Greetings friends,
My favorite season is here, Graffiti Summer.
First, a confession. After all of these years of working hard to create and support our Graffiti USA culture, I don’t own a classic car. If I did, it would be a ’63 Lincoln Convertible. But in our world, that is kind of the point. You don’t have to have a ’57 Chevy or a ’32 Deuce Coupe to love what Graffiti is all about. Graffiti is so much more than car metal and chrome. It’s about the music, the love of the art, the feeling, the time, the neon, the fashion and the great stories that have created our classic car culture and that’s what makes the Modesto USA culture so great. But friends, it can be so much more, and the pop culture that goes along with it; from mid-century, to pin-up, to Rockabilly and a couple of jukeboxes playing real 45s.
Since the beginning of time, people have been racing. Chariot races were pretty vogue back in 700 BC. People have raced horses, boats and each other for centuries. This month, we take a look at the racers of our Graffiti era and we will celebrate them at our 2025 Legends of the Cruise Walk of Fame celebration. We are stoked to have American Graffiti Film Star Mackenzie Phillips joining us so make sure you come out to meet her, and maybe even get a pic with her and the yellow deuce coupe.
Summer is all about road trips, picnics, gathering and enjoying those nice long evenings. This month, MoBand goes on tour at Graceada Park and was we get our blankets and picnics ready, our ViewCrew shares some of our favorite picnic tips. Oh, a note of caution, always take a couple of extra bottles of wine as you never know who may stop by your blanket. The first MoBand Concert in the Park is June 5 at 8 pm. Share your picnic tips and from what local restaurant to you order pick up for the park. See the tips on page .
It is a weird world out there right now, and the reports are that travel and tourism to the USA is going to be down this year and maybe longer. We have to work extra hard to show what a great place Modesto is to visit and how key it is to build a Modesto stop into a California tour agenda. Visit Modesto has been working hard to spread the word all over the world about the great reasons to visit the “Other California” of central Ca. No Yosemite trip should be without an evening in Modesto checking out our fruit stands, performing arts, films and restaurants. Thanks Visit Modesto for all of the creativity to out perform the other regional markets.
ModestoView is all about experiencing life local. Many of us travel and bring back ideas that may work here? We have to look at other cities for good ideas that we can make our own. A community always has to learn, evolve and work hard to be what it wants to be, but above all, we need to reflect our history and origin to build our authentic story and our locally owned business are the key to this foundation. I know my family works hard to support local businesses and in ModestoView, we support our friends and business colleagues. It all goes together. Visitors come to Modesto, leave their TOT and sales tax dollars here. When we shop locally, our dollars stay here and we all make things better.
It’s teamwork friends. We need to tell each other’s story, celebrate what makes us great and build the businesses that make us strong. We can do this.
Thanks for reading ModestoView. You have made us the largest publication in our region and thanks to you, we can spread the good word about our community 24/7 online, in print and on the socials. Please share ModestoView to your friends and when you shop local, tell them ModestoView sent you.
With gratitude,
Chris Murphy
Founder & Publisher, ModestoView.
chrism@modestoview.com<mailto:chrism@modestoview.com>
