post Hukilau tiki road trip

We are coming over to the Hukilau and have just under 2 weeks after and are going on a road trip up to Tennessee via Carolina(Pidgeon forge then Nashville, Memphis then down through Alabama, Georgia then back to Florida for last day then home), Any suggestions on places to visit that are tiki oreintated9We will do Trader vics in Atlanta and Omni hut and obviously do a lot of music stuff like gracelands etc any good sights/antique/thrift stores/roadside americana/Mcm buildings etc to see, Sorry for all the questions but its our first time on the East coastand its alot of driving but want fill our time up

First on your priorities should be Swanky's Hapa Haole Hideaway in Knoxville. (Of course, you may want to arrange that with Swanky!!) Outside of the Mai-Kai & Trader Vic's, it's the most impressive tikified environment I've ever experienced, and I might even rank it ABOVE Trader Vic's.

Located between Athens & Gainesville, Georgia is Skunk Eye Spar: our very own tiki refuge, which includes a vintage camper guest quarters (available to TCers!). Photos here...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=41323&forum=20&hilite=skunk%20eye%20spar

We'll also be attending Hukilau, so we can chat more there if you're so inclined.

If you find yourself near the Kennedy Space Center/Cocoa Beach area, I would love to open up The Storm Shelter for you.

Thats weird we just booked a hotel right by Cape canaveral for sunday and monday nights after Hukilau so will be in your area, Would be good to meet up,Will you be at the Hukiau?

In Atlanta of course you want to do Trader Vics...

Highland Row Antiques (http://www.highlandrowantiques.com/) is a good bet for vintage mcm, kitsch, and I find mugs there. (Also in the basement there is a vendor with a lot of vinyl, hawaiian shirts, old toys etc).

Bookhouse Pub (good reviews elsewhere on TC, and a personal fav)has great cocktails.

The Antiques Factory on the north side, if open, usually has quite a bit including multiple pieces of witco, vintage bars, etc..the owner collects metal hula lamps.

Junkman's Daughter carries Tiki Farm and PosterPop wares. Criminal Records has a wide variety of stuff that might be of interest.

Just my $.02

Wow thanks for the info on Atlanta we will definitely try these places!

When in Memphis this is a great old hotel, go in for a drink at least.
Ask if Rosco is still a bartender there. (Try to go when they take the ducks out of the lobby,5pm)
http://www.peabodymemphis.com/local-attractions/
Also in the hotel is Lanskys Elvis shopped there."Clothier To The King"
http://www.lanskybros.com/lasnky-history
Right next door to this hotel is this BBQ joint.
http://www.hogsfly.com/TheRestaurant.php
Good food and history.
Graceland is cool, must see.

Legend of The Peabody Ducks

How did the tradition of the ducks in The Peabody fountain begin?

Back in the 1930s Frank Schutt, General Manager of The Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Jack Daniel's Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and thought it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain.

Three small English call ducks were selected as "guinea pigs," and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic. Soon, five North American Mallard ducks would replace the original ducks.

In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity for 50 years until his retirement in 1991.

The original ducks have long since gone, but after nearly 80 years, the marble fountain in the hotel lobby is still graced with ducks. The Peabody ducks march at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.
Fun Facts

Ducks were not the first residents of The Peabody's lobby fountain. Rumor has it that turtles and baby alligators each briefly graced the fountain in the 1920s.

Duck March

Royal Duck Palace

Duck Fountain The Peabody Ducks have been a must-see Memphis attraction for Lisa Marie Presley, Michael Jordan, Nicholas Cage, Ethan Hawke, Priscilla Presley, Don King, President Jimmy Carter, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Justin Timberlake, Wentworth Miller, and Jeff Bridges. In addition, Patrick Swayze, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, Florence Henderson, Emeril Lagasse, Jeff Dunham, Peter Frampton, Joan Collins, George Hamilton, Molly Ringwald, Chris Matthews, Gene Simmons, Paula Deen, Larry King, Kevin Bacon, and Miranda Cosgrove have been Honorary Duckmasters.

The Peabody Ducks are five North American mallards - one drake (male) with white collar and green head, and four hens (females) with less colorful plumage.

Duck is not served anywhere at The Peabody, and has not been seen on the hotel's menus since its 1981 reopening, quite possibly making Chez Philippe the only French restaurant in the world that does not serve duck.

The Peabody Ducks do not have individual names. The hotel recognizes that its resident waterfowl are wild animals, not pets. However, the very first team of ducks were Peabody, Gayoso, and Chisca - named for the three hotels owned by the Memphis Hotel Company in 1932.

The Peabody's lobby fountain is cut from one enormous piece of travertine marble made and shipped from Italy for the hotel's 1925 opening. The colorful flowers adorning the top of the fountain are changed out every other day in the middle of the night.

When off-duty from the Lobby, the ducks live in their Royal Duck Palace on the hotel's rooftop.

The Peabody Marching Ducks have appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Sesame Street, when Bert and Ernie celebrated Rubber Ducky Day, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and in People magazine and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In addition, they were once a question on Jeopardy.

The Peabody Ducks are raised by a local farmer and a friend of the hotel. Each team lives in the hotel for only three months before being retired from their Peabody duties and returned to the farm to live out the remainder of their days as wild ducks.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2013-05-29 04:20 ]

Thanks for that, I have heard a bit about the Peabody and will certainly try to see the ducks!, And we cant wait to see the Wico/Jungle room at Graceland

So TIKIWAGON how was your trip?
Where did you guys go?
Would like to hear.
Nice to meet both of you at Hukilau.