Do you like the Wu-Tang Clan?
If that answer is yes, then I got a home tiki bar for you! It’s called the 36th Chamber of Tiki and its theme is, Kung Fu movies, Chinese restaurants, Tiki and of course the Wu-Tang Clan. Elise and Stephen converted their third bedroom into the 36th Chamber of Tiki. It’s cozy and very unique. Here’s the story of the 36th Chamber of Tiki…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
I’m not keen on that word “scene”, as it can imply and encourage some sort of hierarchy. We don’t need to be the coolest kids on nerd island. Tiki is about fun and hospitality, and of course, escapism with the element of danger! Portland and Washington state have great commercial bars, a great tiki community and some epic home bars. We are always excited to see what people have come up with for their home bars.
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Growing up in Columbus Ohio in the ‘70’s, The Kahiki was THE place! I fondly remember playing backgammon in the basement with my brother while we waited for a table. We usually sat in the room with the “aviary”, and I thought that the fake thunderstorm with lightning and water running down the glass was so incredible. Fried banana? How exotic! I was only 6-9 years old, but I now understand why the scantily clad lady offering up the mystery drink to the moai fireplace was so appealing to my older brother! It all left an indelible mark on me, and set a high bar. I was fortunate enough to buy a fiberglass tiki from Kahiki years later, and see the monkey fountain again at its new home in the, gulp, Kahiki frozen foods factory. I built my first home bar at my house in Cincinnati in 2000-2001, and started going to as many tiki bars as possible, and Hawaii. And even an early Tiki Oasis at Caliente Tropics.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
It started with an Indonesian teak door/gate we got at Cargo. We had it for at least 7 years before getting it put up. It finally went up in the backyard when we got the deck built.
We then converted our third bedroom to a bar by removing the sliding closet doors and repurposing some old low bookcases from Ikea of all places. We papered one wall with an ancient temple mural and stapled greenery to the ceiling. The vibe is intended to be Chinese temple, Chinese apothecary, mixed with Shaolin elements and Wu-Tang. We most recently installed a door from the bar to the deck, tying everything together.
I had actually floated the idea to Rob Kramer, (owner of the Idle Idol home bar). I told him that we were thinking of either “Shaolin island” or “The 36th Chamber of tiki”, and he said “why not both?” So, the garden is Shaolin Island. It’s also the Gordon Liu memorial garden. And the bar itself is the 36th Chamber of Tiki.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Shaw Brothers Kung Fu movies. In the ‘36th Chamber of Shaolin’ the story is a young man trying to prove himself, to ultimately help people of his village. He goes through the traditional series of physical and mental trials, finally reaching the 35th chamber, which is the nirvana in the mind. The 36th chamber is then sharing that knowledge with others, so fits with sharing the bar and tiki drinks! 😉 Since lots of early tiki bars were basically Chinese restaurants, I always connected the two. Moving forward, the Wu Tang Clan represented classic movies such as the Five Deadly Venoms, Flying Guillotine, and of course, the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, so it made sense to have a Wu-Tang themed tiki bar.
How far have you driven to buy something tiki that you saw online?
About 150 miles from Cincinnati Ohio to Columbus for the Kahiki tiki.
What is your favorite Tiki drink? What do you think makes the perfect cocktail?
My favorite is the Suffering Bastard and my wife’s is the Painkiller, but the best tiki drink is one shared with friends both old and new. And the most important ingredient is laughter. Plenty of laughter.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
RIP Kahiki! Otherwise I love Tiki Ti, because it’s still a neighborhood haunt. And I really love Trader Vic’s Tokyo.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Escapism. Hospitality. A place that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Everyone should be welcome to have a drink and make friends. There are no “cool kids” here, so find that childlike place of wonder within you. It’s ok to be goofy, just have fun.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
More movie tributes. Not just Shaw Brothers. More Big Trouble in Little China stuff. We already have an homage to the surfboard from ‘Apocalypse Now’. I’m working on making a replica of the transom from the Orca from jaws. Probably more Kaiju, monster island type stuff. Gojira!
I’d like to add more to the outside, possibly a side bar tribute to Old Dirty Bastard called the Old Dirty Chinese Restaurant. Who knows what artifact we’ll find next and what direction it’ll push the bar in?
Anything else you would like to add?
Wu-Tang is for the children!
