It was the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 17th. I had just gotten home from three fun-filled days at the coast with my pal Christa. I had to work the next day and had a doctor appointment the morning after that. Amazingly, I realized I didn't have to be back at work until after my planned trip to Washington to help out my mom, which was the 23rd thru the 28th. There was an exhibit of cool tiki art that I had really wanted to get to see. The exhibit was only running until the 29th and it was all of the way in Los Angeles. There really was no way I could go and check it out...or was there? As crazy as it sounded, I thought I could maybe rent a car again and take off for La-La Land after my doctor's appointment Thursday morning, the 19th. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Here I also had these articles I was planning to do on certain places in Los Angeles and on tiki culture within California. Both articles were going to require me to get to LA again eventually. Why not go now and get it all done at once? Phone calls were made and emails were sent. This was going to be a quick--but jam-packed--trip.
The cockpit still had seats for the pilots and all of the instrumentation.
The rear of the plane was the galley, where the orders were put together.
The actual barbecue was taking place on the platform near the order window.
One side of the hanger had restrooms. The other housed a small party or dining room.
I went to the doctor appointment, then picked up my car and was soon on my way.
When I had picked up the car, the rental agent informed me there was only a quarter of a tank of gas in the tank. I'd meant to stop and fill it up before leaving town. Instead, I headed for the freeway, headed out of town and forgot all about the gas situation.
Not far from Tulare, the matter of the gas popped back into my head. Dang! I'd better pull off and get some. As I was entering Tulare to find a station, I suddenly remembered that somewhere in town was a restaurant that was inside of an airplane. Really! I had learned about it while editing an article about it at The Fresno Bee. However, I had never been before and didn't know exactly where it was. I did remember that it was only open during lunch hours and it was just a little past 11. Was this place open and did it even still exist? I googled "airplane restaurant Tulare" and voila! Pitty's BBQ showed up. Although I think the restaurant was originally something other than Pitty's, it was open and I had found it.
Sure, a restaurant housed in the fuselage of an old airplane is a gimmick. But, hello? I am a huge sucker for gimmicks and I wasn't going to let this one pass me by.
The place was super neat. I would love to have had lunch there, but I had lunch plans in Bakersfield later in the day. The inside of the plane (the ONLY plane I've ever felt safe in, by the way. Ha!) was decked out with tables and chairs that were cleverly designed to look like cargo crates.
The cockpit still had seats for the pilots and all of the instrumentation.
The rear of the plane was the galley, where the orders were put together.
The actual barbecue was taking place on the platform near the order window.
Behind the plane was a small building that resembled a hanger.
One side of the hanger had restrooms. The other housed a small party or dining room.
Yelp and TripAdvisor give Pitty's BBQ high ratings. It looks like a cool place to take a quick "vacation" during lunch. You can visit their Facebook page HERE.
Pitty's BBQ
240 North "L" St.
Tulare, CA 93274
(559) 334-1441
After Pitty's and filling up with gas, I was soon back on the road. I had a lot to get done that day aside from just getting to Los Angeles safely. My next stop was in Bakersfield at a place called Coconut Joe's. I've been stopping at Coconut Joe's for years. This particular stop was not only for lunch, but also to snap some photos for the article on California tiki culture I'm working on for The Fresno Bee. While more beachy than tiki and not a cocktail bar at all, Coconut Joe's still has a groovy "Gilligan's Island" vibe to it that tikiphiles like. Check out its page on Critiki HERE.
I had already been communicating with Joseph Coughlin, Coconut Joe himself, for the article. I let him know I'd be coming that day and hoped to take photos of the restaurant and of a banquet room I had heard about but had not seen before. Joe walked me the few blocks over to where the banquet room is. I was confused. Aside from the sign on a window, the building looked like one of those small industrial places where you find mechanics or smog check shops, not something you'd expect to find a banquet room in.
He told me to wait in front of this roll-up metal door. What was this? I wasn't expecting much.
Up rolled the metal door and...WOW! There was this whole amazing facade, like something out of a Hollywood movie. What a surprise and just so perfectly awesome.
Joe let me snap his photo and then took me in.
It was nice. There was a cool tiki-ed out reception desk area.
And a decent quasi-tropical banquet facility.
To the rear of the building (or at least what I thought was the rear of the building) was this cool, decked out doorway. What could be back there, I wondered. Restrooms, perhaps?
Oh my stars! What he showed me amazed me. It was a gorgeous, movie perfect tiki bar. I was floored. This was absolutely amazing.
The details were just spot on perfect. I was floored that Joe had essentially his own private tiki bar and no one (except those lucky enough to attend events there) knew about it. Zowie! It was GORGEOUS!
I loved the place and was in full tiki nerd mode, taking pictures of everything. And indeed, where ever you looked, there was some new detail to be discovered. It was just so tiki perfect. It seemed ashamed to be hidden away like it was.
The space is bigger than it looks. There are also smaller rooms off of the more open area. Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
I really didn't want to leave the banquet room (and the tiki bar area) at all. It had all been so magical looking. Joe gave me a souvenir glass (Whoo hoo!) and we walked back to the restaurant.
I have always liked the restaurant and dutifully took photos (before, during and after my lunch there), but somehow, after seeing the magnificent banquet hall and tiki bar, the regular Coconut Joe's facility seemed to pale by comparison. Still, it's a neat space and so well done.
Joe is an artist. He did a lot of the work on this place himself. All of the artwork (from the posters to the faux pineapple can wrappers) is his work.
There are several seating options, but I like dining at the little hut-like tables.
It was great meeting Coconut Joe. I can't wait to work on my tiki article. I also hope to someday get to experience the banquet room in operation. What a place. What a great secret tiki bar as well.
Check out Coconut Joe's official website for more information HERE.
Coconut Joe's
4158 California Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93309
(661) 327-1378
After Coconut Joe's, I was off for LA again. Time was passing by. I still had lots to do that evening and daylight was slipping away. On the way up the Grapevine, I made a detour to stop and briefly visit my friend John. I wanted to save myself some postage and drop off his (less-than-thrilling) Christmas present early. I was glad he was home, so I didn't have to leave it on his porch.
It was great to see John again, if only for a few minutes. As we chatted, I told him that I was just heading up and back again quickly to see this exhibit and get some quick research in for my articles. He reminded me that that weekend was another has-been celebrity show. He would be going. Hmm. That would be Saturday. If I stayed until then, I wouldn't have to worry about driving home in the dark and I'd have a chance to check out one other place I had intended to include in one of my articles. I could head home after the celebrity show. Sure, I told him. I'd think about it, but I'd probably go.
Back on the road, I arrived in Los Angeles at rush hour. Fortunately, for the most part, I was heading in the reverse of traffic. My hotel for the evening was a Motel 6 (a "Studio 6" for extended stays...) in Van Nuys, not far from the places I had planned to check out that evening. My motel was cheap---and it showed. Ha!
I actually think the motel was an apartment complex in a previous life.
My room was okay--but kind of weird. I know it looks dark. That's because neither of the bedside lamps nor the overhead light worked.
The kitchenette was cramped. Because I realized I was not in the best neighborhood in the world, I hid my luggage on the side of the sink cabinets (behind the refrigerator) when I went out, thinking that any thief wouldn't bother looking there.
The reason I think this place was a former apartment complex is partly because of this weird closet space. There was this narrow hall that led to a wall. It was really empty/wasted space. To the right (at the beginning of the "hall" was the door to the bathroom. On the left was what looked like a standard-size closet space that had been reduced to just one side of the closet.
The bathroom was pretty no-frills standard.
Speaking of no frills, look at this name-brand (not) toilet paper. How'd they get 520 "soft & comfortable" sheets onto the roll? One-ply, baby. One-ply. Ha!
After getting settled in, I called for a Lyft. My driver was a guy named Hossein. He seemed nice enough, but when I tried to talk to him, I really couldn't understand a word he said. He got me where I wanted to go...Tiki No, the first of three tiki bars in the northern part of LA that (gasp! shock!) I had never been to before.
Tiki No (No, as in North Hollywood) was nice. It was a little smaller than I thought it would be though. I was a little uncomfortable as I was alone. Usually I always have someone with me (or am meeting someone) when I travel. This night would be strictly solo.
The bar area was nicely done. There was cool lighting, the obligatory puffer fish lamps, and plenty o' alcohol. Ha!
I really dug the booths with their bamboo poles, interesting lamps, and grass hut-like roofs. I was alone though, so I sat at the bar.
Although I had just arrived, I still had two other tiki bars to hit and I didn't want to be out very late. I wanted to be "home" early so I could get an early start on my full schedule the next day. It was happy hour though, so I tried a Coconut Mojito.
I didn't see the Lychee Luau until after I'd ordered. Darn it. Oh well. I can have that another time...
My experience at Tiki No was brief. I didn't see any souvenir mugs available for sale. I didn't really talk to anyone. It was just a sit, drink, pay, leave kind of thing, with a few photos taken here and there. I'd love to go back--with friends--but for now I was just glad I got to see it, however briefly.
The only negative to Tiki No that I could see was the large TVs showing sports. Tiki bars are not sports bars. Fortunately the TVs are located in an indoor patio area that is separated from the main bar (but open to the elements as there is no window facing the street).
Tiki No
4657 Lankershim Blvd,
North Hollywood, CA 91602
(818) 766-0116
Tiki No was less than a mile from my next destination. So, instead of calling Lyft or Uber, I decided to walk it. The street (Lankershim) I was on ended up being like a pie wedge in this crazy intersection of criss-crossing roads. There was nowhere to cross. So I walked back looking for a place. Nothing. I eventually ended up walking over another street and darting across it when the coast was clear (there was a grassy median, so I only had to worry about traffic in one direction at a time). As I was walking to my next tiki port o' call, I spied something that I just had to stop and see. Oh my stars! How COOL. It wasn't a tiki bar, but Idle Hour turned out to be an amazing and unexpected BONUS BAR on my otherwise little tiki tour.
According to its website (which you can view HERE), Idle Hour opened in 1941 and is an example of "programmable architecture". I have always heard this style of building referred to as "vernacular architecture," as the buildings look like what it is called and/or what it represents. For example, The Brown Derby restaurant was shaped like a hat and the famous Bulldog Cafe was shaped like a bulldog. Idle Hour was shaped like kegs as it is a taproom. Either way, the place was just an amazing find.
Again, feeling a bit uncomfortable being alone in a strange place, I sat by myself at the bar and ordered something off the cocktail menu while looking around the place. It was early still, but customers were soon coming in and filling the place up.
Apparently it is also a restaurant and there is a patio in the back.
What I found so amazing was the fact that while the outside looked like barrels, the inside also looked like the inside of barrels. Wow! So cool.
All too quickly I had to drink up, pay and leave. But what a neat find. I was so glad I stopped.
Idle Hour
4824 Vineland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 91601
(818) 980-5604
Following Idle Hour, I was back on foot, trudging through North Hollywood. Alone. I hadn't told anyone (with the exception of Christa, who I'd been musing over the idea of a quick trip to LA with while at the coast, and then my friend John, who I had seen earlier in the day on my way down) that I'd be in Los Angeles, because my dance card was so full. And everything I was doing was for "work" (i.e research for the articles). I didn't have a lot of free time and I didn't want to be pulled away to see anyone...and fall off schedule. As I was walking up the street, my phone rang. It was one of my oldest and dearest friends, Nedra (who lives in LA. Ha!).
Nedra wanted to know if I was okay. Yes, I told her, just as busy as always though. Why? She told me I had missed her birthday, her 50th, and that wasn't like me. I panicked. Was it October already? Uh..yes. Like 3/4 of the way over. Oh man! I remembered her big birthday was coming, but it got lost in the whirlwind of my life. ARGH! I was this close to asking her what she was doing tomorrow night, that I had a surprise for her (I was thinking I could surprise her and take her out), when she asked if she could come and stay at my place in mid-November. Sure. No problem, I'd have to make her birthday up to her somehow then. But in the mean time my plans for LA remained uninterrupted and I had arrived at my next destination...
Kahuna Tiki isn't your typical tiki bar. It's a tiki sushi bar...and it's outside. Huh? Exactly! I had no idea what to expect when I walked up to the entrance (not a door, but an entrance) to the great exterior wall of Kahuna Tiki. Sure, I had read about it on Critiki (HERE), but that didn't really prepare me for this fun and very different tiki treat. Except for a very small building that houses the sushi bar, kitchen, restrooms and a few tables, Kahuna Tiki is basically a vacant lot with al fresco dining under umbrellas or open-air cabanas. There are waterfalls, trees, tiki decorations and cool lighting, but the whole place is virtually outside. There is even one table in a small cave-like alcove. Zowie!
I got there just as it was starting to get dark. The tiki torches were already lit. No one else was there--yet--so I sat at the bar, ordered and got up to wander around and take pictures.
What a cool place. And what an ingenious use of outdoor space in the big city.
Here is the small cave room table.
I wish I had seen this sign before ordering. Both the Macadamia Nut Madness and the Banana-Rama sound yummy.
This is the small building on the lot that is home to the sushi bar, kitchen and bathrooms. There are also a handful of tables as well.
I don't recall what I had exactly, but I am pretty sure it was the Lava Pit.
The bathroom. Dig that crazy cool sink and the bamboo-trimmed mirror.
I dug it, man. The sushi (a California Roll and an eel roll) was good and the drink was tasty. I loved the outdoor setting. Very clever and done well. I want to go back.
You can check out Kahuna Tiki's website HERE.
Kahuna Tiki
11026 Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 853-7447
After Kahuna Tiki, I took Lyft again. This time my driver's name was Pedro. His car smelled of dead farts that refused to fade away, but he was nice enough. I didn't have to ride with him for too long before we arrived at my final stop on the tiki trail for the evening; The Tonga Hut!
Tonga Hut is Los Angeles' oldest, still operating tiki bar. How could I have NOT been there yet? The current Tonga Hut operators opened a second location in Palm Springs a few years ago, and I have been to that one. But the original? I was curious...
For some reason, you have to enter and exit through the back end of the building. This was sort of strange as there were dumpsters on either side of the entrance (you can just see one in the lower right corner of the photo below). Hmm. I don't know about this...
Inside it was a total retro-swank tiki dive bar that I instantly loved. In many ways, it reminded me of one of my all-time faves, the Kona Club in Oakland. It had a very relaxed and casually comfortable vibe. Locals were hanging out. And it was getting more and more crowded as the evening progressed...and this was a Thursday night.
The interior is simple--and not entirely over-the-top tiki. There are four iconic fixtures in Tonga Hut, two of which (the tiki statue near the unused front door on the left and the vintage early '70's metal fireplace on the right) have recently been turned into signature tiki mugs for the place. However, I was unable to get either as they were being released two days after my visit. Argh!
Despite not getting a mug, I still got a souvenir. I picked up and took home this cardboard coaster.
There were also three or four booths along the wall.
I actually stayed for TWO drinks here, so comfortable did I feel in the place. First I had something called Voodoo Juice.
I then tried a drink special called Fool's Gold. Both were good, but the Fool's Gold would have been better withOUT the Cacao, I think.
The third iconic fixture in Tonga Hut is its tiered waterfall feature behind the bar.
I was trying to get shots for my article, but the place had Halloween decorations up.
The Halloween decor kind of ruins the shots, but I really dig this tiki idol, the fourth iconic fixture known as Drooling Bastard, with the skull mask on it. Groovy, baby!
Tonga Hut
12808 Victory Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91606
(818) 769-0708
My ride back to the hotel from Tonga Hut was with an older, balding guy named Harry. Harry said he was not into working Lyft for the money. He was doing it for the conversation. He loved to talk. And talk he did...and talk and talk and TALK...all of the way back to the hotel---which wasn't all that far away (thank goodness), but it felt like it was miles and miles from where I was picked up.
Across the street and a little ways down from the hotel was a diner called NORMS. The retro sign called to me. I have a friend named Norm in Omaha and I really thought about eating there in the morning before my next day's adventures...but it didn't happen.
I did walk down to the corner Safeway / Vons and got myself some bananas and coconut water though. I try to have that every morning as I use a diuretic and tend to pee out my potassium. Oops. There was a cool pumpkin patch carnival-like thing going on across the street, but I didn't check it out.
Instead I went back to my hotel...
And back to my room...
And off to bed. The day had been filled of cool stuff and amazing surprises. Tomorrow promised to be even better with a visit to some classic tourist attractions, a nifty tiki art exhibit in a groovy cool store, dinner in a fun place, another tiki bar...and a return visit with that zany Swiss writer friend of mine, Christa Polinhorn. Tune in next time and see what happened.
CHEERS!
Continue to the second part HERE.
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