Vamps Tiki Lounge (long post/pix)

13 years ago

This post apparently got lost permanently, so posting again just to share the love of Tiki with you. Thanks to everyone who replied to the previous post. :-)

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Thought I would do a little something different here so hope you dont mind. First of all, let me try to explain the "TIKI" thing. I have always been into decorating and crave that tropical feel. I love the look of bamboo, cane, rattan, 50s tropical barkcloth, cocktail glasses, shakers, lava lamps, and exotic music. Throw that all together and you have the makings of a Tiki Lounge. I grew up in San Diego and hung out at tropical places like the Bali Hai Polynesian restaurant, the Kona Kai Club and played all over Shelter Island, so I had the Tiki bug early on. Tikis are those carved statues from the Polynesian Islands and places like Easter Island.

Wikipedia provides a very general caveatTiki culture refers to a 20th-century theme used in Polynesian-style restaurants and clubs originally in the United States and then, to a lesser degree, around the world. Although inspired in part by Tiki carvings and mythology, the connection is loose and stylistic. Tiki culture in the United States began in 1934 with the opening of Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian-themed bar and restaurant in Hollywood. The proprietor was Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt, a young man from Louisiana who had sailed throughout the South Pacific; later he legally changed his name to Donn Beach. His restaurant featured Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches, with a decor of flaming torches, rattan furniture, flower leis, and brightly colored fabrics. Three years later, Victor Bergeron, better known as Trader Vic, adopted a Tiki theme for his restaurant in Oakland, which eventually grew to become a worldwide chain. The theme took on a life during the restaurant's growth in the Bay Area. The Trader Vic in Palo Alto not only spawned architectural choices, such as the architectural concept behind the odd looking Tiki Inn Motel, which still exists as the Stanford Terrace Inn. There also currently exists a modern sculpture garden from Papua New Guinea that was made to celebrate the modern form of art that was a large part of the original inspiration for Tiki culture. OKenough of the history lesson.

The fun part; is the great cocktailsnot ones made from packaged mixes or watered down ones in chain restaurants; these are high-class quality cocktails and mostly made with rum. I got involved with the wonderful Tiki community when Googling some exotica music one time, and have been a convert for the past few years. Anyone involved in this community has pretty much built a Tiki Lounge in their home or have transformed their entire home into a Tiki paradise. I made my living room into a Tiki Lounge and have hosted many parties over the years for my Tiki friends (great group of people and wonderful artist community). I collect ceramic mugs and art and display them in a totally schizophrenic fashion in my lounge. It has a 14 foot ceiling which is in need of décor as I only have a Tiki bike hanging up there and a fan/light, but it will all eventually get covered in bamboo and other hanging items. I am still collecting art to hang on the walls too. The bar I got many years ago at a thrift store and it sets the theme for the room. I had a Tiki party with a few friends this weekend, so thought I would share some pictures of the room, the cocktails and the party. This room is a work in progress, so many more things will be added over time, the first 2 photos are old, the last ones are fairly current. And nowTHE VAMPTIKI LOUNGE: