The Tiki Goddess and I just got back from Mexico, where I scored plenty of Santo/luche lubre stuff like masks and actions figures, Aztec figurines and necklaces, etc - but what about Tiki, South of the Border style?

Nada mucho - though we did come upon a hotel on the main strip in Acapulco, "El Costero", called Bali Ha'i, with two tikis out front. I took photos which I'll post on my site in my next column detailing our trip. I don't know how to post them here. If anyone can teach me, I'll give it a shot.

The biggest tiki related score I made in Mexico (and ever, really) was accidentally coming upon my latest Holy Grail of LP Soundtracks, "Hawaiian Eye," in a little LP shop in Mexico City, secretly sandwiched in a bin between crap like "Top Gun" and "Flashdance"! The brilliant cover just suddenly popped out at me like a zaftig muchacha's chi-chis from a broken bra. Not only was it in perfect shape, it was only 35 pesos (that's 3.50 US, gringos) - and I was expecting (and willing) to pay much, much more if I ever found it in some stateside record bin, especially in such beautiful shape. Of course, the cover is en espanol ("Intriga en Hawaii"), which makes it even cooler, really, but the music is the same, including lots of top notch exotica/lounge instrumentals and even Robert Conrad singing "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me"! He is really a smooth crooner, in the James Darren mode, but then he was a part time singer before he turned full time actor, I hear. What a dreamboat that guy is, and I'm not even gay (though I did turn 41 in Guadalajara, and our waiter informed me that in Mexico, "41" means "gay." I told my wife I'd do what I could to fight it.)

One thing about the otherwise perfect soundtrack - the theme song on the LP is not exactly like the one on the show, same as on the "77 Sunset Strip" soundtrack (or "Batman" or "The Untouchables" for that matter). For one thing, the lyrics are missing - all you get vocally is the title repeated in the refrain. Still, minor issue. This is one of the greatest albums in my collection, an unbeatable combo of exotica, lounge and crime jazz. Look for it, even if you have to go to Mexico....