Post #77169 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Feb 20, 2004 10:04 PM

Went to TJMaxx TEMPLE CITY (after calling the two South bay stores and getting a "Huh?" respectively an ON HOLD FOREVER reaction).

What a strange store. Discount fashions and decor art. All those noveaux tropical Tommy Bahama things with fake patina, yuk. Impressive faux banana palm, not cheap though.

Found the bottles and asked if someone could get me a case of those (a nice gift for friends) but alas, apparently they do not have storage, just what's on the shelf. And they had only one each (blue/red/yellow) of the Suffering Bastard design, so I got'em all, and two Moais.

The Strawberry Daiquiri mix is best in my opinion (visually, don't think I'll ever try the stuff) like clear red food dye No 1 (or so). The S.B. now sits in front of a light bulb which makes it glow like the Jewel of the Nile. The clearness of the liquid makes all the glass lines come out, even the red Moai looks good. Heavy glass, too. Thanks tikisobayli for that tip, T.C. comes through again!

Drove by the Outrigger and Kona Kai Apts which looked good, but checking up on the EXOTIC ISLE (BOT p.220) in Alhambra was so sad. It is now called "Jade Garden" and is totally de-forested and de-Tikied.

That place was as dense with tropical foliage as Disney's jungle cruise. Now Mexican style slash and burn gardening has only left stumps. Granted, they kept the waterfalls going which are the most amazing lava rock sculptures anywhere. The first by the entrance is at least eight, the one in the front courtyard is easily ten foot high, and then there is the lava bridge extending from under the flying rec room.

Now all the waterways have rod iron fencing around them (the result of litigation paranoia), and the flying rec room's outrigger beams have been sawed off (typical ritual emasculation process), even the irregularly undulating beachcomber style floorboard edges (note in small photo on bottom of page 220) are straightened (god forbid any individualistic detailing would be left!). One massacred Tiki is still lying under some stairs, cut in half through the face, too wasted to be rescued. Someone give him a proper burial, please!

I regret having had such little space to show off that urban island in the BOT, I have more than 20 slides from it. I plan to show some memorial images at Denny's show at Tiki Taix, ....R.I.P. EXOTIC ISLE!