Tag Archives: Editorial

09.09.26
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Glitch Victoria: When Videogames Doesn’t Smell Like Geek Spirit

After a few months in operation, I firmly believe Glitch Victoria is a lounge with rack and stack games for those wanting to flex their alpha status to friends. That’s fine if you’re after a night out in Victoria, but as for connecting with the gaming community, they need a proper outreach person. That’s because the attempts I’ve seen have mostly come from the community itself. There was a group asking if they could host a night of fighting games for those who registered, and now there’s a relax and hang out thing with Coastal Collector’s Market, which is a swap meet for trading card games.

With only two true cabinet games at the time of writing and me hearing that they do not want to step on Quasar Arcade‘s toes, they’re taking the smart position. When Jurassic Park Arcade is the only game worth playing, dropping two tokens ($2) per go hurts. Even during the arcade boom, those cost a buck. Everything else is carnival fare.

That could mean trouble attracting regulars. When there’s nothing unique pulling people in, not everyone’s going to bother showing up. At the time of writing, I do not see this place as built for hardcore gamers. Also, I don’t see a problem with working with other operations so that they can pull out those cabinet games from out of storage and let other stores turn them on. Cherry Bomb Toys and Quasars did that, and I was there to play Atari’s Tempest as often as I can! I don’t see why Glitch is being shy with that idea.

At present, when store fronts are afraid of working together, I figure this is a place for people living downtown wanting somewhere to hang out. If one place is closed, the other can fill a niche.

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08.05.26
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Does Victoria Really Need A Lee’s Donuts?

Lees Donuts658 View Street
Victoria, BC (Old Town)

Just how many donut shops does this city need? I’m skeptical, mostly since my favorite donut shop isn’t actually a donut shop. It’s a cream puff shop, and yes, I’ll admit it, once upon a time Beard Papa’s was really good. But time hasn’t treated this operation kindly. Quality dropped, and so did this staple of every visit I make. It could benefit from coming to the island to “restart,” instead of Lee’s Donuts. But as this other operation opens its first location at 658 View Street, I do have to wonder: will the cream puff giant soon follow?

Although the signage was already up when I was downtown not too long ago, I’m not feeling particularly excited. There’s going to be huge competition over which creamy operation will taunt our taste buds. Even though it had humble, Asian-style beginnings as a mom-and-pop shop inside the Granville Island Public Market in 1979 I’m still not entirely sold. And I’m fairly sure founders Alan and Betty-Ann Lee’s “secret recipe” isn’t all that secret.

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04.08.26
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An Update to the University Heights Expansion & Dining Problem

University Heights in the 80s, A Vestige Long Gone
University Heights in the 80s, A Vestige Long Gone

There’s a quiet hum building up in Gordon Head, and no, it’s not the continuing noise of construction and continued single lane use of Shelbourne Street for residents and drivers alike. While the new University Heights Shopping Centre it taking shape and other parts are demolished, it’s not over as the corner opposite is demolished and phase three is slowly worked on. As a result, there are areas where folks are waiting in line to fuel up, take residence (not every apartment building is move-in ready) or just eat. And the options? Well, they’re here. Whether they’re your options is another conversation altogether.

Between Dave’s Hot Chicken, Kanton Ramen, Chipotle, Ono Poké, and Firehouse Subs (the latter positioned at another building), the development is starting to fill in fast. Dave’s is the Nashville-style hot chicken chain that turned a Los Angeles parking lot pop-up into a continent-wide phenomenon, with a heat scale that starts at “No Spice” and climbs to “Reaper,” which is less a menu item and more a personal challenge with consequences. Kanton brings ramen to the mix, which any neighbourhood honestly needs more of. Chipotle is Chipotle, the reliable burrito assembly line you either swear by or feel lukewarm about. Ono Poké slots in as the Hawaiian-style bowl spot for the health-adjacent crowd who wants to feel virtuous without going full salad. Firehouse Subs rounds things out with overstuffed hot subs and a firefighting theme that is either charming or puzzling depending on how hungry you are.

None of it is local. None of it is surprising. But all of it is strategically placed.

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02.04.26
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Franchised, Familiar, and Forgettable? University Heights Mall’s New Appetite

University Heights MallAlthough University Heights Mall is no longer what it was more than five years ago, if not a decade, the new façade of tall, looming structures stacked over lived-in space feels sterile and uninviting. What replaced it lacks the charm I grew up with: the roundabout staircases, the awkward corners, the small-town feel that made the mall feel human. No, I’m not asking to live forever in some nostalgic loop, but when news broke that the property had been sold to an American firm, my heart sank for good reason.

There used to be smaller brunch spots and a sense of community here, back when Gauntlet Games occupied the space. These were places run by people you recognized, places that felt rooted. Now, as glass-and-concrete buildings near completion and independent eateries quietly vanish, the corporate blueprint becomes impossible to ignore. What made this area distinct is being flattened into something efficient, repeatable, and ultimately disposable. When local businesses are replaced almost entirely by franchise food operations, the direction isn’t subtle. The decision has already been made.

With the arrival of Kinton Ramen, Chipotle, and Ono Poké & Grill in the new centre, brand loyalty replaces discovery. Fans of these names know exactly what they’re getting before they arrive, which is precisely the point. These operations anchor the ground floor, apartment towers stacked neatly above them, creating a self-contained ecosystem where residents are encouraged to spend without ever leaving the building. The smell of hot food drifting upward isn’t accidental; it’s part of the design.

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03.16.22
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Some Cheesecakes are Lighter when Made by Uncle Tetsu

20220218_180804Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake
1151 Robson St
Vancouver, BC

Hours: Open every day from 10am to 8pm
Phone: (604) 265-4087

The best time to ensure the best selection of Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake is to stop by late morning, as they are fresh from the oven. This franchise operation makes a surprisingly fluffy and delectable cake to which I finished two successive days. I doubt it could keep its texture beyond that, but after tasting this delight, it’s a stop I’ll have to make every time I’m in Downtown Vancouver. Sorry Cartems, but I think you’ve been beat out for which sweet cake I like to partake in. Even the various  Beard Papa operations are out as I’ve found the quality inconsistent.

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11.01.17
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The Post-Halloween Blues? Thoughts on RBCM’s Night Shift Series and Nov 3 & 4th in #YYJ

IMG_20171028_201614920Post-Halloween, I’m not sure what I want to do next. Thankfully, the season is not over with Last Chance Productions bringing Evil Dead the Musical to town November 3rd and 4th to the Metro Theatre! You can click here to buy tickets. I mentioned them in an article last year about them finally coming to town, and this show is worth revisiting since it’s bloodier than Rocky Horror. As with live theatre, there will always be refinement. It’s not often audiences get sprayed than toss stuff in celebration of a scene in the latter.

Honestly, I should not have to leave my hometown of Victoria, BC to have some spooky fun. Usually, I’m tempted to go to Vancouver so I can enjoy Fright Nights at Playland. With this island community, a few events are more or less going to be the same year-after-year. Sadly, Rocky Horror Show fits under this bill as with slightly different Corn Mazes and variations of the Haunted House to navigate through. To get the route you want on Ghostly Walks requires getting a specific tour guide. What I want to experience are the special one-off’s. This garden city is home to an annual theatre production at Craigdarroch Castle which Launch Pad Theatre Company is doing a great job.

About four years ago, the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) experimented with the idea of making a Night at the Museum style fun and having a party like none other — perhaps inspired the film of the same name. Other museums around the world offer something similar, and they are usually geared for the whole family than adults to enjoy. There are even a few which get a touch academic. The articles I read online about these events often makes me think I should travel to check these other options but I always hold back, hoping my town’s museum can offer something similar. In what I’ve experienced at RBCM’s Night Shift, the organizers do a great job. They also touch up a few of their permanent exhibits to get into the spirit.

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