The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page D1

Chris Bannister displays his replica of a Ren Clark severed-head mug in the basement tiki room of his Nottingham home. PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER T. ASSAF baltimoresun.com gotoda ay an arm and a leg for a drinking mug shaped like a severed head? You might as well kiss your common sense aloha. once in a would pop up on says Chris normally goes crazy for anything remotely related to so-called tiki first time I saw was probably That was six years ago.The going price is now about $1,400 an amount most people would find hard to swallow even after had a few too many mai tais. 39-year-old information-technology technician from to bide his shopping time.It paid off: He recently found a limited-edition replica mug for a mere $65.

But getting a of the story. Polynesian took hold after World War II.American servicemen returned from the South Pacific with fond memories of potent fruit-flavored shirts, beach-bar music and wood carvings of deities whose high foreheads resemble climbing walls. That endless-summer sensibility meshed nicely with the easy peaceful 1950s.To- tiki culture is grounded in century nostalgia: a celebration of pencil-leg furniture and palm flamingos and Rat-Pack cool. That cross-cultural layering of and history can be Bannister.Add to that the allure of mindless escapism: go wrong when a lot of people want to get together for a Especially if those rum punches are topped off with teensy paper umbrellas. Bannister took the tiki plunge six years ago when he and his their first house i Carney.The rec room cried out for a funky touch.

when the thought bubbled up inside his brain.He bought one through the mail. Soon after that Bannister read The Book of Tiki a kind of how-to manual for the set. It included a description of Polynesian Village i Fort famously quirky tiki bar ru by a magician named Ren Clark. The signature gimmick of Polynesian Village was to serve drinks in mugs inspired by a trick Clark di involving severed heads.Unfortunately,the bar is long gone.So,too,is Clark.Hence those rare-fin mugs have become prized by tiki dish out big bucks whenever one surfaces on eBa or elsewhere. For dreamed of stumbling upo a Ren Clark mug at a thrift store or garage sale.Bu he never hit the good-luck lottery.

Then in March a bulletin-board item appeared Tiki popular Web site.Ignacio Northern California artist and tikiphile, announced he was going to make 100 ceramic based on old photographs taken at Polynesian Village and sell them for just $30 apiece. sold out says Bannister. Serious tiki heads adopt alter-ego nicknames. Gonzalez quickly received orders from Morbidboy, and Chris Bannister.About six weeks packages were shipped to customers. think it was going to look that Bannister mug has all you could ask for in the way of severed-head details (painfully contorte trickling down the cheeks), and so faithfully rendered it scared the bejee bers out of young an Eme.

long-sought-after mug occupies a place of honor on a shelf behind his bamboo mini focal point of a recently remodeled basement tiki room.Last Bannisters see TOMORROW 10 AM 8 PM 11 AM 8 PM 3 PM 6 PM CITYLIT FESTIVAL editors all be at this event, taking part in chats about their work and even critiquing yours.The festival runs until 5 p.m.at the Enoch Pratt Free Cathedral St. Free.Call 410274-5691 or visit citylit project.org. HULA-HOOP-A-THON When you were you spin a hula hoop for hours? If you could be crowned next of at Fluid Hula-Hoop-a-Thon. If more of a out and see which hooper has the magic hips. The event will fund Fluid summer water ballet.The fun lasts until 11 p.m.at Load of Fun Studios, 122 W.North Ave.Tickets are 443-742-4942 or visit fluidmovement.org.

ELVIS COSTELLO Elvis Costello has been making solid rock roll music for 28 years.He’s collaborated with a long list of top-tier musicians and jumped genres with practically every record he made.Don’t miss his set tonight at Rams Head Live, 20 Market Place.Tickets are 410-244-1131 or visit ramsheadlive.com. COLE PORTER TRIBUTE Take Mom out for an afternoon of classic crooner hits such as Get a Kick Out of and and The BSO Super- Pops series plays tribute to their Porter, at the Meyerhoff Symphony Cathedral St.Tick- ets are 410-7838000 or visit baltimoresym phony.org. BILLY COLLINS How often do you get to hear a former U.S.poet laureate speak? If the name is Billy Collins, the answer can be he is heard regularly on NPR and is published in magazines such as The New Yorker. been compared to Robert Frost because of the accessibility of his work.Hear him read from his works (he has nine published volumes of poetry) and get a book signed at Shriver Hall at the Johns Hopkins N. Charles St.Free.Call 410-7354103.

MORE THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND, PG 3D LITHUANIAN FESTIVAL your last chance to check out this ethnic event.There will be the usual festival attractions (crafts, live opportunities) but with a Lithuanian flair. miss the Lithuanian food and as virtya honey mead.Party Eastern European-style until 6 p.m.at the Catonsville Mellor Catonsville.Admission is $3. Call 410-646-0261. MISS THIS A MONTHLY FEATURE THAT CELEBRATES THE RITUAL OF SHOPPING FINDS ONLINE Learn how to make your own tiki-inspired drinks like Zombie Juice at baltimoresun.com/tikidrinks This find: That touch of tiki If it smacks of Polynesian Bannister has to have it BY OM UNKEL A California artist created severed- head mug. The details include bulging eyes and blood trickling down the cheeks.

INSIDE MOVIES 4D HOROSCOPE 6D BRIDGE 6D COMICS 6D-7D CROSSWORD 7D SUDOKU 7D TELEVISION 8D ONLINE TOMORROW SloaneBrowngivesyouvideo bestsoireesat baltimoresun.com/scene Memoryandrelief fillthemindat commencement ROB KASPER bewatchingarobedoffspringmarch acrossastageatacollegecommence- ment.Whiletheparticularsofthegradu- beour22-year-oldexitingtheJohnsHopkins enceelicitsmanycommonemotions. Oneisdisbelief.Untilthekidactuallygetsthe nothappenuntilafterthegraduationceremo- workedout.Ihavelingeringdoubtsthatallthe outstandingwarrantsfromtheauthorities. Thisskepticismhasmoretodowithmypa- someonewhohasyettocleanhislongaban- donedbedroom. Anotheremotionisrelief.Eversincehis motherandIlefthimatBoltonHillNursery thejourneytowisdomhastakentwistsand turns.Wesurvivedmarathonschoolprojects, suchasconstructingareplicawithtoothpicks brokenbonestoacarstuckintheIrvineNa- tureCentermudtothedinner-tablean- tappedtowriteanddelivertheseniorspeech. Nosoonerwashesettledincollegethanhe, studyeconomicsforasemesteratOxford.

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