First Thursday is Back
By Robert Bernstein
First Thursday was happening again in a big way this past week! Not sure how long we can enjoy such events before things are shut down again due to people not getting vaccinated for COVID.
Here was the full schedule of events:
Plenty of galleries open including the new Thomas Reynolds Gallery next to the Arlington Theater. He just moved here from San Francisco. And Gallery 113 in La Arcada (near the turtles) kept their tradition of free snacks by providing them outdoors in sealed packages.
I have never seen so many bands and so many people dancing in the street to those bands. Here my friends Pali and Raven were dancing in the crowd by the Granada Theater.
Here we posed with Pali and Raven.
You may recognize Dominique Reboul as a creative force from Solstice, Fishbon, Burning Man, Lucidity and more along with Solstice artist and technical genius Christine (blue jacket) and her friend.
The whole town seemed to turn out for the occasion. My dental hygienist Jessica (in black) posed with me along with her friend Jen.
Lydonna Walker is active with the Ski Club, the Sierra Club and more and she posed with a friend.
Chizuko is a dance teacher who is here half the year and half the year in Japan. She is also one of my favorite swing dance partners ever.
After checking out all of the familiar galleries including Sullivan Goss (very high quality fine arts) and the Faulkner Gallery (featuring local artists) we strolled down to Paseo Nuevo and checked out the latest gallery there: Santa Barbara Visual Artists Fine Art Gallery.
Then we strolled back up State Street to the courtyard of 1129 State Street where The Academy Band was playing for a lively crowd. Whitney James and her husband Gus DeTar are the lead singers performing hits of the 70s, 80s and more.
I was happy to see another of my swing dance partners Monica showing she can dance solo as well as she can partner dance!
Vivian Storm was dancing up a storm as usual in the courtyard.
Here is my merged video of Vivian Storm dancing and a couple of hits performed by The Academy.
15 Comments
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Sep 06, 2021 02:25 PMNice to see that beautiful courtyard at 1129 State getting some use. It’s a great space. (Not that I would attend a group event like this now, but I’m sure others will have comments about that aspect.)
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Sep 06, 2021 02:50 PMYeah, looks like a delta spreader.
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Sep 07, 2021 09:50 AMSomebody call the fun police!
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Sep 07, 2021 11:36 AMi'll say the same thing as I said earlier, if this is all you can glean from the post, then you are a sad sad person. this is a very fun and local event. thanks Debbie Downer.
they are outdoors, and most of us, the smarter ones, are vaxed.
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Sep 07, 2021 12:42 PMVaccinated + Outdoors. Trust the science, have fun, get off social media, and start living again.
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Sep 07, 2021 03:33 PMYes, and if you follow the science, you will know that this would be taking a small but nonzero risk of a very bad outcome for you, or someone you come in contact with later. I guess it all depends on your "me fun"vs "them bad" quotient, but this doesn't look worth it at this stage in the pandemic.
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Sep 07, 2021 04:16 PMYou take a small but nonzero risk every time you leave your house. You're welcome to stay in your basement away from the dangers of the world if you can't handle that. It's not March 2020 anymore, we know what we're dealing with, we know how to protect ourselves, and if you don't.. step aside and let the rest of the world get back to normal.
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Sep 07, 2021 04:40 PMExcept in those conditions, one is masked, and you're ignoring the fact that the small risk (but much larger when unmasked) translates to an even bigger risk for others. It's not all about you.
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Sep 07, 2021 06:52 PM440pm - you can shelter in place if you’d like… as per logic and science though… that’s going to be for a long time as Covid isn’t going anywhere… it’s here to stay!
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Sep 07, 2021 09:33 AMAnd not one person wearing a mask.
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Sep 07, 2021 10:03 AMI see masks
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Sep 07, 2021 11:35 AMits outdoors and most of us, at least the intelligent ones, are vaxed. but more importantly, is that all you can glean from this post? if so, you're a sad sad person. this is a very fun and local event. thanks Debbie Downer.
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Sep 07, 2021 11:46 AMIt all depends on vaccination. My dental hygienist Jessica was at higher risk cleaning my teeth last week. Good that we are both vaccinated. Our friend Raven is a nurse and I tend to trust her judgement about risk.
I agree that large, dense gatherings even outdoors can be a risk if people are not vaccinated. Please everyone get vaccinated! That is the only way we will ever be able fully to open up again.
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Sep 07, 2021 04:58 PMI don't know anything about covid..but I do know about People.
There are Hunters, who will "take life"
when necessary..
Gatherers, who only pick what Nature gives..
and then there are Warriors.
They do what no-one else wants/can or has the fortitude for.
"It's not easy, or everyone would be doing it".
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Sep 07, 2021 06:03 PMRobert, thanks for posting these photos of so many people having fun TOGETHER. I’ve been having my share of maskless fun outside, and that sure looked like a fun event. I hope to catch it next time.