The Tiki Talk Show
The Tiki Talk Show
Recent Episodes
This week, Ellie and Ryley had the joy of hosting Marie King, internationally recognized rum and tropical cocktail expert and enthusiast. Marie’s foray into the bar world began when she got her first hosting job at 16 years old. She quickly found a passion for cocktails, spirits, and the easy conversation fostered between bartender and patron. Always a lover of all things mid-century, it was King’s relationship with her husband Jonpaul that launched her infectious interest in the plastic paradises of Polynesian Pop. Since the cocktail education provided by a fake ID and an old salty bartender, Marie has gone on to create and guide beverage programs at some of tiki’s greatest bars. From Don the Beachcomber’s in Long Beach to Tonga Hut in LA and Palm Springs, to the new Don the Beachcomber’s in Florida and beyond, Marie’s creativity and love has helped cultivated an environment of familiarity and intrigue for those that pass through their doors.
One of the newer aspects of the of the Don the Beachcomber’s brand is the Gantt Reserve Collection. Bars in the Gantt Reserve Collection focus on immersive escapism and quality cocktails. The first of these bars is Morgan’s Cove in Tampa, Florida, with more planned for the future. Marie mentions how these bars offer the opportunity to create a unique bar experience that molds itself to the community. A great bar is nothing without a great community to support it. That’s one of the things that Morgan’s Cove does so well. They understand their community and their people.
You can find Marie King on Instagram at @mariekingofdtb. And check out @donbeachcomber and @morganscovetampa to keep up with news and updates on Don the Beachcomber’s and the Gantt Reserve Collection.
Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of The Tiki Talk Show. Be sure to check out our other show, Tiki Today, to see what’s going on now in the tiki space, made possible by all of the revival efforts of the past. If you’re interested in being interviewed, send us an email at [email protected]. Click the link below to see our link tree and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also fill out our Google Form to get on our postcard mailing list.
It’s been good talking to you.
-Ryley and Ellie
This Halloween episode brings more treats than tricks as Ellie and Ryley share a peak behind the curtain into their research process. We walk through books, websites, music, movies, and other podcasts that have given us a jumping off point for the Tiki Revival period and the guests that we interview on this show. By no means is this an exhaustive list into tiki research materials, but hopefully it gives you a place to start if you’re looking. Feel free to share your favorite tiki resources in the comments below.
List of resources mentioned:
Books:
-Grog Log by Jeff Berry
-The Book of Tiki by Sven Kirsten
-Tiki Roadtrip by James Teitelbaum
-Ninety Years of Classic San Diego Tiki by Martin Lindsey
Websites:
Music:
-Lahaina Sunset by Mark Riddle
-Creepxotica by Creepxotica
-Forbidden Isle of Demos by Combustible Edisons
Movies:
-Plastic Paradise: A Swingin’ Trip Through America’s Polynesian Obsession
-The DVD of Tiki Vol. 1: Paradise Lost
Podcast:
-Inside the Desert Oasis Room Podcast by Adrian Eustaquio
Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of The Tiki Talk Show. Be sure to check out our other show, Tiki Today, to see what’s going on now in the tiki space, made possible by all of the revival efforts of the past. If you’re interested in being interviewed, send us an email at [email protected]. Click the link below to see our link tree and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also fill out our Google Form to get on our postcard mailing list.
It’s been good talking to you.
-Ryley and Ellie
This week, in continuation with a month of Mai-Kai love and appreciation, Ryley and Ellie host Tim “Swanky” Glazner on the podcast. Tim is a co-founder of the East Coast’s original tiki weekender, the Hukilau, historian for the Mai-Kai, and a Donn the Beachcomber expert. His interest in tiki comes from an appreciation for mid-century design, style, culture, and nostalgia. When the Hukilau found its home at the Mai-Kai, Swanky became entranced with the tiki palace of an era he had long admired. As he became closer with the Mai-Kai family he found himself asking questions, hearing stories, and incidentally, collecting an oral history of this iconic Florida tiki bar. Eventually, that quest for stories became intentional, and he sought out those who had been part of the Mai-Kai’s story, past or present, to preserve their stories for the future. In 2016, he compiled all of these stories and his knowledge of the Mai-Kai into a book.
The Mai-Kai’s rich history is forever intertwined with that of Donn the Beachcomber. As Tim was researching the Mai-Kai and capturing its stories, he found himself fascinated with the tales of tiki’s mystic and mythical founder. After his first book, Glazner pivoted to collected stories and oral histories of Donn Beach before the people who knew him best were lost to the sands of time. Tim’s steady pursuit to separate fact from fiction on tiki’s man of mystery has led him to author another book, this one on the life of Donn the Beachcomber. He’s also been an associate producer on a recent film about Donn called The Donn of Tiki. His book is set to release early next year, and we are so excited to keep an eye out and jump on the pre-release wagon when it comes around.
You can find Tim on Instagram @swankpad and online at swankpad.org. You can find his Mai-Kai book and more at maikaihistory.com. Check out Donn-beach.com to keep up with Swanky’s research into this iconic tiki figure and keep an eye on his book release. Visit thedonnoftiki.com to find showtimes, tickets, merch and more for the Donn Beach documentary that Tim helped produce.
Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of The Tiki Talk Show. Be sure to check out our other show, Tiki Today, to see what’s going on now in the tiki space, made possible by all of the revival efforts of the past. If you’re interested in being interviewed, send us an email at [email protected]. Click the link below to see our link tree and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also fill out our Google Form to get on our postcard mailing list.
It’s been good talking to you.
-Ryley and Ellie