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Royal Tahitian |
pa'akiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 26, 2005
Posts: 70 |  Posted: 2010-08-23 4:19 pm Permalink
here is another postcard
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3923
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-08-29 1:53 pm Permalink
Jackie,
Cool postcard, thanks for posting. I just got the card it in the mail this weekend. This is a really rare look at the inside of the Royal Tahitian, I have never seen this one before.
Here is a better scan of the card.
The layout of the restaurant area had three tiers, with the upstairs area
And what looks like a half-story bar area below the deck that you can see through the beaded curtains in this shot.
The back of the card says that the restaurant was designed by Silva Store Fixture Co, never heard of this outfit before.
DC
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chrisandsarahb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 22, 2009
Posts: 510
From: Cucamonga, CA
| Posted: 2010-08-29 2:09 pm Permalink
Oh how I wish this was still there.......
Mahalo for posting the pics.
[ This Message was edited by: chrisandsarahb 2010-08-29 14:09 ]
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Otto
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 770
From: NorCal
| Posted: 2010-09-05 11:20 pm Permalink
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_15992923
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tikibob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 24, 2002
Posts: 268
From: Charleston, South Carolina
| Posted: 2010-09-06 07:21 am Permalink
The list of entertainers that performed there is amazing.
I can't help but think what a great place that would be for a tiki "weekender" is the place was in good repair.
I hate seeing places like this go - even if they have been dilapidated for years.
The history with places like this is so amazing.
TB
[ This Message was edited by: tikibob 2010-09-06 07:21 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3923
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-09-06 11:28 am Permalink
Otto,
Thanks for posting the article, sad to hear the wrecking ball is coming to the Royal Tahitian.
Here are a few items on from the blog of the author of the article that Otto posted.
A flyer with all of the acts from the 1967 Summer concert series, including some adult entertainment!
And a phone book ad.
If you live in the area, you should get out and take one last look before its gone.
DC
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crazy al
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 25, 2002
Posts: 1783
From: CA
| Posted: 2010-09-06 12:49 pm Permalink
oh Man!? these guys ripped off Bamboo Ben!! LOL
Quote:
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On 2008-03-30 16:48, Tiki-Kate wrote:
Found this buy outside, hiding behind a shrub.
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and is this a Guanko-Bumatay!??????????
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A Frame
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 16, 2009
Posts: 203
From: Mr. C's on the Coast Highway
| Posted: 2010-09-17 7:22 pm Permalink
Although I live in LB, working in Riverside affords a chance to stop by the old RT building. I golfed there around 2001 and knew nothing of its poly pop roots. I stopped by just before Labor Day and was able to sneak in the main A-frame part of the building and as reported, it is falling down.
 
A similar view as the postcard posted by Pa’akiki and DC. The "No Smoking" support post looks to be where the silver post is in the postcard.
Could that be the outline of the now filled in sunken bar in the carpet?
Anyway, it’s a goner any day now…sad times for all A frame's.
But things brightened up a bit. While shopping for old LP’s last weekend, my eyes lit up when I saw the Royal Tahitian LP for $6. The record is in pretty good shape and the cover jacket is pristine! Here are most of the photos from the back of the jacket that Bongofury had previously posted.
 
Looks like the sunken bar was Ontario hot spot!
Sorry, missed one!
[ This Message was edited by: A frame 2010-09-17 19:28 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10561
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-09-18 07:37 am Permalink
Thank you Anders for what are probably the last photos of that great building, a unique take on the A-frame concept, with its slanted geometry and dividing walls. And thanks for the close ups of all the back cover photos, very interesting. How is their version of Quiet Village, and how are the bird calls? 
And Al, all those Tikis that stood in front of the "Whispering Lakes" apartments were Milan Guanko carvings. I would think that because both he and Bumatay were of Filipino heritage that sometimes their style showed some similarities. Also, as I am sure you know, they both had provided Tikis for the Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach, which was owned by a Filipino family
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A Frame
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 16, 2009
Posts: 203
From: Mr. C's on the Coast Highway
| Posted: 2010-09-20 4:59 pm Permalink
Quiet Village & the bird calls sound great Sven, unfortunately my LP is in mono. If a stereo version was created as well, it would sound wonderful. I thought I saw that Digitiki and/or Jeff Central had this version included in a past pod cast.
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2010-10-01 6:08 pm Permalink
Ray Charles played at the Royal Tahitian in 1966:
_________________
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Digitiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 22, 2004
Posts: 749
From: L.A. baby!
| Posted: 2010-10-02 10:08 pm Permalink
I think the LP was only released in mono. Side A is quite nice with exotica and Tahitian percussion/vocals from the house band: The Royal Tees (nod to the golf angle). The B side is swing and showtunes from a vocalist called Henrietta "Hank" Hammond. I wonder if there are any of the house musicians still around? At some point she says "Let's wake'em up out on the Luau grounds."
[ This Message was edited by: Digitiki 2010-10-02 22:09 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3923
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-10-05 6:46 pm Permalink
This thread is a little bit mixed with the Royal Tahitian and the Whispering Lakes apartments and the Guanko Tikis across the street, so I thought I would post this photo here even though it is not about the Royal Tahitian.
Saw this photo on ebay, a nattily dressed woman next to what I am assuming is a Guanko Tiki at an apartment complex. Figured this had to be one of the Tikis at the Whispering Lakes Tikis. Any thoughts?
DC
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10561
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-10-05 7:23 pm Permalink
Nope, not that one. But Milan Guanko told me that he carved quite a few apartment Tikis in his day, especially in the Anaheim area. One even stood on a rotating base, never found out where that was.
But this damn well is THE Tiki that was the model for Gilligan's "Kona" statue!:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=37718&forum=17&start=30&36
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10561
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-10-05 7:26 pm Permalink
WHO won that photo!
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