Slice of life. It’s one of my favorite forms of entertainment. I have always loved looking at old photographs or watching home videos of people just living their lives. I like to see what people were wearing, what the homes looked like, what the cars looked like, etc. No one has invented a time machine yet, so slice of life videos and photographs are the closest we can get to going back in time…
Continue reading “Tiki Video Spotlight #1 Cinerama South Seas Adventure Movie”
Imagine you wanted to make your own Tiki bar but you were “good with tools.” The possibilities would be endless! If you can dream it, you can build it and that’s what Dana Fryer, aka Cabana Man, did with his place. Dana wanted a bar, so he built it. He wanted a tide pool, so he built one. How about a cave? No problem, it only took Dana 74 beers to build one. The name of Dana’s Tiki escape is called the Cabana. Here is his story…
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #12 The Cabana Aloha OR”
The last time my good buddy Matt flew in from the East Coast, we headed south to Tacoma to visit one of his favorite Tiki Bars, Tacoma Cabana (click here to read all about it). As always when enjoying the brilliant concoctions of mixologist Jason Alexander, the drinks flowed late into that beautiful evening.
Naturally after a late night, caffeine was in order the following morning. Because Matt is as much a fan of a “damn good cup of coffee” as he is a finely crafted cocktail—and because I like to keep things local—we paid a visit to Pete’s Coffee. This is Seattle after all!
Like clockwork, coffee conversations turned to the subject of music and we were discussing one of our mutual favorites: surf rock by way of St. Petersburg, Russia, the Messer Chups. They were scheduled to play this year’s Tiki Oasis in San Diego. Sadly, neither of us would be in attendance to catch their show. Matt mentioned an old friend of his living in the San Diego area, Raul, who would likely be there. Matt knew Raul from the New York City area music scene where they shared a common interest and friends in the noise/experimental/industrial scene. At first, I was surprised that someone into that kind of music would be into the Tiki culture. Matt went on to explain Raul’s involvement in the Church of Satan, which I honestly knew nothing about, let alone that there was a Tiki/Satanist connection. I wondered how Raul got into Tiki. Were there other Satanists into Tiki and is there a connection between these lifestyles?
Needless to say, my interest in these crossovers meant I had plenty more questions for Raul. Matt suggested that I simply ask him myself. That’s exactly what I did. Not only did Raul answer my questions, he passed them along to Peggy Nadramia and she gave her answers as well. Peggy is the High Priestess of the Church Of Satan, she also has her own blog about mixed drinks called Cocktail Vultures!
Continue reading “Unlikely Tiki #1 Raul Antony with Peggy Nadramia (COS)”
Hey Gang! Please click here to check out my guest post over at Acan Review. This time I’m talking about one of my favorite rums: Havana Club!
I’m not going to celebrate Halloween this year…
I’m going to celebrate HULAween with the Ukadelics!
Continue reading “Voodoo Island Hulaween with The Ukadelics! Café Racer Seattle, WA 10/29/30”
Boy and girls, today’s word is “Tiger Fu@#ker.”
Who would’ve thought to create a Tiki drink that mixes the flavors of huckleberry and jalapeno? I have the answer. It’s the Aku Aku in downtown Orlando, Florida!
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #13 The Shangri-La 66 Seattle, WA”
The San Fernando Valley has many names. Some people refer to it as “the Valley.” Others may call it “North Hollywood.” The “No” in Tiki No is a reference to North Hollywood. The Valley has the oldest Tiki bar in So-Cal, which is the Tonga Hut. Now the Valley has the newest one with Tiki No. Visiting two great Tiki bars is totally worth the trip to North Hollywood!
Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #18 Tiki No North Hollywood, CA”
Most artists use brushes and paint to create their art, but Brian Rechenmacher does it differently. He uses his computer! Taking full advantage of the technology that we have today, Brian creates Tiki and Disney themed “paintings” that are truly stunning and very cool. On top of being a digital Tiki artist, Brian has spent time behind the bar mixing Tiki cocktails at Trader Sam’s at Disneyland and Forbidden Island in Alameda, CA. Sometimes, Brian takes off the Aloha shirt and slips on a shirt and tie to make craft cocktails at Five Points in San Jose.
I had a chance to ask Brian a couple questions…
The late ’80s/early ’90s was a great time for music and no, I’m not talking about grunge! There started to be a renewed interest in music from the Mid-Century, music like jazz, swing, exotica, surf, and lounge. It was mostly punk and alternative types that re-discovered all this great music and leather jackets and boots were replaced with suits and skinny ties.
Russell Scheidelman is one of these punks who got turned on to this great music from the ’60s and went head-on into the Seattle lounge scene. Russell is one sharped-dressed man who channels Andy Warhol and John Steed from the Avengers.
Continue reading “Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #11 The Blue Flamingo And The Bowler Hat Club Seattle, WA”
