Campus spots Davis seniors should have appreciated more

The first time I visited Davis was on Decision Day in 2012 – my senior year of high school. Unlike many of my peers, I had applied to the university without the faintest idea of what the campus and surrounding areas were like. And to be honest, nothing about this small city was particularly memorable for me on that day almost four years ago.

Having lived almost my entire life in a quiet suburb in the Bay Area, I didn’t feel like Davis was any different from what I was already used to – small, uneventful, and hardly exciting for a college town. I still came to Davis anyway because I wasn’t terribly picky about where I wanted to go to school, but I’d always had dreams of living in some sprawling urban city like Los Angeles or New York City. Davis was literally the opposite.

After nearly four years here, I think somewhat differently. My plans are still to live in a bigger city, at least for graduate school and beyond, but I’ve grown to love the quirky charm of this tiny town called Davis, California.

As my time here comes to an end, I find myself exploring and trying a lot of the places I once passed over without a second thought. Here are some of the things I wish I learned to appreciate before my final year.

The Mondavi Center

I didn’t start truly admiring this beautiful concert hall until recently, and I’ve been kicking myself ever since for wasting my free freshman ticket. Since then, I’ve managed to snag tickets to performances by Lang Lang, Itzhak Perlman, and Joshua Bell (from whom I got an autograph and a handshake!). With the student discount, I pay just $60-$100 to see world-renowned musicians who regularly perform for full houses in places like Carnegie Hall.

As someone who grew up on classical music, being able to see my childhood idols in person was more than a priceless experience. The Mondavi also hosts a wide variety of other performances, from contemporary circus shows to screenings of E.T. with live orchestral accompaniment – so there’s really something there for everyone. Considering the quality of the performances, the ticket prices (especially with the student discount) are incredibly reasonable.

My third and final time seeing Joshua Bell perform at the Mondavi

Icekrimski’s Café

This place is the cutest little gelato and candy shop next to Varsity Theatre, and I had the fortune of trying it after my housemates brought me here after finals week last spring. My personal favorite is stracciatella mixed with double espresso bean, but all the flavors are worth a try. In the winter season, they bring out their limited edition peppermint bark gelato, which—you guessed it—tastes like the Ghirardelli chocolate squares.

The flaky wafer included with every order is also surprisingly delicious; I would buy them in bulk if they offered it. An additional bonus, at least for me, is the portion size. Even though I love ice cream, I can’t handle eating too much of it at once (anything from CREAM or even just your typical ice cream cone is too much for me), and the child-size cup from Icekrimski’s is perfect.

I’ve brought countless out-of-towners here and they’ve only had good things to say about it.

Ask yourself whether there’s really anything better than a pizza and gelato date. (Answer: Probably not)

Black Bear Diner 

I tried this place recently after more than a year of saying I was going to, and I loved it. It might not be unique to Davis, but the atmosphere perfectly encapsulates the homey, close-knit feel that makes Davis so special.

The portions are characteristically generous, and there’s nothing like going out with friends to get fresh pancakes and bottomless coffee on a Sunday morning.

My housemates and me (on the far left) at Black Bear Diner for the first time

Do yourself a favor and order one of their pies. It might look small, but it was more than enough for all 4 of us

Rose Days

The annual Rose Days (or Rose Weekend) is one of UC Davis’ best kept secrets. It features 8 acres of beautiful roses that are only open to the public once each year at the end of April. You can learn everything you ever wanted to know about roses from master gardeners and other special guest speakers, or you can simply stop and smell the roses on one of their scheduled tours.

Plus, there’s a wide array of roses that you can purchase for yourself, including more exotic varieties like Cherry Parfait, Dark Night, and Love’s Promise.

And if you volunteer for the event, you get to pick out and take home a rose plant for free!

Eight acres of amazing roses

In the end, I know I made the right choice to become an Aggie four years ago, and not just because I grew to love the gelato place here. The environment and people here have not only shaped my opinions and perspectives, but have also challenged them and encouraged me to think critically about my own views.

I’m fortunate to have found myself in such a place, and I’m glad I learned to truly appreciate it.