New Tiki Bar in Las Vegas

The place is called Frankie’s Tiki Room. On Otto von Stroheim’s Tiki Events mailing list I read it’s an authenticly styled bar with lots of bamboo, tapa and contemporary Tiki art. Reportedly the drinks are very good!

Here’s a quote from the newsletter:

Frankie’s Tiki Room, the only authentic tiki bar in Las Vegas, invites guests to experience the one-of-a-kind tiki environment complemented by traditional carvings, original Polynesian art, a full bar and gaming.

Frankie’s Tiki Room is a unique combination of South Seas exotica and modern primitivism, with just a hint of Las Vegas kitsch.  Frankie’s was founded by P Moss, the creator of the infamous Double Down Saloon, located in Las Vegas and New York City.  One hundred percent original and deeply rooted in tiki tradition, Frankie’s is the place where guests can escape to the fantasy any hour of the day or night.  Whether it’s ordering from the menu of exotic rum drinks and traditional cocktails in the tiki lounge, gambling at the bar, admiring the carvings or enjoying the music, Frankie’s Tiki Room does it in classic Las Vegas style.

The interior of Frankie’s was built by Bamboo Ben, the world’s foremost tiki bar designer and grandson of Eli Hedley, who created the décor for the legendary Aku Aku at the Stardust.  Frankie’s link to Las Vegas’ tiki past also includes original carvings by Tiki Bosko, who created exotic works of art not only at the Tropicana, but also the short lived but greatly missed Taboo Cove at the Venetian.  Frankie’s signature tiki is a monstrous island warrior by Crazy Al Evans, surrounded by extraordinary carvings by Tiki Ray and the much revered godfather of all tiki carvers, Leroy Schmaltz.

For additional information, visit www.frankiestikiroom.com

Frankie’s Tiki Room
1712 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89102

Pop Surf Culture – Book

Update:
I got it today, but could only read bits here and there so far.
My favorite quote currently is Johnny Bartlett saying:
“See, a lot of surf bands (in recent years) got it so wrong. It’s not just the guitar you use, or the sound you get, or the clothes you wear… it’s the whole package.”

I encourage anyone with an interest in Surf to buy it asap. It’s just epic.

Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film, and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom: Brian Chidester, Domenic Priore
This is going to be a must have book – just trust me. If you’ve read previous publications by the authors (like the latest Dumb Angel Magazine for example), you know they get deep into their subjects and have great sense for entertaining writing. They take you right there, with coolest people – connecting all the dots of southern california youth culture of the sixties.

link to Pop Surf Culture on Amazon for your pre-order. I am Amazon affiliated, which just means by using this link for a purchase you get a great book and support this blog at the same, for the same money. Why give it all to Amazon ;–?

Tiki Art Device Covers by Big Toe

Now you can cover your boring Apple iPhones and Motorola Razr V3 cell-phones with wild low-brow Tiki art by MySpace friend Big Toe. If it wouldn’t have been for his bulletin this would ’ve completely passed me by.

Visit Big Toe at Ding Life and MySpace

Reverb Unit Radio

This new travel radio looks like a slightly smaller tweed-covered version of an early sixties Fender Reverb unit. Spring reverbs like the Fender are very popular to achieve the wet, splashy surf sound. They are in fact the only way to create that sound, like on classics Pipeline by The Chantays or Baja by The Astronauts.

Nomad Traveler Speaker

found at BoingBoing Gadget

Find more info on spring reverb units here.

A Great Collection of Vintage Surfboard Logos

It’s an online gallery spanning all surfing eras and coasts. Here are three examples I haven’t seen before. It’s really interesting to browse the alphabetically listed pages. Most logos are pictures taken from laminates under the glass of actual used boards. Might be an idea for a wallpaper, don’t you think?

visit Stanley’s Surfboard Logo Library A to Z.