The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for May, 2011
Strange Days
Magical May is coming to a close. It started off soft, sunny and warm and is ending with whirlpools of dark clouds and spirals of wind in the sky. Yesterday we paid our respects to the veterans who served our country; Today, we are attempting to get back to business as usual. But currently, nothing really feels usual. So I struggle to meet my deadlines as I attempt to also stay in touch with reality… It just doesn’t feel there, like the matrix of our existence has vanished. I check my resources for evidence of a global or personal shift, but find no explanation for my strange sense of detachment, and then I lose my internet connection. I peer out from my body to find both my husband and cat eerily quiet, and wonder if anyone is actually home in our house today. Some days are just so strange they make you feel more like Jim Morrison than yourself.
What’s So Great About CA Produce?
Juicy!
Season Debuts:
Earlicots – The first apricots to arrive, tart
Aprium – Rich in flavor
Poppy Cot – Apricots with a blush
White and Yellow Peaches and Nectarines – Try the yellow Queen Crest and the white Snow Angel
Golden Rainiers Cherris – Have the pinkest glow
Blueberries from the Delta – Antioxidant-rich
Fresh Vegetables – Onions, garlic, broccoli, summer squash, pickling cucumbers, bok choy, swiss chard
Root vegetables – Beets, carrots, and radishes
Insider Tip: Fresh green – yes, green! – garbanzo beans can soon be found at the farmers’ markets in their fuzzy pillowlike pods, and some farmers pull the entire bushy plant from the roots. This means fresh garbanzos are here for a limited time. Not only are they rich in minerals and folate, but just one ounce provides 5 grams of both protein and fiber.
Many vegetables are able to grow year round in California because of its varied climates. However, some crops are phased out in order to make room for new ones. Different types of lettuce and greens are replanted often, so let the growers know which ones you like best.
For recipes, market locations, dates and times, and more visit http://www.ca-grown.com!
Freaky Friday: Feeling Our Way Around Shenanigans & Dive Bar
Some friends and I wanted to check out the new ‘Dive Bar’ on K Street, as where else around these parts are we going to find mermaids dipping and diving in a gigantic tank? It’s easy to let the name fool you, since the concept of a “dive bar” tends to elicit pretty strong images of dark, dusty, sometimes dingy places. Yet while dark indeed, this particular Dive Bar creates a class all its own, with huge glowing chandeliers, large elegant mirrors, and lounge-style seating perfect for classy cocktails and conversation.
Next, we hit Shenanigans on J Street. I’d seen photos of it and was expecting a posh, club-y hangout, but Shenanigans deserves the general term “dive bar” tenfold next to the literal Dive Bar. Still, appearances can be misleading, and what kind of joint appeals to each of us depends a great deal on our individual priorities. While the bartender was refreshingly engaging, Shenanigans in the light of day was a bit too rough around the edges (ok, truthfully, grimy around the toilets) for me. There was, however, a certain energy about the place that made my male compatriots want to return the next weekend. And I can imagine that once the sun goes down and the cocktails and music start flowing, that hazy glaze could soften up the edges and cast a more magical glow. So with live music and comedy shows upstairs, thumping DJ and lounge downstairs, the entertainment options might be just what the janitor ordered.
Sip, Stroll & Rock ‘n Roll
Whether you’re just visiting Sacramento or are a long-time resident, acting like a tourist has its benefits. For one, you learn more, meet interesting people and experience new things. (Wait, that’s three, isn’t it?). Two, you can return to that fresh, innocent state of curiosity and openness. And three, you’ll find you have a lot more options when looking for things to do on, say, a lovely Friday night.
It really seems that every time I refresh my inbox or turn a literal corner, there’s something new in the area to experience. Most recently, we have the Rock & Roll History Tour and Pub Crawl on Friday nights. Running in conjunction with the Friday Night Concerts in the Park, the tour starts at the corner of 9th and J streets at 6pm. Guests learn about Sacramento’s Rock & Roll history and Downtown’s historical connection to The Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Nirvana and more. Cocktail stops include The Torch Club, Tequila Museo Mayahuel, Cosmo Café and Marilyn’s on K, ending at Cesar Chavez Plaza just in time for the headlining act. Tickets are $10 and the tour lasts approximately two hours.
Brought to you by Downtown Sacramento Partnership, more details can be found at http://sacrockandrolltour.eventbrite.com/.
New Ghost Adventures in Old Sacramento
Dat you, Scooby?
Watching the show, however, it seemed to me that Zak & the gang were not told many of the juicy stories I had once been privy to, or perhaps they just weren’t letting on. I did, nonetheless, particularly enjoy the part where Sean the tour guide was overwhelming Zak with his vast array of run-on knowledge, because anyone who’s attended one of Sean’s Sacramento history tours knows the amusing feeling of trying to mentally keep up with him.
Honestly, I was hoping the show would fully capture Sacramento’s shadowy past and how it literally lingers on today, but maybe my expectations were set too high and hometown self-consciousness just too acute. That said, I did enjoy the fact that they “locked” themselves in three different locations – the Eagle Theatre, old Supreme Court building and underground of the B.F. Hastings building.
I don’t know if Ghost Adventures’ equipment and expertise is improving to the point that they get more and better evidence – or if they’re just getting better at faking it – but I was impressed with the “shadow” figure and realistic sounding “intelligent voices”. I also always appreciate it when they try to debunk something right then and there, giving the viewer on the other side of the tube a little credit as well as immediate gratification. But really, when you add the unmistakable footsteps, loud banging, and chair rocking on its own, the evidence piling up seems almost… too good to be true.
Heck , if I were locked in an old, supposedly haunted building all night long, I know for a fact that I’d scare myself into being a believer. And after a while – if nothing happened and I by chance got used to the darkness – I might just get bored enough to pull some pranks. Does that make me a skeptic? Of course. But am I also a believer in something that I can’t quite put my finger on… that’s an affirmative as well.
May Madness: So Much to See & Do in Sac & Beyond!
If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?
FUN, of course~
OUTDOOR CONCERTS
Announcing the kick-off the 20th season of Friday Night Concerts in the Park.
May 6th and every Friday night, 5-9PM, through August 12.
Cesar Chavez Park, Downtown
http://www.SacFridayConcerts.com
ART & WINE AFFAIR
20 area wineries, artists, vendors, live entertainment.
Saturday & Sunday, May 7 & 8, 11-4PM
El Dorado Hills
916-802-6924, http://www.eldoradohillsartaffaire.com
PIXAR COLLECTION
Disney Fine Art by Collectors Editions presents the Pixar Collection worldwide debut — One Day Only!
Sunday, May 15, 11AM to 4PM
California State Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park
916-445-6645, http://www.csrmf.org
NATURE TOURS
Delta Eco-Tours – Take a short or long nature and cultural history tour of California’s best and most breathtaking locations along the Sacramento Delta.
Saturday, May 21, 2-hour History & Riparian Cruise
Saturday, May 28, 4-1/2 hour Tule Wilderness Adventure
Delta Ecotours/Hartland Nursery
13737 Grand Island Road (P.O. Box 439), Walnut Grove, CA 95690
(916) 775-4545, http://www.DeltaEcoTours.com
HISTORY TOURS
Gold Rush Legacy Tours and Old Sacramento Architectural Tours begin in May and go all summer long.
Saturdays & Sundays at 11AM
916-808-7059, http://www.historicoldsac.org
And for more ongoing, engaging and special events check out http://www.Sacramento365.com!
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.
