Tiki Bar Review #15 Tiki Ti Los Angeles. CA

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Tiki Ti
Tiki Ti

I have a guilty pleasure: Kodachrome pictures!

Time machines haven’t been built yet, so the closest you can get to going back in time is looking at old pictures. Sadly, most pictures were taken in boring black and white back in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. Usually the film was cheap and those pictures have faded away anyway. Kodachrome pictures are different. They look vibrant, colorful, and alive. These pictures really are the closest you can get to seeing what the past was like. Or maybe there is another way to experience the past:

By tasting it!

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Tiki Bar Review #14 Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar Anaheim, CA

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Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

One of my favorite things to ask people is, “What got you into Tiki?” For some people, their first step was going to a Tiki bar for the first time. Another thing people tell me is a trip to Hawaii or someplace tropical got them interested in living the Tiki lifestyle. There is one last reason that is quite common, especially out on the West Coast, and that is Disneyland!

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Sophista-Tiki Togs Custom Made Aloha Shirts From Dawn Frasier

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Lifestyle
Sophista-Tiki Togs made to order shirts by Dawn Frasier
Sophista-Tiki Togs made to order shirts by Dawn Frasier

If you’re looking for cool a Hawaiian (Aloha) shirt, your search can be a little difficult. There are some stores that may sell Aloha shirts new, but usually the designs are not that cool or the material is cheap. Another route you can take on a search for a cool Aloha shirt is going to thrift or antique stores. I can tell you from my own experience that finding a shirt that is cool and actually fits from an antique shop is next to impossible, especially if you’re a bigger person.

Sophista-Tiki Togs custom made Aloha shirts
Sophista-Tiki Togs custom made Aloha shirts

Don’t fret though. Dawn Frasier has you covered! Dawn Frasier, aka Sophista-Tiki, makes custom made shirts that are super cool and guaranteed to fit every body type.

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Tiki Bar Review #13 The Golden Tiki Las Vegas, NV

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The Golden Tiki menu
The Golden Tiki menu

It’s all about escapism. It really is.

We all work hard and we all get into our own routines. One day turns into the next and before you know it you’re a decade older. Sometimes being able to escape from your day-to-day life and pretend you’re somewhere else is not only fun, but I think needed! Besides Disney, no place does escapism better than Las Vegas, NV.

Just walk down the Las Vegas Strip and choose your own adventure. Want to stay in a medieval castle? Want to be whisked away to Paris? How about New York City? Or even spend a weekend in a pyramid? You can do all these things and after a couple drinks, you’ll forget that you’re in the middle of the desert!

Yes, the people who design the hotels in Las Vegas have escapism down to a science. If you run a Tiki bar there, you have to up your game! Branden Powers, the owner of the Golden Tiki, rose up to the Las Vegas escapism challenge and came back with a full house! The Golden Tiki is awesome!

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Tiki VIP Spotlight #7 Martin Cate

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Rebecca and Martin Cate
Rebecca and Martin Cate

If there is anyone that should be considered a Tiki VIP, it has to be Martin Cate. Martin’s Tiki “resume” is just incredible! He has had his hand in several Tiki bars, including Forbidden Island, Hale Pele, Smuggler’s Cove, and San Diego’ False Island. Did I mention he also wrote one of the most important books on Tiki? It’s called Smuggler’s Cove, named after his bar. This book covers everything you want to know about Tiki and Tiki culture. It really is an essential read for anyone into the Tiki lifestyle.

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Tiki Bar Review #12 Frankie’s Tiki Room Las Vegas, NV

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Frankie's Tiki Room Las Vegas
Frankie’s Tiki Room Las Vegas

The punk rock/Tiki connection is alive and well with Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas, NV. If you’re a touring punk rock band, you’re well aware of the Double Down Saloon, which is “the” place to play in Vegas. Punk shows at the Double Down are legendary and the man behind such a cool place is P. Moss. P. Moss got together with Chris Andrasfay and bought Frankie’s, an old Vegas bar that only locals knew about, and made it what it is today: an incredible Tiki bar!

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Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #10 The Taboo Lagoon At The Shangri-La Portland, OR

Posted by Ray on in Home Tiki Bars
Aaron behing the bar at The Atomic Lounge
Aaron behing the bar at The Atomic Lounge

When Aaron Thorpe came across his home to be, he took one look at the place and said, “It’s mine.” There’s something about Mid-Century Modern homes that just look so cool and so right. Aaron’s place looks like something straight out of Palm Springs and it’s located in Portland, OR. Aaron has created a home Tiki bar, which is located outside by his pool.  It is incredible, but there is so much more to see at Aaron’s home that it would be a crime to not show off the rest of it!

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Tiki VIP #6 Rod Moore (The Shameful Tiki Room Canada)

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Rod Moore with Tiki mugs
Rod Moore with Tiki mugs

The Shameful Tiki Room will always have a special place in my heart. It’s where I came up with the idea of starting this blog!

I heard there was a Tiki bar up in Vancouver, BC and I decided to take a little road trip up to check it out. When I finally made it through the border patrol into Vancouver, I arrived at the Shameful Tiki Room. As I walked up to the place, I noticed all the windows were covered up. My first thought was that the bar was closed or under construction. I figured I came this far, so I might as well try the door. It opened and I stepped inside to a very dark room. Once my eyes adjusted to lack of light, I realized I was in a really cool Tiki bar! I got a seat at the bar and started ordering drinks. They were good, like Tiki Ti good! The windows out front were covered on purpose to block out the realities of outside. Great idea!  I thought whoever owns this bar is in the know when it comes to Tiki. I was right! That guy is Rod Moore and I had a chance to ask him a couple questions.

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Home Tiki Bar Spotlight #9 Trader Tom’s Tropical Lounge At Drifter’s Cove Tacoma, WA

Posted by Ray on in Home Tiki Bars 1 Comment
Renee and Tom at Trader's Tom's Tropical Lounge
Renee and Tom at Trader’s Tom’s Tropical Lounge

In the Pacific Northwest, Tacoma has always had a bad rap. It’s an unfair because it’s being compared to Seattle. Tacoma may not be as big as Seattle, but it sure has some pretty nice neighborhoods. Titlow is a part of Tacoma that is right off the Puget Sound. The neighborhood is known for its giant park (Titlow Park). It’s very stunning. In Titlow you will find Trader Tom’s Tropical Lounge at Drifter’s Cove…

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