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Reflection

You know that cliche saying where it's like, "you come across great things when you least expect it?" or something along those lines. That's exactly how I feel about this class. I'm a second year and adding a freshman seminar is not something every one does but it's not unusual I might add. But I dropped my neurobiology class and I had to add another one to stay on track with the minimum progress and with my workload, I wasn't about to add another core class into my life and kill myself at the end of the quarter. No, no, no. At this point into the quarter, my options were very slim. There wasn't a lot of classes that were open and on top of that, open classes that are actually interesting are very very very rare. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I only added this class because it was the one of the few that was open...and interesting sounding. But I had my doubts. I had this conflict where it was like "Do I really want a class on Fridays?" and I was totally against that idea. As I was about to drop it, I had 30 minutes before class started. The thing is, it was already too late to drop it anyway and I needed a permission to drop code. I wasn't going to bother to go to my advisor just to get a PTD code. With 30 minutes left, I got my butt out of bed, brushed my teeth, combed my hair and took the taxi to the Notsulas gallery. Mind you, taxis are expensive in Davis but I wasn't about to miss another week of class. I live on East Davis. I missed the bus. I don't ride my bike. And I don't have a car. I wasn't about to walk all the way downtown so I had no choice. But after attending class that day, I don't regret a thing. I feel like this class as a whole was very stimulating in a sense that we just didn't go on random field trips downtown but it makes you reflect on life as well...your Davis life in particular. It's really easy to take Davis for granted. But this class made me realize that there's more to it than just cows and a bunch of trees. The culture and the people really makes Davis such a beautiful community and a wonderful place to be in. I walk out of class with such a huge smile on my face because it's nice to actually go to class and not think about how much studying you have to do or when the next midterm will be. In a sense, this was my escape to my hectic and stressful life. I definitely enjoyed the way Professor Jones taught as well. His subtle humor was really amusing and overall, I liked the fact that he shared his life with us. Definitely my favorite tour guide of the year! Haha. I really can't think of anything that will make this class better but I do feel like that the class should be a little longer so future students can actually venture out to more places around Davis. Because to be honest, even though most of the things that occur in Davis revolve around Downtown, there's other things to discover like the Greenbelt for instance. And less time in the class room, more time to venture out in my opinion. But other than that, the class is great the way it is. I don't know if I'll be adding more on to this within the next hour or so or maybe in the future but I just wanted to say that I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to take this class. It really allowed me to do some reflection on my own and familiarize myself with Davis even more.

fitindavis-blog

Piggies in Davis

jannyexploresdavis

Haha. Isn't this in North Davis in the complex where Safeway and Dos Cayotes are at? I must say, when I first seen these piggies I laughed so hard. It's so random but cute at the same time.

Week Eight.

Though it was the last class, week eight was my favorite class. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt the most because it really tested my knowledge of Davis as a whole. And to be honest with you, even though I felt like I knew where most of them were, there were some pictures that I didn't even know existed. I'm starting to realize that I need to pay attention to my surroundings more. Anyways, I entered the class not knowing what to expect. I didn't review anyone's blogs so I can have an advantage in the scavenger hunt like what Professor Jones advised us to do. But I remained confident and I believed that whichever team I was put in, our teamwork is definitely gonna help us succeed with our task. I was grouped with Alison, Monica, Toshiki, and some other guy that I cannot remember his name. (I sincerely apologize. I'm so bad with names.) We got two pictures that we were all familiar with and the other two...not so much. Every group used their bike to get around town but me being the unfortunate one, I was the only one that didn't have a bike but my group was nice enough to still work with my bike-disabled self. Fortunately, at the end of the activity, we realized that even though we were the last one to get to Olson, our communication skills were so much better in comparison to other teams because we were actually able to work things out since it's harder to talk to each other when you're on a bike. Like I said, we easily found the first two pictures but the other two, we had to ask people if they were familiar about its particular location. Thankfully, Monica remembered where one of them was and for the other one, some lady pointed us directly to where Mathnasium was at. Overall I must say that this is one of the activities that I enjoyed the most. I will always remember this particular experience and I'm so glad I was able to come across this freshman seminar. I'm still really sad this class ended early. But hey, like what everyone says, all good things come to an end.

Week Seven.

I wasn't able to attend class during the time that the guest speakers came which is quite unfortunate because reading some of the posts on here seemed like everyone got something out of it. So I guess I'll talk about a play that had the most impact on me. I recall Professor Jones asking about this particular question and I never had the chance to actually think about it and reflect on performances that I have seen in the past. However, now that I think about it, I remember seeing Hamlet last year as a freshman at the Mondavi Center. I don't know if they still do it but during welcome week, they all gave us one free ticket to see any show in the Mondavi Center throughout the year. I haven't seen much performances in my lifetime but seeing Hamlet at the Mondavi center was definitely memorable for me. And the funny thing is, I read Hamlet as a senior in my AP English Literature class so I was aware of the plot and I knew every single character. So it was much more enjoyable for me. Usually when I go to plays like that, I don't really pay attention to it or I end up falling asleep or something. But that wasn't the case and it was probably the best 2 and a half hour performance that I have seen. At the end of the play, the cast spoke to the audience and they introduced themselves. From what I can remember, they were from the Shakespeare Play Company and they travel all over the world to perform which I found to be really cool and I felt honored to have seen a world class performance. I'm so glad that my roommate and I picked to see Hamlet even though I was upset that by the time I could redeem the free ticket, Yo-Yo Ma was sold out. But still. I'm very fortunate to have been there and I wouldn't have it any other way.

The past couple of days, I've been trying to catch up with my blog and I failed to mention my visit at the Davis Art Co-Op. It's a tiny house that turned into a gallery and it's right next to the Pence gallery. I wasn't particularly intrigued or drawn whatsoever but I decided to go anyway because I visited on the same day that I went to the Pence Gallery. The majority of the art pieces that were exhibited were still life so if you're interested in that, I definitely recommend checking it out if you have the time. Still life is my least favorite style for as long as I can remember so I didn't enjoy it as much as the Pence Gallery or the Notsulas gallery. I think I came in at the wrong time too since the owners were speaking to a model who was interested in posing for an art piece that they were planning on doing so I didn't really get a chance to speak with them and ask them about how the place came about and the pieces of art that were displayed around the gallery. I definitely would come back again though and check it out. Maybe i'll form a more positive experience if I come back at a different time.

John Notsulas Gallery

I added the fresman seminar class late and I didn't have the pleasure of going to the Notsulas gallery with the whole class. As soon as I added the seminar, I promised myself to go to the gallery by myself as soon as possible to catch up. But being the usual procrastinator that I am, I didn't. I went a few days ago so I can finally write about it and the first thing I noticed was that the exhibit changed completely. I mean, duh. Obviously it changes every month but the feel was very different from the first time that I came in and joined the class and briefly looked around. I'm actually really glad that I went this month to the Notsulas gallery though instead of the time that the whole group actually went. I recall the gallery being much more abstract and kind of dull. But this month, the gallery is exhibiting the works of art of Kelly Detweiler and Jennifer Pochinski. As soon as you enter the gallery downstairs, it was very colorful and brightly lit compared to the last time I went there. And I got really excited because I was actually able to analyze the painting using my art history background. Starting with Kelly Detweiler, his pieces are absolutely to die for. I wanted to take home at least one piece of art but they are very expensive. It ranges from about 500 dollars up to 3 maybe even 4 thousand dollars. Maybe once I'm rich and well off, I'll remember his art pieces and buy them one day. (I can only dream, lol.) Anyways, his style was very familiar to me. I can tell he was greatly influenced by the Cubism art movement. More specifically Pablo Picasso. If you put his work of art right next to Picasso, you can definitely see a similarity in the styles between the two from the distorted figures and elongated faces. I even discussed with the receptionist about his style and we both agreed that Detweiler was greatly influenced by Picasso. Interestingly enough, there was a particular piece in which Detweiler created his own version of Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night". I definitely enjoyed his art. And like I said, I really wish I had the means to buy at least one of them. Detweiler is probably one of my favorite artists now.

Moving on to Jennifer Pochinski's art pieces, her style was the complete opposite from Detweiler. They are definitely very abstract and instead of using acrylic, her chosen medium was oil on paint so when you look up close to her work, you can definitely see the brushstrokes and just the overall build up of her work. The Notsulas gallery had very limited amounts of Pochinski's work displayed by comparison to Detweiler but I definitely enjoyed her part of the gallery. Though they are considered abstract, unlike other abstract pieces, you can actually tell what she's trying to depict. A lot of her pieces had some sort of San Francisco related theme to it.

I definitely enjoyed my visit to the Notsulas gallery. I'm curious as to what they will choose to exhibit next. I'm hoping to see more artist that are influenced by specific art movements in the future.

fitindavis-blog

Last Friday, another day in October, I was feeling quite exhausted from the week’s load of studies and entertainment. It was my first time on that very day that I entered a stranger’s house for a trip into downtown. Our class visited Joe Wenderoth’s home. Technically, it was optional if i wanted...

jannyexploresdavis

Every post about Joe Wenderoth's home mentioned the racist art pieces. Now I'm really curious and I kind of regret not being adventurous enough to bust a mission to his house. It sounds like he has his own personal gallery at the comfort of his own home. I was a little creeped out when you mentioned the dolls. I can just imagine how creppy his backyard looks at night and you come across one of them...not a very pleasurable sight. I'm glad that the adventure made you realize how nice Davis is. That's what I like about it too. It's such a small town that it feels like every one you come across seem familiar.

monicagutfinger

Last week we had our last class ever, which was a scavenger hunt downtown! I thought this was a really great idea Professor Jones! My group had 2 murals to find, Mathanasium, the amtrack and a statue. One of the people in our group didn’t have a bike and we had to walk, which at first I thought...

jannyexploresdavis

This was such a fun class week in my opinion. And I agree with you. That mural took me by surprise as well. The first time I had seen it was when I had just finished eating at fuji sushi and all of a sudden I came across it in that little alley way.

ucdavisguy-deactivated20140722

My class had two options: going to the park, or going to Joe Wenderoth’s house to talk about art. Dr. Andy told us that biking to Joe’s house was for the more adventurous people, and going to the park was as easy as a walk in the park. I naturally chose going to Joe’s house since I am a thrill...

jannyexploresdavis

Wow. That experience does sound kind of awkward. However, I do find that awkward people are sort of like the most interesting people. My inner psychologist comes out whenever I talk to an awkward individual. His art looks pretty awesome though. It reminds me of the kind of art the group Odd Future would have on their album cover or something especially that kitty painting.

ucdavisguy-deactivated20140722

I had never been to Mishka’s cafe before. I heard my friends talk about it, referring to is as “the place all the hipsters go to”. My friends are not hipsters though and they go there often. I had seen my friends post photos on their instagram of the drinks from Mishka’s. So I was excited when I...

jannyexploresdavis

I agree. I feel like a lot of us have an idea of what we want to do in the future. But for the most part, some of us are just being practical and sensible. We pick a route in which a particular profession will earn us the most money so we can live comfortably. I myself don't want to be in the medical field. I want to become a photographer but that's a "starving" field. Then again, the most important thing in life is your overall happiness and satisfaction. I had seen something one time where it was like, when you die, do you look back on how well you did in high school or college? Would you bury yourself with your diploma? For the most part no. When you die, all that really matters is how happy you were while you were living and the memories that came out of it. But then again, it's easier said than done. I wish life was a little easier to figure out.

Pence Gallery

I finally had the chance to check out the Pence Gallery. I used to live in South Davis so I often passed by it every time I walked to school. I never really took the time to go in and actually look around. But it always caught my eye. Maybe because its modern structure is so noticeable. It's surrounded with older business structures and it's bright interior/exterior always drew my attention. I remember Professor Jones telling us to explore the public area behind it but like I said, I never got a chance to because I ran out of time.

I decided to explore the public area first. And let me just say that it's beautiful. The windy but sunny at the same time weather made me feel at peace. The first thing that caught my eye was the female statue right in front of the big mural. It's feminine like figure and facial expression was just so captivating. The funny thing is, the way she looks really reminds me of the Macy's mannequins. Don't ask me why, it just does. lol.

Right behind the female statue, is the mural I was referring to. This is by far one of my favorite murals around Downtown Davis. The "gallery" lettering" as well as its style and shading technique has a street feel to it. But when you look at the overall mural, it's very detailed and has an earthy feel to it. I can only imagine how long this took the artist to produce.

It started to get really cold so I didn't spend much time outside as much as I wanted to. There were benches around and it was a nice place to just sit and relax but the weather wasn't on my side and my hands were freezing. So I decided to go inside right away. As I entered the establishment, I felt like a child entering the children section of a bookstore. The first thing that caught my eye was the pop up book exhibit on the downstairs section of the gallery. I felt a sense of nostalgia because pop up books were one of my favorite "toys" growing up. I remember having a pop up Victorian style doll house and I would play "house" by myself using the characters provided. I even tried making my own pop up cards, books, etc...using Elmer's glue and construction paper. I'll leave it up to you to imagine how that went. Lol. But anyways, I thought it was really cool how the Pence Gallery was able to put something together like that. I honestly felt like a kid again. I just wanted to stay in there and flip through each and every pop up book and never leave.

The room across the pop up exhibit was the Pence Gallery gift shop. It was filled with so many holiday themed gifts. I wanted to buy one of the candles there but it was more than I would pay for a typical candle. I definitely recommend checking it out. Though I must warn you, the cute little knick knacks might force you to buy something you don't need.

The gallery itself isn't that big even though it seems otherwise from the outside. I went upstairs and there was just a small room that exhibited Scott Rhoade's lamps in which he made during the enlightenment period. I wasn't particularly captivated by it in comparison to the pop up exhibit downstairs but it was still interesting to see how the artist came up with different designs for a lamp. It truly is quite eccentric.

That pretty much sums up my visit to the Pence Gallery. I must say that it is definitely worth checking out.

Week 4.

Though week four seems like centuries ago, I still remember this particular week since it was not that interesting by contrast to other class periods to be completely honest. We started the class talking about what we have done so far and how our blogs are going and whatnot. And then Professor Jones mentioned that this week, we had two options on what we can do for the rest of the class. One group can take the less interesting route in which we can explore downtown Davis such as the E Street Plaza and the Pence Gallery. And the group of individuals who are much more adventurous can bike to Joe Wenderoth’s home in promise of having free mac and cheese. I no longer live in the dorms and I don’t use my bike to transport myself from point A to point B. So even though the Mac and cheese route does sound more appealing than exploring downtown on my own in which I have done so many many times before, I had no choice but to take the less interesting option. Besides, I live in East Davis anyway and I know how much of a mission it is to bike from school just to get there. So thanks, but no thanks. Anyways, I decided to venture out on my own just because the weather was so nice and I wanted to walk around and explore by myself. I started by walking around central park and it was particularly peaceful that day. It was quiet than usual maybe because the Farmer’s market wasn’t going on but it truly was a great experience for me because even though I go to Central Park often, it was nice to actually go there with a purpose…which is rare for me since I just go there just to go there and I don’t really take the time to focus on my surroundings. But I was there so I can have something to write about and surprisingly enough I’ve noticed a few things that I never really paid attention to. One of them being how old the carousel looks and two, how there’s a cupcake place right across the street. I felt so oblivious to the fact that I never took notice to something so trivial. I mean, I knew the carousel existed but I never really looked at it up close. After venturing out at Central Park, I decided to go to E Street Plaza. I was totally confused about where and what E Street Plaza was since I don’t really refer to places by their complex area or whatever you want to call it. I usually ask people “oh is that were Chipotle is?” or something like that. But thank God for smartphones and I was able to locate it right away using Daviswiki. I felt so stupid because E street plaza is where my favorite Mexian restaurant is located. (Shoutout to Taqueria El Burrito! Woot woot!) In addition, businesses like Baskin Robbins, Paint Chip, and Yeti Restaurant is also in that complex. I must say that E Street Plaza is sooooooo beautiful around this time of year. They usually have Christmas decorations hanging everywhere, a Christmas tree, and the monumental clock makes the ambiance much more nicer. I can just sit on the benches all day and all my troubles would probably go away. This reminds me of the outdoor malls back home with the huge Christmas trees that everyone likes to take a picture with but less crowded and annoying. No matter what the season is, E Street Plaza is probably one of my favorite place to hang out in. I must add that because I did go inside Paint Chip, I ran out of time to go to the Pence Gallery. I’ll definitely have to pass by one of these days (hopefully before the blogs are due. lol)

Week 3

As I reflect on how our overall class went, I failed to mention during week three when we met up at the Notsoulas gallery, Professor Jones posed a question in which he asked everyone the main difference between exploring or looking at something by ourselves in comparison to looking at a particular object with a group. And this struck me mainly because a few days ago, I came across a video that was so beautiful and mind blowing that for a couple of days, I couldn't get my mind off of it. The emotions that I felt associated with that video was so immense. So like pretty much everyone else that would be in my position, I decided to share it on my Facebook account. But one thing that really made me think about the question that Professor Jones posed during that week was when I decided to show the video to two of my close friends. I was so excited to show them and I was really hoping that they would feel the same emotions as I did when I had first seen it but boy was I wrong. At the end of the video, both of my friends felt indifferent about it. They didn't particularly find it interesting or striking as much as I did. Maybe because they're guys and they're not as in touch with their own emotions as I am. But the funny thing is, I found myself conforming to their opinion. At first I asked them, "wasn't it cool?" and all I got was a "meh". Without even thinking about it, I gave them a nervous laugh and said "Thought it was kinda stupid too". I guess what I'm trying to get at is that being with a group of people really does change your whole opinion about things. This is why I have a love hate relationship with anything group related. I feel restricted in a sense that I feel like my own voice is overshadowed by what everyone else thinks and I feel kind of forced to believe or agree with what someone else has to say/feel/believe. Whatever the case may be, I found that this class really helped me find my own voice. And I'm so glad that little by little, I'm not so afraid to look at an art piece or something and form my own opinion on it rather than just agreeing with everyone else.

Farmers Market

Yesterday, I actually had time to pass by the farmers market before I headed to work. The weather was truly beautiful that for a second it didn't feel like it was fall about to be winter type of season. It was nice, sunny, and warm and it was just the perfect day to be outside. Anyways, I rarely go to the farmer's market. Mainly because I either have class Wednesday nights (when it was still running on Wednesdays) or I get too lazy to get myself out of bed Saturday mornings. Whatever the case may be, going to the farmer's market is truly a pleasurable experience for me. I usually meet up with my friends there to grab a bite to eat or just walk around for the fruit and baked good samples that the vendors hand out.

Over the summer, when I stayed in Davis for summer session, I remember going during a Wednesday and there were a few performers out in the park area, jumpers and a little animal petting area for the kids. And going back to this particular experience made me realize how the Farmer's market is one of the biggest cultural offering in Davis. It's a great place to chill and be surrounded with a bunch of kids running around the park and interact with the friendly locals. Not only does the farmer's market have amazing food stands and local organic produce, I've also seen a few vendors selling items they have made themselves. Every time I get a chance to go to the farmer's market, I find myself wanting to buy small trinkets from such vendors. But because it is handmade and whatnot, it's a lot more pricey than what I'd usually pay for like lets say....a bracelet or something. However, I do think it's great that the farmer's market allows them to show off their products to the public and earn extra money as well. With that said, I feel like Davis is a very supportive community. Like what we learned last week, Mishka's allows artists to sign up so they can exhibit their work in the coffee shop once a month, vendors can sell their items at the farmers market, and even places like the Davis flea market (or also known as third space in Olive dr.) allows vendors to apply so they can have their own place at the flea market to sell their products. In a sense, I feel like being a "hungry artist" isn't so bad when you live in a town like Davis when there are a lot of opportunities to showcase your talent and a space for creative outlet. This reminds me of how much I miss home. Back in my hometown, there was also a farmers market every Friday. The funny thing is, there was a student from UC Davis that performed in the Downtown Long Beach farmer's market every summer. I guess it was his way of making extra money. Because he was such an amazing violinist, people often stopped and listened and gave him a dollar or two. My family members would often say "look! he's from UC Davis!" and deep down inside I feel a sense of pride, that a fellow Aggie is not only talented but resourceful in a sense that he takes advantage of his talent and resorts to such methods to get his way through college. With this reason, I feel like this is why the farmer's market is crucial to our community. Not only for the city of Davis, but for every city as well. In a time where it seems like the world is up to no good, supporting each other is something we can all benefit from. I guess the only thing I hope that happens in the future is for the vendors to take credit/debit cards rather than just cash only. If you're like me, I rarely carry any cash and it truly is a sad day when you don't have any cash left and you're still hungry and want another corn on the cob. *sobs*

This video definitely shows how beautiful UC Davis really is. Though I take it for granted, little reminders like these really makes me realize how lucky I am to be here. Even though I never planned on attending UC Davis, I am very fortunate enough to be given a chance to go to a university that is not only beautiful in scenery, but beautiful in every aspect possible.

mmaands

“One iced mocha, light ice and whip cream please. “ It was only a matter of 5 minutes before my order was ready. Right in the heart of downtown is a cute café located right next to a movie theater. The café was bustling with students and adults amongst a sea of laptops and tablets and cups of...

jannyexploresdavis

I think I have mentioned this before but I definitely love your style of writing! I would like to point out that I agree with everything you said. Especially the part where you mentioned how so many of us want and demand instant gratification. Which I would like to point out that it makes us seem like a bunch of impatient individuals. (I'm guilty for it too, quite frankly.) Also, that was one of the main comparisons I made between Mishka's and big well known establishments like Starbucks. Mishka's Cafe is more of a place in which people can actually interact and have a more personal experience by contrast to Starbucks where you just go in to get your coffee and leave. I had a few customers back then that they were in such a hurry that they outspokenly demanded for their coffee to be made right away even there were other customers ahead of them. Also, Dr. Jones pointed out that even though we are separated by laptops and swarmed by heavy textbooks, Mishka's is a good way to meet old friends and meet new ones. Every time I pass by the establishment, I always see friendly faces that are very eager to interact with other people.

monicagutfinger

During this Friday’s class we met Sinisa Novakovic the owner of Mishka’s cafe, Varsity Theater and Icekrimski Cafe. It was very surprising to me that a place that seems so well established and loved by the people of Davis would have had so much trouble to be here. Mr. Novakovic talked about his...

jannyexploresdavis

Though it isn't surprising to me that such successful business went through complicated beginnings, I definitely would have to agree with you on the fact that Novakovic truly is an admirable person for sticking to his ideas regardless of the fact that he went through so much trouble to get to where he is now. With a successful business, I bet he is a man with very little regrets. Though it seemed rough in the beginning, his efforts and perseverance definitely paid off. And Mishka's and Varisty definitely contributes to Davis' culture. It gives Davis a very traditional yet artsy and vintage feel at the same time.

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