After World War II, suburbs proliferated around California cities as
returning soldiers traded in their uniforms for business suits.
After-hours leisure activities took on an island-themed sensuality that
bloomed from a new fascination with Polynesia and Hawaii. Movies and
television shows filmed in Malibu and Burbank urged viewers to escape
everyday life with the likes of Gidget and Hawaiian Eye. Restaurants
like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's sprang up to answer the demand
for wild cocktails and even wilder décor. The culture--a strange
hodgepodge of idols, torches, lush greenery and colorful
drinks--beckoned men and women to lose themselves in exotic music and
surf tunes. Authors Jason Henderson and Adam Foshko explore the state's
midcentury fascination with all things Tiki.