la kulubrita: Creekwalk Friday

Homegrown Fun

Vacaville is not exactly my hometown but I call her my adopted hometown because she is in such close proximity. Vacaville has this annual summer concert series called Creekwalk and last night was its last night and I attended it for the first time.

I missed dinner with friends because I was running late (I have to run home to pick my camera)but I met up with them up the grassy hill that overlooked the stage below. There were vendors selling the good and greasy edibles like garlic fries, funnel cakes, corndogs. If a "Creekwalker" wants some Mexican food then there is a stand for that. Lumpia? There's a stand for that. Beer and wine? There's an stand for that...and so on and so on.

Everyone is there. From toddlers to senior in walkers. Some are lounging on their foldable chairs just enjoying the mild temperature and cool breeze. Some are in groups enjoying a good conversation.There were some on the dance floor area by the stage shaking their money makers. Everyone was in a good mood. No one was exhibiting annoying and rude behaviour. We all were there for one purpose - to have fun and enjoy this community gathering of sorts.

"Hmmm..I think I'll get a beer." , I said to my friend who looked somewhat surprised because I'm not really a beer drinker.

" Yeah, I have to look the part.", I found myself say hehehehe.

So we all got ourselves a plastic cup of , this is how lame I am. I can't even remember the name of the beer but it has some wheat in it. I did not know what to get so I ordered what my friend odered :D. I actually like it because it's not so bitter. It has sweet lemony traces to it. I have to pair it with garlic fries so off we went to the stand.

"oh...but they also have hotdogs..hmm...garlic fries or hotdogs?", oh a dilemma.

"Trust me, coming from a dietician, you're better off with the garlic fries than a hotdog.", my friend said.

"Why?"

"Because hotdogs are just grounded body parts of chicken or pork or beef and it's so high in fat." (yeah but it won't stop me from liking them :D. You're talking to a girl who eats cooked pig's blood, chicken feet, boiled embryonic duck eggs and chicken gizzards). But I spared her the horror so I just kept it to myself.

But I figured garlic fries and beer sounds so good together so I opted for the garlic fries. It wasn't the best garlic fries I've ever had (try the ones they sell at the Mountain View ampitheatre yum yum), but hey, I'll support our local garlic fries stand.

By the time we got back on the hill, the band was playing Michael Jackson and Prince songs and I couldn't help but pathetically lipsynch to it and dance to it. I asked my friends if we can join the other people on the dance floor and dance - and yay we did.

The band is really good. They played a mixture of Santana, Beyonce, Jackson 5, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson,Black Eyed Peas,Prince and Stevie Wonder songs. All the members were so good - drummer, keyboardist, bass and lead guitars, trombone and trumpet and their singers. There were four singers, 1 male and 3 gorgeous females. They can do those voice blending so well. Most of all , this band's got soul.

During intermission, they dj started to play Michael Jackson songs. It may not come as s surprise for some but I noticed this group of young kids in their tweens singing to every word and dancing to his songs. I said to my friend, You know, I'm impressed at how these kids know MJ. When these songs first came out, I was even waaaay younger than those kids and they know every songs the dj has played so far both from his Off The Wall and Thriller albums.How cool!

As I was dancing with beer at hand, I was also enjoying my people watching. I saw a young family dancing with their little girl of about 3 or 4 and they have another one on the way. I saw a middle aged couple bumping and grinding. A group of middle school aged girls in a circle doing "the jerk". In another circle, there was a group who were in their middle school in the 90s doing the running man hehehehe. An old man in a wheelchair smiling and rocking his wheelchair every so softly. Then, a teenaged boy of about 15 came in to join us to do some poppin' and lockkin' and then he moved on to the next group. Looking glamorous and sparkly, there were the 20-something with great make up and gorgeous hair ( I later found out they work in a salon) singing and dancing as well. Right next to us a grandmother and her little grandaughter were shaking their tush with big smiles.There were fat people and skinny people. Black, White, Latino, Asians and everyone in between.

This is your American town. Full of good people with good hearts. Dancing in the town park on a balmy summer evening in good music and company. It restored my faith in humanity in a way. Despite the bleak economy, we all have to stop and remember the people and the town that makes up this great country. May our government bodies, and all businesses public and private keep this in mind and may we look forward to a great economic recovery - soon. While we're at it, waiting, let's dance and sway to the music.

I've been to clubs in Vegas with fabulous celebrity guests, and been surrounded by beautiful dancing people in the city of Angels and was struck by Prada and Chanel bags in a tightly squeezed club in Santa Clara's snobby Santana Row. But none of those compare to the "club" that was Vacaville's Creekwalk - because fame, looks and material things were rejected and cast aside in this place of genuine homegrown fun. I regret not experiencing this sooner and I will make sure to join in on the fun next year.

Earlier that day...

So I thought I was going to be late for work this morning. My conscience was chattering in my mind saying " You are being irresponsible and reckless by driving so fast.". I pulled in the parking lot in time to see another co worker pull in. I can't help but laugh when we both started sprinting past the security desk and past file cabinest and cubicles. I almost ran into someone as well. I clocked in on time. Barely.

It's just on rare occassions that I have to prepare an outfit for work.I usually just pick and pull from my closet. Yesterday morning was definitely a pick a pull day but it had to be done in highspeed. I just grabbed what I could - army green chino cropped pants, a red and white gingham tank with a sweetheart neck line and a denim vest that is dirty washed. I put on my white strappy (and broken in) sandals to finish it off. It was casual Friday. It was also the outfit I wore for Creekwalk Night. It was comfortable. I got the pants one size too big but it was very comfortable, I just have to occosionally make sure it hasn't dropped to my ankles from time to time hehehe.