Memory Walk 2009

What an amazingly gorgeous morning it was in Bidwell Park...perfect for the 2009 Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk.  My friend Karen Sinell and I were asked to record the event, and we were happy to oblige.  A complete album of my photos are posted on Flickr (click here to view them).  This worthwhile event continues to grow each year.  Once again, the remarkable duo, Holly Taylor and her husband Eric Peter entertained the crowd during registration (along with their ever-popular basset hound, Cooper), and a bagpiper helped launch the walk. 

In spite of the grief this devastating illness causes daily, everyone seemed glad to be there, sharing hugs and supporting the effort to find a cure.  To find out more about our local Alzheimer's Association, click here. 

(The photos I took this year are dedicated to our wonderful dad, Louis Burghardt.  We all miss you so much!)

Laura's "Art" Debut at Bird in Hand!

Next time you're in downtown Chico, swing by Bird in Hand at 320 Broadway (great toy/gift store!) and check out the newly-installed window display!  As a participant in this year's "Artoberfest" window art project, I have the pleasure of displaying a video I made last year entitled "Kahlas Visits Bird in Hand."  (Click here to view the original "talkie" version of the video; it's adorable!)  Kahlas was one of the students at Rose Scott Learning Community where I volunteered last year, and he was such an inspiration to me.  During a little outing I took with him to buy yo-yo string, I shot some Flip Video footage just for the fun of having Kahlas watch it later with his classmates (little knowing it would later evolve into a "visual art piece"!).  I'm very proud to share this video and to be part of this year's ultimate art "happening" in Chico, where art is being displayed in storefront windows throughout the downtown area during the month of October. (Click here for art-related events happening throughout the month.)

Special thanks to my friend Ginny Crawford (Chico Arts Commissioner) for recognizing the potential in this sweet little video, and to Jeanne Rawlings, Dustlight Productions, for her excellent post-production assistance.  Also to Kahlas for his friendship, never-ending curiosity and love of yo-yos, Cindy Carlson, Curriculum Director of Rose Scott Learning Community (K-12 Open-Structured School), for her dedication to the kids and overall sweet nature, and to Becky of Bird in Hand for being such a great sport and one of the most helpful, nicest shop folks in Chico!

Mozart Mile

Here's a great way to enjoy music and a stroll in the park this weekend AND make much-needed donations to our North State Symphony and the Butte Humane Society!  BHS is partnering with NSS in the much-anticipated MOZART MILE this Sunday, October 4th.  The fun starts at 8:30 a.m. at One Mile in Bidwell Park.  Walk, run, stroll, saunter or stride with your dog, friends or family along a level course on a beautiful autumn morning. Musicians from the North State Symphony and local youth music groups will entertain you along the way.  Advance tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for children (16 and under).  The day of the walk:  $20/adult, $15/child.  Click here to buy tickets in advance and help the our little four-legged friends at the shelter!

For more info on this event, check out the web site for the North State Symphony.  I'd highly recommend attending one of the concerts during their 2009-2010 season as well; what an amazing treasure for the Chico area!

BEST OF!

THANKS, Chico, for honoring The ChicoLaura Team with #1 Best Real Estate Agent in the Chico News & Review 2009 "Best Of Chico" issue!  What a delightful surprise.

Congrats, too, to my friend and associate Becky Prater and to W. M. Campbell Real Estate, for placing 2nd in Best Real Estate Agent and Best Real Estate Office, respectively.  For an office that has only been in existence for 3 years (but with MANY decades of combined experience!), I think that's pretty awesome recognition by our Chico community!

Just want to congratulate some other local businesses I truly admire for earning their special places in "Best Of":  Bidwell Perk (coffee shop), Karen Escott (chiropractor), Pullins Cyclery (bike shop), Lyon Books (book store), Aqua Azul (day spa), Christian & Johnson (florist), Collier Hardware (hardware store), Little Red Hen (nursery), Nantucket (Home Furnishings), Arc Thrift Store (thrift store), 5th Street Steakhouse (local restaurant), Upper Crust (bakery), Priya (International cuisine), Grilla Bites (vegetarian), Shubert's (ice cream), Blue Room (performing arts), Sierra Nevada Big Room (live music), Christian Michael's (happy hour), and Ken Grossman (Leader in Sustainability--what an incredible attribute to Chico!).

Congrats to ALL!

Jesus Center - SI/Chico Field Trip

About 30 members of our local Soroptimist International of Chico club had the privilege of touring the Jesus Center facilities recently (1297 Park Ave., Chico, CA). What an impressive and dedicated group of people! According to Executive Director Bill Such (who is a dynamic and entertaining public speaker, by the way), over 93,000 meals were served to those in need in 2008. Dedicated to feeding (and now housing and clothing) Chico's hungry and homeless, The Jesus Center opened its doors in the early 1980s. Through the commitment of its staff and many, many volunteers (including members of our S/I Chico club along with other community service organizations), the Center expanded to include the shelter, Sabbath House, in 2002 (which houses an average of 18 women and children a month), and "The Free Store," where folks in need are given credit each month to "shop" for clothing and shoes.

My family and I have joined other S/I Chico members in helping to serve meals over the years, and I have to say, it's a very rewarding experience (and such a simple thing to do; just an hour and a half!). Many of these folks have come on hard times and are so grateful for a hot meal and the friendly, non-judgmental atmosphere provided by the Center.

One time I was serving, and a weary-looking woman came through the food line with her young son (about my son's age at the time, 12 or 13). They had just arrived from somewhere up north and were inquiring about shelter for the night. I have no idea what their story was, but I'll never forget the anxious look on the boy's face as his mom was advised the Center may not be able to accommodate them that night. Talk about heart breaking!

To find out more about volunteering at The Jesus Center, click here or email Volunteer Coordinator Debra Howell at dhowell@jesuscenter.org . Donations of money, food and clothing can be made delivered to The Jesus Center 8:30 to 4:00, Mon. through Fri. (1297 Park Ave.)

Click here to view a few photos from our S/I Chico tour. (Once in Flickr, click on "Slide Show" in upper right to start.)

Drakesbad

Ahhhh, Drakesbad. One of my favorite places in the world, and less than two hours' drive from Chico!

One of the few lodgings nestled in Lassen Volcanic Park, Drakesbad Guest Ranch dates back more than 100 years. In fact, Chico founder John Bidwell and his tiny-but-powerful wife Annie used to vacation there to escape the valley heat.

When my sons were young we often stayed in one of the cozy, rustic cabins for a few days (whatever the vacation budget would allow at the time). What a great family retreat! Rowing on Dream Lake, playing board games in the lodge, hiking up to the boiling mud pits, stargazing from the huge hot spring pool, stories by the campfire at night. And the best thing of all (from a mom's viewpoint): three delicious meals a day at the cookhouse--no shopping/cooking/cleaning! Also, no phones/TVs/video games (in fact, the only electricity is provided via generator to the cookhouse; cabins are lit by kerosene lanterns!) Horseback riding is offered too, but we had our own horse at home so never took advantage of that.

(Click here to view photos from my recent visit to Drakesbad, and click here for some great OLD photos I came across online.) I recently discovered a wonderful opportunity. When camping at Warner Valley Campground (just 1/2 mile from Drakesbad, 1st come 1st served, one can reserve a meal at the Drakesbad cookhouse, and then have use of the facilities all day. Now THAT'S a great deal! (Drakesbad is only open through mid-October; check out their web site or call 1-866-999-0914 and talk with Billie or Ed for more info or reservations.

I Wanna Take You Higher - Chico Air Show

The 2009 Chico Air Show is happening THIS Friday through Sunday, Aug. 28 - 30, at the Chico Airport. Kicking it off with the "Twilight Preview" show on Friday 8/28 at 5 p.m. is my friend Holly Taylor and her red-hot band "Hot Flash." (Great music; wear your dancing shoes!) For more info, check out this week's Chico News & Review or the Facebook site. And if you haven't yet jumped on the Facebook bandwagon, it's easy and free to register (www.Facebook.com) and start enjoying the wacky comments and fun photos your friends and family post! Click here for an excellent article written by fellow Facebooker Shannon Rooney about local Chico resident and former Blue Angels pilot Vance Parker (one of the coordinators of the air show) in this week's CN&R. (Mom and I got to see the present-day Blue Angels pilots in person during out recent trip to Monterey---quite exciting!)

The Amazing Getty Museum

On our trip to So Cal last week, Eva and I made a quick tour of the Getty Museum in L.A. It's been a few years since I was there, but the architecture, grounds and (especially) artwork thrilled me again. Click here to view a few of the photos I took. The Getty sits atop a hill. Entrance to the museum is free, but there is a $15 parking fee for the garage and then a tram ride up the hill. Next time you're traveling through LaLa land, check it out. Spectacular!

Tedious?

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te⋅di⋅ous 

–adjective
1.
marked by tedium; long and tiresome: tedious tasks; a tedious journey.
2.
wordy so as to cause weariness or boredom, as a speaker or writer.
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This is an actual sign on Mangrove Ave. in Chico. It just struck me as humorous, so I thought I'd share. Hmmm...thinking about changing "ChicoLauraBlog" to "TediousBlog."

Coast Walk

After consuming some pretty fab ice cream and touring the lovely Stansbury House (see blog entry below), my friends Fran, John and I received a bonus (sometimes it pays to be latecomers!) and enjoyed chatting with a few of the volunteers on the back porch. (What a GREAT ice cream social those volunteers put on every year!) Thanks to Ron (an avid fellow outdoorsperson), we learned about "COASTWALK," an organization which sponsors hikes along the California coast. As their web site boasts: "Twice the fun of the average camping trip...and half the work!" Throw in the "gourmet" food and camaraderie, and it sounds like my kind of adventure! So often I think about how fortunate I am to live in Northern California, with its diverse and astounding beauty.