Much Aloha!

Sorry for a bit of a late start to the week - I've snuck off to Honolulu, naughty me.  I've caught myself a bit wrong footed.  I have loads of L.A. themed posts for you but very little prepared Hawaii stuff.  But maybe you will like a look at the variety of architecture you'll find in Honolulu.  All to be found in a very small area, i.e., you could walk a couple hours in a circle and see all these things.

This is a gorgeously sited Spanish colonial style compound of buildings called McKinley Highschool.  If Obama hadn't gone to the posh private school down the road, he probably would have ended up here!

A beautiful, soberly colored quite large Japanese temple.  Oh! and Yes!  It might have been infiltrated by Christians - I'm noticing that cross in front......It happens.  Especially in Hawaii.

A deco fire station on the borders of Chinatown

A mid-century high rise that is now empty and for lease, last tenant was a homeless shelter.  Hawaii, like everywhere else is in love only with it's new construction and leaves the old stuff in the dust.

Another sixties relic, a parking garage.  There is now an art gallery in the ground floor which is ground zero for a vibrant community art scene.

Another view of "Mark's Garage" - love all the stripe-y action going on!

This is the state Archive building.  I have a feeling it soon will be outgrown, if it is not already.  It is sited well off the road, so if you are visiting Honolulu, you'll really have to look to find it, between the State Capitol Building and Iolani Palace.  It may be an "Ossipoff" building.  He is the premier Honolulu mid-century architect whose buildings are very prized here.  I love the volumes of the overhang, the square window panes, and the siting under a giant banyan tree. The State Capitol building echoes some of these themes with a top heavy structure supported by columns and verticals that could remind one of banyan shoots.

So it's not all about grass shacks and pink hotels.  (Or Tiffany's and Coach!)

I must say, I'm glad to be here.  I drove through Chinatown and all the smells of my childhood wafted out at me.  And I can't wait to get some brioche-y raisin bread from St. Germain, our local Franco-Japanese bakery.  Ono-ono as we say here. 

OK All!  Much Aloha and more soon!