Hot Lava (a.k.a "How Bowers") plays baritone ukulele and sings with America's best tiki music band, The Crazed Mugs. He lives in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife and son. Contact
You are currently browsing the Tiki Talk weblog archives for November, 2007.
Artist Reid Tamisiea makes beautiful blown-glass tiki torches from his studio in Iowa. Available in blue, amber, and green, each is a unique work of art and measure 10 inches tall by 3.5 inches wide.
Reid’s company also sells specially-designed mounting kits and stands to attach the torches securely to decks and posts as well as the traditional pole that goes into the ground.
$89.99 each (including lawn stand).
Jim Beloff of Flea Market Music “rediscovered” a series of jazz/exotica pieces overseen by studio musician/arranger/composer Perry Botkin Sr. during the ’50s and ’60s. All he needed was a band capable of playing the long-forgotten scores. Enter Boston’s WAITIKI, the best modern exotica band working today.
The resulting CD, “Paradise Lost and Found: Songs of Hawaii Old and New” blends these newly-recorded tracks with additional tunes and a host of guest artists, including Abe Lagrimas, Jr., Chris Kamaka, Bruce Belland, Jim & Liz Beloff, and King Kukulele.
$16.95
Listen to mp3 sample of Exotic Adventure | Listen to mp3 sample of The Magic Islands | Buy at Flea Market Music
Theang Ngo and Soeng Thong, the former general manager and head waiter of Columbus’ lamented Kahiki Supper Club, are carrying the tiki torch at Tropical Bistro, their new establishment.
The duo recruited staff from the Kahiki, including the executive chef, who brought with him much of the original menu, along with decorations from the classic tiki restaurant which closed in 2000 to make way for a Walgreens.
Wow — Francis, the restaurant’s live entertainment, hosts a ukulele play-along on Sundays from noon to 2 p.m.!
3641 Fishinger Blvd., Hilliard, OH | 614-527-8582 | Map
Visit the Tropic Bistro website | Read a review at Columbus Alive website
Preliminary information about Tiki Oasis 8, “A Voodoo Vacation on Zombie Island” has been released. This annual event is set for Thursday August 14 through Sunday August 17 in San Diego. Tickets and other details will be available in early January.
Visit the official Tiki Oasis 2008 website | Thanks Otto!
Hipster artist extraordinaire Shag has released another fantastic new print, simply entitled Rum.
The nine-color serigraph measures 12 by 14 inches and is a limited edition of 250.
$110
Pho Republique Hosts the Beantown Sippin’ Safari Featuring Musical Performances by WAITIKI, Bartending by Legendary Mixologist and Author “Beachbum Berry” and your Host, the Infamous Brother Cleve
This all-inclusive event will feature exotic cocktails, live music by WAITIKI, a photographic history of these tropical concoctions, free tiki schwag raffle prizes, free “Tiki Chow” or “dim sum apps ala Pho” from 6:30PM—8:30PM and many more surprises! This event is free to the public, but RSVP’s guarantee you a spot by calling: 617-262-0005 or by emailing sippinsafari@waitiki.com
WAITIKI - is a Boston based band specializing in “Exotic Tiki-tainment from Polynesia and Beyond.” Exotica is a style of music loosely defined as a mixture of jazz, Latin, and contemporary Asian sounds under a tropical umbrella; sometimes referred to as “tiki”, “jungle tiki,” “lounge,” or “Polynesian pop.” WAITIKI is one of only a handful of bands in the world that performs live exotica. They will be joined at this event by the sultry hips of their dancer, Countessa Vanessa. Learn more at: waitiki.com
Beachbum Berry - Jeff Berry is the author of Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, which The New York Times hailed as the world’s first “serious tiki cocktail book” and US News & World Report dubbed “the island bar bible.” Jeff’s subsequent books on vintage drinks and cuisine, Intoxica!, Taboo Table, and Sippin’ Safari, have made him the toast of the global tiki bar revival. His original cocktail creations have been served at the Tabou Tiki Room in Berlin, the Lucky Tiki in Los Angeles, Commander’s Palace in Las Vegas, the Tiki Room in Stockholm, Pho Republique in Boston, Court Of Two Sisters and the Palace Café in New Orleans, and Forbidden Island by the San Francisco Bay. Jeff serves on the advisory board of The Museum of the American Cocktail.
Brother Cleve - Was at the forefront of the cocktail renaissance in the late ’80’s, mixing up Sidecars and Negronis for bewildered patrons expecting WooWoo’s and Sex on the Beach. Performing with the group Combustible Edison and as a DJ, he heralded the Lounge sound across the globe. For this special event, Cleve will be programming the exotic tropical background music for your pleasure.
November 18, 2007 6:00PM — 1:00AM
Pho Republique, 1415 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02116 (map) | Phone 617-262-0005
Get more info at the WaiTiki website | Thanks Otto!
Teauila’s Hawaii dinner show has been entertaining visitors to Daytona Beach for more than a decade. Housed in the Hawaiian Inn, the show is a 75-minute production featuring dances from Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa; as well as live music and comedy.
A buffet dinner is included and tropical drinks are available. The show runs year round from 4-6 nights a week, so check the schedule when making reservations. Also, the group puts on a special Christmas show (starting after Thanksgiving) and hosts a New Years Eve Party.
Adults: $29.95, Children (5-10): $16.95, Children under 5 are free (with a paying adult). Special events may cost more.
