Now, there are so many really fantastic, interesting, awesome people who love tiki… but tiki is not immune from attracting the occasional nutjob.
It has already been widely reported that before (allegedly) killing Lana Clarkson, famed record producer and coiffure aficionado Phil Spector paid a visit to Trader Vic’s in Beverly Hills, where he downed some Navy Grogs. He was apparently a bit of a regular there. When he made his way to Dan Tana’s later in the evening, he tried to order a Navy Grog there, too (I wish I could have seen the confused look on the bartenders’ faces).
But now comes this tiki-flavored contribution from The Smoking Gun, a postcard sent by Phil Spector last year to a friend:
Postcard sent by Phil Spector (via The Smoking Gun)
from the collection of Cool Manchu
This is a promotional still photo from a 1960s film (I always forget which one) — it’s a great photo, and accordingly it really makes the rounds. The Polynesian restaurant backdrop has been matted out here, but you can still see that they’re sipping out of a Kneeling Hula Girl bowl, like those once used at Trader Vic’s. The back of the postcard is on the crude side, so I won’t post it here, but you can check it out on The Smoking Gun if you wish.
Yes, tiki speaks to everyone, even the sociopathic and the mousse-addicted.
UPDATE: Great minds think alike — Beachbum Berry also just made a Phil Spector post, but his is more useful than mine… he expounds on the glorious Navy Grog, and even tells you how you can make your own. Play safe though, kids — guns & rum don’t mix.
