Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Chomp. Munch. Crunch. Gulp. (31DoHM Day 3)

Day 3: Chomp. Munch. Crunch. Gulp.

Here's a clip from a cartoon about a hungry monster without a name. It starts out rather sweet but hang in there because this one gets pretty creepy at the end.

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Monday, October 02, 2006

Too much Halloween candy? (31DoHM Day 2)

Day 2: Cute trick-or-treaters and a very cool connection

A couple of Sundays ago, I posted a very cool little origami card that I picked up at a London Design Festival event. Since then, I have begun a friendly correspondence with the designer of the card, who goes by the pen name Ochi-bo.

Here are some samples of Ochi-bo's postcards, which are available at Gosh Comics on Great Russell Street near the British Museum.


I hope you like Ochi-bo's work because this won't be last time you see it here in Tiki Chris land!

















More illustrations by Ochi-bo may be seen at UMISEN-YAMASEN, an online "party of Japanese Manga and Otaku artists" based in London.

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What's inside a Jack-o-Lantern? (31DoHM Day 2)

Day 2: What's inside a Jack-o-Lantern?

Yours truly (no, that's not supposed to be the "scary part"), with the author of Kimberly's Adventures in China, celebrating Halloween back at the West Long Lounge on the Jersey Shore.
















Photograph by Emiana © 2006

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Sunday, October 01, 2006

Power and Taboo and lots of events at the British Museum



At the beginning of last month over at ontoLondon and Rapa Nui News, I mentioned the Power and Taboo exhibition was soon to open at the British Museum.

It opened the other day and it is glorious. In fact, I feel a bit guilty not having said more about it. If you're perusing this blog because you're even remotely interested in anything Polynesian, you need to know about this exhibition.

Although only 82 of the museum's 45,000 Polynesian artefacts are on display, the exhibition is still worth a visit. Pieces, such as the commanding and massive carving of Hawaiian god Kuka'ilimoku (scroll up) and the enigmatic A'a from the Austral Island of Rurutu, a favorite of Picasso and Herny Moore (scroll down), as well as items that have never before been exhibited, are thoughtfully displayed.

In addition to the awesome exhibition of works (the British Museum has the largest collection in the world), several interesting events are scheduled. Most of these events are free, such as a series of lunchtime lectures.

Do yourself a huge favor and click here to view the programme of events.



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What not to watch this Halloween: Cannibal Holocaust (31DoHM Day 1)

Day 1: Cannibal Holocaust - "MOST disturbing thing I have ever seen."

In honor of the 31 Days of Halloween Madness, Tiki Chris's ole buddy, Pint Champion is kindly providing a few B-Horror movie reviews. Since the days when PC was but a wee half pint, he has been fascinated by campy, low-budget horror flicks. Indeed, he has seen thousands of movies in this genre.

So why low-budget horror flicks? PC likes how these films "have the ability to turn the morbid, outrageous, unbelievable, and grotesque into pure comedy. There is definitely an art to it, and I'm a fan."

All Pint Champion movie reviews are based upon his non-patented "Tom Wopat Rating Scale."



(10 Tom Wopats = The Best, 0 Tom Wopats = the Worst)

For his first review, Pint Champion has chosen "Cannibal Holocaust." Enjoy.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

The first movie on my list is "Cannibal Holocaust," which was released in 1980 by Italian director, Ruggero Deodato. The movie budget was around $100k, which is bottom-barrel cheapo. I heard of the movie from a web site about classic horror movies that had some really obscure stuff going back to silent films. I'm being honest when I say that I thought this movie was going to be so bad, that it had to be funny. But I was also intrigued to find that it was really controversial and banned in a few countries. I'm thinking, yeah right, controversial, sure. Probably banned in Saudi Arabia or Kazakhstan...

Boy, was I ever wrong! This was the MOST disturbing thing I have ever seen. It is banned in many Western countries including the U.K. Don't rent it. Trust the Champ. I'm sure someone will have morbid curiosity and walk the plank anyway, but I'm telling you, stay out of the water and hang with the Pirates on this one! The beginning of the film features an honest "apology" from the movie company and a quote from Thomas Jefferson about free speech. I mean, what the hell is going on with this? An apology? The plot features two storylines. The first is a professor going into the jungles of South America to find a missing film crew who were making a documentary about a cannibalistic tribe. He finds the bodies of the crew, bonds with natives with several unnecessary meals, and recovers the tapes of the film crew. They were killed by the same natives befriended by the professor and his smarmy guides. Back to civilization, the second storyline features the professor and the executives of a film company privately screening the footage of the film crew, much to the horror of everyone, including me. In this sense, it was a bit like Blair Witch Project. Let's just say, the film crew had a slightly different take on the art of film-making and exhibited very little respect for wildlife or indigenous people! The movie features the following, all seeming VERY real, and in some cases, TOTALLY real:

- Live animal torture, killing, eating and mutilations of a screaming coatimundi (like a muskrat), a giant turtle, a pig, a monkey (who really has his brain eaten by the Indians) and a snake (I didn't think any of this was legal either);
- Several rape scenes, including one with a stone object;
- Group burning;
- Impaling;
- Plenty of realistic cannibalism that supposedly used real pig guts;
- Racism (the Indians are totally degraded, it's awful); and
- Castration.

Can I just stop here? Because unfortunately, there was plenty more.

When the movie was released, the director and producer were arrested in Milan as the movie was suspected of being a snuff film. Eventually, he proved his so-called "innocence," but the controversy continues even until the present. This movie was an absolute disgrace with no redeeming or entertaining qualities. Don't ever, ever, ever watch this film. PLEASE!!!!!! The only reason it receives any numerical score is because it was the most despicable and vile piece of filth I've EVER witnessed since the episode of Happy Days where Fonzie jumped over the shark tank.

0.00001 Tom Wopats!




Click here to read more about the film at Wikipedia.

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Welcome to 31 Days of Halloween Madness! (31DoHM Day 1)

Day 1: It's a whole month of Halloween Madness, Charlie Brown!

Yep. Rocktober's here and that means it's almost time for my fave holiday: Halloween! In honor of the holiday, I present a month's worth of tricks and treats.

Every day of this month, I will post something ghoulishly goofy or otherwise spooky for you, my batty readers!

Let's start with a classic bit of childhood nostalgia:

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Friday, September 29, 2006

This week's highlights (Friday 29 September 2006)

This week's highlights:

Plenty of cool stuff over at the CheekyTiki blog, such as this massive tiki, this killer mug, and this gorgeous shirt (which probably would be mine if it were my size!).

ontoLondon features a free downloadable
£10 note (that’s almost $20!), a confessional post about some savories around the corner from my flat, and a pretty cool weekly photo.

Nada mucho over at the ontoTravel blog. This, sadly, is the redheaded stepchild of Tiki Chris blogs. But, never fear because I do have some big plans for it in the kinda relatively (but not extremely soon) near future.

Amusing "monolithic" pop culture references and more at Rapa Nui News.

And on the Tiki Chris blog …

My fundamentally important position on the fundamental importance of lunch was misquoted in the local rag, I made a plea to the British tiki-enthusiast community, and I discoved and shared a cute lil origami doggie with you, my beloved readers. I also posted some British filth and Hungarian weirdness for good measure.

Please see below for a complete listing of all of this week's posts.

And don't forget! My 31 Days of Halloween Madness begins on Sunday!

Have a great weekend,
Tiki Chris


Below is information about the five blogs that I administer: CheekyTiki, ontoLondon, ontoTravel, Rapa Nui News, and Tiki Chris. Each Friday, I hope to provide a weekly review of what I've posted. If a particular blog interests you, keep in mind that I’ve been blogging since well before this past week. You may want to take a look through the archives of any blog that interests you. Thanks.


CheekyTiki
http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com
Site feed URL: http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/atom.xml
This week's posts:
Another massive tiki in the works
Tiki Mug of the Month: The Headhunter
Product Profile: Vintage Aloha Shirt


ontoLondon

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Thursday, September 28, 2006

That's not what I said!


So, last week a roving report for the Islington Gazette stopped me on the street and asked if I thought "more people should take time to have a Sunday lunch with their familes," to which I responded, 'Yes. I think that people should take more time for lunch in general.' I was then thanked, photographed by an accompanying photographer and told that my pic and quote would appear in next Thursday's edition.

Today, I picked up the Gazette to read the following as my quote: "More people need to sit down and talk more but not just on Sundays. it could be for lunch any day of the week. People are too busy for each other."

That's not what I said. I only made a statement about the importance of LUNCH! Anyway, it was fun to see my mug in the local paper.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2006

British? Tiki? I need your help.
























An upcoming edition of Tiki Magazine (not the immediate next issue but the one after that) will feature an article about the 'New Wave of British Tiki.' The article will be written by yours truly and will appear in my Polynesian Planet feature.

If you are British, into Tiki, and would like contribute in any way to the article, please send a brief message (please no photos ... yet!) to tikimag@gmail.com.

Please forward this message to anyone you feel might be interested in sharing what they know about British Tiki.

Mahalo,
Tiki Chris

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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

A rainbow of utter and complete filth!

Pluck, pluck, pluck away!
This has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.
Hilarious.

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Sunday, September 24, 2006

Cute Origami

Roaming around Brick Lane this weekend and checking out some of the London Design Festival events/exhibitions, I can across this cute piece of origami that I thought might be fun to share with my readers:








Like it? Click here to contact creator Ochi-bo.

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What could be more exciting than sausages?

From the looks of this vintage Hungarian commercial, nothing ignites the senses quite like a good sausage!



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Friday, September 22, 2006

A very nice week indeed (Friday 22 September 2006)

Well, any week that consists of being reunited with loved ones, talking like a pirate, and encountering the aristocracy can't be too bad.

The weather was great this week too - warm and sunny with cool breezes - which made for a nice stroll around Carnaby Street, where I popped into the Black Pearl Boutique to take a gander at the shop's “Polynesian tiki style” décor.

Other highlights include a profile of Eruera Ropiha, a phenomenal Maori carver whom I met in New Zealand, and the latest installment in my TriCity News series.

Please see below for a complete listing of all of this week's posts.

Have a great weekend,
Tiki Chris


Below is information about the five blogs that I administer: CheekyTiki, ontoLondon, ontoTravel, Rapa Nui News, and Tiki Chris. Each Friday, I hope to provide a weekly review of what I've posted. If a particular blog interests you, keep in mind that I’ve been blogging since well before this past week. You may want to take a look through the archives of any blog that interests you. Thanks.


CheekyTiki
http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com
Site feed URL: http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/atom.xml
This week's posts:
Product Profile: Aged Plastic Skull
Black Pearl Boutique


ontoLondon

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Uli's odyssey

Yeah! Our cat arrived today from the States. Out of the loop? We had to leave him with family for a few months before the UK would allow him to enter. More details at Emiana's blog (see below).



Uli's Arrival
Emiana
Thursday, September 21, 2006

After almost four months, our cat, Ulisse (known to all as Uli), arrived this afternoon in London. He seems fairly unfazed by it all. He has been wandering about the flat for about an hour and has inspected every single corner.

Click here to read the complete post.

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Shiver me timbers! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Avast ye sailors! Today be the day to speak like a scallywag ... a sea dog ... a buccaneer ... a pirate! So, fly yer black flags high and click 'ere for more details, me maties.
Arrrrgggggggggghhhh!

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Monday, September 18, 2006

'Nduia!

I write a monthy column for the TriCity News, an alternative newspaper focusing on the arts, culture, and politics in eastern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The column, published every third Thursday of the month, examines what it's like to be an expat American living in London. My fourth piece, 'Nduia!, was originally published in the August 17, 2006 edition of the TriCity News. Enjoy.

‘Nduia!
copyright Chris Osburn 2006

One of the (many) reasons I love being back in London is easy access to yummy pork products from all over Europe. For a variety of reasons, you just can’t get a lot of the really good stuff in the States. American access to international food products seems to be increasing, but it’s still difficult to get hold of some of the finer meats, such as Spain’s Jamón Serrano. Same goes for the funkier varieties of stinky cheese from this side of the Atlantic.

Much of this inaccessibility has to do with U.S. food safety regulations. I have no interest in boring you (or myself) with the details, but if you want to learn more, have a look at www.foodsafety.gov – the “gateway to government food safety information.” In a culture on the verge of a “sanitize-or-die!” approach to food preparation, age-old methods of how to make extremely delicious meat and dairy products are often kept beyond the reach of the average American consumer.

Now, if western Europeans were dropping like flies, I’d understand. But, the fact of the matter is that most Euros have longer life expectancies than their American counterparts, despite the fact that they’re over here eating uncooked meat and unpasteurized dairy products and drinking alcoholic beverages at a higher rate than folks back in the land of the free. In fact, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the U.S. ranks twenty-fourth in life expectancy, with an average lifespan of 70 years for babies born in 1999.

Nine of the top ten countries in the same WHO report are western European (first place goes to the Japanese with an expected lifespan of 74.5 years). Yep, the French with their tartar and their oozing, bacteria-laden fromage rank third with a life expectancy of 73.1 delicious years on earth. That’s more than three whole years of better eating than the average American!

Getting back to the meat of the matter …

A very enjoyable foodie activity here in London is visiting Borough Market, at the southern end of London Bridge. During its Friday and Saturday retail food market, a cosmopolitan panoply of vendors hawks almost every conceivable delicacy to crowds of tourists from any-and-everywhere, not to mention the swathes of unperturbed locals just trying to grab a bite or do a bit of shopping. Borough Market’s general setting has been a food-shopping hub since the thirteenth century; it just feels right to buy and eat food there.

One especially scrumptious delicacy that I picked up last time at Borough Market is ‘nduia– a spicy-hot salami-like loaf-o-flavor comprised of finely minced pork, lard, liver and lungs, packed into a skin of intestines, and jacked up with super hot peppers. This treat, from the southern Italian region of Calabria, is a bit like an extremely hot version of chorizo but with a mushy texture.

Traditionally known as an aphrodisiac, ‘nduia’s name, as is the case with so many southern Italian foods, is allegedly derived from a naughty reference to its restorative powers. I’ll spare you any tales of restoration, but I will say that I intend to purchase more next time … because it tastes good.

‘Nduia is especially agreeable when spread upon a nice piece of crusty bread, which brings me to another fine reason to be in Europe – bread. Um, I kinda get why some European meat and dairy products aren’t readily accessible in America, but what’s with the lack of variety when it comes to decent bread? I suppose one can find excellent breads Stateside, but they are few and far between and can be rather costly. Even if you’re flat broke in London (the world’s third most expensive city), you should be able to afford a perfectly baked baguette with a bit of cheese that would knock your socks off.

I don’t mean to sound like a snob – and I could (as I did in my last triCity News piece) blather about how the U.K. could learn a thing or two from the U.S. Heck, in my first piece for this publication, I rued the loss of many a Jersey Shore treat. I only mean to highlight a few positive aspects of living here (pork products, cheese, bread, longer life expectancy) and to ponder why the quality and availability of such seemingly simple things can vary so drastically from place to place, even in today’s global economy.

Chris Osburn lives in London where, when he's not stuffing his face with yummy pork products from all over Europe, he writes about his dining experiences in his blog, ontoLondon.com.

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Artist Profile: Eruera Ropiha

Artist Profile: Eruera Ropiha

A few year ago in Christchurch, New Zealand, Emiana and I had the good fortune of meeting and chatting with traditional Maori carver, Eruera Ropiha. The only things more impressive than his carvings were his thougthtful explanations of his work. Once back from our NZ adventure, his art lingered in our minds. Thus, we contacted him and arranged the following interview via email.



TC: When we met you in your studio, you told us that a master carver from your village taught you to carve. Would you tell us a bit about where you grew up. How did you know you wanted to carve? What was your inspiration to start carving? Did you approach your teacher or did he approach you?

Eruera: I was born in a small town called Wairoa, in 1961. I was raised just out of Wairoa in a place called Mahanga. My grandfather was my first teacher and his grandfather was his teacher. My great, great grandfather was a famous seer for our people. He led our people on a spiritual path of enlightenment and unity, he was also known as a healer. He started his own religion based on the bible called kohititanga marama; this religion was about unity between all peoples (“the new moon” is a fast translation). As I grew into childhood, my grandfather recognized my gifts and he trained me in the spiritual arts of Maori - spiritual laws handed down our family, laws we call tikanga. He trained me until I was a young man. My art was a natural gift handed down from my ancestors. My grandfather taught me to allow my art to progress to that of my ancestors, so as a young child my artistic abilities were recognized by my elders and my ability to learn the spiritual nature of man. So my grandfather taught me many things that to this day I acknowledge, and I will always be grateful for his teachings.

My next teacher was a grand uncle who taught me whakapapa (family tree) and all associated history. At the same time I was carving, about 1985. As soon as I was a capable carver, I started working on the marae as a carver. The first marae I worked on was Tumatauenga, a ngati kahungunu marae.[1] This was in 1991. After I finished there I went to my father’s people, as I was raised by my mother’s people. My father’s people held the last unbroken line of Maori carvers, and my ancestor was a master carver who taught my master. So when I went to see my master, he was happy to give me what was given to him. Ngati Tarawhai still hold that line of carving.

TC: What led you to Christchurch? How long have you been at your Arts Centre Studio?

Eruera: I came to Christchurch to set up my own studio after the fourth marae I worked on. The last marae I worked on was Tane-nui-a-rangi. I was made master carver then because I wanted to explore the wider areas of carving and to try different styles apart from tapu (sacred) carvings. The Arts Centre provided the place and opportunities to carve free styles with history. I have been at the Arts Centre for over a year, and I plan to stay as long as I can. I now teach art at Maori school and work at the Arts Centre. That is how I give back to the Maori people.

TC: When we met, you spoke about the differences between your generation and that of your parents and your grandparents. You said that your grandparents’ generation still had the traditional knowledge, but your parents’ generation did not (mentioning that they are a “lost generation.”) Now, your generation is getting the knowledge back and appreciating the traditional ways and learning about their Maori heritage. Would you like to tell us a little bit more? How do these differences affect your art? Do you see the next generation as interested in their heritage as yours?

Eruera: When I talked about our lost generations, the government’s agenda was to keep Maori as a labour force for the country so our parents learned and were taught substandard English in a native school as settlers had there own schools. So my parents where segregated. The effects were horrendous to the point of Maori becoming ignorant of both cultures because they lost knowledge of themselves. They became the lost generation. The effect it has on my work is that the essence of spirit is lost to the ignorance of my elder generation - I have become a link to our past and there for a man standing alone as I am the last to be taught the tradition of tapu (sacred knowledge from heaven). That is not an easy place for me or my people, but it has given me the ability to carve as a free man and not to be stuck on tradition only. So if you like, I have opportunities to explore through the physical and spiritual realms of all peoples.

TC: What are your thoughts about the arts scene in Christchurch and New Zealand? What are your thoughts about the Maori arts scene in Christchurch and New Zealand?

Eruera: My thoughts on NZ and Maori art in NZ are quite reserved, as far as pakeha (New Zealander of European decent) art is concerned. If I was to say anything then it would be the lack of history and cultural meaning, (symbolism not of any history but of personal thought). We have a lack of any real substance, and Maori art is the same where our traditional symbols and meanings are being replaced with individual thoughts and ideas mirroring that of pakeha people. I do not like it because we have so much history in our art and knowledge.

TC: One of the things that impressed us about your work was the use of actual, working flutes in some of your carvings. Could you please tell us about how you came up with this idea? You expressed that it is very difficult to create a functioning flute that is part of a greater piece of sculpture. How long does it take you, generally? Are you inspired by the piece of wood itself?

Eruera: The planning that goes into my art is pure faith and confidence in myself and my relationship to wood. From there I see what’s in the wood. My material gives me all the inspiration I need to create.

The series of figures with working flutes came about when I was working with some of my students, and my brothers and we all started talking about the different styles I have and how it would be cool to incorporate working flutes with figures. So I went into my work shop and brought that idea to life with the first of several pieces. They have all sold now. The fastest was one month, and the longest was three months. Because I did not draw any guidelines, some came easy and some came with lots of thought.

TC: You explained to us that the coloring you use in some of your work is representative of the generations: the dark green represents your grandparents’ generation, the red represents the lost generation of your parents, and the lighter green represents your generation picking up the pieces. Is the use of color a departure from tradition? How do you decide when to use color? Do you use traditional pigments or modern paints?

Eruera: The colours I used are traditional colours but with some modern ideals to traditional history; so I think that I am using a lot more contemporary ideas to talk about modern times.

TC: You mentioned that you ship many of your works. Where do your buyers come from? Are they mostly Maori, New Zealanders of European descent or foreigners on holiday? Do they seek you out or just happen upon your studio like we did?

Eruera: I sell to everyone, but my main buyers are pakeha, followed by tourist of European descent (Americans first). NZers are finding my art refreshing amongst the old styles of carvings. Most if not all who buy from me do not have any other Maori art and several come back for more - and they are telling and bringing customers with them.

Contact Eruera

Eruera Ropiha
2 Worcester Boulevard
Artist Quarters
Studio 4
Art Centre
Christchurch
New Zealand
eropiha@hotmail.com

[1] A marae is a complex of buildings and open space, serving as the focal point of Maori cultural and spiritual life. Often the buildings within the marae are ornately carved.

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Thursday, September 14, 2006

Busy lil week in review (Friday 15 September 2006)

Hey everybody!

I hope everyone had a chance to take a look at the new CheekyTiki blog. In particular, I recommend checking out the sneak peek slide show of new carvings!

As for the other blogs, not much activity (It's been a pretty busy week). However, some of what I did manage to post is worth mentioning.

ontoLondon reader, Chris Mavergames, provided this week's ontoLondon Weekly Photo. This is Chris's second submission (click here to view his first). Good stuff, Chris. Keep 'em comin'!

And speaking of reader participation ... Halloween's coming, and I'd like your help spooking up the Tiki Chris blog.

Don't forget to check out my recent posts at ontoTravel and Rapa Nui News.

Please see below for a complete listing of all of this week's posts.

Have a great weekend,
Tiki Chris


Below is information about the five blogs that I administer: CheekyTiki, ontoLondon, ontoTravel, Rapa Nui News, and Tiki Chris. Each Friday, I hope to provide a weekly review of what I've posted. If a particular blog interests you, keep in mind that I’ve been blogging since well before this past week. You may want to take a look through the archives of any blog that interests you. Thanks.


CheekyTiki
http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com
Site feed URL: http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/atom.xml
This week's posts:
Aloha from CheekyTiki's newbie!
Product Profile: Pufferfish Lamp
Some not quite finished carvings


ontoLondon

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Looking for a little Halloween help

Rocktober's almost here and that means one thing: Halloween! In honor of my favorite holiday, I'm planning to present a month's worth of tricks and treats. Each day in October, I will post a photo, story, video clip, etc that's ghoulishly fun and spook-tacular.

Would you like to contribute to my 31 Days of Halloween Madness? I am very interested in posting any related Halloween-y stuff that my beloved readers might have hidden away in a haunted, cobwebbed attic, such as the following:
  • Photos of folks in Halloween costumes or fancy dress,
  • Images of vintage Halloween ephemera, collectables, etc,
  • Video clips from classic horror movies or Halloween specials,
  • Ghost stories,
  • Poems,
  • Favorite Halloween memories, and
  • MORE!
To participate, please email your submissions/suggestions to chris . osburn AT gmail . com by the end of September.

Thanks,

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Saturday, September 09, 2006

Coconut Wired Adventure #7


































Coconut Wired Adventure #7: Lazy Daze of Summer

Click here to listen to the sonic surf, tropical tunes and exotic ambiance of the latest Coconut Wired episode.

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Friday, September 08, 2006

Tiki Tiki Tiki week in review (Friday 8 September 2006)

Tiki Chris.

The "Chris" part is pretty self-evident in all my blogging (especially if you've ever spent more than, say, five minutes with me), but what about that pesky "Tiki" part. Days, sometimes weeks, can pass without even a mention of one of my favorite subjects: Polynesian Pop! Well, not this week.

Finally, I started trying to live up to my own self-appointed tiki title. First of all, I started a new blog for one of my favorite company's: CheekyTiki. Also, I announced a new feature that I'll be writing for Tiki Magazine, called Polynesian Planet. Beyond that, I posted bits here and there that I happened upon while scootin' around on the web. Here's a list of my (more-or-less) tiki and Polynesian related posts this week:

(CheekyTiki) Welcome to the CheekyTiki blog!
(ontoLondon) Polynesian power at the British Museum
(ontoTravel) Vanuatu is "fun"
(Tiki Chris) Top 5 reasons why you should subscribe to Tiki Magazine
(Tiki Chris) Nice write-up about one of my favorite tiki bars
(Tiki Chris) A menthol aloha from Newport Cigarettes
(Tiki Chris) Check out the new CheekyTiki blog!
(Tiki Chris) La Mariana (Honolulu's classic tiki bar) for sale

Then, of course, there's also all that posting that goes on over at Rapa Nui News.

But the week wasn't just tiki by any means. Dig around and you'll find ...

... clips of 70's fashion victims revealing dark secrets about how and where they like to make whoppee ...

... bizarre tales of urban estrangement from an outspoken member of the Wallabee County expatriate community ...

... gobs of photos from all over the world ...

... the best of design on show throughout London ...

... and more!

Please see below for a complete listing of all of this week's posts.

Have a great weekend,
Tiki Chris

Below is information about the five blogs that I administer: CheekyTiki, ontoLondon, ontoTravel, Rapa Nui News, and Tiki Chris. Each Friday, I hope to provide a weekly review of what I've posted. If a particular blog interests you, keep in mind that I’ve been blogging since well before this past week. You may want to take a look through the archives of any blog that interests you. Thanks.


CheekyTiki
http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com
Site feed URL: http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/atom.xml
This week's posts:
Welcome to the CheekyTiki blog!


ontoLondon

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Thursday, September 07, 2006

La Mariana (Honolulu's classic tiki bar) for sale

This place is the real deal with an atmosphere that takes you back in time. Pray to the gods that justice is done and that this classic piece of vintage Hawaiiana passes on to well-meaning folks that can preserve its legacy.

La Mariana for sale: $3 million
By Dan Nakaso (Advertiser Staff Writer)
Photography by BRUCE ASATO (Honolulu Advertiser)
Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 7, 2006

... the tiki, puffer-fish lanterns salvaged from the old Trader Vic's, lauhala-draped walls and other remembrances of a simpler time in the Islands ... "Is it worth $3 million? I think it's worth a whole lot more," Perez said. "It's the last tiki bar on the island."

Click here to read the complete article.

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Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Check out the new CheekyTiki blog!

UPDATED December 5, 2006: Click here for an update about the CheekyTiki blog.

Okay, so last week (and probably the week before that) I alluded to some new projects in the works. Here's one of them: the official CheekyTiki blog.

Located in London, CheekyTiki are purveyors of the finest exotic arts and décor. Essentially, that means CheekyTiki provides all elements of modern and traditional South Seas style, from complete interior/exterior design and fitting to small gifts and accessories, such as tiki mugs(!!!).

There is so much positive stuff happening in CheekyTiki Land these days that a blog seemed the most appropriate way to keep friends and clients updated. I'm starting off slow with this one (just an introductory post at the moment), but in no time will be posting all sorts of interesting tidbits, photos, and more (including special discounts and sneak previews of new products and projects). So make sure to check back often!

It's my honor to administer the CheekyTiki blog. I look forward to sharing their unique brand of Polynesian Pop with the world!

Click here to visit the CheekyTiki blog.

http://www.cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/
Site feed URL: http://cheekytikiuk.blogspot.com/atom.xml

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A menthol aloha from Newport Cigarettes

A taste of the islands in every puff! I wish I could go back in time a few decades or so, back to when cigarettes were good for you.


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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Nice write-up about one of my favorite tiki bars

Although the article's not about tiki, it's nice to see Otto's Shrunken Head getting some well deserved recognition.

Come On, Baby
By BROOKE HAUSER
Photography by Shiho Fukada for The New York Times
New York Times
Published: September 3, 2006

New York has its niches, but perhaps none so surreal as the scene at Otto’s on 14th Street near Avenue B, where Mr. Sato and four friends host a monthly party called Rebel Night. They see themselves as leather-clad, motorcycle-riding, tattoo-sporting rebels, hence the name of the event.

Click here to read the complete article.

Click here to visit Otto's Shrunken Head online.

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Emiana goes Flickn crazy!


Wanna see a gazillion really cool photos from all over the planet? Of course you do! Then head over to Flickr, where Emiana has recently uploaded oodles of her shots. Maybe I'm biased, but I really like her work.

Click here to see Emiana's photos on Flickr.

She's not such a bad writer either, click here to check out the Emiana blog.

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Monday, September 04, 2006

Top 5 reasons why you should subscribe to Tiki Magazine










1. Starting with the next issue of Tiki Magazine (to be released October 2006), a new regular feature, by yours truly, will appear. The feature will be called Polynesian Planet, and with it, I will explore the world of Polynesian Pop beyond the borders of the United States. Yes, this is pretty darn near to my dream job.

2. Tiki Magazine is a quarterly-published, glossy-cover magazine, with a focus on Tiki, Polynesian Pop, Hawaiiana and the Island Lifestyle.

3. Each issue includes outstanding art and photography, information on events, history and pop culture, new styles of tropical clothing and decor, Tiki carvings and mugs, tasty cocktail recipes, music, Tiki bars and restaurants, Tiki pioneers and much, much more.

4. Tiki Magazine's music section highlights Exotica, Hawaiian, Lounge, Rockabilly and Surf and features current bands as well as honoring legends of the past.

5. If you have NO idea what I'm talking about, then you definitely need to subscribe to Tiki Magazine ASAP! Just visit the website for information about starting your subscription today.

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Sunday, September 03, 2006

The times, they have a-changed

Talk about reality television! Imagine real people saying real things in front of a live studio audience. Brilliant.

Now, where specifically is the weirdest place you personally have ever gotten the urge to make whoopee?

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Wallabee County?

One of me best mates from Down Under (North Georgia) recently pulled a prank on his neighbor. Goofy. I like it.

Wanna Pet My Wallabee, Maam?
Pint Champion
Saturday, September 02, 2006

Partly because I'm annoyed, I begin asking questions using a terrible Australian accent. She apparently couldn't tell.
"OHHHH, where are you from, Sir?"
"Wallabee Township in Queensland, Australia, Maam."

Read the complete post here.

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Friday, September 01, 2006

Bucolic Bloggery (Friday 1 September 2006)

Didn't post much this week. Too busy having fun and working on some new projects.

Fun: I got out of town for a few days and roamed around in the Ribble Valley with Emiana and some friends. Check out the following posts for details:

(from ontoLondon) Need a break from the urban grind? Try the Ribble Valley
(from ontoTravel) Where to have your tipple in the Ribble
(from ontoTravel) Ribble Valley slideshow
(from Tiki Chris) The land of sheeps and ales

New projects: you'll just have to wait another week or two.

Please see below for a complete listing of all of this week's posts.

Have a great weekend,
Tiki Chris

Below is information about the four blogs that I administer: ontoLondon, ontoTravel, Rapa Nui News, and Tiki Chris. Each Friday, I hope to provide a weekly review of what I've posted. If a particular blog interests you, keep in mind that I’ve been blogging since well before this past week. You may want to take a look through the archives of any blog that interests you. Thanks.


ontoLondon

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