Book of Tiki, New fan.

This is my first Post. I'm 32 (almost 33) and I've never been on a tropical Island. I watch a lot of the Travel Channel. Mostly I was watching just Disney stuff, but I set Tivo to record any Hawiian stuff.

I'm not sure when My Tiki obsession started. Maybe it was because of someone I work with going to Hawaii? Maybe it was because of "Whale Rider" the best movie I saw last year? Maybe it was back when I saw Lilo and Stich? Maybe it was because of the Mai Tai's or Jimmy Buffet. I saw the Kon Tiki this year too, a fastinating film, also rented "American Aloha". Never thought of a TIKI house until I saw the one they did on Monster House last year, as by far my favorite, more then the Rennaissance house, and I'm a big Rennaissance Fan (I dress up, go to all the fairs).

I had a party a few month ago only 6 people but it was great. Did a Luau Theme and made shots from Tiki Drink book I had just gotten. Most fun party I evey had, and the first time I got drunk. (Been tipsy before, but not drunk) That's when I started buying Tiki stuff. Since then I've been collecting lots of Tiki stuff and reading this forum. Today I went to Spencers and got the $49 (Medium) light up Moai, and more glasses, and a grass table skirt (all TIki was 25% off). My girlfiend picked up a bunch of TIKI stuff for me at a party store today, but I can't see it until my birthday in 3 weeks.

Now I'm looking to build a Tiki bar, to house my collection, of Fake Tiki and tropical glassware, and drink stuff.

Yesterday I got "The Book of TIKI", all I can say is WOW! What an awesome volume. I'm not done reading it, because I savor every page. For a long time, I was wondering why old Chinese Resteraunts often had names like Hawaiian Island, or Tiki Lau, what was/is the Aku Aku? It's probibly in BOT but I haven't gotten there yet.

I got the TIKI bug bad. Did you see "while you were out" last night? They did a palm tree paradise living room, I also taped "Room by Room" a couple of weeks ago when they did the Tiki Bar in a tropical sun room.

It's almost 3:30 am, and I'm tired and I had a couple drinks so the above post probibly doesn't make a lot of sense, and is full of errors. But I wanted to share my TIKI excitment.

_ Jay

Congratulations Jay_G on your new found passion, but a word to the wise don’t bring up Jimmy Buffet. If you take the time and search the board you will see why.

powerofthetiki
http://www.marylanddctiki.com
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Jay_G, welcome home! Your story is our story. "How tiki do you want to go? How much money do you have?" For a real submersion into tiki, come down to Hukilau ( http://www.TheHukilau.com ) in September and meet a few hundred of the die hard folks here.

Buffett/Tiki is kind of like that east coast/ west coast rap thing.

The Book of Tiki says that "In the 70s, the thus segregated Polynesian style was watered down further through a certain 'Jimmy Buffetization," -the introduction of a generic tropical island theme with no definite identity" (Sven A. Kirsten, book of Tiki p. 52)

However I did mention Buffett because he was one of the reason's I started looking into Tiki. I'd love to hear, Buffett, or Real Hawaiian Music, Steal Drums, or 50's jazz lounge music, in a "Tiki Bar". Insted I mostly hear whatever pop hit happens to be on the radio or maybe some country on the jukebox.

I was in a bar at a better local Mexican resteraunt and started noticing a lot of TIKI influence in both the decor, and the Menu. Just as 50's TIKI was adopted (almost) exclusivly by Chinese Resteraunts. Until recently I thounght Tiki and chinese were one and the same. There were more Taquila drinks then Rum, both were creative with lots of fruit. The inside was brightly painted, and had window treaments much like the Thatch ones in "Tiki Bars" only here they were clay. (A frame over window covered with exostic material) There were Mexican artifacts around the room much like the polinesian ones in Tiki bars, and the staff was all in bright hawaiian print shirts.

Tiki influence is everywhere once you start to look for it. I think of rainforest Cafe as one of the more sucessful attempts at a modern tiki resteraunt. They play their own music (Brazilian mixes of american songs). The menu is not authentic to anyplace but was influence by many different kinds of cusine, and turned into something uniquly American. However it isn't a place to "chill" and is busy and much more of a once a year on your birthday kind of place then a local hangout, and it's way to commerical. Still I see the Influence in every corner.

_ Jay

Well, However you got here Welcome to Tiki Land. Be prepared to spend all your money like Swankey says.Most of all spend some time looking thru the pages here. You will get more Ideas than you have money. You will get inspired beyond belief. You will get creative urges you have never felt. You will be decorating your house and yard and will be wanting to carve tikis before you know it.Enjoy the ride. Come on in and stay awhile.

While you can spend a bunch of money to get some "neccessities" that all home tiki bars should have, try and be creative and see what you can make for yourself...A little bamboo goes a long way...