Exotic Tiki Island Podcast with Tiki Brian – Show 25

Tiki Gardens

Originally published April 10, 2014

For this 25th episode, I wanted to do something special for all you listeners and at the same time pay homage to one of Florida’s best south seas Polynesian tiki tourist attractions. I’m referring to a place where every element was Polynesian themed. Some of the attractions on the roster included:
• Polynesian Garden
• Peacocks Villa
• a Jungle Trail
• Tiki Lagoon
• Monkey Village
• The Garden Wedding Chapel
• Fire Mountain
• Bird Tower
• Trader Franks “Polynesian” restaurant
• and 8 gift shops that offered souvenirs and treasures from the south seas and beyond
I’m sure many of you already know the place I’ve just described. But for those of you who don’t, I’d like to introduce you to
“Tiki Gardens”.
Tiki Gardens was a South Seas Polynesian theme park located in Indian Shores, Florida. In 1962, “Trader” Frank and “Wahine”Jo Byars opened a small garden (about four acres) that was adjacent to their Signal House Gift shop. Unfortunately in 1963 the gift shop burned down but within one year, Frank and Jo were able to rebuild, expand and reopen the attraction. And By 1969 “Tiki Gardens” expanded to a 12 acre tourist attraction making it a favorite for guests of all ages.
Now, Sadly in 1986, the Byars sold “Tiki Gardens” to a developer who planned to build a hotel on the large property but it never came to be and eventually the land was turned into a public beach access parking lot. Luckily for us, there was a souvenir LP record produced that included an audio journey of “Tiki Gardens”. This LP was titled “Exotic Sounds from Tiki Gardens” and it features the song “Polynesian Fantasy”, which your hearing in the background.
For this special 25th episode, “Tiki Gardens” will be open again for business, at least in our imaginations on Exotic Tiki Island. Join me now as I play host and MC to this wonderful Polynesian attraction from yesteryear and share with you the Exotic Sounds of Tiki Gardens.

Show 25 - Tiki Gardens

Tracklist

Trade Winds – Kenny Sasaki & The Tiki Boys
Hawaii – King Keoni and his Islanders
Blue Hawaii – Eddie Bush
Hukilau – Sol Kamahele & Diamond Head Beach Boys
Beyond the reef – New Hawaiian Band
Lovely Hula Hands – Bing Crosby
Aloha Oe – Elvis Presley
Honana Honana / Tsviri – Eddie Lund – The mutiny Drums
Hawaiian Wedding Song from Tiki Gardens LP
Coronation – Martin Denny
Yellow Bird – Art Coates
Island Moon – The Polynesions
The Ancient Galleon – Les Baxter
Crickets Of Karachi – Don Tiare
Moonlight In Waikiki – Danny Stweart
Afro-Samba – Rodger Roder
Pretty Red Hibiscus – The Hawaiian Beach Boys
Lotus Land – Martin Denny
The Sounds of Exotica – Ted Auletta
Polynesia Poppie – Kava Kon
Temptation – Johnny Spencer and the Kona Koasters
Hula Blues – Lani McIntire
Tiki Gardens – Tiki Brian’s Exotic Remix (again with outro)
On a Coconut Island – Paul Shimomoto

Transcript

Celebrating 25 episodes.

Aloha, and welcome to the Exotic Tiki Island Podcast. I’m your host, Tiki Brian, and I’m very excited to announce that I’m celebrating my 25th show. Join me as I travel back in time to Exotic Tiki Island and enjoy swaying palm trees, cool gentle ocean breezes, and golden sandy beaches.

A place where you can lay back in your hammock, take a sip of your favorite cocktail, relax while listening to some wonderful, vintage musical treasures from my personal record collection.

Before we start our 25th adventure, I want to invite all of you to visit the all new, freshly redesigned Exotic Tiki Island website, where you can sign up for the ETI newsletter to receive podcast show release dates, music artist spotlights that are played on this show, Tiki drink recipes, and prize giveaways. The website is exotictikiisland.com. Another thing that I’d like to mention is that we now have over 630 friends and fans of the show that have liked us on Facebook.

Big mahalos go out to all of you who have liked us. And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Like us now and meet some of the other fans that listen to this show.

Plus, all new likes receive a post with a vintage Hawaiian LP cover with their name on the front of the record jacket. It’s my way of saying mahalo for listening to the podcast. Search for the Exotic Tiki Island Podcast on Facebook to find us today.

I would also like to send out some huge shout outs to a couple of loyal listeners who have made multiple monthly donations to the podcast. Michael Tompkins and Alan Adler. Guys, I just want to thank you for your generosity that’s reflected in your recurring donations.

A big mahalo goes out to both of you and all of you other listeners, including John Bumford, who have also made a donation to the podcast. Your donations help me pay the monthly cost of making this show available for everyone to enjoy. And all of the donations I receive are very much appreciated.

If any of you other listeners out there enjoy the show and would like to hear more episodes, how about buying me a Mai Tai by making a donation to the podcast. Just go to exotictikiisland.com and click on the donation button. Any amount is greatly appreciated.

Mahalo.

For this 25th episode, I wanted to do something special for all of you listeners, and at the same time, pay homage to one of Florida’s best South Seas Polynesian Tiki tourist attractions. I’m referring to a place where every element was Polynesian themed. Some of the attractions on the roster included Polynesian Garden, Peacock Villa, a Jungle Trail, Tiki Lagoon, Monkey Village, The Garden Wedding Chapel, Fire Mountain, Bird Tower, Trader Franks Polynesian Restaurant, and eight gift shops that offered souvenirs and treasures from the South Seas and beyond.

I’m sure many of you already know the place I’ve just described, but for those of you who don’t, I’d like to introduce to you Tiki Gardens. Tiki Gardens was a South Seas Polynesian theme park located in Indian Shores, Florida. In 1962, Trader Frank and Wahini Jo Byars opened a small garden about four acres that was adjacent to their Signal House gift shop.

Unfortunately, in 1963, the gift shop burned down, but within one year, Frank and Jo were able to rebuild, expand, and reopen the attraction. And by 1969, Tiki Gardens expanded to a 12-acre tourist attraction, making it a favorite for guests of all ages. Now, sadly, in 1986, the Byars sold Tiki Gardens to a developer who planned to build a hotel on the large property, but it never came to be.

And eventually, the land was turned into a public beach access parking lot. Luckily for us, there was a souvenir LP record produced that included an audio journey of Tiki Gardens. This LP was entitled Exotic Sounds from Tiki Gardens, and it featured a song, Polynesian Fantasy, which you’re hearing in the background.

For this special 25th episode, Tiki Gardens will be open again for business, at least in our imaginations, on exotic Tiki Island. Join me now as I play host and emcee to this wonderful Polynesian attraction from yesteryear and share with you the exotic sounds of Tiki Gardens.

Come with us as we thrill to the exotic sounds of this Polynesian fantasy.

Thank All right, are you ready to travel back in time? Captain Scotty B will be escorting us to exotic Tiki Island in his brand new sailboat. His old one unfortunately went missing with the castaways of Gilligan’s Island in our last episode.

Captain Scotty B, everyone’s on board, and we’re ready to go. Hoist the sails, men. Here we go.

Mahalo, Captain.

The Exotic Tiki Island Podcast will be right back after this important message.

The Exotic Tiki Island Podcast is proud to announce our newest sponsor of the show, Hotep Nephty’s Paradise Found. They offer limited edition Tiki Pinup Girl images on glassware, cocktail shakers, cocktail plates, serving trays, playing cards, and other accessories. If you’re looking for a unique gift or even looking to expand your Tiki collection, Hotep Nephty’s Paradise Found has something for everyone.

I have one of their Tiki Pinup Girl coffee mugs, and I love it, and you will too. And here’s something special for all of you Exotic Tiki Island fans. The first four ETI fans to place an order will receive a personally autographed 8×10 photo of the model featured on the products.

Visit their online store today by clicking on the link in the player window, and I’ll also leave a link to their store in the show notes. Visit Hotep Nephty’s Paradise Found today. Mahalo.

Do you have a Hawaiian, Tiki, or Island related product, artwork, or message that you’d like to share with our listening audience? The Exotic Tiki Island Podcast is the perfect way to help promote your business, organization, or event. By becoming a sponsor, you can be sure your message will be heard by thousands of listeners around the globe that all share a passion for the Tiki culture.

Visit the official Exotic Tiki Island website and click on Become a Sponsor to find out just how affordable our sponsorship packages can be. Visit www.exotictikiisland.com for more info. Mahalo.

You’re listening to Tiki Brian and the Exotic Tiki Island podcast.

Welcome, wahinis and connies to the main beach on Exotic Tiki Island. Let’s start our adventure and head up to Tiki Gardens. It’s located just beyond Exotic Orchid Cove.

And as we make our way up there, let’s enjoy my remix of Polynesian Fantasy, the theme song of Tiki Gardens. Let’s go!

On an island near Windswept Beach lies a little bit of paradise called Tiki Gardens. During the next few moments, we will transport you there by sound captured on a trip through this land of enchantment. In the background, the theme song of Tiki Gardens, inspired by its romantic beauty, come with us as we thrill to the exotic sounds of this Polynesian fantasy.

It’s now twilight time here at Tiki Gardens, and again, it’s time for Torsenade.

We have arrived at Tiki Gardens. Why don’t all of you head inside, treat yourself to your favorite Tiki cocktail, and make yourself comfortable alongside the garden. I have to head up to the broadcast booth and emcee the lighting of the Tiki torches ceremony.

Enjoy, my friends.

Aloha and good evening ladies and gentlemen. It’s now twilight time here at Tiki Gardens again. It’s time for torch lighting.

So all of you folks in the various shops, if you care to join us with our ceremony, if you’ll kindly step out into the garden, we’re about to begin. Now, the peacocks have come over. They’re perched atop the various buildings.

You can hear them in the background. So to get you in the mood for your trip to the South Sea Islands, here’s Eddie Bush playing for you Blue Hawaii on the ukulele, and here’s Eddie.

Aloha, ladies and gentlemen, we’re broadcasting live direct from beautiful, exotic Tiki Gardens, right here from the heart of the gardens. From our broadcast booth, we’re bringing to you the torch lighting ceremony. We do this each evening at twilight, so we extend to you a most cordial invitation to join us just as the sun goes down, right here in beautiful, exotic Tiki Gardens, when we bring you the ceremony of the lighting of the torches.

Aloha.

I’m going to Ahukilau, which in Hawaiian means we’re going fishing. And that reminds me that Tiki Gardens owns and operates a big pier across the street, Big Pier Kahiki. Kahiki in Hawaiian means sail to Tahiti, so when you think about fishing, or if you’re thinking about a beautiful romantic stroll out into the Gulf of Mexico, it extends almost a thousand feet into the Gulf, so try Big Pier Kahiki.

The beautiful peacocks you see perched atop the various buildings as you look around are from a flock of more than 50 of these beautiful birds that wander freely at Tiki Gardens.

We’d like to suggest that someday you take your best girlfriend and your camera and visit our island paradise. Out there you’ll find the King’s Fish Pond, Fire Mountain, the highest promontory in Pinellas County, thousands of beautiful birds, a monkey village to entertain the kids. We urge you to see Tiki Gardens as one of Florida’s major attractions.

We say, it’s a place to dream a while. Beautiful, exotic Tiki Gardens.

Lovely hula hands. And now aloha oi. Aloha in Hawaiian means hello, goodbye, much love, and affection.

Here at Tiki Gardens, we love you, aloha.

Aloha.

Thank you And that ends our musical serenade for the evening. And again, it’s deep twilight here in Tiki Gardens, and time for torch lighting. This is an old age ceremony passed down from the days of the kings.

It was a method the monarch used to call all of the subjects to the evening’s festivities, or the luau as we know it today. First, the trumpeter goes forth and blows three mighty blasts to the ocean, and three to the mountains. Then the natives gather in the courtyard, all of the wahinis and khanis.

First, the area has to be lighted. Now tonight, lighting the torches, Lalani, Keralita, and Malia. So now, without further ado, let’s get on with the ceremony.

Let’s go.

And now, Madam Pele, the fire goddess, is appeased, and we give you Princess Karloa singing for you that beautiful, that unforgettable Hawaiian wedding song. Direct from the islands, Princess Karloa singing Hawaiian wedding song.

Thank you, princes, really beautiful. And now, the little wahinis are leaving to light the torches in Big Tiki Gardens. Here, you’ll find an island paradise.

The lighting effects are simply fantastic. You should go out and see it. It’s one of Florida’s major attractions.

We call it our Polynesian Fantasy at Night.

Aloha, for the next few minutes, you’ll be listening to selected sounds of exotic Tiki Gardens. First, you’ll meet Frank and Jo, our talking manabirds. These are the favorites of all ages.

I have a pretty boy. I know you’re a pretty boy.

What’s the cat say? Meow.

Hello.

Everything on? Wow!

He did it.

Ha ha ha ha.

And here, we listen to beautiful Wainanee Falls as it cascades into peaceful Tiki Lagoon.

As we visit Monkey Village, you will hear the chatterings of our playful monkeys with a solo by Chester, the South American Woolly.

Thank you And now we hear a myriad of sounds from Tiki Gardens.

As we approach the dove cove, we are welcomed by their peaceful cooing.

The most fantastic sound in Tiki Gardens, the mating call of the proud peacock, as he calls to his mate.

And now, hear the chattering of the parakeets in the Bell Tower.

Gentle waves caress the beach as we leave beautiful, exotic, tiki gardens.

This concludes our ceremony here in the little garden. We hope you’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a real pleasure to bring you this ceremony.

We do this each evening at Twilight in effort to make your stay on exotic Tiki Island and your visit to Tiki Gardens a little more pleasant. So now it’s on with the luau. Head over to Trader Franks and enjoy one of those delightful teriyaki steak dinners.

You can also browse the eight shops. They’re all packed with interesting items from exotic marketplaces of the world. Or take a stroll on beautiful Pir Kahiki.

Mahalo for visiting our Polynesian Fantasy, beautiful exotic Tiki Gardens. And as they say in Hawaii, until we meet again, aloha.

And now, as we leave this land of enchantment, intrigue and mystery, hoping someday to return to this paradise, to walk again amongst the giant Tiki gods, who stand majestically guarding the secrets of the past, we say Aloha.

It’s now twilight time here at Tiki Gardens, and again it’s time for Torsen.

Well, friends, that about does it for this adventure. I’d like to thank you for joining me on my 25th episode. I had a great time visiting Exotic Tiki Gardens, and I hope you did too.

I’ll see you all next time on Exotic Tiki Island.

Thanks for watching!