Category Archives: Events

DVD of Tiki Vol. 1: Paradise Lost – Tiki Night at The Egyptian

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Events and tagged with , , ,

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This weekend was the annual Tiki Night at Grauman’s Eygptian Theatre in Hollywood, a historic venue celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. There was barely more than a week’s notice to the public for this event, but it still had quite a good turnout.

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Neighboring restaurant Maui and Sons apparently catered the meal that included a skewer of teriyaki chicken that had a weird, powdery texture, bland mini pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, mandarin orange green salad with a tasty sesame vinaigrette, and half a brownie square. For $20 a plate, it paled in comparison to what they served a few years ago. Meanwhile, Maui and Sons was also offering $5 mai tais and pina coladas in little cups — not much of a deal considering the serving size.

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But it was easy to overlook those minor issues thanks to the festive atmosphere and tiki tunes provided again by King Kukulele and the Polynesian Paradise dancers (and impromptu little soloists). On a few numbers they were joined by Judd Finkelstein of The Maikai Gents on ukulele and Crazy Al contributing coconut percussion and exotica-style animal sounds.

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A number of tiki artists and authorities had been interviewed for the film being screened that night, and some of them were there to support the event and see the final product. Tiki tOny and Crazy Al were also among the vendors that set up their wares in the courtyard. (I tweeted a photo of the purple tiki mask I picked up from Tiki tOny.)

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A documentary project several years in the making, “The DVD of Tiki Volume 1: Paradise Lost” is an impressive and entertaining exploration of all things tiki. Filmmaker Jochen Hirschfeld traveled around the world to illustrate the origins of tiki in Polynesia, how the fantasy of a tropical paradise turned into the tiki bar craze in mid-century America, and why it fell out of favor not long afterward. (The last scene of the film is just gutwrenching — you’ll understand when you see it.)

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There will be another screening in San Diego at Tiki Oasis, but for the next few days you can purchase the DVD through PayPal. (Ordering info can be found at the bottom of this Tiki Central thread.) It really is a must-buy for anyone that’s into tiki. Plus if they raise enough funds, we’ll hopefully be able to look forward to the release of “Tiki Volume 2: Paradise Reloaded,” which will focus on today’s tiki scene with interviews from Shag, Sven Kirsten, Beachbum Berry, Kevin Kidney and many more.

Related Posts:
Tiki Night at The Egyptian 2011: Bird of Paradise
Tiki Night at The Egyptian 2010: The Mighty Uke

Modernism Week – Vintage Airstream Trailer Tours

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Events and tagged with , , , , , ,

IMG_7181The closing weekend of Palm Springs Modernism Week featured two days of vintage airstream tours. Dozens of people hauled their restored travel trailers here for us to line up to take a peek inside at their handiwork.

IMG_7144The Decoliner looked like it landed here from another planet. (It was Oregon, actually.) Randy Grubb builds amazing custom cars — Jay Leno bought one — and he made this beauty in 20 months with the front cab of a 1950 COE, 455 Oldsmobile engine, and 1973 GMC motor home chassis.

IMG_7146The inside of it was just as groovy. Those little windows are part of the stairs that lead up to the flying bride. That’s right, you can drive it from the top.

IMG_7153Each trailer had its own unique style. One of my favorites was this 18-foot-long 1964 Airstream Bambi Two, probably because it reminds me of an Anthropologie store. The design was inspired by the Sierra Foothills and the modular furniture was made from salvaged local wood.

IMG_7162Owner Kristiana Spaulding rents out the trailer for commercial shoots and special events, plus she designs jewelry featuring (what else?) trailers. We also saw other airstream enthusiasts turning their passion into businesses by selling themed magnets and t-shirts.

IMG_7205It’s so easy to admire these shiny symbols of the open road (with a few of the comforts of home). RV connoisseurs would have been excited to see this rare (so I’ve read) 1965 Dethleffs Beduin, but I was more thrilled with what I spotted inside.

IMG_7199There was a retro tableau set up in the dining area, complete with ceramic tikis. They looked great with the tropical plant print on the seats.

IMG_7224The Palm Springs High School band program had set up a bake sale and there were also vendors like Vintage Roadside and a dude that made these neat neon signs (and whose business card I’ve unfortunately misplaced). Airstream Life magazine had organized this event for the past three years, but this was the last time they’ll be directly involved. I’m hoping next year will be just as memorable. (Oh yes, we’ll be back.)

Modernism Week – The Contemporary Idol Art Show

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Events and tagged with , , , , ,

IMG_7142Last month, M Modern gallery in Palm Springs celebrated Modernism Week with openings for two new art exhibitions. The Contemporary Idol featured work from “20 artists interpret(ing) primitive art in the modern habitat.”

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A tiki art show at M Modern just wouldn’t be complete without a contribution from Shag. Naturally it had a little red “sold” dot next to it.

IMG_7040Derek Yaniger and Doug Horne were more familiar faces from The Book of Tiki 10th Anniversary exhibition at M Modern from awhile back, which is not surprising since author Sven Kirsten also curated this show.

IMG_7043The home decor aspect of the exhibition’s theme was emphasized by these tiki lamps courtesy of Jim “Polynesiac” DePompei. I especially liked the Andres Bumatay-style one on the left.

IMG_7058This “Twin Tangaroa Trio” is by Lake Surfer, whose carvings have appeared in Trader Vic’s Chicago and the Foundation Tiki Bar in Milwaukee. As there’s a lack of palm trees in his present homeland Wisconsin, he uses hardwoods like oak and maple, which give his work a distinctive look.

IMG_7054The pièces de résistance were undoubtedly the two intricate wood collages (“Face to Face” on left) from Leroy Schmaltz, “godfather of all tiki carvers” and co-founder of Oceanic Arts. It was also very appropriate for Ken Pleasant to be represented (“Irony” on right) since he carries on the aesthetic of Witco, the company that popularized primitive-style furniture in the 1960s. (See: Tiki Modern)

IMG_7076Dawn Frasier‘s paintings have such a beautiful, ethereal quality to them. “The Mystical Order of Mu” was part of this group show, but she also had a few other pieces on display.

IMG_7125The other new exhibition was called Modern Moods, a solo show from Bosko Hrnjak. I already dig his straightforward mid-century modern settings, but this one (“Sector 9”) gave it a fun sci-fi twist with a crash-landed spaceship and the sly suggestion of a future government cover-up.

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