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Which City is the Most Tiki? |
CrazyTiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 17, 2005
Posts: 34
From: Tennessee
|  Posted: 2005-08-27 07:42 am Permalink
I live in Tennessee, so I am definitely out of luck! I am just getting into collecting and reading up on the history of Tiki pop culture in the U.S. I bought the book Tiki Road Trip in the hopes of finding some local places to explore. There are actually a few places in Tennessee and the surrounding states. The closest is the Omni Lounge near Nashville, which he gives good reviews of in his book. There are some states that have absolutely nothing to offer, so I feel lucky that there are a few places within driving distance that I can check out.
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http://tinglerart.com
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valcano
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 24, 2005
Posts: 19
From: l.a.
| Posted: 2005-08-27 09:15 am Permalink
There was a witco showroom in memphis ,so, keep checking your local thriftstores.
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Chongolio
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 02, 2002
Posts: 2765
From: The Coast of Kauai
| Posted: 2005-08-28 11:00 am Permalink
Modesto gets my vote.
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Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2079
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2005-08-28 6:50 pm Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: Chip and Andy 2012-05-01 20:32 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2005-08-29 11:27 am Permalink
Well if you ask me...(and The Jab did):
I love LA, it is THE terrain for the urban archaeologist of any persuasion. This vast urban jungle (desert?) is inhabited by such a jumble of lost and forgotten styles (hidden under layers of ugliness), where everyone once built their own version of Shangri-La, it never gets boring.
And Tiki began here (with Donn Beach and Stephen Crane) and ended here, then was reborn again:
This is where I met Jeff Berry, Otto, Doug Miller, Josh Agle, Bosko, Mark Ryden, Charles Schneider, and all the other crazies and mod-comers that were into Tiki. It's also where I stumbled into the Sea & Jungle shop, drank my first Zombie at the Tiki Ti, AND discovered Oceanic Arts, the decisive event that made me begin my work on the Book of Tiki. And where it came together when my publisher moved into the Chemosphere. And and and...
So it's clearly Tiki Town USA for me.
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tikifish
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2720
From: Toronto,Canada
| Posted: 2005-08-29 2:13 pm Permalink
I can tell you which city is the LEAST tiki - just look to the left of this post. Yeah, right under my name.
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Primo Kimo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 08, 2003
Posts: 323
From: Vermont
| Posted: 2005-08-29 4:52 pm Permalink
Having grown up in California and having a full understanding of the intricacies of northern, central and southern California I have got to put my vote in for Chicago. It's my kind of town, Chicago is. I find it to be the most tiki. Although my thinking has recently proven flawed, I believe that the true feeling of tiki is escapism. In Cali and Florida, with real palm trees it is easy to believe that say... the Bahooka is where it is. The Tiki Ti belongs there. Trader Vic's, the Tonga room (went there for some prom), the Islander and the what have you all fit in perfectly in my mind. But Chicago... some sort of oasis in the middle of the USA absolutely captured my fancy. Chicago is the raddest tiki city in the WORLD. LA is cool too;)
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Satan's Sin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 729
From: Imperial Beach, CA
| Posted: 2005-08-30 09:17 am Permalink
I have to say it. Chicago is a fantastic city. Very beautiful, and the home of the skyscraper even though imho the Sears Tower is kind of cheap and ugly-looking. Very nice people, won't knock you to the ground in order to cross the street (against the light), like they do in New York. Great food, everywhere. Civic pride busting out at the seams; the city flag is everywhere, all the time (it's the only U.S. city I've been to where the city flag flies outside city hall). And the Chicago Art Institute -- best in the country. Best in the country. Best in the country. Here's to you, Chicago.
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Tiki Chris
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1543
From: London
| Posted: 2005-08-30 09:30 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-08-30 09:17, Satan's Sin wrote:
Very nice people, won't knock you to the ground in order to cross the street (against the light), like they do in New York.
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???
I've lived in New York in the past & I'm still in the general NYC area and am in the city on a fairly regular basis.
I've never been knocked down for any reason. However, I did once see an elderly man fall down only to be immediately surrounded by dozens of people concerned that he might be hurt (he was okay).
Also, I once saw a young boy have all his collectable cards (Pokemon? Magic? I dunno) get blown away in a gust of wind. This broke the boy's heart ... and apparently everyone else around him. EVERYONE that saw what happened stopped what they were doing to pick up the cards which had scattered almost to the next block (traffic actually stopped on the street) and, I'm happy to report, the boy got all his cards back. Lovely New York Moment!
Coming to NYC from the rural south, I brought w/ me a lot of preconceived notions about the Big Apple. I'm happy to say that some of the most thoughtful, earnest, and considerate people I've met come from this great city - and that most of my negative precepts have long been proven wrong.
Anyway, the topic of this thread is "which city is most tiki". I'm glad you love chicago, it is a great city. but how is it tiki and why do you have to put down new york to compliment chicago?
take care,
tiki chris
[ This Message was edited by: Tiki Chris 2005-08-30 09:45 ]
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4807
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2005-08-30 09:34 am Permalink
<<Content Mutiny>>
[ This Message was edited by: Swanky 2005-09-02 21:02 ]
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Satan's Sin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 729
From: Imperial Beach, CA
| Posted: 2005-08-30 10:49 am Permalink
Tiki Chris,
Okay, okay, all right already. I wasn't literally knocked down in New York. That was my Mad Magazine take. But in New York if there is not a vehicle at an intersection people plow right in, regardless of whether they have the light, and if you're standing there you're going to get pushed along. And in Chicago people actually wait for the light. That's all I'm saying. I love New York. I'd live there in a heartbeat, if I could figure out how.
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ikitnrev
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 1298
From: D.C. / Virginia
| Posted: 2005-08-30 5:10 pm Permalink
I spent a small portion of last Sunday driving through the streets of Wildwood, New Jersey. If tiki is measured by the density of neon signs and vintage hotel architecture per square mile, then Wildwood definitely has to be considered. I saw several Hawaiian themed hotels, a cool Moai neon sign, and a few signs for tiki bars, but was running late already and didn't have time to stop and take pictures.
Vern
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valcano
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 24, 2005
Posts: 19
From: l.a.
| Posted: 2005-08-30 5:35 pm Permalink
Los Angeles is ground zero for modernism ,and, tiki.It aint Modesto,chicago,ft lauderdale or even hawaii,let me tell you.I would have to say that I prefer the folks outside of ground zero any day of the week....(o.k. let me have it!)
[ This Message was edited by: valcano 2005-08-30 18:18 ]
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Tiki Chris
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1543
From: London
| Posted: 2005-08-30 6:59 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-08-30 17:10, ikitnrev wrote:
I spent a small portion of last Sunday driving through the streets of Wildwood, New Jersey. If tiki is measured by the density of neon signs and vintage hotel architecture per square mile, then Wildwood definitely has to be considered. I saw several Hawaiian themed hotels, a cool Moai neon sign, and a few signs for tiki bars, but was running late already and didn't have time to stop and take pictures.
Vern
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Vern,
Good point about Wildwood - it definitely takes you back a few decades. I was recently down there for a day and tooka few photos. They're on the same roll as some from our party. They being developed now. I'll try to post 'em as soon as I get 'em back.
Also, check this thread for excellent Wildwood photos:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=5442&forum=1&hilite=wildwood
Cheers,
Tiki Chris
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Zeta
Grand Member (2 years) 
Joined: Feb 13, 2007
Posts: 2030
From: Atlantis/Basque Country/Spain/Mexico
| Posted: 2009-01-27 09:31 am Permalink
Outside of the U.S.A. Madrid is the Tikiest city in the world. Way more Tiki than Barcelona. There was a time when more than 10 Tiki bars where open at the same time. it's also the first city in Europe to open an original European Tiki Bar, The House of Ming.
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