Yangtze Restaurant--Ontario CA, Inland Empire - General Tiki

T TIKIBOSKO Tiki Socialite Joined: Oct 17, 2004 Posts: 336	T TIKIBOSKO Posted posted on Tue, Apr 28, 2009 2:43 PM Aloha all “A little sparse, perhaps” Hey Sven you may not have heard but mid century design was sort of distinguished by its “sleek lines” and “sparse” décor, modern they used to call it. You can read a great book about a similar subject, “Tiki Modern” although it doesn’t cover Chinese restaurants too much I highly recommend it. Sorry Sven I just had to make the joke. You would love the place, after all these years the Yangtze is still in fairly good shape Charles Phoenix told Truus and I about it as he is the expert on (many) things I.E. Aside from some stuff like the Chinese tourist art, blue exterior awnings and the like which they have added over the years it is amazingly intact. It really is a wonderful example of where modern (commercial) style was heading in the early 60’s until America got derailed and Taco Bell box style became our country’s idea of good design. From the moment you see the exterior with Asian style font on the split faced white rock wall treatment and the beautiful modern lamps you know it’s going to be cool inside. The whole room is broken up with a series of wooden slats or screens, they are effectively used thru out the whole place, some you can see outside light thru. The booths are a great avocado green (perhaps redone in the 70’s?) the bar is dark, with black seating, wood paneling, simple and cool and slightly different than the rest of the place, the first time we went in they had a cigarette machine in the back, what more could you want? Sorry for the poor photos I know we have more here somewhere but this is all I could find. There was a recent thread here about urban archeology, this place is a great example of just that, it is not Tiki but it is beautiful I have seen hundreds of similar establishments disappear and then like the last of an endangered species they are gone forever. It is a time capsule in every sense, this is how people lived, this is what they ate, it is like walking into an art installation, take advantage of it. While you are in the area drive around there is some great mid century architecture a couple of blocks over in a few directions, but be careful I have been told Upland is/was the bank robbery capital of the country. My very best Alohas, Bosko

Aloha all

“A little sparse, perhaps”

Hey Sven you may not have heard but mid century design was sort of distinguished by its “sleek lines” and “sparse” décor, modern they used to call it. You can read a great book about a similar subject, “Tiki Modern” although it doesn’t cover Chinese restaurants too much I highly recommend it. Sorry Sven I just had to make the joke. You would love the place, after all these years the Yangtze is still in fairly good shape Charles Phoenix told Truus and I about it as he is the expert on (many) things I.E. Aside from some stuff like the Chinese tourist art, blue exterior awnings and the like which they have added over the years it is amazingly intact. It really is a wonderful example of where modern (commercial) style was heading in the early 60’s until America got derailed and Taco Bell box style became our country’s idea of good design. From the moment you see the exterior with Asian style font on the split faced white rock wall treatment and the beautiful modern lamps you know it’s going to be cool inside. The whole room is broken up with a series of wooden slats or screens, they are effectively used thru out the whole place, some you can see outside light thru. The booths are a great avocado green (perhaps redone in the 70’s?) the bar is dark, with black seating, wood paneling, simple and cool and slightly different than the rest of the place, the first time we went in they had a cigarette machine in the back, what more could you want? Sorry for the poor photos I know we have more here somewhere but this is all I could find.
There was a recent thread here about urban archeology, this place is a great example of just that, it is not Tiki but it is beautiful I have seen hundreds of similar establishments disappear and then like the last of an endangered species they are gone forever. It is a time capsule in every sense, this is how people lived, this is what they ate, it is like walking into an art installation, take advantage of it.
While you are in the area drive around there is some great mid century architecture a couple of blocks over in a few directions, but be careful I have been told Upland is/was the bank robbery capital of the country.

My very best Alohas,

Bosko

Post #450325 by TIKIBOSKO on Tue, Apr 28, 2009 2:43 PM