« Weekend in Fresno | Main | Blackbeards (13) »

April 13, 2006

There's nothing like a trip to Fresno...

...to make you appreciate where you live. Now please, don't be offended; don't take it the wrong way. I had a really nice time in Fresno. It happened to be beautiful there this last weekend. The grass and fields were green, you could see a little bit of the mountains, the clouds were gorgeous, but it's just so flat there. Not to mention, it's rarely that green there, spring only lasts a couple of weeks. Plus it had been raining for a month straight before we got there.

It's nothing personal, and I think a lot of people really like it there, it's just not for me. Every day here in Seattle I walk to work, I look at beautiful views constantly. There is a view from almost every place in the city. You can't get that very many places. If the air quality in the Valley wasn't so horrid, there would be beautiful views there; I remember them from when I was a kid. I remember driving out to Takahashi fruit stand, back when it was actually a stand in the middle of nowhere. You could see the Sierra Nevadas in the distance. I remember it actually feeling like a looong drive. Little did I know, not 5-10 years later, my family would be buying a house even further out than that fruit stand. And, that very fruit stand would buy property and build a fancy store that made their produce overpriced. From our new house, you were lucky if a few times a year the smog would blow out of the Valley enough to see those mountains that were only a matter of miles away.

Tuesday night in Fresno, Alex and I were wandering around the Tower District. I was showing him all the places that formed who I am, my teenage stomping grounds. It broke my heart, none of the places that I hung out in were still there. The buildings were there, but the businesses were long gone. The Tower used to be the one place where Fresno held onto its history (at least Piemontes is still open). I can't believe the Java Cafe closed, Butterfields Brewing Co., and the Daily Planet. I remember when the Tower neighborhood committee sent around petitions trying to stop Blockbuster from moving into the hood, it didn't work of course. That was the start of the chain stores taking over. Luckily, I must say this, kudos to the many business entrepreneurs that are taking the chance to open new restaurants and bars. Restaurants in Fresno have a reputation of opening and closing rather quickly.

I continue supporting Fresno and its residents in their quest of rebuilding the downtown. I try to follow the city planning and the opening of new galleries and artist lofts. I think it's fabulous that people are working to make Fresno a city that is worthy of its residents, artists, writers and musicians that are born and raised there.

However, until the sky turns blue again and there is at least one apartment building that's over 10 stories high, I can't imagine living there again. Sorry Mary and Heidi, I'll just have to visit all the time!!

Posted by meloknee at April 13, 2006 06:21 PM

Comments

I know what you mean. I really love my hometown, but since I left it became ridiculously expensive and a lot of chains and condo complexes went in where there used to be little family-run drugstores and fields. Even though, I still do want to move back someday.

Congratulations on the softball win, by the way. :)

Posted by: Lisa at April 17, 2006 09:02 AM

i soooooo understand!

Posted by: christie at April 20, 2006 04:15 PM