bullet and jonesEy's tiki central/tiki oasis road trip 2008 part 2 page 2

howzit ! here's my travelogue from this years tiki cental/tiki oasis road trip with my braddah travelingjones. once again, i'm putting this in collecting because it's all about collecting fantastic tiki art, great friends and wonderful memories.
part 1: tiki central
i picked jonesEy up at sfo the sunday before oasis. our first stop was trader vic's emeryville where we had lunch. i had the crab sandwich and it was great.

this was my favorite tiki there. then we went down to the kona club in oakland.

this maori mosaic made of shells is really cool.

behind the bar is the smoking volcano.
our next stop was forbidden island!

i always make sure to rub big benzart's tummy whenever i come in.

mahalo to jentiki for meeting us there.
we then headed to our hotel in sf, the mark hopkins! our room looked down on the entrance to the tonga room.

i'm sure this place was really cool at one time, but as jen pointed out you could see all the pipes used to make the rain storm. i guess they were covered at one time.(?) also the 70's disco band really sucked. jonesEy and i tried to ignore them and had a nice chat.
the next morning (mon) we went on a quest to see tiki bob and stumbled across this.

i'm sure all you bay area folks know about this, but it was a pleasant surprise to us. we went down the alley and saw the restaurant where trader vic's had been.

here's yellow bob. yuck!

on our way back to the car i was walking a little ahead of jonesEy. suddenly i heard a very loud splat. i turned to see a very surprised jonesEy covered in what must have been pelican, condor or possibly reindeer shit! i sprinted across the street to fetch some baby wipes and a bottle of water to help jonesEy get it off his face (!), inside his glasses (!), and all over his shirt. i'm glad jonesEy has a good sense of humor, cuz i could not stop laughing.
next we sped down 80 on our way to sactown.

here's a little game. see if you can identify pieces by these artists: tiki tony, crazy al, thorsten hasenkamm, kirby, kinny ruzic, miles thompson, buzzy, tipsy mcstagger, dave burke, kreepytiki, polynesiac, vantiki, tiki diablo, munktiki (kinda hard to see), onatiki (ric), 'ona tiki (cass and miles), kahaka, pooch, basement kahuna and gecko. damn i love this room. and yeah, i know i need to do something about the sprayed on ceiling! it was so much fun showing my tiki art and collections to somebody who loves it as much as jonesEy. i never know what kind of reaction i'll get when regular (read: non-tiki) peopo first see my house. some look around and say "oh, tiki mugs, ho hum" while others are fascinated and look at everything and ask many questions.
the next morning (tue) we lit out on our road trip. first stop: munktiki!

yes, paul kept a very close eye on me, watching my every move to make sure i didn't try to stick a rare prototype or test glaze down my pants. i didn't steal anything, but did buy some great stuff and was gifted a couple more by paul and miles. deba-deba showed up just as we had to leave to head down to glendale to meet hiphipahula (kelly) at damon's steakhouse. no pics from there, but mahalo to sistah kelly for the great conversation during dinner.

the next morning (wed) we made the pilgrimage to oceanic arts. we were lucky tiki diablo (danny) was there. danny is definitely working on island time, cuz it took him about an hour to buy 6 coconuts. that gave us a chance to chat with him, bob and leroy. i told leroy i was sorry i missed his retrospective. he said if we went to the forest lawn show we'd see some of his work. how fortunate! we had already planned to go that day.
next up little lost tiki's studio.

i think this is gonna have to be a must stop every year on our trip. jonesEy and i never get tired of looking at kinny's art and clowning with him. it was kinny's first chance to see my seated cannibal king tattoo in the flesh. it got even better when tikitastic (mark), megan, kim, cocoloco (maria), mai tai (bill) and squid (dave) showed up. after fawning over kinny's art for too long, but not long enough, all of us except kinny and squid headed to forest lawn.



jonesEy is pretty damn good at keeping secrets and never let me know his gecko tangaroa was in the show. by the time we got there we only had about 20 minutes until closing time. i wish we had more time to closely examine everything. the good part was; doug nason, the curator of the show, was there and gave us a rundown on some of his favorite pieces.

the gang at forest lawn. kim just loves posing for pics.
after checking into our hotel in la. we went to tiki ti to meet ocea otica (cass).


cass and his wife kay were there to greet us and gift us a couple of "witco zombie" pendants. very cool! soon i found out cass had pendants for all the tcers who came over to say hi. wow! he must have given away 20 or more. i said he should be asking $10 or so to finance a trip to oasis, but cass just said, nah, i just wanna make peopo happy. i see why tiki ti is so popular. the drinks, owners and customers are all tops. i don't drink, but i had a few tasty tropical punches. there must be some pics of cass that night, but unfortunately, i don't have any. cass said he was gonna take the subway(?) home, but we insisted on driving him. you're the best cass!
the next morning (thur) we were giddy with excitement as we headed to bosko's ranch in escondido!
some of you who were at bosko's presentation at oasis might remember me wisecracking that someone needed to do some urban archeology at his ranch. i was not kidding!




the awesome kapu tiki room.

the newer a-frame and the giant moai.

bosko is a palm afficianado. he has palms from all over the world. he told us one of them was extinct in the wild and only collectors had any now.

the ranch was like a surrealistic tiki wonderland.


i learned bosko went to art school with mark ryden. mark used to hang at the kapu tiki alot and this is a painting he did of bosko with his moai.

bosko and truus also gave us a tour of their home. i know they were busy preparing for oasis, so i really appreciate them giving us a couple of hours to explore the ranch and get to know them better. mahalo truus and bosko!
we headed back north to hb for the bamboo ben closing, but not really closing party. we crashed in about 2 hours early, greeted ben and mrs boo. ken (keigs) and heather pleasant were already there and we got to meet them. i asked bean (blake boo) where the good mexican eats were. he gave me precise directions to super mex. mahalo bean! when we got back the crowd was arriving.


tiki bong, spike and lucas ripping it up.

flounder in da house! it was cool meeting scott at ben's. i have 4 of his burlap coco joe's paintings and have wanted to meet him for a long time.
finally we headed to san diego and tiki oasis. we started the day in la, then escondido, then huntington beach, then san diego. a tiring day of trekking all around socal, but so worth the trip.
i see why buzzy is doing his oasis journal in several parts. i've probably spent about 3 hours on this today, but it's a labor of love.

[ Edited by: kingstiedye 2008-10-04 23:40 ]

Awesome road trip and photos. I'm pretty sure I saw you at Tiki Ti that Wednesday evening.

you guys know how to have a good time! Your tiki room looks AWESOME!
I'm looking forward to the next update!

What a wonderful, colourful adventure!

Someday I hope to do a road trip south, but I don't think I could ever top such an excellent trip!

Mahalo for posting!

Bullet,

I knew their was something more than I still needed that I didn't get from the Oasis pictures this year. Part of it was with Buzzy's posts but it must have been your Oasis follow up, two years running.

A read like this is really only achievable in a Tiki Magazine. This is better though cause their is way more pictures. Your posts are like a who's who in tiki as if it was a whole Tiki Magazine issue. My favorite Tiki Magazine cover/ issue was the Bosko issue (sorry I keep referring to T.M) and I never could get enough of Bosko from it. I've read it a few times over (and was surprised he was roommates in college with Mark Ryden) but didn't know Ryden painted that picture. Anyway, your pictures add to the whole story. Small pieces of Boskos property, I'm still trying to imagine how the big picture looks like.

love this image

As a mug guy, it blows my mind, as I bet it did yours.

mahalo guys! i need to point out that jonesEy took most of the pics. i was really lame with the camera this year. i'll be using some from wendy, freddie and buzzy too. i took a pic of the red mugs too, but jonesEy, being a pro, took a much better one. and yes, teakey, it definitely blew my mind!

[ Edited by: kingstiedye 2008-08-20 18:29 ]

cant wait for the 2nd enstallment! great stuff...this really should be in tiki magazine!your thread like this last year was prolly my favorite thread of the year. great photos, and great stories.

Thanks for the great pics. I love Bosko's ranch. Amazing.

On 2008-08-20 16:10, kingstiedye wrote:

KTD, Please warn next time before throwing this image out there. I have kids that are frightened easily. Flounder, what happened to the mohawk, man? And what is that swill you're drinking?!?

Nice pics, KTD. Bosko's place does look like tiki wonderland. Will heaven look something like that?

Bullet,

NO

WHITE

WALLS!!!

( nice to see you's as always!!! :)

Oh wow...great pics and narration. Thanks Bullet and jonesEy.

I miss you two already. What a fun visit at Oasis. I love the photos. Keep them coming, Wendy

Love those Bosko palms!

hala bullhiki, i'm gonna let you write all my reviews from now on. thanks for the kind words. ben, one of these days i'll get that room tikified. i love your family. mahalo for the aloha spirit. say hi to bean for me. marlene, this is 2 years in a row i never saw you at oasis! where are you hiding? wendy, i hope we can get together soon. mahalo nicolas, rob and qv! rob, we can only hope heaven is that good!

[ Edited by: kingstiedye 2008-08-24 09:41 ]

Great pics and story Bullet and Jonessey.Great to see the pics after the
stories I heard about your trip when we were talking at Tiki Oasis.What a
cool tiki tour you both went on .Very cool to hear about your travels, and
all the people you meet along the way.I look forward to seeing your place
soon when I am in Northern Cal .
Cheers,
Trader Bill

[ Edited by: 1961surf 2008-08-24 13:54 ]

i've probably spent about 3 hours on this today, but it's a labor of love. i'll try to finish tomorrow, but i wanted to get this posted today.

We are ready when you are.

When sand flipping TravelingJones met voracious collector kingstiedye at the dumping grounds of eBay in 2006, they realized they shared a disgusting habit, one of tiki consumption and mug lust. Therefore, together they conceived of a road trip to celebrate the art of tiki. The epileptic twist and turns upon gritty asphalt, grinding gears against the steaming, sweaty heat of the L.A. freeway system, maniacally descending upon Tiki oAsis-Go-Go in 2007.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=25359&forum=5

The inimitable gonzo gleaners Bullet and JonesEy wielding fuel soaked torches of caustic flame, that unmistakable ‘click’ willing you to light up just one more time.

Fear and Tripping Tiki Oasis 2008... Am I Lono?
Skipping the cloud banks of a clear blue skyway, metallic wings are spread mightily against the heavens. When I arrived at SFO, the aircraft spewed forth its belly full of general perverts- pimps, drunks, bums and thieves. My kidneys scream from the paper thin cushions provided by the friendly skies. I passed the multi-plexed coffee shops and schlepped past the flowing tide of people transfixed upon the hypnotic luggage carousel. Red one, black one, brown one, green...

A distant voice plays upon my eardrum, “JonesEy!”

Fear stabs deeply into my subconcious, paranoia? I flashback into time. My head swivels, spinning around, searching and confused I scan the baggage terminal, my eyes popping from the Day-Glo_technicolor leisurewear of one kingstiedye. “Braddah Bull!" I declare, "Howzit, let’s roll…" FlipPping a rucksack over my right shoulder, the doors parted and we fell upon the golden streets.

“the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...” –Bob Weir 1968

:tiki:9 Anchor Drive, Emeryville:** They did'nt serve burgers or club sandwiches...surprisingly they cook things in this very outdated oven, go figure?** :tiki:

:tiki:The flashy Financial District of Oakland:** A horrid example of Pennsylvania Dutch interior design? Kona Club missed the mark when hiring Bamboo Ben and Crazy Al to provide a "clean & simple" turn of the century Shaker-Craftsman enviroment. Bullet was emotionally distraught over the ceilings. Clutter everywhere and dark...a nice white popcorn-sprayed ceiling would definitely brighten up this place!**

:tiki: F.I.A. an interesting pizza joint with a rough crowd. You'd think a popular sports bar like this would've had at least one big screen satellite projection TV? Hhmmmph...

:tiki: Tonga Roller Disco: Where 'Dancing Queen' meets 'Muskrat Love'! A small wooden rink but nobody issuing skates on a Sunday night. The pool was closed due to unhealthy chlorination levels and although I didn't see any strippers, there was a "shower on the half hour" specials going on all night? Next time we'll eat at the "Y"!

:tiki: We paid our respects to a shrine at Forest Lawn- Glendale, honoring those tiki lost long ago...

:tiki: Rancho Exotica: Free-range and Organic Tikis -The Escondido Hills have eyes!!

:tiki: *** Buzzy Hills -Bay Park Estates:* Bullet wanted to swing by and window shop for a new bidet. We found a gentleman who handcrafts "thrones" to custom fit the user. Bull prepares for a fitting and the scale is calibrated.** Note: the ornate handle selection (This BenZart tissue dispenser caught my eye!) :wink:

:tiki: ***Ona Tiki's: South Sea Storage & Party Catering Services *** ***-This buggah from Hawaii say's, "C'mon brah! Poke, tiki, wit da big puka and Freddie Ku!! Hapa haole times!!!" *** :D

• -Ric, Head of Services and Maintenance, was a really nice fella and the working girls were top notch +5 Stars******
  
  

:tiki: TIKI OASIS 2008: Crown Plaza Hanalei- San Diego, CA

:tiki: An endless laundry list of names, churning in the permanent press of my minds eye, the spin cycle mixes proper titles alongside a missing red sock awash in the whites only load? What a short strange trip it’s been. Thanks to TC Ohana:

Jentiki, Hiphipahula, Munktiki, OceaOtica, Travellin' Tiki, Tikitastic, Mai Tai, Cocoloco, Panda, Bora Boris, little lost tiki & the Ruzics, raveene, OnaTiki, Dawntiki, Moki, Bay Park Buzzy, Zaya, Cammo, LoL tiki, pdrake, 1961surf, Squid, Bai, dibroc, Trader Tom, Flounder, Kiegs-Pleasantiki, Bosko & Truus, Tiki Diablo & Mrs. Tiki Diablo, Tiki tOny and Alene, Gecko, House of Ku, Babalu, Kirby & Polly, Crazy Al, THOR's, Mo-Eye, Alohastation, cheeky half, NOTCH, Doug Nason, Hanford Lemoore, Otto, tiki-lee, Tiki Kate, Mieko, Bohdi-boy, Makedamug, Clysdalle, danlovestikis, alohacurrent, RevBudbooBen & the FamilyBoo, tiki bong, Tiki Kaimuki, Spermwhale, Bob & LeRoy-Oceanic Arts, Mark Hopkins Intercontinental-SF, Checkers Hilton-LA, Hale Bullet-Sactown, Crown Plaza Hanalei-SDCA, Trader Vic’s-Emeryville, Kona Club, Forbidden Island, FLM-Glendale, Damon’s Steakhouse, Tiki-Ti, T/A Truck Stops and Carl's Jr.

And of course my traveling soul braddah from Annadahmuddah… kingstiedye, his lovely wahine Sandy, and the "Bull-ettes"... princebowtienaturalcolor and princesscolorfulleisofhawaii! :D

:tiki:Mark those calanders and set the alarm clock... I can’t wait to do it all over again, next year at Tiki Oasis 2009 :tiki:

“drifting across the city through layers of humid air; sounds of life and movement, people getting ready and people giving up, the sound of hope and the sound of hanging on, and behind them all, the quiet, deadly ticking of a thousand hungry clocks, the lonely sound of time passing…” HST – The Rum Diary, 1958

there goes jonesEy. one of lono's own prototypes. my high powered aloha clad mutant braddah. i hate to advocate smog, tikis and mexican food to anyone, but they've always worked for us. we are vagabonds, mug weirdos with serious credentials in art, ceramics and tiki madness. we mingled with dangerous characters from ruzik, bamben and squid to tiki bong, who back in the good old days was banned from tiki central for fraud, perjury, graft, and criminal negligence. i was somewhere around fairfield, on the edge of the valley, when the realization hit me that it was over. i remember saying something like "i feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive....", but no one was there. and suddenly there was a terrible roar all around me and the sky was full of what looked like brightly colored painted tikis , all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the stereo blasting radiohead on the way to sactown. a voice was screaming: "holy jesus! what are these goddamn tikis?". i stared into the back seat through wraparound spanish sunglasses and saw da kine tikis were still there. suddenly the garish tikis in the sky were gone. i pulled into the driveway, exhausted.

[ Edited by: kingstiedye 2008-10-05 14:44 ]

I really appreciate the fact that you
are both such strong supporters of tiki
artists old and new- just like curators.
This scene is all the better with your
enthusiasm and all around genuine coolness.
Damn glad to have finally met the both of
you and look forward to many more times
to talk story.
MaHALO braddahs!

*Edited for readability

[ Edited by: TIKI KAIMUKI 2008-10-06 10:36 ]

These are some mighty fun times we are living in!

You two Road Rockers need to come over to the studio next year and make your own mugs!

Jonesey - Have you potty trained that Babaloon yet? :)

Nice meetin you at O8 JonesEy, sorry I was more interested in Babaloon. :D

Collecting hugs from all my tiki buddies is the highlight of Oasis. I'm already looking forward to next summer especially with the theme being Surf. Your photos are terrific, Wendy

Great pic's guy's.....ma halo for sharing!
I gotta make it out to Tiki Oasis one year with the family......