Walking the two miles of trails of Panorama Park is definitely a cheap thrill. The fairly new park finally has mature landscaping, which adds to the beauty of the sky, mountains, bluffs, river and oil fields -- all visible from the walking paths.

The other night, I took my grandparents up there as they visited from out of town. It was their first time in Bakersfield and I guess I tricked them into thinking this town is beautiful. They enjoyed the views -- even though the wind was so strong my grandpa had to turn off his hearing aids due to the whistling it was causing, and my frail grandmother had to hold our arms to walk to the edge and see the river.

But tons of people of all ages, with dogs and strollers in tow, were enjoying the bluffs despite the strong winds. We watched as cyclists and horseback riders passed down below along the river and aqueduct. We also watched some brave hikers ascend the steep inclines of the bluffs themselves. We didn't see kites, which are usually abundant out there, but my guess was the wind would have capsized them anyway.

But it was a lovely evening none-the-less. Thank you Kern County Parks for creating Panorama Park for all to enjoy the beauty of the bluffs.

Check out this beautiful photo by a Bakersfieldian of the bluffs a night, too!

If you keep your eyes out around town, you are bound to find lots to do that doesn't cost anything. This was the case for me on Saturday.

I had heard about a belly dancing studio downtown, so I e-mailed one of the dancers asking about beginning classes. Surprisingly, they were hosting a free two-hour workshop and sent me an invitation! So at noon Saturday, I found myself in a room with about 40 women of all ages, shapes and sizes learning undulations and snake arms at Bahiyya Almas. I was awful. But it was so much fun! I may have to try some classes when I am able to afford it.

After that, I went with some friends to CSUB for a Native American Gathering. There was no admission, although I did buy some ice cold water. It was HOT out there! We got there just in time to hear some drumming and singing. I probably could have bargained with some of the vendors who were just trying to reach their goals before packing up and heading out. But I talked myself out of the beautiful basketry and jewelry for sale.

Lastly, we swung south to visit a friend's "farm." He was out of town and his tomatoes needed to get eaten, or go rotten. I ended up with several pounds of tomatoes and made a delicious tomato salad for dinner. Tonight I'll be making spaghetti sauce to freeze with the rest.

On our way home we drove through Sonic for a fresh fruit ice drink. Thanks to my friend who drove, thus saving me gas money, my total spent on this full day of cultural fun was $3. And it was a great day.

I'm on a tight budget. A VERY tight budget. But I also love the arts. So it's hard to spend money on concerts and plays, especially when tickets can run from $10 to $35 in this town.  And for a Rabobank show, the cost can sometimes run up to $80 or more!

That's why I love The Empty Space so much. Last night, I saw a kick-ass show, "Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical." The cast kept their energy throughout the 2 1/2 hour performance (that includes intermission). It was a lot of singing and dancing. And smoking. And pill taking. And wigs. It was a great trip! I'm can't stop humming "Aquarius" now!

Two female voices really stood out, although I forgot to bring the program home with me so I couldn't tell you their names. But tonight is their last show, so go! You're going to love it!

The thing about The Empty Space is they don't charge admission. They just ask nicely for a donation. The recommendation is $10 for adults and $5 for students. But I seriously could only afford $5 last night, so that's what I dropped in the glass jar. And for people who just can't pay, that's OK. They welcome you with open arms. They pride themselves on being a donation-only community theater and their mantra is they are "setting theater free."

The theater is located off Oak Street at the back of the strip mall where Pizzaville USA is. The show tonight starts at 8 p.m. Get there early for a front-row seat. You will get hugged.

Swimming at a public pool is already cheap ($1 for most pools, $3 at McMurtrey).

But on July 17, if you donate a bathing suit at a City of Bakersfield pool, you get to swim for FREE. What's better than doing some good AND getting a freebie out of it?

But this has to be an extra bathing suit that you're donating. Don't try to donate the one you're wearing. According to The Californian story, you have to wear a bathing suit to swim.

The participating pools are: Jefferson, MLK, Planz, Jastro, Silver Creek and McMurtrey.

Check out the story in today's Californian.

Who knew there was such beauty in Bakersfield? On Tuesday nights, the local Sierra Club (thanks to leader Gordon Nipp) takes people on free hikes around the northeast part of town. The group always meets at 6:45 p.m. at the Chevron station at the corner of Highways 178 and 184.

This past Tuesday, we drove from the meeting place out to Hart Park, where we hiked (or more like walked) along the river past the soccer fields and around CALM, then back. It was fun, though hot, and dusty. We passed campers at Lake Ming, guys swimming in the river at the rope swing, more guys blaring country music from their pickup truck, and the beautiful homes whose back yards end in the river. I saw a skunk, bats, and a duck. Such wildlife!

The whole hike was about 2 hours, and even though much of the crowd was older, the group kept up a good pace that didn't disappoint me. Afterward, my buddies and I drove to the Scotsman Restaurant at 184 and 58 for some cherry and blackberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream. The perfect ending to a wonderful night.

Hike: $0
Cobbler: $4.19

Location: 3100 Camino Del Rio, Bakersfield, CA

Last night I had my biggest cheap thrill of all, since starting this blog. I went to salsa night at the Doubletree Hotel. There is a local salsa group that rotates its events around town during the week. Thursday nights, they're at the Doubletree.

It was HOT! And I'm not just talking about temperature. Smooth moves, sweaty bodies, short skirts, and unbuttoned shirts. For a moment, I felt like I had been transported to South Beach, Florida!

My buddies and I arrived at 8 p.m., before they started charging the $5 cover charge. And even though I had every intention in buying a couple of drinks, I ended up just drinking ice water. Total bill for the night: $0.

It was fabulous, and I definitely plan to go again.

Location: 9000 Ming Avenue, Bakersfield, CA

One of my favorite things about summer is live outdoor concerts. Luckily, The Marketplace offers free shows every Thursday night from 7 to 9 p.m. during the summer. I've already missed a few (including my favorite local band, Mento Buru), but check out the rest of the lineup! You bet i'll be at Tony O'Brien (one year one of his friends was my friend, singer Danielle Belton, I miss her), Thee Majestics, and The Beagles. Love 'em!

July 5           Southside Chicago Seven - Dixieland jazz
July 12         Tony O'Brien & Friends - smooth jazz
July 19         The Majestics
July 26         Olive Knolls Church Praise Band & Choir
August 2      J.D. Goodwin - rock & roll
August 9      The Beagles - Beatles covers (early)
August 16    The Moosehead Band - country
August 23    Rhythm Epkins and Mind, Body & Soul - old school
August 30    Chesterfield King & the Sultans of Swing

Here's a link to the Russo's Web site for more info

And check out http://static.bakersfield.c...>a video from Bakersfield.com about the Mento Buru show.

Location: 2401 North Chester, Bakersfield, CA

Ok, so they're not iPhones. And I think the grocery employees union is still contemplating striking. BUT -- an updated Vons is re-opening in Oildale this weekend and they're GIVING AWAY 200 iPODS!

I rarely venture north of the river. In fact, I only really go up there when my vehicles need attention (my mechanic and smog shops are both in Oildale). But I just might have to buy some bread and milk this weekend and try to win me a free iPod. Even if it's just a Shuffle. (I have no idea what kind of iPods they're giving away.)

I find it interesting that this new improved Vons is calling itself a "Lifestyle" shopping experience in Oildale, with an expanded bakery and gourmet cheese table. Gourmet? In Oildale? I'll attach the press release to this blog for your amusement.

Maybe I'll see you up there this weekend!

At first, I was going to blog about the wonders of the library - Free books! Free Internet access! Free air conditioning on a hot day!

But then I thought, is anything ever really free? I mean, I probably pay a little for the library system in my taxes. I probably paid, through taxes, for the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra to play in Beale Park last night. (It was sponsored by the Bakersfield Parks and Recreation Department.)

Well if I'm paying for this with my taxes, I'm going to take advantage of it.

Which brings me back to the library. I recently joined a book club. But it is my mission not to buy a single book. I'm going to check them out from the library. I even checked out a book on CD for a road trip I took to San Francisco last weekend. The book was called "San Francisco is Burning." I figured I should learn a little something about the City I was visiting. Even it if was about the 1906 earthquake and fires.

I just put the NY Times Bestseller "A Thousand Splendid Suns" on hold at the Beale Library to pick up after work. It was as simple as clicking the mouse on my computer. Heck, if I'm paying for our library system, a librarian is going to get that book for me and put it at the front counter. Talk about service!