I can totally relate to Todd and Michelle’s situation …
They live in an apartment in Hollywood and there’s not much room or, an extra room for that matter, to build a home tiki bar. Well, they built one anyway. It’s small, but it’s awesome! Here is their story …
What’s the tiki scene like where you live?
Todd- Since we live right in Hollywood, CA it’s fantastic! We live two miles from the Tiki Ti, twelve miles from Tonga Hut and six miles from Pacific Seas, which is just a few that we are close to. Since the scene largely started out here we are in the heart of it all.
What brought you into the ‘Tiki lifestyle’ and how long has it been part of your life?
Todd- Michelle and I have been going to tiki bars on and off for the last 5-6 years but really got heavily into the lifestyle within the last 3-4 years. I grew up in Columbus, OH and had very fond memories of going to the Kahiki with my parents so I suppose the seed was planted then. Michelle grew up going to car shows listening to classics, rockabilly, etc. and that scene spills right into tiki as well so it’s a natural crossover.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Todd- The idea came out of going to tiki bars and seeing other home bars and wanting to create a space for Michelle and I to enjoy with our friends. Living in an apartment with limited space, we took it on as a challenge and set out to show that it was possible to still do a bar.
Specifically, Adrian Eustaquio and myself built The Hollywood Lanai in October of 2016 with the bar and thatching built by Bamboo Ben. The bar measures 3×4 in space and seats two people.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Todd- We live in Hollywood so the name Hollywood Lanai seemed like a logical choice. Until recently (new apartment built) we could see the Hollywood sign from our apartment.
What is your favorite Tiki drink? Why?
Todd- Mine is a Three Dots and a Dash. I like it because of its classic roots and the story behind it. From a taste perspective, I love All spice dram and the combinations of rums in the drink with it produce a great cocktail.
Michelle’s favorite by far is the Scorpion. Because it is served in bowl and is generally sharable or not, ha! It is a very social drink that brings people together and creates these great moments that really define tiki, plus they taste great.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Todd- That is tough question because there are aspects from all of them I really like but if I have to pick one it would be Tiki Ti. Tiki Ti’s history plus the drinks propels it to be my favorite. Michelle’s favorite is VenTiki, as that is in her hometown Ventura CA, so it’s a special place for her.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Todd- The art and décor are key to creating a great tiki environment. When the Hollywood Lanai was built we really wanted to make sure that we weren’t just throwing up some matting and bamboo and calling it a day so things were properly planned out to achieve the goal. The look was very important to us and we wanted a traditional and fun updated feel for this build. This is why you’ll see things from many different known tiki artists in the bar such as Tiki Diablo, Bosko, Tiki Tony, Trader Pup’s Outpost, etc.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Todd- Shortly after the bar was built I decided that I didn’t want to just make drinks out of books and began the process of creating my own drinks. It was an intimidating process at first because I really didn’t know anything and am still learning, as I’m not a bartender by trade. But what I do have is a good taste for things, which was validated when The Hollywood Lanai won best cocktail at Tiki Caliente 2017. Since then I am up to 15 original drinks and I’m not stopping. I am hoping to have these in a book soon so the future is bright.
For Michelle, things are taking off like crazy for Ladies Who Tiki ,so keep an eye out for that on Instagram, Facebook, etc.
It looks wonderful! You worked against a problem and the solution is beautiful!