Mesmerica and the Bank
It all started with a random email about Mesmerica with a brief description and link to buy tickets. Basically, it's music composed to a light show projected on a planetarium's screen and it was scheduled to be playing in Sacramento for a couple of weekends at the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity. To be honest, we didn't even know there was a SMUD Museum. In our defense, it's a rebranded museum that reopened in 2020. The tickets were a little confusing. You could buy accessible seating, but only for 2 people. There was an option to buy VIP tickets, but it didn't really explain what you got for the VIP tickets. I didn't want the hassle of calling, so I purchased 4 VIP tickets and figured we'd figure it out when we got there.
We arrived a little early and found available disabled parking in the museum's lot for about $6. I wheeled Kellisa to the ticket counter and they asked for our last name to match to their list. Our hands were stamped VIP and we were pointed towards the elevator. Once on the second floor, their was another employee who saw our stamps and told us we could enter the theater and it was open seating, but the front is easier with a wheelchair.
The VIP tickets got us in ahead of the general ticket holders, and even though I purchased 4 seats, we found 3 seat in the front and I left Kellisa in her wheelchair. It was worth the extra little expense to enter early so we could sit together and not have to wait in a line with a wheelchair.
The theater has a strict no photography rule, so the only picture I took from inside the theater was Kellisa after watching Mesmerica. I'm sure you can find pictures and reviews online along with possible videos, so I'll keep it short since it's hard to describe.
For about an hour, you relax to the soothing beat of the rhythms of the music while focusing on an artistic light display that jumps between nature scenes, to geometric forms, and to architectural elements with some spoken words to encourage living a hay life while taking advantage of the precious short time we have on earth.
The show was so relaxing, Egypt slept through most of it. I would gently nudge her periodically, and she would ask to be left alone. Kellisa stayed awake and enjoyed what she could see. She doesn't have peripheral vision and even with strong glasses, it's impossible to know the quality of her visual experiences. But, she clapped and asked for more, so I think it's safe to assume she liked the sounds and visuals.
The night was still young, so we decided to live it up a little and have dinner in downtown Sacramento. Kellisa and I once ate at The Bank and we knew Lisa would like the atmosphere and Egypt would love the food options. The bank is well, a refurbished bank that is now an open three stories with multiple food options and a sorts bar with a lively, yet family friendly appeal.
Lisa enjoyed a chicken salad, Kellisa ate pub pretzels, Egypt got a poke bowl filled with salmon and crab, while I enjoyed a juicy cheeseburger. The girls enjoyed the festive atmosphere and loud music laying on a Saturday night.
