Get ready for another First Friday in downtown Bakersfield and an explosive wild flower season in our hills

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: Tired of the fog and cold and looking for some fun? Head downtown this Friday for the return of the First Friday activities, which took last month off. My advice: grab dinner at any of our downtown restaurants (Mama Roomba, Uricchio's Trattoria, Mexicali, La Costa Mariscos, Casa Munoz, The Padre to name a few) and then stroll through the art galleries, boutiques and antique shops or grab a cocktail at a speakeasy like the Alley Cat. The brainchild of First Friday is Don Martin,  a master marketer who always puts on a good show at his Metro Galleries on 19th Street. This week he's featuring photography by Samuel Wooten, a French born photographer and anthropologist whose work is really impressive. Also on display in nature photography by San Diego artist Peter Fay.

 * ... BIG ORANGE: Received a nice email from Tony Wilder, a businessman in Kingsport, Tennessee, now home of retired county Resource Management Agency director David Price. David was deeply involved in our community while here and apparently he's now been drafted into the social fabric of Kingsport. Wilder said Price had recently graduated from Kingsport's ENCORE Leadership program and is now serving on the non-profit board of Kingsport Tomorrow. "And I just want to confirm that yes, he is now a rabid Big Orange fan and was even seen wearing a University of Tennessee pin on his lapel at a community function last week. But I also know that Bakersfield must be a very nice community because I can tell that Dave still has a big part of his heart there."

 * ... WILDFLOWERS: All this rain we've been having is certain to signal a terrific wildflower season in the hills of Kern County. In just a few months, the lupines, fiddlenecks and poppies will be in full bloom. Make sure you don't miss them this year. And wouldn't it be nice if we'd have water in the river all summer as well?

 * ... BONNIE'S BEST: Heard the other day from Laurie Watson, owner of Bonnie's Best Cafe over off 21st and F streets. Bonnie's Best is one of those locally owned downtown fixtures that always serves up superb food, and it also has a terrific meals "to go" program. Laurie wanted me to know that the Country Rose Cafe on H Street is not owned by Bonnie's Best but rather by  another person who used to work at Bonnie's Best. "I have not purchased the Country Rose Cafe," she said, adding that she is concentrating on keeping Bonnie's fare and customer service at the top of their game.

* .. BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Gregg Byrd: You know you're a Bakersfield oldie "if you have an original neon Coors sign from Trout's bar in your garage (given to me by my late father, Jack Byrd) and if you remember the Byrds Club, which was my grand father's bar a few blocks from Trout's."

Check out the Women Art Exhibit at "First Friday" and recognizing four women who enrich our community

 * ... ART SHOW: It's time for another "First Friday" downtown and with this weather we have been having, you don't want to miss it. Downtown will be alive so grab some dinner and then make the rounds of the art galleries and other shops. Make sure you catch the first "Women Art Exhibit" at Metro Galleries on 19th Street, featuring the work of local artist Barbara Reid and several other fine artists, including Betty Hock, Bonnie Hineline-Kempner, Gita Lloyd, Heidi Rufeh and Lily Stockman. Gallery owner Don Martin always puts on a good show this one is worth seeing. Then make sure to support our locally owned restaurants (Uricchio's, Mama Roomba's, La Costa Mariscos, Mexicali, Casa Munoz, Cafe Med among others) or the renaissance of the privately owned Padre Hotel and grab a bite.

  

* ... DENATALE LAW: I received a nice post from Tom DeNatale, one of the partners over at Klein, DeNatale and Goldner. Turns out his two daughters are both following in his footsteps. His oldest girl, Erin, just graduated (Magna Cum Laude) from the Whittier College of Law. She attended high school at Stockdale and earned her undergraduate degree from CSU San Marcos. Meanwhile his younger daughter Shannon, a graduate of Liberty High School and UC Santa Barbara, graduated (Cum Laude) from the law school at Santa Clara University. 

 * ... HEAT WAVE: Are you ready for the heat? After a spring that was richer, fuller and sweeter than usual,  we're looking at temperatures in the 90s this weekend and north of 100 on Monday. The heat has been knocking at our door, so get ready for it.


 * ... SCARY ROAD: Reader Marty Richardson called to warn cyclists about the dangers of riding on the Granite to Glennville road. I had blogged earlier about the driver of a late-model maroon Ford pickup who takes delight in almost hitting cyclists by refusing to pull to the left even when the road is wide open and clear. Marty lives in Bakersfield but has had property in Glennville for years. "You guys just shouldn't be on that road. It has no shoulder and it's just too scary. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want to get hurt." My view: let's all use our heads and share the road so we all can enjoy the beauty of Woody and Glennville.


 * ... FOUR WOMEN: It's always nice to see good things happen to good people, so I was happy to learn that four local women will be honored by Garden Pathways as "Women with a Heart for Bakersfield" They include Kim Albers, Cathy Butler, Susan Hersberger and Dayna Nichols. They'll be honored at a "High Tea" at Seven Oaks Country Club  on Wednesday, June 9. Albers is co-founder and director of Flood Bakersfield Ministries, which helps the homeless, and Cathy Butler is the longtime president of the Downtown Business Association. Susan Hersberger is public affairs director of Aera Energy and also a long-time civic activist, and Dayna Nichols is CEO of Castle Print and Publication which regularly gives back to the community. Proceeds from the event will provide mentoring and educational services for youth and families facing poverty. Interested? Call Karen Goh at 661-633-9133. (Seen below are Nichols, Butler, Albers and Hersberger)

, First

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This one from reader Terry Willey: "You know you're from Bakersfield when you remember when summer heaven was a swamp cooler and a popsicle."