Sunday, March 30, 2008

Walk: Blockbuster

A good photo is like a good story. It's hard to write a good story without any struggles or challenges. It's hard to find a good picture without any obstacles. Fortunately for me, my attentions always draw to the odd scenes or unique ideas. Not to say that I am a great photographer. I am aware that I am far from that. Rather it is this trait that allows me to capture a little unique perspective. Great or lame, it's only a matter of opinion.

So, on Saturday, some Chinese churches organized a fund raising event near the gas station that I normally go to. They held this event every once in a while(maybe twice a year). Anyways, I had been there few times before, but this time I took my camera. It was 14 o'clock when I returned with my camera and not my car(there was no parking anyway). Much of the commotion has already died down, but the place is still packed.

Most tents had labels written in Chinese selling Chinese snacks, which are serve hot. In winter, these snacks would do very well, but not March in California. It was 85 Fahrenheit. At the center stage, there were karate students breaking wood plates for few minutes. Later, a Chinese woman came out to play few Western-style songs with a pipa(Chinese guitar). However, the loud crowd pretty much drown out the tranquil sound of pipa. While many people continued to stayed, I left.

Walking along the main road, I came to what was once a Blockbuster store. It was only three weeks ago that I saw a poster for the brand new movie for rent. However, today, it's an empty store. They even took the Blockbuster sign on the wall. This only reminded me of the Warehouse music store that was couple blocks away from this Blockbuster. The Warehouse store was turned into a dim sum restaurant now. This empty Blockbuster store will probably see a similar fate in few short months. In my opinion, the last thing this place need is another Chinese restaurant. I would rather see someone taking an initiative to do try something different. An infusion of a non-Eastern business store would add to the much needed diversity and creativity that this city once had. Currently, there are already over 200 Chinese restaurants just on Valley Boulevard alone, adding more only going to intensify the restaurant competition. At this point, I would rather see a Hello Kitty store or an anime store(I know, these are still Eastern ideas) than another Chinese restaurant at that Blockbuster store. Alhambra's Main Street had already done this. It is not impossible.

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