Post #397678 by Son-of-Kelbo on Wed, Jul 30, 2008 11:49 AM

Libby and I made it to the Laguna Pagent of the Masters this weekend, and encountered the Royal Hawaiian --

-- undergoing additional renovations -- evidently an expansion is underway to widen the entrance and bring the restrooms down to the ground floor to accomodate handicapped guests.

(Hope those door-pulls don't 'disappear'...)

(The interior pull was over twice as tall and magnificent, but I couldn't get a pic as construction crewmen were busy around it.)

The interior was disappointing, certainly most will agree, especially considering the glimpse of what it had been in JB's post here. Glad they saved the Diorama area --

-- but it looked at best half-done, so one hopes that perhaps it will get some further refinement with miniature huts and landscaping...

A few nice props on the otherwise plain, pale mustard-colored drywall. Carved paddles, war-clubs, etc., but only this canoe shot came out --

Libby and I had Lapu-Lapus by the "Garden" window, but it's a bit of a shambles with plastic-potted landscaping and fountain plumbing, evidently yet in-progress. An optimistic sign, though, that maybe the area might be redressed in some style in the future.

We just dropped in for drinks and appetizers, and I'm glad to say it didn't smell like rank mold, which would've put our friends (and us) off the very tasty ribs and shrimp and the slightly-seared scallops, which were delicious, as were the signature Lapu-Lapus.

The bar looked uncreatively arranged, and could use a decorative re-shuffle: some nice mugs and carved poles, but it needs something much more impressive at its apex (that Canoe, maybe?), and those puffers belong in the air.

Flanking wall decor (where the War-Clubs might look best), would definitely help relieve its 'stand-alone', isolated feel against an all-too-plain drywall backdrop.

IMHO, it wouldn't take much to "hotrod" the decor back to groovyness -- maybe some wide, bamboo-framed thatch panels, a few more judiciously-chosen Polynesian artifacts, some big moso-poles in the corners, some clusters of netted floats, and something impressive over the main dining area (like the old TV'sBH outrigger up there), with creative lighting, perhaps with some nice leaf or wave 'gobos' splashed here and there. The great thing about drywall is that it makes a nice blank canvas, provided you put something over it, of course...

I'd like to see a talented miniaturist (someone, say of Mike McMillan's calibre) bring that Diorama space to life, perhaps with a slow lighting change on a day/night loop. Oooo. The Garden Space is calling out for the old Donn Beach "rainfall" effect, also on an intermittant timer.

(Might this be an OA lamp...?)

Ramping-up the Poly-Pop-pizazz would be relatively easy and inexpensive at this point, now that the rot has been routed, but it does require the eye and the will. No idea if the Owner has that sort of follow-through enthusiasm and affection for the joint's history, or if it'll just stall at the "good enough" (um, not really at all) level.

May post some updates when we return for the Pagent of the Masters next year (which, BTW, if you haven't seen it, is an astonishing, and, er, stimulating, accomplishment, and I highly recommend everyone see it at least once...)

Cheers nui nui,
SOK

"Don't let it be forgot,
That once there was a Spot,
Where Blowfish all wore sunglasses,
and Tiki-times were hot..."
SOK

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2008-07-31 10:48 ]