What Fresno Wants

The former Starbucks on Shaw & Armstrong is now Mickey’s Yogurt and seems to be the happening place lately. Since they opened on Thursday, crowds have rushed to try the new locally owned frozen yogurt shop. And for good reason: serve yourself a healthier dessert alternative than ice cream but just as tasty and from a variety of flavors from velvet chocolate to tart lime.

They’re open ’till 11pm on weekends and 9pm during the week. Everything from frozen yogurt to toppings costs .39/ounce. I tried out every flavor that had the word chocolate in it. Next trip will be tart.

David Carr, QB, NY Giants

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that I could have envisioned a more exciting Championship weekend than the one we just had to decide who got to play in Super Bowl XLVI. Both games had all the elements of instant classics. And after all of the confetti fell and the trophies were handed out it’s even more amazing that four former Fresno State Bulldogs will be going to Indy to play for the Lombardi Trophy. Continue reading →

Singer Alexparis Houston auditions.

It was an unusually warm October day as I climbed the mountainous steps of Fresno High with co-blogger and photographer Eva.  We entered the foyer of the large auditorium, introduced ourselves to the crew at the registration table, and asked for Nathaniel Levingston.  Hearing his name echo through the halls, a smiling face pops over the second-story railing. “Hold on. I’ll be right down,” Nathaniel shouts slightly out of breath.  Eva and I comb the scene, soaking it all in. There isn’t a flood a media or even a mob of American-Idol-inspired teens lined up, but there is something special in the air. 
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Weather you intend on spending $100 or $1,000 this holiday season, we owe it to our community to spend consciously. “Gifting” via local retailers isn’t just a good deed, it helps our community in numerous ways. And seeing our community thrive gives a sense of pride and satisfaction in knowing that we supported its growth and progress. Continue reading →

Is it just me, or is something severely wrong with Fresno’s public transportation system? Maybe I’m unusual in that I don’t loathe taking the bus. I own a car. I also own a bike and enjoy using both as regular modes of transportation, depending on the weather and my mood. But I’d like to add a third alternative to getting around, especially to work every day. I think we all deserve transportation options and taking the bus should be an interesting/mostly pleasant experience. Continue reading →

Halloween used to be easy.  Costume? Ninja (four years straight, baby).  Best candy to go for?  Blow Pops.  Who to go trick-or-treating with?  The usual crew.  Where to go trick-or-treating?  The neighborhood. … But now it’s a bit more complicated with all the various celebrations.  Figuring out which one is best for you and your kid can be tough.  But as a dad, I’ve got some pros and cons for you to consider.
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It’s always exciting to see one of our own make it big, and the Central Valley has had its share of notable actors, musicians, and writers.  When these successful professionals have a big hit or win highly acclaimed awards, we all feel a greater sense of pride.  Many people outside the Valley have a negative perception of us and our abilities; so I enjoy it when we can say, “In your face! He/she is one of us.”  And there is one local businessman who is working hard to continually put the spotlight on the Valley’s talented performers. Continue reading →

First of all, congrats to the Bulldogs on their big 48-24 win over Idaho on Saturday.  I think all Bulldog fans were excited about what they saw on the field and how the team represented the Central Valley.

Over the years, I think Pat Hill and the Fresno State Athletic Department have done a great job of elevating Fresno State Football to the national stage.  “Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime.”  That is how football should be played, in my opinion.  But that’s a topic for another day.  Despite catapulting the Bulldogs and the Red Wave onto the national radar, there is something the university could do to improve the overall fan experience and strengthen the football program’s identity within our community:  away game viewing parties.
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Horseraces, extra long corn dogs on a stick, every type of food you can imagine deep-fried, carnival rides, and art exhibits. These are my top 5 reasons for attending the fair.

This year’s Big Fresno Fair runs October 5- 16. It’s the fifth largest fair in the State and attracts over half a million patrons every year.

You can always count on an eclectic mix of musical entertainment to meet the Valley’s diverse taste. This year brings Merle Haggard for the country fans, ZZ Top for those who appreciate classic rock/biker bar music, Sick Puppies for the contemporary rock fans, as well as Mariachi, Tejano, Hip-Hop and Old School R&B. Go here for a complete listing: http://bit.ly/13YqAH.

For our quarterly giveaway, we’d like to offer our readers the chance to win two tickets to the Tower Districts’ Central Valley Craft Brewers Oktoberfest. http://bit.ly/nmxznt

Central Valley Craft Brewers Oktoberfest
Sunday, October 9th • noon to 5pm
Fresno’s Tower District, Behind Tower Theatre

Taste samples from dozens of microbreweries and local wineries
and learn how they are produced from the brewers and vintners, themselves. Plus, live music, food and product vendors.

All you have to do to be automatically entered into our random drawing is leave a comment stating what your top Fair attractions are. The winner will be announced October 3rd. Good luck!

As a transplant to the Valley, I’ve been in the Fresno-Clovis area for 14 years now and have lived in both cities.  Since my arrival, I’ve always heard and seen a discord between the residents of both cities.  It was evident when talking with locals on both sides, other transplants, and reading remarks on various message boards and comment sections on the Web.  But I could never figure out the real reason for the squabbling.  So I decided to do some basic research. Continue reading →