Post #171825 by tikipedia on Wed, Jul 13, 2005 7:18 PM

Way back as a Marine brat in Okinawa in the 1970s, there used to be a couple of places that inspired me for naming my Tiki space.

On Fort Buckner (later Camp Butler), there was a restaurant called 'The Outrigger'. The place was run by AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service), and used to sell burgers, grilled items, etc. Anybody else who was a military brat will probably never forget the taste of AAFES chocolate milk. Anyway, I digress.

The decor was strictly 1960's (AAFES) cafeteria style, with a metal artwork that looked vaguely like an outrigger. IIRC, the colors were that 70s burnt orange and yellow/gold color... and probably some avocado green thrown in as well.

The other place was called 'The Lantern'. It was a snack bar and arcade on the north side of Camp Butler. The arcade was not a video arcade (this was early to mid 70s), but an assortment of non-video arcade games, like pinball, electronic bowling games, and the like.

Like the great Tiki places of the past, the Outrigger and the Lantern are long gone and forgotten. When I left the island for the last time in the early 80s, they were replacing the Outrigger with a Burger King, or some such thing. The Lantern was long gone by that time.

So, in honor of these places, I named my Tiki space 'The Outrigger'. 'Lantern' doesn't really fit in with Tiki decor, but I've dedicated my lava lamp to the joint.

Sorry to drone on for so long. This got me on a nolstaga trip... but anybody who lived/was stationed on Okinawa at the time may remember these places.