The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for East Sacramento
Eat, Drink, Walk & Be Merry
Turn Verein, a fine example of Sacramento’s rich and ongoing immigrant contributions
What’s fun to do in any season? Whether enjoying the body-temp warmth of summer, the beautiful blossoms of spring, the brilliant foliage of fall or the crisp blue-sky days of winter, Local Roots Food Tours will provide you with a full-bodied and full-bellied experience.
I recently joined ‘Gals on the Go’ from El Dorado Hills for a tour of the Sutter District and East Sacramento areas. Among others, it included delicious French toast and private chef talk at Café Bernardo, as well as mouth-watering lunch options in Centro’s sunny “paper flower” room. In between stops, we walked and talked about some of the area’s lesser-known history, and checked out the breathtaking fall foliage in East Sac’s Fab 40s neighborhood.
All in all, we tried some Czech beer, Italian pizza, Mexican food, Middle Eastern cuisine and coffee/pastry samples. We learned a bit about each chef’s niche of expertise and what makes each restaurant unique. We learned about coffee bean roasting, local humane food products, haunted places and Sacramento’s brewery past. We got to know Lisa Armstrong, the founder of Local Roots Food Tours, and chit chat as we walked Sacramento’s sidewalks.
From breakfast, lunch and appetizers to cocktails, dessert and coffee; from history, haunting and architecture to walking, talking and sightseeing… these tours (there are 3 different options in all) are certainly an enjoyable, comprehensive and distinctive Sacramento experience.
Way to create something both timely and timeless, intimate and expansive, Lisa!
http://www.local-food-tours.com, (800) 838-3006
Girls’ Night Out: The Good, the Bad & the ‘Eh’
Dancing at the Mix
It was Dawn’s 40th birthday. She wanted to get her friends together to celebrate. So adorned with tiara, boa and free drink tickets, she boarded a limo bound for anyplace fun. First stop: The Corner Restaurant & Bar in East Sacramento. It wasn’t crowded, but full enough to be standing room only for eight 40-is-the-new-30-year-old chicks. We ordered a round of drinks to begin the night. Some of the patrons seemed a little uncomfortable about our presence, as if we were going to disturb their quiet, serene atmosphere. While I can’t say I blame them – they probably thought we were a bachelorette party, hell-bent on one last hurrah – it was the first stop, people! How much trouble were we going to get into that early?! Anyway, a few others at the bar were really friendly, just wondering where we were headed next. Before we slipped out the door, however, the bartender bought us all a round of no-named pink shots that tasted a little like a Flintstone vitamin. But better.
Next stop: Bulls. It’s a fairly new place with a catch: a mechanical bull. But it’s a real cow’s head (sad) with a missing eye (sadder). The place is not a country bar, per se. They play all kinds of music and is really just a regular restaurant/bar (minus the one-eyed cow-bull). It wasn’t very crowded yet, but again, we were out early, so most of us took a ride on the wild side. I sort of liked the casual vibe of the place with its glamorous country accents, but the customer service left something big to be desired (saddest of all).
All aboard the limo for one more casual stop before the finale: Shady Lady (You’ve got to pronounce that like you’re woo-ing it… er, her). Now this place was hopping. I’ve been here a couple of times during the day, but nothing beats the nighttime ambiance. With some sultry acoustical music playing in the background, the velvet wallpaper, period lighting and old-fashioned menu, this place was classy and satisfying.
Final destination: MIX Downtown. First off, you’ve always got to mind the time at these places. According to our watches, we arrived in time to get in for free, with 7 minutes to spare. According to the guy at the door, we were 7 minutes too late. Luckily, our limo driver confirmed our clocks and up the stairs we went. Most – if not all – of us had been to the Mix before. We like it because it caters more to 30 and 40-year-olds than the younger crowd and has with a cool, grown-up atmosphere and open-air patio for minglaxing – mingling and relaxing). So we dove right in and pretty much danced the night away, despite there being an unusually-younger crowd on this night and the bartenders being a little too cool for school.
All in all, a bunch of 40-something-year-olds staying up until 1:30 is an amazing feat. But when the company’s good and there’s a reason to celebrate, not much is going to get us down.
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.
