The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for For a Good Cause
Baldness: More Than Just Hip These Days
My grandfather was already bald by the time he hit 50. Well, nearly bald, anyway… But I’d bet his hard-earned beer belly that he’d have shaved off the rest (and even forgone his toupee) for this great cause.
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government, more than $12 million in 2009 alone. To date, over 106,000 volunteers have shaved their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer at more than 2,400 events in 50 states and 24 countries.
And tonight, St. Baldrick’s celebrates another hair-raising event at DeVere’s Irish Pub, Downtown Sacramento. With 170 shavees, they’ve already raised over $54,000. That’s accomplishment enough! But the team’s total goal is $75K, so let’s put our heads (and hearts) together and help make a difference. If you can’t make it to the event to watch the scalps revealed, donations of any amount are accepted at the link below.
Tonight, 5PM (March 15, 2010)
Devere’s Irish Pub, 16th & L
http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/eventid/44/eventyear/2010
Here’s to Health, Harmony & Happy Children!
Rise and Shine
photo courtesy of http://www.apoliticalblog.com
As I looked around the room at all these officers in uniform, I was reminded they are also regular people – regular people who put their fear (emotion) aside in place of courage (action) every single day of their lives. And at this thoughtful, compassionate ode to law enforcement and public safety, we were all asked to look out for one another in our everyday lives, hopefully willing to walk through our fears and help a stranger in need if and when the ocassion arises.
In a world so full of tragic consequences, we seem more likely these days to shy away from stepping in when help is needed. But I think that’s just what we need to do ~ Be willing to get involved. Because it truly makes a difference – and not just in one person’s life. We all learn by observing those around us… And we either see heroes. Or we don’t.
Toast to a Good Cause
You might think, ‘Who’s drinking beer before noon on a Saturday?’ And then you look around and see that a whole lot of people are drinking beer before noon on a Saturday. Whether it’s like this all the time or not, I don’t frankly know. What I can say is that on this particular Saturday, this particular restaurant and brewery (Rubicon in Midtown) was pouring a lot of tasty hops.
It was for a good cause, after all: The 3rd annual ‘Women in Brewing’ WEAVE fundraiser. And it was simple: No entrance fee; just nominal donations to sample the brews. Made by women, of course.
What we got out of it? Our favorite was a lovely Smoky Vanilla Porter, followed closely by a light and tangy Tangerine Wheat. We also made some friends over that vanilla porter. Yet while there wasn’t a big To-Do encircling this little neighborhood event, one thing seems certain: Sacramentans love a good cause, especially when it’s topped with the perfect amount of froth.
Not-So-Sleepy Saturday Morning
The Commotion Begins Just a Block Away...
There are only a few small puffy clouds scattered in the sky; against the bright blue backdrop, they look rather striking. The trees are blanketed with vibrant green spring leaves and a blossom storm whirls beneath like a tornado, rising majestically out and upward.
It is a quiet and serene Saturday morning in this part of Downtown Sacramento, but I know from experience that things in one part of town do not define all others. For just a few blocks away, things become anything but sleepy.
At the Capitol, thousands of adults, teens, children and dogs gather in readiness to march for a cause. It’s the annual March of Dimes March for Babies fundraising walk, and the Capitol is truly hopping. Participants are carb-loading, taking team pictures, socializing and even dancing to music blasting through the speakers. When Go-time comes, the crowd is so thick that we move like molasses through a tiny straw.
But marching west from the Capitol, down Capitol Mall, through Old Sac and Westfield Plaza, and snaking through Downtown and then Midtown, the crowd gets a unique view of their very own town, with major street closures removing obstacles and revealing a sparkling city that is perfectly comfortable in its own skin.
Fast forward 6 winding miles and an after-celebration, we walk back toward the office to find another kind of action on the streets of Sacramento: On K Street, a convention crowd watches as a legislator is being filmed. On J Street, activists line the road with signs and cheers for ‘Newsom for Green Jobs’. And on 16th Street, a group of young tourists begins their day.
It’s just another ordinary day in Sacramento… revealing some extraordinary and unexpected things.
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.
