Dieter Weber, the man behind some of the great photographs you see here on Tiki With Ray, happened to be in Kansas City. It looks like my photographer made it to TikiCat before I did! That’s cool with me, because he came back with tons of great photographs and a write up as well! I’ll let Dieter take it from here…
Continue reading “Guest Tiki Bar Review – TikiCat Kansas City, MO by Dieter Weber”
It all started with some fake palm trees on sale…
John Mumford has been into the Tiki since he was in middle school. His parents actually let him build his own Tiki bar in the furnace room. Those are some cool parents! Fast-forward to 2009. John found some fake palm trees on sale for $50 at a hardware store tent sale and he couldn’t pass up them up! The rest they say is history. Here is John’s story…
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #33 Aloha Theater and Tiki Bar Denver, CO”
Sometimes the action isn’t happening in the middle of a city. Instead, sometimes it’s happening in a strip mall far out in a town called Des Plaines.
Tiki Terrace is located in an unassuming shopping center. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but head on in and you’ll find yourself in a full-on Hawaiian luau!
Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #41 Tiki Terrace Des Plaines, IL”
Remember those “big eyes” paintings?
I do! These were paintings of children with big heads with even bigger eyes and I remember seeing them everywhere when I was kid. The artist’s name was Margaret Keane and her paintings were quite cute.
When I first saw Christine Benjamin’s art, it reminded me of Keane’s paintings, which at the same time reminded me of my childhood! I know I’m not the only one who has been moved this way by Christine’s art. Here is Christine’s story…
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #28 Christine Benjamin (Tiki Artist)”
The Creature from the Black Lagoon was always my favorite monster. He’s my favorite color (green) and was in 3-D! Katie Monachos and Pete Klockau are on the same page with me. They took the basement of their home in Milwaukee and converted it into a Tiki bar with a nod to the Creature from the Black Lagoon for good measure! Here is their story…
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #32 The Black Lagoon Room Milwaukee, WI”
TikiTronic makes songs from the 80’s sound even more like the 80’s! –Ray Wyland
Star Wars Tiki mugs!
I couldn’t believe that two of my biggest loves have been merged. I didn’t have to think about which mug I was going to get: I was getting them all! Who thought of this awesome idea? Brandon Giraldez…
And he isn’t stopping with Star Wars. He’s only just begun…
Imagine if Studio 54 had a Tiki bar…
“Canned Heat” from Jamiroquai is pumping through the speakers at Three Dots and a Dash as I sip my 1944 Mai-Tai. I love Jamiroquai, but as a punk rocker I’ve always considered them to be a “guilty pleasure.” But I digress. My Mai-Tai is top-notch, but am I cool with dance music at a Tiki bar? Let’ see…
Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #40 Three Dots and a Dash Chicago, IL”
The Turkeymingo Club.
What a mysterious name for a Tiki bar, right? But the mystery doesn’t end there! There are hidden ducks and other treasures to be found in Kristy and Miguel’s Tiki escape. How did the Turkeymingo Club came to be? It started with a man learning how to make cocktails…
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #31 The Turkeymingo Club Portland, OR”
The man behind the curtain.
I know it’s a Wizard Of Oz reference, but it’s fitting with Brandon Kleyla. He literally was the man behind making both Trader Sam’s locations what they are. Everything you see was hand picked by Brandon. You’d like to think that Walt Disney himself is somehow still pulling the strings making Disney the magical place that it is. Well, sadly old Walt is no longer with us, but his spirit is alive and well with people like Brandon Kleyla. Here is his story… Continue reading “Tiki VIP #26 Brandon Kleyla (The Man Behind Trader Sam’s)”
