Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World. ~Christopher Columbus
This morning, New Zealand was commemorating the 100th anniversary of WWI armistice while California was battling wildfire raging up and down the state. Unaware of the momentous events in the making, I took off for the Lopdell House in Titirangi.
At the village, a homeless man asked if I had any money. Sorry, I apologised. The unkempt man was disgruntled. A thought crossed my mind. Would you like some coffee, I asked. Yes please, he perked up. What coffee would you like? Latte please.
I bought him a medium latte which he gratefully received. Then onwards to the Lopdell House.
The Lopdell was originally built in 1930 as a hotel in the Spanish colonial architectural style. Despite the stately edifice and striking views of Hotel Titirangi – promoted as "a castle on the fringe of heaven" – the hotel was far from a lucrative venture. Perhaps due to a lack of liquor licence? It later became a school for the deaf, then a teacher's college, and finally a part of the modern day gallery/ cafe precinct.
The Lopdell comes complete with an elegant three-tiered spiral staircase, large Georgian double-hung windows, and an old fashion elevator with double sets of doors to manually open – a metal scissor gate and a wooden slider. Entering the "old world" elevator was like stepping back in time to the sophisticated dapper days of the 1930s.
Resist the temptation to go up and down the lift just for the joyride.
The spacious rooftop boasts sweeping views of Titirangi and Manukau Habour, and appears to be the perfect place for visitors to unwind and sunbathe. Alas, there is nowhere to kick up your feet except for a brick "lounger".
Lopdell's $20 million redevelopment project completed in 2014 could have seen to the installation of patio chairs and umbrellas rather than the lone brick objet d'art, which taunts with promises of a comfy lie-down at the rooftop of Titirangi. Do not merely succumb to the false vision of luxury- be sure to take a photo of yourself sprawled out like a faux queen on brick.
The artwork and photo displays of the building's history is mesmerising, a reminder of how the landscape has drastically altered over the past 70 years or so. It is humbling to observe how people and landscapes change over small or vast chunks of time, sometimes through development, other times through rampant conflagrations of destruction. The wildfires currently raging in California has destroyed a number of vast communities, irrevocably changing the landscape. Decades ago, the two world wars decimated Europe and saw the lives of millions of men, women and children extinguished.
Yet Titirangi lives on – trendier, wealthier, better looking.
While the rest of the Lopdell complex is relatively empty, the trendy Deco Eatery on ground level is all hustle and bustle, full to the brim with Westie brunchers on the weekends. Let's face it, the cafe/restaurant and its chic interior – Greek white walls, Spanish tiles, turquoise wooden shutters, high ceiling – are the main attraction of the Lopdell House, almost relegating the art gallery next door to an afterthought.
The juggernaut of time and its constant, relentless drive towards change and transformation is formidable to fathom: nothing will ever be the exactly the same as this present moment. Savour it fully. The days grind along inexorably repeating the sameness of everyday life – until one day the Herald refers to the royal wedding from 6 months ago and your jaws drop to the floor. Surely that was no more than 2 months ago!
The swift passing of days, weeks, months in a nebulous haze all seems either too safe and comfortable at best, or tedious and devoid of vivacity at worst. While change mostly flows slow as the glaciers, hang on to your knickers. Before you know it, change will rip through like a flash flood in a blink of an eye – thanks to IT and climate change – and either pull the rug from under you or sweep you off your feet.
Are you ready for it?
For more information on the Lopdell House, click here.