Nerd Nite East Bay #35: Dams, Tiki, and Weed Botany

American Tiki: A lost and found art movement by Otto von Stroheim

Once a mainstream vernacular for everything from Soap-on-a-rope to the corner bar or liquor store, Tiki Style's sudden disappearance from America's landscape was a mystery akin to the demise of an ancient culture in a faraway land. Tiki Style's fall from grace left scattered matchbooks and menus to be discovered later and pieced back together like pottery shards. Once sacred soundtracks and signature souvenir drinking vessels collected dust on thrift shop shelves.

Learn how this once-grand and pervasive, American art movement was resurrected as a subculture and then became popular again!

Author/Disc Jockey/Publisher/Promoter Otto von Stroheim got his Exotica start when struck on the head with a coconut in 1994 during one of his annual backyard luaus in Venice, CA. The blow made him determined to publish his tiki (bar) travel memoirs resulting in the award­winning 'zine Tiki News. After launching Tiki News Otto set out to publicize it by DJing and hosting Exotica­-related events. Since arriving in San Francisco Otto has curated and published catalogs for three "Tiki Art Now" group shows, booked live­music shows for a few years, made over 500 DJ appearances, hosted film nights, penned magazine articles, appeared on TV, MCed for events, and (with his wife Baby Doe) produced and hosted the first and largest Tiki convention­ "Tiki Oasis."

Everything I leaned about botany, I learned from growing cannabis by Julie Soller

A non-scientist nerds out on botany from the point of view of a backyard cannabis grower. Now that the state of California considers growing and using cannabis to be legal with a medical marijuana recommendation, any adult can try it. But misinformation and bad advice abound. In this funny and insightful presentation, Julie Soller will tell how she went from a "Just Say No" kid in the 80's to a medical cannabis advocate and backyard grower today. She'll share what she's learned about botany and caring for the amazing and hardy plant in our unique Oakland microclimate. From soil to sun to nutrients to pests, challenges abound. Growing cannabis is akin to caring for exotic pets or playing a really slow video game: to succeed all the way through harvest, you need the right information, plenty of careful attention, practice, and a little luck. If you are someone who regularly kills houseplants, this talk is for you. (Legal limits vary by jurisdiction, check local laws before growing.)

Julie Soller is not a scientist. But she is no stranger to the joys of nerding out on diverse passions, from flamenco guitar to weight loss to cannabis horticulture. A Bay Area native, Julie is the creator of StorySlam Oakland, a live, monthly open-mic and curated storytelling show. She also produces the popular Spontaneous Storytelling event at the Layover lounge in Oakland. Previously a filmmaker, she has directed dozens of short films and TV segments, and sports a Masters in Film Directing from UCLA's School of Film, TV and Digital Media. She's currently a video consultant with Red Clip Video.