It's the aroma when you step in. Oil from the fryer, the traffic of thread worn carpets, the sweetness of aged wood. . The owner and her son are here. I ask if they are serving food. Usually they don't this early, but Covid hit them hard and now they are cooking. . It's one of the best Chinese / American food in the city. Cooked fresh, always spicy and served under dim lights. . A dive bar without the glitz of the Baranof. Doesn't matter if you're on the stroll, homeless or coming off the night shift. . As long as you're peaceful, you can drink, play darts and have a few games of pool. . This was my WWE spot before Covid. BJJ and #NWJJA first, then I peel off my gi / rash guard, hope in my little car and enjoy a few beers and I watch men fly off the turnbuckle. . The owner's sons wave. We see each other all the time at wrestling events. . I ask if they bought their building. It's been bombed by the taggers multiple times because they are Chinese. The owner says yes, but no one wants to buy the bar. It's Aurora, she sighs. . I am glad she's still here. This is one of the last guardians of old North Seattle. Unrattled and resilient, it reminds one that the past is good. That we shouldn't forget. . I won't. . #blackgirlmagic #blacknerdgirls #seattle #divebars #lounge #chinesefood #barculture #northseattle #wwe #darts #pool #oldschool (at China Dragon Restaurant) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRChoYJJbb_/?utm_medium=tumblr