Tiki In The North East (USA that is)

I know we're the quiet corner but I'd like to get a little input. We are the farthest away from any real tropical Polynesian influence so any Tiki siting is a joy.
Two examples are.
1: In lovely Brass City "Waterbury" CT we have a watch museaum by Timex. Very expensive and exclusive watches. Swiss I think. Anyway the theme is "Time". I have a copy of the flyer at http://home.att.net/~eagleson/wsb/html/view.cgi-photos.html-MerchantID-127916-Publish-t-makestatic-true-skip-10.html
2: On route 6 on Cape Cod MA right near Brownies Cabins is a Junk ..er Antique shop across the street. Along the street in front is a 6' Moai Statue made of stone. I'll get a picture soon.

I live in rural Maryland and I know the feeling of living in an area pretty devoid of tiki or polynesian influence - I can't even find Hawaiian records at the thrift shops around here, let alone any tiki mugs. My best discovery of tiki here in Maryland is in Ocean City about three hours south of me - A couple tiki themed miniature golf courses - one with great carved tikis, the other with fiberglass Moai! The other is a tiki bar that is actually an hour away from me in Washington DC called the Politiki. They have pretty cool tiki mugs in the shape of former presidents - I got FDR and Reagan!

:drink:

Aloha! Good to hear from some people on the East siiii-eeeede! I live just outside Philadelphia, PA and the closest "Tiki" thing to me is the lamest theme resturant I have ever seen named Kahunaville.

They have these two huge "talking" animatronic(sp?) tikis. I forget thier names, probably something like "lame" and "lame-o" greeting you at the front door. The rest of the resturant is just a HUGE arcade game room... aarrrggg the sounds, the flashing lights... my head, my head!!

Here is the link to their website "The Legend of Kahunaville" The tiki name is Rotten Rob... huh?

click if you dare...
http://www.kahunaville.com/legend.htm

BTW, it's located in the food court at the local mall.... need I say anymore?

I went to the Kahunaville in the Treaure Island hotel in Las Vegas. The ambiance is not the best, I agree. But I also didn't see any animatronic tikis, alas! It just seemed rather surf-ish as opposed to exotic. However, my husband and I both found the food to be excellent, and presented very festively in large portions. We also got strawberry margaritas there, which were also huge and excellent, even if the gummy worm looked a little out of place... :) All in all, we found it an enjoyable experience as a "place to eat while we wait to be seated for Cirque du Soleil" kind of thing.

I don't know,
There's something twistedly appealing to me about talking Tiki's in the local mall's food court. A blending of Kitsch past and present perhaps? Okay, no. I guess not.

But thanks for the link. I downloaded some of the coloring pages for my Preschool students. I'm always looking for opportunities to indoctrinate the kids with Pseudo-Polynesia.

Don't forget the Kowloon, North of Boston.

http://www.kowloonrestaurant.com/

Anywhere that has a Volcano room, a Tiki room, and welcomes Terry O'Reilly amongst it's celebrity customers is ok by me.

Trader Woody

http://www.kowloonrestaurant.com/
Wow!!! I gotta make a roadtrip to Boston!!

Just Cool,
Johntiki

:drink:

I am off to D.C. in the morning so I am glad to hear the Politiki is still there. If anyone can get me their address this evening I would greatly appreciate it.
Also, for those anywhere near the Beltway: you absolutely must go to the Honolulu Restaurant in Alexandria, Va. It is a tiny bit of paradise near the Huntington metro stop. The owner is a bartender who learned his craft at the Trader Vics in Washington,DC. The place is very tiki inside, but small and nondescript outside. Drinks are wonderful and served in mugs -- which you can buy. I found this place in 1982 when I lived down the street from it and used to go all the time. I went back last year (I moved to Florida in 1989) and it was just the same. If I have time tomorrow, I am going there for any early dinner and then to the airport. Enjoy.

does anyone know about any websites for the honolulu restaurant in arlington or poli-tiki in d.c.?

:sheckymug: :sheckymug: :sheckymug: :sheckymug:
Tiki Chris

[ Edited by: Tiki Chris on 2002-04-11 05:59 ]

Politiki used to have a website a couple of years ago, where they showed off the interior as well as the amazing ex-prez themed Tiki mugs they used to sell. Sadly it's gone the way of the bar....

A clip from the Washington post,
"Politiki, the bar that brought a bit of Polynesia to Capitol Hill, has undergone a serious makeover. The signs outside still say Politiki, but walk inside and you're in for a shock. Gone are the tiki-shaped ceramic mugs and the tiki heads shaped like political figures; in their place, pictures of steel mills, train sets and Rolling Rock ads. What the heck is going on?

The first floor has been turned into the Penn Ave. Pourhouse, a Pittsburgh-themed bar. Iron City beer trays, a collection of Western Pennsylvania road signs, and old beer cans set the mood. But what's captured the attention of customers so far is the collection of Mr. Rogers memorabilia hanging in a glass case over the door, including King Friday and Lady Elaine Fairchild puppets."

Oh god nooooooo.....

Trader Woody

Yes the first floor is now the "Pourhouse", but I thought the basement was still the "Politiki".

Can someone please confirm this for me? I'll be in DC area this July and was going to stop by.

SullTiki

[ Edited by: SullTiki on 2002-04-11 07:12 ]

Don't get me wrong, I'm no huge fan of Kahunaville or the Rainforest Cafe, but I'm certainly not against them. Think about it - these may be the very places our kids will be collecting memorabilia from 30 years from now.

When I asked my mom if she ever went to the Ports of Call (big fancy tiki joint) here in Toronto back in the 60s and 70's sha said she never went cause she thought it was 'too tacky and commercial'.

Sound familiar?

Hey! I said I'd never be like my parents!

Kahunaville and The Rainforest Cafe (and the lot), may have a place in future coolness 8)
It's just not in the here and now :P

I agree with you tikifish and I am not really against them. I just think they could do a better job all-around... for my tastes anyway.

Now if I could just keep these dag-darn-nabid #%@!# kids off my lawn! :D

Yes the Politiki is still there - the tiki bar is in the basement - at least it still was when I was there in January! There is also a great Thai place a couple stores down - it sure beats the "bar grub" that Politiki offers.

Just Cool,
Johntiki

I went to Poli-Tiki yesterday (04/11/02)around 4 pm. It is still there in the basement and they do sell the mugs. Unfortunately, they didn't open until 5 pm and I sorely needed to visit the Honolulu Restaurant before I left town. I'll be back in D.C. at the end of the month and promise to go back for a look see. Poli-Tiki is between 3rd and Forth Streets on Pennsylvannia Ave. S.E. (on Capitol Hill).

Ahhhh, the Honolulu Restaurant... If I could open a tiki bar this would be it. Completely annoymous on the outside, a bit of paradise seating no more than 40 on the inside. Okay, so everything is looking a little long in the tooth (tusk?). The fishnets have lost their starch. The carved coconut monkeys are starting to fray. The bamboo is so brittle flamming volcanos should be served with oxygen masks and fire extinguishers.
Nevermind, because after 24 years at the same location the owner/bartender David Chan is one of the nicest gentlemen on the planet, and his wife the most warm and charming of hostesses.
When I re-introduced myself last night as a loyal patron from 1980's, they were delighted but unphased because they probably hear the same thing all the time.
To sum up, I arrived at 4:30, had a Scorpion and a few dumplings, purchased a mug and a tiki shot glass, ordered a Mai-Tai and got David to autograph an old menu for me. Well, not the original (and beautiful) menu -- they showed it to me but said it was a precious keepsake. Afterwards he pulled out his personal menu from TV's in DC -- where he learned his craft -- and pointed to some of his favorite mugs and glasses. The whole thing was so touching and authentic...
Thankfully they said business was very good and they had just had new menus printed. Location is on Telegraph Road in Alexandria on the outer side of the beltway.

Got back from my second trip to DC this month and finally made it to the Poli-Tiki.
I arrived around 5 PM, took a few pictures of the exterior and then noticed it said closed on Sunday. Since Poli-Tiki is in the basement of a Steelers' bar that was open, I went inside and unburdened myself to the bartender about how I had come here twice only to be disappointed. "No problem," he said, "the bar is actually open. Go downstairs, take some pictures, check out the drinks and let Sharky know what you want." Sharky was the bartender for Poli-Tiki, but he was in the Steelers bar playing video golf. To be continued...

The interior of the Poli-Tiki is kind of like a Polynesian-pop rec room. There's a juke box with rock and alternative music CDs, two pool tables, a TV, tikis here and there, gras matting, bamboo, shelves with mug collections, rattan sofas and chairs, Shag and Ryden prints, some Bosko masks mixed with some other old stuff on the walls. Overall it was okay, but could have been better and maybe it was when it first opened and occupied the entire building.
Anyway, I took some pictures and then had to go back upstairs to fetch Sharky and ask him to make me a drink. "What's your specialty," I asked scanning the abreviated and mostly unfamiliar drink menu. "It's the Shark Attack," he replied. "I invented it." duh.
Sharky also told me his drink would be featured in the next issue of Playboy. Okay, that's something we'll all have to go out and buy.
As you would expect, I dutifully ordered the barkeeps special (in an FDR mug for $14.99 -- mugs also available as Lincoln, Nixon, Reagan and Carter)and then trooped back unpstairs to fetch a cigar.
While upstairs the other bartender said apologetically, "you can bring your drink up here if you want."
No thanks, Is aid, and went back downstairs and sat at the tiki bar smoking my cigar and examining every tiki detail of the place.
Whether this place comes alive or not 9-10-11 PM is beyond me, but I had a sinking feeling the votoers on Capitol Hill were getting ready to turn this place out of office.

Well sad news...I was on the Cape for Easter and the giant Easter Island Head on rt 6 is not in his usual place. He's been there for years. I'll get back up there and inquire to its new home.