Zen Tiki Lounge

This podcast was originally posted March 16, 2012 and has been re posted August 8, 2020.

Aloha, and welcome to the Zen Tiki Lounge.  It has been a few weeks since we got back in the lounge and recorded a podcast.  Sunshine, Starshine and Campari Kraken are all here this week.  On his first visit, the renowned Kampari Kraken introduced himself as the worlds most famous tiki bar psychic.  This time, Campari sips a cocktail that Sunshine named in his honor and reflects on the difficulties of traveling via flying carpet when  the weather is damp.  No one likes a wet carpet.  Campari also answers a few listener questions, if you consider his responses answers.  Starshine shares of her excitement for a quickly approaching Las Vegas trip that will include a visit to Frankies Tiki Room and the Rhum Bar, our two favorite places in sin city to grab well crafted rum drinks.  If you haven't been to Frankies, we recommend going while the sun is still up.  This helps you experience the stark contrast of the Vegas sun and the dimly lit interior of a classic looking tiki bar complete with bamboo decor, carved tikis, hanging puffer fish and a few of their exclusive tiki mugs.  And don't forget the cocktails.  A complete list of drinks is available by clicking the link above.  Sunshine will tell you not to be afraid of their high proof drinks like Bender Ender and Wild Watusi.  And, over at Rhum Bar you can find some Cuba and Florida inspired libations.  Their zombie isn't quite the traditional because it lacks the anise flavor, which for some is why the like this zombie so much.  An ample selection of rum for mixing and sipping is also available at this bright and airy watering hole.  Well, there is plenty more squeezed into this show.  So listen for all the rest.  Sunshine plays one of his favorite tunes at the end, Passage to Papeetee by Kahuna Kawentzmann.  A true gem of a tune that takes you to the mystical island of your choice.  Cheers and Mahalo.

The below recipe for Campari Kraken cocktail is the original. Follow this link for the new version of Campari Kraken’s official drink.

Campari Kraken Cocktail

1.5 ounces Kraken Rum

.5 ounce Campari

2.5 ounces white grapefruit juice

.25 ounce fresh lemon juice

.5 ounce Orgeat

1 dash orange bitters (Angostura Orange bitters work best)

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with long curl of grapefruit peel.  Now you will be able to see the future.

This is a repost of the original podcast episode which was released February 7, 2012.

After a recent trip to a local casino, Starshine and Sunshine are back in the lounge to tell of their travels.  This is mostly to lampoon the worst psychic experience we have ever had.  Sylvia Brown attempted to put on a "show" or "reading" but really just ended up leaving us with a heated desire to run back into the casino and find the nearest mai tai.  And we did just that.  That disappointment led us to finding our own tiki bar psychic Campari Kraken, who makes his first appearance on this episode answering listener questions.  But we couldn't be in the mood for predicting the future without a cocktail.  Since Starshine wasn't here when we first tried the Puka Shell, we brought it back for a another taste.  Just pronouncing Okolehao, the key ingredient in this drink proves that Sunshine still has a lot to learn about the Hawaiian culture.  Sunshine was hearing he islands call so our music this week is all Danny Stewart and the Islanders.  Good ukelele to drink by.  And to prove we are somewhat cultured there is a little bit of island inspired art via the old fashioned X ray machine.  The art of Bert Meyers is not only beautiful, but shows us the creatures of the deep and long long ago in a totally new light.  Listener mail includes some tips and tricks for easy party planning and how to choose the party to go to.  Before we called it a week it was another update for Tiki Caliente 4.  This event is something not to miss.  Not only will you have a chance to join our ZTL room party but the entire weekend is filled with great musical acts like Martini Kings, Hula Girls, Smokin Menehunes, Sand Devils and The Deadbeat Daddies.  Rooms and tickets are on sale now and are going fast.  Book NOW and be sure to grab one of the limited edition event mugs when you check out. Puka Shell

4 ounces white grapefruit juice

2.5 ounces Okolehao (Hawaiian ti plant liquor)

1/4 to 1/2 ounce cinnamon infused syrup*

Shake very well with ice and pour into highball filled with crushed ice.  Garnish with grapefruit layed over top of drink.  *Cinnamon Syrup: simmer 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar and 2 cinnamon sticks for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat cover, and cool for 30 minutes and store in a glass bottle.  Keep in fridge for use in cocktails, coffee, on ice cream etc.

Sunshine got out the swiffer and continued to dust off the recently found drink recipes from many years back. After a careful review it appears that of the 37 recipes, a solid 6-8 are keepers and the rest either need work or should stay lost. Julio is our neighbor who is lucky enough to live walking distance to the lounge. Given the choice between two of our lost recipes Julio chose Coconut Mele. Sunshine and completely forgotten how great this drink is. Three kinds of coconut, three rums, a little lime and some orange blossom. Tasty.

Neighbor Julio was invited on the show to talk about an upcoming collaboration to give Sunshine a spin off web series. Without going into to much detail lets just say that Sunshine is finally getting his wish to be launched into space. Shenanigans and inebriation should ensue from there. Julio has been working on short films and has a love of acting/performing. So bottom line, Julio will be directing and staging the series while Sunshine gets to do what he does best. Drink and laugh.

Listen to the show for more: What do you miss about pre pandemic world? Why Malibu rum has a place but should still be hidden you have company over. Exercise is good for you. Eat local and support your neighborhood restaurants. Tiki Bar T-shirt club. The Quiet Village podcast and much more.

Sunshine and Julio drink and discuss plans for the upcoming web series Sunshine In Space!

Mentioned on this episode, we LOVE the Quiet Village podcast. Visit DigiTiki.com for the podcast and streaming exotica 24/7.

We hope you will check our friends at Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club. Soft Cotton t’s each and every month with a fun new tiki bar design. Delivered right to your mail box. Get them all or just the one you want. We wear them because we love them.

Podcast roll call. Sunshine, yes. Starshine, yes. Kalani, yes. Pumpkin, not present.

Sunshine and the Lady Hobos (listen for those details) are cooped up inside via ZOOM to avoid both a pandemic and 90 plus degree temps. Good thing we always start off with a cool libation. This episode we enjoy Three Legged Flamingo. We pride ourselves in offering recipes with 5 or less ingredients but this is one of our rare exceptions. Though all of the booze and juice needed for this somewhat complex drink are very easy to find. Sunshine discovered while playing with this recipe that the combination of Lychee, Maraschino and Passion liquors in equal parts create what is now one of our house blends. If you want to lend an exotic touch to any drink you can just add half an ounce or more of this mixture and BAM! Follow the link for the full recipe and find out why you will need a third leg for balance.

A good portion of this show is dedicated to listener questions. Mark submitted a great set of questions on chilling alcohol before drinking and using ice vs. the type of glass that is best to prevent dilution. Sunshine has some fairly good experience with these matters and makes some recommendations. One of which is getting yourself a nice set of double walled glass rocks glasses or tumblers. Picture below are the rocks glass we have here in the lounge. When making a Manhattan or other spirit forward cocktail these glasses keep the drink cold 3 times as long as a standard rocks glass without ice. These can be found many place online just by searching “doubled walled rocks glass” and you are sure to find lots of options.

Listen to the podcast for lots more plus a nice set of songs by Milt Raskin at the tail of the show. Cheers and Aloha!

Below our friends from Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club have a really sweet offering this July. The Aloha has a nice logo that looks great on the soft brown cotton t’s. We LOVE Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club and so will you. Get just the shirt you like or subscribe and get them all right in your mailbox.

This episode of ZTL podcast was recorded via ZOOM. Keep those masks on and stay home as much as possible. Don’t forget to enjoy the cocktails.

Long time listens of the podcast know that all Sunshine does to arrange our next recording is send a text message to the Ladies of the lounge. Whoever answers, joins me on the podcast. Every now and then all three Ladies are available and its time to “wrangle the cats” which is our way of saying using creative editing to reduce the overlapping conversations and laughter. Since we are still in pandemic times this podcast was recorded via ZOOM. ZOOM adds even more challenges but we think we put together a nice show for you.

As we like to do in the Zen Tiki Lounge there is a new cocktail recipe for you. Follow this link and mix up SoCal Hibiscus Flower at home. To do so we recommend using some local SoCal ingredients including SoCal Rum and Simply Gala Hibiscus and Passion syrups. The specific recipe mentioned on this show is NOT the final recipe so use the link above for the perfected recipe.

Discussed on this episode is there Eau De Space kickstarter. This unique fragrance is said to smell exactly like the void of space. Yes, according to NASA the darkness of space actually smells like gun powder, burnt steak and raspberries. Who knew? If you back this kickstarted you get a bottle and another bottle is sent to a K-12 school for educational purposes. Support STEM in education by supporting this kickstarter.

While many of us have extra time at home with no end in sight it has been challenging for some to stay busy. Consider getting some actual training to be behind your own home bar or even get ready to try bartending for yourself when the time is right. The article below has a few of the online courses that range in price from $29 to $299. Several of the least expensive appear to have good ratings and are accredited. Listen to the show for more info, we are NOT affiliated with any of these courses.

Not only do we LOVE Tiki Bar T-Shirt club but if you listen to this episode you an find out how to get a shirt sent right to your mail box. You just have to play song with our little game. First come first served. :)

Sunshine Tiki in the lounge this episode. That means you get lots of music and less banter. Its been a few weeks since we posted a show and now that all four hosts are back to working regularly we are trying to get back into our bi weekly schedule. Your music is a classic vinyl album from Henry Mancini that Sunshine has been enjoying often in the Zen Tiki Lounge. Enjoy the full LP with just a little lounge news. AND, be sure to listen to the entire episode to see if you have a chance to get a shirt from our friends at Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club.

Need a quickie cocktail thats nice and stiff? Yeah you do! Click HERE and mix yourself a Rumhattan to enjoy in your dimly lit corner while listening to this podcast.

We LOVE Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club. A new soft cotton t each and every month. Get them all or just the one you want. We wouldn’t wear them EVERYWHERE if we weren’t really fans.

What does your Zoom face look like? Pumpkin and Sunshine record this episode via Zoom and tried to capture a screen shot looking halfway decent. Maybe we failed.

In a first of firsts all present hosts of the podcast are sober and completely coherent. Every now and then one of the Ladies of the Lounge will abstain simply because they are being responsible and may need to operate a vehicle. But Sunshine is always at home and rarely has to worry about the dangers of driving under the influence. On this occasion its all about sticking to diet goals and not letting anything get in the way of coming out of pandemic looking better and feeling better than ever.

Abstinence has only led to dreams of our next cocktail. In an effort to support local business we have ordered alcohol and syrups from nearby friends. We are working with SoCal Rum which is crafted in Orange County, CA and Simply Gala syrups also in Southern California. Along with lemon and passion fruits our cocktail inspiration is running wild. Stay tuned to the next episode for the recipe.

Also on this show Pumpkin shares her love of smelly candles and is in LOVE with some scents from Magic Candle Company. This brand is not new and we mentioned their tropical scents on a previous episode. Check out the link and take a look at their various scent options. Maybe something that smells nice will help relieve some pandemic stress?

On a warm, sunny and clear Tuesday in May the crew of the Zen Tiki Lounge hit the road to Palm Springs. We had a few goals. Break into the Reef, serve ourselves some cocktails and stick our feet in the pool. As you listen to this episode you will realize we accomplished all we set out to do and found time for shenanigans.

While at the Reef we are joined by Rory Snyder and Kari Hendler who essentially responded to the alarm we set off while breaking in. To prove what good sports they are we were allowed to stay and given free reign of the establishment for a few hours. As an added bonus we are joined by Sir Ronald Oliver who gives some great advice for staying positive through film and television viewing choices. We hope you enjoy this on location episode of the podcast and wish you all the best.

Is this what the tiki bar of our future looks like?

During the pandemic many of us have been staying home as much as possible. On a very brief trip to the pharmacy Sunshine got in his car and for whatever reason the iPhone decided to play episode 240 of the podcast. This was back in February of 2012 and involved guest hostess Krista and the fourth low calorie cocktail in a series we did. So, Sunshine was thinking that since he gets requests all year long for ways to drop the sugar and calorie content in drinks that this was a perfect opportunity to put all four of those episodes into one. Bam! Now you get one episode with multiple tips on how to keep your waist trim while still enjoying our favorite tiki style drinks. And as a bonus, our listener mail question was also about how to stretch a cocktail and make it larger (refill less often) and we talk about how to do this without adding more sugar and calories. Take the below direct links to each of the four original podcast episodes if you want to listen to them in their entirety.

*Some of these episodes contain a little political commentary. Around episode 290 we committed to avoiding this, but this was way back in time…

Episode 237 A Low Calorie Mai Tai For A New Year (Mai Tai)

Episode 238 Puka Shells And Spy Music, Cheers! (Puka Shell)

Episode 239 Time For Tiki Caliente 4, Book Your Rooms Now (Pain Killer)

Episode 240 Hawaiian Bruschetta And Grapefruit Daiquiris (Grapefruit Daiquiri or Hemmingway)

Our signature rocks glasses are available in our online store . They nest for easy storage and go through the dishwasher like a dream. 15 ounces of cocktail goodness.

Sunshine and Pumpkin are very pleased to be joined by Kat Reeder on this episode. Kat is a modern artist living on Oahu who has been creating prints, 3D pop and portraits with a beautiful stylized island look and feel. During the interview we talk about her influences from Peru to Miami and now Hawaii. Sunshine was surprised to find that Kat uses the digital medium to create her pieces because at first glance you my think of watercolor, hand drawing and other formats. We spend a good deal of the interview discussing the process of creating personalize portraits of individuals, couples, families and pets. Kat works with commissions to find exactly what a person feels and desires and turns those conversations into a piece you will certainly look forward to seeing everyday in your home.

Listen to this episode for the full interview with Kat and get to know her influences and style. We hope to be seeing Kat at a tiki event very soon, but till then she offers her work online at KatReeder.com

Catch Kat on Instagram and her portraits on Instagram as well as Facebook.

Below left: Kat Reeder creates custom portraits with the glamour of old films and the colors of the islands. Below center: 3D pop art brings added depth to an already beautiful work. Below right: 12x12 prints that look great individually or in sets of 2 or more.

Is your event cancelled? Is it rescheduled? Will it be touring instead of a big get together? Find out by clicking below and checking directly with each of the event sites. We are all looking forward to getting together with our extended Ohana again soon. Stay up to date with the below resources.

The entire world is now living in a t-shirt and jeans/shorts reality. ZTL recommends Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club for great soft cotton t’s with awesome tiki bar designs. A new one each month delivered right to you home…how’s that for contactless transactions. Easy, safe and comfortable.