Best of Tiki Central Thread

Tiki Central has been around for over a decade, and there are over 10,000 topics—not posts, but topics. Sometimes I'll be poking around in the archives and find a gem that's lost in the detritus. I propose that we use this thread to post links to threads or individual posts that deserve to be remembered, but aren't easily found if you don't know what to look for.

I'll start off with a reproduction of an article from the May 1, 1948, edition of the Saturday Evening Post which DustyCajun graciously took the time to scan and post back in 2010. I'm an avid Don the Beachcomber fan and read everything I can find, but this article had more interesting tidbits than almost anything else I've across. It starts here and continues across subsequent posts: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=30245&forum=5&vpost=512903

Thanks for starting this thread. I have to say my favorite part of TC is the Home Bar forum, it is amazing to see what great work people have done themselves or commissioned for their home. There are so many wonderful threads, so will start with this one...that's Wendy's thread with such great pictures and instructions on how she gets her products made. Plus we all love to tease Dan.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?forum=18&topic=38423

Define best of?
Is it most posts?
Most hits?
Or could it be content.

On 2014-06-20 21:56, tikiskip wrote:
Define best of?
Is it most posts?
Most hits?
Or could it be content.

In the words of the great philosopher, Ren.....said to Stimpy, JUST THE GOOD STUFF, MAN!

Tiki 1940's Style!!!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=45771&forum=5&start=45&66

Diggin the WIZARD of OZ (Frank Morgan) & Suny Sund getting it on. Well bust my buttons Suny those ain't the Ruby Slippers!

One of my faves. I'll take 3 of each. :)

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?forum=5&topic=34289

These are great additions. I love the old pics of Don!

It might be helpful going forward to describe what your link is for (such as "a listing if all the Enchanted Tiki Room merchandise").

Bump, for a few reasons:

1. The topics already posted in this thread are great
2. There have to be additional worthy topics yet to be included, especially topics posted within the past three years
3. This thread could be used as a good jumping off point for newer members to discover some of the treasures that TC holds

To that end, here are a few of my own submissions.

On This Day in Tiki History
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=51884&forum=1&113

A great compilation of important Polynesian Pop dates (restaurant openings/closings, birth and death dates, etc.)

A Collection of Cannibals
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=33940&forum=5&start=0

Discussion and pictures about perhaps the most recognizable grouping of tikis

Tiki Bob's Mainland = Pagan Idol
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=51980&forum=1

Recent proof that urban archeology finds continue to this day, and TC is the place that records it best

Hula Sue's South Seas Hideaway
http://www..com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=28247&forum=20&453

Just one of the many examples of amazing home tiki bars created by the talented people here

TIKISKIP : How to make tiki light, Lamp 101
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=40109&forum=18

An example of a tiki artisan selflessly sharing how he creates his magnificent work

What else should we add?

Thanks Hamo,

How abut the thread with the most hits of all in TC....
Tiki is all about the stuff and seeing the many different items from different places is cool.

Tiki finds.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=1099&forum=5&start=10920

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2017-12-02 21:31 ]

Great addition, skip.

The Saturday Evening Post article TikiTacky links to in the opening post is really interesting. It can be found on page 6 of the “Don the Beachcomber - The Locations” thread:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=30245&forum=5&start=75

I think people have over looked the "cool and Current" part of Tiki Central.

It is always cutting edge fresh and new, not the same old stuff bumped up by somebody's
attempt to promote themselves or some event, Day, after Day, After DAY.

1. The Original TIKI Market Place 6th Anniversary!!! ...

2. Fri. Dec.15 Xmas Show,Martini Kings, Ding Dong Dev...

3. Don's Tiki Makeke "Holiday In Tiki Paradise" Dec.9

4. TikiCat - Miss Tiki Oasis this Thursday

5. Wendy Cevola 12/18/17 I love Christmas lights. ...

With the exception of Wendy’s thread, I think “Cool and Current” and “Best of” topics as mutually exclusive. “Cool and Current” seems to be the poor man’s Facebook-like promotion vehicle; “Best of” highlights the stuff on TC with staying power.

There definitely should be something here about the Kahiki, that legendary lost tiki temple. The Locating Tiki thread isn’t particularly interesting or substantive, save for Page 4 where Johnny Dollar posted the 1997 National Register for Historic Places Registration Form:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=4854&forum=2&start=45

Far more informative and extensive is your own thread, Skip (I know you’re far too modest to mention it yourself...):

KAHIKI Columbus, ohio tiki bar restaurant. Lee Henry, The catalog
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=18136&forum=5&start=0

"I know you’re far too modest to mention it yourself"

Ha! I do it all the time really.
It just burns me when I go to a seminar or see an article and I know the stuff came from my thread cuz they got my Photos.
Now when joe blow news guy does that not as bad, but when a guy knows who I am and can with ease PM me on TC that is bad really.
One person wanted to use my Kahiki pic's in a seminar and had someone ELSE ask me if it was ok, WTF?

I have given lots of stuff asked of me for nothing when asked, Sent stuff to Sven for his books and show (None of my lights were in that mix so I truly got nothing) When Kate asked for the ITV catalogue I had I sent it to her and It is the one you see on Critiki today, And I added over 100 Kahiki pictures of the Kahiki on Critiki.
Look up "kahiki images" or "tiki bar lights" on the net most of the photos are from me.
So I am very easy to work with.

BUT there is an up side, all those photos did get out to the net, all that information is saved and there for future use, In a small way because of what I shared and posted here even if it gets me very little in return.

I did get two bottles of Havana club for my Kahiki footage in the DVD of tiki though.

Kinda sour grapes I know, but when all people give you is sour grapes your going to get some whine.

One more thing “Cool and Current” is a TC joke.
It is an insult to what small bit of TC is still cool and somewhat new.

Kahaka just posted some new lights after a long time gone and the same four supper new, supper cool threads are still up there that have been for years.

What an insult to the truly new cool threads “Cool and Current” is.

You would think that every now and then when you vote yourself to the top of “Cool and Current” for the millionth time you could vote for something, anything that gives you no benefit, and IS new.

I’d like to suggest this thread for “Best of” status because I agree with creativenative, who said Sven’s article “should be required reading for anyone signing up on TC.“

Tiki Expert Sven Kirsten Traces the Evolution of the Art Form
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=52363&forum=1&2

One of the most informative threads has been tikicleen's Islander Stockton, California. It's fun that once reading it you can go out and still find peanut mugs red skirt mugs and bowls from there to have a piece of the history.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=15550&forum=1&start=0

Just to chime in I agree that Cool and Current has become a place for routinely promoting two particular events. I do think that since the International Market places have helped so many tiki artists bring new people into the tiki world it still works. We want tiki to grow.

I have never once voted for myself to be on Cool and Current so it is a real moral booster to see that people vote for my thread and I am thankful. I work hard to keep it active using part of each work day to post.

If you haven't read tikicleen's thread I highly recommend it. Wendy

Wendy,

Thank you for sharing this thread. Its an amazing tiki story of the Islander. I recently read the new Tyree biography book and sure enough this thread had some Tyree pictures in it. I hope Tiki Central continues these archeology threads. I don't see this type of history on the new Face Book pages.

You know Cool and Current should change a bit from time to time if it was real.
But the Cliques and minions of some events and tiki People have this need to be on top ALL the time.

This makes Cool and Current disappear not be fresh and new but old and stale, this old and stale is part of the TC death.
Remember when you first signed up how jazzed you were when you got feedback or people seemed to like what you made posted ect?

“I have never once voted for myself to be on Cool and Current so it is a real moral booster to see that people vote for my thread and I am thankful.”

I see that you agree with me Wendy and it is the same five or six topics on top most of the time taking that “moral booster” as you put it from the newbie.

Well this manic need for attention takes away from the newbie and even the old timer.
There was an old timer that posted a light, not me, well he got almost no response’s, he’s gone, not here much at all these days.

How many cool tiki art people have we ran off by this selective praise, new mug makers have it tough trying to get anywhere on TC.
The carvers all seem to get along, well not that one time, but for the most part they do.
Being mostly men and not form Cali you would think they would fight some.

So that’s where I’m at this popularity game is killing it, it’s like the old tiki mag that highlights the same California bars, the same California artists, they are good bars and art but damn is that all you got?

If you hit the history of a TC members posts and most of their post sell their stuff or are on their own threads who are they helping TC or themselves.

In closing TC helps sell tiki, that’s the stuff I make, the stuff you make, and the events, books, music, bars, ect.
Helping keep tiki healthy helps it grow and more cool tiki crap is made for us to buy and sell.

California will always have a kinda strong tiki scene so maybe that is enough for the people that run and promote the tiki machine, Known as the tiki elite.
Maybe deep state tiki would be a better name.

Is that enough for you average tiki Joe on the street in a state that’s not say California?

NOT AMIED AT WENDY, nine times out of ten the people I’m talking about never think it’s them.

Wendy, the Islander Stockton thread is a great addition. I think I first discovered it while reviewing previous posts on your own thread, seeing Eric October’s incredible Islander mug, and wanting to learn more about the place.

Skip, I don’t disagree with you about Cool and Current, but at risk of derailing this “Best of” thread, maybe we could start a new (or resurrect an old) topic to discuss it.

Nope, no need to do that.
I have never minded derails on threads as it is the way real talks in the real world go.

And heck not much goes on here anyway so any talks are good in my book.

BUT some people do not like the whole derail thing so I can keep on track here.

The thing is right now some of the threads that are getting the most traffic are not about tiki really, What's cooking, who died, photo association ect.

Feel free to derail on my threads people I have found some cool stuff out that way.
Just don't post yer damn sunsets or vacation photos, or heads superimposed on anything, on there, I kid, that was a joke.
That was my Anthony Bourdain snarky way of saying derails go on all the time, I love em!

Even learned from the person who posted their lights on my thread about my lights, too funny.

Update I did, for fun start a thread on Derailing.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=52686&forum=13&1

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2018-01-26 05:50 ]

Wait—maybe some of the best stuff on Tiki Central comes FROM derailing!?

Good point.
Guess it just depends on who the panel of judges deciding what "best stuff" is.

Well then, I elect the both of us to the panel.

Bump again. What with the end of the year, the upcoming 20th anniversary, and many new members, I was thinking about this thread. Should anything else be added?