Obama: Duh, Winning

Obama - Duh, winning.

 I think this says it all...relevant silly pop culture reference tied into one of the most historic moments in America's history. The most serious of events tied in with the most absurd. But you have to admit, it is kind of funny.



By the way, you can't say I'm cashing in on two media bonanzas with my little photo here, since only about four people ever look at this blog. It'll just be fun if I see this on another blog or FB page somewhere in the near future :)

- "Tiki" Chris Pinto
Author of Murder Behind the Closet Door
and Murder on Tiki Island

Aloha from Tiki Island!

New Post at Atomic Luau...Murder on Tiki Island, my latest murder mystery ghost story set in the Florida Keys in 1956 is almost ready for print. Check it out!

http://atomicluau.blogspot.com/2011/03/aloha-from-tiki-island.html

Or visit the Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/KeyWestMystery

-Tiki Chris

Aloha from Tiki Island!

Murder. Sex. Drugs. Jazz. Chicks. Cocktails. Tikis.

I've been working on a new novel, Murder on Tiki Island since last May. This novel is set in 1956, and features Detective Bill Riggins, the hard-boiled gumshoe from Murder Behind the Closet Door in his younger years. Riggins, a New York City cop, takes a forced vacation to Key West and the mystical Tiki Island Resort, only to become embroiled in an exotic plot of lies, booze, women and murder with a supernatural twist.

The book is written in the noir pulp style of mid 20th century, giving the reader a true feel for the era. Once again, I've written a book that I myself would find fun to read, and hope others will too.

Anyone who has a passion for Tiki bars, the Florida Keys, and retro culture will dig this tome. Riggins (as well as the reader) becomes completely immersed in the laid-back, steamy southern island life of the 1950s, where everyday is summer and the women are as hot as the nights. Will Riggins fall victim to the call of Tiki gods? Or will he pull himself out of the trance and get back to business? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Target date for publication is April 30, 2011. The book will be available on Amazon.com in both paperback and eBook. Check back here or visit the Facebook Fan Page for updates and more information.


-"Tiki" Chris Pinto
TikiLoungeTalk.com

The Lover’s Cocktail: Your Weekend Tiki Bar Drink for Valentine’s Day

The Lover’s Cocktail: Your Weekend Tiki Bar Drink for Valentine’s Day

Tiki Bar’s Top 20 Christmas Movies & Shows, for Mod Movie Monday

Tiki Bar's Top 20 Christmas Movies & Shows, for Mod Movie Monday

At Tiki Lounge Talk

International Exotic Cocktail Day, October 1

Mark your calenders, kids, there's a new, totally Tikitastic Holiday and it starts this year, 2010. International Exotic Cocktail Day will commence on October 1st, 2010. It's a fantabulous holiday for everyone to recognize how lucky we are to live in a world where Rum and fruit juice can be celebrated by millions as an actual holiday.

Share recipes with your friends, gather in crowds and drink exiting concoctions around your Tiki bar, or meet up at the Mai Kai. Whatever floats your boat. Be sure to garnish everything you drink that day with a cocktail umbrella, pineapple slice and a cherry. Drink virgin frozen drinks at work and add the booze later on. Go ahead, after all, it's International Exotic Cocktail Day, so have a ball.

International Exotic Cocktail Day was conceived by yours truly, Tiki Chris Pinto of Tiki Lounge Talk and The Retro Tiki Lounge on Facebook in an effort to spread the good word about our wonderful Tiki Lifestyle.

Bathroom Remodling, vintage style

Adding a Retro-rock wall look

The old look

1970s countertop

When I was a kid none of the men in my family ever paid a plumber, contractor or mechanic for anything. They did everything themselves, from replacing rusty pipes to remodeling entire rooms to replacing transmissions on cars. What they didn't know how to do they learned while doing. There was always someone to help, a friend or family member who had done the job before and learned the hard way.

Today I only know one guy (other than me) who can fix a running toilet or do an oil change himself, my buddy Steve up in Jacksonville. All the other fellas I know don't know the difference between a valve cap and drain shoe. But I do.

So I get to save a lot of money by doing things myself. The trade-off is the time. I've been renovating our guest bathroom now since August. So far I've probably got about 25 hours in the job and it's about half finished. But the whole thing will cost me about $250 in the end including new faucets, tile floors, new countertop and new wall treatments. I estimated this job at around $6000 to have it done by a contractor.

This is a drain shoe.

This renovation includes plastering the walls with an old-style stucco look, doing a black-on-black rock wall in the tub area (including the tub itself), new plumbing including valves, faucets and drain, tile floor and tiled vanity and sink. If all goes well it should be mostly finished by the end of September. I say mostly finished because as you all know, these jobs are never really done.

Wish me luck.

The hole to hell...through the 6" thick concrete slab