Issue 21

Hidden Talents: Dr. Robert Donovan
People normally know me as… Robert or Dr. Donovan, who works in the Emergency Department at Doctors Medical Center. I also serve as the Medical Director of Clinical Informatics there, and I’m also the Medical Director of the PHI Air Ambulance Service in Modesto and Sonora. But what they don’t

10 Great Dates
1. Breaking Benjamin It might have taken six years, but Breaking Benjamin is back with their new album, Dark Before Dawn and it’s worth the wait. The band, more energetic and purposeful than ever before, will be playing in Modesto’s Centre Plaza. They’ve achieved worldwide success, played chart-topping music, and are

International Wedding Festival
By Noel DanielWedding season is coming—and Modesto wanted to be prepared. Countless locals came out in droves to the largest bridal show in Modesto, located in the Centre Plaza. The 10th Annual International Wedding Festival was a huge success, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 24. There

Superhero Fun Run
By Noel Daniel Modesto citizens dusted off their capes and got their backstories straight. That’s right, for one day at least, Modesto had a whole lot of heroes, all ready to do some good in their community for the Superhero Fun Run. This do-gooder dash took place in East La

Cooking Class for Healthy Eaters
By Jacqui D. Sinarle Whether you want to learn to prepare delicious and healthy dishes or have someone make them for you, you can count on Fresh Express Meal Service for help. “Unlike other meal prep services, we do not focus on ‘fitness food,’” explained Marisol Fernandez, who owns the

Nobody’s Got Modesto’s Goat
By Jacqui D. Sinarle There’s more than one interesting story behind the new Modesto eatery Ralston’s Goat. With a unique name, hometown owners, and a different take on traditional dishes, the restaurant is a refreshing change for area foodies’ palates. “The name Ralston’s Goat is a nod to local history,”

Kicking Up Dust
By Noel Daniel Back in the earlier days of Turlock’s Downtown, Dust Bowl Brewing Company’s taproom settled on West Main Street in 2011 and started to make a name for itself. “Growler” became a part of local parlance and the drought of business in Downtown seemed to lessen through the

Artichoke in Season
By Noel Daniel Did you know that the artichoke is a species of thistle that was cultivated to be a food? The artichoke we all know and love—specifically, the globe artichoke—is essentially an unbloomed flower bud. The budding head of the artichoke “flower” is actually a cluster of a number of small flowers,

A Picture of the West Side
“But you can’t start. Only a baby can start. You and me – why, we’re all that’s been. The anger of a moment, the thousand pictures, that’s us. This land, this red land, is us; and the flood years and the dust years and the drought years are us.” —John

Hip Hop Heat
By Anne Marie H. Bergthold “Dance just brings happiness and relief from the stress of daily life,” shares Preston Vieira, a member of the Weirdos Dance Crew. On Dec. 19, 2015, dancers from across the Central Valley came together to perform in the Urban Dance Showcase at The State Theatre.