A salute to the Tiki Bar Regular

We do lots of whinin' and complainin' about tiki joints that install tvs, start karaoke nights, renovate to be more "modern," or worst of all, close. The fact is, it's a response to economic pressure, so I'd like to take a moment to recognize the true workhorse of Polynesian Pop fandom, the Tiki Bar Regular.

These selfless souls go out of their way week after week to make sure that the tiki bars we visit perhaps only a few times a year (or even just once in a lifetime!) are there for us when we need them. They keep the pufferfish lit and the booze flowing, folks.

Tiki-Ti recognizes their regulars with a small strip of paper. It sounds like a simple thing, but it takes more than being an occasional friendly face to get your name on the wall at Tiki-Ti.

Our own Weird Unc was given his own slip at Tiki-Ti recently:

On the night he presented his painting to Mike & Mike, Miles was given one, too:

I've been told that Sven has one there, too, is this his?

Let's all take a moment to thank our brothers and sisters who dedicate their time, money and asses to preserving this nation's tiki.

Tiki Bar Regulars, I salute you!

Hell Yeah!!
:tiki:

To all my friends....hic

Chongolio Bukowski

I'll drink to that! :drink:

On 2003-12-23 22:34, Humuhumu wrote:
Tiki-Ti recognizes their regulars with a small strip of paper. It sounds like a simple thing, but it takes more than being an occasional friendly face to get your name on the wall at Tiki-Ti.

Our own Weird Unc was given his own slip at Tiki-Ti recently

I was sitting next to Humuhumu and Weird Unc the night that this happened. I must say it was an emotional one. For those that don't know, its considered a high honor to have your name on the walls of the Tiki Ti. You can't just put your name card up there - its up to Mike Sr. to offer the priviledge to you after showing many years of loyalty to their fine establishment. As you can see, it took Judd 10 years!

Miles Thompson was offered the priviledge on the same night so I was fortunate to get to witness that too!

Humu, I hadn't seen that card with 'Sventiki' on it before but I wouldn't doubt that is his. His name also happens to be on another card with Jeff 'Beachbum' Berry's signature just above the short end of the bar as you enter on the left.

CONGRATS TO JUDD & MILES!!

**Poly-Pop ***

He who dies with the most broken mugs WINS!

[ Edited by: PolynesianPop on 2003-12-24 07:51 ]

Mahalo, Humuhumu for recording and posting this historic event! That was the night we first discovered my card was up. I was actually presented with the honor the night before Halloween as I tippled some grog with The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa and our friend Matt Sloan. Honestly, I did get a little misty and I won't even blame it on the cigarette smoke! I' ve been on the road for over the past ten days, haven't checked in to TC and didn't know about this thread, but when we arrived at Otto's birthday party in Emeryville I was met with many hearty congratulations from the Bay Area gang. Tiki Central what a crowd! See you all at Tiki Ti!

-Weird Unc

congrats my bud Judd! you da man brah! Tell da wahine hello for me.

I was with Sven tonight at Tiki-Ti, and this:

is not his!!! He'd never noticed it before. Pop, the slip you mentioned is his & Berry's, he doesn't know what the story is with this one. You should have seen him, peering at it with his head slightly cocked, scratching his head... I think the possibility of the existence of a second Sventiki knocked him off-kilter for a moment. Next time I'm there I'll try to get a picture of Sven's real slip.

can some one post Weird Unc's painting, or is it hainging at Tiki-Ti's.

On 2004-01-08 02:42, The Monitors wrote:
can some one post Weird Unc's painting, or is it hainging at Tiki-Ti's.

Aloha, TheMonitors! The painting was done by Miles Thompson and although I wish I could take credit for such a nice piece, the only way it's mine is 'cause I bought a print. You can see it here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=5883&forum=1&130
My beautiful handy work can be seen in this thread on the white paper card hanging on the wall at Tiki Ti.

-Weird Unc

NICE! Here's to you...

An Official Tiki Cheers To You

They hung my liver up, at my bar.

hey weird unc and miles,
Congratulations and welcome to the wall. hopefully i will run into you guys at Tiki Ti soon.

Okay, here's a pic of Sven's real tag, which he shares with Jeff "Beachbum" Berry:

And here is Miles smiling proudly next to his tag, which is near his print (and just below Sven's tag):

A closeup of Miles' tag:

As an aside, I had a Missionary's Downfall last Thursday, I think it's my new Tiki-Ti favorite.

hummuhummu,
thanks for posting the pics. i did not realize this, but my tag is between sven's/jeff's and miles's on the left. i received my tag shortly after sven and jeff in 2001. you can kind of see the drawings on it.
maybe one of these days i'll run into you there

[ Edited by: tikitanked on 2004-01-21 09:16 ]

Well, whaddya know. Here's tikitanked's tag:

The best tiki bar is the one that's within stumbling distance of your bed
The Humuhumu Room

[ Edited by: Humuhumu on 2004-01-23 20:23 ]

[i]On 2004-01-08 12:38, Unga Bunga wrot
They hung my liver up, at my bar.

Ditto here!

I'm about ready for an L.A. tiki road trip. It's been waaaay too long since I been up there and I just got new rubber on my car. I want to hit Tiki Ti, Blue Orchid and Oceanic Arts. As Thee Midnighters proclaimed..."let's take a trip down Whittier Blvd!".

hell humuhumu, i was was obviously too drunk to remember that i got the card in 2000. too drunk to draw well at that time also.
thanks for posting a pick.
it was lovely to finally meet you this evening.

Wednesday was a good day. A very, very good day. Beyond that, words really can't capture my joy.

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2006-02-12 09:51 ]

I can't see the image.

Is it a picture of a bathtub filled with Ray's Mistakes?

I think this is the link.

It IS a picture of the result of DRINKING a bathtub filled with Ray's Mistakes.
How did I know it was something to do with the Tiki Ti, kaikaina?

Congrats. That's awesome.
Now what's the secret!!!

Talk!!!

Humu,
I just missed you by a couple of days. I was in LA last week for a conference and on Saturday I finally made it to Tiki-Ti. What great drinks, atmosphere and company. I can certainy understand why all you Hoity-Toity types love that place so well. I had a Ray's Mistake, a Pearl Diver and a pleasant buzz as I headed for my red-eye flight back to Orlando. Everyone in the bar had a warm and friendly attitude; especially dreadlock Jim, Mike and Mike, Jr.
KG

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2006-02-12 13:37 ]

Sweet Humu!It's the tiki equivalent of being mafia "MADE"!

On 2006-02-12 11:37, pablus wrote:
Now what's the secret!!!

Talk!!!

Maybe the secret is to go at least once a week (often more) for a few years, then move away, then come back for a visit? I wouldn't endorse it though, the "move away from Tiki-Ti" part is too hard.

Faboo to you! Welcome to the club. Did this happen after I left? Sorry to have missed the ceremony, but happy to have seen you and the whole gang. Durn, I miss that place.

-Weird Unc

Cheers and congratulations to you HumuHumu on your Tiki-Ti rite of passage. I salute you and all the regulars................

Humu,
Well I've heard, but not seen, That Kirby and Hanford both have evil
twins that show up at the Lucky Tiki. Maybe Sven has a evil twin.
That put up that tag at Tiki Ti.
No offense Sven. Just a crazy idea. :)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

is not his!!! He'd never noticed it before. Pop, the slip you mentioned is his & Berry's, he doesn't know what the story is with this one. You should have seen him, peering at it with his head slightly cocked, scratching his head... I think the possibility of the existence of a second Sventiki knocked him off-kilter for a moment. Next time I'm there I'll try to get a picture of Sven's real slip.

On 2006-02-11 17:14, Humuhumu wrote:

Wednesday was a good day. A very, very good day. Beyond that, words really can't capture my joy.

---

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2006-02-12 09:51 ]

Humuhumu, Congratualtions on the tiki [bars] you've seen!

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the girl who'll decide where to go."

Theodor Seuss Geisel, Oh, the Places You'll Go

[ Edited by: christiki295 2006-02-13 19:38 ]

I have gone to a lot of restaurant/bars last days, and there are always a lot of people who say they loved this place! But they did not go enough to keep them open. Yes hats off to the tiki bar regular. Now go bowling! They need help too!

I heard the Forbidden Island is going to do something like this-the main difference is that the back of the "piece of paper" is a gift certificate for a liver transplant! :)

On 2004-01-23 20:22, Humuhumu wrote:
Well, whaddya know. Here's tikitanked's tag:

Way to go, Tikitanked!

Humuhumu & Tikitanked tags are located next to each other, on the left of the bar (facing the bar).

The beginnings of a TC area at Tiki - Ti. Maybe Sabu will be next.

Sorry I missed you. I got there after 10. But it was worth it. My 2nd drink (after the usual Ray's Mistake) was a Never-Say-Die. I wathced Mike Jr. make it and he used several of the same ingredients as the Mistake, plus an extra rum, bitters and some spice. It was a REALLY good drink.

Yeah, Humu's card is up in an extra place of honor. It's not only near TikiTanked's card, but near Miles' card, Miles' poster and the "1st Mistake" card. That's the place to be! Kudu's to Humu.

Congratulations, Humu!!! I like your tag, too.

This thread is too much for me, though. It makes me miss LA and I've never even lived there. Must plan trip soon.

Also, someone's really gotta lie in wait for the mysterious alternate-universe Sventiki. Who is dis guy?!?

Its like getting a gold star in Hollywood for tiki people. How close in the Tiki Ti to LAX thats about the only way I would ever get to go.

Tiki Ti is not what you would call close to LAX. Purple Orchid is, though. You could get to Tiki Ti from LAX using the Metrorail, but you would need to change trains twice and it might take a while to get there.

We sat under Humu's card & Miles' wonderful painting last night.

6pm to 1am: We opened and closed it! woo hoo!

We had:

151 Rum Swizzle
Blood & Sand
Chief Lapu Lapu
Cobra's Fang
Fog Cutter
Great White Shark
Jim's Special
Missionary's Downfall
Pearl Diver
Penang
Puka Puka
Ray's Mistake
Ray's Special
Rum Barrel
Skull & Bones
Uga Booga

Not bad for two of us. I'd say we held our own pretty damn well. The only one I didn't like was the Ray's Special, which feels like something I shouldn't say. Had a Jim's Special and really liked it- ol' Rasta Jim knows a good drink!

Damn you 2 are insane!! How F*%#'d up were you the next Morning?
The most I ever had there was 4 or 5 in a few hours. And my body was numb and tingling all over. Scared the hell outta me.
Felt kinda so so the next day, probably helped that I threw up in the street when I got home. Goodtimes indeed!!

Jeff(bigtikidude)

While my limit is normally two, last night I was in a rare situation where I didn't have to drive home so I had four including a 151 swizzle. It was an informative evening as Miles was there and I got to see the 45th anniversary jacket, which Miles did the art for and it looks awesome! It even looked better under the black light (but I don't think that was intentional. I also talked to the Mission Tiki drive in folks and it sounds like they have some great plans for the upcoming 50th anniversary event in August. Another wonderful Wednesday at Tiki Ti.

And, oh yeah...

Wow! Congratulations, that's fantastic!

PiPhiRho makes Tiki Ti history - way to go!

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

Sabu

Humu Michelle sez...
I was with Sven tonight at Tiki-Ti, and this
is not his!!! He'd never noticed it before.

o.k. but he did.

I drew that. When a few of us went hang at da Tiki TI, with Sven, more than a decade ago, I wen ax da bruddahs, Ray and his son; eh; if can, can. But if no can, NO CAN! But da bruddah say, chance um!

So, I ax Sven, eh. you like da kine or not?!
Shure, wot da hell. sez Sven. we all ohana. (at least we were back a decade ago, yea? how they say... "when life was sweeter..." )
So I use my noms de plume; Alkahuna da Polynesiac and also put Sventiki and a couple tiki icons and den I wen scribble our years we there.

Back then, the tiki group was small in El Lay, comprised basically of Otto, Pete Maruzzi, Sven, Bosko, Bobby of Cacao, Jeff Barry... and a few others, who helped decor up da Derby for Tiki nights wit da Blue Hawaiians.
We had a great time in da circuit of da Dresden, Lucky Bar, Tiki TI, Tonga Hut, dat mexican restaurant next door as well as others,... all kinds of other dive bars, Lava Lounge; me with my stupid limo in da parking lot, and of course, Cacao with the first SHAG release parties... (Bobby, you and yer partner are da bestest of hosts!) Trader Vic's and Madam Wong's, where Otto had his Tiki Mug Party, and Tony Ramos (heckuva nice guy!) bartended. Ho.. was good fun, brah.
eh. remember Beyond Baroque on Venice Boulevard and that nite with da slide show and Dan Pouesi and da Samoan slap dance?!
whoootah, da good fun.
yep...It WAS the good ol days.

malama ki'i kahiko

[ Edited by: lanikai 2006-02-24 04:30 ]

[ Edited by: lanikai 2006-02-24 04:37 ]

[ Edited by: lanikai 2006-02-24 04:39 ]

[ Edited by: lanikai 2006-02-24 04:43 ]

Good going, Pi Phi Rho! Nice card. I like the Horn-tiki motif. I know you've sucked down most of their menu and we'll have to compare notes one of these days.

-Weird Unc