California Road Trip: Humphrey's Half Moon Inn

I’m back from an incredible adventure along the California coast. Arriving on Halloween, I started in LA, dipped down to San Diego for Tiki Magazine’s “Tiki Island at the Bali Hai” art show and then cruised up to the Bay Area for the Tiki Central Tiki Crawl with all sorts of memorable pit stops along the way. Most of the time, travel buddies Tiki Racer (who'd flown over from England with me) and Chongolio (who’d flown in from Kauai) were by my side. In retrospect, the whole trip seems very Wizard of Oz, with fascinating characters, new and old friends making appearances and plenty of lessons learned. However, when it came time to fly back, I was clicking my heels wishing I could stay just a little bit longer.


While in San Diego to attend "Tiki Island at the Bali Hai" (see yesterday's post), I stayed across the way at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn. Like the Bali Hai and Trader Mort's, Humphrey's is a mid century Polynesian-style biz on Shelter Island. Right on the water, it's a really sweet little hotel where I'd be more than happy to stay again. Several tikis and other exotic features, such as a couple of lovey-dovey parrots and a wide range of lush tropical plants, adorn the well kept grounds. The area around the pool is particularly nice with a high concentration of carvings. Another notable feature is the jutting A-frame with giant lantern which marks the entrance to the hotel's main lobby. At night this entrance is encircled in the glow of a few massive open torches. Equally evocative, most of the tikis are lit from below adding a little South Seas mystique every evening.




Click here to view my Flickr set of photos of Humphrey's Half Moon Inn and be sure to check out all my California Road Trip posts!

Photography by Chris Osburn © 2007

California Road Trip: Trader Mort's

I’m back from an incredible adventure along the California coast. Arriving on Halloween, I started in LA, dipped down to San Diego for Tiki Magazine’s “Tiki Island at the Bali Hai” art show and then cruised up to the Bay Area for the Tiki Central Tiki Crawl with all sorts of memorable pit stops along the way. Most of the time, compatriots Tiki Racer and Chongolio (who’d flown in from Kauai) were by my side. In retrospect, the whole trip seems very Wizard of Oz, with fascinating characters, new and old friends making appearances and plenty of lessons learned. However, when it came time to fly back, I was clicking my heels wishing I could stay just a little bit longer.


After two nights in LA, Tiki Racer and I headed down the 5 for Tiki Magazine’s “Tiki Island at the Bali Hai” art show. The show was to be held at the Bali Hai restaurant on San Diego's Shelter Island. Developed in the early 1950s, this tiny "island" (it's actually a man-made peninsula) is chocked full of mid century modern architecture set against the backdrop of downtown San Diego's skyline across the bay. Among the most notable of Shelter Island's buildings is Trader Mort's, a liquor store on the main drag. As a liquor store, it's just okay with a decent selection. What makes this place fantabulously special is the shop's Polynesian Pop design. In particular, there's a huge cartoony Tiki out front with a big red tongue and hypno-goofy eyes. Lots of carvings by artist Bosko on the exterior and interior of the building add to the visual splendor.



Click here to view my Flickr set of photos of Trader Mort's. Expect more about the art show and about my Tiki time in San Diego in upcoming posts.

Photography by Chris Osburn © 2007

End of an era for Asbury Park Boadwalk

No mo' HoJo in Asbury Park. I'm sad to read that the gloriously "worn-out HoJo's" has been gutted. I should probably dig up some old AP pics by Emiana and me. Until then, enjoy this one by Emiana © 2007:


Boardwalk cafe to open where HoJo's used to be
ASBURY EATERY'S DEBUT SATURDAY
BY NANCY SHIELDS - COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
Asbury Park Press
05/23/07

The national retail-development specialists are investing $150 million to $200 million to rebuild and renovate the entertainment and retail sector of the waterfront, gutted the worn-out HoJo's and created a stylish beach cafe with new lighting, flooring, bar and ceiling fans in the Fifth Avenue Pavilion. The project was completed in less than three months.

Click here for complete article.

Latest ish of NUDE Magazine

NUDE Magazine is a pretty good read. I'm especially enjoying the just released Spring 2007 Issue 10 for two reasons: it features a cover article with photos of Space Invader as well as a great, in depth interview with London-based illustrator/architect Michael Murphy of DESIGNinBLUE.

Back to the Future
by Ryan Crabbe
NUDE Magazine, Issue 10
Spring 2007

I still believe that great architecture has the ability to feed people's senses in a very positive way, and by saying 'great' I don't necessarily mean big. Great architecture to me is thoughtful and intriguing and has an effect on the subconscious through its regulation and manipulation of spaces.











Space Invader: all out art attack
by Anne Bowles
NUDE Magazine, Issue 10
Spring 2007

Forget bird flu: there's another much more benign virus being spread through the streets of the world's major cities, by a Parisian street artist who goes by the name of Space Invader.













Click here to purchase the latest copy of NUDE Magazine.

Chatta-Googie and Mid South Modern

4B (Big Bland Beige Box) architecture hasn't completely taken over Chattanooga, Tennessee, but it's fast encroaching upon some of my favorite buildings in this scenic city. So, before it does, I thought I'd share some photos I recently took of Googie and mid century modern signage and architecture in the Chattanooga area. However, please note that this is just a small sampling of Chattanooga's quirky urban landscape, which (I'm sad to report) was even quirkier about 5 years ago. Enjoy it while you can.


















Photography by Tiki Chris © 2006

Have yourself a Supersonic Christmas

Image by architect/graphic artist Michael Murphy © 2006

Click here to see more of Michael's Supersonic series.