Ballet Under the Stars and the beauty of free culture

When people talk about free events, they tend to miss what really makes them great. The fact that no money is required for entry is nice. But what’s even better is the laidback feel, ability to be spontaneous, and sense of community that is more likely when there’s no price of admission.

Sure, I like dressing up and watching a performance in a reserved symphony hall seat once in awhile. But I also like taking in a ballet while sitting cross-legged with a cooler full of my favorite snacks and beverages at my side.

Free usually means not having to bother with tickets. You can decide to go or not go at the last minute if you need/want to. Free can bring typically inside events (Shakespeare) outside (…in the park). You can enjoy good weather AND enjoy the arts, instead of it being an either/or scenario.

Ballet Under the Stars

I love Ballet Arizona’s annual event, Ballet Under the Stars. I try to make it to the performance at Tempe Center for the Arts every September. By then, the evenings have usually cooled off, and it’s lovely to be out next to the lake, under the sky, instead of stuck inside hugging the air conditioning vents (which is basically what you do all summer in Phoenix.) You can spread a blanket out on the grass or bring folding chairs.

You see lots of people with kids, little girls wearing tutus and dancing along. But it’s not just for people with kids. You also see seniors and ASU students, and everyone in between. There’s always a huge turnout, and it seems to grow every year.

The program is usually a mix of the traditional ballet that most of us associate with the art form and more contemporary pieces, showcasing excerpts from upcoming performances. There is also a performance from kids in the community who have participated in the company’s Class Act program.

Picnic

Last year, I took the neighborhood shuttle over with a picnic and a blanket. I got there about 6:30, got a decent spot (6:00 would probably get you a super spot!), and watched the dancers warm up. Phillip took the light rail after work and found me just before the performance began.

For the main course of our picnic, Wildflower Bread Company’s Roasted Sweet Potato sandwich gave me idea for a veggie grilled cheese with sliced leftover sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers and gouda cheese between two slices of bread toasted on the outside. I wrapped each sandwich in foil to keep them (mostly) warm until Phillip got there. They were just a little messy and some of the melted cheese wanted to stick to the foil, but it worked pretty well overall.

We munched, took in the performance, laid back, and looked at the stars. And that’s a wonderful way to experience the ballet.

What to know about Ballet Under the Stars:

There are performances all over the Phoenix area, September 18-27 at 7pm.
Admission is free, but you can make a donation to support Ballet Arizona online or at an event.
No photography is permitted during the event. (Post photos were taken before it.)
Bring something to sit on (blanket, lawn chair, etc.).
You don’t have to be silent, just don’t be annoying. Expect there to be general kid noise and people-coming-and-going noise. Whisper a comment to your friend if you want – just don’t talk over the whole performance.

Transportation/Parking for the Tempe Center for the Arts Performance

DO NOT plan to park at Tempe Center for the Arts unless your car has a disability plate or decal! Because Ballet Under the Stars is such a huge event, that night the entire lot is used for ADA parking. There’s always a long line of cars waiting to get in the lot and most of them are turned away. It causes a big traffic snarl.
~~Park at the U.S. Airways Garage at 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway (enter off of Ash Avenue). It’s free after 6 p.m., and it’s about a 1/2 mile walk.~~ [UPDATED parking info is on the TCA site.]
Or don’t park at all. TAC is about 3/4 mile from the Mill Avenue/Third Street light rail stop.

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014

Seattle like a local

Jennifer asked via Instagram where she could go in Seattle to get away from the tourist areas and get a more local feel.

Finding Local Flavor Wherever You Travel

One key to doing this anywhere is simply finding the touristy part(s) of town and then removing yourself from there. If you’re still seeing postcard stands on the streets, cutesy building facades, and/or things to pose next to for photos, keep going.

Once you start to see grocery stores, permanent residences, and/or less picturesque streets, you’ve probably crossed over to the local zone.

Seattle’s Local Flavor

In Seattle, a lot of the top attractions are grouped together, which makes it easy to see the sights – and then to escape them. Get out of downtown and away from the University District (which locals call the “U District”), and you’re likely to find yourself where locals live, work, run errands, relax, and drink coffee. (Coffee gets its own category because we’re talking about Seattle here.)

The timing of Jennifer’s question was great, since my Seattle experts happened to be in town. So we brainstormed and came up with a few suggestions of where to go for Seattle’s local flavor:

The photo that prompted the question was from Pike Place Market, which I recently wrote about as being a place you’ll find both tourists and locals. There are tons of places to eat, drink, shop, and explore.
I’ve also mentioned the Fremont Sunday Market, which is a great local thing to do if you happen to be in town on a Sunday.
Starbucks is not Seattle’s only homegrown coffee shop, so you may want to branch out and try something that isn’t available in your hometown. There are tons of locally-based alternatives. I enjoyed drinking Medicis (orange mochas) from Caffe Ladro, a 14-location, Washington-only chain.
Full Tilt has all-natural ice cream, local art, and pinball. Yep. Pinball.
Hang out at Golden Gardens Park.
During the summer (and even this week), there are outdoor movies and concerts.

Finally, I’ll mention again my friend Luz’s post on things to do in Seattle, since she includes a lot of great ideas beyond the typical touristy fare.

How do you like to go local when you travel?

—

Thanks to Ian Smith and Christine Smith for help on this post!

August 27, 2014August 27, 2014

Wandering Pike Place Market

There’s nothing wrong with seeing the highlights of a place, the well-known “must-see” spots. But it’s always great when you can go beyond that, get off the beaten path, take the side streets.

Pike Place Market isn’t just a tourist attraction. Locals also frequent the farmers’ market, shops, cafes, and bars. It’s brimming with quirky Seattle flavor. The Market rewards those who are willing to explore, to keep their eyes open.

Of course, it’s fun to watch the guys throwing fish, and then stroll down the main arcade checking out the fruit and flowers. But you don’t have to stop there. Try chocolate pasta. Peruse the busker bulletin board.

If you don’t want to wait in line at the original Starbucks, you can try a new kind of crumpet.

Go down a level or two and you’ll find a magic shop, a record store, a place that sells squirrel underwear.

Around the corner from the famous Gum Wall, there’s an alley covered with posters, stickers, and street art. (I’m always on the lookout for art in unexpected places – including alleys.)

A paste-up of a man wearing a business suit and a space helmet caught my eye. He’s the Clastronaut and is inspired by the feeling of never being at home.

That makes sense to me. We’re all travelers.

So you might as well wander around, get lost, and see what’s around the corner.

Pike Place Market is one fantastic place to do that.

August 14, 2014

Handcrafted postcards

My favorite souvenirs aren’t mass produced. They’re things like a scarf from a street fair or wildflowers from the Rockies.

I didn’t do much shopping on my SeaSFBlog trip, but I did get a chance to stop by the Fremont Sunday Market. The market is held rain or shine, which is good, because, you know, Seattle does have 58 days a year of sunshine.

One vendor was called Fun Junk: Piles of Old Stuff. True to their word, the tables held mounds of skeleton keys, patches, watch faces, and stacks of what looked like miniature paintings. It turned out they basically were. The owner finds vintage paintings in thrift stores, cuts them into sections, and stamps “POST CARD” across the back. The result is these beautiful, one-of-a-kind, mailable works of art.

It made me think about what else I could pick up along the way (when I’m not in Seattle) to make impromptu postcards. Travel brochures? Booklet covers? Maps? Gift boxes or packaging? It might be a good idea to pack some labels to stick over items without a blank space to write on.

You could mail pages of an on-the-go travel journal back to yourself and bind them together when you get back. Or mail a note to a friend.

As long as you meet the post office mailing guidelines for the country you’re in and make sure your postcard/letter/package is sturdy enough to handle shipping, you can really get creative with what you mail!

Resources

Fun Junk: locations | online shop (awesome typewriter key jewelry but no postcards at the moment)

USPS mailing guidelines: domestic | international

Creative mail inspriation: “Happy mail” by Giver’s Log

August 5, 2014December 4, 2021

Breaking: San Francisco has TWO bridges!

The Golden Gate Bridge is kind of like the Bay Bridge’s diva younger sister. Constantly in the spotlight, she’s been called the “most photographed bridge in the world” and is super high maintenance – with a staff of 34 devoted just to touch-ups.

Even though they both span across the San Francisco Bay, one of them gets all “I’m golden” about it and the other just tells it like it is. In fact, the often-overlooked Bay Bridge stretches 8.4 miles and helps 45 million people get to work every year without making a fuss.

I don’t mean to sound like their mother or anything, but, as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge is, they’re both beautiful in their own way. And I have pictures of both of them ~~in my wallet.~~ in this post. Here are a few spots where I’ve caught a great view and what you need to know to travel across.

How to Cross that Bridge When You Come to It:

Golden Gate Bridge

In Your Own Car
The good news: You no longer need to stop at a toll booth.

The bad news: You still have to pay a toll for crossing southbound to San Francisco. You just don’t have to stop. It will be charged to you via your license plate with the new Pay-by-Plate program. (Convenient or creepy? You decide!) Currently, the toll is $7 for most cars, but check goldengatebridge.org for rates.

In a Rental Car
Since tolls are now collected via license plate and not on-site, make arrangements with your car rental company before you go.

Without a Car
You can walk the mile-and-a-half(ish) distance or take a (non-electric) bike or scooter during certain hours, as long as you stay on the sidewalk. Animals aren’t allowed, except, of course, for service animals. This is not the place to walk your chihuahua. His tiny little legs probably couldn’t make it that far anyway.

A few places I’ve enjoyed the view…

Baker Beach
Coit Tower (it’s in the distance of the photo above)
Marin County (a.k.a. the other side of the bridge)

Bay Bridge

The Bay Bridge now only accepts cash or FasTrak – no credit cards! The toll varies by time of day, currently $4-6. You don’t have to have exact change (although that’s quicker), but you do need to request a receipt if you want one.

Art
In addition to sculptures along the nearby Embarcadero, the bridge itself has become part of a giant art installation. 25,000 LED lights covering Bay Bridge cables twinkle in constantly-changing patterns. You can see The Bay Lights through 2015, although there’s an effort underway to keep them lit for another decade. If you can’t make it to San Francisco, there’s also a livestream every night.

A few places I’ve enjoyed the view…

The Embarcadero
Coit Tower
Oakland

What bridge(s) do you love? Where do you go for a good view?

A big thank you to local experts Julie, Matt, Isaiah, and Allie (whose new project is the San Francisco magazine Friendly Strangers)!