In 2018, John Navid traveled to Hong Kong to attend the wedding of a close friend. Wandering alone between the celebrations, he drifted into the neighborhood of Sai Wan Ho in search of a vintage spot called Pak Ho Cafe. On his first attempt, however, he arrived just as the shop was preparing to close for the day, forcing him to turn back.
Driven by his deep love for old-school interior design, John made a definitive second visit. Stepping inside felt like entering a slow time capsule—weathered orange wooden booths, round marble tables, tiny mosaic floor tiles, and a retro green menu board. Over a cup of hot black tea and traditional pastries, John decided to stay until closing time to capture the cafe in its quietest state. Before leaving, as a thank you for the magical space, he left the owner a polaroid snapshot as a gift. The owner warmly accepted it and tucked it right into the bottom-right corner of the cashier's glass wall, complete with the name scrawled on it: JOHN NAVID.
With the shop closing down and being the only soul left inside, John packed up and walked out into the night. However, completely lost in the satisfaction of his frames, he walked away without paying. Realizing his blunder just as he stepped outside, John immediately turned back inside. The old owner grinned and tried to waive the bill, but John insisted on paying. After a brief, awkward tug-of-war with the cash, the owner finally accepted it with a hearty chuckle.
It was only much later, in October 2026, while reviewing the photographs and writing down this journal entry, that John discovered a brilliant revelation. Looking closely at the faded photos on that cashier's wall right next to his own polaroid, he realized the man with the iconic mustache was none other than the legendary Cantopop star, George Lam. As someone who simply loves Lam’s cover songs, this accidental neighborhood connection made the memories from that 2018 afternoon feel infinitely more magical—leaving behind not just a missed bill, but a piece of himself right next to a legend.
Camera : Sony A7
Lenses : Canon 50mm F1.4 LTM & Leica Summicron Collapsible 50mm F2
