Blue Lizard, Vancouver, Canada- Mar. 99'
Well as i had heard about the infamous tiki bar known as the Blue Lizard, in Vancouver Canada's Gas Town area, i of course had to make every effort to see it's splendor. Upon arriving in Vancouver i popped open the local phone book, to my surprise, whamo!, there it was, I thought this might be the easiest tiki bar yet to find, afterall i now have a phone number and an address! So i called the number, yes this was it, i got their answering machine annoucing this weeks events, hoooray!!. My friends toby, scott and i set out the next day for the Blue Lizard. "hmmm, do not see a bar around here" i said to my cohorts. Perhaps they address things differntly in Canada. After verifying the proper use of addresses in canada, it was slightly different, via a local bell boy, we set out again in search of the Blue Lizard. Butt alas, even with our new found knowledge, the Blue Lizard was to no avail. Being struck up for money by a local charity (most likely a beer fund) we asked the middle aged fellow if he had knew the where abouts of the blue lizard. We had just struck gold, this was the first person we had talked to that had actually heard of the Blue lizard. He said it closed several years ago. Seeing the eventual failure of our mission, we walked off in solitude and dissappointment. "But how come there is a working phone number and a listing in the phone book?" toby asked. hmmmmm, perhaps all was not lost. We called again and got the same message as the previous day with yesterdays date!!! Now there was no way the Blue Lizard was closed, we must look again this time looking to the upper floors of each building on the block. At the last building of the block, at the last corner of the gastown area, on the third floor, at number 508, there it was...... the blue lizard PRODUCTIONS. bah humbug, it was closed, someone was using the old tiki bar name to promote alterny bands, Drat! the adventure was over, for now, until the next time.
In Response to the above, Otto from Tikinews, wrote me this explanation of the Blue Lizard;
regarding the Blue Lizard, they are a consortium of promoters who have done a hell of a job promoting lounge, swing, exotica, and a few indie bands such as Friends of Dean martinez, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Oranj Symphonette They use the superb, mint condition Polynesian Room at the Waldorf Hotel. The mulitple rooms downstairs boast several custom design features and Leeteg pencil sketches while the round upstairs bar has several original Leeteg paintings and custom barstools to match the Tahitian drum in Leeteg's DRUMMER painting. The building is family owned and operated by the son of the original owner. Too bad you didn't get into the rooms.