M
att Reese has a secret. The drive to his house goes through a stretch of University Avenue where beauty outlets, auto shops, and heavy equipment
rentals are the norm, with a raucous din of traffic and commerce filling the neighborhood. But venture into his steep backyard, and all that disappears. Down some 40-odd wooden steps you’re faced with a tunnel of sorts—an old rowboat suspended upside down, serving as the roof. Duck through, and suddenly the light is different. The air, sticky. Unseen birds whistle jungle songs. Approximately 1,800 desiccated coconuts litter the ground. And while you’re technically still on his property, you’re not really in his backyard anymore. You’re somewhere else. “It’s an escape,” he says. “It’s like a drug.” Matt has spent years of his life and tens of thousands of dollars building and
OPPOSITE PAGE The Headhunter is perhaps the crown jewel of backyard tiki in San Diego. ABOVE Matt Reese created many of the decorative skulls that adorn his bar. BELOW, LEFT A carving from Escondido artist Bosko Hrnjak at the Lava-Flow-Inn. BELOW, RIGHT Tiki mugs on display at the Lava- Flow-Inn.
decorating his backyard tiki bar, the Lava-Flow-Inn. And while not exactly a secret—he’s been known to host parties
for hundreds of guests—his bar evokes a kind of hushed reverence. Even with satellite view, you can’t really tell what he’s got hidden back there. Built on a series of staggered decks under a canopy of rubber trees, the place is a maximalist wonderland of vintage décor, recycled materials, and Matt's own craftsmanship, along with weathered tikis and island-inspired sculptures from Escondido artist Bosko Hrnjak. Think haunted pirate ship meets jungle hut, complete with a full bar. “It’s an obsession,” Matt says, holding one of the hundred-plus tiki mugs he keeps on display. “You can create your own tropical paradise in whatever manner you like. With mine, I wanted a sense of danger. Kinda creepy, yet really fun. I want people to enjoy themselves and be taken away.” Matt built much of his bar by hand, using recycled materials he scavenged while working maintenance at the
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