Courtesy of James Floyd: Despite not having a UC Celebration on Independence Day, one of its long-standing highlights, the UC Celebration Photo Race, moved online to make a special challenge for University City residents. Seven teams stepped up and solved the clues and found their way around the neighborhood and sent in their answers. Here’s the list of teams who braved the hot 4th of July sun to play in the photo race:
- Team Pirate (Dave and Andrea Lynch)
- Hillberry Team (Kristen, Mike and Sydney Berryhill)
- The Morch Family (JB, Kim, Nina, and Alex Morch)
- The Berge Family (Tish, Tom, and Torger Berge)
- Team Needle (Lisa Needle and family)
- Team Valomans (Stacie Bresler-Reinstein, Julian Reinstein and Miles Reinstein)
- The Ramanathan family (Meera Ramanathan, Nethra Venkat, Navya Venkat)
In helping keep teams socially distant, many of this year’s clues have more than one correct location. Here are some of my favotire team photos in “clue order”. If you are curious about the clues from this year and their solutions, scroll down. Thanks to all who participated.
1 – Tish Berge 
2 – JB Morch 
3 – Stacie Bresler-Reinstein 
4 – Kristen Berryhill 
5 – Meera Ramanathan 
6 – JB Morch 
7 – Meera Ramanathan 
8 – Dave and Andrea Lynch 
9 – Dave and Andrea Lynch 
10 – Stacie Bresler-Reinstein
1. The tooth hurts: One common definition of this word is a thin film build-up of bacteria on one’s teeth. But using a different definition, it’s a brass tablet with words on it. Find one in UC that has exactly one person’s name on it and have your whole team point at the name. Answer: Any of the plaques around UC that have just one person’s name on it. There’s a whole bunch around Standley Park and the nearby schools. Photo courtesy Tish Berge.
2. A second date! The 166th day of this year honors an important symbol of our country. Find a properly displayed version of this symbol – but not one at a government facility like a school, post office, or rec center – and give it a salute in your photo. Answer: Day 166 of the year 2020 is June 14, Flag Day so any American flag not at a government facility will do. Photo courtesy JB Morch.
3. I ce-meant to do that! All around UC are pavement stamps made by the companies and contractors who helped pour the sidewalks of our community. Find one that is dated from the last century and take a photo with a foot from each teammate pointing toward the year. Answer: Any sidewalk stamp that is from 2000 or earlier, found all over UC. Photo courtesy Stacie Bresler-Reinstein.
4. This one might go over your head: Outside a local establishment that usually sells red strawberries, white whipped cream and blueberries, you’ll find a picture of a contraption that sounds like: [ single word you say when you leave + a tragedy or comedy seen on a stage + the first letter in the chemical symbol for sodium ]. Get your team in the pic with it for this clue. Answer: The rebus is Bye + Play + N (from Na) = Biplane, which is found in the mural outside Sprouts Farmers Market. Photo courtesy of Kristen Berryhill.
5. The artwork formerly known as prints? One of the local schools has a feline as a mascot, and on the fence at the school you might find a giant set of this mascot’s step impressions. Take a photo with this blue and yellow marvel while putting on your best wild faces. Answer: Spreckels Elementary Wildcats paw prints on the fence facing Governor Drive. Photo courtesy of Meera Ramanathan.
6. The Not-So-Secret Garden: Along Genesee, there is a garden that is dedicated to a person whose initials are D W-A. Find the garden and take a photo with the fountain there. Answer: Fountain and garden at the entrance of the La Jolla Park East complex, dedicated to Danielle Warren-Angelucci. Photo courtesy of JB Morch.
7. Saving Mr. Banks: In the film Mary Poppins, Mr. Banks works at this type of establishment. Find a local establishment of the same type and take a picture pointing to the name of the business. Answer: Any bank (or credit union). Photo courtesy of Meera Ramanathan.
8. CDC Guidelines: To properly social distance, you should wear face masks and remain six feet apart from people not in your household. Take a photo with masks on and using props to help illustrate what six feet apart looks like. Answer: Anywhere, as long as you illustrate at least six feet apart, wearing masks. Photo courtesy of Dave and Andrea Lynch.
9. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Many of the streets in University City take their names from early twentieth-century achievers in the fields of medicine, literature, physics, chemistry and peace. Take a photo with a street sign that has the name of someone who won a Nobel Prize at least 80 years ago. Answer: Any sign for a street that is named after a Nobel laureate from 1940 or earlier, located all over University City – with plenty of opportunities for more than one name at some intersections. Photo courtesy of Dave and Andrea Lynch.
10. Brace yourself: Clue 1 had a word with two definitions. Find any local establishment that might help you get that kind of stuff that is the first definition all cleaned up and take a picture with their sign while doing a dance that might be appropriate to the location. Answer: Any of University City’s dentist offices, while flossing. Photo courtesy of Stacie Bresler-Reinstein.
For related posts, visit https://www.universitycitynews.org/category/parks-recreation-dept/
