CRIME BLOTTER Yellow "Do not cross" police tape can be seen at a recent crime scene in Seattle (Courtesy of the Seattle Police Department's SPD Blotter) BY FRANK LENZI Two people were stabbed Saturday night near Hing Hay Park in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District police responded to reports of a disturbance in the 500 block of South Jackson Street According to a post on the Seattle Police Blotter, officers found a 32-year-old man who had been stabbed in the neck Witnesses told police he had gotten into an altercation with a suspect just before the stabbing The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition A second victim was also found—a 37-year-old man with a laceration on his arm His injuries were not considered life-threatening Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000 Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardChinatown Stitch could lose federal funding amid Trump war on policies that promote racial equityFederal funding could be at risk for the long-sought project to reconnect the community divided by the trench of the Vine Street Expressway Federal funding could be at risk for Philadelphia’s Chinatown Stitch a long-sought project to reconnect a community divided by the trench of the Vine Street Expressway depending on the outcome of the multistep budget process in Congress “We’re sort of at their mercy,” said 1st District Councilmember Mark Squilla “Nothing is cut at this point — there haven’t been any votes — and we’re going to continue to move forward,” he said Republicans who control the House and Senate are using a “reconciliation” procedure that speeds up the budget process allowing votes on a proposal written by the congressional leadership without detailed hearings by appropriations committees and other usual steps Trump’s 2017 tax cuts are set to expire Sept He also has proposed expanding the tax cuts “While House Republicans are putting important infrastructure funding for Philadelphia and the nation at risk to fund another round of tax cuts for the wealthiest I and my House Democratic colleagues will keep fighting to protect this funding — and to restore it if that becomes necessary,” said Rep Evans was among the House members who proposed a transportation-equity program which was later incorporated in Biden administration legislation City officials are holding community “pop-up” meetings to gather opinions before releasing a design proposal later this year In March 2024, the Chinatown Stitch was awarded a $158 million grant from the U.S Department of Transportation under the Neighborhood Equity and Access program The project received $4 million for planning in 2023 with a $1.8 million federal grant and $2.2 million in matching funds from the city The Biden administration awarded grants to 100 projects reconnecting communities around the country but the awards are classified as “unobligated” if there wasn’t a final project agreement An analysis of public data by the nonpartisan advocacy group Transportation for America found no final agreements logged for 78% of the projects during the transition to the Trump administration “This means that the vast majority of these projects with existing funding announcements are at risk of having their funding taken away,” Transportation for America said Squilla said he’s optimistic that the Chinatown Stitch will survive it’s a good project.” If it does lose some or all of its federal funding “we’d have to look for any other grant opportunities,” not tied to the federal government." Sponsored link Screen dives also fête the maker of the first ever feature film by and about Asian Americans CAAMFest formerly known as the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival (Thu/8-Sun/11) has recently played against a political backdrop of rising anti-Asian American hate stoked by the right wing in the wake of COVID as our current White House wages war against DEI policies in public and private sectors seems bent on erasing ethnic minorities from the official “American history” narrative which has long been an important ally to filmmakers of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage… to name just a few among numerous reactionary policies being pursued The administration’s stance is that any acknowledgement of cultural or other difference “divides us” as a nation But it’s quite clear that the real point is to exclude any population or culture outside the white European-derived ones that have constituted our traditional “mainstream.” Who does that “unite,” beyond the same people who angrily deny “white privilege” is a thing because it works for them CAAMFest 2025 provides a counterpoint if not an antidote to that political tide Though somewhat scaled down from prior editions—running four days rather than sprawling over the usual week and a half—it’s packed with a diverse array of dramatic and nonfiction works from around the world Opening night this Thurs/8 sees the festival returning to its longtime home in Japantown the AMC Kabuki (which hopefully will host more such events in the future after several years of apparently discouraging them) with a CAAM-funded documentary feature Tadashi Nakamura’s Third Act is about his father Robert A who is called “the godfather of Asian American media,” having among other things founded the first such media arts organization (LA-based Visual Communications still active 55 years later) and made what was purportedly the first ever narrative feature by and about Asian Americans (1980’s Hito Hata: Raise the Banner) Four “Centerpiece” selections run a thematic gamut though notably (if perhaps just coincidentally) Vera Brunner-Sung’s Bitterroot is a quietly minimalist fiction whose gorgeous widescreen images take full advantage of the rural Montana setting Its hero Lue (Wa Yang) is a fly-fishing loner recovering from the collapse of his marriage while rather relentlessly pressured to find a new wife by his entire Hmong emigre community Connor Sen Warnick’s world-premiere debut feature Characters Disappearing finds figures equally alienated in the big city as a racially mixed ensemble of young New Yorkers (including Yuka Murakami and the writer-director as cousins) wander through a cryptic narrative that seems to exist both “now” and in the 1970s Equally abstract in its way is Rajee Samarasinghe’s Your Touch Makes Others Invisible a documentary that has room for striking staged elements The resulting unclassifiable mix probes lingering wounds left by Sri Lanka’s long-running civil war unresolved “disappearances” and mass displacement remains It’s a poetic essay of sorts with some stunning imagery A more stylistically straightforward “Centerpiece” nonfiction is Chithra Jeyaram’s Love Chaos Kin Though it certainly has twists enough content-wise in charting the entire youth—from birth to high school—of twin girls adopted by a well-off Indian emigre couple But all parties remain in contact with their biological mother financially struggling Caucasian New Mexican estranged from the Navajo father If you think your family dynamics are complicated The principal subjects will be present for a post-screening Q&A on Sun/11 there’s a “Pacific Showcase” for two documentaries about environmental and cultural preservation: Jalena Keane-Lee’s Standing Above the Clouds and Virginie Tetoofa’s Te Puna Ora (The Source of Life) both provide portraits of women’s activism to protect ancestral lands from development in Hawa’ii and Tahiti’s Moorea Island resepectively Similar ecological themes echo through a sidebar of “Palestinian Landscapes” including Razan Al Salah’s A Stone’s Throw and Jumana Manna’s Foragers while a screening-with-seminar entitled “Against Amnesia” ties together histories of colonial displacement and resistance in both Palestine (Mike Elsherif’s Maqluba) and Bangladesh (Bengal Memory) Every tax-deductible donation helps us grow to cover the issues that mean the most to our community Become a 48 Hills Hero and support the only daily progressive news source in the Bay Area A separate “Hong Kong Cinema Showcase” has one new narrative feature (Riley Yip’s Blossoms Under Somewhere) a new documentary (Dora Choi and Haider Kikabhoy’s To Be Continued) and a revival presentation of Ann Hui’s 1982 Boat People one of the most important early works of the HK “New Wave.” Its dramatization of Vietnamese refugees’ plight is particularly timely as this year sees the 50th anniversary of the end to the Vietnam War—or the American War That history surfaces also in a very different New Wave Elizabeth Ai’s doc about the generation of immigrant offspring who formed a teenage Orange County subculture of dance music and fashion-forward enthusiasts in the 1980s Tony Nguygen’s Year of the Cat charts his search to discover what happened to his father who vanished amidst the Fall of Saigon half a century ago Pham Ngoc Lan’s B&W Cu Li Never Cries likewise weaves together elements from the last half-century of Vietnamese diaspora in its fictive storytelling Van Tran Nguyen and Alex Derwick’s The Motherload is a more humorous narrative take on related themes depicting two Vietnamese-American women both exploring their heritage while ridiculing its representation in famous Hollywood movies about the Vietnam War Other titles in the program this year include several of particular Bay Area interest, like Luke Yuanyuan Yang’s Chinatown Cha-Cha, about that SF neighborhood’s once-famous nightclub scene and the senior survivors still dancing many decades later There’s also Jon Osaki & Josh Chuck’s Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America which looks back at activist movements in the 1970s—which gave birth to ethnic studies curricula in our educational systems—while examining the recent attempts to eradicate that entire academic realm 2022’s sprawling essayistic inquiry What About China Documentary topics further encompass the clash between cultures and commerce when Chinese manufacturers build a vast factory industrial park in economically struggling politically turbulent East Africa (Made in Ethiopia); the unique Chinese profession of Mistress Dispeller hired to break up an errant spouse’s affair; Filipinx LGBTQ solidarity in 1990s NYC (Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo); a Japanese-Canadian photographer who documented the 1960s US Civil Rights Movement (Between Pictures: The Lens of Tamio Wakayama); and Big Apple tenants’ fight against ruthlessly gentrifying real estate magnates (Slumlord Millionaire) Jinho Myung’s drama about Thai-American siblings in the wake of their mother’s death a tale of Korean immigrant disorientation in the very alien new world of a 1991 Canadian prairie town Korean director Hong Sang-soo’s A Traveler’s Needs is his third collaboration with French superstar Isabelle Huppert a campy phantasmagoria in which she and Sadie Scott play bisexual sometime sex workers navigating kinks supernatural curses and serial killers in mythologically midnight-movie-ready Trashtown Closing night on Sunday brings Yellow Face Annette Jolles’ filmed record of David Henry Hwang’s 2007 play shot during the Broadway run of Leigh Silverman’s revival last fall It’s an ingenious farce-cum-critique-cum-staged oral history recounting the author’s bumpy stretch about thirty years ago he’d joined community protests against casting a white actor as a central Vietnamese character in Miss Saigon (another variant on Madame Butterfly) only to suffer second thoughts after some public blowback—and then finding he’s committed the sin of “yellowface” casting himself by unknowingly putting a non-Asian actor in his own new work Also drawing on additional autobiographical and satirical elements this freeform yet tight comedy has just six actors acrobatically inhabiting myriad roles The only problem with this PBS Great Performances video of the high-octane production is that it’s still scaled for a large auditorium—the actors don’t exactly rein it in for the camera’s closer scrutiny CAAMFest 2025 will also feature numerous shorts, a complete five-episode series (international cuisine-themed The Grocery List Show), panel discussions, an Industry Hub for filmmakers (May 8-10 at the Japan Center East Mall), and more. Screening venues are the AMC Kabuki, Roxie Theater and SFMOMA. For full schedule, program, ticket and other info on the May 8-11 festival, go to https://caamfest.com/2025/ Sponsored link 48hills.org is the official publication of the non-profit San Francisco Progressive Media Center We are community supported journalism. Become a member. but we need you to help us beat the billionaires and fight for the soul of San Francisco by becoming a member or donating today Philly’s Chinatown — with dozens of eateries showcasing an incredible range of Asian cuisines — is one of the city’s most vibrant and dynamic dining destinations Seeing as every good celebration starts with great food it’s only fitting that the neighborhood kicks off Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with a major celebration of Asian culture and cuisine is centered in Chinatown and showcases the rich culinary traditions of Philadelphia’s Asian and Asian American community Brought to you by Philadelphia’s Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Asian Eats is an 11-day-long restaurant-week-like celebration featuring limited-time-only menus at over a dozen Asian-owned eateries The list of participating spots — the majority of which are located in Chinatown — spans fine dining restaurants Pro tip: Whether you’re inspired to embark on a DIY food tour or planning to try a different restaurant every day, check out the Asian Eats event page on the Let’s Rallie app The event page can help you plan out your culinary adventure with an interactive map you can scan in at participating restaurants for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card A vibrant community comprised of dozens of cultures and ethnicities, Chinatown is an essential hub of Asian culture, cuisine and small businesses in Center City In addition to its all-star eateries, the neighborhood boasts a robust collection of AAPI-owned boutiques, like Little Seven House, and cultural sites like the iconic Friendship Gate Be sure to pop into a shop and explore the neighborhood in between bites during the inaugural Asian Eats Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package. The rapper and television producer took to Instagram this week to share photos of himself posing with Mike Moy and Peter Chin, two men known for their involvement in New York City gangs. “I’m gonna bring you the real, PETER CHIN,” Fif captioned a photo of just him and Chin. “CHINATOWN’S most powerful if you don’t know you better ask somebody.” He shared a photo of Chin’s book, In the Ghost Shadows, which chronicles his time as the leader of the Chinese gang, the Ghost Shadows. In another post, 50 and Chin pose with Moy, who used to be head of the Chinese gang, Fuk Ching. He later left that life behind to become an NYPD detective. “This is gonna be a big one POWER in China Town Mike Moy,” 50 wrote alongside of photo of them, also including a picture of Moy's book, Bad to Blue. “New York has a lot to offer.” After the original Power ended in 2020, Starz announced it was releasing four spinoffs: Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force, and Power: Origins. At this point, it’s unknown where Chin and Moy’s stories will fit in the Power Universe. 50 Cent Echoes Michael Rainey Jr.'s Thoughts on Lil Meech: 'This Sh*t Funny' 50 Cent Confirms He’s No Longer on Good Terms With Omari Hardwick: 'I Think He Overvalues Himself' 50 Cent Takes Another Shot at 'Slick Rat' Big Meech By entering your email, you agree to receive customized marketing messages from us and our advertising partners. You also acknowledge that this site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and that our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply United StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaCanadaComplex ChineseCOMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive San Francisco’s popular Chinatown night market is set to return on Friday Organized by BeChinatown’s Myron Lee and Lily Lo the event will be held on the second Friday of each month through October offering six nights of celebration and community connection Stretching across five blocks between California and Pacific Streets, the market will feature over 40 food vendors and a new live music stage showcasing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) performers, as described by NRI Page Two blocks on Waverly Place will host games inspired expansion not only in Chinatown but across San Francisco “Chinatown was our first foray into making San Francisco a night market city,” Civic Joy Fund executive director Manny Yekutiel told NBC Bay Area noting that ten such events will now take place across the city Participating vendors regularly earned between four and five figures per night, with surrounding shops benefiting from extended hours. Vendor applications are open on a first-come, first-served basis via BeChinatown’s website or Instagram (@BeChinatownSF) with a focus on local and AANHPI-owned businesses the Chinatown night market offers more than street food—it’s a celebration of heritage We are currently funded by our readers and such charitable foundations as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AARP, Report for America/GroundTruth Project & Koo and Patricia Yuen of the Yuen Foundation.’ You can make your tax-deductible donations here via credit card Stock donations and donations via DAFs are also welcomed Contact us at info @ asamnews dot com for more info.  We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info After creating a hugely successful franchise in Power, 50 Cent will continue to explore New York’s underground On Friday, the entertainment mogul shared cryptic Instagram posts that hint at a gritty expansion rooted in the area’s underworld history The caption reads: “I’m gonna bring you the real which recounts his rise through Chinatown’s gang world in the late 20th century The post hints at Chin’s story becoming narrative inspiration for the Power Universe Another photo features 50 alongside Chin and Mike Moy Moy later left organized crime to become an NYPD detective More: Lil Meech Addresses 50 Cent’s Substance Abuse Allegations View this post on Instagram A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) a tale of redemption that fits neatly into Power’s exploration of identity and moral complexity Starz has launched four spinoffs: Power Book II: Ghost Each installment dives into the personal histories and criminal empires of its characters None have explored New York’s Asian-American neighborhoods There’s no official word on whether Chin and Moy’s lives will shape a new series or merge into an existing one By spotlighting men whose lives intersect crime he’s expanding the universe’s cultural depth No word of Chinatown will be a part of the Power Universe 50 Cent opened his G-Unit studios in Shreveport He secured a 30 year lease and festival that brought the economy millions He plans to provide the community with employment opportunities as he buys various properties in the city’s downtown area The mogul was heavily involved in the state passing a film tax bill in 2024 More: 50 Cent Trolls Beyonce Amid Reports Of Low Ticket Sales On The "Cowboy Carter Tour" will have its last service in Los Angeles on April 25 Chinatown French bistro and wine bar Oriel will close on April 25. The closure was announced in an Instagram post “We express our profound gratitude to all our loving and loyal staff It has been our honor to serve you over the past seven years.” Eater LA has reached out for comment the restaurant grew to be a local favorite for its stylish pink interior located right under the train tracks for the A line offered the rumble of the metro whizzing by in the evening as customers sipped on glasses of chenin blanc between bites of baguette and beurre de baratte Its founding menu included French bistro classics like onion soup the menu stayed true to its original form with classic French dishes like escargots Lancaster brought on business partner Michael Blackman and former Bar Marmont general manager Alain Jeu to help shape and open the restaurant Although Los Angeles has plenty of impressive French restaurants that serve both traditional and modern takes on the cuisine Oriel’s particular brand of casual bistro cooking will be missed it won’t be too long before another restaurant takes over its iconic home under the train tracks You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience The project is supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Central Office and District 6-0. It is also supported by the federal U.S. Department of Transportation. The project is partially funded by the FHWA Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant award.   The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC) is the project’s core community partner. The project is also guided by a Stakeholder Committee. The Committee has members that represent over 25 Chinatown community organizations.   The project is also supported by grants from the William Penn Foundation and the Knight Foundation.   The project has a team of experts supporting the design. The team is made up of planners, engineers, architects, and designers.  Jacqueline Lobel of Jewish food pop-up series Shtick vibrant fuchsia cocktails with a dash of horseradish were served while guests of all ages wandered the space while sneaking handfuls of Joyva Jell Rings (an IYKYK Passover treat) a co-working space opening later this spring filled with eclectic printed benches and mid-century modern details Holman summoned everyone to the table and began his spoken word serenade with tales of New York guests received mismatched cups full of the symbolic foods and atop every single place setting was a handmade art yarmulke made by Kahn signed and fashioned out of copper sheet metal “We wanted it to be a real experience—one that no one’s ever going to forget,” said Kahn who spent over two weeks making his work for the event “A few of my best friends are here and it’s their first Passover ever Designed as an inclusive event for Seder pros and the non-religious alike the night gathered friends new and old from the circle of Performa the nonprofit organization that focuses on live performance in the arts Kahn and Blumberg began hosting their own Passover gatherings in 2013 which eventually expanded to bigger events they co-hosted their first Seder dinner with Performa and guests served themselves from a central table lined with candles while Basya Schechter and Yuli Beeri played live music and sang—in-between the usual rituals were led by Rabbi Kelly Whitehead interspersed with spoken word performances by Holman many were from the art world or friends of friends and most had purchased tickets to attend the event “I did want to make it appealing in a way that reaches folks who maybe this is their first Seder,” Whitehead said “I try to have it so anyone can participate Anyone can benefit from adding meaning to their lives.” the goal of the event wasn’t just to bring a performance art element to the traditional Seder dinner but also to celebrate the simple art of coming together the dinner was deemed a “living and collaborative observance,” and an “invitation to co-create to make meaning in real time and to honor transition by transforming it.” It’s a sentiment echoed by Performa founder RoseLee Goldberg: “The thing that I like is everyone sits around the table and you can follow your script “Passover is about politics and human nature and emancipation from slavery and there’s this long it becomes this amazing conversation that can go on for hours—and that’s the dream.” After going through the rituals of the Haggadah more food was passed: shawarma roasted lamb and my whole brand is about honoring tradition while also messing around with it and offering a fun who helped plan the night with her culinary project Shtick the event was as much about past traditions as it was moving forward “I’m opening a space in about a month on the Lower East Side “And we’re going to go back to our roots and do more intimate dinners.” As the conversation continued deep into the night the celebratory feeling wasn’t lost on anyone even though it’s rooted in a story of oppression is really about coming together and celebrating how we got out of that—and we are able to do that through honing in on joy,” added Whitehead In America’s Cities, Saunas Are Becoming the Hottest Social Spot Millie Bobby Brown Shares Her Favorite Paella Recipe—and Details About Her Wedding to Jake Bongiovi A Day-by-Day Guide to Hiking the Legendary Nakasendo Trail in Japan Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month The Chinatown Stitch aims to meet longstanding community desires the City asked the community what parts of the project are most important These goals will guide the project design:  Chinatown also has many cultural and social organizations Vine Street used to be a regular sized road the City widened it to make it easier for people driving cars This required that many buildings be torn down and the people who lived or worked in those buildings had to leave It also made it hard for people to cross Vine Street if they weren’t in cars the City and State built the I-676 Expressway The construction removed many homes and businesses and displaced more people more than 100,000 motorists use the Expressway each day But the Expressway continues to be the source of issues for those who live and work around it The City recognizes the impact the Expressway has had on surrounding communities The Chinatown Stitch aims to address some of the harm caused by it The Chinatown Stitch focuses on the area from Broad Street to 8th Street and Callowhill to Race Street A Highway Cap is a structure built over a sunken highway that resembles a bridge The highway is below and there is a platform on top Highway caps can have landscaping or other structures built on top Subscribe! Honolulu Magazine | Honolulu Family Editor’s Note: Originally published in February 2024 digital editor Andrea Lee’s foodie father who has become our trusted adviser about all things Chinese food in Honolulu My dad has been taking his role as a Frolic contributor very seriously, keeping his ear to the Chinese restaurant grapevine and recommending eateries to me. He recently suggested we go to Mei Sum Dim Sum Restaurant 美心點心, the first dim sum I had as a little kid. Why not?, I thought. Mei Sum was readers’ top pick in our dim sum poll Let’s see how the classic spot is doing the interior looks very similar to the old location SEE ALSO: Get Sum at Hawai‘i Dim Sum and Seafood Restaurant 聚賢酒樓 A little back story: We had just arrived and were literally settling into our seats when my dad told the owner I was going to write about Mei Sum when the crowd has died down and order a bunch of our favorites: har gow (shrimp dumplings baked char siu bao ($5.75) and dan tat (egg tarts The four siu mai are small but packed with flavor My dad notes that siu mai at some places is dry Dad says Mei Sum’s take on these classics are the best in his recent memory The mochi rice comes in two bundles wrapped in lotus leaves and stuffed with lap cheong This might be my favorite of Mei Sum’s dishes Unlike other places where pockets of meat provide the only flavor every single grain of this mochi rice is infused with umami My mom and I would pick up a boxful to bring to high school tennis matches back when I had to pretend to be athletic for extracurricular credits Though the traditional steamed bao is also good I love the lightly sticky and sweet baked bread with its perfectly balanced ratio of meat It’s less messy than the flaky crusts found at other places and keeps the custard intact SEE ALSO: Good-Time Dim Sum at Kapi‘olani Seafood Restaurant 醉開心海鲜餐廳 Our second round: pan-fried pork with vegetable bun ($7.50) deep-fried garlic eggplant with fishcake ($5.75) and potstickers ($5.75) The pan-fried pork with vegetable bun tastes homey and comforting My dad says these look bigger than most places’ It’s not a flavor bomb: The fluffy bun has a nice seared crunch on top and gives way to a succulent mix of pork and veggies so the deep-fried taro with scallop seems right up his alley It’s flaky and crunchy and satisfying to bite into the deep-fried shrimp gow comes with mayo for dipping The potstickers are full of flavor—better than what I’ve had at many ramen restaurants My new favorite is the deep-fried garlic eggplant with fishcake and this punches up the vegetable’s meaty taste and texture with fried garlic The fishcake sandwiched inside adds a nice chew aside from leftovers I’m looking forward to my dad interprets as Mei Sum owner Shao Yu Liang tells us about the restaurant’s history Liang moved the restaurant to its current location the customer base has grown from Chinese and other locals to tourists from Japan and the West Coast Look at the quality of Mei Sum’s dumpling skins she says: They should be thin without falling apart or sticking to your teeth Mei Sum is right there for you folks who work office jobs downtown There is parking on the street or at the nearby Smith-Beretania Municipal Parking Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekends 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., dim sum served all day but only cooked to order after 2 p.m., 1170 Nu‘uanu Ave. #102, (808) 531-3268, meisumdimsum.com Read one of the UK’s favourite restaurant critics Enjoy wine expert Jancis Robinson’s peerless column of news Enjoy Alice's popular HTSI column about drinks and bar culture Learn what's new and trending according to our our award-winning HTSI food columnist This subscription does not include access to ft.com or the FT App Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor Council members may vote on a resolution to rename Center Park located at B Street and Petaluma Boulevard The Petaluma City Council will discuss the following items at its next meeting on Monday May 5: which allows for multiple items to be approved under one vote Significant items tentatively scheduled for future meetings include: May 12: Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget workshop May 19: Urgency ordinance to amend the city’s mobile home rent stabilization program; resolution adopting a decorum and order policy; trestle presentation The Petaluma City Council typically convenes on the first and third Monday of the month at 11 English St The next meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com and federal government websites often end in .gov Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address Before sharing sensitive or personal information make sure you're on an official state website News and commentary about the American food system Po-Ling Ng vanquishes loneliness and hunger starting with stir-fried bok choy and fragrant white rice.  By Jake Price An elder heads toward a table of friends at Manhattan’s Open Door Senior Center A version of this article originally appeared in The Deep Dish, our members-only newsletter. Become a member today and get the next issue directly in your inbox When thinking of Manhattan’s Chinatown, many vibrant places and events come to mind—New Year celebrations, bustling restaurants, and lively shops lining the streets. One place that probably doesn’t, but should: the Open Door Senior Center swells with the conversations of regulars and the aroma of Chinese favorites like beef with black bean sauce the seniors take painting classes—or play mahjong They sing Peking opera and dance Broadway musical numbers Holidays are celebrated with joyful group fanfare The director of the center, Po-Ling Ng, founded the organization in 1972, with funding from the city’s Chinese American Planning Council and she is not without humor—or youthful vigor: She says she still feels like the 23-year-old she was when she arrived in Manhattan from Hong Kong plays a key role in drawing people to the center ‘I like to go to Open Door because I love the taste of Chinese food.’” Ng personally helps deliver Chinese meals, which she coordinates through Citymeals on Wheels they feel like they have a very boring life,” she says “Staying home creates mental problems—they’re constantly thinking about bad things she checks in on people to see how they are doing which allows her to assess their psychological state help connect them with home healthcare aides Many elders describe certain foods they miss so Ng works with Citymeals on Wheels to provide them and Chinese-style bok choy are favorites.) Here one of Ng’s volunteers brings food to You Hai Chen Some seniors Ng visits have lost spouses and say they want to remarry or find new partners Ng encourages them to come to the center so that they might make new friends Ng ensures that their meals are both culturally and age appropriate while the menu has a brown rice option that’s popular in the West she insists that white rice also be available it just smells really good!” In her conversations she has learned that what suits one generation isn’t necessarily right for another: People aged 60 to 75 generally prefer harder rice those who came for the food begin to form new relationships and integrate into the community of elders Each year during Valentine’s Day celebrations Ng invites a couple on stage to commemorate their marriage Traditionally the veil is lifted when the couple are alone in their bridal chamber after the wedding ceremony A photo on the wall in the table tennis room at Open Door someone donated a whole roast pig to the players (and friends) to enjoy Ng celebrates Lunar New Year 2025 at Open Door with police officers from the local precinct as well as the center’s supporters and regular visitors A couple years ago, the surgeon general identified loneliness as a major public health concern, an epidemic, in fact, making Open Door’s welcoming role more critical. Yet the center struggles with funding—none at all last year so even small things like repairing the front door become hard to afford And expenses could rise if federal cuts to social services increase the need within the community it doesn’t matter how high you’re paid—you’ll suffer After 56 years of working in the community and we count on our members to keep producing our award-winning work Readers like you are the reason why we’re able to keep digging deep into stories you won’t find anywhere else. When you become a member your support directly funds our journalism—from paying our reporters to keeping the internet on in our remote offices across the United States Your membership will also come with great benefits which is full of relevant and timely reporting and online salons as a way to engage with reporters Jake Price is a New York City-based photographer and filmmaker. After working as a photojournalist and producer at the BBC and The New York Times, he shifted his work to filmmaking and immersive media production. Price’s many projects have been awarded by the World Press Photo and have also been displayed internationally. Read more > By Robin Greenfield By Tilde Herrera By The Civil Eats Editors By Katina Parker By Lisa Held More than a year after California’s Proposition 12 went into effect the country’s largest pork companies are spending big money to warn of a ‘crisis’ for farmers and consumers if the law continues By Naoki Nitta By Elena Valeriote By Kate Anderson By Brian Calvert We have upgraded our membership systemPlease check your mailbox for a secure link to sign in and set up a new password If you have any questions or need help, please email info@civileats.com New overhead and tree lights will add vibrancy ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations Mayor Bruce Harrell celebrated new overhead and tree lights installed in the Chinatown-International District to support a safe New overhead catenary lights were recently installed along South King Street, and tree lights were added along 6th Avenue S, Maynard Avenue S, and 7th Avenue S. The lights will be activated year-round and can change color for neighborhood and citywide festivities including Lunar New Year “The Chinatown-International District is a historic and treasured gem in Seattle and enhancing this neighborhood so that residents and visitors feel safe and the many small businesses who call it home can thrive,” said Mayor Harrell “We’re excited to unveil these new lighting features ahead of upcoming Lunar New Year festivities and investments to activate and beautify this special part of our city.” We’ve waited 55 years to get lights back up in Chinatown and my hope is tourists and locals will come more frequently,” said Betty Lau Historian at the Chong Wa Benevolent Association These lights look like necklaces across King Street and red rubies entwined on the trees they are so beautiful all around the neighborhood “They give a feeling of happiness and safety for our community and anyone that comes here – come visit the CID This is a great way to start the new year with lots of hope!” Mayor Harrell remains committed to improving public safety and supporting economic and cultural vibrancy in the CID. Under the new Executive Order announced in November Mayor Harrell formed the Downtown Activation Team (DAT) which brings together law enforcement and community partners to coordinate on place-based cleaning and safety operations in downtown Seattle and the CID In addition to increased law enforcement and service provider coordination and daily cleaning operations through the DAT, the City will be leveraging new technology tools like CCTV cameras and a Real Time Crime Center to prevent and quickly respond to crimes in the neighborhood The City also continues to support community-driven solutions, working with a range of partners on efforts like environmental design improvements, quickly removing and abating graffiti and other vandalism on private property Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department The Mayor directs and controls all City offices and departments except where that authority is granted to another office by the City Charter Vancouver WatchBook Celebrates Chinatown's Glorious PastArtist & Illustrator, Donna Seto gives CTV Morning Live a sneak peek of Chinatown's glorious past illustrated in a brand-new book! Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. Seattle police continue to proactively patrol in hotspots around the city to address ongoing crime, the sale of narcotics and open-air drug use.  On Thursday, April 3, officers converged in the Chinatown-International District near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street for a narcotics operation and Downtown Activation Team operation. The operations led to 11 arrests and the seizure of drugs and paraphernalia. In another arrest at about 3:12 p.m., officers with the Downtown Activation Team saw a 32-year-old man using narcotics near 10th Avenue South and South Weller Street. The man was seen with a tube in his mouth, holding up foil while using a torch to heat up the contents and inhale vapors through the tube. The man was surrounded by several people while using narcotics and was also near a high school. Officers approached the man who told them he didn’t know what he was smoking. The man was found to have an outstanding warrant and was arrested. He was later released. West Precinct officers as well as the Community Response Group, Traffic Unit, Parking Enforcement, Alternative Response Team and Community Service Officers assisted in the operations. Other City of Seattle partners also responded to help in the neighborhood. In total, officers arrested 11 people and made numerous contacts with the community as the work continues to improve safety in the area. In addition, 3.9 grams of narcotics were recovered, and a vehicle was impounded. Incident Numbers: 2025-088566, 2025-088775 The Seattle Police Department (SPD) prevents crime, enforces laws, and supports quality public safety by delivering respectful, professional, and dependable police services. SPD operates within a framework that divides the city into five geographical areas called "precincts". These precincts define east, west, north, south, and southwest patrol areas, with a police station in each. Bingxiang Ma says his neighborhood is in peril. “We know how difficult it was to build the community and form Chinatown, that’s why we have to protect Chinatown. We will always protect Chinatown, because it’s passed down from generation to generation,” said Ma. Ma, a native of Taishan, China, has seen that population shift while living in Chinatown over the past decade. He says a proposal for a 25-story hotel in the heart of the neighborhood is going to push even more longtime residents out. At a November meeting convened by the Chinatown Resident Association, residents had the opportunity to share their thoughts with the developers of the hotel project. The room had about 100 people, most of whom were against the plan. They expressed concerns about the potential impacts on cost of living and traffic in the neighborhood, as well as complaints about the man behind the project. The luxury hotel is being proposed by Chinese developer Sing Ming Chan for 15-25 Harrison Ave., where a five-story building caught fire in 2012 and has since sat vacant. The plan, submitted in August, would be 100 feet taller than current zoning rules allow, according to the Boston Planning Department Agency’s website, meaning it requires public comment and city approval in order to move forward. The BPDA released the draft zoning regulations and design guidelines in November that “seek to promote affordable housing, emphasize the significance of small businesses and cultural spaces, and highlight Chinatown’s unique character.” But under the new plan, the area where the new hotel would rise would be zoned as a mixed use “neighborhood and cultural tourism destination” with hotels and entertainment venues. Lydia Lowe, the executive director of the Chinatown Community Land Trust, has been deeply involved in the city’s planning process and says there have been mixed responses. “The community feels like the city has kind of been listening to what the community is saying, but there are certain things about the height and affordability levels that we’re concerned about,” she said. The hotel developer is no stranger to Chinatown. Chan also owns a residential building on Oxford Street. In an Oct. 29 letter to Mayor Michelle Wu and city councilors, the Oxford Street Tenant Association wrote that they doubted his ability to properly manage the hotel because “he’s not a responsible landlord. In our building, we continue to have rodents, cockroaches and leaky appliances, with Mr. Chan unresponsive to our maintenance requests.” Chan did not respond to multiple requests from GBH News to discuss the hotel project and the neighbors’ concerns. During the public comment period for the hotel proposal, more than 15 people wrote letters that detailed their concerns about the possibility of a luxury hotel coming to their neighborhood. “A hotel is only for visitors, not for local residents, and with less and less available land, we especially need housing that is affordable for new immigrants. These new buildings are mostly for rich people,” Ming Hong Yu wrote. “Once 25 stories are approved, this will affect other buildings as well and make gentrification and increasing rents worse in the privately owned row houses like where I live,” wrote Cuimei Zhu. “That is why we are now living three households in one apartment and have been on the waiting list for elderly affordable housing for nine years.” The Asian Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit that creates affordable housing and provides housing and financial counseling in Chinatown, Malden and Quincy. In a letter to the city, the group said the hotel plan raises several major issues: the project exceeds current zoning limits; it contributes to gentrification and displacement; there’s a questionable need for a hotel in Chinatown. In addition, the group cautioned of traffic and pedestrian concerns. The hotel proposal does not include a garage, making the search for parking more difficult for visitors and residents alike, and the site is adjacent to a busy pedestrian corner. City Councillor Ed Flynn, who represents the district, wrote to the BPDA asking for an extension of the comment period on the project proposal which was originally supposed to close in November. “There needs to be more dialogue with our community” about the hotel, he said. The extension was granted until Dec. 30. Now, those comments will be reviewed by Boston’s Planning Department as the board considers whether to grant an exception to the zoning rules and approve the plan, or send it back to the developer for revisions. Ma said “Chinatown is only a small part of Boston, and we would not allow it to be taken away or break us apart.” With a new luxury hotel in its commercial center, he worries “Chinatown will become smaller and smaller.” Your essential daily newsletter delivering trusted news, local insights, ways to connect, and can't miss programs from Boston and beyond. 2025 1 p.m.Customers sit at a counter in GeekEasy Anime Cafe overlooking NW Third Avenue Nguyen and Tommy Ly say they grew up coming to the area and want to bring business back to the neighborhood Two entrepreneurs opening a restaurant in Portland’s Old Town have a vision to help revitalize Chinatown The GeekEasy anime cafe is an opportunity for the owners to share their niche interests to draw in loyal customers: geeks and nerds who could bring some life back to an area of the city that was once a hub for Asian Americans in Portland The big windows of GeekEasy’s storefront feature colorful neon characters looking out over the corner of NW Davis and 3rd in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood Nguyen say they have fond memories growing up visiting Chinatown with their families But Ly acknowledged the area looks a lot different now than it did when they were younger “My parents actually used to work at the restaurant right next door,” Ly said “But it’s just that Old Town got hit so hard by the pandemic I remember coming here when I was in college I would just grab a Boba tea and work on my homework.” Nguyen and Tommy Ly behind the counter of the cafe in Old Town Portland who met Ly through working on digital marketing for his other business says both of them had separately been developing the idea of an anime cafe before realizing it was an idea they shared They see the cafe as more than just a business “Downtown — Chinatown — it actually holds a lot of significance,” Nguyen said “For not only Tommy and I but the greater Asian-American population in Portland.” Sarah Shaoul, founder of business consulting firm Bricks Need Mortar “There’s all this real estate in the central city — beautiful old storefronts,” Shaoul said.“ And you could argue it either takes guts or naivete to jump into something like that.” Shaoul explained that Ly’s experience running an anime themed store a few blocks away called Stumptown Otaku could give him an advantage but he’s obviously got vision,” Shaoul said “And he’s doubling down on his initial investment But once you have a whole community of businesses you have more reasons for people to come down Ly and Nguyen have renovated the cafe with a mural designed by Ly and tons of anime memorabilia plushies and figurines line the store’s many shelves: from Pokémon’s Pikachu to Dragon Ball Z’s Goku “I’m trying to make it more anime themed,” Ly said “Everything from like a steamed bun in the shape of Totoro .. I’m trying to recreate some of the dishes from Studio Ghibli movies.” Figurines from Dragon Ball Z and Chainsaw Man decorate the shelves behind the counter at GeekEasy Anime Cafe in Portland. Chicken karaage was one of the most popular dishes during February’s soft opening GeekEasy chef Jimmy Ly prepares mushrooms seasoned with miso during one of the cafe’s soft opening dates in Portland A robot serves artist Strawberry Pickle a tofu donburi during one of GeekEasy’s soft opening dates on Feb The GeekEasy Anime Cafe aims to help revitalize Portland’s Old Town neighborhood Wendy Shih sits at a table beneath panels from the manga "Spy x Family" at GeekEasy Anime Cafe in Old Town Portland Shih is a friend of co-owner Tommy Ly's and has installed a little free diverse library in the cafe The exterior of GeekEasy Anime Cafe in Old Town Portland Co-owner Tommy Ly designed custom prints for the cafe and displayed them on Feb Ly illustrates (bottom left) what the cafe’s kitchen might look like in the world of Pokemon and also designed a print (far right) featuring some of the characters voiced by Brian Beacock The GeekEasy Anime Cafe aims to help revitalize Portland’s Town neighborhood Anime and video game memorabilia line the shelves inside GeekEasy Cafe in Portland and the walls are lined with manga panels and a custom mural designed by co-owner Tommy Ly The GeekEasy Anime Cafe aims to help revitalize the Old Town neighborhood and held a soft opening on Feb primarily from the popular series "Dragon Ball Z," line a back wall at GeekEasy Anime Cafe in Old Town Portland a lot of people's first foray into anime was 'Dragon Ball Z' .. so we definitely had to pay our respects to that." Bookshelves full of manga and a rack of prints for sale in GeekEasy Anime Cafe showcase characters from different films and anime series interacting An employee at GeekEasy Anime Cafe in Old Town Portland programs the cafe's robot waiter to deliver drinks to customers on Feb will feature drinks like milk tea and Vietnamese coffee The focus on building community has already brought in business to GeekEasy Strawberry Pickle lives nearby and came to one of the soft opening dates to try the food. They’re also a customer at Stumptown Otaku and found out about the cafe through the store’s social media. “I would just love to see Old Town come back to life,” Pickle said and then I’ve heard there’s going to be some more efforts to get the buildings rented I think it’s just such an important place in Portland.” Even the opening event for the cafe has collaboration and community built into the plan “In addition to us opening we’re having a vendors market right outside of our doors here,” Nguyen said our plan: to help bring business back to Chinatown because we want to show there’s opportunity here.” GeekEasy’s grand opening is set for March 22 Tags: Community, Portland, Coffee, Business, Culture Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone. Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now CHINATOWN (WXYZ) — Lining the hallway of The Peterboro in Detroit are historic photos of Detroit's original Chinatown. Unbeknownst to many, in the 1930s to 50s, Chinese restaurants, shops, churches, and families flourished in Detroit's own Chinatown. It was located near Michigan Avenue and Third Street, Roland Hwang, a founding member of the Chinatown Vision Committee, remembers it well. He described the culture then as "tight-knit." "I would say 'uncle' and 'aunt' to everyone who was Chinese. Like, I thought I had an extended family," said Hwang. However, in the 1960s, Detroit's original Chinatown was destroyed as part of an urban renewal initiative. "Sort of blight removal, supposedly," said Hwang. "But, you know, it was a very functioning community." Chinese-Americans moved Chinatown to Peterboro Street and Cass Avenue in Detroit, but the community dwindled, and stores closed, until now. "This is more than a street. We're trying to create a Chinatown again," said Maureen Stapleton, interim executive director of Midtown Detroit Inc. This year, more than $1 million in state budget money will be used to begin a rebirth of Detroit's Chinatown. Non-profit Midtown Detroit Inc. worked to acquire the funds. Stapleton said new history is being written before our eyes. "We want to see this area come alive again in a way that allows the Asian culture to be fully prominent," she said. Surveyors are out this month starting work on repairing Peterboro Street and the surrounding infrastructure. Renderings show ornamental lanterns, signage, and outdoor seating planned to be built this summer. And soon multiple Pan Asian businesses are expected to move into a rehabbed building. "It was the House of Chung's. It was a restaurant that I remember as a child," said Stapleton. Chuck Inchaustegui, owner of The Peterboro, is looking to the future. "Restaurants, I want to see, you know, some kind of Asian restaurant over there. You know, and any Asian business over there would be great," said Inchaustegui. Inchaustegui has been able to draw in crowds of hungry customers for nine years now as the lone Chinese-American restaurant on Peterboro Street. "Fought against lots of Detroiters that would say there is no Chinatown, I said, ‘I swear I wouldn’t make this up,'" he said. He’s looking forward to those customers getting to see many more Asian businesses here this year — similar to the ones Hwang frequented as a child. As a member of the Chinatown Vision Committee, he will help see it all through. Hwang tells me this new Chinatown has a Pan Asian vision, and they'd love to see you come be a part of it. "I think that with showing community support, it can grow," said Hwang. If you’re excited to support the future of Detroit’s new Chinatown, the best way to support is to simply come out. Clip: 4/28/2025 | 3m 39sVideo has Closed Captions | CC The U.S.-China trade war has been ratcheting up for nearly a month now President Donald Trump first announced new tariffs on almost all U.S trading partners in early April with China becoming the main target Taxes on Chinese imports are currently sitting at 145% Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of its own Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback Chicago Tonight is a local public television program presented by WTTW WTTW video streaming support provided by members and sponsors Link Copied to ClipboardHow to Watch Chicago TonightChicago Tonight is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio. President Donald Trump first announced new tariffs on almost all U.S trading partners in early April with China becoming the main target >> Taxes on Chinese imports are currently sitting at 145% Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of its own taxing American goods 125% local shop owners in Chicago's Chinatown community are bracing for the consequences of the ongoing feud Here's producer Shelby Hawkins with the story Just seeing what would a into huge Oneida you how to climb through that and and still may know clearly open Grace grocery store in 9 years ago >> To shop operates as both a grocery and a gift shop >> He estimates about 95% of his products what a teen goes on time >> which came in the 2 when and what I mean Was everything at us and tend come in a tin cup and the 2 inches is you >> In addition to protecting his business from tariffs also finds himself defending his situation to friends and family back in China how many in a zoo in 2 on the of Bohol to ties You don't come or house and that we make will isn't data So as a now come to come >> Tariffs implemented by the Trump administration are expected to raise prices in effect more than just shop owners in Chinatown Could put a strain on other industries manufacturing farming and steel Domestic and global stock markets have taken a downward turn since the back and forth care of started and the uncertainty make sea cucumber city manager Then we say want to see little Elian a the Glenn chasing height Gun show Goldman kind of the law they ca Cities sells traditional Chinese medicines They've been operating for 3 years made on it on that McAuliffe >> So using the whole dynamic how you my the whole Let's like I've been a Antonio holdings declined to Hawaii >> Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned other countries against making trade deals with the Meanwhile President Trump is pressuring other nations to isolate China Even business owners caught in the middle >> You us and out of going into lockdown as it pulls you along got a Tyco would and will concede ago when my on a tdi That could just how to finally catch up with who to so Copyright © 2025 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Sign in with EmailNew to PBS? Create an account Are you sure you want to remove null from My List Philadelphia’s Chinatown has been a critical resource for new immigrants to both Pennsylvania and New Jersey Taylor Jung, Social Justice Writer | December 20, 2024 | Business, More Issues Philadelphia city officials are pressing ahead with a new arena for the 76ers, the city’s NBA franchise, to be built next to its historic Chinatown. But advocates from the neighborhood, who have been resisting the project for the last two years The neighborhood supporters say they believe years of construction will make it more difficult for people to make critical visits to their doctors get affordable groceries and have a community For people in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey Philadelphia’s Chinatown remains a critical resource for new immigrants and the generations of families that have lived there “[This Chinatown] is the last community of color “I think that’s even more of a reason to be protective of this area because it is where people who come from China or similar countries — this is their landing spot.” The arena would be called 76 Place at Market East and the development is led by 76ers managers Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE) which is headquartered at the team facility in Camden The company was co-founded in 2017 by billionaires Josh Harris and David Blitzer and also owns and operates the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center in Newark where the professional hockey team plays The 76ers currently play at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia a facility the team does not own but shares with other sports teams and concert events separate arena would give the 76ers their own space to play updated facilities and new sources of revenue by hosting concerts and other events New Jersey had offered a publicly financed plan for an arena in Camden Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its FAQ for 76 Place asserts that the $1.3 billion arena will be privately funded It has also tried to assuage public concerns over Chinatown’s future “We will not displace one business or one resident,” David Adelman, chairman of the 76 Place project, said at a public meeting about the arena earlier this year. “We are taking a box and building another box.” Business, SportsIs landing 76ers still possible? NJ officials say yes“I think our opposition comes from just knowing that this is another type of predatory development,” said Eng “And knowing that it would chip away at not just the physical space here immigrated from Hong Kong to the neighborhood in 1971 and has seen it change over the years Chinatown residents have continued to push back on development plans they believed would erase the neighborhood which is about two blocks wide and seven blocks long basically you just say they don’t care.” Despite many protests from local advocates and residents Philadelphia City Council approved the arena proposal the Engs and others say they will continue to fight Taylor Jung is a multimedia reporter on the social justice beat who joined NJ Spotlight News in 2021 Much of her reporting has been on multiracial identity and issues facing the BIPOC (Black Taylor started her journalism career as a production assistant for NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams She is a proud member of the Asian American Journalists Association and received her masters at Columbia Journalism School DONATE SUBSCRIBE NJ Spotlight is part of The WNET Group and is operated by WNET a non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment View all partners Chinatown’s rich tradition of activism was on full display for the past two and half years, as residents and allies fiercely opposed the Philadelphia 76ers’ plans to build a basketball arena in the Market East neighborhood at the southern edge of Chinatown A city-sponsored community impact study found that the arena could have resulted in the “loss of Chinatown’s core identity and regional significance.” It estimated that half of the neighborhood’s small businesses would have suffered due to increased congestion potential rent increases and a new demographic less likely to patronize the area’s ethnic businesses While the reason for the Sixers’ sudden decision to scrap the Market East arena plan remains unclear, the announcement in January 2025 came as a relief to Chinatown community members who felt they had averted yet another threat to their neighborhood’s existence I’m a historian whose research focuses on Asian Americans, cities and social movements and I’ve seen how urban residents take the existence of Chinatowns in major cities across the country – and even globally Chinatowns continue to exist and thrive thanks to the residents and allies who fight for them The fight over the Sixers arena was only the latest struggle in over 50 years of community organizing in Philadelphia’s Chinatown Like other American Chinatowns, Philadelphia’s formed during an era of virulent anti-Chinese racism. The neighborhood was established in the 1870s as a refuge for immigrants fleeing the American West, where white railroad workers and miners declared “The Chinese must go!” Among the earliest businesses were a handful of laundries and a restaurant on the 900 block of Race Street just north of Philadelphia’s main commercial district As the city began to accommodate more car owners, Race Street was remade as a major thoroughfare to the Delaware Valley Bridge, now called the Ben Franklin Bridge. In 1926, the year the bridge was completed, the Bulletin declared that “The Delaware River Bridge has come and Chinatown must go,” echoing the xenophobic slogans that drove Chinese workers out of western states half a century earlier As restrictions on immigration from China loosened after World War II, more Chinese women immigrated to the U.S. The neighborhood transformed from a bachelor society of aging workers to a growing intergenerational community of families During the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, Philadelphia’s Chinatown youth took inspiration from the Black Power and anti-war movements to fight for their community which aimed to clear and redevelop areas designated as blighted The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation nonprofit worked with Yellow Seeds, a group of radical Asian American youth who opposed U.S. racism and imperialism, and other Chinatown community members to fight construction of the expressway “The future of Chinatown is going to be a huge battle,” activist Debbie Wei stated in a 2002 documentary released after the conclusion of the baseball stadium fight a few years earlier and my children are probably going to have to fight it as well.” Her daughter Kaia Chau emerged as a key leader of the campaign against the Sixers arena 20 years later an affordable housing complex whose residents were mostly Black The movement against the Sixers arena became part of a multiracial, citywide fight against displacement. As Rev. Gregory Holston of Black Philly 4 Chinatown, part of the Save Chinatown coalition, put it: “In North Philadelphia the same process is happening over and over and over again where people are pushing and displacing people of color out of this city.” educational and arts institutions to keep Chinatown a family-friendly neighborhood The location where the prison was planned in 1993 is now Hing Wah Yuen, a 51-unit mixed-income affordable housing complex developed by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation – the same organization that led the fight against the Vine Street Expressway in the 1970s After the plans for the baseball stadium were scrapped in 2000, the grassroots Chinatown-based organization Asian Americans United partnered with the arts and culture organization Philadelphia Folklore Project to found the Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures School in 2005 located in the footprint of the proposed stadium teaches Mandarin and emphasizes art and music classes that reflect students’ cultural background More recently, recognizing the need for more “third places” for youth beyond home and school, student leaders Chau and Flaherty launched the Ginger Arts Center in 2024 The organization provides a recreational space and arts programs for young people in Chinatown The community institutions that have sprung up in the wake of defeated development projects illustrate how Chinatown is not a thing of the past nor is it solely a food and culture destination to be consumed Chinatown is a thriving community that has long fought to survive reinvent itself and determine its own future – one that carries the legacy of previous generations of resistance Read more of our stories about Philadelphia Contact Amaya Lin: AJLin@oaklandca.gov Oakland Breaks Ground on New Senior Affordable Housing  and pedestrian and bike improvements to connect Chinatown to other neighborhoods “This project is one of two projects in my district that represent the culmination of more than a decade of community advocacy for public land for public good,” said Nikki Fortunato Bas District 2 Councilmember and Executive Board member of the Association of Bay Area Governments “Funding from BAHFA and Oakland’s Measure U which I co-authored and Oakland voters passed overwhelmingly help close the funding gap to create deeply affordable housing I’m grateful to EBALDC and the Chinatown community organizations who advocated for our vision of affordable housing for seniors families and unhoused individuals near public transit through the Lake Merritt BART Station Area Plan I’m excited for what this building and the rest of the development will do not just for Chinatown The 96-units of permanently affordable housing for seniors includes 44 units of permanent supportive housing reserved for formerly homeless individuals along with the 35% affordable housing across the Lake Merritt BART Station Area Plan The project is scheduled to open for occupancy by summer 2026 an $850 million affordable housing and infrastructure bond with $350 million dedicated to affordable housing Measure U will fund the construction and acquisition/rehabilitation of 2,200-2,400 affordable housing units over the next four to six years getting Oakland closer to meeting the goal of 10,000 units of affordable housing by 2030 Oakland has 1,542 units of affordable housing under construction with half dedicated to people who are formerly homeless 1,931 affordable units have been completed and occupied including 599 for those exiting homelessness Community development organizations like EBALDC were founded in Chinatown nearly 50 years ago and are an important anchor for community connection and belonging As an institutional leader in Oakland’s Chinatown coalition building with other organizations and institutions EBALDC has grown in nearly half a century to become the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing in Oakland and the largest nonprofit commercial landlord in the East Bay providing 114 nonprofits and small businesses space to operate and grow Learn more about Council President Bas and her work at oaklandca.gov/officials/nikki-fortunato-bas Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Chinatown Festival & Parade presented by American Savings Bank on Saturday local retail pop-ups and keiki bounce houses This year’s festival focuses on welcoming the Year of the Snake You’ll experience traditional activities demonstrations and foods to help usher in good luck and prosperity for the new year Formerly called the Night in Chinatown Festival & Parade the 49th annual celebration is hosted by Chinatown 808 a volunteer group best known for organizing signature events that highlight O‘ahu’s unique Chinese culture and heritage as well as the historic Chinatown district SEE ALSO: Ring in the Year of the Snake With Lion Dances, Firecrackers, Parades and More The Chinatown Festival & Parade will take place on Saturday along Beretania Street between Maunakea and ‘A‘ala Streets as well as in ‘A‘ala Park Most vendors will accept both cash and credit card payments Parking is available in the Chinatown Cultural Plaza lot (100 N entrance on Maunakea St.) for $1 for the first hour and $1 for each additional 30 minutes The evening rate is $1 for the first hour and $1 for each additional hour There are additional municipal lots nearby as well as street parking American Savings Bank Visa® Debit Card holders get access to exclusive parking at the American Savings Bank Campus from 9 a.m Hawai‘i Bicycling League will provide free valet service if you ride your bike to the event They will watch over your wheels during the festival watch a packed schedule of live entertainment tune in for a cultural talk about Lunar New Year to learn the traditional customs symbolism behind lion and dragon dances and the significance of certain foods Watch the highly anticipated parade that kicks off at 4:30 p.m at the Hawai‘i State Capitol and continues along Hotel Street down to River Street You can expect lion and dragon dance troupes kung fu martial arts groups and local dignitaries Snack on popular new year’s dishes such as jai jin dui and nian gao served by Chinatown vendors There will also be modern cultural mash-ups such as Philly cheese steak-stuffed spring rolls as well as a wide variety of local food establishments Keiki will love the lion and dragon puppets so they can perform their own dances Chinatown Festival & Parade, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Beretania St. between Maunakea St. and ‘A‘ala St., chinatown808.com, @chinatown808hi In-depth analysis and commentary on today's biggest news stories as only the BBC can deliver BBC "Newshour" covers everything from the growth of democracy to the threat of terrorism with a fresh The Sixers successfully pushed to build a new arena in Center City Now the controversial project is in the rearview after an about-face no one saw coming Arena opponents gather at 10th and Arch streets in Chinatown for a press conference celebrating the change of plans that will put a new 76ers arena in South Philadelphia rather than adjacent to Chinatown Representatives from 76 Devcorp drew Ben Simmons levels of boos from the crowd The four analyses are expected to help stakeholders weigh the value of building a privately funded basketball arena in Center City In the end, it took more than a year for the impact studies to be released the city released a community impact assessment The community impact study was unequivocal The analysis echoed concerns about traffic congestion and displacement with consultants writing that the controversial development “could potentially result in the loss of Chinatown’s core identity and regional significance.” “Although the project will not lead to direct housing displacement there is evidence for increased displacement of small businesses and low- and fixed-income individuals through gentrification and loss of cultural identity in Chinatown if the 76 Place were built,” researchers concluded The economic impact analysis found that the Philadelphia metro could support “multiple professional arenas” and that both arenas would ultimately be “financially viable.” The Wells Fargo Center would likely be negatively impacted by the construction of a new arena naming rights and the loss of Sixers games The traffic report concluded that the Sixers’ hopes of having 40% of fans travel to the arena via public transportation was “attainable” and that there was “sufficient garage parking” in the vicinity of the arena to meet the expected demand from drivers Arena opponents panned the studies while renewing their concerns about the project being a destructive force for Chinatown As lawmakers prepared to return from summer recess Squilla told reporters he wanted to introduce enabling legislation “as soon as possible” to give residents ample time to review them He had vowed to share copies of the proposed measures with constituents at least 30 days before introduction He said he would consult and coordinate with Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration before getting the ball rolling toward a final decision Parker had not taken a public stance on the arena but many expected she would back the project in part because of her strong political ties to the city’s building trades And yet the arena’s future was far from secured “Is the project an opportunity or is it a killer I think we have to look at those things through the studies,” said Squilla the Sixers were still negotiating with the city over the team’s arena proposal they had spent millions on public outreach and lobbying That September, it came to light that New Jersey was making a play to build an arena for the team in Camden The team already had its headquarters and practice facility across the river Phil Murphy and sent to the Sixers from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority officials stated they were “committed to bringing the 76ers to Camden.” privately-led comprehensive mixed-use development north of the Ben Franklin Bridge that would serve as a transformative catalyst for Camden and New Jersey,” the letter said As negotiations over a Center City arena continue to stall Sixers owners say they “must take all potential options seriously.” To entice the team the state offered up to $800 million in tax credits who insisted they needed legislative approval by the end of the year said in a statement that while their priority was building in Center City they had to “take all potential options seriously Two weeks later, Parker broke her silence in a pre-recorded video posted to social media From her desk on the second floor of City Hall the mayor announced she was backing the arena and that the city and the team had reached a “historic” agreement that would keep the Sixers in Philly “This is an historic agreement,” Parker said “It is the best financial deal ever entered into by a Philadelphia mayor for a local sports arena And I wholeheartedly believe it is the right deal for the people of Philadelphia.” The video came a week after Parker presided over a lively community meeting packed with opponents and supporters of the arena proposal While she did not take a stance that night political observers expected her to throw her weight behind the arena given her strong ties to the city’s building trades the first group to endorse her run for mayor and a major contributor to her campaign A week later, Parker held another community meeting to detail the city’s agreement with the Sixers Inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center, she said the team would stay in the city until at least 2061. Under the deal, the team would contribute $50 million for a community benefits agreement and about $6 million a year in PILOTS — payments in lieu of taxes — to the city and its school district The agreement also included an economic opportunity plan designed to ensure a diverse workforce If there were any question about where Parker stood on the project before the meeting “Anyone who has any challenges with what is contained in this agreement you no longer have the Philadelphia 76ers as the villain here I am the 100th mayor of the city of Philadelphia I am proud of and take full responsibility for what is included in this agreement,” said Parker Parker told the room her administration would transmit enabling legislation for introduction during City Council’s stated meeting on Oct During a raucous meeting marked by boos and loud chants for and against the arena Councilmember Squilla introduced a package of bills on behalf of the administration that included 11 ordinances and two resolutions Part of the package contained zoning and planning approvals. Other measures were related to an existing neighborhood improvement district and financing arrangements tied to the Fashion District mall Squilla also introduced two arena-related bills of his own including two ordinances designed to help protect Chinatown during construction and beyond “It’s gonna be a robust dialogue to make sure that the end product is one that represents what the city of Philadelphia looks like demographically and addressing the district councilperson’s issues and concerns,” said Council President Kenyatta Johnson after the meeting lawmakers would host a string of full-day hearings devoted to the Sixers’ arena proposal and the agreement the team reached with the city The hearings would also give the public the opportunity to voice their support or opposition for the project Most lawmakers had yet to take a stance on the arena but it appeared Parker and the Sixers had a good chance of getting what they both wanted: the green light for a new arena in Center City City Council began hearing testimony from a range of stakeholders Lawmakers grilled team officials over the course of two hearings largely focusing on the value of the community benefits agreement and the lack of funding for SEPTA to expand its rail service to accommodate fans before and after games Several lawmakers told the team that $50 million was insufficient for a CBA in part because it did not provide enough funding for safeguards for Chinatown the closest community to the proposed site Council members also chided representatives after they learned the team was still negotiating with SEPTA over the cost of providing additional trains for fans who opted to use the authority’s Regional Rail lines to get home from games Amid a financial crisis, SEPTA had announced plans to increase fare prices and make severe service cuts Officials would later testify the authority could in no way afford to expand service we’re ready to figure out what we’re gonna do here and some of these things really should have been nailed down,” Councilmember Cindy Bass said Both issues emerged as sticking points as lawmakers continued to probe the proposal while listening to testimony from proponents and opponents who each got another chance to make their case “We can’t be NIMBYs — not in my backyard people And the future always benefits those that are bold,” said Ryan Boyer business manager for the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation an influential organization in the city’s Chinese community told council members that neither the enabling legislation nor the city’s broader deal with the Sixers contained nearly enough protections for the neighborhood the neighborhood needed a combination of strong cultural and economic development plans As the hearings unfolded, lawmakers continued to negotiate with the Sixers behind closed doors over various issues, including the value of the community benefits agreement team officials changed course and told council members they’d be willing to add funding Time was running out to move the project forward before the end of the year and it appeared both sides were struggling to reach an agreement which Johnson wanted to have in hand before calling for a vote An initial vote was delayed twice as negotiations stretched on for hours “We’re still going through the process of addressing issues and concerns of members and hopefully we’ll wrap this up tomorrow,” Johnson told reporters a day before City Council’s final meeting of 2024 By the following day, the deal was done The full City Council body is expected to take a second and final vote on the bills on Dec The community benefits agreement would now be $60 million instead of $50 million Anthony Phillips and Isaiah Thomas voted in favor of the arena legislation Nicolas O’Rourke and Jeffery Young voted against the project Johnson said the city would have been “fools” to turn down a proposal with so much potential to provide so much good for Center City our council members who voted for this think this is a billionaire playground — that this is a city for the wealthy,” said Mohan Seshadri executive director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance “This is a bad deal for working-class Philadelphians,” he added A week later, on Dec. 19, City Council took a second and final vote on the arena, passing the legislation by a 12-5 vote The controversial development is now on track to open in Center City in 2031 which came after dozens of arena opponents were forcibly removed from council chambers which is composed of all 17 members of City Council making it very unlikely that lawmakers would change their minds and derail the project a week later Parker signed the bills into law just before Christmas On Sunday, Jan. 12, as the city prepared to watch the Philadelphia Eagles begin their postseason it came to light that the Sixers had abandoned their plans to build an arena in Center City A news conference the next day offered little insight into what happened co-founder of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment told reporters the Sixers and Comcast had started discussing the new arena in early December after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver helped bring everyone together and that “we got the mayor involved as soon as we could.” We were really committed to Market East … but our North Star was to do the right thing by Philly,” Harris said “We felt we could build a better arena and also revitalize Market East … so we pivoted.” The sudden turn of events comes after Philly City Council recently approved a controversial plan to build an arena in Center City near Chinatown Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said Monday that NBC becoming a media partner of the NBA was “fortuitous” for the new arena deal For now, there are few details about the joint venture in South Philadelphia, which arena opponents celebrated The city will have to wait to see if there’s another plot twist Our weekly 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As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. The majority of workers who commute into the urban core have returned since the COVID-19 pandemic began five years ago according to the annual State of Center City report More than 1.2 million international visitors traveled to Philadelphia last year but far fewer tourists are expected to visit in 2025 Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY KQED Live EventsPRX Podcast Garage EventsEvents Around the Bay AreaMember Benefits with KQED LiveVideos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events FeaturedThat's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift The San Francisco Art Fair, which runs through Sunday, will feature almost 100 booths with art from around the world.  (Photography by Drew Bird, Courtesy of Art Market Productions.)Neon. Ceramic chickens playing chess. Giant, uncanny Barbie prints suspended from the ceiling, hovering above the astonishingly well dressed people who were at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion Thursday night for the opening of the San Francisco Art Fair More than 20,000 people are expected to visit the city’s longest running art fair Visitors will navigate a labyrinth of almost 100 booths with art from around the world “Every gallery has a director within its booth and their entire goal is to talk to you — the potential fair attendee — about the art what their goal is and what it’s meant to inspire,” Kelly Freeman This year’s focus is on the culture of the East Bay with a special curation from Oakland’s community-centered pt.2 Gallery curator Brock Brake will present works by fine arts studio Magnolia Editions the Mission School’s Alicia McCarthy and Squeak Carnwath such as Yameng Lee Thorp and Soleé Darrell “There’s something special in the water,” Brake said of the East Bay’s art scene “in a trailer park.” As a teenager he was introduced to the Bay Area through skateboarding spreads and videos in Thrasher magazine “A lot of people come here to grow and find themselves a little bit more,” Brake said “Oakland’s a really unique space and it fosters a lot of individuals who have a meaningful way of expressing themselves.” East Bay artists were featured alongside standouts from San Francisco titled “Beloved Community,” highlights primarily Bay Area artists it’s because you love it,” Silverman said that kind of commitment to the city is felt and reverberates through the community.” At the center of the “Beloved Community” booth a surrealist rendering of Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs Dalloway” bouquet — along with a symbolic six-eyed silver moth — captivated Erin Zhao “I feel so much mystery,” Zhao said admiring the painting by Mission School artist Claire Rojas who lived and practiced in the Bay Area for many years Silverman credited recent investment in San Francisco’s art scene to Mayor Daniel Lurie who she described as an arts patron and collector “He’s creating opportunities for conversations within the city that in my 16 years of business have not been had that I have not been invited to the table,” she said “I feel great hope for the direction that we’re moving.” She continued: “But institutions need more support We need more tourists to visit and to see how great the city really is.” It’s never been easy to make a living in the arts, but Bay Area artists face the added challenges of exorbitant living costs, gallery closures and doom-loop narratives that scare off tourists. Brake said many East Bay art organizations are currently facing steep budget cuts and sometimes total loss of institutional funding there are just not enough resources,” he said “Right now is a really important time for people to really support those organizations before they’re not there.” For those interested in supporting local or international artists — or becoming first-time collectors — Freeman offered this advice: Ask questions “You can collect at any level,” she said and you can only do that by asking questions.” To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Located in one of Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods It is the third largest Chinatown in the United States and home to a vibrant Asian community The neighborhood was originally a tidal flat before the first Chinese immigrants arrived in the 1870s pitching tents in the area now known as Ping On Alley The city’s garment manufacturing began there and some of the old plants have been converted into apartments and condominiums Beach Street remains the heart of Chinatown’s bustling business district The number of dining opportunities is almost overwhelming Chinatown restaurants were once exclusively Chinese but you can now find an assortment of other Asian cuisines You can also find small shops that offer everything from live turtles and small statues of Buddha to Chinese herbs and foodstuffs Just outside the Chinatown gate, the neighborhood’s formal entrance, is a small park featuring a giant floor chessboard, bamboo gardens, and a large mural. It’s a quiet place to enjoy a takeout meal, a refuge from the area’s bustling sidewalks. The area used to be a highway exit ramp, but is now part of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway The Greenway was created when Boston’s Big Dig construction project moved previously elevated roadways underground making way for a mile-and-a-half stretch of parks and green space that today winds through Chinatown The back stairs leading to My Thai may look somewhat foreboding an excellent vantage point for viewing the comings and goings on Beach Street below Try the delectable hot sweet-and-sour tofu or the Bangkok fried rice Located deep inside a derelict-looking food court Egg Puffs offers one of the best-kept-secret snacks in Chinatown: a warm slightly sweet pastry that resembles a bite-size waffle staffed by an elderly woman who is known simply as the “Egg Puff Lady.” She makes these delicacies using a single electric griddle and at $4 for one fluffy nosh—or $5–$7.50 for flavors like coffee or cheddar cheese—they’re an easy habit to maintain Located in the same food court as Egg Puffs Friendship BBQ serves up iconic Northeast China–style barbecue The chain launched in New York City and has since expanded to nine states While they’re best known for their various meat and seafood skewers don’t miss out on the spicy clam rice noodles and garlic eggplant Its novel-length menu offers a wide variety of delicious Hong Kong–style dishes at great prices—featuring everything from noodles to rice plates to chicken or beef and even frog dishes But it’s their dim sum that steals the show Customers check off items from a special dim sum menu Stop by the bakery next door for an array of delicious desserts (standouts include the scallion and bacon bun Seafood fans across the city are drawn to Happy Family Food Market for its fresh fish as well as a good selection of more exotic sea creatures like eel The market receives new deliveries every day—and it’s all for sale at very reasonable prices This Instagram-famous eatery’s menu includes more than a dozen hand-crafted Belgian Liege waffles served with all kinds of delicious sweet toppings Try the Cereal Killer waffle (with Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fruity Pebbles cereal drizzled with white chocolate) or the Anna Banana (with sliced banana And wash it down with one of the restaurant’s yummy lemonades or boba teas.  Shojo specializes in Asian American–fusion cuisine that gives traditional Chinese cooking a delicious modern twist The restaurant prides itself on its ever-changing menu a mélange of inspired dishes that feature local produce and fresh ingredients The C-Town Chicken ‘N’ Waffles (crafted with Hong Kong egg puffs and fried chicken with five-spice butter and syrup) is sure to make your taste buds tingle Be sure to come hungry and thirsty (the drinks menu boasts a wide variety of sake and creative cocktails for those 21-plus).  If you like to add an extra challenge to a meal where you cook an assortment of thinly sliced raw meat and vegetables in your choice of 11 hot broths right at your table Head to 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches & Bubble Tea where you’ll find delicious lychee- or papaya-flavored drinks with or without the gummy tapioca balls at the bottom Then order up a curry chicken or vegetarian salmon sandwich (which comes with mayo and soy or fish sauce) or try the restaurant’s famous BBQ beef sandwich The prices are great (drinks are $4 and food items range from $5.50–$12) but be sure to bring cash—the small eatery doesn’t take credit cards even Lunar New Year’s specialties—all at reasonable prices Try one of the 8-inch or 10-inch cakes or an onion and chicken bun—and don’t leave without ordering one of their popular Portuguese custard tarts Located just a few minutes from Tufts Medical Center Nam Bac Hong is a Chinese herb and medicine shop that sells centuries-old treatments for almost any ailment imaginable The cramped storefront is filled with herbal teas (try the ginger…it cures colds) and other traditional medicinal methods of healing and pineapple buns…you’ll find all that and more at Bao Bao Bakery The shop serves up some of the freshest and most creative Asian-fusion baked goods in Chinatown Their desserts are (almost) too pretty to eat; one glance at the custom cake section is sure to make your mouth water or Thai tea smoothie with a slice of ube strawberry custard cake Named for sister owners Gloria and Emily Chin this Asian-fusion café features an array of quirky snacks The menu offers some startling twists on both Asian and American dishes: mapo tofu nachos; Spam and taro fries served in a Spam can; poutine made with waffle fries topped with kimchi The eatery is a welcome addition to the late-night scene; it’s open from 11:30 am to 4 am on Fridays and Saturdays be sure to try the café’s famous cube toast dessert a hollowed-out hunk of brioche stuffed with ice cream One of the cheapest eats anywhere in Boston Ding Ho’s delicious dishes and generous servings draw a line down the block The small Chinese food joint has been serving staples like lo mein you can get a to-go container packed to the brim with a hot entree and side and for $7 get almost double the portion and another side Ding Ho’s dishes taste robust and authentic Henry Hobson Richardson—the influential architect responsible for Trinity Church in Copley Square—completed this building in 1875 and it’s a must-see for anyone with a passion for architecture A reflection of the constantly changing neighborhood the Hayden Building has housed everything from pharmacies to tailor shops to adult movie theaters over the past century the building has undergone a series of renovations in recent years (while still maintaining its historic façade) and is now the site of loft-style apartments who also designed the State Capitol building in Albany was one of the most influential architects working in 19th-century America This hidden gem is renowned for its delicious pho Try the pho tái (beef noodle soup with rare steak and tripe) and the Vietnamese pancake pizza The drinks menu even balances the tastes of America with Vietnamese traditions but also avocado smoothies and salty plum soda Pho Pasteur is an ideal stop if you find yourself around Boston Common either for a warming bowl of pho or to try new dishes.  Entering Penang feels like stepping into a traditional Malaysian village The dark wooden interior is accented with bamboo decorations The menu offers traditional Malaysian cuisine including nasi goreng (a type of fried rice dish) and Malaysian-style spare ribs as well as a variety of traditional Malaysian desserts Try the bubur cha cha (warm sweet potato and yam with coconut milk) or cendol (a refreshing mix of green jellies and coconut milk) to round off the meal.  If you’re looking for a luxurious dining experience This no-frills restaurant may not have white tablecloths or romantic candlelight but it does have the best Taiwanese-style dumplings and scallion pancakes anywhere in Chinatown The kung pao squid is spicy and immensely satisfying Open daily from 11 am to midnight (1 am on Fridays and Saturdays) it’s the perfect spot for those looking for scrumptious late-night snacks.  Getting there: Take the Green Line inbound to the Boylston Street stop walk away from the Boston Common down Tremont Street take a left on Stuart Street (which turns into Kneeland Street) Or take the Orange Line to the Chinatown stop Click on the points in the map above for more information on the places listed in our guide to the Chinatown area Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: Chinatown Why must anything Asian related be written as ‘cramped’ ‘foreboding’ or ‘derelict’ How media frames Asian cuisine and neighborhood matters Acknowledging the structural factors that cause these conditions rather than perpetuating the idea that Chinatown is old and falling apart is so much better Pioneering Research from Boston University the piercing pink of a neon sign beckons us into the bustling vibrant space that is SingSing Thai Street Food The decor inside Honolulu’s newest Thai eatery is a jangle of red It looks nothing like its predecessor in this space But is SingSing’s food as exciting as its looks with bottles on some tables and other customers making quick runs to nearby liquor stores Everything on the two-page menu is served family-style with categories like “Flame Grilled,” “Crunchy Stuffs” and “Wraps and Bites.” Other sections list soups SEE ALSO: Chinatown’s Best Hidden Courtyard Is a Thai-Laotian Gem I’ve been to Bangkok twice and Chiang Mai once and eaten my share of Thai in Hawai‘i and elsewhere I still know very little about Thai street food—but I know SingSing’s take is elevated This is not a place where you order your go-tos of pad Thai green papaya salad and stuffed chicken wings You can get green curry and tom yum soup here but the usual suspects are few and far between For what else you can get at SingSing Thai School of Fish ($14) is a plate of piping hot and deliciously crispy spelt sprinkled with salt and served with a sing-songy Thai nước chấm for dipping These disappear as fast as we can stuff them in our mouths Twice-cooked pork ribs ($15) seduce us with scents of toasted five spice and caramelized meat Garnishes of pomegranate seeds and orange segments feel unnecessary but the tamarind sauce pops against the crispy fried pork fat and makes you want more Other favorites include the tom yum fried rice ($20)—with extra squeezes of lime the Issan beef tongue ($14) makes my entire face sweat but balances five toothsome slices with hot green chiles This dish mirrors the now raucous energy in the room; if you’ve brought a bottle it will inspire you to kick back a swig or two Juicy slices of pork neck ($13) come with charred almost exactly as I enjoyed in sweltering heat on the side of a Bangkok boulevard And while the portion of panang beef cheek ($22) is modest the fall-apart meat is free of gristle and pairs perfectly with the complex personality of the rich I love the salted coconut milk moat around the island of black sticky rice pudding ($9) but the canned lychees perched on top are a letdown And while the coconut coconut jelly and the “Moo Deng praline” are cute both $9 desserts are severely over-gelatinized who moved to Honolulu with her family recently from Bangkok while husband Palm Amatawet heads the kitchen which accounts for some of the unique flavors and presentations “Same same but different.” That pretty much sums up the food except the differences at SingSing Thai excite and make you want to eat through the whole menu—there’s a promise of fun around every corner Bring your own booze and your loud friends Open Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday to Saturday 5 to 10:30 p.m., 1030 Smith St., (808) 785-6463, @singsing.hawaii the billionaire owners of the city’s NBA team backed out of an arena project that had been approved for the neighborhood Supporters and Philadelphia Chinatown community leaders gather to demonstrate against a new downtown sports arena Wei Chen began to get messages that the Philadelphia 76ers had ditched their downtown basketball arena plan for another site in the existing Sports Complex in the southern end of the city “It felt like winning a big lottery,” says Chen the civic engagement director of Asian Americans United Philadelphia has long viewed its Chinatown as disposable a six-lane highway and the convention center had hemmed in what was left of the neighborhood a plan for a new arena to replace a much-criticized aging mall near small stores and homes More from Gabrielle Gurley The city council approved the plan in December despite a Chinatown-led “resistance,” as Chen called it that had attracted the support of thousands of outraged residents from across Philly Shaken Chinatown residents found themselves on the cusp of the Lunar New Year still at risk of seeing the slow erasure of a historic enclave by a billionaire-backed vanity project Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment moguls Josh Harris to make nice and end their feud with their landlord another sports and entertainment conglomerate that owns the Wells Fargo Center where the team plays They play in the same building and competed for its event calendar For a major city to have two competing arenas within a few miles of each other, each with their own event lineups, was a competitive arrangement bound to cut into someone’s bottom line. Comcast also owns NBCUniversal and closed an 11-year deal with the NBA last July These scenarios didn’t make sense to the two leagues’ movers and shakers and neither did a threatened move from one of the country’s ten largest cities to an even grittier Camden Comcast and the Sixers owners now co-own the downtown site and have pledged to pursue other development projects to replace the mall The media conglomerate also will get a minority share in a Sixer bid to obtain a WNBA team Philadelphia had been taken in by a corporate-led revitalization process that promised a “dream” that only politicos could love Like many cities across the country, Philadelphia had been taken in by a corporate-led revitalization process that promised a “dream” that only politicos could love: revitalizing a major downtown corridor in desperate need of post-pandemic reinvestment by giving up tax revenues the new facilities would otherwise produce. Mayors and fans get bragging rights but that’s about the extent of the benefits from arena and stadium projects designed to ramp up owner profits and cut outlays to municipalities But Philadelphia’s initial (and prolonged) willingness to accept such a poor deal rather than responding to residents’ concerns about siphoning off taxpayer dollars is a persistent concern for all cities susceptible to the illusion that billion-dollar investments are by definition something that city leaders can’t afford to ignore as something to be preserved and not something just to be shoved aside for some larger that’s a concern,” says Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke of the Working Families Party Mayor Cherelle Parker put on her game face and called the Sixers/Comcast change-of-venue deal a “win-win-win-win.” Scour social media and you’ll find that many residents thought the mayor and 12 of her city council colleagues been played Parker is the main fall guy in an elaborate bluff—if that’s what it was as some believe—to get the Sixers to agree to some menu of concessions Parker and her colleagues plunged into an absurd show of civic surrender—at least of needed tax revenues—that eventually concluded back where everyone had started: in South Philly at the Sports Complex where the MLB Phillies and NFL Eagles also play City leaders had held hearings and secured studies (paid for by the team) that indicated that they weren’t just going to give up valuable property without getting sizable benefits The team proved very adept at playing off different groups of the city against one another particularly when it came to trying and ultimately failing to dial up racial tensions between Asian and Black neighborhoods In response, a multiracial, cross-city grassroots opposition movement germinated residents in other neighborhoods who’d periodically tried to block big real estate projects and suburbanites who liked the South Philly site just where it was and didn’t want to deal with downtown traffic The company would also have given the land to the city and would have been exempt from property taxes “We have wasted so much time and resources prioritizing a pet project of billionaires,” says O’Rourke “All the legislative air for the city in the fall was sucked up focusing on an arena that ultimately got turned around within two weeks without any public consideration.” The council’s legislative work could have been better focused on more pressing issues related to the incoming Trump administration such as Philadelphia’s sanctuary-city status speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia announcing that the 76ers will partner with Comcast to build a new arena in South Philadelphia Chen went further: The deciders who supported the downtown arena are part of the city’s “corruption culture,” he says There was strong public sentiment that when the ownership team showed up with a downtown plan they should have been convinced to stay in South Philadelphia But the fear of a Jersey move loomed large and Philly’s first woman mayor has time to redeem herself Much will depend on how she handles the next downtown plan and the new arena to replace the Wells Fargo Center The arena plan never made much sense in Philadelphia’s compact downtown core. It would have situated a massive sports facility next to the city’s mammoth convention center and near a major hospital. The Sixers often asserted that they would seek state and federal dollars for the facility, in part because it would have been built above the existing Jefferson Station Why city officials somehow thought new funding would be forthcoming from Washington or Harrisburg is a mystery known only to them given the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s chronic fiscal distress you can find a solution,” admits Eli Storch a citywide coalition that works on design quality and equity in planning The Sixers did not seek DAG’s input until the group announced its opposition to the project “Our major sticking point was that it wasn’t the right project for that site,” says Storch The building would have been just plopped down on the site instead of serving as a well-integrated community entertainment and third space that would please fans But Philadelphia’s downtown redevelopment quandary has turned into a whack-a-mole situation, further complicated by the closure of a Macy’s department store, a tenant in a historical-landmark building near City Hall. Storch described the closure as a punch in the gut The building houses beloved institutions: the largest fully functioning pipe organ on the planet and a huge bronze eagle the size of a bison Filling that space with retail or residences or a combination of the two might prove to be easier than coming up with a replacement for the downtown mall the four professional teams have an opportunity to collaborate rather than dictate and help design one of country’s unique sports-centric areas City leaders have the chance to redeem themselves after two years of subpar bureaucratic processes that engendered relentless drama and “It’s rare that you get to develop a new neighborhood in a city as dense as Philadelphia from scratch,” says Storch But City Hall must also insist on the kind of serious master-planning work that can produce an urban “showpiece,” especially in conjunction with the new live-work-play development under way nearby in the former Navy Yard “Now that the council and the mayor have been granted a reprieve on Market East,” says Storch that really got out of hand; what is the right process?’” Prospect senior editor and award-winning journalist Gabrielle Gurley writes and edits work on states and cities About the Prospect | Contact Info Careers |FAQ Newsletters Browse Archive / Back Issues Manage A Print Subscription Manage A Recurring Donation Privacy Policy DONATE TO THE PROSPECT Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Fall 2024 issue of Extant a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia intricately tiled Friendship Gate marking the entrance to Philadelphia’s Chinatown you’re met with streets crowded with pedestrians maneuvering around market stalls that spill out onto the sidewalk Illuminated signs in combinations of Chinese and English project from stuccoed 19th-century rowhouses identifying what are now busy restaurants packed with patrons The neighborhood has an energy–especially on the weekends–and it’s a part of Philly that makes you feel like you’re in a big city Philly’s Chinatown is more than 150 years old making it one of the oldest remaining Chinatowns in the United States it grew out of a culture of discrimination and segregation–racism initially sanctioned by Congress via the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882–and the Chinese community’s subsequent adaptation and a sense of community for Chinese and other immigrants Chinatown today is shaped by a diversity of Southeast Asian cultures including Japanese Part of the neighborhood is also protected to some extent by a zoning overlay restricting the height of new development The Chinese Cultural Center near the corner of 10th and Cherry Streets Perhaps driven by necessity or affordability the majority of Chinatown’s old brick rowhouses have been adapted over the centuries with ever-changing storefronts and facades modified with decorative flair that honors Chinese architectural style Historic plaques and archival photos are all that remain of Chinatown’s earliest businesses and buildings such as the city’s first Chinese laundry established in 1870 at 913 Race Street and the Far East Chinese Restaurant that opened in 1908 at 907 Race Street The neighborhood’s physical identity is characterized by more recent additions designed in the Qing Dynasty style by artist Sabrina Soong and dedicated in 1984 the 10th Street Plaza completed in 2011 and guarded by two giant Foo dogs flanking a statue of the Chinese scholar General Lin Zexu Arturo Ho and Josh Sarantitis that celebrate the community and its history Students for the Preservation of Chinatown protest on June 10 Of greater value than a sports arena to Philadelphia’s Chinese and Asian American community are the essential resources always provided by the neighborhood lower-income residents and those who are not English speakers Extant talked to Mary Yee of the Save Chinatown Coalition who directs the Chinese Christian Church and Center and Kaia Chau of Students for the Preservation of Chinatown and the Ginger Arts Center about how they feel the neighborhood has evolved and what’s essential to preserve Chinatown and its community into the future Mary Yee is currently the facilitator of the technical planning committee of the Save Chinatown Coalition a radical student group from which grew a bilingual Chinese- English newspaper of the same name Yee has been involved in many facets of the fight to preserve Chinatown including opposition movements against the Vine Street Expressway What’s your sense of Chinatown as a community Chinatown has been important historically as a center not just for Chinese Americans but for Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley Our community is being continually threatened by these infrastructure projects it’s been an issue of racial discrimination against our neighborhood and every time we struggle against a big project we’re in the news and the people in the City agencies acknowledge us I would say that this is implicit bias–this is basically white supremacy The fact that we’re still around is a symbol [of] our resilience and our resistance It feels like the Chinatown community is pretty well-organized The major organizations–that is PCDC (Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation) which represents a lot of other organizations–are all united in their opposition to the arena and the position that we will not sign a community benefit agreement (CBA) given the surveys that have happened and the public meetings over 93 [percent] to 95 percent of the people have voiced that they are against the arena and against signing the CBA Anti-arena posters are ubiquitous on walls and storefronts throughout Chinatown what are the main threats facing Chinatown and what are the steps required to preserve it which is one thing that should have happened a long time ago some of us are trying to get a cultural historic designation possible in Philadelphia most of the designations are based on architectural significance Other cities or states have a cultural district designation we need to have more support for our arts and culture organizations and our youth organizations It would be great if we could have more anchor institutions in the community [a] historic site [connected to the history of Japanese internment camps] They do have cultural historic designation from the city and the state They have also instituted a real estate investment trust [Community Impact Fund] This allows for a moderate interest rate and using funds to buy land to be held in a community trust or to subsidize rents for legacy businesses which are being threatened by gentrification Those are some strategies that could be used to protect Philadelphia’s Chinatown Harry Leong is currently the center director at the Chinese Christian Church and Center which has been an organization in Philly’s Chinatown community since 1941 Leong grew up in Chinatown and also serves as the president of the Philadelphia Suns a community youth group with about 250 active members that focuses on sports He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation What’s your personal connection to the neighborhood I was born and raised in Philadelphia Chinatown My family owns a building right next to the church What role does the Chinese Christian Church and Center play in the community CCCC (C4) is the spiritual home to close to 600 adults and over 150 children in three-language-speaking congregations (Mandarin What people may not know is that the church developed from the outreach center reaches out to hundreds of metro Philly-area inhabitants each year and how has the neighborhood changed since you were a kid We were like a village and people knew each other news would get back to your family before you even got home I just remember being disciplined as a kid by neighbors and today we don’t even know our neighbors An article published by The Philadelphia Inquirer on April 8 What do you think is one of the most pressing issues for Chinatown and its preservation there was a large number of immigrants that came into the area and [many settled in Chinatown] a lot of immigrants came with more money and would go straight to the suburbs The Philadelphia Suns members used to be primarily from Chinatown but today maybe 90 percent of our 200-plus people do not live in Chinatown primarily because of the shortage of housing in the community There is not enough low-to moderate-income housing in the area and we’ve come to a point where high prices have come into our neighborhoods and pushed out a lot of the families There’s also been a shift in generational priorities and the next generation is not interested in taking over family businesses you see that there are a lot of new businesses within the last 15 years Kaia Chau is a second-generation activist and the co-founder and co- leader of Students for the Preservation of Chinatown (SPOC) and the Ginger Arts Center a new community youth arts center “run by the youth for the youth” located in a storefront at 447 North 12th Street The initial setup and opening of the center was supported by a grant from the Leeway Foundation which funds artists working toward social justice She’s a recent graduate of Bryn Mawr College where she majored in international studies with minors in Asian American studies and Chinese What role do you see Ginger Arts playing in Chinatown As someone who was born and raised in Philly and has spent so much time in Chinatown growing up I really remember just having a lack of third spaces we have a private Catholic school and we have a charter school–FACTS (Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School)–that the community had to fight for and build for ourselves due to the fact that our neighborhood never had a proper public school I love Chinatown and it’s a really great community but I feel like it has been neglected in a lot of ways and lacks services that should be a fundamental right for any neighborhood I think Ginger Arts came about because we were like what would we build for Chinatown?” And when we came across a grant opportunity from the Leeway Foundation I’ve found that a lot of high schoolers who come here feel just really safe and comfortable We have a lot of high school volunteers who have spent so much of their time helping to build the space because they’re so passionate and excited about the space Menu from 1920 for “The Far East” Chinese Restaurant The building’s facade is substantially intact | Image courtesy of The Library Company of Philadelphia The multigenerational dimension of this neighborhood feels really significant Ginger Arts seems to be really stepping into a role The mother of Taryn Flaherty (co-founder and co-leader of SPOC) and my mother have been super involved in Chinatown activism our whole lives we were led by this responsibility to preserve Chinatown from the very Asian or Chinese value of giving back to your elders [to] thank them for their sacrifices Even though growing up I didn’t have many third spaces the spaces I did feel safest were places like FACTS along with so many other amazing activists in Chinatown who played a role in raising us Having gone through college now and thinking back to my childhood these are the establishments and people now that I feel I owe a lot to and I want the generation after me to feel the same way I think Ginger Arts is an extension of a generational tradition of organizing in Chinatown and what do you think preservation of Chinatown in the future looks like I remember when we were looking for spaces to rent out for the center a lot of us were adamant that we needed to be in Chinatown proper But rent is super expensive and it was really hard to find an open space so we started looking north of Vine in the Callowhill area where we are now I was kind of bummed out because it would’ve been really cool to be in Chinatown proper But then I was thinking a lot about the history of Chinatown and realized that it didn’t really end at Vine Street and there are still so many Chinese and Asian-owned businesses that extend past Vine Street The expressway is just one of the many developments that stole land from Chinatown I think us taking up the space here is really like a reclamation of land that was stolen from us those are places that exist in the footprint of what would’ve been the baseball stadium [proposed] in 2000 These are all examples of ways the community has reclaimed land that was almost taken from us and built things that are really nourishing and serving the community Tags:    Chinatown displacement gentrification Immigrants Sixers Arena Starr Herr-Cardillo is a staff writer for Hidden City Daily When she’s not covering local preservation issues or writing editorials for Hidden City she works as a historic preservation professional in the nonprofit sector Herr-Cardillo was drawn to the field by a deep affinity for adobe and vernacular architecture She holds a Certificate in Heritage Conservation from the University of Arizona and an M.S and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed The super-meta Hulu series Interior Chinatown mashes up a whole bunch of genres — including kung fu movies and police procedurals — to explore Asian-American identity in interesting ways Yang plays a waiter who dreams of a more exciting life outside his close-knit community he has a chance to help investigators solve the case — and he soon realizes he's more deeply connected to the mystery than he initially thought Become an NPR sponsor