That space on the Flabenue btw Parkside and Woodruff/Clarkson next to Peppa's Jerk Chicken? You know the one that's being built-out as we digitally interact?
Tiki Bar. No effing kidding man. Right from the owner. Or rather the owner's neighbor. Very trustworthy citizen, she, so it's basically a done deal.
What is a Tiki Bar, precisely? My guess, my hunch, my suspicion, is that there is something not wholly politically correct in the concept, using Polynesian masks and silly umbrellas to doll up the pursuit of intoxication. From the Grail, a/k/a Wikipedia:
A tiki bar is an exotic–themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum-based mixed drinks such as the mai tai and zombie cocktail. Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their tiki culture décor which is based upon a romanticized conception of tropical cultures, most commonly Polynesian.
The interiors and exteriors of tiki bars often include "tiki god" masks and carvings, grasscloth, tapa cloth and tropical fabrics, torches, woven fish traps, and glass floats, bamboo, plants, lava stone, hula girl, palm tree motifs, tropical murals and other South Pacific-themed decorations. Indoor fountains, waterfalls or even lagoons are popular features. Some tiki bars also incorporate a stage for live entertainment such as exotica-style bands or Polynesian dance floor shows.Why does the Q suspect un-PC-ness? The words and phrases "zombie." "tiki culture." "romanticized conception of tropical cultures." "tiki god" "hula girl." "exotica-style bands." You know. Standard cultural appropriation stuff.
Apparently Trader Vic came up with the whole idea and it took off like wild-tapas. Trader Joe's is also indebted to Tiki Culture, the '50s-'60s fad that included the brilliant music of Martin Denny. If you don't know his lounge music, you gotta check it out. The style is known as Exotica, after his famous record of that name, and dozens more, that use every manner of instruments and gorgeous stereophic sound that just bubbles off your hi-fi. Given the comely come-hither poses of beautiful ladies showing off their "exotic" sexiness, I can only surmise that we have wandered into yet another land mine of insensitivity. And yet, people still do mock German, Russian and Transylvanian accents without backlash. We'll see. Perhaps "Tiki" is simply too silly to be offensive.
In the meantime, c'mon out and get your mai tais. Opening soon.
6 comments:
Talking about opening and closing, Phat ALBERT is up for rent...
If they allow us to bring in outside food from Peppa's then they've got a winner in my book. Though the Polynesian theme may be read as insensitive, an upscale place that specializes in serving lots of fruity rum-based drinks sounds to me like it respects island tradition.
Super Power on Nostrand in Crown Heights seems to be very popular. https://www.facebook.com/Superpowerbrooklyn/
Thanks for sharing Babs, never heard of this place.
i looked on the NYS liquor website today and realized there was actually a pending liquor license in this spot--well, right next door to it, at 734 flatbush. the sliver in between Fly Boys and the new hair salon. The name of the business on the license seems to be "Zombies of Flatbush" which, while nigh on copywrite infringement, would confirm your tiki-bar suspicions. That, and that the applicant, one Josh Kaplan, already owns a successful business on Smith street and seems to live in Flatbush.
You may have been correct but were just one door off!
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