New Tiki Website

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know of a new tiki website I wrote, http://www.enterthetiki.com.

It has bios and pics of all the greats like Trader Vic, Martin Denny, Yma Sumac and many more and lots of pics from my trip to Trader Vics and the Tonga Room. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how it can be better or if there's something else you'd like to see just let me know.

Ryan

No frozen margaritas (or regular margartias) or mudslides. TGIF/Chili's/Applebee's isn't tiki. :) My 2 cents.

Got Greyhounds? Viva Kate!

[ Edited by: Mr. NoNaMe 2011-07-20 20:49 ]

Nice job !! It's a better internet primer for Tiki newcomers than Tiki Central itself. There's just so much content now on TC that it's hard for neophytes to get an easy first grasp on things. I think your website does a good job of that. It's like go to your site first (which I think could be sub-titled "Tiki 101") and then start to enjoy Tiki Central. Now that "The Book of Tiki" is out of print, your website might be the most practical first introduction, especially in this internet age.

Another impression. Your format and content are VERY derivative of "The Book of Tiki". Let's give credit where credit is due (which I think you did but I might emphasize it even more so). It's a testament to BOT, that even after 10 years since it's first publishing, all the Tiki content and discoveries that have followed, and the explosion in the Tiki Revival, that BOT remains such a definitive (post) blueprint of the genre.

You want some additional suggestions ? Here's mine based on my first glance (and yes I am being nit-picky :) )...

1. Hawaiian Hut in Waikiki is gone. Better to include La Mariana Sailing Club.

2. The Bahooka in Rosemead actually opened in 1976.

3. You forgot to include the Tonga Hut in North Hollywood (est 1958). That's a major omission !!

4. I'm not sure if I'd list Yma Sumac along with "The Big 3". Even back in the day, she was not acknowledged as part of the Exotica genre.

5. I'd list Jeff Berry's "Sippin' Safari" as a major resource. Mr. Berry is often thought of as soley a mixology historian. That particular work however is an invaluable resource into the detailed history of Tiki, and stands side-by-side with BOT on my bookshelf.

6. The Tiki pin-ups section was fun, a quick glance and I saw some content that I don't think I've ever seen before on TC. I'm not sure however if it's significant enough to be identified as a genre on to itself.

7. You love "Jewels of the Sea" ? Me too. Along with "Sacred Idol", I think that Les Baxter album that doesn't get as much deserved recognition as his earlier works.

8. Oh and I loved that music playing. It would be cool if we had that on TC. :)

9. And wait where's Leroy Schmaltz and Bob van Oosting of Oceanic Arts ?? They definitely need to be in the entrepreneur section.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-07-21 08:26 ]

Thanks, JOHN-O! I'll definitely incorporate your ideas into the website. (And I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Jewels of the Sea is so underrated!)

Thanks, John-O....the BOT is still relevant simply because it is ALL TRUE! :) Tiki Central should be credited too, because many of the images are clipped from there. But then again, I must admit that i do not put credit under every image in my publications because with 700 images, it would be too overwhelming, and cut down on the space available for text and visuals.

I agree, this works as introduction. At a brief glance, I noticed that that ain't Stephen Crane, and the Ports O'Call wasn't his... but I don't wanna start nitpicking. All in all, the site is clearly a labor of love...something that I should have been doing years ago - but am too busy (or lazy) to. :) Congrats!

Enter the Tiki - a foundation towards a larger vision (as I see it today and I like what I see so far.)

My suggestion is fine tuning - inspired by a So Cal native (myself) noticing you're from Tulsa, which is cool 'cause I happen to be in Norman on a visit, sitting with a lap-tap trying to research historical polynesian-pop in and around Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa of course.

critiki is a great resource generally so I start there and then of course I check Tiki Central.

Not much is found on critiki - although important as a resource for names and locations of long-gone bars and restaurants etc. Now I know to look for when researching classic Oklahoma tiki:
the Outrigger Club at the Rio Motor Hotel of Oklahoma City, the Outrigger Club at the Clayton House Hotel of Ardmore, the Club Trade Winds at the Tulsa Trade Winds Motor Hotel, the Cultured Pearl of Tulsa etc.

On Tiki Central I find some pictures of memorabilia including post-cards, ashtrays and matchbook covers.
Here's where you, Ryan, have a fantastic opportunity to tailor-fit your website to your identity. As one example, find us (your website audience) that elusive color night-time photo of the Trade Winds Motor Inns... in other words find us interesting new information/images/newspaper accounts of the polynesian-pop of Oklahoma history.

So now I ask - "What's the story regarding the Outrigger Club mug on critiki?"
or - "What's Frankoma's full inventory with the Club Trade Winds in Tulsa?"

Carry On Ryan!!

:) See below...

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-07-21 16:57 ]

Thanks for the great ideas, TikiG. I'll definitely go Tiki-hunting this fall here in Oklahoma when the weather becomes a lot cooler.

Ryan,

I have a burning Tiki question you might be able to answer. About 20 years ago, I was in Independence, Kansas for work. Some of the locals there told us about a place where we could eat authentic chicken-fried steak. I remember driving for maybe up to an hour towards Oklahoma. I'm pretty sure we crossed the state border. Along the way we had to stop for directions. I stopped into a bar which I now know was an authentic Tiki bar. From memory, it vibed just like the Hala Kahiki, a place frozen in time. There was a sexy Filipino woman sitting at the bar wearing a cheongsam. She appeared to be one of the owners.

Any idea what place that could have been ??

JOHN-O,

Sorry, I've never heard of any Tiki bar that remote in OK. Almost everything Tiki in OK I know of has been located in Tulsa or Oklahoma City.

Interestingly, I found this story http://tulsatvmemories.com/tulstiki.html about the Tiki history of Tulsa--imagine that!