The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Downtown Sacramento
The Kay Comes to Life
After Friday Night Concerts in the Park or weekend festivals at Cesar Chavez Plaza, people begin meandering over to K Street for drinks, dinner or late night clubbing. On any given evening, people converge on K Street to see an independent film at the historic Crest Theatre, a larger-than-life movie at IMAX or a live show debuting at The Assembly. They might be sampling wine and cheese at Downtown & Vine, listening to live music at Marilyn’s or just wandering up from Downtown Plaza to find something a little more dazzling to do.
Recently, Sacramento’s K Street district has been re-named ‘The Kay’. Like it, love it or stick your tongue out at it, it’s an ode to an earlier time in the city’s history when K Street was often spelled “Kay Street” and was “a lively part of the downtown core.” Hanging out there myself on an early spring Saturday evening, it definitely seemed that The Kay was the place to be.
Restaurants along K Street and connecting cross streets include: Pizza Rock, Crest Cafe, Ambrosia Cafe, Mayahuel, Esquire Grill, Ella Dining Room & Bar, The Broiler Steakhouse, Blackbird Kitchen & Bar, and Grange Restaurant & Bar.
Clubs and bars include: Dive Bar, District 30, K Bar, Gallagher’s Irish Pub, and Marilyn’s on K.
I probably missed some (sorry)… But hey, that’s what makes the next time around so much fun: Still discovering something new!
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Something Big, Something Swell
A cornucopia of choices near 16th & L
you’ll find something big
and something small
and both, well, equally swell.
Or perhaps it’s the Yin to the Yang
where the 16 & the L intersect
like a small sip of succulent wine
to a gigantic salt-dusted pretzel.
Or a large screen TV to a small plate of salami and cheese.
The Grand is actually the yin in this riddled poem, and although it’s bite is mighty, it’s more the size of Minnie Mouse than its kitty corner counterpart, Firestone Public House.
To sum it up, you go to Firestone for the large television murals on the walls, extra-large Bavarian pretzels meant to be shared (unless you’re germaphobic), a good beer selection and ample-sized outdoor patio, fair food, prices and service. Coined a sports bar and pub, it has a slightly sleek, industrial feeling.
As for the Yin, the small, the katty to the kitty, the Grand Wine Bar is a glass half full – or empty kind of place – depending on how you like it. They offer glasses of wine by the half pour and full pour, as well as bottles and preliminary sips. Champagnes, beers, small bites, a cute little patio, and wine sampling with Jason really round out the flavors on this one. But be forewarned that it’s easy to miss, although not really that hard to find – ironically.
http://www.FirestonePublicHouse.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-grand-wine-bar-sacramento
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.
