The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Agriculture
TEN 22 – TODAY, “Tomorrow” and Thursdays
Patio Dining: What Good Weather was Made For
The storm has passed, the weekend has come and Spring is in full swing. If you’re wondering how to start your weekend in Sacramento or are looking for a reason to visit, look no further than Ten22 Restaurant in Old Sacramento.
TODAY marks the celebration and opening of their outdoor patio, starting at 11:30AM and featuring a fresh new spring menu of local, organic and seasonal ingredients. Music from NOW 100.5 FM, glorious weather and undetermined amounts of fun are included. Reservations are recommended, and valet and validated parking is available.
As for “Tomorrow”, I’m speaking metaphorically, because hey – it makes for a cute title. From April 10 through 13, Ten22 will be participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area Dine & Donate Program, where 15% of all revenue generated will be donated to the non-profit organization. Ten22 is the first restaurant in Sacramento to participate in this Program, and gives us all a reason to create a better (and more delicious) tomorrow.
And finally, Thursdays… They’re the new Friday for those affected by furloughs, and Ten22 has created TASTING THURSDAYS, a wonderland of food and beer pairings. For just $10 per person, you can experience a different theme with Executive Chef Jay Veregge at 5:30PM every Thursday. “Themes” include ‘Spring Ciders and Local Production with Seasonal Cheeses,’ ‘Warm Weather Beer “Cocktails” of the Future with Veggie Pairings,’ and ‘Trucker Hats and Bad Beer: Down Home Brews and Country Nibbles.’ Who can resist?
Also don’t miss Friday and Saturday nights at Ten22: live music all evening long performed by local talent!
Come to think of it – that’s a lot of fun for one weekend – can we camp out on your new patio, Ten22?!
www.ten22oldsac.com
Food & Wine, Song & Dance, Earth & Sky
Weather and Wine… For wine growers, the two are inextricably (and sometimes excruciatingly) mixed. For wine enthusiasts, there is an anticipatory pairing between the two, paying attention to harvest, crush time and release dates. And for humble wine lovers? Well, it all depends.
For me, I have tendencies when it comes to wine and weather, being more likely to drink reds when the weather is cold and whites when it is warm. It’s not rocket science, but neither is it foolproof. This winter, for instance, I’ve been drinking more whites than reds… as if my palate is as confused as our weather patterns.
But regardless the season, there’s always good news ahead for wine lovers. And since Spring has officially just sprung, what better way to celebrate its arrival than with good wine, food, music and the great outdoors?!
Spring Fling, a Picnic in Clarksburg Weekend Wine Tasting Event, will be under way the first weekend in April. Less than a nickel and dime away from Sacramento, Clarksburg is actually the closest wine region to the river city, but that by no means makes it any less significant. An undeniably beautiful area with a hefty handful of reputable wineries, Clarksburg is home to Bogle Vineyards, Heringer Estates and Carvalho Family Wines to mention just a few. There will actually be twelve wineries in attendance and over 50 wines available for sipping.
So bring a picnic and blanket or take advantage of the food vendors when you get there. Tickets are a steal at just $12.
Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3rd, 11AM-5PM
Brought to you by the Clarksburg Wine Growers Association: www.clarksburgwinegrowers.org
All Aboard! for New “Fruit” Exhibit at Raiload Museum
If I could just absorb all the vitamin C in this upcoming exhibit, I doubt I’d currently be home nursing a sore throat and chest cold. But lucky for me, there’s still time to recuperate and get myself to the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento for the “Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & the California Dream” exhibit. Starting March 5th (and running through March 30), we can view more than 80 iconic and whimsically designed fruit crate labels from the 1880s through the early 1950s that inspired many to “Go West” in search of the California Dream.
Gain an appreciation for an early art form that featured beautifully bold imagery, learn how California’s fresh produce was kept cool during transport before refrigerated cars, and discover why the railroad was the key to the early success of the California agriculture industry. Dripping with color, these labels depicted verdant fields and idyllic pastoral scenes, subtly suggesting that California was a magical place – a place where it was always sunny and the grass was somehow greener. To those of us who live here, we know there’s a certain magical aura around California, one usually best seen during dawn or twilight hours. Of course, we still have to deal with real-world stuff – just like everyone else. And no matter how much succulent fruit we produce here, we still get sick sometimes.
Widely regarded as North America’s finest and most popular railroad museum, the 100,000-square foot Railroad History Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
More Information: www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org or call (916) 445-6645
Cost: $9 adults; $4 youths ages 6-17; free for children ages 5 and under
Merging Worlds at Berryessa Gap Winery
Berryessa Gap Rare Bubbly
Shrimp sizzling in garlic butter; peppers, onions and sea snails; chicken, chorizo sausage and risotto; sangria with pomegranates and lemon, sangria sweetened to near perfection, sangria with jalapenos?! It can’t be often that the wine at Berryessa Gap takes second stage…. But on this night of sangria, tapas, paella dishes and festive people, it was difficult for me to give the wine I love so much all the attention it truly deserves. November 6th was Berryessa Gap’s annual Paella Cook-Off & Dinner, and this being my first, it certainly won’t be my last. Sometimes when you fall in love with something, it actually loves you back.
One of the owners, Mike Anderson, escorted a few of us around the grounds and showed us how the magical elixir is made while dispensing some very frothy champagne into our glasses. I sipped carefully and tried to absorb the lessons at hand: An immense respect and care for the grapes, an unfaltering appreciation for good wine at an accessible price, a unique approach with exotic varietals… The really important stuff was coming across, while on another level (and to my delight) I felt I was re-living scenes from ‘Bottleshock’.
Fast forward a bit into the evening: Nick Toma from Good Day Sacramento, Charlotte King from The Grand Adventures of a Food & Wine Diva, a few other community pillars and food lovers, and myself are judging the paella dishes. Having sat next to her, it is clear to see how much Charlotte knows about food, and I know I have a lot to learn, but the soft-hearted ‘can’t-we-all-just-get-along’ part of me wants them all to be winners. Still, there’s a lot to consider: Is the meat or seafood under or over-cooked? Is there any flavor overwhelming the rest? Does the flavor of the rice reflect the complexity of the dish? Is it a more traditional or bold style paella? And on and on.
The sangria and paella themes of this event pay homage to the area’s Spanish roots. If you visit the tasting room in downtown Winters, there’s a binder with the history of the area, which is quite impressive for such a tiny town. But that’s the thing ~ How small a town is does not define its depth. And the same can be said for Berryessa Gap wines. You’re not going to find them mass produced and put on every store shelf… But if you sip, focus and think about what really matters in life – good company, good health, good food – this wine pairs well with it all!
www.BerryessaGap.com
www.WineFoodDiva.com
www.GoodDaySacramento.com
Cars: From Mean to Pristine
Race to the Finish
I snapped this shot while attending Reiff’s Annual Street Bash and car show in Woodland a few weeks ago. Touring the house – which is much more museum than home – I suddenly recalled being there as a child, soaking all the sights up with my eyes while my dad traded antique stories with Reiff. Putting the memory to a literal place, town and face, I felt my younger self coming full circle.
The block party is fun, but you can get a more intimate tour of the architectural artwork any time of the year. Just let Reiff know you’re coming, and I wouldn’t recommend rolling up on empty. www.reiffsgasstation.com
Since we’re on the topic of cars, here are some more pix; some taken at Reiff’s party and others taken outside Elkhorn Station. Elkhorn Station, by the way, is a rural escape with great food, sprawling views, live music and no pretense. On the River Road and just off the I-5, it’s the closest thing to the Sacramento Airport next to fields and more fields. It has some history, but you’ll have to Google it to get more info, as I didn’t find a website. Or just ask the guy driving the tractor in the middle of the road which way to the cold beer.
The Secret Life of Birds
Yolo Basin Trails - Davis, Yolo County, CA
California Duck Days, a wetlands festival in the heart of the Pacific Flyway, will be held on February 19th and 20th. A FREE gala reception and Wildlife Art Show will launch the festivities on Friday evening February 19th at the Davis Arts Center, from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
On Saturday February 20th the festival will feature one full day of field trips, workshops and other activities at the Yolo Wildlife Area Headquarters facility in South Davis. Field Trips include rice farming first-hand, central valley raptors and birding by bicycle. Workshops include duck calling, decoy painting and bat class.
•Workshops and onsite activities only: $20
•Workshops/onsite plus 1 field trip: $23
•Workshops/onsite plus 2 field trips: $25
[Children 16 and under are free when accompanied by an adult]
www.yolobasin.org
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.
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.
