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New Luau in Beverly Hills? |
RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7198
From: Huntikington Beach
|  Posted: 2008-10-29 07:34 am Permalink
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On 2008-10-29 07:28, bigbrotiki wrote:
How about Poly-Asian pastiche? 
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How big is your towell? 
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Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8262
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2008-10-29 08:19 am Permalink
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On 2008-10-29 06:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
Jeff, are you seriously still assuming that the old Luau would have have looked like that when you stepped into it, color-wise!?
Golly, Grog, do you think I don't understand that? Do you think I am NEW in this world? Does that make it a good Tiki Bar then?
Dusty, you are just such an old-school guy!
Look, friends, y'all can flock there and and admire the fact that it is not done in "circus colors", applaud that it follows the common consensus taste of the rich, and revel in the fact that it looks more like a 40s bamboo bar than a mid-century Tiki bar, this is YOUR future Tiki bar then, congratulations. Confronted with this combined level of confusion and diffusion, I throw the towel, you win. Its a middle of the road, muted, "classy" world that we want!
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-10-29 07:01 ]
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Sven,
I would like to see a pic of the interior of the 2nd Luau with no flash if there is one, I dont see how low light could make that place seem un carnival like.
I am not saying that I love the new Luau look.
its just so so in my opinion.
I prefer the early Luau look of the 3.
I think that the New Luau needs more tiki and less Buddha stuff for sure.
I am not applauding their vision of what they wanted.
catch my drift?
oh here's your towel back.
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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ms pleasant
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 25 | Posted: 2008-10-29 08:33 am Permalink
Just wanted to chime in and say that the work that Bamboo Ben put into the place looks absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see it up close someday.
Congratulations Ben.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-29 11:34 am Permalink
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On 2008-10-29 08:33, ms pleasant wrote:
Just wanted to chime in and say that the work that Bamboo Ben put into the place looks absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see it up close someday.
Congratulations Ben.
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I know, which I have repeatedly pointed out here in this thread. His work, which represents the ground layer of a any good Tiki Bar, is stellar. But he is not the designer (though he defends it like he was). This is what the designer wanted:
"In the September issue of Vanity Fair, designer Loree Rodkin said she and Hewitt wanted to create a "Zen-like retreat," which translates to Balinese-inspired decor (wood, stone, water elements, Buddha relics, Turkish lanterns)."
What got added later might have been due to Ben, and Hewitt's assistant Doug Major's benevolent influence, who wanted more Tiki all along.
Big Jeff, There ARE no photos of the Luau or ANY mid-century Tiki haven without flashlight lighting, that was the way it was done back then. If you can't imagine what the interior looked like without that, what do you like about Tiki then? ALL the interiors of vintage Tiki bars out there, and in my books, were shot that way. Well, here is my attempt to bring the Luau postcard down to the lighting level it really had:
Yet clearly, that still doesn't do it justice.
But if you think that colored fishnet floats and basket lamps give a place circus colors, then you might feel that my house looks like a carnival tent:
and the Munich Trader Vic's is really a Ringling Brothers operation:
Notice what happened to the green Naugahyde covered benches here?
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Tom Slick
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 26, 2005
Posts: 1083
From: The Beaches of South Bay, SoCal
| Posted: 2008-10-29 12:36 pm Permalink
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BigBroTiki said:Let me recap: The old Luau was THE Tiki Bar. But they don't want it to be a Tiki Bar. And they don't want it to be the old Luau. Uh, why did they CALL it The Luau again? |
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I find it interesting also that Cheryl Crane attended the pre-opening party. If they only used the name "The Luau" and nothing else, then the appearance of Ms. Crane makes a tie in an indirect way, as in asking for approval and acceptance. I just wanted to make the statement that it seems odd to me either way. Most of us know what happened to the Kustom Kulture iconery name Von Dutch, and that it was recently used for... what it initially and originally stood against.
In my opinion, Most of the new restaurants looks/aethetics(or lack of) doesn't fare much different than current developers/society tastes in housing....Mediterranean styled homes in brown/beige/yellow earthtones throughout...They all look the same to me, and the style is not for me.
But neither is party city easter looking tikis, and or brightly painted "clown" houses. There has to be a midway point that falls into a "tasteful yet unique" category. I however only base this on color schemes, or lack of. The actual craftsmanship that went into this place looks phenomenal, and it seems the BamBoo'ster did another kickass job! BB also usually jokes around with people and "white walls", and i feel the same, but about ANY "all the same colored" interiors, including all brown. Breige floorways leading to brown tikis sitting atop brown pedestals, which are placed against brown walls just doesn't doit for me, personally...Unless I'm going to a museum or similar.
to this
The only true noticeable color is the "red" exit sign....No offense, but it is too sepia-toned and muted for me. A few fishfloat/nautical lamps in color wouldn't hurt anything. 15w bulbs vs 100w bulbs makes all the difference in the world, moodly speaking of course.
Let us see if Trader Vic's L.A. is also going to follow this sepia shaded path, As Upscale imagery nowadays seems to dictate ideas of a single color/same shade world.
[ This Message was edited by: Tom Slick 2008-10-30 10:50 ]
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Cammo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 1808
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2008-10-29 1:29 pm Permalink
"In the September issue of Vanity Fair, designer Loree Rodkin said she and Hewitt wanted to create a "Zen-like retreat," which translates to Balinese-inspired decor (wood, stone, water elements, Buddha relics, Turkish lanterns)."
If that's true, why's it even called the "Luau"?????
Bam-Bam's work is superb as always, and I like Ray's dark & flat colored tiki, both give this place a nice aged look on the first day.
I've read this whole thread and not once does anybody pin down exactly WHAT A TIKI BAR IS. This sounds a bit looney, but is a Tiki Bar designed to look like;
1. A waterfront bar here in the states, where sailors have brought back things they found around the globe?
2. A dockside bar somewhere in Polynesia?
3. A Polynesian Village, where you're served by the natives?
4. A white-guy's restaurant set up somewhere in Polynesia, where the local planters hang out?
5. GROG's back yard, with Tikis shoved haphazardly eevrywhere?
Cause they're all sort of mutually exclusive, while each describes at least one different classic Tiki Bar I can think of...
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congawa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 340
From: Long Beach, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-29 2:05 pm Permalink
Jeff, the bright colors in the old photos of the Luau that Sven posted also have a lot to do with the Kodachrome film of the 1950's/1960's, as well as a a little extra "pushing" of the colors and maybe even some tinting which was standard for postcards of that era. Kodachrome, like old Technicolor movies, produced a vibrant color scheme that did not reflect reality but turned colors into is own special palette that did not really exist but produced an extra-pleasing, optimistic look that artistically "improves" reality.
Regarding the new Luau, they probably don't want to hew too close to the original--otherwise the vice squad may have to pay a visit!
Brent
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-29 2:39 pm Permalink
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On 2008-10-29 13:29, Cammo wrote:
I've read this whole thread and not once does anybody pin down exactly WHAT A TIKI BAR IS.
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I - am - .... so sorry, I really thought I made it pretty clear in this post where I describe THE BIRTH OF THE FIRST TIKI BAR!:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=27025&forum=1&vpost=415933
Let me try to put it clear and concise, so not much thinking or arguing is involved:
A Tiki Bar is a bar that uses all the decor and concepts invented by the founders of Polynesian pop, Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic in the 30s and 40s, and embellishes them with lots of Oceanic art: Shields, masks, weapons and most of all many Tikis, as freestanding carvings, as support and railing posts, and carved into doors and panels. It also uses the Tiki as a logo for the business on its menus, mugs, lamps, ashtrays, matchbooks, swizzle sticks, coasters, and napkins. (Not all Tiki Bars did all of these things, but to do a good percentage of these set them apart from the generic tropical or Polynesian Bar.
or, super-simplified, a Tiki Bar is a bar with lots of Tikis in it.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-29 3:01 pm Permalink
Oh, here's a handy little chart I once came up with, from a book I wrote a while back:
Notice the line separating the PRE-Tiki period from the TIKI period? And WHERE do we find the Luau?
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Cammo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 1808
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2008-10-29 5:35 pm Permalink
"a Tiki Bar is a bar with lots of Tikis in it."
Thanks, Sven.
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8262
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2008-10-29 6:28 pm Permalink
Quote:
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Big Jeff, There ARE no photos of the Luau or ANY mid-century Tiki haven without flashlight lighting, that was the way it was done back then. If you can't imagine what the interior looked like without that, what do you like about Tiki then? ALL the interiors of vintage Tiki bars out there, and in my books, were shot that way. Well, here is my attempt to bring the Luau postcard down to the lighting level it really had:
Yet clearly, that still doesn't do it justice.
But if you think that colored fishnet floats and basket lamps give a place circus colors, then you might feel that my house looks like a carnival tent:
and the Munich Trader Vic's is really a Ringling Brothers operation:
Notice what happened to the green Naugahyde covered benches here?
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Sven, and Congawa,
ok you made me see the light, or lack of it.
see sometimes a picture, or incorrectly lighted picture does not say a 1000 words, or if it does, maybe they are misread or misunderstood.
Comprende?
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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aquarj
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 02, 2002
Posts: 1040
From: SF bay area, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-29 6:38 pm Permalink
The way I see it is that the original Luau had a certain magic. As suggested in Sven's timeline, it was the paradigm of tiki establishments, thanks to the totally unrestrained vision of Steven Crane.
It's fair to say that the revived Luau doesn't have the same wild abandon and density as the original, from the perspective of *one* vision of what tiki and polynesian pop look like. It's worth pointing out that this one particular vision is not held exclusively by just one individual evangelistic teutonic documentarian, but is in fact shared by many who cherish that same esthetic.
In a discussion where we offer opinions, we still have to acknowledge that there *are* objective facts when it comes to esthetics. The original Luau and places like it used color palettes and placement choices that had very little relationship to any so-called Circus Circus style. Combining any number of decorative themes together (tiki + buddha + turkish = ?) does not amount to extending or updating them, it amounts to split personality.
HOWEVER, refusing to equivocate the decor of the revived Luau with that of the original should not be confused as disparagement of the creative work involved, especially by well respected locals here on TC. We've all seen the magic that Bamboo Ben in particular has created, and it looks to me that the Luau has benefited from that.
Simply put - if it's specifically billed as an update to the Luau, then it's inescapable to compare it to the original Luau. I think the new one looks nice, but just with a different palette, style, density, and identity from the original Luau that many people still celebrate.
This topic reminds me of Ocean's Eleven. I'm a big fan of the original - the cast, the music, the locations, the story, everything. When the remake came out, I saw an interview with Julia Roberts where she laughed about not wanting to sit through the original as any kind of prep for the remake. I was disgusted, but confess that eventually I saw the remake. It's kind of a fun movie, in the usual current Hollywood way. But it has VERY LITTLE in common with the original. I know they want to make money, I know audiences are different, I know the movie would have to be different. That's all perfectly fine with me. And I even enjoyed it - not in a way that I'd *celebrate* like the original - but it was pretty good. But I just don't understand what value they got from calling it Ocean's Eleven.
-Randy
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7198
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2008-10-29 6:43 pm Permalink
_________________
Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben
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Coco Joe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 721
From: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2008-10-29 6:47 pm Permalink
THANKS Ben!
I doubt I'll eat there again anytime soon but I'm going to the bar for sure once they get more drinks on the menu. I'll also dress scummier and scummier as time goes by to represent us peoples. No offense to the non-scums on here.
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Murph
Grand Member (4 years) 
Joined: Jul 11, 2006
Posts: 673
From: SoCal
| Posted: 2008-10-29 9:56 pm Permalink
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Murph
WaikikiWomb
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