Tiki-Kate
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 21, 2003
Posts: 1700
From: Yucaipa, CA
|  Posted: 2008-08-31 7:22 pm Permalink
Yesterday I finally achieved one of my silliest personal goals ever. I completed Zulu Magoo’s Tiki Tour of Southern California. Back in 2005, Mike published a list of tiki locations in and around Orange and Los Angeles Counties which he gave out at Oasis V. The list consisted of more than 50 sites.
Earlier this year, I found a matchbook from the Royal Tahitian in Ontario. I thought, “What an amazing place this must have been,” and I wondered if any of the bones were left. I went home and did a TC search and found Johnnie velour’s post from 2003 stating that the building was about to be torn down. I don’t know why I felt the need to see it for myself. I swung by one day on my way home and found the building still standing. I also met an employee who told me some great old stories about the place.
That seemed to have sparked something in me. I got out my copy of the Tiki Tour to see how many places I had already visited. 16. Yes. 16 out of more than 50. Lame. I’ve spent the past five months hitting the other 36 locations. I live out toward Palm Springs, so I’m over an hour away from most of these locations. This project got much tougher as the price of gas continued to rise.
I really wish I had started sooner because so many of these places have disappeared. 
Here is what I did find.
Aloha Arms Apartments - Pico Rivera
Beautiful, but also scary and gang-ridden. Going here alone was a very bad idea.
Paradise island Apartments - Pico Rivera
Kapu Tiki Apartments - Pico Rivera
Bahooka Restaurant - Rosemead
I try to make it out to Bahooka at least once a month for my pile of ribs. I’ve been doing this for several years now, and this is the only picture I could find. We’re at Bahooka. I swear.
Kahlua Apartments - Rosemead
Kona Kai Apartments - San Gabriel
Outrigger Apartments - Pasadena
Kona Kai Apartments - Torrance
Eli Kai Apartments - Torrance
Tiki Apartments - Torrance
Samoan Sea Apartments - San Pedro
Islander Apartments - Santa Ana
Hanakiki Apartments - Santa Ana
Kona Luanii Apartments - Anaheim
Oceanic Arts - Whittier
I visit Oceanic Arts once a month without fail. I make one purchase, and it is always something that you can only buy at OA. I spend a lot of time admiring all of the flotsam and jetsam that fills the place. This is my favorite lamp.
Islander Apartments - Gardena
Tiki Apartments - Los Angeles
Gone. They are now nameless box apartments.
Purple Orchid - El Segundo
Tiki Aloha Apartments - Torrance
Exotic Isle Apartments - Alhambra
Now the Jade Gardens. No tikis remain.
Tahitian Village Apartments - Reseda
Tonga Hut - North Hollywood
This is another one of those places that I visit frequently but could only find one usable picture. These are Tiki Diablo’s mugs.
Island Village Apartments - Fullerton
Hawaiian Village Apartments - Norwalk
Kona Gardens Apartments - Anaheim
Now the Hidden Village Apartments. No signs of tiki anywhere.
Kona Gardens Apartments - Garden Grove
Kona Kai Apartments - Westminster
Kona Kai Village Apartments - Glendora
Now the Valley Glen. Boo.
Hale Hawaii - Torrance
Tony’s on the Pier - Redondo Beach
I’ve been to Tony’s and yet could not find a single picture. I was there last month and took this shot of another building on the pier.
Hurricane Room - Lawndale
I could not find any evidence that the Hurricane Room still exists. I followed the directions in the guide, but all I found was La Bamba.
Trader Vic’s - Beverly Hills
Islander Motel - Eagle Rock
Royal Hawaiian Motel - Hollywood
Java Lanes - Long Beach
I had to scan this one. I took it before I owned a digital camera. The Java Lanes is long gone.
Tiki Apartments - Los Angeles
Gone. Another nameless box apartment.
Mauna Loa Gardens Apartments - West Covina
Maui Apartments - West Covina
Now the Atrium. Serious boo.
Pacific Isle Apartments - West Covina
Now the Oasis Apartments. Still stunning.
Aku Aku Motor Inn - Woodland hills
Now a Best Western. Boo again.
Tiki-Ti - Hollywood
Sam’s Seafood - Huntington Beach
Now Kona.
The Warehouse - Marina Del Rey
Don the Beachcomber - Marina Del Rey
No longer operational, but still a swell building.
Horace Heidt’s Magnolia Estates - Sherman Oaks
Shangri-La Apartments - Sherman Oaks
Kona Pali Apartments - Granada Hills
Caliente Tropics Hotel - Palm Springs
Royal Hawaiian - Laguna Beach
Islander Apartments - Inglewood
Unnamed Tiki Apartments - Duarte
Lucky Tiki - Mission Hills
I never made it to the Lucky Tiki while it was open. Here are the remains.
I could not seem to find any pictures of the places that I frequent most often. I know that I take them. I just have no clue where they are. (I borrowed the photos of Sam's, Tiki-Ti and the Purple Orchid.)
Thanks again for the guide, Mike. This was so much fun.
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