Have you ever wanted to escape it all in the cozy comfort of your own home? Do you sometimes feel an inordinate enthusiasm for everything Tiki and Pop Polynesian? Have you been accused of collecting way too many Tiki mugs? Do you find yourself longing for fruity and strong drinks adorned with swizzle sticks and cocktail umbrellas? Did someone catch you buying another aloha shirt or obscure bottle of rum?
Join author and photographer TIKI TOM-TOM on an immersive road trip as he crosses the continental United States to visit 75 home Tiki bars, sharing tales of the slightly obsessed and always fun Polynesiacs who have been inspired to create their own tropical escapes. Step inside these elaborate environments, lovingly created in private homes, gardens, trailers, and boat houses across the country, from New York to California and Washington to Florida.
POLYNESIACS: TIKI AT HOME isn’t a how-to book. Similar to the ancient voyaging mariners who used star charts, winds, and currents to guide their way, this book offers sixteen Navigation Points to help map your journey, inspire you to harness your unique obsessions, and learn from the wisdom and humor of the Polynesiacs who’ve traveled before you as you plan, build, or enhance your home Tiki space.
Po·ly·ne·si·ac | ˌpä-lə-ˈnē-zē-ˌak
1: a passionate, welcoming, and fun-loving person characterized by an inordinate or ungovernable enthusiasm for Tiki.
2: a neologism for a person who loves Polynesian Pop culture.
You might be stoked about surfing if you’re willing to compete in an arm cast. That’s Jim for you. It all started when Jim heard from one of the Thunderbirds that the Air Force was looking for Surf Club recruits. Each year, there was a surfing invitational among the military branches. Although he couldn’t jump…
When Lisa introduced the Funky Flamingo as her “girlie tiki bar,” I was curious. Women building home tiki bars is less common than men. At least in my experience, it is. Of the seventy eight home bars I have visited, only 13 (16%) of those bars have been created primarily by women. So when Lisa…
You’re not supposed to get antsy in paradise, but that was me – at least for a short time – today. Yesterday, we arranged to go to a remote restaurant that is located on a tiny island just across the lagoon from Mo’orea. When I made the reservation, it clearly stated that we had to…
I sat outside tonight in the South Seas darkness, looking for unfamiliar stars, but found few due to the sea cloud cover. The nights are quiet and dark here, unlike nights at home. At first, the darkness was a bit overwhelming. Small spots of illumination come from Hale (house) lights, scattered throughout the steep valleys.…
Tiki bars come. Tiki bars go. Although we Polynesiacs see this natural cycle happen time and time again, we intensely dislike it. Something deep within us holds on to the belief that our sacred “tapu” spaces are permanent. We want to believe that our public or private escapes are here forever, that they exist in…
When Aaron told me that his dad, Donald, loved The Big Lebowski, I couldn’t help but re-envision the final eulogy scene with Dad in the role. “Donald was a good father, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved Martin Denny and his family, and as a surfer…
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