Gecko is a tiki carver, artist, and mug maker based out of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Previously, Gecko'z studio space was just his garage and backyard space where he made his tiki carvings and ceramics. As of 2021, Gecko has created a polished showplace in that same studio space for visitors to admire his work...and maybe purchase pieces straight from the artist.

This studio is not open to unannounced walk-in visits. You must call or contact him ahead of time.

Opened in 1963 with the reputation of being the first upscale Chinese restaurant in Hawaii.

As one postcard proclaims: "One of the most beautiful Chinese Restaurants in the world offering superb Cantonese cuisine, graciously served in an atmosphere enhanced by fine art reproductions. Kuan-yin, the Goddess of Mercy, carved in 5 feet of rosewood, greets diners at the second floor landing of the restaurant and Waikiki's only indoor waterfall is presided over by the God of Longevity."

Raymond Hong took his restaurant chefs to China for training and they introduced Peking duck to Honolulu.

In its heyday the restaurant was the place for glittering celebrities and for ordinary people marking special occasions, looking to enjoy a multi-course Cantonese dinner over several hours.

Closed in April 2005 and eventually replaced by the new Outrigger Hotels & Resorts' Waikiki Beachwalk project.

Although not a tiki restaurant, most tiki restaurants at this time (and many today) served the same Chinese food and tropical drinks -- and House of Hong did have several drinks that came in ceramic mugs made by Otagiri.

This Coco's was built on the site of the famous Kau Kau Korner which stood here from 1935 to 1960.

The well-known Hawaii restaurant chain, Spencecliff, took over the site in 1960 and remodeled the existing structure into a more modern building for Coco’s. This Coco's was one of three Hawaiian-style coffee shops designed by the famous architect Pete Wimberly. The other two were Tops and Popo's.

Within this Coco's coffee shop was the Calabash Bar. This location lasted until August 31, 1986.

The Hard Rock Café replaced Coco’s in 1987.

Today, as of 2022, this location is home to the Honolulu Coffee Experience Center.

Because of her nearby homes, they called the coastal area in this part of Waikīkī Queen’s Surf Beach.

Queen’s Surf was built in 1914 as a private home across from Kapiolani Park on the Diamond Head end of Waikiki Beach.

During WWII, the house was used for military retreats and other military uses. Admiral Nimitz, General Douglas McArthur and staffs spent time there.

It was acquired by the city of Honolulu around 1946 and leased to Spencecliff Corporation which operated it as the hugely popular Queen’s Surf Restaurant and Nightclub.

Sterling Edwin Kilohana Mossman (February 3, 1920 to February 21, 1986) headlined at its upstairs Barefoot Bar. A man as versatile as he was talented, literally led a double life. A detective with the Honolulu Police Department during the day, after dark he was one of Hawaiʻi’s most popular entertainers. His diversified careers earned him the nickname “Hula Cop”.

The Barefoot Bar was ground zero for this new brand of local comedy. Mossman was the ringleader, along with the likes of Lucky Luck, a zany radio personality, and Kent Bowman, known as KK Kaumanua. They told stories, sang songs and, when a celebrity from the Mainland happened to come by (and they did a lot), they became part of the show.

Another attraction at the Barefoot Bar was Varoa Tiki or "Tiki" (also known as Shirley Kaluahine Piliwale). She was a well-known entertainer during the 50's, 60's and 70's. She performed with many music legends like Tony Bennett, Don Ho, the Kent Ghirard's Hula Troupe where where she danced with the Ray Kinney show at the Royal Hawaiian. She appeared with Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, Andy Williams, Jack Parr and the Vagabonds. She performed as a "one women show" on the Princess Line Tour ships and took the first all-girl show on tour to the orient as Varoa Tiki and the Tikis. She played more than twenty instruments, sang in sixteen languages. She yodeled in three styles and brought the art of whistling back to the stage.

Despite the wealth of talent on display, the business ran into trouble...

The site was closed down in 1969 by Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi in a lease dispute and demolished in 1971.

Today it is home to a public park.

Opened @ November 2022.

This venue is located in the heart of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It features craft tiki cocktails and island influenced food accompanied by a gorgeous view overlooking Kailua Bay.

They do have a few tikis and tropical elements like rattan furniture, lauhala matting, and tiki mugs to serve drinks in, however, the open floor plan and white ceilings, as well as the outside seating all lend themselves to much more of a beachy resort vibe than a dark and intimate tiki bar vibe.

Still, the views are spectacular and cocktails have received high praise.

Turtle Bay opened its doors in May 1972 as Del Webb’s Kuilima Resort Hotel and Country Club. The hotel boasted 443 ocean view rooms and a golf course. Webb was inspired by the name of the area the hotel sits on called Kuilima. In the Hawaiian language kui lima means "joining hands".

The former owner of the New York Yankees opened the resort with none other than Bob Hope as the headliner.

Webb had the vision of making Kuilima the first casino in Hawaii, however a bill that would make gambling legal that he anticipated passing died.

The resort took the Turtle Bay name officially in 1983. However, locals called the area Turtle Bay before then because turtles commonly feed in the bay.

Over the years what hasn’t changed is Turtle Bay’s untouched coastline, expansive grounds and legendary surfing. The resort rests on 1,300 acres of paradise. It is home to the stunning Kawela Bay, Kuilima Farm and the most northern tip on the island of Oahu, Kahuku Point.

The splendor of Turtle Bay has drawn Hollywood to its shores over the past 5 decades. More than 150 movies, TV shows and series have been filmed at Turtle Bay including Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hawaii Five-0 and Jumanji - Welcome to the Jungle.

In April 2020, the hotel closed to the public in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic. Owners used the down time to completely transform Turtle Bay from the inside out with world renowned designer Dianna Wong and the architects of WCIT Architecture leading the charge.

*NOTE: It does not appear that the three tikis that stood outside in the 70s are still in place, although with all the remodeling it is possible that there may be new Polynesian art and decor somewhere on the grounds.

The governor, on April 27, 1951, signed an act to change the name of Honolulu Airport to Honolulu International Airport.

There was still much construction to do, however, and the new terminal and facilities took a few years to develop, but several airlines, including Pan American Airways and United Airlines inaugurated jet service between the mainland United States and Hawaii in 1959.

Eventually, the Okolehao Bar was added to entertain guests. This was probably when the new John Rodgers Terminal was dedicated on August 22, 1962, during the annual conference of the Airport Operators Council, held in Honolulu August 19-25, 1962. The entrance to the bar can be seen in the press photo below.

This bar functioned through the 60s and into the 70s.

Eventually, in 2017, they changed the name of the Honolulu International Airport to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, is a beachside resort hotel at the Ko Olina Resort in Kapolei, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Alongside Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort, Aulani is Disney's third "stand-alone" hotel located in an area without any adjacent theme parks.

Aulani was opened to the public on August 29, 2011, with 359 hotel rooms and 460 time-share villas on 21 acres. A November 2018 report stated that, at that time, there were 351 rooms (in two 15-story towers), including 16 suites and 481 villas, most being "2-bedroom-equivalent." In an October 2018 review, it was noted that there were three restaurants with seating (Makahiki, Ulu Cafe, and 'AMA'AMA) as well as smaller outlets providing snacks, including the 'Off the Hook' poolside lounge. The bars (including The ‘Ōlelo Room adjacent to the Makahiki, Off The Hook, and the Wailana Pool Bar) offer a small selection of a dozen or so tropical cocktails. See menus below for Off The Hook and Wailana poolside dining/cocktails.

*NOTE: In 2011, when Aulani opened, Critiki chose not to include it in their directory and, indeed, mytiki.life held off from including it for some time as well. This is not because it isn't a wonderful resort, but because its very concept was outspokenly anti-Tiki in concept design. It was conceived as a love-letter to the Hawaiian people and they wanted to be as respectful of local culture as possible by downplaying Disney and tiki concepts and elevating Hawaii's historical and cultural aspects (lowercase "d" and upper case "H" as some designers put it). They did not want to overwhelm visitors with conflicting themes from other Disney IPs or draw criticism for including Enchanted Tiki Room/Rolly Crump style fantastical elements that were more of an Imagineer's dream than anything rooted in Polynesian culture.

Of course, being Disney, and a corporation with a need to synchronize properties and merchandise, they immediately began breaking their own rules, but even at that they were studiously rigorous about keeping things contained. A tiki-like Stitch statue from the film Lilo and Stitch, was placed prominently. Character actors portraying Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Stitch, and Moana interacted with visitors. Tiki-like menehune statues dotted the grounds, especially in child-friendly areas. These seemed like fairly unobtrusive and tasteful inclusions.

But no tiki mugs to be found...until Fall of 2023 when some elegant and restrained pieces showed up as part of a large set in their gift shop -- and not labeled as tiki mugs, but as "serveware".

So, with these "serveware" pieces in circulation, we've finally decided to add this resort to the listings. It may not embrace the Tiki Aesthetic as much as Disney's Polynesian Resort in Florida or other locations, and may remain more "tiki adjacent" than truly "poly pop tiki" but Aulani has definitely set foot into the mug collectors realm with their 2023 gift shop offerings.

Opened on October 12th, 1963.

The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is a family-centered cultural tourist attraction and living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The PCC is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and occupies 42 acres (17 hectares) of land belonging to nearby Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii).

The PCC encompasses eight simulated tropical villages, in which performers demonstrate various arts and crafts from throughout Polynesia. Visitors may also take a free shuttle tour of the university and see the LDS Church's Laie Hawaii Temple and its associated visitors' center.

Seventy percent of the PCC's approximately 1,300 employees are students at BYU-Hawaii. Since it has opened, the PCC has provided financial assistance to more than 12,000 BYU-Hawaii students. Students may work up to 20 hours per week during school terms and 40 hours during breaks. As a non-profit organization, PCC's revenue are used for daily operations and to support education.

The PCC is one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in Hawaii, attracting 700,000 visitors annually. The PCC is the venue for the annual World Fire Knife Dance Competition, in which contestants display their skill with blazing swords. Since it opened its doors in 1963, over 32 million people have visited the center.

*As this is a LDS-run institution, there are no cocktails, nor have there been, historically, on any of their menus. However, interestingly, despite LDS prohibitions agains "Hot Drinks" and caffeinated beverages, these are offered to guests. This prohibition against cocktails has not stopped them from issuing souvenir tiki mugs in the past to tourists, either.

The Inter-Island Resorts' Kauai Surf Hotel - at Kalapaki Beach - Kauai opened on July 1st, 1960.

Kauai Surf is still with us, in another incarnation and after all these decades, it is still one of the most popular Hawaiian destinations. It was bought by Westin in 1985, completely overhauled (to the tune of $22 million) and reopened in 1987 as the Kauai Westin. Out went the tikis and in came an over the top pan-Asian motif! They added dozens of Asian statues, some small, some huge, still scattered across the hotel's incredible 51 acres. What was the Kauai Surf's pond and gardens, became the Westin's swimming pool, the biggest in the state, measuring 26,000 square feet of water surface and 210 feet in diameter. Barely out of debt, the hotel was devastated by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and stood vacant until 1995, when the property was purchased by Marriott.

It then became the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Remodeled yet again, Marriott replaced most of the Westin's Asian art with Hawaiian art. As mentioned above, many of the Asian statues still remain. But the overall decor is now Polynesian. Throughout the hotel's common areas are dozens of exhibits of shark-tooth weapons, hula instruments and drums and Kapa cloth (a couple of pieces dating back to the 18th century) and all the art is of pre-colonized Hawaii. Bright tropical patterns characterize the newly reupholstered restaurant and lobby furniture. The new lobby area rugs also have tropical themed patterns. Overall you will definitely feel that you are in a Hawaiian resort.

The mid-century furniture and swings are gone, and most of the original Tikis are history, except for 3 carvings on the beach, but the rooms still look basically the same.

The Planter's Lounge is now Duke's Canoe Club, the main restaurant and bar at the resort.

Throughout these remodels, they never tore down or altered the basic structure of the original Kauai Surf. A new tower has been added, flanking the pool, but the original towers still remain, seemingly untouched!

The hotel with which Marriott's Kauai Beach Club shares a campus has changed management and been re-branded as the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue Hotel effective March 24, 2021.

This is the first Tropics restaurant opened by Peaches & Tony Guerrero. They also operated The Tropics at Ala Moana.

Tony Guerrero was an "Island Boy". In the 1930's he went to Hollywood and acted in several movies. While there he meet the beautiful Peaches Jackson, who was pursuing her career in the movies. Tony co-owned his first bar/restaurant, the Hawaiian Hut, in Hollywood. When he sold it they moved to Hawaii. In 1940 they bought a waffle place and made it into the first Tropics restaurant (at Waikiki).

It was situated opposite the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Tropics at Waikiki flourished and became an institution for visiting Hollywood stars to hang out at. It was eventually renamed "The World Famous Tropics at Waikiki".

This grand pre-tiki establishment was decorated with tons of bamboo, thatch, greenery, and art -- including an Edgar Leeteg black velvet painting (as can be seen in postcard photos -- see background image and below).

Local legend also states that the first ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) agreement for sugar workers was signed by flashlight at night on top of a garbage can in the alley in back of the Waikiki Tropics.

In 1952, Peaches and Tony went to Paris to study at the Cordon Bleu, opening a second restaurant upon their return to Hawaii, the Tropics Ala Moana. This restaurant was as successful as the Tropics and the special house dressing became so much in demand that it was eventually bottled and to this day, Tropics Salad Dressings are popular on the West Coast and of course, in Hawaii, where they are made.

Dates are unsure for the close of The Tropics at Waikiki (still in business as late as 1955) but it became the Royal Lanai by the early 1960s.

The Tropics Ala Moana closed in 1958.

Tony died in 1985 and Peaches in 2002.

This is the second Tropics restaurant opened by Peaches & Tony Guerrero. They also operated The Tropics at Waikiki.

Tony Guerrero was an "Island Boy". In the 1930's he went to Hollywood and acted in several movies. While there he meet the beautiful Peaches Jackson, who was pursuing her career in the movies. Tony co-owned his first bar/restaurant, the Hawaiian Hut, in Hollywood. When he sold it they moved to Hawaii. In 1940 they bought a waffle place and made it into the first Tropics restaurant (at Waikiki).

It was situated opposite the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Tropics at Waikiki flourished and became an institution for visiting Hollywood stars to hang out at. It was eventually renamed "The World Famous Tropics at Waikiki".

In 1952, Peaches and Tony went to Paris to study at the Cordon Bleu, opening this second restaurant upon their return to Hawaii, the Tropics Ala Moana. This restaurant was as successful as the Tropics and the special house dressing became so much in demand that it was eventually bottled and to this day, Tropics Salad Dressings are popular on the West Coast and of course, in Hawaii, where they are made.

Dates are unsure for the close of The Tropics at Waikiki (still in business as late as 1955) but it became the Royal Lanai by the early 1960s.

This Ala Moana location existed until 1958 when the property was bulldozed to make room for the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Why the Ala Moana location chose a wolf in an Aloha print cabana set as their mascot is unknown, but it was undoubtedly some sort of inside joke. This was, after all, pre-tiki times and the tiki iconography had not caught hold as the default for most mascots and advertising.

Tony died in 1985 and Peaches in 2002.