Tag Archives: Tiki Shops

Aloha from Hanalei – Ching Young Village Shops

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , , , ,

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While we were in Kauai we did some souvenir shopping in Hanalei, stopping first at Ching Young Village. On the other side of the highway are the Hanalei Center shops, including Havaiki Oceanic and Tribal Art and the vintage store Yellowfish Trading Company. (That area is more picturesque as the boutiques are housed in restored historic buildings.)

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But Ching Young Village has its fair share of nice shops too, such as Hanalei Strings & Things (where Mr. Baseball bought me a uke!), Robin Savage Gifts & Gourmet, and the one I’m featuring in this post: Aloha from Hanalei.

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The New York Times travel section included it in a great article from a couple years ago about shopping on Kauai, “Hawaiiana, Beyond the Hula Doll.” Aloha from Hanalei has a cozy tiki hut vibe with bamboo, thatch and surfboards on the walls, plus a few tikis and run-of-the-mill tiki masks.

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You’ll find an interesting and varied selection of wares, from locally made soaps to Hawaiian salt and spices to vintage aloha shirts to framed Hawaiiana sheet music like “Drowsy Honolulu Moonlight.” Like several other stores we visited, they also stocked typical tiki items like salt and pepper shakers, magnets and figurines.

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The purple Ku on this tiki photo album was on the cusp of what I’d classify as an ugly tiki, but I liked the natural materials on the cover. I don’t recall seeing this particular tiki scrapbook before, but there are somewhat similar ones for sale on Amazon.

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I was also pleased to see they sell tiki postcards from Brad Parker a.k.a. Tiki Shark, who resides in Kailua-Kona. (I’ve mentioned his awesome “Monsters on Vacation” paintings on this blog before, and he just had another show at La Luz de Jesus gallery that I’ll be writing about at some point.)

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We were staying nearby in Princeville, so we had a few opportunities to hang out in Hanalei and do the tourist stroll. But if you have limited time on the North Shore, your two must-dos should be browsing at Havaiki Oceanic and Tribal Art and drinking at Tahiti Nui. (More on them soon.)

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Why did the wild chicken cross the road? To get to Havaiki!

Aloha from Hanalei
Ching Young Village
5-5190 Kuhio Hwy.
Hanalei, HI 96714
808-826-8970

Dazzles Vintage Store – Palm Springs, CA

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , , ,

IMG_7036After our Modernism Week architecture bus tour, my cohort and I started walking up Palm Canyon Drive to get a closer look at the tiki torches from Don the Beachcomber Palm Springs. About a block before we reached them, we stopped in our tracks when we spotted these two tikis out by the sidewalk.

IMG_7004They ended up serving their purpose, which was drawing us into Dazzles, a vintage store that we otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. It’s set back from the street in what appears to be a converted motel or apartment building that they share with a dentist’s office.

IMG_7015The first rooms you encounter are filled with knickknacks like macramé owls, resin grape clusters and this lovely Venus rain lamp. Make sure to keep exploring the rest of the building because this is just scratching the surface of their selection.

IMG_7016The tiki bar at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe no longer exists, but back in the day they produced so many mugs that they’re not all that uncommon to find. I also saw a couple peanut lined face mugs marked at $20 a piece.

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In the central courtyard there was an empty swimming pool surrounded by for-sale patio furniture and more palm tikis. On the north side are open doorways leading to still more rooms that are also part of Dazzles.

IMG_7026Here’s where we really hit the jackpot of neat stuff — so many stacks of furniture and art that we had to be careful not to knock anything over. There’s also a large case of bakelite and costume jewelry that Yelpers seem to be quite fond of.

IMG_7027Hello, gorgeous! That’s a nice pair of…barstools. (I was referring to that tiki bar there in the middle, of course.)

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I liked these matching restored rattan rocking chairs, but at five grand for the pair they were a wee bit out of my price range. Just like me to pick out the expensive items, but there were tons of other more wallet-friendly finds, including rattan side tables, coffee tables, wine racks and lamps.

IMG_7032Dazzles is just one of many mid-century modern shops in Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District, which the Los Angeles Times recently blogged about. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the Shag Store and Trio Restaurant.

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Dazzles
1035 North Palm Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-327-1446

Psycho Suzi’s Gift Shop & Signature Mugs

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , , , ,

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Well, I hope you’re not sick of Suzi because I’m still not done talking about her yet. A trip to Psycho Suzi’s just wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the gift shop, which is on your left when you enter the lobby.

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They offer brown and yellow signature tank tops, hoodies and beanies, plus six styles of t-shirts, including one for each of the bars in the Shangri-la Cocktail Lounge. I coudn’t resist the ones emblazoned “Where your petty concerns of authenticity are irrelevant” and “Dock your dinghy at Ports of Pleasure.” The latter also has a neat ship drawn on the back.

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In the case they have their first custom Tiki Farm mug (in the middle with the red eyes), along with about a dozen different Dynasty mugs that Psycho Suzi’s has matched up with their drinks. I’m now diggin’ that big volcano mug from Poolside Pineapple.

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They recently debuted their second locale-specific vessel for the Shrunken Head bar. You might have seen it on the cover of Tiki Farm’s Summer 2011 Quarterly, which featured an article describing the process of going from the original artwork to a design interpreted by The Pizz to the manufacturing of the final product. This Shrunken Head mug ($20) can be purchased online or in the gift shop, or ordered with its corresponding cocktail in the Shangri-la lounge.

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There are even more Dynasty mugs, bowls and shots up on the wall. Most were fairly familiar to me, except for that one that looks like an open-mouth bass. How very Minnesotan!

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I thought the Suzi Pint glasses were a great buy at only three bucks each. On one side is the Sailor Jerry hula girl and on the other is Psycho Suzi’s signature tiki.

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On the counter you’ll find impulse purchases like logo-rific patches ($4), pins ($6) and beer cozies ($4). Don’t fret if you’re nowhere near “Nordeast” Minneapolis, though — Psycho Suzi’s has started stocking some of their merch in an online store.