When you start getting into Tiki bars you realize quickly that not all Tiki bars are created equal. There are different ways you can go with a Tiki theme. I’m mostly into the traditional Tiki bar. I like Tiki bars that provide an escape and create a mood of relaxation…
Hale Pele from the back view
Then there is the punk rock Tiki bar, which creates neither of these things, but that’s not a bad thing!
Ray Pete and Byron at The Lava Lounge Seatle WA
So what makes a Tiki bar a punk rock Tiki bar? More importantly, why are they still cool even though they go against everything that makes a traditional Tiki bar so great?
The TV show Portlandia has made the city of Portland famous. It’s a really funny show that pokes fun at some of stereotypes about Portland’s residents. The parodies are pretty much spot on. Portland has a very big cycling scene, cute little shops selling bric-a-brac, punk rockers, hippies, punk rock hippies, and more organic food shops that anyone could ask for. But when I think of Portland, I think of one thing: Tiki bars! Portland has not one, but three! It has the Alibi, Trader Vic’s, and last but not least, Hale Pele.
Today is Tuesday March 15. I saw the news that Trader Vic’s in Portland OR had a fire and it’s looking like they won’t be reopening. This is very sad news…
When you have a friend come into Seattle from the East Coast and he likes Tiki bars, there is one place you have to take him. Sadly, that place is not in Seattle but in Tacoma! It’s the Tacoma Cabana, to be exact. Tacoma is about 45 minutes south of Seattle (with no traffic). For a bar to worth such a drive, it must be good!
So right off the bat, I know that an Italian soda isn’t really a Tiki drink. However, depending on what syrup you use, it totally could be! There isn’t any alcohol in an Italian soda, so this would be great for non-drinkers or even kids. This is a really simple drink to make and it tastes better than you can imagine! Let’s begin…
I live in Seattle. I love my city. There are tons of things to do. There are more than enough restaurants, bars, coffee shops, places to buy cupcakes (I love cupcakes!), etc. But sadly, Seattle is lacking one important thing: a really great Tiki bar!
Sure, there is The Lava Lounge in Belltown, but it’s not really a Tiki bar in a traditional sense. I’d go there to hear some punk rock and drink a couple PBRs! I wouldn’t go to hear exotica or to order a Mai Tai, though.
There is Hula Hula, which actually is the first Tiki bar I ever visited. It started my love affair with Tiki! (I will be doing a review of Hula Hula really soon.) At first, Hula Hula had it all going on. It had a very large menu of drinks, plenty of surf music, and awesome decor. But over time, Hula Hula started putting up large screen TVs and eventually it became more of a karaoke bar. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent some time on Hula Hula’s stage singing my favorite tunes from the ’80s while I had a few cocktails in me. But I digress…
So I started searching online for Tiki bars outside Seattle. I found one here and there, but the “Tiki bars” I discovered were pretty lame. Throw the word Tiki in front of a guy’s name. Put up a Tiki head somewhere. Throw up some bamboo, offer some “blue” cocktails, and there you go: a “Tiki” bar!
Social media can be a very powerful tool to help get your message out there. I’m really excited about my Tiki culture blog and I want to get the message out to as many people as I can! This post is just to let you all know that there are two other ways you can embrace the Tiki lifestyle with me.
I wasn’t a good boy over the holidays. It seemed like I was going to one party after another between Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve. Needless to say, I put on a couple pounds. As I type this, I’m on a diet—A low-carb diet, to be exact. That means no bread, no pasta, and no sugar. Wait! Does that means I can’t enjoy a Tiki cocktail? Most Tiki cocktails include various syrups and juices! But have no fear! I have a recipe for a low-carb Mai Tai!
This is the first of what I hope to be many Tiki Field Reports. What is a Tiki Field Report you might ask? A Tiki Field Report is going to be a review of a particular day visiting a Tiki bar. It will include pictures and information on who came along, what did they drank, what they thought, who was bartending, etc. I would like to get my friends involved with this blog and I think this is a good way of doing that. A Tiki Field Report is not going to be the same as an official Tiki bar review. A Tiki bar review will be just about the bar, giving an overview of what the place is like, how the drinks are, what kind of music they play, the bar’s history, and so on.
First Field Report, The North Shore Lagoon in Bothell, WA.
