Day 32, Week 3- Fresno is great for making healthy lifestle choices

Obesity is a real problem in the United States and especially here in the San Joaquin Valley. It is affecting our children and youth more than ever and is causing major health problems for our adults. Clearly this is one of Fresno's greatest challenges.

Luckily, we also live in an area where it is easy to adapt to a new and healthier lifestyle- Fresno is made for outdoor play! In fact, it is one of the main components of the Fresno Brand Platform- California's Year-Round Playground.

Spring seems to hit Fresno a month early every year and lasts into May and those sunny and gorgeous days just beg to be played in.

Summers can be hot- and for a few weeks there in July and August downright scorching, but they're also great for evening swimming. Summer mornings are beautiful and perfect for a walk or run.

Our Autumn season seems to last for only a few fleeting moments when the heat turns down a notch in October, in a week of crisp but still manageable-in-a-t-shirt weather before the chill comes in. However- our Winters are so mild that they're really like Autumn everywhere else, so of course outdoor fitness is great all Fall and Winter too.

We have biking trails, walking trails, and playgrounds galore - just like adults, kids need that 30 minutes or more of physical activity!

Starting a new healthy routine can seem daunting, but Fresno also has several supportive communities to help get your program up and running- many of them free or cheap. Spark People is a huge website for calorie counting, tracking fitness and connecting with other people trying to lose weight, and SparkFresno is the official spark team of Fresno. They have meet ups monthly, and chat in message boards offering support and advice all for FREE! There are also always programs like Central Valley's Greatest Loser, Team in Training, and joining your local roller derby team *ahem* to get support and make friends while getting in shape.

But really, back on the roller derby thing- I know I harp on it a lot- its my passion- BUT there are all kinds of fun sports to get into here even as an adult. Rugby, Kickball, Roller Derby, Petanque, If you're game, there probably is a sport for you to play. If you love to ride your bike, you can find a likeminded community in iBike Fresno. We have great BMX Track at Woodward Park, too!

Trails, teams, and beautiful sunny days aside, there is one more reason why Fresno is conducive to making healthy changes, and I've touched on it before- the produce!

Everyone knows that the foundation of a good diet lies in getting full servings of veggies and fruit. We live somewhere where making this happen can never get boring. You can join a CSA if you're adventurous and want a variety of fresh fruits and veggies every week- even in the dead of winter your box will be filled with beautiful treats all in season and filled with nutrients that you probably can't even pronounce.

Finally, we're close to some of the most beautiful places in the united states for skiing, hiking, cycling and surfing. I don't like to point people out of Fresno, but in this case it can't be overlooked. Within a few hours you can be skiing Sierra Summit or hiking Half Dome. You can be enjoying the surf at the beach of your choice in anywhere from 2 hours to 8, try doing that in Iowa.

Sure, we have tasty hamburgers*, but we have the perfect places to work off the calories, whats not to love about Fresno?

(Photo stolen from... somewhere.)
*I am a firm believer in moderation not restriction. If I had to live life knowing I could never taste a cheeseburger again I probably wouldn't live long enough to see another day of Fiber One cereal. Fresno has definitely done me right on the healthy lifestyle front, i don't like to pay much for anything so the walking trails are a godsend. If you're looking to start down a healthier path but don't know where to start or need support I'm always down to be a buddy!
**I didn't mean to get all preachy or anything, I know there is nothing more irritating than an enthusiastic dork.

Day 32, Week 2- We're a Parade of Drunkards. I mean, we have busy weekends!

I am sitting here on the cusp of yet another weekend where I can't possibly fit in everything that I want to do. This is something that always happens here in Fresno, and its almost every night of the week, not just weekends.

This weekend seems like its extra-filled with great stuff, though. First of all, my sweet little Mollie is turning one today. Last year, had I been blogging, I would have been singing the praises of the anesthesiologists of Fresno. Of course, to add to the crazy weekend is Valentine's Day on Sunday- these two non-Fresno related events are already making for a scheduling nightmare.

But then you bring out ALL OF THE STUFF TO DO on top of everything else, and well- you know how Hermione is able to be in multiple places at once in Harry Potter? Yeah, lets make that happen, please.

Specifically, I want to talk about two things that I think are awesome taking place this weekend.

First is the Wine and Chocolate Lovers Weekend. I'm sure that by now you've all heard that another highly reputable source has ranked Fresno on a list as the Drunkest City in America. Okay, guilty as charged- we have some kick ass wineries here, whats not to be drunk over? What I think is great about the Wine and Chocolate Lovers Weekend is that it is free, so if you know nothing about wine you don't have to spend your child's college fund to get a little taste of everything to figure out what you love. Its a little bit of Napa or Paso Robles, but without having to travel. And your designated driver doesn't get the fuzzy end of the lollipop either, its wine and chocolate. Everyone wins! The Doug and I are hoping to find a sitter for just a few hours to be able to hit up a few of the spots and taste a little bit of Fresno's best. You can also get seats on their wine trolley so you don't even have to worry about getting from place to place.

Also happening this weekend is the annual Mardi Gras Parade in Tower. I'm a sucker for parades, they're so much fun and they bring out all kind of folk from all over the community to come and see the floats and feel the excitement. If you have never made it out to the Mardi Gras parade, you should definitely check it out. It starts at 1:00 and it goes through the entire stretch of the Tower District along Olive. The floats are made by different local organizations, and it is always so cool to see what different clubs, sports teams and activities there are here. (to add further to the scheduling issues) I'll be out there with my NoTown girls skating around throwing beads and candy and meeting as many people as possible. If you make it out there, be sure to say hi if you see me! Free hugs!

These are just two of the things that are filling up my weekend, but there are always a million other things happening. I love that Fresno is a city where there is just no excuse for boredom. You're just making excuses for the sake of making excuses!

(Photo is the flyer for the event. Totes cute!)
(Okay so I'm the girl who needs the wine education. I'm a lot like the guy from Sideways who is all "Mmmm Oak-y"... What? I come from a long line of proud Franzia Boxed Wine drinkers, okay?!)

Day 32, Week 1. Creative Fresno

I had never been to a Creative Fresno Creative Blender until last month. I don't know if it was the whole "bringing creative professionals together" thing that threw me off- after all, I'm a lot of things, none of them professional. I just had never thought to check it out.

Of course, now that I have I am in love.

(It happens to me all the time when Fresno is involved, I'm such a Fromantic. Okay. Maybe Fresno and Romantic are two words that weren't made to be mashed into one superword. Despite that, I still think that it's Fresnawsome.)


Creative Fresno is great because their whole reason for being is to make Fresno a place that we can be proud of, a place where "smarties" want to be. In addition to the Creative Blenders- which are mixers for these creative folk to make connections and bounce ideas around, held at a variety of locations around the city- CF is behind the Mural Project which brings all of that great public art to Tower and Downtown; Pecha Kucha Night, an evening of presentations made by designers to share their work; the re:FUSE festival, a showcase of Fresno's musical talent; and the Fresno Filmmakers Forum, bringing those who work in the field together. Basically, Creative Fresno has their hands in lots and lots of projects throughout Fresno's creative communities.

I like Creative Fresno because they do all of this without being pretentious. Its a laid back crowd who are all just really excited about the possibilities within Fresno. We live in a city on the verge, and CF recognizes this and is pushing it forward in a very real, tangible way.




(Photos taken by me at the February Creative Blender held on 2/5/10 at Twee Boutique.)
P.S. You'll notice its called "Day 32, Week 1"... That is how I'll be dealing with these weekly postings from here on out. Its gonna be a whole year of Day 32, because I like it to be a little on the ridiculous side. Then next January we'll see how things reinvent themselves!

Day 32- The Great Thereafter.

All month I've been asked "What happens on day 32?"

I guess an evaluation of the month that just passed. How did this project grow, was it a success? Did I learn anything about Fresno? About myself? Has anything changed over 31 days?

Well, I'm sitting in my GAGAbow and lurking on the Beehive and sipping blueberry tea, so not too much has changed on that front. But beneath the kanekalon hair and tasty tea breath I think there have been some pretty big changes.

On the Love for Fresno front, I started it because I defend my lady's honor when I can,and Fresno is a lady, but after really picking Fresno apart and getting into the meat of why I came back here after living somewhere "cool", it really intensified my devotion to seeing things through with this city and helping to make it a great place to stay. Talk about the mother of run on sentences. Yeesh!

I found a lot of like-minded people who are pretty passionate about Fresno, and I learned some really cool tidbits I didn't know before the 31 Days started- William Saroyan co-wrote Come On A My House? What?! How did I not know this?

I drove around town with more purpose- meaning I was scouring the businesses and buildings wondering how many of these places I've never been would have made it on my list had I known about them. Sounds like a challenge to me. A dare, even.

Aside from the Fresnobsession, it felt really great to write with a purpose every night. Granted, some nights I was pretty tired and would rather gnaw my arms off than have to figure out how to eloquently (or at least coherently) put my thoughts down. Overall, though, it was a wake up call to the excuse I've given myself for years for not writing more- I don't have time to do it. Hopefully I can keep that in mind and make some more time for what used to be my favorite pastime. I definitely know I'll be writing on this 31 days blog at least once a week. You can't keep Fresno in the confines of a month!

I'm really amazed at the response to the blog, and I want to thank everyone who is reading this for being so supportive.

I hope that I can keep up the same spirit of Fresno Adventure throughout the whole year, and I'd love if you could all direct me to some place I'd left off of my list. Number one best thing about Fresno? There is an endless supply of things to do, people to see, places to go. Send me there!

Now... time to go crochet for a few days straight- I didn't get to craft at all last month I was so Fresno-Focused!

Day 31- Fresno is full of people who actively work to make it a better place.

As evidenced by how many people stepped up to the 31 Days of Fresno challenge, read along, commented and talked about it, Fresno has some amazing people living here who want things to be great. We are not a stagnant community, we're not interested in standing still, we're always looking for ways to breathe even more life into this place. Fresno is an easy place to make a difference because we do have that "Small Town Feel", anyone who wants to try something just needs to put the effort and heart into it and usually Fresno will show up. We have Pecha Kucha Night, Poetry Jams, and now kickball, all of these things because people took a chance on an idea to bring something new to Fresno. I love it.

I've heard its used as an insult that Fresno turns out in mass for new restaurant opening or new places, but how is that bad? We're curious, we see the shiny and have to check it out- it beats being wary of new things and never going, causing all new ideas and places to fail immediately. Or worse- no one trying new things at all.

We're in this city together, and ultimately the place you live is only as great as you make it. I'm glad that so many Fresnans* are up for the challenge.

Watch this video Ryne and I made to sum up our 31 days and explain how 31 Days of Fresno is going to continue on through the rest of the year. A hint- it'll take some participation on your part to make it work...



*What, a girl can't link to her friends?

Day 30- Fresno is a place where things are made.

On the Fresno flag, one part of it is agriculture, another sunshine, and the other part shown is industry. I didn't think it would be fair to that very important side of Fresno to make it 31 days without giving a nod to the cool stuff that is made here.

Pelco is the obvious company to mention first- you can find Pelco's systems all over the world, and you also see license plates all over Fresno that read PLCO. Its pretty huge, and even with the lay offs and hits that the economy has given it, it is still one of the most recognizable brands out of Fresno.

That said, I want to talk about a company that isn't as well known (which I can't understand why...* ) Keiser Sports and Health Equipment. Keiser manufactures fitness equipment, and the whole process from engineering to shipping the pieces out is done here in Fresno. Keiser was started in 1976 by brothers Dennis and Randy Keiser, and if you wanna talk about real smarties, well, I can't even seem to make my own breakfast but every year it seems like there is a new piece of pneumatic-awesomeness, or an addition to the pre-existing awesomeness that the duo and their engineering team come up with.

Worldwide Keiser is becoming a major force in the fitness world (force... that's funny because they sell a force machine.) and being recognized for its merits- being able to train consistently because there are no weights, its all pneumatic, the minimal equipment needed because, well its all pneumatic, and gosh golly gee, the inherent safety of using it because its... okay you get the picture, pneumatic. No weights dropping on your foot!

Keiser has been putting Fresno on the map in fitness equipment, LT uses Keiser equipment** (That's right, I know enough sports lingo to know that LT isn't just a sandwich missing its most important ingredient...) and the M3 bikes are selling like (lowfat) hotcakes because it does one thing so many other stationary bikes don't do- it S'sTFU! Its quiet, its smooth, its like riding a bike through butter (Margarine? Olive Oil?) and its just plain pretty. And, hot damn, its all Fresno. Also interesting, Keiser hasn't fared too poorly during the recession, a lot of their business is overseas in Spain and China.

I worked for Keiser for a year, and it was just so cool to see the process of manufacturing these things and becoming aware of the fact that everything we use is somehow part of someone's livelihood. I had never considered that side of things even though my dad has worked in the field his whole life. I really started to appreciate all of the small locally run businesses that operate out of downtown Fresno and how they work together and help each other out.

I think that this is one thing I love the most about industrial Fresno, they buy each others products, they support one another, and they take care of Fresno by using those downtown buildings. Fresno Tent and Awning operates out of the first brewery in Fresno, and they are so proud of that fact and of their place.

I was only a receptionist, so you know, my real knowledge of the manufacturing of stuff is pretty limited (as proven by my use of the technical term "stuff"- I put warning stickers on parts for machines when the phones weren't busy- that's how I got my hands in.) but it is one thing that Fresno can and should recognize. We have so many men and women working behind the scenes on things that people the world over can appreciate and use- Fresno plays a major part in protecting important places and also in training elite athletes in major sports***, among the thousands of other businesses in Fresno with equally important and wide reaching work, which I think we should really take immense pride in.

(Picture from Keiser's web site.)
*Seriously... come ON local gyms- this is top notch equipment with great customer service and like, the best bearded guy to supervise the assembly aspect, like, ever. I can testify that there is a lot of care and attention put into this stuff, but would you expect any less from a Fresno company? We're hard workers. Buy local!
**11 seconds into the video you can see some hot Fresno-made action.
*** DREW BREES. Major, like superflippinbowlmajor.
Super PS- this was mostly typed with a sleeping 1 year old in my left arm, so please excuse any glaring errors, I'll fix 'em as soon as I've regained use of all of my typing appendages.

Day 29- Woodward Park

I haven't covered enough North of Belmont this month, so I really am excited to make day 29 all about one of the most beautiful places in Fresno, Woodward Park.

Located, as I like to say it, way the hell out there at Friant and Audubon, Woodward is always worth the drive for me. (Which has been shortened thanks to the 180 which comes right to my doorstep- takes me 12 minutes if traffic is nice!)

The beautiful rolling hills, the calm water, the evil geese*- its all part of the Woodward Park experience. Woordward park has been a place to party, a place to relax, a place to enjoy music and performing arts, and I won't lie, a place to make out. Oh come on , you know you've had more than a few dates there! The picnic, the stroll through the park, the secluded romance of the whole thing makes for a perfect date spot. (Until all of the Clovis Unified cheer squads invade your peaceful spot to take their team photos. Its hard to fall in love to the sound of hundreds of UGGs being removed.)

The Shinzen Gardens are an extra special part of the park, and my favorite thing about Woordward. I love the trees and the colors. The whole thing is maintained so beautifully and created to be a real meditative and tranquil experience. Plus, koi are the coolest fish ever.

The trails that go through the park are wonderful, they overlook the San Joaquin River below and are a lovely way to get in those darned recommended 30 minutes of exercise a day.

I've seen my fair share of concerts there- Kiss Country always blows my mind with the acts they bring in for the $5 concert series- remember seeing Billy Currington when he was just an (adorable) opening act? I remember going as a kid and dancing with my mom to oldies cover bands during the concerts in the park. I can recall the smell of the late summer in Woodward Park even now, in winter. Dust and those silvery green weeds that grow all along the parking area for the concerts, kind of bitter, kind of sweet, but completely comforting.

Another cool thing that happens at Woodward is the Woodward Shakespeare Festival. Theater out under the sky, classic works brought to life all summer long here in Fresno. What better way to get our kids and youth started on these pieces (That they'll have to read anyway in English class) than to see them performed by enthusiastic, passionate and talented actors here in Fresno? Love it.

No matter how you look at it, Woodward is a place where good memories are made in Fresno. Even if the Geese are completely nuts.

(photo from Shinzen Garden website)
*I once got bombarded by geese, hissing and honking at me for bread or blood, so my date and I jumped up onto a picnic table, only to be completely surrounded by a sea of angry feathers. Some kindly bicyclist managed to get their attention off of us and we scampered away. I never followed through on it though, I hope he survived.

Day 28- A place to put your roots down

It's getting close to the end of the month, so the topics I've considered a lot more work or more personal have all been pushed to the last few days here. That said, tonight is going to be on the personal side- it is probably the number one reason that I love Fresno so much.

Both of my parents have families that have been in Fresno for generations. My Dad's parents started out in Oklahoma and moved to Madera in 1946 when my grandpa was out of the Navy, and then they moved to a house on Clovis Avenue in 1957.

My maternal Great Grandmother came to America from Russia in the Early 1900's. Our family are Volga German, a colony of Germans who lived in Russia along the Volga River. Catherine the Great brought them into Russia, promising them that they could live according to their German traditions, but when she passed the promises were no longer kept and the Germans started to immigrate to America. A large group of Volga Germans have settled in Fresno since they first arrived in 1887, and with them, my family.

My Great Grandparents Mollie (Bitter) and Jack Lust bought the land that I live on now in 1935, and started out with just a shack that was already here. Their whole house was the space of my living room, and my grandma remembers that there were gaps between the slats of wood. In time, they added on and built up the house, and it became the house I live in today in 1947. The photo I used today is of the cement in our back yard that has PB 7-46 written into it by my great grandmother's brother, Peter Bitter. We just remodeled the bathroom and found remnants of the original wallpaper behind the sheetrock, and in the cabinets, my great grandpa's signature.

Something I've heard often this month has been that people love Fresno because it is a place they chose to live out of everywhere else in the world. I'm so glad that Fresno has that same draw as a place to put down roots now as it did when both sides of my family were looking for a place to settle. My roots are so deep now that even if I were to move (gasp!) I'd never be able to fully leave, nowhere else would feel like home. I love Fresno because it is a place where generations of families stay by choice and add on to their family histories from the still bountiful Central Valley. I think it makes for a rich and beautiful chapter in my family's story.

I wanted to end today's topic with a few of the quotes from people who have decided to make Fresno their home.

Bill Sidhu

Grew up in London lived in Washington DC, been to Paris Rome Madrid too many to name all..... and Fresno was my CHOICE

Petra Wolf

From Hamburg, Germany straight to Fresno...15 years ago. I really got to like this town!

Ryne Santos (From his Heck Yes Fresno Tumblr!)

I’m technically not a native of the city. I was born in San Diego as a US Navy child; thus I’ve lived everywhere with San Diego yielding the fewest years I’ve stayed in one area at approximately 2 years. I’ve also lived in Guam (5 years), Adak, Alaska (2-3 years), Bremerton, Washington (3 years), Yokosuka, Japan (4 years), and now this is the longest I’ve ever been grounded in one place at 8 years and counting.


Glad all of you decided to put down roots!

(Photo by me, of my concrete.)
(We named our daughter Mollie after my Great Grandma. I really wish she would have hyphenated her last name, how cool would the name Bitter-Lust have been?)
(I love hearing about how people ended up here- every family has their own story, please share yours with me in the comments!)

Day 25- PANCAKES.

I like to think with my tummy, and my tummy thinks that Fresno has some pretty fantastic breakfast spots.

Oh come on, you know you wish you could have breakfast every meal. Don't act like I'm the crazy one for making Pancakes a reason to love living in Fresno.

I have to say my big super ultra mega top pancake experience comes from Batter Up. You can basically put anything they have in their pantry in a pancake. In the morning everything is just static to me, but I can always very clearly hear my husband when he says "Mumfubuzzmmuuhmmnnnhhuyushhhhmmmmzzzz Bacon cheddar pancakes?" Uh yeah, do velociraptors get repelled by grape juice? (Answer is: Probably. Very likely.) Their short stack consists of two pancakes the size of my head. Maybe even the size of Doug's head. Also, they're kid friendly, they have a chalk board in the corner for kids to go nutZ on and then come back to the table covered in fine pink and blue and green dust for optimal enjoyment of pancakes.

Mak's Landing in the Chandler Airport gets a close second, though. Once again, pancakes the size of the plate that turn into sumptuous morsels of doughy syrupy joy, but with the really cool added bonus of getting to watch planes land and take off just outside the window.

For the fine-dining pancaker, of course there is Patio Cafe in Fig Garden, which in addition to perfect pancakes has some of the best dang omlettes ever. The atmosphere reminds me of having breakfast at a restaurant on the coast... casual but at the same time really special. And I'm pretty sure you should order a mimosa with your pancakes. Why not? Be sure to click the link, you're gonna love the music. I'm finding myself swaying back and forth muttering "Pancake" in a very seductive, Barry White way.

Everyone has a place they go for those pancakes that haunt their dreams, where do you pancake it up?

(Photo by me of a Batter Up masterpiece!)
(I know you're questioning my judgment on the whole bacon cheddar pancake business, but don't knock it until you've tried it.)

Publish Post

Day 24- Luftenburg's Bridal

I just got home from the wedding of two wonderful people, so I decided to dedicate day 24 to newlyweds Shelby and Doug MacNab and make the theme of the day a bridal one.

Luftenburg's is a triple threat, made of win on every front. It's in the Fulton Mall. It has been in business for 67 years (as evidenced by the kick ass signage). It's locally owned and not part of a chain. I love it because its such a staple of the Fresno wedding experience and it has been that way for so many brides throughout the years.

I found my dress there*, I told them what I wanted and somehow they pulled the image I made up in my fantasy world out into reality for me. No, really, I think they have a Kim's Fantasy World Portal there. It wasn't even out on the racks, they said it had "Just come in"... yeah, a likely story.

My mom and I made every trip down there an adventure and we'd sample all of the restaurants and stop in at the shops along Kern, it really made the experience unique and special and very, very Fresno.

My sister will be getting married in October and after hitting up all of the shops in town, she found the perfect dress there, as well as great service. I'm hoping she decides that she wants to get the bridesmaids dresses there too just so I have more excuses to go in.

I worry that people might be hesitant to shop there, its not all ritzy glamor like many of the other shops in town are. I can say that the times I've gone in I've had such a positive experience with the staff and they way they worked with me that I recommend it to everyone to at least go and check out while hunting for the perfect gown. If nothing else, it'll get you downtown and give you the ideal opportunity to stop a few blocks away at Cosmopolitan afterward for a tasty sandwich. Mmm, or hit up the farmers market. Ooooh, or drop in down the street at Teazer. Lets face it, Luftenburgs is just a great bridal shopping destination that gives you all kinds of excuses to get your grub on.

And really, isn't that what life is all about; trying on pretty things and then chowing down, while basking in the glory of supporting mom and pop businesses?

(Photo pilfered from The Luftenburg's website)
(CONGRATS SHELBY AND DOUG!)
*Okay, so maybe that marriage didn't last, but that dress was A-MAZING. And I've gotten plenty of mileage out of it, and always looking for more chances to put it on. Seriously. It has a hoop skirt and everything, I feel like Little Bo Peep. And you know, the other good thing about the location is that its right by the county clerk's office, so you're probably gonna end up downtown ANYWAY, might as well shop there, too.

Day 23- Central Unified School District

I wouldn't feel right ending 31 days of Fresno without putting Central Unified School District in there somewhere. (I can hear my husband groaning already. Clovis, what can you do?) As a Central High School Alum*, I'm pretty proud of the little district that could.

I'm not the only one in my family though that went to Central- my mom was a Grizzly, as were my grandparents (Sweethearts!). Right now we're living so close to Madison Elementary, where my Grandma was a student, and then my mom and aunt were students. I am so excited for my kids to start kindergarten and be 4th generation Central kids.

I also experienced Central from a different perspective, I worked for a few years as an aide with the After School Program at Madison. I loved it even more when I saw behind the scenes and got to know the teachers and administration. Fate and a lot of chaperoned field trips has made my dad close friends with most of the science department at Central West, and I've been able to see how much heart they all put into their jobs as teachers.

I remember as student the teachers who went that extra step, and they're still some of my favorite people. Heck, even the teachers who I didn't like were probably great in retrospect, they just taught crappy subjects. Not their fault that they were good at math and made a career out of it.

I know this is probably pretty universal, though. There are a lot of great things to be said for Fresno Unified, and I'll even cave just this once and admit that my husband's alma mater Buchanan, and Clovis Unified are pretty great too. We have educators who work with shrinking budgets and dwindling paychecks and yet still bring their love of learning and passion for what they do with them every day into their classrooms.

Karen Marguth posted this**, and even though it is about Fresno Unified, I think it really speaks to all of Fresno; "Working as a teacher in the Fresno area means that you are helping to make a difference where it's really needed. You are a part of something important, at a time and in a place where so many lives can be improved."

So, to the educators and administrators of Central Unified and beyond, I applaud you. You're doing a great job.

(Image from Central Unified School District's website.)
*Yes, that is from my sophomore yearbook. Yes those are pull tabs from soda cans in my braids. No, I do not regret the Payless knock off Doc Marten wannabe boots with sparkly nail polish over the black fakey leather and the "Goddess" laces. The Zac Hanson braids may have been a bit much, though.
**January 2nd in the comments on my blog for the day.
(Also, if I don't blog tomorrow, its because Doug killed me for putting that link up to... wait... I guess you'll have to click it to figure out the mystery of the missing Burly. Also also wik- Bowl cuts are hot.)

Day 22- Fulton Mall Art and Architecture

Have you been down to the Fulton Mall lately? No? Why not?

Its worth the drive downtown just to check out the public art and the cool buildings. I didn't realize how cool until this summer when the Downtown Associaton had a viewing of a film from the 1960's called "A City Reborn" and there was an awesome walking tour of the mall before the film was shown.



Did you know we have a sculpture by Renoir? Like, the Renoir? Its one of only 6 in the world like it, and of those six, its the only one you can actually go up to and touch. Pretty rad.

Stan Bitters, an artist who has pieces at the mall, is apparently a distant relative of mine, and every time I go to the mall, my mom reminds me of this. Its a good thing I like his art.

People always say Fresno doesn't have the skyline of a big city, and our buildings don't wow them, but I think that many of the buildings on the Fulton Mall are beautiful and definitely wow-worthy. The details that were put into the design to make these buildings stand out blows me away. The extent of my architecture knowledge is solely from reading The Fountainhead, so I don't think I can really say much beyond "Ooooh pretty!" But I can direct you to The Downtown Association's Historic Buildings, and awesome Fresno Architecture Blog, Arc Hop.

I love These buildings, and the history behind them. I hope someday we can take care of our mall and bring back that vision in the 60's when the mall was a hub of entertainment and community activity. I wish I could have seen it in its heyday.

(Photo by me of the Bank of Italy building.)

Day 21- Tacos!

I may not be the top taco connoisseur in Fresno, but my tummy knows a thing or two about tasty tacos in the Fresno area. It seems like almost every shopping center has at least one Mexican restaurant, which is fine by me- and there are always new places springing up to try out. There are a few stand out taco places here though that I'd like to mention in particular in my ode to Fresno's tacodom.*

Al Rico's Taco's on Ashlan and Marks was the first place I fell in love with aacos. I was in high school and my boyfriend and I would walk there and nomnomnomnomnom the heck out of their 2x$1 deal. Now the price has gone up to $1.25, but its still a steal- and they're open til 10- in fact my husband is trying to talk me into driving there as I type this.

Chris' Meat Market on Kern downtown is another delicious destination. How many 4 AM adventures ended up there when I was still cool enough to be out until 4 AM? Too many tacos to count, my friends.

My Husband got me hooked on Tacos Tijuana on Ventura- another midnight cravings place with some incredible food. Killer carne asada.

I know there are many, many more, but quite frankly I'm fried from the wee one crying (its bedtime) and I'm thinking about nipping out for a taco myself. Share your favorite taco haunts! Tacos make the world go round and are part of the yummy side of Fresno!


(Found the image on Ebaums world. Couldn't resist posting it. You know how that goes.)
*This is just a quick overview, I wasn't even planning on doing tacos today until I started thinking about how badly I want one! If you wanna know more about any of these places your best bet is just to go. Tacos are dirt cheap, anyway so its not like you'll be out anything and you can check "Taco Adventure" off of your bucket list.

(Also, there's a new place that just opened on Belmont and Marks, anyone been yet? I'm planning on going very soon to check it out! Tacos that are within an arms reach? (if I had 2 mile arms) YES PLEASE!)

Day 20- The Tower District

The Tower District once was described by one of my friends as "the only place in Fresno that has a scene." While I don't completely agree that its the only place, that has stayed with me through many years- well, at least long enough that I've forgotten who said it. The truth to that statement is that Tower really does have its own flavor, attitude and feeling. Driving down Olive you can perceptibly feel the atmosphere change as you get closer and closer to the Tower Theater- that beacon of what I would consider to be Fresno's live entertainment district.

I wanted to save Tower for later in the month because it really is just such a big undertaking to do it justice, however, here at day 20 I'm no more prepared to gush about all of the great things Tower has to offer than I was on the first. With no clue which direction to take first- art, food, music, people, events.... I'll begin with the strongest statement I can make about the Tower District and how I feel about it in relation to Fresno: If a friend were visiting Fresno for the first time, I would take them to Tower first.

I would like people who have never seen Fresno to at least leave with thoughts of a street lined with (mostly) locally owned businesses, beautiful public art and fun people in their mind.

Tower has everything that I look for in places I go to visit. I realized this while my family was vacationing in Morro Bay last weekend. All of the places we all go nuts for over by the coast are here in Tower, but better and less tourist-generic. No seriously, just for one example; my dad will go to the coast, not to see the waves but to buy as many cheap albums on vinyl as he can convince my mom that he needs, never mind that we have an awesome record shop here as well as all kinds of thrift shops to check out.

I am very proud of the Tower District. I love when there are parades and people line the streets to watch and celebrate whatever the occasion is together. I love the sit down dinners and the on-the-go options. I love that, in the rare event that my husband and I get a date night, we can always find something to do- sometimes its hard to choose between the venues. I love that there are always a handful of people that I've never actually seen sober, but can be counted on to be in the Livingstones patio. I really love that I can get a yummy coffee drink or a delicious tea- or both, one in each hand if my mood dictates. The Tower may not be the only place with a scene, but the scene there is definitely exciting and unique and one that I wish I could spend more time in.

What do you love about the Tower District?

(Photo credit to the absolutely awesome Joe Osejo. Who rules? Joe rules. For realz.)
(I hope all of the places I linked to are still open, its hard to tell with the way places keep closing thanks to the economy. Makes me sad!)

Day 19- Yogi Shalom

Anyone who has taken a yoga class at Fresno City or Fresno State in the last 30 years probably is familiar with the voice of Yogi Shalom filling the room from his recorded hatha yoga sessions. The founder of Yoga of the Old Masters and The Yoga Center here in Fresno, Yogi Shalom has dedicated his life to helping other people find balance and live healthy lives. He's all the proof that you need: he practices what he preaches and it gets the results he promises, at almost 88 years old he's in better shape than most twenty-somethings I know.

If you've ever been to one of his classes at The Yoga Center, you're familiar with the comfortable, comical atmosphere that he brings with him wherever he goes. More times than I can count he's cracked jokes before class starts, or sometimes in the middle of a session, but it never detracts from the relaxing feel of the class. In the last year he's stopped making the bi-weekly trek down from Auberry to teach, but he's still living a holistic lifestyle and spreading the gospel of Yoga and healthy eating from his yoga studio he's set up in his home.

Something that makes Fresno super-ultra-mega-rad in this situation is that the local learning institutions have been using their yoga curriculum from someone who is also from the community instead of ordering yoga sessions from somewhere else.

I also probably should mention here that Yogi Shalom is also known as Charles Schoelen, or in other words, my grandpa. This makes day 19 special for two reasons- one being that I absolutely love yoga, the Yoga Center and his CDs, and two being that Fresno is a place where my whole family lives, and that makes Fresno important to me. This is a place that he and my grandmother chose to settle down with their family, and I am so happy that they did. I love a city that supports their local yogis!

(Photo from The Yoga of the Old Masters website. So are these photos:

Totally awesome. Yeah, can YOU do that? Well, you can if you do yoga, I guess...)

Day 18- Central Valley Talk

I'll admit, I really had never watched much Central Valley Talk up until a month or two ago. I didn't know it existed.

Now that I've been educated in the awesomeness I tune in at random throughout the day to see what I can see, and I think its is just too cool. People who aren't necessarily career TV personalities have a major voice here and do a great job hosting shows that cover parenthood to Fresno nightlife.

What strikes me as 31-days-worthy is the dedication the hosts of the show and people who make it happen behind the scenes have to Fresno, the various 'scenes' in town and promoting the things that make Fresno rock. If you're having a hard time figuring out what bands are up and coming, which events are going to be hot, or what the meaty issues are in Fresno, chances are you'll be able to hear about them on CVT. I've had the opportunity to go the Central Valley Buzz with Chuck and Joey and just from hanging out in the studio with them I've come away feeling like my Fresno IQ is higher- they know exactly whats going on in town, down to what kind of hot dog to order at Tower Dogs!

These shows regularly bring in local artists, musicians, poets, and weirdos like me and give them a chance to get their name, ideas or product out there. What an opportunity!

Central Valley Talk is on Digital Channel 33.1, or can be viewed on their website at any time. For more information on CVT and who they are go here. And then watch a broadcast, or just listen, but either way, check it out. I didn't know it existed until a few months ago and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people who have yet to hear about it so spread the word and let your friends know about this awesome locally produced media gem.

(Photo is from another PRT SCRN magic trick I did, because I can crop. Watch on the web and you'll likely see this same image!)

Day 17- Tri Tip

Anyone from Fresno has probably at least once experienced the confounded look on an out-of-towner's face when talking about tri tip. This is fairly common- the use of this cut of meat wasn't really done for much other than ground beef up until the 50's when some smarty in Santa Maria decided that it was the best cut of meat ever and it should be enjoyed.

Though it is gaining popularity, tri tip is still mainly found along the central coast and ding ding ding! Right here in Fresno and the valley.

Its so popular that everyone you know has the best recipe for the most tender and flavorful roast. My husband likes Pappys, my dad uses wine and garlic, my mother in law swears by local seasoning maker Raven. Its discussed at bar-b-que's out of hearing range of the host and shared on internet forums, where people from near and far all ask "Okay, so what cut is it?" Tri tip is definitely a tasty Fresno food, so how do you prepare yours?

Day 16- Huntington Boulevard

Today is devoted to the second street in my 31 days- Huntington Boulevard.

Huntington is a beautiful, well loved and cared for neighborhood that is on the cusp of downtown and it is a beaming example of what taking care of our beautiful historic places can be.

I chose Huntington because I spent a year living in the condos at the end of the boulevard at R street. I loved walking it, with its full trees and homes full of character. I loved skating it when we were just starting to form a roller derby team and I had to prove to myself I still could stand up. I loved syaing hi to people as I went by, and there being an abundance of people to say hi to. Huntington is a very busy walkway, and its easy to see why.

As a kid we would always check out the lights along Huntington instead of Christmas Tree Lane because it was geographically closer to our house and we could walk it on any night we chose. I can still see my favorite displays even now years later in my mind.

A quick Google search turned up the Historic Huntington Boulevard website, which has a detailed history on the street, and it even gives a virtual tour of the neighborhood homes. Its wonderful to see a neighborhood that takes such pride in where they are and where they came from.

(Photo from the Historic Huntington website)

Day 15- Valley Burlesque Society

I'm not sure if this is as opposite as two days can be from one another, but today I choose Valley Burlesque Society as one of Fresno's gems.

Most recently I saw VBS perform at the Fresno Beehive party, and the routines were great, a perfect combination of fun, tease and well, fun again.

Before you get all moral high-horsey on me and say "What? She chose stripping as one of her favorite things?!" I just want to clarify, burlesque isn't stripping. Its more of a playful and (mostly) tasteful removal of clothing. It brings back a lost art of waiting and anticipating but never quite seeing all that is there, leaving the best parts to the imagination. Its all in the tease.

Valley Burlesque Society teaches this art and holds performances several times a year, including participation in the Rogue festival. They welcome all women of any level of dance experience and body type, emphasizing that burlesque is for real women with real bodies.

What I love about this is that it is a way for the women of Fresno to feel empowered and sexy while being active. They don't require the Basics of Burlesque students to perform, though it is one of the perks, and students come away with knowledge of how to make a burlesque costume.

So next time someone complains that there is nothing cool to do in Fresno, point them to a Basics class, or one of their shows. I think they might change their tune before that first satin glove even falls to the ground.

(Image from the VBS website and blog.)
(What, you were expecting N00DZ? You'll have to go to the show!)

Day 14- Break The Barriers

One of my favorite non-profit organizations in Fresno is Break the Barriers, a gym that integrates children (and adults!) of all abilities. What started as a backyard gym for Deby and Steve Hergenrader to work with disabled gymnasts has become one of the most unique and thriving organizations in Fresno, and in the nation.

That's right, folks, I said nation. The vision of Break The Barriers to integrate all levels of ability is one that is thus far not matched elsewhere.

And this gym is hoppin'. I find my way down there at least twice a week and there is always a buzz of activity and fun when you walk through the doors. In addition to gymnastics, BTB offers dance, sign language, martial arts, personal training and a brand new Wii workout program.

My son is in the Creative Movement and Tap class for 2 and 3 year olds and is actually just starting his 3rd term. It has been awesome watching him learn to listen to other adults and interact with other kids. I also go there to work with their personal trainer Lamont Nash and it has been a very positive experience for me- one that has lost me almost 13 lbs so far!

But all of these things are just a small part of what is so amazing about Break The Barriers. The other side of what they do is have a really kickin' performance team, The Barrier Breakers. The team has traveled all over the world bringing a message of ability awareness along with a great show.

Plus, they have some of the loveliest receptionists on the planet.*

I love Break the Barriers because they do so much for so many in Fresno.



(Photo from Break The Barriers webpage.)
*My sister is one of these receptionists. Of course she's lovely, she's related to me!