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But gotta love the blatant hypocrisy... it's totally fine to walk three quarters of a mile when you're dressed up and headed to a fine dining restaurant....
Nobody said you have to park at the zoo - I'm going tonight for dinner, I'll be sure to snap a pic for you. I'll also be staying less than 4 hours so my parking fee won't be an issue either.
You seem to have a problem with the parking fee. Just giving you alternatives when you stay over 7 hours.
It's also less than 3/4 of a mile and google maps clocks it in at a whopping 12 minute walk for those 7+ hour stays.
My dinner will certainly not take more than 2 hours giving me a 2 hour buffer before higher parking fees. If the parking rates weren't what they are the lot would be clogged with beach goers.
No what I suggest was upgrade it or remodel it. You see the appeal of the old international market place like most local places was never it's trinkits or what it sold. Most of the appeal was in the experiences and it's spirit. If the developers wantted to keep Waikiki Hawaii they would of just upgraded it. Instead they got rid of it by changing it to another high end mall.
Unfortunately what is sad is the change appears to just be an extention of the era wing of ala mo or The Royal Hawaiian mall. Wait til they remodel ward center and you will see how everything is now the same. It's unfortunate wanabe historical places in Hawaii are going extinct fast especially on Oahu your just not told about it and it's not news Me and my friends are always telling people to visit Hawaii soon before it all changes and is gone.
Look don't trust my opinion ok. Just goto yelp and read the reviews. Really pay attention to the middle age and older locals opinions.
Well, the International Market Place WAS a venue that once embraced local culture. But if you saw it in its last few years of existence, it was mostly a cesspool of imported cheap Asian trinket peddlers marking up their junk by 2,000% to cover the high rent. There was nothing local about it when it was on its way out. Nothing.
I very briefly visited the IMP the other day; it was quite extravagant. Even a portion of the parking structure felt like a hotel lobby. The disappearing (i.e. splashless) waterfall is a nice feature.
I love that they saved that massive banyan tree. While it does carry some design themes of the new Ala Moana ewa wing... the use of large-scale landscaping and preserving that particular tree makes for a different feel. The implementation of tall and canopy-like foliage really makes the space feel unique.
The place is definitely catered to tourists but of course the old one was as well. If you go back to the 70's and 80's I think many places across the world had venues that better reflected the local and indigenous values and cultures. The commercialization and exploitation of every desirable facet of a specific culture is a global phenomena and is a byproduct of a consumer based economy. Nobody in the world can escape that, unfortunately.
I've been going to the IMP since the mid 70' s. What local culture was being embraced then? The caricature artist drawing tourists on surf boards? The pedicabs?
Wasn't that Rick guy who was the caricature artist drawing tourists on tee shirts the same guy who started Crazy Shirts? And wasn't that me peddling the pedicab? Woot! You ain't gonna see them days no mo'.
IMP was a crazy mess of all kinds of stuffs, although that was the joy of IMP. Wasn't there a tiki bar in there, too? Where have all the good tiki bars gone?
I was just visiting the Bahamas a week or so ago and the main street of Nassau is almost a dead ringer for the main street of Juneau. Same shops, same sorts of people wandering around.
The old IMP may have been a mess, but at least it was a different mess than a lot of other places. Kinda like how Arakawa's used to be except IMP was all touristy. Kinda seems we're looking for the upscale tourist these days, who's gonna cater to the ones who want to wear loud shirts and drink fruity things with little paper umbrellas in them?
Well, the International Market Place WAS a venue that once embraced local culture.
As envisioned by Texas-born Ernest Gantt (aka "Don the Beachcomber") who happened to make a fortune popularizing "tiki-themed" bars and restaurants in California and elsewhere…
The new IMP is an expression of local culture as envisioned by the "bean counters" at Michigan-based Taubman Properties. Based on Taubman's "fact sheet," the IMP appears to be targeted toward tourists and locals that have household incomes over $100K per year. Before I spend much time or money there, I'ii wait for the "Mitsuwa Martketplace" store to open next summer.
Which is why I said they should charge lower rates to get their parking lot utilized and provide much-needed parking to the area. I was there on opening day and the garage was just as empty.
Your next job... take some pictures of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping center at 6 p.m. showing 350 open stalls. I mean, since they charge the exact same rates, they must be incurring the same demand.
Your next job... take some pictures of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping center at 6 p.m. showing 350 open stalls. I mean, since they charge the exact same rates, they must be incurring the same demand.
Well - IMP has more spaces. IMP gives a digital display of open spaces. Royal Hawaiian does not.
IMP. It's huge. Massive. Impressive actually. Many places won't open until 2017. It's by far the most high end experience in Hawaii.
Plenty of parking. Clearly marked. Validation is a bar code on parking ticket.
StripSteak is the place to see and be seen. Below is an early photo - but it rapidly got crowded. They will gladly split any entree and they were doing free fries and sauses. The open air concept will make this a force to be reckoned with. Food good. Celebrity chefs rely on seasoning- like this one.
They've got Star Trek characters for some reason.
And for those wanting "culture" yep, they have it.
My head is going to explode if the International Market Place is referred to as some obscure part of Polynesian culture.
Heiaus, The Hokuleia, taro, outrigger canoes........................ and a small derelict area with palm fronds that sells cheap trinkets and serves as a great place to get your wallet busted........................
I'm not sure why it is not included at Bishop Museum, maybe a sunglasses exhibit? Magnetic bracelets?
Oh man your too much ok. No one was referencing the international market place of old as native hawaiian. It was a local/tourist hangout. My head is going to explode if i have to listen to anymore of your ignorance and passive aggression ok. Please for the love of akua get that both local culture and native hawaiian culture are two different cultures both a part of Hawaii. Also understand as corny as it was the hawaiicana of old which was part of Waikiki and Hawaii for over 100 years and set the spirt is going away. Dang why is that difficult?
Last edited by Kaimuki Kid; 09-04-2016 at 11:09 AM..
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