ALOHA

ALOHA

We're Always Open

Welcome to my THIRD attempt at making a web page for my home tiki bar! I call it The Coconut Monkey because back in high school (almost 13 years ago now) I bought a little coconut monkey bank while on spring break on St. George Island and THAT is what got me hooked on tiki. Ever since then I have been scouring thrift stores and eBay looking for tiki treasures. For a while I had a hard time finding anything, but the last two years or so I have had an easier time. I think a couple years after I got into it, the masses really started to warm up to tiki, next thing you know it was everywhere, but sort of "tacky-tiki". Now I think the fad flame-ups are over their tiki stuff and are sending it to thrift stores. Either way pickin's aren't as slim as they used to be! I love the more "swanky" side of tiki. The leopard print/red velvet/bamboo side as opposed to the flourecent colored/plastic/birthday decor tiki you see everywhere.



The Coconut Monkey

For a long time I simply amassed items in the hope of one day having my own little backyard bar. I finally got to put some of my items on display when I moved to Norfolk. Our small computer area/diningroom became my Hawaiian oasis. Travis found a really cool tiki bar at the local thrift store for $40.00 and soon it was home and we had no room for it! We moved after a year to a differnt apartment with no room for anything! I had to split my things between the master bathroom and the balcony. We moved again not long after that (love the Navy) and my things all sat in storage for damn near a year. Before too long we were on our way again... moving... and this time our house was huge (especially for two people) and I finally had space for my dream tiki bar! I set up shop in a corner of our basement and displayed all my treasures. Travis never did get around to refurbishing the bar itself or really helping me do anything with all the bamboo I have. My ex-husband had gotten tons of it out of the dumpster at the local Civic Center. It had been their South Pacific set. Even if I didn't have much structure, it still felt good to have a place for it all. After several months it was time to move again. There was room for all of my mugs and statues but NOT for the Tiki Bar! First we tried just saving the best parts because it needed to be rebuilt anyway. However, in the end none of it would fit and it had to be left at the curb. I hope that some deserving tikster found it and took it home! At the moment all of my things are back in storage and bound to be there for a good while before they can be put back on display.



Top Notch Tiki

I love all my tiki stuff, but a few items really stand out in the crowd. I have a special place in my heart for everything my husband has found for me; he really puts effort into remembering what I want most. Aside from those items, here are some of my favorite tiki finds.

We'll start with my absolute favorite item. My Suffering Bastard decanter! He is miserable, downtrodden, depressed... AND you can keep booze in him! I love it! Love it! Love it! I have wanted one of these for YEARS and I finally got one; I am so happy. Travis got it for me as an early birthday present this year.

This has got to be number two on my list. It's a Shag Disneyland 50th anniversary "One Enchanted Evening" purse. It is numbered if I remember right (it's in a shadow box) and still has the tag on. It is so bright and colorful. I LOVE Shag art and this is really the only thing (other than stationary & a journal) of his that I own. My ex bought this for me off eBay and paid I think $100 for it. I am glad he did because looking today for a picture of one, I was unable to find one anywhere on the net, let alone one for sale.

Next is this ceramic pitcher... actually I have 2 of them one yellow, one green. Trab brought these home with about 10 other items he got at a thrift store for $4 total. It was a surprise and I love them! These are going to be great to hold Pina Coladas! It's hard to find non-plastic tiki pitchers.
This last piece is really unique! Mine is packed up so I had to use a photo from Tiki Central. We found it at a crappy little flea market in Newport News, Va. The lady charged us either $12 or 15.00 for it I can't remember. She wanted $60.00 for it as airline memorabilia, but her husband had told us the $12 or whatever so she sold it to us for that. It's rather large, over 2 feet and looks like wood but is actually plastic. The bottom says "United The Hawaiian High Way". I guess it was used by United AL she said as a display to promote their flights across the pacific. I really have no idea how common these are or anything, probably fairly common if I was able to find a photo of one. I just think it's really neat and it even has little square butt cheeks in the back!



Favorite Tiki Drinks

PINA COLADA
2 oz golden rum
1 oz cream of coconut (Coco Loco)
4 oz pineapple juice
6 ice cubes

Combine rum, cocnut cream, pineapple juice and ice in a blender, blend on high unitl ice finely chopped. Pour and serve with a straw an umbrella!

BANANA BOAT
1 oz banana rum,
1 oz banana liqueur,
1 oz vodka,
2 oz pineapple juice,
1 oz orange juice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add ingredients and shake well. Pour into your favorite tiki mug and garnish with a slice lemon.

BLUE HAWAIIAN
1 oz light rum
1 oz blue curacao
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz cream of coconut (Coco Loco)

Combine all ingredients with 1 cup crushed ice in blender. Blend until ice is nearly liquified. Pour into stemmed glass. Garnish with orchid.