Links & Cuba Resources | Peter Moruzzi

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# Havana Before Castro by Peter Moruzzi

### When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground

in bookstores now

# Links & Cuba Resources

## Shopping

By no means a definitive guide here are a few books and CDs on my shelf. I recommend enjoying them in combination: mix one of Jeff's superb cocktails as you cue-up a Desi Arnaz track, then settle into a comfy chair to read about mid-century architecture through the eyes of Alan Hess or Chris Nichols. Sound good? Thought it might.

- ##### Peter Moruzzi (myspace profile)

  #### Havana Before Castro: When Cuba was a Tropical Playground

  Havana's lost era is brought to life through engaging writing, enriched by hundreds of photos and other unique images.

## (Pop) Culture Books

- ##### Jeff Berry (BeachBumBerry.com)

  #### Sippin' Safari: In Search of the Great "Lost" Tropical Drink Recipes... and the People Behind Them

  From amazon.com: "Beach Bum Berry" as he is better known, leading authority on tropical drinks and polynesian pop-culture, offers up tantalizing new drink recipes and the untold stories of the people behind the drinks.

- ##### Wayne Curtis

  #### And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails

  Travel writer Wayne Curtis follows rum's 400 year history, using ten cocktails to explore topics from slavery to tiki bars.

- ##### Charles Phoenix (CharlesPhoenix.com | myspace profile)

  #### Americana the Beautiful: Mid-century Culture in Kodachrome

  #### Southern California in the '50s: Sun, Fun and Fantasy

  In these collections Charles re-assembles America of yesterday through 100's of vintage Kodachrome slides of families at home, out recreating, and vacationing (not his family).

## Mid-Century Architecture Books

- ##### Alan Hess (alanhess.net)

  Alan has authored several insightful books detailing the serious and frivolous aspects of mid-century architecture. Here's but two I've really enjoyed:

  #### Googie Redux

  #### Oscar Niemeyer: Houses

- ##### Chris Nichols (myspace profile)

  #### The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister

- ##### Sven A Kirsten (BookOfTiki.com)

  #### Tiki Modern

  Tiki Modern "... [bringing] together the two recent retro trends of mid-century modernism and Tiki style, is bound to lift the Tiki craze to a new level."

  Another beautiful Taschen book!

## Cuban Music

- ##### Buena Vista Social Club

  #### Buena Vista Social Club (1997)

  When Ry Cooder got this group into the recording studio no one could have anticipated their impact, shooting up the US charts and introducing a generation to a classically Cuban sound.

- ##### Ibrahim Ferrer

  #### Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer (1999)

- ##### Afro Cuban All Stars

  #### Toda Cuba La Gusta (2004)

- ##### Chuy Reyes And His Orchestra

  #### Chuy Reyes & His Orchestra (1947-1950)

- ##### Desi Arnaz

  #### The Best of Desi Arnaz: The Mambo King

  #### Cuban Originals: Desi Arnaz

  #### Babalu Music! I Love Lucy's Greatest Hits

- ##### Perez Prado

  #### Havana 3 A.M.

  #### Mondo Mambo: The Best of Perez Prado

## Online Resources

#### Preservation Advocacy

- Palm Springs Modern Committee
- LA Conservancy
- ModCom (Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee)

#### Architecture

- arts & architecture has posted their original articles on the case house study program (PDFs)

#### Pop Culture

- Charles Phoenix, from kitsch to classic kitsch, Charles opines on mid-century design and American Culture with his "Slide of the Week" newsletter, books, tours, and shows.
- Martini Kings, this local favorite, a vibraphone-fronted quartet, plays "retro classics, jazzy standards, bossa novas and cool instrumental"
- LottaLiving.com, its active community forums take on mid-century modern lifestyle, design, art, furniture and architecture
- TikiRoom.com, the name says it all -- all things Tiki that is. Whether building a Tiki bar or a better Mai Tai or choosing the appropriate Martin Denny album, someone on these forums will happily help you.