The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for April 13, 2009
Mixing & Mingling from Dusk ’til…
It’s hard to tell if it’s still the Happy Hour crowd… or if the night dwellers are already out, but it’s 7:30PM on a Friday night and this corner is hoppin’. There’s a bouncer checking IDs outside of DeVeres Irish Pub, and it’s not even dark yet. Inside, the place is jamming, I’m assuming mostly from the after work crowd…
Luckily, there’s still room inside to maneuver and carve out a little drinking space for ourselves. And as any small-town-turned-grown-up city would tend to have it, I see several people I know already. Our friends – who have thankfully found a babysitter for the evening – arrive soon after, and for us, the night has just begun…
Fast forward a wee bit: We segue about 10 feet next door to the 30+something crowd at MIX Downtown (small plates & lounge), and find that it too is already warm and fuzzy inside, with people scattered evenly around the dimly-lit, rather large loft-like space.
The open-air patio draws us to the far end of the club and we tuck back into a corner where we are able to people watch and carry on conversation at the same time. The place doesn’t lose its momentum as the night wears on, with more friends and strangers arriving, as well as 80s music beginning to pump from the not-so-deafening speakers.
We don’t stay late, only because we have somewhere else to be and someone else to meet before turning into pumpkins. But I think these places calling Sacramento home are doing something right: Creating space where a hint of sophistication can mesh well with a preference for casualness.
There is something special about Sacramento; the rich land upon which she was built, the rivers that flow through her, the bounty around her and the people who make it their home.
Life is good in California’s Capital City for many reasons, including climate and geography, community and amenities, nature and wildlife, and more. It’s hard to imagine a warmer feeling than a sunshine-drenched morning here, an easier feeling than a refreshing spring day, or a more engaging experience than a night on the town after a cleansing rain.
There’s truly something for everyone and every mood, for Sacramento is a shifting entity itself, with four distinct but relatively mild seasons, diverse neighborhoods and people, a ripening food and restaurant scene, year-round events and outdoor fun, and daytime and nighttime adventures. Its magic is a blend of history and tradition, vision and reinvention. And there’s so much pleasure to be had here – with family and friends, food and wine, adventures and experiences – that they’re likely to create the kind of fond memories that might seem so familiar… but aren’t quite like any other.
