Buzz

Graffiti Happenings this weekend

2008-05-31T09:15:25.0330000-07:00

This weekend is loaded with great stuff to do. Number one on your list of things not to miss is the 35^th Anniversary of the film American Graffiti at the State Theatre. This is an all day festival that begins at 1:00 pm and continues into the evening. You can meet Harvey Wexler, Cinematographer on the film, car designed Gene Winfield and Candy Clark, Debbie from the film. There will be doo wop music with Frankie and the Fabletones, fun, food and of course the film American Graffiti on the big screen of the State at 7 pm. Do not miss this and take the family. In other Graffiti action this weekend will be the Mid Valley Chevy Car Show over at MJC West Campus and will feature some great Gene Winfield cars and an appearance by Gene himself.

For other fun things, Friday night you can go Jungle Girl at Banana Joe’s on 9^th St and at the State Theatre, you can see the Grant and David Boring film presentation of the Inner Eye the studies the art of the Howard Training Center, featuring a new soundtrack by Keith Cole and David Boring. Late night, it gets fun as it is Sex in the City Night at the Fat Cat with Pure 209 Productions. It will be a gas.

This weekend at the Gallo Center , there is both a Traditional Hawaiian Hula Bash and a special folklorico dance presentation by Corazon de Mexico. The film In Bruges will be playing on the big screen at the State Sunday evening.

Don’t forget that your Modesto weekend needs to start with the Certified Farmers Market on 16^th St between I and H. The Sierra Railroad will be featuring a Murder Mystery and a Wild West Train this weekend leaving from downtown Oakdale.

On Sunday Senior Spotlight featuring Grace Lieberman and Friends will take the stage on Sunday at 1. In the evening, you can go check out some Classic Rock dancing at Crocodiles on Prescott . For those of you looking for a little bit of rehab, you can Run with the Shadowchase Running Club meeting at Scenic and Oakdale or you can ride bicycles with the Stanislaus County Bike Club from Marie Calendars.

New Retail Downtown

2008-05-31T09:09:06.9390000-07:00

ModestoView is normally about the arts and entertainment, but we are also champions for people that open retail businesses in Downtown. We need more retail, housing and more living amenities. Now we have more, local resident Susan Johnston has opened a new boutique called Bonnie J. They have great fashions and accessories. Support our local businesses that do business in downtown. They are on J right across the street from Mira Bridal and next to the Modesto Downtown Improvement District office where you can always pick up a copy of ModestoView Magazine.

ModestoView interviewed by West Coast Sound and Light.

2008-05-30T09:05:00.7650000-07:00

Check out the ModestoView interview by WCSL CEO Paul Doty. Paul has a very popular Podcast that is heard all over the nation and for June, the subject is local music and ModestoView. Hear the interview with Chris Murphy by logging on to www.modestoview.com and click the WCSL Link.

You can still get a knockout burger!

2008-05-28T09:04:30.7220000-07:00

Just because Scenic Drive in is down for the count (we hope temporarily) it doesn’t mean that you can’t get a Knock out. In the June 2007 edition and did a head to head Knock out burger and the winner in the article is the Knockout still standing. Bea’s Drive in on Yosemite is the knock out winner in the knock out contest. You need to go by and get this burger and enjoy. Do what ModestoView does and take your Knock out and go sit in one of our parks and enjoy. Extra onion rings anyone?

Head straight to Bea’s Drive In on Yosemite and you will get the burger of your drive in dreams. Double meat, jalapenos, avocado, bacon onion ring and so much more and special sauce. Match it up with fries and a shake, you are golden.

Bee’s BBQ and Drive In

1751 Yosemite Blvd, Modesto 209-526-5122

Get ready for Modesto Blues Fest - June 14

2008-05-27T09:08:05.2000000-07:00

GoModesto Blues Fest and Walk

Want some hot blues mixed in with your American Graffiti?

There will be a huge Blues Festival on June 14 at Graceada Park . There will be blues, there will be cars, there will be art and there will be fun. Additionally at 10 am there is the United Community Walk, for Hope and Recovery, NAMI Stanislaus among other groups

Before the Blues Fest, the Commonality art group will be featured at the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. This will be set up in the Library parking lot with many works and artists on display. During the morning they will provide directions to Graceada Park where at 10 am, check in at the Mancini Bowl Modesto Blues Festival main stage for the walk up to the Virginia Corridor Walking and Riding park via Enslen and west on Morris, by the Lion's Club kids park at Virginia and Morris, then up to Rotary Junction at Roseburg Square and return.

At 1 p.m., crank up the music, and start the Fifth Modesto Blues Festival, complete with cars, vendors, music, art, (got a good kids show coming in with El Concilio) food, drink, and great line up..... DJ Slate and Rocket 88, Rhythm Deluxe, Rene Solis & Laura Chavez in Guitar Extravaganza with Johnny Cat, Reno Blues Explosion of Blue Haven and The Whiskey Haulers, then MoFo Party Band...... and as it will start to get dark as John and Bill Clifton, Cobra wind down in the park. It doesn’t stop there.

An After party at Minnie's, free to get in, hosted by Vintage Blues Band, as the house jammers, with friends in from this years Blues Fest lineup, other local players at the first Official Modesto Blues Festival After Party playing ‘till midnight at Minnie's.

Find real cost savings- Not cut airline service

2008-05-27T09:06:46.3770000-07:00

Budget cuts are on the top line right now. We are chipping away at the things that make this a good area to visit. The city and county failed to provide a backing for LAX flights and we will lose them at the end of June. This will cost our community more in lost jobs, tourism, commerce than the potential guarantee cost. Poor decision. We will nickel and dime our small areas that will slash cultural assistance and economic progress, but where are the real cuts? Like what? Have our city and county unified departments? Do we have two plan check departments? Are the city and county linked up on systems and servers? Do we have any duplication at the government level of key functions? These are areas that can save huge, both in cost and efficiency. 10^th St Place can be a model for city and county cooperation. Is it? What do you think? Comment in Buzz.

See what is happening at the county here @ www.stancounty.com

See what is happening at the city here @ www.modestogov.com

Support Relay For Life

2008-05-27T09:05:48.8740000-07:00

The world turns because those that can and have the means to lend a hand… do. Here is how you can “do” this month. The Relay for Life is coming up at Johansen High later this month. Raising funds for cancer research is very important. Most all of us know someone that has battled cancer. Some have won their battles and others have not. The Riverbank Relay for Life is this weekend at Riverbank High. If you don’t have a team in the Relay for Life, you can make a contribution to a team by clicking this website.

http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeCaliforniaDivision?fr_id=4684&pg=entry

Save Money Ride your bike

2008-05-14T09:03:11.3580000-07:00

Save money! How close is your grocery store? Is it a mile or less? If not, is there a grocery store that close to you. Simple observation shows that there are grocery stores about a mile apart all over town. There are two within a mile of my house. It is time to walk or ride your bike to the market. Shop more, buy simple and only what you need. A grocery pull cart is only $25 at Orchard Supply. You save gas, you don’t by unnecessary stuff, you get fit all in one simple grocery trip. $4.00 gas should make us change our habits. Farmers market on the weekend? Ride your bike with a basket.

LAX is gone – Must Save Modesto Air Service.

2008-05-09T09:03:52.3470000-07:00

The leaders of the City of Modesto and Stanislaus County needed to step in and provide a guarantee but sadly that did not happen. But airport manager Jerome Thiele will be working on potential new flights maybe through Phoenix , Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and is aggressively writing grants to make it happen. We should have never let the LAX flights slip away as it is hard to get back. This is about the same thing as someone taking a freeway away and we would not let that happen. We look to our city and county for leadership. So make sure that you take advantage of the LAX flights in June until it is all over. You will still have the regular SFO United connections that take you anywhere in the world.

Super Fat Tuesday Modesto

2008-02-05T13:09:10.2719008-08:00

Super Fat Tuesday Modesto

Greetings Modesto Fans:

(reading time: less than it takes to walk down the street from Harvest Moon to Tresetti’s Fat Tuesday)

As we sit here being bombarded by Robocalls from…of all people “Governor Wilson”, (did I miss something?), today is the day, time to celebrate Mardi Gras. This is your own personal reward for the voting that you will do today either at the polling place or by turning in your absentee ballot. If you are permanent absentee and have voted already, then you can spend today in peace, take the phone off the hook and wait for the returns. The results won’t be in until late, so head to downtown Modesto or any other of your favorite places and celebrate Mardi Gras, aka Fat Tuesday. Many of us were able to go see former POTUS Clinton in Stockton yesterday and it was great to see how many kids were there learning about the important political process in the USA . We need the next generation to be interested in how our cities, states and nations work and encourage them to get involved, no matter what political point of view. When we all get involved, our communities get better and more interesting. Let’s see what is up this week here in Modesto . read the rest of the greetings at www.modestoview.com

Why don't you ride your bike????

2008-02-04T13:11:45.3840000-08:00

Super Tuesday is today and the world gets back to normal for a few weeks until the ramp up to the two conventions. But here at ModestoView, we are thinking about a much simpler poll. Since the Amgen Tour of California is coming to Modesto on Feb 20, we ask this question. “What prevents you from using your bicycle more often?” Is it the roads? No showers at work? Traffic? Lazy? Crappy bike? Any other excuses you want to talk about? We will be sending all of your answers to the City Manager.

Vote now and let us know at www.ModestoView.com

Sad Candyman

2008-02-02T13:07:55.7040000-08:00

Boo Hoo Hoo. Hershey candy to cost more. According to the Modesto Bee, the Hershey Company is going to raise prices, despite closing our local factory that claimed to reduce costs and save money. Why? Fuel? Corn? You move your manufacturing to Mexico to save a coupla bucks, fire a bunch of people and then get a 26% fuel surcharge for trucking thousands of miles down and back, the prices can go up even more. The answer? Buy See’s or Ghirardelli, both proudly made in Nor Cal. Put your money where our people are and shop local. Instant karma at it’s finest, now available in sample size. What do you think? Post it in the buzz blog. www.modestoview.com/buzz

Ready to Vote Modesto

2008-02-01T17:33:06.2540000-08:00

Mark your calendar. Vote on Feb 5. Send in your absentee ballot or take it directly to the office of voters at 11^th and I.

Learn more at www.rockthevote.com and http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/stn/ These are great start points to learn what you need to know. Make sure that you use your voice. ModestoView recommends measures E & M. Let’s work toward creating a more professional and accountable city and county gov’t that also encourages us to get involved to make a difference. CNN will be featuring both the Dem and GOP debates back to back on Saturday evening so tune in and learn more. Use your voting voice.

Get your local band CD Today

2008-02-01T17:31:25.1892064-08:00

Time to buy some local music from new and upcoming bands. The CD, titled Gem Splash I, features twelve artists from Modesto and surrounding communities, each having one particularly catchy song. The songs were chosen by two criteria (1) overall type of music—acoustic and/or power pop and (2) bands that are still together and looking to book shows. Hear great music from local bands like: A Mover A Fighter, The Undergrads, Hero’s Choice, Radio Inflight, Fall of Versai and more. Cool that the Modesto Bee has featured this CD in the Buzz section. We need to support our local musicians.

To help promote them, studio owner Brenda Francis, who has an MBA and a Music Management degree from University of Pacific, developed 3 one-hour radio show segments with band member interviews and music. The show has been getting strong rotation on community station KQRP 106.1 FM. She also links their websites on the studio web site, modestosound.com, at no charge. You can get the CD by visiting www.modestosound.com and ordering. The CD is only $5. (Cheaper per track than Itunes BTW) You can also buy them at Ingram and Brauns Music stores.

February ModestoView is on the Stands

2008-02-01T13:07:21.0040000-08:00

The February Issue is now on the newsstands. This is one of our coolest issues as we explore the equation, Bikes + Modesto = Love. It all connects. Great cover shot featuring UC Berkeley student Madison Murphy, Interview with City Manager Jim Niskanen, wine dining at Sips Bistro, romantic bar spot Dewz, new music reviews, wine club reviews about wines of hearts and bicycles, and a special green column by former City Planner George Osner, new local view column by Efren Martinez, and a special list of things to do from our All Ages Editors and of course, the best calendar of events in town. Pick up a copy today at one of out 600 locations or read online via pdf file. www.modestoview.com It is always more fun to sit at a local coffee shop and read a real paper.

Virtual World Modesto?

2008-01-31T17:32:28.1990000-08:00

Virtual Worlds and Avatars? One more excuse not to get out and do something here in real life? Hanging out at home playing Halo, WOW or Splinter Cell while ignoring the music in downtown Modesto or enjoying a “live” band, “live” meal, “live” walk in the park, “live” coffee at a local coffee shop is real life. Your mission, if you choose to accept it is Live Local. Emphasis on the “Live”, Avatar free and real. You can not have a sustainable local economy unless we are all out there sustaining. Comment on this and other local issues in the ModestoView BuzzBlog -, click here