The streets are empty this morning. I've been walking the dog for the last 15 minutes, and I haven't seen anyone as I drift through the Roseville suburbs. I'm beginning to miss downtown Sacramento...a little bit.
I don't miss the bad drivers who are baffled about navigating one way streets. I do miss, however, all the fantastic people watching in midtown, downtown, and east Sacramento. Sacramento was the perfect spot for an improviser looking to see the world through someone else. Want to step out of your comfort zone as a performer? Go people watch, and copy everything. You'll discover the boundaries you've set ("oh, I'm only capable of this. This is my character range,") will dissolve. Sitting down at Temple, watching how people live, and how they move is an entertaining hour. "That could be a fun character!" "I should try that gesture." "I like the way she flips the pages in the book." That was a fun hour.
This wasn't a fun 15 minutes. The streets were empty this morning, and I hadn't anyone to watch. Woe is me! Until I realized Rocklin, Roseville, Loomis, and Lincoln have some brilliant places to people watch too! Especially in the summer. Placer County has lots of summer events that bring people together. The cities are packed with people watching venues. You just have to look for them!
Let's go!
1. Food Truck Mania with SactoMoFo Johnson-Sprinview Park is a beautiful place, and even more beautiful when you're holding a KrushBurger or Bacon Mania's Jack Back Sammie. It's a an inside/outside grilled cheese sandwich! What's not to love? These are the reasons hundreds attend Food Truck Mania. The 4th Thursday every month, 5-9pm. Come hungry! Check it out tonight!
2. Downtown Tuesday Night The event has been a round for years, and brings thousands of people to Downtown Roseville Vernon Street, every Tuesday, 6-9pm. Sponsored by the Downtown Roseville Merchants, the event bring together vendors, food trucks, a farmers market, car show, musical acts, and even a T-Rex. The always incredible Stand Out Talent at Tower Theater offers BIG SCREEN KARAOKE during Downtown Tuesday Nights.
3. Thursday Loomis Family Fest I know. I was just talking about Family Fest, but it's worth mentioning again. It's similar to Downtown Tuesday Nights with a focus on the family. Send the kids off to enjoy the Kids Fun Zone of bounce houses, pony rides, go carts and face painting, while you go people watch at the food court, live music stage, and beer and wine garden.
4. Galleria Mall It's right there! Off highway 65! Over 100 stores, and air conditioning. Sweet, sweet air conditioning. Sit down, get comfortable and people watch. Looking to develop a certain character? Hipster? mom? geek? Aloof old-money fuddy duddy...who uses terms like 'fuddy duddy'? You have front row seats to Apple, Gamespot, Forever 21, Nordstrom, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Burberry, and Destination Maternity. Time to develop that cast of characters.
5. Thunder Valley Casino It's a big building. Take your time. You have restaurants (High Steaks, and Red Lantern), bars (Thunder Bar, and Mingle), and clubs (Illusions). Oh....and hundreds of table games and slot machines. Thousands of people, from every walk of life, dealing with emotional highs and lows. In 5 minutes at the Thunder Bar you'll see every emotion possible. Enjoy!
**I know there's always Starbucks, Origin, Bloom, etc. to people watch. I love these places too! I am looking for a higher concentration of people, though. The ol' people/time equation (technically it's not an equation without a '='. But, you know what I mean.)