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The poetry of Don Blanding / Vagabond's House |
Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2569
From: Boogie Wonderland
|  Posted: 2012-10-13 7:00 pm Permalink
Since there is not a Locating Tiki post for Vagabond's House and since t's Pre-Tiki anyway I'll put this here. From the Los Angeles Public Library Photo Archives -
"Two notables at Vagabond's House for Tuesday Fashion Show Revue were Joe Chastek, he only owns the place, and beloved Joe DiMaggio (right)." Photograph dated: August 21, 1953.
Not much to see but hopefully this inspires people to keep looking. There were a also couple of very generic boring shots, not really worth posting.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11104
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-10-14 03:00 am Permalink
Indeed, when looking back at the first two pages of this thread, there is more material on the Vagabond's House restaurant than on Blanding's poetry in it - which is OK, because the existence of the restaurant represents the main context of Blanding's oeuvre to Tiki culture (in addition to, perhaps, my Don The Beachcomber origin theory). So can a moderator go in and add "Vagabond's House/" to the existing header written by China Rose?
In addition to my OTHER theory expounded on on the previous page, there is of course an easy way to see more of his art work:
Although I abhor the pilfering of books to sell single illustration pages, looking under "Don Blanding" on e-bay provides an extensive, visually rich gallery of his graphic art:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_lncat=0&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=don+blanding&_pgn=2&_skc=50&rt=nc
 
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-12 8:58 pm Permalink
This is a great thread. Just got this really nice old linen color postcard showing three views of the Vagabond's House and a photo of "Vagabond Joe Chastek".
Also got some paper from the third Chastek tropical restaurant, can you name it?
Will post that one soon.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-15 5:18 pm Permalink
What, no guesses on Joe Chastek's third restaurant?
Here are some close-ups of my new postcard.
And a really cool Christmas matchbook that Cheryl Crill posted in her Matchcover newsletter.
Finally a screen grab from a 1964 episode of Burke's Law that shows the Vagabond's House building.
DC
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tikicoma
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Jan 16, 2010
Posts: 368
From: wakinekona
| Posted: 2012-11-15 8:02 pm Permalink
Joe Chastek's second nightclub was the Tradewinds, and it's driving me nuts that I can't find any photos or ephemera of the place (on line or anywhere).
How about you Dusty? Any images?
aloha, tikicoma
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-16 08:09 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2012-11-15 20:02, tikicoma wrote:
Joe Chastek's second nightclub was the Tradewinds, and it's driving me nuts that I can't find any photos or ephemera of the place (on line or anywhere).
How about you Dusty? Any images?
aloha, tikicoma
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You are correct sir! An yes I have some paper on the Trade Winds. Will post soon.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-16 5:10 pm Permalink
Here is the link to the Trade Winds thread I started.
Trade Winds
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-28 3:15 pm Permalink
Picked up this old news wire photo showing a more "mature" Joe Chastek and the interior of the Vagabond's House.
Joe is the second from the right. The other gents are baseball men from the Minnesota Twins who were in town for the first ever game played by the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles in April of 1961.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4251
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-12-27 9:48 pm Permalink
A menu cover I saw some time ago, nice one.
DC
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11104
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-12-29 06:36 am Permalink
...the Dayak design of which was discussed on page 1 and 2 of this thread:
And here is a nice little pocket puzzle, with some wonderful Polynesian pop poetry:
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tikilongbeach
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Aug 05, 2011
Posts: 1282
From: Long Beach, CA via Dallas, TX
| Posted: 2013-03-27 4:29 pm Permalink
You can read some more about Blanding's design work for Vernon Kilns at www.replacements.com/thismonth/archive/v1011d.htm
The handpainted aquarium design is very rare. www.don-blanding.com/vernon.htm
A company called Hawaiian Islands Tea Company puts snippets of Don Blanding's poems on some of their boxes of tea.
Such as:
"So many days throughout the year I drink my cup of herbal cheer. It warms the body and calms the soul. No fragrance, tint or taste is missed, in Nature's wonderous teatime gift." Adapted from My Hawaiian Garden by Hawaii Poet Don Blanding.
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1592
From: OAHU/Seattle
| Posted: 2013-05-01 5:12 pm Permalink
Aloha,
May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Mahalo Don Blanding where ever you may be...
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Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.
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congawa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 356
From: Long Beach, CA
| Posted: 2013-05-07 11:07 pm Permalink
I just spotted the Vagabond's House in a 1964 episode of "Burke's Law" entitled "Who Killed WHO IV" (the show that of course also featured Don the Beachcomber bartender Leon Lontoc).
Incidentally, I know my parents went there some time in the early 60's, because my mother brought home a couple of matchbooks which I still have:
Caltiki Brent
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Wildsville man
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 13, 2007
Posts: 1363
From: PALM SPRINGSVILLE
| Posted: 2014-02-06 2:31 pm Permalink
Here is something fun for my Tiki/Hawaiian collector friends out their that are always going to thrift stores and enjoy the hunt to preserve our Tiki/Hawaiian History.
This last week I found 20 Sealed copy"s of Don Blanding "Vagabonds House". Published in the mid-1950's on Red Wax.
He was considered the Original Tiki Poet.
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DJLee
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 06, 2003
Posts: 174 | Posted: 2014-02-06 3:47 pm Permalink
Wow - excellent! I sure would like to buy one are you going to put any up for sale?
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