30' tall with 9" diameter trunks.

Thanks for the info, Pup.

And good luck with your pad.

We're going to resurface the concrete and re-calk around the pool this summer. I'm inspired by Laney's tropical oasis!

That's a very inviting backyard Laney. Looks like paradise to me.
TraderPup and Stentiki, have you guys thought about cutting some of your concrete out? and adding planters? Lots of foliage tends to soften the hardness of concrete and cool down the reflection of the sun.

Laney:

Your pool is a lush tropical paradise!

Just add tiki-torches and mai-tais.

I've always believed one's home should be one's tiki hut.

Excellent work.

Laney.....that yard is classic, beautiful plants and pool....love it!!!!

Laney, now let me get this straight...you're a "waitress at a cocktail bar" and you've got a house with a swimming pool? Either cocktail waitresses in California make more than I ever imagined possible or in-ground backyard pools are a pretty common occurance on the west coast... :P Wow, what a backyard!!! I'm jealous!!!

Yes, if you don't have a pool out here we kick you out-it's a hoity-toity thing. If you must know, I bought a condo as a short sale years ago when the CA real estate market was way down. I sold it and made enough for the down payment on this house. That coupled with low interrest rates allow me to scrape by. I am so happy I bought when I was young so I didn't throw too much away on rent.

You LIVE there?? I only dream of such things in my vacation dreams. It's beautiful. Your pool is bigger than my apartment in NYC. I'm not kidding!

Very nice, Laney!

I'll have to figure out how to post photos of my little tiki hut. Actually. it's a condo in Orange County, CA; we probably don't live far from each other. There are two community pools over here at Newport Landing, so I have to settle for my outdoor fountain as my own personal bit of water. I do have a ten foot tall tropical rainforest fountain in my living room (where my tiki bar and various tiki poles and primitive art reside).

Wow, Squawker, that sounds amazing, a huge waterfall inside! I've thought about building a waterfall outside but don't think I'll use it often and it's another thing to clean. I have to say the upkeep on the house is way more than my condo (which had a front and back yard) I still have tons to do on the house.

We have so many cool home bars in the area that I think we should organize a summertime home bar tour. We are pretty spread out here in OC (I'm in N.OC-Placentia) We could start the day early with a pool party/lunch BBQ here to break-in the outdoor bar. Then get a bus or a few non-drinkers to drive us from house to house. Each stop could have a unique drink to try and snacks. I would love to see the tiki decor of all you creative hoity-toitys!
I'd really like it to be something kids could do too. I know many of us have kids/wives who don't get a chance to meet all the tiki people. My son(8) has grown up going to antique malls, estate sales, and flea markets so he is VERY good about respecting other's property and breakables. I'm pretty sure other's kids share this quality.

Let me know if there is any interest in this. I'd be happy to help organize this function as my schedule should be pretty open early summer but fills up late summer with vacation and soccer.

Sounds interesting, Laney.

My condo isn't the largest around, but my wife and I have done some parties for friends and neighbors and have managed a couple dozen or so guests at a time. Sure, I'd be interested, depending upon the plan.

I do a tiki party every summer (and the Annual Halloween Bash in October) for neighbors, friends and family. Last year's was rather lively and we're looking at doing it again this summer, if we can work out the scheduling. I even wanted to include some hired Hawaiian dancers (ala touristy stuff), but I don't know where I'd put them. I sometimes get carried away with ideas and must remind myself this isn't the old Tikis that used to be in Monterey Park 20 years ago.

Keep me informed, Laney. Who knows what might happen...