First Friday

This was my second time going to First Friday and I wasn’t disappointed. This time I took two of my hall mates who never venture down to Southside and who’ve never been to First Friday. They really enjoyed the chance to get away from the campus and see some what the local shops had to offer. I was able to show them some of my favorite places and prove that Southside can be a fun and safe place, despite its reputation. They’ve only been to some of the restaurants either when driven by their parents, or if I insist we walk there. They were surprised and pleased to find other fun places to go. We went to Eskandalo!, which is where I get my hair cut.  We ogled the cute clothes in Apotheca. I showed them the delicious chocolates in Tallarico’s and recommended the cayenne chocolates. We went to a store with ski gear, where my friend looked at the coats and goggles, planning future purchases for her skiwear collection. We went to Home and Planet and dreamed of furnishing a future house with trendy pieces made by artists. I forgot to show them the bathroom though, but it’ll just give me a reason to bring them back.

One of my favorite things about First Friday is the live bands. All the bands play different genres, so going to the stores and seeing each band is like getting to see each aspect of the personality of the Southside. The band in Cleo’s was really cool because they were playing Beatles songs using instruments that the Beatles didn’t use. It was fun to hear something familiar in a totally different way. The first time I went, there was a random jazz band on the street. That’s so cool! It really adds to the whole atmosphere of the festival because people can hear it wherever they are and follow the sound to the festival and to the shops.

In Apotheca, there were cute clothes, nice people, and, best of all, cupcakes! The cupcakes were from Sugarbabe, which if I remember correctly used to be located in Home and Planet. They were the most delicious cupcakes I’ve ever had. They seem really familiar. I think I saw them compete on Cupcake Wars or something. If they didn’t win, they should have. By getting to try those cupcakes, one of the friends who went and I have made plans to go to the store and get some more of those fantastic cupcakes.

I like that the festival’s only intent is to get people in to the neighborhood and experience the art, culture, and what the stores have to offer. There are no plans to make a profit (other than the stores’), only plans to show everyone what the Southside has to offer. The people who started and who keep First Friday going love their town, and its evident in the effort and planning they put in to it. The love is contagious and creates an atmosphere of creativity and community.