The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for May, 2010
Freeport Festa: You are Cordially Invited
Mary, Monica & Justina Invite you to Festa
Festa Dinner
Saturday, May 29
Tri-Tip, Beans, Bread, Salad, Dessert
$15 per person
Music
Festa
Sunday, May 30
Parade starts at 10am
Mass at 11:30am
Auction at 1:30 (Donations are welcome)
Freeport-Clarksburg
Portuguese Hall
54113 South River Road
[North of Clarksburg in Yolo County - 2 ½ miles north of Freeport Bridge]
For more information, contact Monica Souza at (916) 925-8661.
“Roughing It” River-Style
The Sacramento and American Rivers run through the Sacramento Valley and converge near Old Sacramento at Discovery Park. Needless to say, river recreation – ranging from boating, jetskiing and fishing to riverfront dining, drinking and sightseeing – is a locals’ favorite. But there’s also biking, running and nature viewing on the beloved American River Parkway, which gets a near 5-star overall rating on Yelp.com. There’s nightlife and live music at various locations along the rivers, from the delta towns of Nicolaus and Clarksburg to the lake-bejeweled city of Folsom. There are beaches, boat docks, riverfront parks and plenty of visitor experiences (complete with river-view hotels) as well, lining certain swatches of land along the lush riverfronts. But if you ask any one local, you’re likely to get a variety of responses, suggestions and impressions of how the rivers help characterize our fair city.
For instance, Swabbies is a rustic restaurant and bar that serves up ultra-fried foods, refreshments for the whole family and live music every weekend. Just a few minutes northwest of the airport off I-5, it’s a bit of a local local’s secret, if you know what I mean. But it’s earthy and welcoming enough for just about anyone. You can putter up and dock there by boat or jetski, roll up on the hog, or pull up in the family station wagon. While it’s a bit of an old school ‘party place’, it’s one place you’re also likely to see a bachelorette party peacefully perched right next to a family birthday celebration.
The only thing I think it’s missing: An old weather-beaten Pirate ship half buried in the sand, along with the ghost of its captain dangling from the upper deck, his “Aaarrrrs” sometimes audible when the Delta breezes gently tousle your hair.
www.Swabbies.com
916.920.8088
Scotts, Celts, Kilts, Cold Beer!
Festival-Goers and Historical Characters Mingling
Since I live there, it’s probably okay for me to admit that Woodland is not especially well known for its fancy variety of world-renowned festivals… But having just attended the 134th Annual Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival at the Yolo County Fairgrounds, I think this one’s worth writing home about.
Modeled after the traditional gatherings of Scots in their homeland, the weekend-long festival features Olympic-style heavy athletics and Highland dancing, pipe bands and Celtic rock groups, sheep dog trials, historical re-enactments and more.
Just like any festival, there’s plenty of good food and fun, cold beer and faire frills, shows and vendors (although I would have personally appreciated more of those). But unlike many festivals, this one’s got an eye-full of colorful kilts walking around, as well as those manly Scottish games playing out on the open field. This April, there was plenty of sunshine and luckily also plenty of shade beneath ye olde olive trees. And if there’s one thing about Woodland, everything’s pretty easy here: easy to access, easy entry… easy escape.
What began as a simple “Scottish Picnic Competition” in a park is now what allows the club to “benefit” the public through education, scholarships and charity. McKinley Park in East Sacramento was the site of the first Sacramento Scottish Games & Gathering on June 16, 1877. The festival moved to the 55-acre Yolo County Fairgrounds in 1997 due to it having more elbow room, ample parking and helpful fairground staff.
The event is hosted by the Caledonian Club of Sacramento, a nonprofit organization established in 1876. Club membership is open to any one of Scottish birth or descent, their kin, and to any person interested in the rich and historic traditions of Scotland. They host other annual events, including the Sacramento Tartan Ball in November.
Keep the Sacramento Scottish Games in mind next year; it’s a magical day for anyone interested in Scottish and Celtic arts, culture and history – or anyone just a fan of festivals, period. It takes place the last full weekend of every April.
www.saccallie.org, (916) 557-0764.
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.
