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Question on The Tiki's |
DawnTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: next stop Hulaville!
|  Posted: 2002-10-25 10:59 am Permalink
I am confused? Did Danny Balsz ever open up and operate The Tiki's amusement park in So. Cal.? In The Book O Tiki, Sven talks about The Tikis on pgs. 107,as having large crowds and opening in the 60's, my Mom swears she has been there, but she thought it was called "The Caves", anyway...then on Svens Video (Tiki Archeology) the narrator talks about "The Tiki's" being built in 1984 and never opened. This is where my problem is, and where my confusion comes from, my Mom says she went around 1976ish...where did she go????? 
[ This Message was edited by: DawnTiki on 2002-10-25 13:04 ]
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Tangaroa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 1562 | Posted: 2002-10-25 12:16 pm Permalink
According to my friend Dug Miller - there were two locations. One that operated for years very successfully, then a later location - that I think never opened....
I'm sure Big Bro will post with all the details...!
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PolynesianPop
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2370
From: Corona, Ca
| Posted: 2002-10-25 12:24 pm Permalink
DawnTiki,
Yes, I talked to Sven about this. The Tikis DID have a location in Monterey Park (I believe). As a matter of fact, when I mentioned this to my wife she said her parents took the family there quite frequently. The video is a little misleading however, Sven swears it wasn't supposed to be.
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Poly-Pop *
Bartender, make mine a glass of WATAHHH!!!!!
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Trader Woody
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2301
From: Tiki Manor, Forest of Bowland,UK
| Posted: 2002-10-25 12:35 pm Permalink
Great question!
Having seen the vid, I've always been a little confused as to whether it existed or not. I couldn't understand why mugs existed, yet the park didn't open.
It's a terribly unhappy story in the video, but is there a happy ending?
Trader Woody
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DawnTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2002-10-25 1:16 pm Permalink
So, does anyone know what the name of Mr. Balsz club/bar/dinner house that was successful and where it was? And are all the Valcano's and Tikis still on the deserted property? I am sure it's all locked up, but I would love to go see it, maybe take some pictures. Thanks 
[ This Message was edited by: DawnTiki on 2002-10-25 18:33 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11582
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2002-10-26 9:17 pm Permalink
I know, I was really mad when in the final edit they left out that info on the two different locations, BOTH called THE TIKIS, probably to symplify. But it made Danny basically look like a crazy guy who never made it.
BOT: (The end of the successful TIKIS in Monterey Park):
"...under pressure from fed-up neighbours, the city council revoked his entertainment license. The Polynesian three ring circus was over,it seemed."
This where I shot all my archeological photos:
"...But Danny Balsz was a driven man. He packed up his Tikis and built them a new home in Lake Elsinore, further south of L.A. There he laboured for years, re-erecting a complete new lava land. Patiently his Tikis stood guard over it, awaiting the grand re-opening. But the times had changed, and the great day never came."
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tiki_kiliki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 01, 2002
Posts: 1046
From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Posted: 2002-10-27 08:39 am Permalink
So Sven,
All of the tiki's and such are still there? Does this guy still own the land? I've always wondered about it since seeing in BOT.
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Yee-Haw & Aloha,
Tiki Kiliki
The Hukilau
The Most Authentic Tiki Event in the World and the Official Event Honoring the Mai-Kai est. 1956
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DawnTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2002-10-27 10:03 am Permalink
Is Mr. Balsz still alive? I wonder if his new Lavaland is still there in Elsinore? Thanks for the info!
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PolynesianPop
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2370
From: Corona, Ca
| Posted: 2002-10-27 10:14 am Permalink
DawnTiki,
I believe the second location for The Tikis in Lake Elsinore is now a paintball park and the grounds have been completely de-tikied. Danny Balsz lived there for a couple years out of a trailer because he put every dime into building it. If I'm correct, Danny Balsz has since moved on and is living in Las Vegas.
_________________
Poly-Pop *
Bartender, make mine a glass of WATAHHH!!!!!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11582
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2002-10-27 1:45 pm Permalink
That's right, Pop, and before he left (got kicked off the property) he toppled the giant Tiki that he is posing next to in my book so his debtors would not have any off it.
The place has no Tikis left, he sold his best stuff to THE SEA nautical store in Long Beach (which in turn went under 2 years ago), and I was lucky to mount an expedition with fellow urban archeologists in time to get some remaining Tikis and lamps.
I am actually involved in a project to shoot a Marlboro Spec commercial there next month, we will get a truckload of Oceanic Arts stuff and try to resurrect the glory of THE TIKIS for a night. A lot of the lava structures are still there, but sadly splattered with paintball gue.
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DawnTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2002-10-27 2:47 pm Permalink
 , what a waste! But thanks for all of the wonderful info, it sounds like Danny's life would make a good book! "Memoirs of King Tiki" 
[ This Message was edited by: DawnTiki on 2002-10-27 17:45 ]
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Tangaroa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 1562 | Posted: 2002-10-28 11:41 am Permalink
BigBro - What happened to the giant Tiki he "toppled"...?
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11582
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2002-10-28 3:29 pm Permalink
It broke to pieces. This is just hear-say, so I assume that the paintball park operators tossed it's remains.
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pappythesailor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 07, 2005
Posts: 1566
From: Mass.
| Posted: 2005-10-03 01:59 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2002-10-25 12:24, PolynesianPop wrote:
DawnTiki,
Yes, I talked to Sven about this. The Tikis DID have a location in Monterey Park (I believe). As a matter of fact, when I mentioned this to my wife she said her parents took the family there quite frequently. The video is a little misleading however, Sven swears it wasn't supposed to be.
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The video of which you speak, PolyPop--what is it please?
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DawnTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2005-10-03 06:53 am Permalink
Tiki Archeology
[ This Message was edited by: DawnTiki 2005-10-03 07:04 ]
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