January 28, 2008
They just don’t build them like they used to
I was stood up for a lunch date on Friday. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I mean seriously, would you pass up a date to spend quality time with me? I should think not! The fact remains, though, that I spent forty minutes trying to distinguish myself from the other working gals in the neighborhood, hoping against hope that my date would show. He didn’t and still hasn’t returned the several calls I made to his cell phone trying to find out how we had missed connecting. Ah, I see! Your disbelief isn’t based on the fact that I was stood up. You’re just amazed that old skeet had a date. {{shrug}} It happens. I can assure you (offering the same defense used by all of the other working girls who stand around on street corners in the Waterfront District of old Honolulu) it was strictly business. The man was a prospective client who has the ability to send a lot of work my way, so I’ll forgive his faux pas should he ever get back in touch.
Our plan was to have lunch at Murphy’s Bar and Grill, the place to be seen at lunchtime in downtown Honolulu. Murphy’s is in the Royal Building, which is said to have once been the saloon of choice for a true royal, King Kalakaua. It was constructed in 1890 and has always served the spirit trade, except briefly during prohibition (though rumor has it that the choice goods were available in the basement even during that era.) It’s a lovely example of the architecture of turn-of-the-century Honolulu. These days it’s best known as the favorite watering hole of ardent University of Hawaii Warriors fans.
Across Nuuanu Street is O’Toole’s Irish Pub. It’s in the T.M. Foster Buidling, a similar red brick structure which was built in 1891, a year after The Royal. There’s remarakably sparse information about either building online. I’m a little more familiar with the T.M. Foster building because I inspected it about a decade ago. I’ve lost a lot of brain cells since then. What I recall most about that inspection is my fear as I inched along the steel I-beams that reinforce the attic and support the roof.
Next door to the Foster Building is The Nippu Jiji building. It was originally called “The Irwin Block” when it was built by sugar baron William G. Irwin in 1897. It was purchased by the Nippu Jiji Japanese-language newspaper in 1923. The newspaper’s founding date was 1895, thus 1895-1923 is represented on the building itself. It is built of blocks of volcanic rock and stands as living testament to the stone carvers and masons of days long gone. The high arched windows on the second floor are it’s most striking architectural detail.
Moving along Merchant Street from my starting point, I moved past the long side of the Yokohama Specie Bank Building which was built in 1910 (another source says 1915,) and currently houses a daycare and preschool. The architectural detailing has been well-maintained during the last century, as is best seen from it’s magnificent corner entrance angled toward the intersection of Merchant and Bethel Streets.
Spanning the entire block I had just walked, the old Honolulu Police Station Building has its entrance on Bethel Street, across Merchant from the entrance to The Yokohama Specie Bank Building. It’s a few decades younger than the others, having been erected in 1931.
“Business space” in Honolulu is most often encased in concrete and steel towers behind sheets of reflective glass. For the lucky few, it’s wrapped up in the very history of Old Honolulu. If we’re all very lucky perhaps I’ll be stood up again soon and can share more of these lovely gems with you.
Click any photo to go to my flikr page where you can see each photo in a larger size.
[tags]architecture, buildings, Honolulu, Hawaii, old Honolulu[/tags]
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January 28th, 2008 at 8:01 pm, Tammie Says:
Wow. Living in Paradise sure seems like a tough gig, but I guess SOMEBODY has to do it! I’m just glad you’re so willing to share — and make the rest of us jealous!
January 29th, 2008 at 4:04 am, Holly Says:
Those building are beautiful. I love the architectural detail on all of them. It’s nice to see something from Hawaii that is not just a picture of the ocean or a resort. (even though I don’t mind those either!)
Thanks for sharing.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:41 am, corrin Says:
i’m always surprised when hawaii looks like any other state in terms of regular businesses, restaurants, and daily life. the visitors bureau has done an excellent job of making me think of only fruity cocktails and pool boys.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:19 am, Whim Says:
Awesome pics Skeet! Thanks for sharing them.
Sorry you got stood up, even it it was business related.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm, Mrs. Mecomber Says:
Beautiful! I am “into” architecture. I snap photos of it wherever we travel. The buildings of your photos remind me of Manhattan and somewhat of Brooklyn– that elegant brick and stonework.
Sorry you got stiffed, but look at all the pictures you got to take!
January 29th, 2008 at 2:55 pm, skeet Says:
Aw, mahalo, Tammie. Yeah, it does have certain advantages, lol!
January 29th, 2008 at 3:00 pm, skeet Says:
I grew up near an “old” city, Holly, and learned to appreciate the fanciful buildings of days-gone-by at an early age. There are walking tours available, of course, but they don’t get as much publicity from the tourism folks as I think they should.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:02 pm, skeet Says:
It’s not all hunks and sandy beaches, Corrin. That’s just the part of Hawaii that tourists are encouraged to think of first. There’s a lot more to see and do here than most folks realize.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo, Whim. Yeah, getting stood up sucks. Would you believe the bum still hasn’t returned my calls?
January 29th, 2008 at 3:07 pm, skeet Says:
Oh, Mrs. Mecomber - a woman after my own heart! I’ve wanted to do a walking tour of the New York brownstones ever since I first read about them in the Nero Wolfe books when I was a kid, lol!
When life hands you lemons - take photographs and turn it into a lovely afternoon and blog fodder(my new motto!)
February 1st, 2008 at 7:21 pm, Fun, Crafts and Recipes | What I learned from Four Foods on Friday #15 Says:
[…] Skeet has shared a recipe for potato soup and let it be known that she likes apple butter too. Love it, for those of you that didn’t catch the first time I mentioned it. Skeet runs a great meme/carnival on Thursdays that I really like called Share Some Good Stuff, as well as a fun photo teaser contest on Tuesdays. You really ought to visit Skeet’s Stuff and check them out. She’s a wonderful person and she was stood up recently, but we are able to benefit from it. […]
February 4th, 2008 at 12:02 am, We’ve Got Us a Whale of a Carnival! Says:
[…] the wonderful, historic architecture that we don’t hear nearly enough about! Skeet says that They just don’t build them like they used to and she elaborates on this at skeet’s stuff. I have to say that Skeet caught some beautiful […]
February 4th, 2008 at 11:14 am, Sheila Says:
What an awesome collage of architecture! You have a unique awareness and observation of your surroundings…very cool! Now, shamey, shamey on that date for not appreciate your rare qualities! And I repeat…SHAMEY on him!