Playing at the Clova from February 11 to February 17 2011

Playing this week at the Clova from Friday February 11 until the 17th is:

7pm - True Grit

9:05pm - Blue Valentine

Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

The old Chinese Food restaurant in Cloverdale

There used to be a Chinese restaurant in Cloverdale on 176th Street next to the Clova Theatre. I hate to say I can't even remember the name of it. Clover Garden Restaurant? Clover Leaf Restaurant? When I was a kid it served both Chinese and Western food. My parents liked to eat there at least once a month. I was glad for the Western cuisine and always ordered a burger and fries. As a kid I never liked Chinese food all that much. As I got older I found I could go into a Chinese restaurant and enjoy a dish or two and find something to eat, but its not my first choice when we're going out to eat.

As the years went by it changed hands. The last time I actually recall getting something to eat there was in the mid-90's, take out at a friend's place after enjoying looking at Christmas lights around Surrey. When smoking bylaws came into place the proprietors blatantly disobeyed and still kept ashtrays on the tables and allowed patrons to smoke in there. I saw this quite clearly when I walked my dogs past in the early part of the 2000 decade. Eventually the bylaw officer must have fined them because the ashtrays were removed and I didn't see anyone smoking in there. I'm not sure if it changed hands because I hardly saw anyone dining there. I don't think they even offered Western food choices anymore either. Mostly I just saw the proprietors and their family sitting at a table and kids jumping all over the booths whenever I walked past. Eventually it closed down and sat empty for awhile.

A couple of years ago I was walking the dogs through Cloverdale and I stopped at the restaurant when I noticed activity inside, particularly the door open and a lady outside cleaning something. I stopped to chat with her and learned that her and a partner were opening up a tea shop here. From what I gathered the premises were quite filthy and they had a big cleaning job ahead of them. This was in May and unfortunately they were not going to be open in time to catch the crowds of people enjoying the parade and rodeo.

As I walked away I wondered what the chances of survival were for a tea shop in Cloverdale. However I'd thought the same thing when a tea shop opened up in White Rock near my parent's house called Clancy's Tea Cosy. That was in the mid 90's and its still operating. So people in White Rock must like going out for tea! But Cloverdale is another story.

I'm not a tea drinker myself. Neither coffee. Or any other hot drink. Its not like I'm at Tim Horton's or Starbuck's a lot but I go in occasionally mostly for a donut, muffin, or pastry and will have a cold drink.

The new restaurant opened named the China Tea Cup Company. They've done a nice job of fixing it up inside with cute tables and chairs. They offer pastries and a light lunch menu in addition to all kinds of tea choices. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not gone in there but I'm not big on drinking tea. Their hours are a little limited too. They're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm so they're mostly targeting retired customers who don't work during those hours. Its their shop they can choose the hours. That's all part of the fun of owning your own business. Choosing when you'll work. Sadly I never see many customers inside when they're open and I'm walking past with the dogs. I don't know if that's because of the hours or whether Cloverdale residents just aren't tea aficionados.

They have a sign on their window saying the business is for sale and to enquire inside. Obviously they have decided to move on for whatever reason and I wish them the best.

Sorry I'm not a tea drinker.....

Playing at the Clova from February 4 to February 10 2011

Playing this week at the Clova February 4 to 10 is:

7pm - The Fighter

9:10pm - The Dilemma

Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8 or for 2 people its $15. Add another $4 for each additional person in your group.

Cloverdale Mall Getting Ready for Demolition

A couple of days ago a security fence appeared around the Cloverdale Mall's parking lot. One can no longer enter from 58th Avenue. There is a small parking lot area off the 57th Avenue entrance, presumably parking for the demolition crew.

The parking lot around the Cloverdale Legion has no changes.

I noticed a security guard in a car near the 58th entrance last night.

The parking lot where the church patrons parked on the alley on the northeast corner of the mall is also fenced in. Today there were several cars parked there and the door to one of the churches was open. I guess today or this weekend is final clean up day for them and the fence was moved so the cars could get inside to pack up.

The name of the demolition company is on the side of the fence but I don't remember its name. I'm assuming the fence is up so random people can't just come in and scavenge. There is already a pile of metal stacking up near the 57th Avenue entrance. That may be a result of some of the clean up inside the mall. Aside from some pre-demolition work I noticed rooftop on the mall in December there is no signs of major demolition starting yet.

In about a year's time construction is to begin on the site and will be a combination of commercial and residential units above.

I hope the new building fares better than the old one. I remember the original Cloverdale Mall being built in 1973 on the old baseball fields. Almost from the beginning it was leaky. And after 20 years most of the tenants had had enough and were moving to new locations. They're tearing down a building that isn't quite 40 years old.

Playing at the Clova from January 28 to February 3 2011

Playing this week at the Clova starting Friday January 28 to Feb 3 is:

7pm - Gulliver's Travels

8:40pm - Little Fockers

Last show lets out at 10:20pm. Admission is $8. Or $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

No Smoking in Cloverdale?

A lot of the shopkeepers in Cloverdale have signs in their window provided by the Surrey bylaws officer reminding people they can't be smoking within 3 meters of a doorway or window of a business.

I'd say not everyone complies with this. I walk my dogs in Cloverdale frequently and there are often people standing in front of shops, within a meter or so of the door having a smoke.

Right in front of the Clover Inn the sidewalk is covered in cigarette butts. I've seen people throw their cigarettes on the sidewalk just before going inside. I can see why the inn does not provide ashtrays outside there because it encourages people to hang around smoking but I'm not sure why the maintenance crew at the inn doesn't go outside daily to sweep up the sidewalk.

The city went to great expense a couple of years ago to update downtown Cloverdale and put in lovely new stamped concrete sidewalks but doesn't seem to get after the proprietors for keeping their sidewalks clear of garbage.

Playing at the Clova from January 21 to January 27 2011

This week starting on Friday January 21 to the 27th, the Clova is playing:

7pm - Little Fockers

8:55pm - The Tourist

Last show lets out at 10:40pm. Admission is $8 or $15 for 2 people. Add another $4 for each extra person in the group.