Cherry Capri's Diary

Remember the days when a ladies purse held all sorts of mysterious objects, like pocket sized tissue dispensers, fancy beaded glass cases, powder compact with a mirror? Well in today's fast paced world - who's got time to pack that much into a tiny shoulder purse? But everyone needs that tiny emergency mirror so the ladies can keep the lipstick off their teeth and gents can check for the stray bit of parsley. Next time - dig into your wallet and pull out that credit card and use the hologram! It works as the perfect tiny emergency mirror. Now look up and smile!

"Hey bartender get me an Alaskin Polar Bear Heater."
Buddy Love

While I have never personally tried this cocktail, I think it's about time to do so… But I thought I'd post it first before imbibing. So if you don't hear from me until next Friday – You'll know it worked its magic.

2 shots of vodka
a little rum
some bitters
a smidgen of vinegar
a shot of vermouth
a shot of gin
a little brandy
a lemon peel
orange peel
cherry
more scotch
mix it nice
pour it into a tall glass

Introduced in the film the Nutty Professor by Buddy Love in 1963.

While I usually don't condone these kinds of activities, this one created by my delightfully naughty friend Trader Pup tickled my fancy so much I had to share it with you.

Go to your local swap meet and order a personalized license plate frame that says something silly like "Uncle Milty is my idol" "Pet Rock on Board" or bad like "Ask me about Viagra." It's especially good if it you put something personalized in your message. Then put the frame on your friends car by stealth and see how long it takes for them to discover it.

You know when you go to a hotel how they have little mini shampoos and soaps. Wouldn't it be nice to have something like that for your friends when they spend the night at your pad. Odds are they ended up crashing there because they had a little too much to drink and didn't come prepared. So have something like this on hand.

Items to include:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Mouth Wash
Mini Soap

If you wanna be extra nice add these things. Go to your corner drug store and look in the "travel-size" aisle for inexpensive combo packs of these:
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Comb/Brush
Aspirin

Make it look special!
Rather than buy trial size shampoo, etc., use empty collectible trial size liquor bottles. That way you can refill them with your own shampoo, etc. Imagine putting some green colored Scope in a tiny Midori liquor bottle – that'll wake up your friends! You could even make special labels on your computer/printer with your name on it ala "Chez Cherry Capri Shampoo."

Put everything in a decorative bucket or bowl or some other special container. I use an old 60's California Pottery floral container. Tuck in a rolled up fresh face cloth on the side. Consider putting in a cologne sample from the department store to make it all smell purdy, too.

Tiki Oasis IV is just around the corner, so it's time for a Tiki relevant blog!

My friend Iuka Grogg is one of the sweetest old school Hawaiian style crooners around. Although he is a Haole, he resonates with authentic Aloha Spirit. If you are fortunate enough to see him sing live, just close your eyes and be whisked away by the tropical trade winds to a place out of space and time.

I met Iuka years ago at the Caliente Tropics Tiki Oasis where he and his group the Mai Kai Gents sang to the ladies and chaps by the pool. And when I played Mondo Tiki at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, I was thrilled to have him join me and the Thurston Howlies on stage and Rock-a-Hula along with his ukulele. Now he is a regular on the Southern California Tiki Scene performing from the Lava Lounge in Hollywood to International Tiki Day in Huntington Beach. The Mai Kai Gents have also apppeared at the inamous Hukilau event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida!

The one thing that not so many people know is that Iuka is a master mixologist with a fervent love for the cocktail. He always travels with a wine diary that's not just for wine! Look for his name on the wall of fame at the Tiki Ti in Hollywood!

When you see and hear Iuka Grogg with the Mai Kai Gents, you will not only be treated to a top notch serenade, you will witness the musical wizard Mika'ele Loco Moco and the most alluring Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa and her lovely hula hips. They are about to release their first CD, so be sure to add it to your exotica music collection when it becomes available.

http://www.mkgents.com/

Nothing makes a kitchen cozier than having a unique collection to show off. Here are some great alternative things to start collecting for your kitchen.

1. Lunchbox Thermoses (We all know that retro lunchboxes have gotten really expensive these days – so limit yourself to the beat-up but cute orphan thermos you can still find in Thrift Stores)
2. Coffee Mugs from interesting retro restaurants like Sambos!
3. Salt and Pepper Shakers (Pick a particular subject matter)
4. Colorful Corning Ware Bowls (The classic old standard!)
5. Decorative Napkins (Showcase them in small picture frames)
6. Trivets (Especially the plastic ones with butterflies or shells embedded)
7. Funnels (From metal to plastic - in all shapes and sizes)
8. Eggbeaters
9. Oddball Juice Glasses (Especially the old Jam Jar types - look for Flintstones and Josie and the Pussycats!)
10. Juicers (Mix it up with old school milk glass and jadite with newer tacky plastic ones)

It's too late for you this year, but mark your calendars for THE Rockabilly event of the year... VIVA LAS VEGAS. This year marks the 7th year that literally thousands of rockabilly guys and dolls, teddy boys, tattoo mommas, and other variations of 50's themed personalities descend upon the Gold Coast Casino for four non-stop days and nights of partying.

Vendors come from around the globe offering fabulous retro wares. I personally bought myself two pairs of vintage eyeglasses and some pink gloves this time around! And the Bands... well everyone comes out of the woodwork. Rockabilly legends like Sid King and his 5 Strings, the Teenagers, Ray Sharpe and Huelyn Duvall as well as newer Rock 'n Roll revivalists and Rhythm and Blues bands like the Extraordinaires and Deke Dickerson are all there.

Viva Las Vegas even offers a free intensive jive dance workshop so when the bands start to play, you'll know just how to strut your stuff. And oh - did I mention, there's also a Burlesque girl contest!

Even if you don't officially attend the event, it's worth it to be in Vegas on this weekend just for the Free pre-1963 Car Show on Saturday as well as the tremendous people watching in the Casino as people float back and forth between the vendors and showrooms.

So if you want to see some real live action in Sin City... Don't miss Viva Las Vegas!

http://www.vivalasvegas.net

The San Francisco Tiki Crawl is officially blazing through the Streets of San Francisco this April weekend, so I thought this would be an appropriate time to write up this fabulous Place to Go.

The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar is in one of my favorite San Francisco landmarks, The Fairmont Hotel. The Fairmont was actually built in 1906, but due to the great San Francisco earthquake and fire did not actually open until 1907 after architect Julia Morgan supervised the restoration. It's at the top of Nob Hill where all the cable car lines meet up and where Tony Bennett first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in public – but I digress…

In 1929 a new owner did a major renovation adding an indoor pool called "The Plunge" in the basement. Another renovation in 1947 changed the Plunge from a swimming pool into the S.S. Tonga – a nautical themed restaurant that looked like the exterior of a cruise ship pool deck complete with life preservers and a bar serving exotic drinks and Chinese faire.

In the 1950s with the popularity of places like Don the Beachcombers and Trader Vics at the Hilton Hotels, the nautical restaurant became tiki-fied. The S.S. Tonga was converted from boat theme to the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. The Cantonese flavor and Hawaiian pupus remained, but thatched huts were added around the perimeter of the room. The pool became a shallow lagoon with seashells at the bottom. The ceiling was painted black and a floating band stand stage and a dance floor made from the deck of the S.S. Forester, one of the last tall ships which sailed between San Francisco and the South Seas was added. A later remodel was done in 1967 with the help of the famous folks at Oceanic Arts. The stage has since become a thatch roofed hut on which a band plays.

The biggest claim to fame of the Tonga Room is the truly magnificent half hourly rainfall which falls from the dark ceiling into the pool complete with lightening effects and thunder soundtrack.

No matter what you think about the food, service, drinks or prices, a visit to the Tonga Room is truly priceless and a must-see when you're in town. It is suggested by many tikiphiles that you go for happy hour before the pop rock band begins to play.

Now I know my more flamboyant gentlemen friends are not afraid of a little artificial enhancement. This tip is for my straight guy pals to encourage them to be more adventurous. You now have my permission and probably most other women's permission to put on a happier face.

There is nothing wrong with helping your self confidence along with a little artistry… especially on those days when you're suffering from jet lag, too little sleep or heaven forbid… the day after the night before.

Moisturize
You HAVE been watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, right? So you ARE moisturizing every day, right? Well, if you're going to conceal complexion flaws, you must start out with a clean moisturized face.

Concealer
Go to your local health food store and buy some good foundation – something light and natural. To test for the right color just put a dab on the inside of your wrist and blend it in with your pinky. It's the closest to the texture and color of your face and very discreet.

Makeup Sponges
I really really really suggest buying a bag of those triangular makeup sponges. Tell the cashier they work great for cleaning motorcycle parts! Apply your foundation concealer with a makeup sponge. I'd say use your hands, but you are a guy and you have stubble issues, not to mention larger masculine hands and using a sponge to apply and blend smoothly will make the job a lot easier.

Face Powder
Get the light loose kind for a more natural look. Dust it on lightly on your forehead or anywhere where you regularly get shiny. Think of it as antiperspirant for your face!

Lip Balm
Finish off your look with a regular coating of lip balm. Carry it around with you for ever-ready kissable lips.

Remember guys… Cary Grant, John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Gregory Peck and Gary Cooper all wore makeup. Oh, and those close-up shots of Captain Kirk and his smokey blue eyeshadow… for this girl at least… yummy! And if that's not enough of an endorsement to go out and do it, I give up on you boys altogether!

You have a hip looking bathroom right? You've got your crucifixes on the wall, tiki candles on the shelf, "Dirty Girl" soaps, or leopard skin toilet seat cover, right?

Well what do you or your guests do when you run out of toilet paper? You just can't leave a plain ole white roll of Scott's out in the open in such a swanky setting! So cover it up properly!

Use colored tissue papers, extra thin wrapping paper, or other soft decorative paper to cover your roll. My favorite type of paper to use is called a "lace." It's a gauzy type of paper that is water resistent, which is perfect for a damp environment like a bathroom. If you use a traditional tissue paper, you may find it gets old looking quickly and will need replacement on a regular basis. But a lace can be re-used over and over.

Sometimes you might see inexpensive floral arrangements in your supermarket using this kind of paper. Usually craft stores don't carry this kind of paper, so head to your local floral supply. If you are lucky enough to be in New York City, there's a place called Kate's Paperie on Broadway between Prince and Spring in Soho. They have a wonderful selection of laces and a few available online. http://www.katespaperie.com

The great thing about this proect is there are lots of creative options for you out there as far as the style and color of the paper your choose!

------------------------

First of all, make sure you do a nice little triangle fold to the roll like a fancy hotel before you wrap it up...


Then, you'll need a piece of paper that's approximately 14" wide x 18" long. Set your toilet paper in the middle of the long end of the wrap and start rolling. Once the roll is covered, tuck the ends on each side into the toilet paper roll hole.


For an extra nice touch, tie a decorative ribbon around the finished package. In the end - it will look like a nice present for your bathroom guests. When you wrap your wipes in style, your friends will look forward to running out of T.P.!

A refreshing tropical cocktail that will blow you away!

3 oz. orange juice
1.5 oz dark rum
.5 oz. grenadine
dash of bitters
pinch of nutmeg
Finish with about 4 oz. lemon lime soda (7up, Sprite or other)

Stir and serve over the rocks in a tall 8 oz. Tiki mug.
Garnish with orange wedge, paper umbrella and straw.

Variations: Tiki Tea
For a less sweet version, skip the grenadine.
A non-alcoholic version of the Tiki Breezy the for teetotalers is also very tasty. It's a lot more interesting and complex than a plain ole Shirley Temple. Just mix it up without the rum.

On the First Friday of every month, the art community of Downtown Las Vegas has a really neat gathering. Tonight my friend Vargas and I hit the town in style! Here's what you can look forward to if you go.

We started out parking near the Funkhouse on Commecial Center Drive. This is a great antique mall filled with lots of interesting items including lamps made out of old mannequin heads! They had some guys doing a percussion jam out front.

From there we walked the 1/2 block to the 'railroad cottages,' a series of little historic homes that have been transformed into unique antique shops. The owners of the various shops offered complimentary wine and nibbles. There was a garage band playing R&B in front of one store and an art opening/birthday party in another one that featured a live harpist.

The other center of activites is up at the corner of Charleston and Main Street. There is a free shuttle bus that will drive you up the street there. We decided to drive. Vargas had the original soundtrack to old Batman tv series playing in his car, so who could resist that musical interlude.

In the Arts Center, they had several individual art openings and a very well attended group art show. Across the street I said hello to my friend Maria at one of my favorite stores in town, MODIFY. This is a great shop that features 1970s mod furnishings. Lots of brown and orange! The quality of goods is very fine and the prices are always reasonable. Tell them Cherry Capri sent you!

It got very late very quickly, so we missed hitting the Red Rooster which I think is the best antique mall in town. I can spend hours in there meandering. My friend Tiki Lee has a very swanky room at the Red Rooster filled with old Vegas souvenirs and newer tiki finds. I recommend a visit just to hear the tapes on his 8 track player that's always on.

The Attic on Main Street (famous from the old American Express commercials) closed down early this time around - so we didn't go there. For those who object to their ridiculous cover charge - if you go there on a First Friday - they give you a lifetime get-in-free membership card.

There is a nice little Italian restaurant at the Arts Center, but it was pretty booked up. So Vargas took me to a new place. Thai BBQ Restaurant. It's on 3rd Street, but you can see it from Las Vegas Blvd. It's actually a chain and they have a few other locations scattered around Southern California. I was very impressed with the fact that they had a whole page of Vegetarian selections!

All in all, it was a very nice evening seeing an alternative side of Sin City.

For me – every Sintra album is an essential. Well except for maybe the Duets series… Buy when starting a Frank Sinatra record collection, I recommend buying the original recordings as opposed to newer compilations.

1. Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim This 1967 album features Jobim sharing vocals with Sinatra on "The Girl from Ipanema" and "How Insensitive." This is a desert island disk!
   
2. Come Fly With Me The first of Sinatra's albums with arranger Billy May – a must have for any road trip.
   
3. September of My Years The well seasoned Frank won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1965
   
4. Songs for Swingin' Lovers! This record from 1955 shows Frank as a swaggering, sophisticated swinging singer. And "I've Got You Under My Skin" is perhaps Frank Sinatra greatest song.
   
5. In the Wee Small Hours In 1954 it was the first 12" album Frank Sinatra recorded. This and Only the Lonely are considered the conceptual masterpieces.
   
6. Only the Lonely Perhaps Frank's very finest hour. And who can resist the sad-clown velvet painting on the cover (a Grammy-winner for album design in 1959!) Sinatra called these 'suicide songs.'
   
7. Nice 'n' Easy This one from 1960 album featuring new arrangements by Nelson Riddle confirmed that Frank was the master of any song style.
   
8. Strangers in the Night This 1966 album was supposedly not one of Frank's favorites, but it's an ultimate 60s album with Summer Wind, Downtown and On a Clear Day.
   
9. Sinatra at the Sands Close your eyes and re-live the Vegas of 1966 where Sinatra and his Rat Pack buddies partied. This live album is rounded out with conductor-arranger Quincy Jones and Count Basie and his Orchestra.
   
10. Sinatra-Basie The first and best of three albums that Frank Sinatra recorded with swing legend Count Basie.

Not a part of the top ten, but a necessary CD to own is the combined disc with Songs for Young Lovers and Swing Easy. Okay – if I make it an even Top Twelve list , I'd add Sinatra and Strings from 1961, because no one sings "Night and Day" like Frankie.

You can see a pretty cool list of recommended recordings at the Lotta Living website.

Here's an idea for a different type of decor...

Instead of using traditional upholstry fabrics, make throw pillows out of clear vinyl!

Then fill the pillow with something unusual. The most common, cost-efficient and readily available filling is cotton batting fiberfill. but you could get creative and fill it with anything bizarre: fabric scraps, string, or if you don't care if it's soft: fill it with wierd stuff like plastic green army men, cigarette butts, or marbles, or ???

Try a variation on the fiberfill theme and dye your fiberfill. You can use any of the commercial "Ritt" dyes available at many larger grocery stores. If the fill is polyester - don't expect the colors to be very deep - they'll probably end up in pastel shade. But if you can find 100% cotton fill, you can achieve nice deep colors.

Experiment with your dying techniques! Try food coloring or natural dyes like onion skins. Have fun and do something different.

Atomic Tiki Mai Tai
1 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Gold Rum
1 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. Orange Liqueur
3/4 oz. Grenadine
1 oz. Fresh Lime juice

Mix 1-2 oz. of this concoction with
3 oz. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice or Real Fruit Punch

Pour into an iced Tiki Mug
Serve with:
Colorful Bendie Straw
Sliced Orange
Pineapple Wedge
Paper Umbrella
AND Plastic Monkey Garnish

You are now Atomic Tiki powered!

The Madonna Inn is a landmark on California’s Central Coast just on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo. Opened in 1959 this world-renowned resort is the personal vision of Alex and Phyllis Madonna. Every room is uniquely decorated with a special theme and color scheme. You can preview all 109 rooms on the Madonna Inn website. http://www.madonnainn.com/

While everyone loves the Caveman Room, Kona Rock and Jungle Rock rooms, here's a few of my other favorites… Of course, I do have a preference for the pink and red rooms!

The elegant Crystal room (#197) is decorated with crystal chandeliers and done up in golds, pinks and reds.

Express your flower power in the Floral Fantasy Room. (#173) with a large rose sconce adorning the wall, and floral light fixtures in the bath.

Staying in the Hearts and Flowers room (#155) is like having Valentine’s Day every day! Lush red carpeting, flocked-on-foil wallpaper and one of those famous Madonna rock shower and basins.

Of course I always love rooms with private balconies and the Tall and Short Room (#182) offers just that.

Who needs the Poconos when you've got a room like the Vous romantic blue room (#169) which offers the quintessential circular king-sized bed and a third floor view.

And lastly, the Just Heaven room (#184) All this room needs is a soundtrack playing… "My Blue Heaven" while you climb the spiral staircase to a private cupola. Here you will end up “on top of the world!”

Even if you don't stay there, do stop in for a bite, a cocktail or a little shopping when you're on your next road trip through town. It's truly tacky and terrific! Of course – don't miss the famous men's room and its waterfall urinal downstairs. Adventurous girls are free to peek!

# posted by Cherry @ 12:01 PM

When I first met Shag, he was nothing like I imagined. I will never forget the first time I saw a piece of his work hanging in my friend Peter's basement tiki bar. It was one of his very first paintings. The beatnik hipsters were something out of a long forgotten past and reminded me of the work of Ward Kimbell.

I think lots of people have pre-conceived notions of the man behind the magic, but none is funnier than mine, once you know the real guy! I pictured the artist as a big guy with black hair and Elvis biker sideburns wearing street vintage clothes on the verge of a Swing style gangster. I guess it's because his raw talent was something intimidating that I thought of him in the way.

When I did meet Shag, he was a quiet and polite man of a much gentler ilk, immaculately outfitted in suit and tie. He was well spoken, thoughtful and generous with his time and talent. His home is a pristine Mid Century Modern manor with a huge collection of tiki mugs exquisitely displayed. His wife is charming and cultured and I can only imagine his children are precocious and brilliant.

Shag, (a name which comes from the last two letters of his first name and the first two letters of his last name: Josh Agle) is an Orange County kid, influenced by growing up in the suburban dream and nearby Disneyland. Like so many of us who grew up in the tale end of the optimistic Atomic Age, he yearned to re-create the slick commercial art and advertising of the late '50s and early '60s. And he does so like no one else can. His craftsmanship is impeccable and wry wit comes across in the stories within each painting. Sometimes you just want to crawl into one of his settings of fetching vixens and swanky swingers and retire there martini in hand.

His love for the era comes across in each work and collectors recognize that making him one of the hottest artists around. One of my favorite stories about Shag is this. Apparently he had been putting in a long day of painting and his wife asked him to stop working to which Shag replied, "I stopped working about an hour ago. This is my hobby."

Now for those who cannot afford an original painting of Shag's, his work can be found in numerous licensed products. Some have called it selling out, but I say merchandising is the just reward for talent in these Modern times. Only when a society rewards its artists and musicians in monetary ways, can it be called cultured. Although his work can be seen everywhere, it still amazes me that there are those who are unfamiliar with the genius behind the gift tags and cocktail napkins.

At the opening of "Sophisticated Misfits," a seven-year retrospective of his work at the Brea Museum back in August 2002, documentary videographer Smee interviewed people about Shag's work. My girlfriend Bianca Blue claimed her life goal is to appear in a Shag painting. I countered that I had been painted by Shag and now had nothing to live for!

http://www.shag.com/

Okay, so this is really a top twelve list!

1. Jamaican Ska
   
2. Tall Paul
   
3. Pajama Party
   
4. Pineapple Princess
   
5. California Sun
   
6. Every Night is Date Night in Hawaii
   
7. Muscle Beach Party
   
8. Luau Cha Cha Cha
   
9. Oh Dio Mio
   
10. Blame it on the Bossa Nova
    
11. Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy
    
12. Monkey's Uncle
    

Learn more about Annette here at Swinging Chicks of the Sixties site.

I was thinking recently about buying an extra TV for my guest room. After visiting the thrift store, I found lots of swell working inexpensive tvs, but boy were they ugly.
Then I got the idea! Cover the plastic shell or scratched up faux wood grain with colored contact paper. Go ahead give it a try on one of the TVs in your spare bedroom.

It seems that contact paper can be used to update and beautify lots of things...

While many Los Angeleans head towards La Luz de Jesus and Wacko for their pop culture fix, there is another great little store right in the San Fernando Valley. It's called 8 Ball. They have a great assortment of home décor, shoes, books, men's and women's wear and other neat stuff. When you visit the store in person, the bonus is that it is right across the street from a fabulous vintage neon sign at the Safari Inn!

They also have an online webstore... And guess what! When you make a purchase of $75 or more, you receive a fabulous "Destination...8 Ball!" poster for FREE (while supplies last)! This high-quality 16" x 24" poster was designed by Shag exclusively for 8 Ball and is available nowhere else.

Tell the owner of the store Naomi, you heard about 8 Ball from Cherry Capri!

8 Ball
1928 West Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA 91506 USA
Phone: 818.845.1155
http://www.8ballwebstore.com