The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for July, 2009
Brew It Up! Drink It Up! Eat It Up!
Brew It Up!
The Spicy Buffalo Chicken Salad… it’s my favorite of all three things I’ve recently tried at Brew It Up. And when I say “tried”, I generally mean reached over and nabbed a bite of my boyfriend’s entree.
One could say I stay in the safe zone, am a creature of habit… And this could be true to some extent. But then, at least I don’t have the grass-is-greener syndrome ~ always wondering if that sandwich at table 2 is tastier than mine.
Brew it Up is a casual, easy place to dine on delicious food. They’re friendly, they are generous with their portions, and they have (my favorite) Orange Blossom Beer! If you’re a real beer fanatic/connoisseur/activist, you can even brew your own here.
Near the Music Circus, Convention Center and other sweet spots Downtown, Brew It Up Personal Brewery & Grill sits rather massively on the corner of 14th & H, but they’re gracious hosts with lots to offer, including special events, holiday happenings and both early and late night happy hours!
Oh, and they’re not a chain, in case you were wondering and like to frequent one-of-a-kinds.
The Gem of the East
South Lake Tahoe, Lakeside Beach
Lake Tahoe is the most sparkling gem of the east – from our perspective anyway. Only 1.5 hours from Sacramento, it’s an absolutely do-able day trip, and is a ‘not-to-be-missed’ for anyone traveling through the Golden State.
Speaking of golden, Tahoe dazzles in the summer with casinos and clubs, beaches and bars, restaurants and shops. The silver lining? That shows itself early winter, when the snow begins falling, pleasing winter sport fanatics and simple romantics at heart.
The locals are welcoming and the visitors are friendly in this little Switzerland-like oasis of a natural miracle. Here, you can live it up celebrity-style or do it down-home and easy. And whether you head to North Shore or South shore (there’s actually an east and a west as well), there are also plenty of great Gold Rush towns to explore along the way.
Seem like a lot to accomplish in one day? Ok, go ahead and stay the night. But tell them ‘Sacramento sent ya,’ would you?
Back to Nature
Harmony Amongst Earth's Creatures
Do you like Nature? Farm-fresh food? Apple picking? Wine festivals? Water recreation? Do you like to go on nature hikes? See how something’s made? Watch Mother Nature in all her glory?
Flower farms, organic ranches, farmers’ markets, petting zoos, fishing, horseback riding, Green movements… the list is long and so far ever-growing when it comes to the agricultural and nature opportunities in the Greater Sacramento area.
Watch for more comprehensive information to come! In the meantime, pack your binoculars, maps, camera, maybe a picnic… and get ready to get back to the basics… They’re more stunning than you might recall.
Grape & Grape 2009
Sacramento Grape & Gourmet 2009
The 2009 Grape & Gourmet show-(sip a lot)-and-tell was held last week at the Sacramento Convention Center. Let me just start by saying that I’ve never, ever before seen so many people (hundreds) arrive at an event on time. Maybe it was the 800 award-winning California wines available for tasting…
For adults who love wine, Grape & Gourmet is to them like Disneyland is to youngens. It’s exciting. It’s hard to believe. It’s tangible. And it’s downright overwhelming.
When my nephew was about 1 and 1/2, he used to get so excited to see me that he’d immediately take off running from his dad’s car toward my front door. But just before he reached me – confused and overwhelmed by his emotion – he’d suddenly drop and begin crying. (We realized early on that this was a very sensitive and sweet boy).
And that’s pretty much how I felt when walking into the 2009 Grape & Gourmet wine competition winner round-up. I wanted to run to my beloved wines and seek out new bottled friends… but alas, there was delectable food too… and oh, look there – friends!
But the beauty about getting older is one, that I’m old enough to recognize what my emotion is all about… and two, that I’m old enough to appreciate all that fine wine (even if it does take me a lifetime).
Oh, Mighty Marsh Land
Yolo Basin Foundation
The irony may be that hunters are allowed on the land; land which was designated to protect animals. The irony may be that traps are set to protect the little creatures. The irony may be that the land was restored by man to be what it once was before man altered it. The irony may be that Beavers clog the waterways, and people return the next day to unclog them, repeating this behavior like the movie ‘Groundhog Day’.
The irony may seem glaring out here in the Yolo Basin… And yet, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. What at first seems ironic or contradictory may only be partial truths simply submerged.
What’s really going on at the Yolo Basin Foundation, between Sacramento, Davis, Woodland and Winters is really not irony, but exquisite cooperation amongst seemingly-opposite agendas.
When people learn to work together – and bust through the barriers that had seemed indestructible – miracles of compassion and understanding happen. The brilliance and dedication behind the preservation of these wetlands should be inspiration for us all. Believe in a better world until you are living in that better world, and then keep believing, because others will begin to follow.
The Yolo Basin may not look like a miraculous feat to the untrained eye, but looks – as well as our pre-conceived notions – can be deceiving. Just ask the millions of birds that fly overhead each year and stop in for food, shelter and rest. Ask the volunteers who dedicate their days. Ask Bill Clinton. Or just stop into the Yolo Basin Wildlife Refuge for a visit yourself. One conversation with an impassioned tour guide and you’ll begin to see the light.
This is the way to ensure a better future for our children.
A Million Feasts
More tasty tantalizers about the upcoming Wine & Dine Week, July 4 – 12:
* 15 Wine & Dine restaurants are offering menus Less Than $40 ~ with wine!
* Try the newest and most authentic Italian culinary experience ~ Hot Italian at 16th and P Streets.
* Check out Sacramento’s newest riverfront dining: Pearl on the River.
* Wine & Dine downtown with 19 downtown restaurants to choose from.
* Wine & Dine at one of the 11 midtown restaurants, the heart of Sacramento’s dining scene.
* Wine & Dining in the Roseville Area? Check out Suede Blue…the newest hot spot! Crush 29 and Hawks are sizzlin’ too!
There is something special about Sacramento; the rich land upon which it was built, the rivers that flow through, the bounty around it and the people who make the Sacramento area their home.
Life is good in California’s Capital City for many reasons, including climate and geography, community and amenities, nature and wildlife, and so much more. It’s hard to imagine a warmer feeling than a sunshine-drenched morning here, an easier feeling than a refreshing post-rain spring day, or a more engaging experience than a night on the town with friends or family.
There’s truly something here 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 night-time 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.
