Cool Breeze, Sunshine, Low Humidity

 

Today was a day of cool breeze, sunshine, and low humidity. This is a view of Waikiki from the Ala Wai canal of the kind of weather that we had in Honolulu. 

Horrible Singing at Flamingo

 

On Kapiolani Boulevard and near Ward Avenue still stands the late Flamingo Restaurant. Years ago they served tasty local dishes during the day and at night they turned into a karaoke bar. Memories of too many long island ice teas mixed with horrible singing still brings smiles among those of us who experienced Flamingo at it's peak. There was a Flamingo Restaurant in Kaneohe that recently closed and another one in Pearl City that may be the same restaurant but for certain the above image is the original.

Pali Pagoda

"The structure was built as a Buddhist memorial. This Japanese pagoda is best viewed from the Pali Highway. Built in 1966, it is a 1.5 times replica of the 16th century Sanju Pagoda of Minami Hokko-ji, Nara, Japan. In 2003 the structure was placed on the Hawai'i Register of Historic Places." http://wikimapia.org/5480450/Sanju-Pagoda-of-Nuuanu

Nuuanu and Pauahi

On the left is Mark's Garage, on the right is Hawaii Theater, and down the center is Pauahi Tower. Taken from Nuuanu and Pauahi Street on a windy evening when the sun was on it's way down.

Through the Viewfinder

A shot of the downtown post office was taken through the viewfinder (ttv) of an analogue twin reflex camera. The image is from a digital camera that was pointed though a Kodak Duaflex III. The marks on the viewfinder are desired for the antique look.

Street Photo of Chinatown

Honolulu's Chinatown is rich with history, culture, food, people, and texture.

Bowl-O-Drome

When the days of bowling was in and hip, there were a couple dozen bowling alleys in Honolulu. To name a few, Kam Bowl, Kalihi Bowl, Waialae Bowl, Kapiolani Bowl, Aiea Bowl, Leeward Bowl, and of course Bow-O-Drome. Bowl-O-Drome, now a desolate building next to the Old Stadium Mall is just a reminder of the past. Homeless individuals park their belongings and shopping carts on the property and nearby as it has become a place for them to lay down in peace away from the rest of society where they can hear the pins of a different kind drop. Perhaps this building will be demolished one day or even better, perhaps it will be revived to a modern place where the community may gather.

A Stroll for Lunch

Coming up with a photo of the day can sometimes be a challenge. When faced with a blank canvass for ideas I sometimes resort to street photography to capture an image for the day. Today, I caught this image of a business woman taking a stroll for lunch. On the top-left corner is the Alexander and Baldwin building, which is one of my favorite buildings architecturally in downtown Honolulu.

FHB Axe Head

In a post some time ago, it described the feng shui of First Hawaiian Bank and how it was built in the shape of an axe head to chop out it's competitor across the street. Here is another view with FHB in the background and BOH behind the red double deck bus.

In the Light of Dawn

The urban texture in the industrial district between Kaihi and Mapunapuna, making interesting patterns in the light of dawn like these warehouses.

I asked the woman behind this gentleman if I could take a photo of the two of them painting the Wo Fat building in Chinatown and she gestured, "go ahead." They were completely focused on their work and couldn't be bothered. The reflection off the store front window shows the building across the street that they both were painting.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Click here to see more photos of the Mission Houses Museum on Facebook.

The Mission houses was communal living for many of the missionaries to Hawaii in the early 1800's. It is the oldest wooden structure still standing in Hawaii that was originally shipped from Boston.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my tutu give to me, eleven missionaries,

Honolulu Academy of Arts - Anna Cooke

The Honolulu Academy of Arts was originally the home to the Rice missionaries on Oahu. The Rice family had three kids and as they prospered, they purchased works of art for their home on Beratania Street. Daughter Anna Rice married and became a part of another missionary family becoming Anna Cooke. She continued purchasing art and importing pieces from China until there was more art than their home could hold. She decided to have their Beratania home torn down in the 1920's to build a museum for their large collection. The Honolulu Academy of Arts was opened in 1927. The above photo is of the dragon fountain located in rear of the pond.

UPW Mural- Jean Charlot

The tile murals on the wall of the United Public Workers (UPW) Union's building is a creation by Jean Charlot the famous french painter. Although at first glance, I once thought it was created by Mexican painter Diego Rivera. Located in Kalihi on School Street, it is another one of Honolulu's little treasures for all to freely enjoy. It worth seeking out since it is a block or two and walking distance from the Bishop Museum. The art depicts hard labor as it recognizes blue collar workers who are usually the unsung heroes of the community. A bunch of young volunteers were laboring in the area by picking up trash, and they walked in between the mural and my shutter for this picture.

The Miss Hawaii Building

I was at the Mcully Zippy's Restaurant ordering their famous chili and a side of macaroni salad when I noticed that there were a few bikers that rode pass every couple minutes. I observed that in the distance was the Miss Hawaii Building where Kaimuki Typewriter Services is located. I believe that they are probably still fixing typewriters that are surviving the digital age so I snapped a shot of the this interesting building, the business, and biker in this intersection for the photo of the day.

A Fire Spread Across the Entire Town

Honolulu Chinatown 2011

Honolulu's Chinatown is colorful in more ways than one. The historical buildings were probably built in the early 1900's after it was burnt down starting at the boarder of Iolani Palace on King Street all the way to City Mill in Iwilei. Many of the people who lived in the area were infected with the Bubonic plague. Doctors and politicians believed that it was a disease of poor people and their remedy for it was to burn down the buildings that they thought carried the disease. Little did they know, people were infected with the disease by means of flea bites and because the lower class lived in highly soiled and littered areas (manily in Chinatown) where the fleas thrived, they were targeted as the inferior who were susceptible to the disease. There were high winds on that day that it was decided to set some of the buildings on fire for cleansing and unexpectedly the fire went out of control and it spread across the entire town. This same remedy was also used in Maui's Chinatown and in South East Asia. Click here to view a local vendor in Chinatown.

It's Built Backwards

Tripler Hospital is the military hospital that stands at the top of Moanaloa/Saltlake district. The architectural plans were read backwards and thus the building is built backwards according to an urban legend. Furthermore, the architect that drafted the plans was ill during the construction of the hospital in 1907 and when he recovered and saw that it was built backwards, he was so ashamed that he committed suicide. Another rumor about Tripler is that it was painted coral pink because they ordered the wrong color paint. The reality is that the hospital was built correctly according to plans so that the they could harness the wind as it flowed down the mountain. Lastly, the coral pink color was picked out by General Richardson to match the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and to mask the red dirt.

An Axe Head Chopping it's Competitor

Click here to see another view of First Hawaiian Bank on facebook

First Hawaiian Bank is the tallest building in downtown Honolulu. The older building was demolished in the 90s and replaced by this newer bluish mirrored building. The owners consulted with Feng Shui masters to ensure that the energy flow of the bank would be positive. Some say that it was built in the shape of an axe head directing a chop at it's competitor Bank of Hawaii (the building directly across the street). Maybe it's an urban myth but ever since the new First Hawaiian Bank was built, many businesses have failed for almost half a mile behind Bank of Hawaii which is in line with First Hawaiian Bank's feng shui chop.

Vibrant Plastic Sweepers

Click here to see more photos of Chinatown on facebook

Happy Tuesday everyone. Without the colorful dustpans and brooms, this alleyway would be just an ordinary narrow passageway. The Chinatown shop to the right of these vibrant plastic brooms was packed with small medium and large steel bowls, metal strainers with bamboo handles, cleaning supplies, various pots and pans, aluminum stacking steamers, cutting boards, knives, etc... Thus, these sweepers were stored here for space.

Across the Ala Wai Canal

Click here to see other photos of the Convention Center on facebook.

Behind me is a one story building that used to be the old World Gym Waikiki in the early 90's. Muscle bound world class wrestlers, strong men competitors, power lifters, pro football players, tourists, students, and even Hawaii's Governor Cayetano visited this open air gym. The view across the Ala Wai canal was an empty lot and around the same time when it relocated, the Convention Center was built and it becoming the new view. Exhibitions, business conventions, dental gatherings, political forums, are held here. The TV series Lost had bits that was filmed at this location as well.