Nevermind the Steam Clock

By only

Tuesday March 27, 2007

Right across form the Astoria is the Hastings Steam Bath. This is one of those little known secret places that, due to location, nobody ever thinks about trying but should. If you’re coming down with a cold, need to cleanse after a binge or just to shake the weight of the world off your shoulders, there’s really nothing like a good steam. Opened in 1926, it feels a little like a Filipino hostel inside, but is surprisingly clean for a spot on East Hastings where you can get naked.

You can go solo or with a friend or lover, but this isn’t a romantic getaway kind of place. Its too hot. Make sure you get a private room because, though we haven’t seen or heard it yet, we’re sure there’s some shady, naughty stuff that goes on in the public rooms. It’s 15 bucks or so for an hour and a half and you get towels, eucalyptus oil and sheets for the little beds in the change rooms, where you can unwind afterwards while staring up at the old paintings on the wall covered in graffiti that say things like Mary and Dave and Cheryl came here. 1997. Eeeww that can be taken the wrong way.