The Tiki Talk Show

Welcome back to another episode of The Tiki Talk Show. This week, Ellie and Ryley sit down with Martin and Rebecca Cate, proprietors of several award winning tiki bars and authors of the James Beard award winning cocktail book, Smuggler’s Cove. Martin first got into tiki in Washington DC when a coworker invited him out to drinks at Trader Vic’s. After moving back to the Bay Area, Martin and Rebecca’s interest in tiki grew through the late 90s and early 00s spurred on by themed home parties, Tiki Central, and local tiki establishments like Trader Vic’s in Emeryville. Eventually, at a crossroads in his life, Martin decided to enter the bar business in Alameda by opening Forbidden Island with successful business partners. Martin and Rebecca went on to open their first bar independently in San Francisco, Smuggler’s Cove. This bar not only focuses on well made tiki cocktails but appreciating Rum as a complex spirit. Smuggler’s Cove boasts the largest public collection of Rum in America. Martin and Rebecca went on to write their award winning cocktail book, Smuggler’s Cove, which not only lists cocktail recipes but also a narrative history of rum, tiki, and the tiki revival. The duo are also advisors and collaborators on several other award winning tiki bars across the country: Hale Pele in Portland, False Idol in San Diego, and Max’s South Seas in Grand Rapids. Each of these locations brings their own unique twist carefully tailored to the community they serve. From elaborately themed restaurants and bars to fantastic twists on tiki cocktails and elevating the reputation and appreciation of Rum, Martin and Rebecca have contributed a lot to the tiki revival. You can find Martin and Rebecca on Instagram @smugglerscovesf to check up on their new rum and cocktail offerings, guest appearances, and celebrations for the 10th anniversary of their cocktail book. You can find Smuggler’s Cove at smugglerscovesf.com to buy their book, view their drink menu and plan your trip to view their flagship bar. If you’re not in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out the bars they’re involved with in San Diego, Portland, and Grand Rapids.Thank you for joining us on this episode. We are excited to see you all in San Diego in a few weeks at Tiki Oasis. Ryley will be giving a seminar at Tiki Oasis all about the history of the tiki revival. Tickets are still available at tikioasis.com/friday-seminars-26 for his Friday seminar from 1:30-2:30. Check out our Instagram to see our new shirts and send us a DM to order one of your own! $20/shirt and $7 for shipping. They will be available after Ryley’s seminar at Tiki Oasis if you want to save on shipping! 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. It’s been good talking to you, and until next time…Linktr.ee/thetikitalkshow-Ryley and Ellie

This week on The Tiki Talk Show, Ryley and Ellie talked with Bosko Hrjnak, one of the first artists to revive tiki art from just appreciation to application. Bosko got his start in the mid-80s as the first artist to sculpt full size tikis after the art had faded from popularity and the public eye when tiki fell out of fashion. Ever since, Bosko has been using his creativity to carve and sculpt 3D tikis, ceramic tiki mugs, and wall decor for the Polynesian Pop enthusiast. He draws clear inspiration from William Westenhaver of Witco Designs and Rolly Crump, the Disney Imagineer, but Bosko’s designs are truly one of a kind. In the interview we talk about his work creating art, designing his home tiki bar, and the work he has done on several commercial bars. You can find Bosko at tikibosko.com to purchase his art, mugs, and more; or commission a custom work of your own. You can find his on Instagram @tikibosko. And be sure to check out his documentary Bosko and the Rebirth of Tiki if you haven’t seen it yet!Thank you for joining us on this episode. We have a few more episodes planned for this summer series leading up to Tiki Oasis. Ryley will be giving a seminar at Tiki Oasis all about the history of the tiki revival. Tickets are still available at tikioasis.com/friday-seminars-26 for his Friday seminar from 1:30-2:30. Check out our Instagram to see our new shirts and send us a DM to order one of your own! $20/shirt and $7 for shipping. They will be available after Ryley’s seminar at Tiki Oasis if you want to save on shipping! 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. It’s been good talking to you, and until next time…Linktr.ee/thetikitalkshow-Ryley and Ellie

Welcome back to another episode of The Tiki Talk Show. Ryley and Ellie sat down with the tiki revival’s most renowned bar builder, Bamboo Ben. As the grandson of the Original Beachcomber, Eli Hedley, tiki was in Ben’s blood. Having always been artistic, Ben took his experience building custom furniture and started building tiki bars for backyard parties in the 90s. Living in Southern California, these front yard leftovers after last night’s ragers were quickly procured by interested passersby. Ben realized there was a market for the faux Polynesian and fell back in love with the tiki memories of his childhood. These party bars slowly turned into custom requests throughout Southern California and eventually beyond, thanks to Tiki Central. Slowly, Bamboo Ben became known as the tiki bar guy and was hired to refurbish or renovate run-down tiki bars of old. These efforts culminated in the first Tiki Oasis and the rescue and revival of the Caliente Tropics. Restoration wasn’t the only business Ben was in. As the tiki fever started ramping up, there was a market for opening new tiki bars, and a need for someone to design and decorate them. Ben has had a widely successful career of commercial and private home bars, and in 2017, he brought his son, Blake, into the family business, officially making it Bamboo Ben & Son. You can find Bamboo Ben on Instagram @bamboo_ben_ or on Facebook at Bamboo Ben. If you’re interested in having this legend design your home or commercial bar space, reach out on social media or on his email at [email protected] you for joining us on this episode. We have a few more episodes planned for this summer series leading up to Tiki Oasis. Ryley will be giving a seminar at Tiki Oasis all about the history of the tiki revival. Tickets are still available at tikioasis.com/friday-seminars-26 for his Friday seminar from 1:30-2:30. We raffled off 2 standard tickets for Tiki Oasis over on Instagram, and the winner is announced at the end of this video. It’ll be announced on Instagram tomorrow. 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. It’s been good talking to you, and until next time…Linktr.ee/thetikitalkshow-Ryley and Ellie

Welcome back to The Tiki Talk Show! Following our brief hiatus, Ryley and Ellie sat down with a true member of the Mount Rushmore of the Tiki Revival, Jeff, Beachbum, Berry.Jeff first discovered Polynesian Pop as a child in the fleeting glimpses he caught of Ah Fong’s restaurant bar in the San Fernando Valley. The intricate escapism always lingered in the back of Jeff’s mind, but it wasn’t until he reached drinking age that Tiki began to creep back into his life. Berry was searching Los Angeles for a decent drink at a time when he recalls even the Old Fashioned’s came blended. He found respite in the small, Hollywood staple, The Tiki Ti. These tropical cocktails served by one of Donn the Beachcomber’s original bartenders was a welcome change, but when he asked Mr. Buhen what he was putting in his drinks, Berry was met with a generic answer preserving closely guarded secrets. That moment hurtled Berry into the world of tropical cocktails and rum rhapsodies that were being lost to time. Decades of research, interviews, writing, and storytelling later, Beachbum Berry has saved these drinks from extinction and made them widely available to tiki lovers and craft cocktail aficionados the world over. The Bum has published seven books containing not only cocktail and food recipes but the history of their creation, the places that served them, and the people who created and served beverages that captured the public’s attention for decades. Now, Jeff and wife Annene own Latitude 29, their own cocktail bar in New Orleans, Louisiana, where locals and travelers alike and quench their thirst for a quality tiki cocktail and revel in the gorgeous theming and decor. Go to https://beachbumberry.com to find Jeff’s books, the link to purchase his Total Tiki cocktail app, information on his restaurant, rums, syrups, and so much more. You can also find him on Instagram @official_beachbumberry and @latitude29nola.Thank you for joining us for this episode. It’s so good to be back talking to revival heroes and sharing that information with all of you. We are looking forward to a few more episodes coming out this summer, Tiki Oasis in August, and our move overseas at the end of summer. 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. It’s been good talking to you, and until next time…Linktr.ee/thetikitalkshow-Ryley and Ellie

It's been a great year for Ellie and Ryley! Not just in tiki, but in so many amazing experiences. This episodes serves as a great transition note for us all. We hate to tell you, but The Tiki Talk Show you've known, is over. But fear not! This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for all of us. We are moving to the United Kingdom! Yes, you read that right, England! This was as unexpected for us as it is for you all, but it's something that we are looking forward to. We want to be clear though, other than scheduling, nothing will change! We will always bring stories from the revival but scheduling is a real consideration. Listen on to hear how The Tiki Talk Show will be moving forward! Thank you all for all you've done over the last year!-Ryley and EllieFollow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date when new episodes are released.