There’s just something about a smoking chimp wearing a fez that really resonates with many people…
It’s lowbrow art at its finest. There’s mugs, paintings and a home tiki bar named in honor of this fez wearing monkey! It’s called The Smoking Monkey Tiki Lounge. It’s Lola and Jimmy’s tiki bar in their back yard and it’s in Vegas Baby! Their story is a tale of punk, tiki and a love of all things mid-century. Read on…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Las Vegas has a great Tiki scene. Not only because of Frankie’s, Golden Tiki, Tiki Di Amore and now Red Dwarf, but the home tiki scene is really good as well. I started the Sin City Tiki Group a couple years ago with Will from Tiki Classics and Tiki Lee from Tiki Lee’s Tiki Shop and we now have over 300 members. We try to have meetups every other month, rotating between the different home tiki bars. We’ve even talked about doing a Vegas Tiki crawl at some point, but the logistics of putting something like that together can be a lot. Not saying it will never happen, it just has to be planned out very well.
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Jimmy – For me, it all started growing up in Southern California. My Mom would take me as a kid back in the 70s to the Bahooka in Rosemead and I thought it was magical. I obviously didn’t call it tiki back then but just knew it had a cool Hawaiian vibe that I love. We also had friends in the area that lived in the apartment complexes with all the Polynesian vibes and I just remember how much I loved it.
Lola – I grew up a typical suburban kid of the 70s, and remember shows like Gilligan’s Island and the classic Brady Bunch Goes to Hawaii episode on the T.V. I also fondly remember my grandmother’s kitschy backyard summer decor, and all the drinks with the little umbrellas.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
We both became re-acquainted with tiki during the mid-century modern revival of the last 20 years, and its accompanying art, music and fashion cultures. For over 15 years we’ve visited many tiki bars all over the world and have collected mugs, artwork and decorative pieces, always with the intention of showing them off in our very own bar. Jimmy even played in a surf/garage tiki inspired band called “Doctor Bombay and The Atomic Bachelor Pad” which just added to our obsession.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
The Smoking Monkey…. It’s funny, we didn’t really want to go the way of using Polynesian wording to describe it. We’re both old punks and our bar is really more of that aesthetic. Looking around at our collection, we realized how many monkey’s we had in sculptures and different artwork. I think the idea of a chimp in a fez smoking and drinking a Mai Tai just describes our vibe perfectly. For one, don’t take us seriously. This is a tiki bar in the backyard of a home in the desert. Nothing and Everything about that sentence makes sense. Second, knowing the people in my circle of friends, if I walked into one of their houses and there was a chimp with a fez on chilling out, I’d just be like “What’s up”.
What is your favorite tiki drink?
Lola – Painkillers. I love the creaminess of the coconut and pineapple is my favorite fruit juice in tiki drinks and the earthiness of nutmeg just sets it off right.
Jimmy – Singapore Sling – When I was in the Navy, whether it was actually in Singapore, the Philippines or Japan, I would always order one. I have no idea how consistent the flavor was back then, but it was a drink that just stood out to me. To this day, I will judge a tiki bar on how they prepare it.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
I’d say for both of us it’s Frankie’s. Even prior to moving to Vegas, it was our first stop immediately after our plane would land. It has everything a good tiki bar should have. It’s dark, SMOKEY, a bit on the punk side of things and it’s a dive. Neither of us smoke, but we don’t mind it. To me that’s just part of it. There are so many cool bars we’ve been to around the world, but Frankie’s will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Immersion and the concept that you are not where you think you are. When I sit in the Monkey, I truly forget about what’s going on outside those walls. At that moment, I’m there. Surrounded by all the cool stuff I like, with people I love and enjoying a delicious drink. Whether my music is Martin Denny, Los Straightjackets, or Joy Division, I’m in my zone and nothing else matters.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
I don’t think you ever stop collecting. As we come across interesting items to add, we’ll definitely include it into the collection. The exterior is where more focus will go with some good wood carvings and as our plants grow and mature, the mix of tropical and desert will enhance the overall look.
Anything else you would like to add?
I’d just say for those either thinking about building their bar or just starting out, DO IT! Don’t overthink it and don’t be jealous of others’ bars. Each home tiki bar is unique and at the end of the day, should be an expression of yourself. Also, don’t be afraid to chat up others in your community that you believe are in the tiki scene. This is a smaller community than you realize and most are very welcoming and ready to share some Ohana with newcomers.
