To Tiki or Not to Tiki? That is the question.

"In here [the Tiki Lounge] it's
chill and relax. Out there [The Bamboo Room], it's clubby. The
crowd's a little different and the music is a little different. I
have to admit, it's a good break from the city."
And after midnight, it's as though you wandered into a spring
break celebration or a "Girls Gone Wild" video, with women readily
baring their breasts for sets of cheap beads (it could have
something to do with the Mai Tais).
For suburbia, it's become quite the party spot.
"The atmosphere is as close as you can get to a downtown club in
the suburbs," said 30-year-old Will Slagel of Wheaton, who was
hanging out with Moy in the Tiki Lounge. "I've been to the clubs
out here and nothing compares to this."

What?!?! Is there a problem with this? I CAN'T think of a better way to "chill" than with a cheap chilled Mai-Tai in one hand and a fist of mardi-gras beads in the other watching a room full of drunken women ready to bare their breasts at me!

DISCLAIMER: the previous was an attempt at humor and is no way intended to make you think that Mr Smiley has gone over the edge and is now channeling KokomoTikiBar&Grill! :wink:

I understand what my Florida brethren are saying about Wai-tiki and I have voiced the same basic complaints myself, however, I have to point out it is a different experience if you go at dinner hour on a week night. At least it was when I went there about a month ago. It was quiet, people were behaving and I could enjoy the surroundings. Go on a Friday night at 11 pm.... forget it. In fact, I missed out on seeing the Vodkanauts last Friday night because I just couldn't face that scene again.

As far as Orlando people and the general area are concerned, I offer no excuses. It is an area that has mostly developed since the mid-1970's and the arrival of Disney World. It is wierd, but I like it.

Overall, I'd say I'd rather see bars make an attempt at tiki rather than ignore it completely. Other than the handful of surviving great tiki bars/restaraunts still out there, I have to say the best tiki spots
are TC members' home bars I've visited.

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff on 2004-10-28 12:59 ]

Tiki_Bong wrote:

(being Mr. Positive Post Nice Nice makes me want to vomit)

Can Hanford please supply Bong with some Tiki Central barf bags? :wink:

[i]On 2004-10-27 18:13, stuff-o-rama wrote:
The Venus bar in Las Vegas has the coolest tiki bar, artwork by Shag & Bosko, but plays TECHNO music. The bartenders will serve drinks in a tiki mug on request, but they have no control over the music. Takes more than a strong drink or two to relax to high-energy dance beats.

The music is now hiphop, which doesn't bother me, although I do find it ironic and amusing that they play hiphop and have classic Martin Denny album covers on the wall.

Maybe the idea from theJab should be implemented for one night of an "authentic" tiki bar:

Somebody (from tiki central?) should throw a big party at Taboo Cove/Venus and charge admission and do it right. Get some good bands and DJs, hire some real bartenders, and so on. Perhaps Otto can do something like that and make it work as he has with other events.

On 2004-10-28 19:26, christiki295 wrote:

Maybe the idea from theJab should be implemented for one night of an "authentic" tiki bar:

Somebody (from tiki central?) should throw a big party at Taboo Cove/Venus and charge admission and do it right. Get some good bands and DJs, hire some real bartenders, and so on. Perhaps Otto can do something like that and make it work as he has with other events.

If I'm not mistaken, Taboo Cove has already closed its doors permanently...

I agree with Kono concerning the Waitiki in Orlando. It really does miss the mark, mostly it's the crowd. The place looks great but the crowd..... The snobby school kids, whom I really have no idea where there coming from, are extra specialy drunk and obnoxious. The band I'm in, the Vodkanauts, played there and we ain't no top 40 group. We seemed to go over alright but I didnot like the vibe. It is alot like Ybor city in Tampa. That's why I won't go to Ybor. Yeah, your right. Ybor used to be cool in the late 80's and early 90's but not no more. The downtown Orlando scene where the Waitiki is reminds of Ybor and why I don't like that atmosphere. We might play there again I don't know but I won't be looking to forward to it. I hope tweedtone don't read this

I've only been to 3 food/drink establishments containing Tiki affects. My best TIKI experience was had in the least "TIKI" of the 3. I offer this comparison of my limited experiences:

1. Taboo Cove, Las Vegas: Excellent in terms of decor and mixology (hats tipped to the excellent resources involved). I found modern dance-raggae music odd but not dissappointing. We went early in the afternoon 2 different days, occupancy was sparce considering. I was able to converse with 2 of the bartenders. The first was very "up" and talked to us about the extensive mug collection on hand. The second was very arrogant and critical of the Tiki theme, "...People don't want that! Raw cane syrup?...takes too long to make!...They want shots or Martini's."

A good, long awaited experience. Totally Tiki in motive, but wasted on the 'brutes'.

2. Trader Vic's, Chicago: I quite enjoyed it. Chi' Town knows how to feed'ya :) By the time we got there I was still full from the one slice of pizza i had earlier. I forced my self to sip down one delicious tower of grog on top of a giant plate of tilipia! My wife ordered the Black Stripe -- I can still see her staring accross the table at me from behind that big flaming skull :lol: It was definitely inspiring, and what I had expected but it didn't "Wow" me. As I sat there I imagined a Trader Vic's in it's prime (the original Mai Tai recipe intact). The hospitality was there, the tikis were there (I even tripped over one as I was leaving), but something was missing.

I'll have to check it out during a Tabu Tiki Night.

3. The Dock, Enon, Ohio:
   This is sort of an island/coastal/nautical themed local eatery. Patrons can gorge themselves on large portions of gormet deepfried creations, cocktails, and beer while classic raggae 8) or Margaritaville :roll: music plays. There are a few old-looking, probably local, Tiki carvings here and there accompanied by palm trees, glass floats, ship riggings, giant colorful fish, and Mexican and Caribean art. It's definitely not a Tiki bar but doesn't try to be. Tiki is simply part of the theme, and as such remains unspoiled!

-FB

[i]On 2004-10-28 19:45, Doctor Z wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Taboo Cove has already closed its doors permanently...

Such horrors are not true (at least not yet). It was the dance club C2K which is closed for remodeling.

FYI:

Taboo Cove is desribed on the venetian website:

Venus, at The Venetian, celebrates all that Las Vegas is: bright lights and wild nights. A place where pleasures are served with classic Vegas glamour and seduction. Escape inside to the club's Taboo Cove with its exotic drinks and energetic environment or socialize in the main room where table seating and bottle service are a standard and beautiful women attend to your every need. Venus brings the past and present together, combining the spirit and style of classic Vegas with the energy of today's nightlife scene. "Sin City is back and ready to serve guests."

[ Edited by: christiki295 on 2004-10-29 18:43 ]

Once it stopped being hi-art...and commanding the big money, of course it went to hell.

Still...I guess a place like Hulilau in Sacramento, (with some nice decor, and slurpee machine drinks) is better than nothing. I think what those places do it act as commercials for the places we all really like.

On 2004-10-29 18:37, christiki295 wrote:

[i]On 2004-10-28 19:45, Doctor Z wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Taboo Cove has already closed its doors permanently...

Such horrors are not true (at least not yet). It was the dance club C2K which is closed for remodeling.

FYI:

Taboo Cove is desribed on the venetian website:

Venus, at The Venetian, celebrates all that Las Vegas is: bright lights and wild nights. A place where pleasures are served with classic Vegas glamour and seduction. Escape inside to the club's Taboo Cove with its exotic drinks and energetic environment or socialize in the main room where table seating and bottle service are a standard and beautiful women attend to your every need. Venus brings the past and present together, combining the spirit and style of classic Vegas with the energy of today's nightlife scene. "Sin City is back and ready to serve guests."

[ Edited by: christiki295 on 2004-10-29 18:43 ]

If Taboo Cove has become extinct, it's no surprise to me. In respect to bosko's pure vision, the aesthetic and culture that compose it (Tiki) just don't seem to be consistant with the Vegas of today. It's all just business sense, as mentioned in previous posts, and indicitive of the modern nature of Las Vegas (a great fast-paced vacation to take your mind off of reality, but not for the laid back fantasy of a Tiki Bar). My 1st (and only) account of Vegas was awesome but accompanied by a side of humanity that has no interest in the subtle intrege of the world of TIKI. No offense... I'm glad to have experienced it in my lifetime but it's just not my kind of place. Taboo Cove is well deserving of a patronage that see's it as more than the sum of its parts, a site in So Cal or Los Cabos or Arizona... Colorado... Florida... Wisconsin... Ohio...(getting fainter as exits..)?

-FB

PS:
You've gotta love a good Copywrighter!

PPS:
(being Mr. Positive Post Nice Nice makes me want to vomit)

I love you TikiBong!

[ Edited by: FreakBear on 2004-10-29 21:07 ]

[ Edited by: FreakBear on 2004-10-29 21:27 ]

On 2004-10-28 08:29, Satan's Sin wrote:
Kono --

Lived in Tampa for awhile when I was a little kid. No white man would dare go into Ybor City after dark. Imagine my surprise when I went there recently and it's been turned into this cutesy-wootsey kinda-like Melrose Ave sort of place. Glad to hear, in a strange sort of way, that people are still getting shot and stabbed there.

Orlando. Man. That whole city is very strange, in my opinion. Sort of like Berlin in 1938, only with Mickey Mouse in charge instead of Hitler. No offense, Orlando tiki friends. But I am native-born Floridian, and have every right.

I drew a cartoon in high school that would accompany this well! Imagine that early Mickey cell where he's workin' the steamboat wheel singin'... cept instead of the wheel he's sportin' a stilletto and toutin' a bird!!!... Mickey, God love'm!

Hey DawanTiki and FreakBear,

If we ever decide to blow this hotdog stand called Earth, you want to be roomies?