Sunday, February 7, 2010

A Trip Down J Street



I was headed to a Chinese New Year event this Saturday. The address was 6000 J Street. I started at 1200 J Street. I had no idea I was headed for Sacramento State University.

It was pure luck I didn’t know. Otherwise, I may have taken the quickest route by freeway. Instead I had the very great pleasure of slowly driving the 48 blocks that wind through downtown, midtown and East Sacramento until I finally arrived at the University.

Somewhere along the way, I figured out that I was headed to the college. But by then I was committed to and enjoying the scenic drive, which I would now highly recommend. I was glad for the lack of traffic as I could turn my head to the right and left and take in the wonderful, stately homes and quirky little cafes and shops I passed. If I hadn’t had a destination, I would have stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants. I contemplated getting out and taking pictures of the lovely homes, but there was essentially no parking on J Street. So, I just enjoyed through my windows.

When I arrived at Sac State, I had no idea where the event was being held and I had never visited the campus before. Consequently, I wandered around until I found the Student Union – University Union. The stroll was terrific, because the grounds are covered with old evergreens and lots of places to sit and contemplate, which I thought I’d do on the way back to the parking structure in which I had left Bebe, my little red Yaris. Unfortunately, it was drizzling by then so I’ll just have to return sometime for that pleasure.

At the student union, the Chinese New Year festival was in full swing, but I stayed outside the hall that was dedicated to the event. One peek inside told me I’d be overwhelmed by the claustrophobia that I sometimes experience. I watched families enter and exit, some costumed, others not and ate a little Chinese food. I’m a people-watcher and this was a wonderful opportunity for that pastime.

When I’d had my fill, I headed back the way I’d come, but along the way I was treated to an encounter with an alpaca, named Twinkle, and her companions, two women who seemed to belong to her. Twinkle looked so incredibly sweet. with her smile-like expression, cuddly exterior and dainty feet (okay, they were hooves) that seemed to be prancing. This was definitely the highlight of my trip down J Street – and beyond.

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