Davis' Cultural Offerings
As we discussed in class, Davis has a reputation for being a more quiet college town, to the extent that it is often called a “cow-town”. I remember when I got into UCLA and Berkeley, my friends and family expected me to go to either of those schools. When I announced I wanted to go to Davis, I often heard this argument against attending: “Why would you want to go there? It’s a good school but there’s nothing to do in Davis!” Last quarter, I spent most of my time on campus, studying, meeting people at campus clubs or going to school events. Before taking part in this class, my regular Davis “cultural excursions” consisted of: 1) restaurants/ cafes, 2) walking around the Arboretum or Green Belt or 3) watching movies. I knew about the Farmer’s Market and went to Salsa Night at the Grad a few times. However, like my friends and relatives, I largely thought the city had a safe, cozy environment, which was perhaps better suited for the enjoyment of young families rather than young adults. I didn’t realize Davis had many cultural events that students could explore and appreciate. I’m glad I took this class, because I now know about many more facets of the city that I can investigate throughout the next four years. I also learned about the benefits of other cultural hobbies by reading about my peers’ blogs, ranging from the camaraderie of equestrian teams to the importance of being a good photographer of squirrels. Here are a few cultural features of Davis that I discovered along with my classmates: Art: Davis has a lively art scene, largely thanks to the Natsoulas and Pence Galleries, the Artery and other places and regular events that showcase the works of local artists. I was out of my comfort zone when I decided to go on the ArtAbout, but in retrospect I am glad I tried it out, so I could better appreciate the efforts of local artists. I also enjoyed witnessing our city’s collection of quirky, colourful sculptures and murals during the Transmedia Art Walk. Museums: Davis has the Hattie Lloyd Weber Museum and the Bicycle Hall of Fame, which . I’ve been in the main room of the Hattie Lloyd Weber museum many times before to attend Toastmaster meetings on Tuesday evenings, but I had never paused to think about the precious stories hidden in the room’s display cases until our guided tour. Restaurants: I heard a lot of new recommendations through our classes and blogs. To name a few, De Veres Irish Pub, Zen Toro, Crepeville, Cream and Woodstock’s Pizza. It’s great how Davis has an advanced local agriculture culture that can support the farm to fork phenomena, in Davis’ health conscious community. Poetry/ Theater: Thursday Poetry Nights and Stories on Stage! Additionally, the Davis Shakespeare Ensemble holds an annual Summer Festival from June 26- August 3rd. I was also impressed by Don Saylor’s account of the founding of the Acme Theater Company by Davis Senior High students. Having lived in huge cities my whole life, I have automatically gravitated towards mainstream cultural events such as massive music festivals, blockbuster movie premieres and famous art gallery exhibitions. This class has encouraged me to pause and think about the culture of my immediate community both in UC Davis and the city of Davis. I now turn off my flickering screens and realize this is not the best way to experience culture. Creating art and music, and experiencing it in the flesh, is just as important as consuming it. As a biologist, it’s easy to forget the importance of history, literature and art. Hopefully, with the cultural offerings of Davis at hand, I will continue listen to the voices of artists in my local community, become more attuned to the wisdom in their stories, and also find my own medium for artistic self-expression. Above all, this class reminded me that any form of art is an important way to get to know the people around me. If we define “cultural offering” as “a collaborative opportunity for personal growth and an enlarged social consciousness,” then Davis does indeed have a lot to offer.
