the changes...

i had a business lunch w/ the stunt man yesterday regarding a mastering project he's working on for LITA (more to follow!!!). we went to on lok on hastings and decided to order from the lunch specials board as you walk  in, on the right. anyways, as we so often do after eating, we hit the 7-11 in the strip mall just east of the restaurant. TSM  noticed a "SOLD" notice on the larger mall sign advertising penny restaurant (the location of one of my best meals ever and possibly the worst, i'll save that tale for another session) and the other businesses (laundry mat, two bakeries, little ceasars pizza, etc...). MORE condos??? a few years ago, i would've had a sad tinge of nostalgia (re: late night munchies missions at the sev, sobering up in the parking lot, waiting for a friend...) or bitterness (how many f#cking sh!tty apartments do we need in vancouver!@#$%???), now i'm simply reconciled to the fact that change of this nature is inevitable. nothing is sacred. well, city planning wise anyways...

*below is a "holy grail" business card (for me and the old school homies anyways!!!). WONTON NOODLES (on hastings) RIP!@#$%!!! now, HERE is a joint that i miss (now "volcano sushi," barf, still a stones throw from on lok and 7-11, i cry...). tom, you still out there doing your thing???

RIP

very sad to inform that wonton noodles restaurant on hastings has bitten the dust. since the mid-1990's, i spent many an evening there slurping away at a bowl of hot soup or murdering a full plate of singapore curry vermicelli, often among a motley crew of late night revelers, street workers, and police. it was always a sobering meal when needed and even a destination spot when i lived in the boonies back in the day. the owner/manager/waiter fellow was very kind and patient with customers, always greeting people w/ a hot pot of tea. still, you could sense things were going downhill many years ago — perhaps after a switch behind the scenes — when the large jackie chan movie poster was removed for a far more generic decoration. i believe the paper maché parrots were there until the end, also the positive framed georgia straight restaurant review. i won't bore you to death here w/ further reminisces (decaf and his love of deep fried combos, TSM and a particularly psychedelic episode, the card parlour next door, fortune cookie prophesies come to life, etc...), but rest assured that this place will be truly missed. it's not that the food was particularly amazing. it was just a comforting place w/ a fluorescent-lit no ambiance ambiance kind of vibe, paper-wrapped chopsticks on the table, soy and chili sauce. solid grub. cheap enough... you know the deal. i know that most things don't last forever, especially restaurants, but f@ck i'm bummed... rest in peace.

*click the link below for a great snap of a great restaurant (flickr find)...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15574096@N00/3569665040/