A little bit of the South Pacific in the North Atlantic

Hi all,
Maine is not a place you think of when you think of the tiki culture.

However, I am doing my best to warm this place up a little.

My "Lava Lounge" is now finished enough to post here.

Check it out at
http://www.geocities.com/strathkinnessjb/tiki/lavalounge.htm

It will always be a work in progress. We have to find more art, more appropriate furniture, and of course, more mugs.

But I hope you all appreciate this as a start.

--SBiM

I'm guessing you are suffering a little bit less these days. It's obvious you're having fun with it.

Thanks. Yes. I am having fun with it. But there is so much more I can do. I am jealous of the folks in California who have access to so much more. And of course I am jealous of the folks who have more money and can buy more stuff. But not so much that I feel like my place is inadequate.

Hell, it's probably the hottest tiki bar in Maine!

--SBiM

It might even be the only tiki bar in Maine.

Inadequate ? I should say not ! ! ! Hell, I'd drink there in a New York second.OK,a Maine minute.I really like your Tikis, especially the first one on the bamboo background.I think you're off to a killer start.

I have a glass from a Sings Polynesian Restaurant, that was located in Bangor. I have no idea if Sings is still there, but it is comforting to know that Maine did at least once have a Polynesian restaurant.

Vern

I don't think Sings is still there. There recently was a polynesian place in Saco that just burned to the ground. It had no tiki though. They say they are going to rebuild. Over Labor Day weekend, we plan on hitting a couple of the good places just north of Boston.

Sax, thanks for the compliment. Right now I don't have access to clay and a kiln, so I can't make more like those any time soon. However, I think there is a pottery co-op in town where I could make more. By the way, the black background on the other one is black velvet.

--SBiM

Cool bar dude! Looks a lot better than the ol top hat room. Very cool. Make sure you keep us updated with any changes you make.

Of course. I plan on getting bamboo coverings for the couple of walls that are still concrete.
and mugs mugs mugs!

--SBiM

Your Lava Lounge is very cool even to California standards which by the way is not as TiKi as you might think...
but it is 80 today in shorts at the BBQ. (Had to rub it in)

i really love that carpet! they're glue-down squares? cool!

yours is a big space (which is great for entertaining) ~ but it does seem like it takes forever to fill it in (but i'll happen, i assure you!)

thanks for sharing pix!

Today is cool and gloomy, but I kind of like that. It makes the contrast with my Lava Lounge all the better.

Yeah, the carpet tiles are the way to go if you are going to do it yourself. I was going to buy from Flor (www.interfaceflor.com) but then we found these at our surplus place.

I was thinking, many of the carpet companies are based in Georgia, so after a hurricane hitting there, there will probably be a lot of carpet tiles at surplus stores.

The biggest thing I still need to do is put something on the outer concrete walls. It just will take a lot of extra effort, because I will have to get furring strips and a special nail gun that goes into concrete before I can attach anything to it. At least the color isn't too bad for now.

--SBiM

SB - The Lava Lounge looks sweet man! Nice mug collection too. Looks like we might have another place to add to the New England group's possible destinations:)

If you look at the latest entries of the "tiki finds" thread, you will see that I just scored two new mugs and a bamboo shelf this weekend to add to the collection. :)

--SBiM

Well Sweden is not the place for tiki either but who cares.
Great work with your lounge. I really enjoy to look at before and after-picures. Thanks for posting and have a lot of great time in your bar!