The northeast corner of Herndon and Marks Avenues in northwest Fresno is experiencing a renaissance and those who live nearby are not at all sad about it.

It began with the return of Starbucks into the red brick building where it once existed, (but later left due to the sheer volume of Starbucks locations that opened during too short a period of time to support business during economic downturn) and continued with the addition of beloved artisan ice cream shop Ampersand’s second location on the other end of the building. 

This past week, saw the kickoff of another exciting era for the corner as Mad Duck neighborhood tap house opened their third Fresno location with a bang just across the driveway from Ampersand in a brand new custom building with space for both their brewery functions and their largest restaurant yet. 

Mad Duck officially opened its new location’s doors on July 31^st, and this weekend my family and I visited in honor of my “29^th” (give or take a few years) birthday. This new location opens to a large dining room with an additional back room that holds more tables, and a large bar is located on the right-hand side as you enter. The brewery is behind that and can be seen through large windows. 

The Herndon and Marks Mad Duck also features an expansive patio (similar to the one across from Maya Cinemas) which will be really enjoyable as the weather cools this fall. 

If you decide to go check out Mad Duck’s new digs, there are some great specials going on that will make it extra worth your while! On Mondays, they are featuring $4 Mad Duck brew pints, Tuesdays are Happy Hour all day long, Wednesdays offer Happy Hour and Street Tacos from 8pm to close, Thursday’s special will be $3 (select) cocktails, Fridays select whiskeys and Mad Duck pints for just $3. On the weekends, if it’s Saturday you can fill a Mad Duck growler for just $12 and on Sundays you can enjoy $4 Mimosas or Bloody Marys. Mad Duck is open 7 days a week from 11am to midnight, and their new location is on the northeast corner of Herndon and Marks. If you have questions, their website is here or you can give them a call at 325-3825.

Looking for something fun to do indoors while you enjoy the dog days of summer? With a heatwave upon us and 2-3 weeks of summer break for school-aged kids remaining United Skates of Clovis roller rink may be the perfect place to spend your days or nights!

United Skates of Clovis took over the former Cal-Skate Clovis building located on Peach and Gettysburg. The interior of the building has been entirely revamped and now features blacklight accentuated neon murals of local landmarks and mascots. 

In the years leading up to United Skates purchasing the rink, the arcade games had been removed, the skates were in need of updating and the café offerings had become pretty dismal. I’d accompanied my son’s class on several field trips, and if a child isn’t very good at skating, it can be a pretty long two hours with nothing else to do. 

Now, United Skates of Clovis proudly offers over 20 new arcade games (and the chance to earn prizes), and extended café seating area, an expanded café menu featuring party platters of nachos, cinnamon pretzels, pizza, and cotton candy towers. The skates available for rental for both kids and adults are new and in great shape. Even the DJ booth, sound equipment, neon carpeting, and décor has been overhauled. Not a skater but want to take the kids? There’s free wifi to enjoy while you relax with a snack and watch from the café area. United Skates of Clovis is practically a brand-new rink, ready to provide years of memories to the next generation of skaters. 

United Skates of Clovis is open seven days a week and public skate sessions during the summer are from 12-5 pm during the day and 6-9 pm at night during the week. Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8: 30 pm and Saturday mornings from 9:30-11: 30 am are reserved for private parties. On weekends, public skate sessions are held from 12-3pm, 3:30-6pm, and 7-10pm. 

The cost to skate during daytime public sessions is $8 per person plus $4 for quad skate rentals or $8 for rollerblade rentals. At night, skating is $9 per person and skate rentals remain the same as daytime prices, however on Monday and Tuesday nights the per person admission is only $2 and on Thursdays, admission is $8 and includes quad skate rental. They do have bars that make it easier for beginning skaters to get around the rink, (“skate mates”) and those are $5 per skating session to rent. 

Private parties/birthday parties are available with packages that can be customized to include arcade tokens, pizza slices, cotton candy towers, glow sticks and more – and of course, all birthday packages include admission and skate rentals. Party guests even receive a free pass to return to skate on a future date. For more info on party packages, click here. 

If you’re looking to skate with your crew as affordably as possible, your best bets are Monday, Tuesday or Thursday nights – or, to sign up to receive email specials here. 

United Skates of Clovis is located at 2881 Peach Ave in Clovis, 93612. For directions click here. 

Here at FresYes, some of our most shared and commented on blog posts of all time have been focused on fun and unique ways to celebrate kids’ birthdays, here in town. Today we have a new idea to share with you, this one may be especially appealing to the older kids in your family!

Finding ways to entertain tweens and teens can be tricky, and planning an age-appropriate birthday for them can be even trickier. As I enter the stages of motherhood that involve parenting a child in this age-range, I’m continually learning about activities tweens and teens enjoy and what plans they consider cool and “so lame, Mom.” (It’s a super fine line I’ve learned.)

If you too, are the parent of a child in this age-range and looking for an approved party idea, I’ve got one you may not have thought of before: Metalmark Climbing & Fitness Gym! 

Recently, my son was invited to a friend’s birthday at Metalmark and he had an absolute blast. I decided to dig a bit deeper to learn more about hosting a birthday there, so I could share it here with you. 

Metalmark is an indoor, climate-controlled rock climbing and fitness gym located at 4042 N. Cedar in Fresno (in Granite Park). Metalmark offers over 70 top lead routes (rock climbing paths in which a rope is threaded through a loop at the top of the climbing surface) 50 lead terrain routes (climbing paths in which the rope begins from the ground and is threaded as a climber climbs, over 75 bouldering problems (courses that don’t require ropes), machines, free weights, yoga, Zumba and Tabata classes plus cardio equipment, too!

Though Metalmark is a membership-based gym for adults, they also offer opportunities for kids to try out climbing through Kids Belay sessions (sessions in which an experienced trainer supports children while they climb using a rope pulley system to ensure safety as they go) and in-house birthday parties!

Birthday parties at Metalmark give kids the opportunity to try out climbing with the supervision, encouragement, and instruction of qualified and fun instructors. Parties are booked in two-hour blocks and one instructor is provided for every 6 kids participating. The first 5 kids are included in the $125 party booking fee and each additional child is $25. Participants’ parents must sign a waiver before kids participate, however this can be done online, in advance easily. 

If you have a tween or teen, you know they can often be a bit tight-lipped when it comes to sharing many details about social events and occurrences of their days, however, my son came home really excited to share about his experience – proud that he’d reached the top of several climbs (his first time attempting the activity) and he said the instructors were “super cool and nice” and each party guest had tons of opportunities to climb during the party and didn’t have to wait long at all for turns. 

Though refreshments aren’t included in the birthday package, there is a patio and picnic area where party guests can enjoy cake, ice cream or any other desired treats brought for the party.  If you’re looking for a unique, new party venue, especially one that is well-suited for older kids, check out Metalmark! You can visit their website for additional info here or book a Kids Belay or Birthday Session here. Happy climbing!

There are few things more enjoyable than a leisurely weekend breakfast, am I right?

I’m pleased to report that I’ve recently been able to check out one of Fresno’s newer breakfast spots and the news is all good! If you’ve not yet heard of The Brioche Lady and her new brick and mortar bakery, you’ll be glad you clicked on this article.

Background

The Brioche Lady has been a staple at local farmers markets for the last two years, even taking People’s Choice and Best New Product Awards in recent Fresno Food Expos. This spring, the opportunity presented itself for The Brioche Lady to secure a restaurant location in the former Le Parisian spot located next to TGI Fridays in the shopping center on the southeast corner of Herndon and First.

Nubchi Thao (the woman behind the brioches) was born and raised in France before moving to California twenty years ago, and one food she was unable to find here was her beloved favorite, authentic French-style brioches. A brioche is a braided type of bread that is light, tender and mildly sweet. Made with eggs, butter and varying liquids, including sometimes rum and vanilla.

For years, Nubchi’s family would send brioche from France, or her husband Leng would bring it home in his luggage when he came back from visiting his grandparents; however brioches carefully frozen and rationed were just not the same as being able to enjoy them fresh, so Nubchi set out to make truly authentic French-style brioche herself – and as it turns out, she’s extremely good at it.

The Restaurant

The Brioche Lady Bakery has been open for a little over four months, and inside, customers can purchase prepared brioches of a variety of flavors including original, cinnamon, blueberry cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, almond, chocolate, taro, and the award-winning purple yam flavor. Purple yam is a food frequently seen in Asian desserts, and the Thaos wanted to try adding it to a brioche to create a Euro-Asian fusion specialty item. It worked incredibly well and even won Best New Product at the 2017 Food Expo!

In addition to the brioches that are baked fresh and packaged to go each day, Nubchi also serves fresh crepes, French toast, Croque Madames, fruit tartes and beautiful macarons. Specialty drinks and lattes are also available. I recently enjoyed breakfast with a friend in the bakery, and was greeted with excellent service, a friendly and welcoming environment and a short wait for the best piece of French toast I’d ever eaten.

The restaurant’s café area features comfortable tables with board games available for guests who’d like to hang out and enjoy a leisurely morning. The interior of the entire place carries the Parisian theme – even the restrooms are adorned with pretty, French décor.

Where and When to Go

The Brioche Lady is located at 1085 E Herndon Ave Suite 101 and is open six days a week from 8am to 6pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 8am -8pm Fridays and Saturdays, and is closed on Wednesdays.

If you’re into technology, software, computer programming, frequently drive around Downtown Fresno or simply keep up on local news – Bitwise is likely a familiar name to you. However, if the name is familiar but you don’t truly know exactly what’s happening at Bitwise – it’s time to change that, right away.

Bitwise 101: What is Bitwise All About?

Six years ago, Irma Olguin and Jake A. Soberal founded Bitwise as a hub for incubating careers in the booming industry of technology. Olguin and Soberal believed Fresno could be the next Silicon Valley (or even better!). At Bitwise, Valley residents can:

• Learn how to code (write in computer programming languages), gain skills to prepare for jobs in technology fields that are currently in high demand and growing rapidly (the school part of Bitwise is called “Geekwise Academy”)
• Start their own business and house it in Bitwise’s buildings, amongst other, growing tech-based businesses (business incubator)
• Work with Shift3 Technologies, which is a company that pairs senior professionals with entry-level programmers to develop solutions for global companies

Their model not only worked, it EXPLODED. Since its founding just six years ago Bitwise

• produced more than 1,000 new software developers
• attracted over 200 technology companies to its facilities
• contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs in the region
• and, turned 250,000 sq. ft of previously blighted downtown buildings into desirable commercial real estate! (Including Bitwise 41, which will become FresYes’s second location!)

What’s The Latest Bitwise News?

On Wednesday, June 19^th, Bitwise announced they successfully secured $27 million dollars as part of its Series A financing led by Kapor Capital and New Voices Fund. The funding also includes a major investment by the Quality Jobs Fund, a project of the New World Foundation seeded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

This represents one of the largest Series A ever raised by a Latinx female-led company. “Fundraising milestones like these are monumental for women of the Latinx community, and I hope the size of what we’ve done is soon eclipsed by the next female or person of color. This country is filled with stories similar to mine – people from underserved communities, who never thought these kinds of opportunities would be accessible to them,” said Irma L. Olguin Jr., CEO and co-founder, Bitwise Industries.

If you are like me and not familiar with the term “Series A” I learned from Startup.com it’s a type of funding that businesses receive from larger scale investors after the have created a start up that has shown promise. Typically, Series A funding ranges from between $2 million to $15 million, so a Series A of $27 million is astounding and very exciting!

The funders behind this surge of investment shared the following about their views on the Bitwise model. “Bitwise has significantly improved economic and community outcomes in Fresno,” said Colin Greer, president of the New World Foundation. “Through the resources made available to us through the generosity and commitment of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, the Quality Jobs Fund is excited to invest in Bitwise so they can create similar results in new communities.”

“The company’s approach of weaving together training and education with software development and commercial activity in a common physical space has proven to revitalize communities while also successfully addressing the growing skills gap in the tech industry,” said Mitchell Kapor, Partner at Kapor Capital. “Our investment in Bitwise is based on our shared belief that genius can be found anywhere, but until opportunity has the same reach, we need companies like Bitwise that will take action to close that gap.”

What will Bitwise use the $27 million to do?

Expand! “This investment will further Bitwise’s ability to make what was serendipity in my life far more common. By connecting people from marginalized places to the skills they need to enter the technology industry, and by surrounding them with vibrant and inclusive spaces, we will transform communities,” said Olguin.

Bitwise is currently housed in three large buildings in Downtown Fresno, and soon to be 4. Up next? Bakersfield!

We at FresYes can’t wait to see how Bitwise continues to create one of the biggest and brightest tech hubs in the country, right here in our backyard. Huge congrats to Olguin, Soberal and the Bitwise team!

How to Get Involved

• Want to take courses at Geekwise Academy? Check them out here.
• Want to house your startup at Bitwise? Click here.
• Want to work for Shift3 of hire them to fulfill your development need? Click here.

To Fresno’s best and brighest!

Natali

Have you ever shopped at Madewell in Fig Garden Village? If you’re a woman, love a great pair of jeans and casual items to wear with them and you haven’t been in — it’s time to remedy that!

Madewell has become my favorite clothing store in recent years, as their jeans and tops fit incredibly well and the quality of their pieces and fabrics is so high compared to most items that have previously taken up residence in my closet.

My love for Madewell’s clothing, along with the frequency at which I hear fellow Fresnans say they have either never heard of Madewell or assume it’s too pricey for their budgets made me realize an article like this could help others like me finally find the clothing they’ve been hoping for at a price they can afford.

What’s Great at Madewell?

Madewell is known for making “great jeans and everything you wear with them”. Each pair of jeans is hand cut and sewn and uses premium fabrics, though the price of Madewell jeans at full retail is still significantly lower than other premium denim brands ($135 vs. $230+ for brands like AG, Joe’s, Frame, and Citizens of Humanity).

Madewell’s jeans come in multiple rises (from mid-rise at 8” all the way to very high rises at 12.5”) and in sizes from waist size 23 (triple zero) to 37 (size 24) and in three lengths (petite, regular and tall). They are also made with “magic pockets” – shaping pockets that smooth the silhouette while remaining completely comfortable.

When I tried on Madewell jeans, it was as through the clouds in the heavens parted and the angels were singing. As a person who once swore up and down that the skinny jean trend was purely evil and out to personally harm me – I found myself looking in the mirror in Madewell skinnies seeing my hips visually slimmed, my legs looking longer and yet I was completely comfortable and able to bend and move without stiffness or restriction. Of the seven friends I’ve taken on first trips to Madewell, every single one of them found jeans that fit them better than anything else in their closets, and they too fell in love.  

Beyond jeans, Madewell also makes great casual dresses, cotton blouses, denim skirts, soft cotton and rayon pull on shorts, perfectly cut t-shirts and tanks, comfortable, high-quality wear-with-everything leather shoes and purses, and beautiful statement and minimalist jewelry pieces.

How Madewell Supports Local Entrepreneurs

Each Madewell store has an events manager who is responsible for hosting regular events in store that highlight local entrepreneurs. These “Hometown Hero” events take place at a designated day and time and feature a local pop-up shop hosted within the store. Madewell provides free refreshments and a 20% discount on purchases during these events, so it’s a great way to support local small businesses and get Madewell clothing at a discounted price!

This Saturday, June 15^th from 1-4pm our local Madewell store is hosting a Hometown Heroes event featuring esteemed jewelry genius Alana Little of Make Pie Not War

Our Fresno store’s Event Manager, Marielle, is fantastic and has held previous events with some of the coolest local artists and crafters including Foliage Potted Plants, Brooke Creative Co., Flora Flower Cart and Art by Elowyn.

How You Can Save $ at Madewell

If you’re itching for the perfect pair of jeans or some new summer clothing, but you’re also on a budget here are a few of my favorite ways to keep costs down at Madewell.

• If you’re a teacher or student – show your ID for 15% off!
• Shop during Hometown Hero events (like the one this Saturday) and get 20% off
• Sign up for emails from Madewell and watch for sale alerts – which come frequently and range from 20-30% off
• Recycle your old jeans (ANY pair – even your kids’ old pairs, of any brand!) for $20 off a new pair of jeans any time (Madewell uses recycled denim to provide housing insulation in low-income areas around the world!)
• Shop the clearance section in the back of the store (often marked down for an additional % off)

So, if you’ve never shopped at Madewell before, I hope you found this article helpful. And, if you’re looking for a new pair of jeans or some gorgeous jewelry, I highly recommend you grab an old pair to recycle and head over to Madewell this Saturday between 1 and 4pm for the Make Pie Not War Hometown Heroes Event!

Madewell is located at 706 W. Shaw Ave. Fresno in Figarden Village Shopping Center on Shaw and Palm. The store is open from 10am to 7pm daily except Sundays, when it’s open from 11am to 6pm.

Note: This article is not sponsored in any way, nor did Madewell ask me to write it. I just genuinely love their clothing and how they support local small businesses and think other Fresno women who may have a hard time finding well-fitting clothing might benefit from this info, so I shared it! 😊

Happy Shopping,

Natali

There’s something exciting and new coming to our wonderful Fresno Chaffee Zoo! For a limited the Zoo will be home to Zoorassic Park presented by The Kirkland Foundation, a self-guided exhibit featuring 21 lifelike and life-size dinosaurs that move and make sounds.

The exhibit will open to the public starting this Saturday, June 8, at 8:30 a.m. As part of the grand opening celebration, the first 100 children to enter at the Zoo admissions booth starting at 8:30 a.m. with paid entry will receive a free ticket to the Zoorassic Park exhibit. (Children must be accompanied by an adult with paid entry to the Zoo and the exhibit.) The morning’s festivities will include additional opportunities to learn about paleontology and interact with the exhibit through special photo opportunities and appearances by mascots and puppets.

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Other limited-time programs for dinosaur enthusiasts throughout the exhibit’s time at the Zoo will include dinosaur-themed birthday party packages, paleontology summer camps, and a T. Rex adopt-an-animal.

In addition to presenting sponsor The Kirkland Foundation, wonderful local sponsors Haron Jaguar Land Rover and Fresno State are also to thank for this exciting, kid-tastic exhibit.

Zoorassic Park tickets can be purchased starting June 8 at the Zoo admissions booth or online at www.fresnochaffeezoo.org. Advance purchase is recommended for ease of access and to reduce wait time at the booth. The exhibit will run through October 31, 2019.

Zoorassic Park Exhibit Ticket prices are as follows:

• Adults (12 and up): $4
• Children (2-11): $3
• Babies 1 and under: Free
• Zoorassic Park Season Pass for Fresno Chaffee Zoo Members: $20. This provides all individuals covered on the membership will have unlimited entry to Zoorassic Park through the end of the exhibit.

Regular Zoo admission prices are currently:

• $12.95 for adults
• $7.95 for children and seniors

The Zoo is located within Fresno’s Roeding Park at 894 W. Belmont in Fresno, 93728. Parking at Roeding Park is $5/vehicle.

Have a ZOO-tastic time! Oh, and please tag us when you do! #FresYesInsider, @FresYes.

Wishing you nothing but fun,
–Natali