The More Things Change...

...the more they stay the same- at least that's how the saying goes. Citizen news editor Jeff Forward once suggested for a potential blog entry, I could take a drive around Elk Grove and make observations.

Well, I haven't taken that "official" drive to check out the sights and sounds of EG. However, last Thursday, I drove to Elliott Ranch Elementary School for its Gallery Night. The students, all 1,014 of them (according to the program I obtained at the door), had artwork on displayed in the multi-purpose room, thanks to the school's new art docent program.

Since I was going to the school straight from the newspaper's office, most of my journey involved driving on Elk Grove Blvd., essentially Elk Grove's "main street." If you're familiar with the location of the Citizen's office, it's near Old Town Elk Grove: all those historic buildings and small businesses. Meanwhile, the elementary school is on the other side of town (or Laguna West, for all intents and purposes), near I-5 and the Stone Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

I usually don't go to this area of Laguna, though I've (or, more accurately, my dad has) definitely driven past it to get to I-5 on our way to San Jose. On that Thursday, during this drive, it felt like I'd left one place to go to another totally different place. As I got closer and closer to the school, the buildings, particularly the houses, started to look quite different than where I had just left: everything was much newer and bigger. It may sound kind of silly, being from Elk Grove and all, but I admit that I was amazed at the differences in surroundings when doing this comparison.

What made this comparison even more significant for me was earlier that day, I had actually visited Old Town to celebrate the birthday of one of my co-workers at the newspaper, June. The staff headed to a Chinese restaurant called Happy Garden (the building was previously the home of the EG Club). It was my first visit to this restaurant, and overall, I had a good experience, particularly with my kung pao scallops. Also, I can't forget the sign that was outside of the kitchen's entrance and written in this manner:
Danger
Men
Cooking