In 2007, Sarah and Robb met for the first time in Austin, Texas and started dating.
In 2009, Sarah moved up to Seattle to be with Robb, full-time.
In 2014, Robb proposed to Sarah on top of the Fairmount Hotel. She said yes!
That was July. They celebrated by drinking Tiki drinks at The Tonga Room!
In October of 2014, they moved into a beautiful bungalow in Ballard and created a perfect Mid-Century home.
Then they decided they needed a Tiki bar, so they turned their porch into the Bungalow.
More importantly, Sarah and Robb got married in 2016! I will let Robb fill in the blanks below…
What’s the Tiki scene like in Seattle?
Robb– I’m not very tapped into any scene in Seattle, but I’ve met a few talented bartenders managing to squeeze a “Tiki night” into their restaurant / bar schedule, usually falling on a slow early-week evening.
However, there is an upside. It’s fun to be a part of something small and inclusive, as well as educational and mind-expanding (and altering). Being able to grill one of these bartenders about the age, origin, blend, etc. of the rums they’re pouring isn’t nearly as possible when I’m fighting a throng of imbibers at Smuggler’s Cove, for example. Shout out to Alex, Nick ,and Essex’s Tiki Tuesday for allowing me to pick their brains.
That said, the more the merrier, both in regards to Tiki bars and Tikiphiles. One of my most favorite aspects of Tiki culture is the inclusiveness, which my wife Sarah calls “rum-radery.” It’s a lack of a “cooler than you” vibe, which can run rampant in a lot of obscure/left-of-center scenes. Having played and worked in the music industry for many years now, I’m pretty burnt out on all that.
What brought you into the “Tiki lifestyle” and how long has it been part of your life?
Robb- Ah, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday…
It was Friday, October 22, 2010. My now-wife/then-girlfriend Sarah and I overheard a voice, a whisper on the air, recommending a mysterious destination in the lowest level of the famed Fairmont Hotel in the beautiful Nob Hill neighborhood in San Francisco. The button in the elevator said “Tonga.” We knew not whether we went up or down, but when the doors parted and the hallway was behind us, we stood at the threshold of a gateway to a world of wonder.
I was actually in SF for my niece’s baptism, and I too was baptized that weekend, albeit with a stronger liquid. I was pretty green for her ceremony (sorry sis), but I had been converted. Once I learned that the Tonga Room was just one piece of the whole Tiki-Pop movement, from Christian’s Hut to now, that whole history really blew me away and drew me in. Years later, Sarah and I were engaged on the roof of the Fairmont and quickly made our way down to the Tonga Room to celebrate.
But before that, for almost seven years, I had actually lived in a house in Frelard (lovingly referred to as the Wolf) with a genuine 1940s bamboo Tiki bar that was sun-bleached, cigarette burned, and generally partied on. We threw many a party, including a pretty awesome Tiki party for Sarah’s 25th birthday in 2010. I love that bar. I tried to buy it off the owner, but he sent me a Craigslist link to the bar I now call mine. Thanks Dex.
What made you decide to build your own Tiki bar?
Robb- After I saw the Tonga Room, I was instantly hanging nets, shells, etc. on the ceilings and walls around my roommate’s Tiki bar. When Sarah and I moved in together at our current spot, we were both intrigued and baffled by the strange indoor, greenhouse-like room that hangs off the front of our house, facing west. It was once an outdoor deck, but the owners glassed it in so as to enjoy it for most of Seattle’s calendar year. It’s a weird, narrow, leaky, and sometimes smelly space, but everyone who saw it agreed: Tiki bar.
Can you give a little history of how the Bungalow came together?
Robb- My aforementioned roommate sent me on a quest to procure the actual bar. I bought it from a Hawaii native who, after moving to Seattle, bought it before even purchasing a bed or dresser. It was a steal because his sister, who was housing it, wanted it out of her life ASAP. It’s a beast, but I gladly moved it in to my place with the help of a good friend (thanks Cam). It’s kind of blurry after that, but once I secured that bar, it’s been non-stop. I first covered the ceiling with bamboo and reed fencing. I tied fish nets onto glass floats and turned baskets and other sundries into lamps, Eli Hedley-style. I go “beach combing” at my local Goodwill and Value Village, searching for mugs and early-to-Mid Century South Seas-themed books. I recently refinished a Paul Frankl-style bamboo couch with end-tables, which all came out quite beautifully, if I do say so myself. My biggest score came from an older gent in Interbay. Sarah and I refer to him as Crabber Steve. I gave him $40 and he filled my car to the brim with used nets, floats, nylon and hemp rope. It’s taken me months to hang it all, but I’m glad to say I’ve reached a near-point of completion. Although, they say a true Tiki bar is never quite done…
What is your favorite Tiki drink? Why?
Robb- Most days, it’s the Myrtle Bank Punch. I skew toward the rich ingredients often found in Don’s concoctions and this one is simple, yet outstanding, which is always a difficult balance to achieve.
I also love the idea of Don and Vic both lounging at the Patio Bar of Jamaica’s Myrtle Bank Hotel in the ’20s or ’30s, both enjoying it, but also trying to figure it out. Ultimately, they both reinterpret it in their own way and make something completely new. It’s a great and delicious metaphor for the whole Tiki-Pop culture.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Robb- For reasons mentioned previously, the Tonga Room is up there. It’s pure magic. Although, I agree with most people in that the drinks leave something to be desired. It’s hard to find a spot that ticks all the boxes. I know you love the Foundation Bar in my home state of Wisconsin and I totally agree. It’s pretty much the full package, but I do like a bit more grime on my Tiki bars. Speaking of grime: Tiki Ti. I am amazed that they can make gallons of Myers’s rum and tubs of lime juice concentrate taste so incredibly good. I love that place. Pagan Idol blew Sarah and me away. When they “dock” at the island and open the back door? So much fun. Also, I should give a shout out to Tacoma Cabana and Hale Pele, two NW spots that know what they’re doing. I narrowed it to six bars.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Robb- The drinks and drink vessels are of course important, but if you’re looking to fully embrace the escapism that is Tiki, you cannot do it without many other elements. For me, the physical space is tantamount to the whole of Tiki. Dim colored lighting, natural materials (bamboo, thatch, etc.), nautical/oceanic materials (glass floats, nets, puffer fish, shells, etc.), wooden art and carvings (Tikis, Witco, etc.), Exotica and vintage Hawaiian steel guitar music is a must (see next Q&A). For me, the stuff that puts it all over the top is the old stuff; the nods to the rich history of Tiki. A vintage Trader Vic’s mug, a matchbook from a Don The Beachcomber, a menu from Kon Tiki, cocktails napkins from the Luau—that’s my sweet spot. Also, aloha wear is a must. I just bought my first cabana suit and it is slamming.
Do you feel that music has an important role in creating a great Tiki experience? What would be some of your favorite artists and albums?
Robb- 1000%. I’m overly focused on music wherever I am, which can be annoying. I’ve been to a good number of Tiki bars, and the ones that really stand out are the spots that play the right music. It’s essential. I haven’t done a deep-dive into the world of Exotica. Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman and Les Baxter seem to appease my needs there. I love vintage Hawaiian music and old steel guitar stuff. Rounder Records did some vintage comps of steel guitar masters and great singers from the late ’20s. Webley Edwards and Hilo Hawaiians are great. “My Little Grass Shack” always puts me in a good mood. Try the rendition by Tiny & His Hawaiian Bubbles.
What does the future hold for you and the Bungalow?
Robb- The future is blurry, but we’re planning a few Bungalow throw-downs before doing anything rash. Sarah and I are getting increasingly more serious about leaving Seattle for a few grand adventures before we’re too old to uproot ourselves. Plus, this town is looking less and less familiar and costing more and more. Diminishing returns. I moved here in 1999 and I’ll add my voice to the growing din of complaints: how the hell are these developers getting approval for the wholesale demolition and transformation of this town?
Anything else you would like to add?
Robb– Rum has been misunderstood and maligned since the repeal of prohibition. That’s changing thanks to the published Tiki-elite of today, like Jeff Berry and Martin Cate, but I’d like to simply say “There’s a rum for you.” I recently converted my dad, a gin man, with a rum old fashioned that utilized Abuelo 7 year. Now he asks every bartender whether they’ve heard of it. I hope that someday soon, the bartenders will actually say, “Yes, it’s delicious. Would you like one?” Come one, come all!
I’d like to thank Yovany for all his awesome pictures used for this post.
