A Redding Life: My Rose

A Redding Life: My Rose

My Quest For Meaningful Experiences And Stimulation Of The...

Cerebral Cortex! What? Yeah you know what you were thinking....
So my ongoing love afair with this new book I am reading has inspired me to keep plugging away at my dream of launching myself into Vlogging with a meaning at my new website coming soon...www.icedview.com.. I am pushing myself out with my camcorder to give it a try!  What good is a website with no content?  I will have my new computer soon and will ACTUALLY be able to download my camcorder drivers onto my "machine" and then put videos on my site!  WhooHoo!
Meanwhile...
I went for my first "SPOT" to "Dees Gardens" out on 299 just east of redding.  It was a nice day and they are geared up for the season and have tons of activity and plenty of goodies for ANY gardeners out there needing just that something "special"!  Just visit their own website to get an idea of some of their great offerings!

I will post my pitiful video as soon as I get a chance, meanwhile I have my sights on a new adventure this week!  I am off to .... uhuhuh...I'm not sure!

Out In The Country...Well Cottonwood Anyway!

We made it out to the "Opening" of the new Cottonwood Farmers Market! We had a good time and was again happy to see some of our favorites out entertaining and encouraging community involvement!  Hoorah and huge kudos go out to 'Still Married", "Pine Dogs" and the "Cactus and the Rose" for consistently providing such fine music and entertaining family fun!


Then we went for a drive and happened on a really cool old cemetery, what an awesome way to stroll through a lovely sunset and contemplate the history and memories that lay all around us!  I took some great pictures, but alas, my poor computer will be unable to participate at this time!  I am out of memory!  I'm working on it!  Solving the problem, not the computer! HAHAHA!

Showed Up Late For Show Case At Little Filly's!

Once again I got my wires crossed and SNAFU'd my way into a MisTake!  I walked up just in time to see my FAVS "Still Married" packing there gear in the car!  Oh Man!  WHAT? Yup...seems I was flying by the seat of my pants and dam....BUT anyway was not too terrible, I did get to stay for a couple of artists sets!  I didn't plan on staying too long and had to high tail it home with a pizza!

Was great to listen to a fun and entertaining set from Michael Gaither while enjoying my own slice as well.  He is a very talented songster, I hear he will be at the Post Office with Jim Dyer this Friday too!  Make sure you check out Michael's podcast, The not-for-musicians-only music podcast!  People don't know it yet, but Podcasting is the way of the future!  It willl be all about PODS!  Oh no the Pod-People will get us!  AAcckkkk....

As always, Nick Ciampi was delightful and entertaining!  I didn't get to stay for the "Pine Dogs" performance, but I did get to meet them!  I am going to have to take my autograph book with me and start getting some autographs!  LOL!  I did catch them at the City Hall gig awhile back and they were GREAT!  I look forward to seeing everyone for the next showcase!  Coming up this Friday, April 24th from 3-7, for the Opening of the Cottonwood Farmers Market!  I here it will be a YEAR ROUND market?  Awesome I say!

I always wonder if the establishment knows how benificial it is for them to sponser these types of events, for example, I would never have even known that "Little Filly's" Pizzaria was located where it is if I had not gone looking for the band!  Let alone that they have some KA pizza too!  Went with the Gourmet Veggie, nice, very nice!  Will be back!

Art Hop Aholic!

I was so bent on getting to as many places as I could, I jump started at about 5 p.m. and stopped in at the Infinate Designs!  I was right on time!  Greeted by the lovely Jeanette and Ann, I recieved a wonderful custom etched, keepsake Art Hop Commemorative Wine Glass and with something to put in it to boot!  I have been trying to get to their store for the last 2 Hops and haven't made it yet because I kept running out of time and /or "juice"! 

Wow, what beautiful things they have in store for the hungry eye!  I was amazed at the level of artistic talents spread throughout their inventory!  I found so many different things to look at I lingered way too long!  It would be very easy to buy all your gifts there and never get anyone the same thing!

But, I was there in time to see Howard "Luke" Lucas and Barbara setting up for the "Free Color" demonstration, always fun and so cool for the kids to jump into!  Seems there was a boo-boo in the map, had mis-listed the store, mixed up some numbers on the map, so I hope there was still plenty of people that found it!  Well worth any extra searching for sure!

I did stop by on my way downtown to see the childrens work at the Medical Home Care Professionals, as well as made sure I got by the Riverfront Playhouse's brand spanking new digs to see the Shasta County Womens Refuge representations from the kids.  Some of those pieces really leave you thinking!

KIXE over on Market was having a good time too!  I could not get out and walk so I only got to do a drive by, but I saw a lot of people going in and out!  Music was playing in the streets out at the Vintage and I could hardly get into Pacific West Graphics!  Ohh La La, I believe that Troy and Adam have really started something here!  Thank you so much Hawkman Studios!

I did manage to get up to the loft at one of my favs, Carnegie's, and see some really cool and interesting Ink Block Prints done by a young fellow named Eli Heleniak.  I was struck by it's understatement and could see he has an critical eye!

I finished off the evening stopping by the North Valley Art League and as always was enthralled by the artwork!  What can I say, they always have such fine work there!  I cannot stress enough to people that they should drop by there often, just to see whats new!  Thank you League Volunteers, for such a nice spread of goodies as well as open smiling faces to greet the visitors!  The League members should be proud and grateful for all you do and such fine representation as well!

Redding Paparatzi Full Frontal At Cascade Tonight! ArtHop (pt1)

I'm exhasted!  Whew what a day!  I dragged my honey out to the First Sundial Film festival, I'm sure it will be back, what a turnout!  I went back to the theater this evening as it was in line of the ArtHop and could not help myself but join the line of people outside snapping pictures of some of Redding's top Socialites!  Now if only I knew who all of them are!  Oh well!  I had a blast anyway!
Now, I just drug myself in from the ArtHop and I am so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open, I just wanted to get some of this all down for the night!
The "Swing Cats" were having an unbelievable jam at the Eatery, met quite a few great artists and then was blown away at the Art Council show from the High School Kids!  WOWwowWOW!

More later...sleep first!

"Hopping" Hearts Happy Honeys!

Valentine's Day revelers abound out and about for the ArtHop in Redding Saturday night! Troy and Adam have out done themselves, and I bet just about exhausted themselves in the meantime! Whew,what a fun and entertaining venue the monthly HOP has brought out here for locals as well as a few tourists even! I overheard at the "Vintage" a couple that had made their way from Chico just to check it out, another young man here visiting from Sacramento and a wonderful woman that traveled in all the way from San Diego! Okay, so maybe she was visiting her sister here but they chose to Hop for their entertainment of the evening! Wow! I believe that Redding is a natural resource for artists and should be an artists "Mecca" as it is!

I made my way through as best I could at several places, however, I was unfortunately stricken down fairly early and actually didn't get to all the places I had on my list! Phil Fountain was at the top of my list over at the Infinate Designs and I didn't make it over there because it was supposed to be the last place I was going to go, but I ended up at the NVAL for my last stop and had to head home! Bummer!

I did manage to fall into another one of those little hole-in-the-wall places in downtown called the 501 Club! I have to say I discovered a couple of really awesome metal sculptures done by a pair of "unknown" (?) artists, one of which I spoke with at the bar named Michael, (Bartender). I tried to take some pictures but I am afraid that (sigh) once again, they did not come out!  If you are at all interested in seeing them I am sure you would be welcome to walk right in and look at them for yourself! Michael stated that the other artist involved was no longer interested in producing anything, What a SHAME!

I am making a habit out of finding these places, I might say on purpose! I love to look at things that others sometimes do not see and see it from a different perspective!

I did get into "Carnegie's" to see Luke Lucas for his show and demonstration/participation installation in the galleria! Luke is such a fine artist! His work has a deep character to it that draws you in!  Then, what kid can resist a shot at his "Paint Free" Exhibit?  Always a hit!  I would love to see him travel around to some of the schools with his show, the arts suffer in the schools so much in these hard times!  You go Luke!

Also KUDOS to the proprietor of Carnegie's, JULIE, for the Sculpture/Mural on the wall in the main room! WOW! I would love to get another chance at taking a couple of pictures there, because of course, once again, my pictures SUCK!

I talked with artist Celeste White for a minute while I scoped out the really awesome interactive art installation at Board Mart, I love her "Assemblage" pieces!  I want her to join my group on Yahoo!  I'll have to send her a link! :0

As a final tribute, Big Kudos to the ladies manning the doors and floors at the NVAL, Bless them as it was wet and lonely!  Especially after the packed house they had last month!