William Westenhaver, the creator of Witco, passed away on December 14, 2016. Witco literally changed the face of tiki with his avant garde carving style. His rough, … Continue reading Witco Founder William Westenhaver Has Passed Away
Per the Portland Mercury, Portland’s longest-standing tiki bar, The Alibi, is changing management. Partners Warren Boothby and Marcus Archambeault are taking over from the White family, who have … Continue reading The Alibi in Portland Changing Hands
I’ve seen several articles in the last couple of years claim that tiki bars have been revived by the craft cocktail scene. It may have been … Continue reading Early Modern Tiki: What the Tiki Re-emergence Looked Like
At last, the long-awaited day is approaching: Clifton’s Pacific Seas has started to be used for special invite-only events, and is currently slated to be open to the … Continue reading Clifton’s Pacific Seas Is Almost-Open in Downtown L.A.
A few weeks ago, I got a message from a friend who was visiting Los Angeles. Where, she wondered, could she take her 15-year-old nephew so … Continue reading The Dying Art of the Flaming Pu-Pu Platter
The United States had plenty of chains of Polynesian restaurants operating during the ’60s: Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber, Kon-Tiki Ports, Kona Kai. The other day, I … Continue reading Canada’s The Beachcomber Restaurants
In the United Kingdom, there is a chain of “holiday camps,” called Butlin’s. They were built in the 1930s and ’40s, as an affordable way for … Continue reading Butlin’s Beachcomber Bars: UK’s Colorful ’60s Tiki Holiday History
