The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Wine & Food
Oh, Yes, It’s Ladies Night!
Mid-week, mid-spring break
Tonight, Ladies, the stars twinkle for you. Whether you’d like to chill outdoors at a rural Clarksburg winery or keep cool indoors with a mini make-over, this evening seems all about good times with the girls.
Miner’s Leap Winery presents their ‘Women and Wine Wednesday’ tonight from 5-8pm. There will be local vendors focusing on health, beauty, fitness and fashion, salads for purchase, and wine by the glass or bottle. Miner’s Leap is known for their welcoming nature, great patio area and festive gatherings. http://www.MinersLeap.com
The Sac Natural Food Co-op is also focusing on the feminine tonight with a class on ‘Natural Beauty: Skincare and Cosmetics’. Learn about products that are good for you and your skin and tips you can take home with you. Last but not least, get a mini make-over from ZuZu Luxe. http://sacramento.downtowngrid.com/events/index.php?events_id=10196&tk=1331daa93cc2de6bb0fb&event_on=05%2F15%2F2013
Whether you go with the girls or treat a special someone to a little mid-week pampering, I bet it’ll make the rest of the week a breeze~
Intimate Affairs with Local Wine & Food
Welcome to your fabulous life~
Putah Creek Winery’s Spring Wine Tasting (and food pairing) is this Saturday, May 4, 3-6pm in Davis. It’s a marvelous way to enjoy the gorgeous outdoors, get to know some of Yolo County’s fine food, wine and art, and just relax amongst the oaks of rural Davis. $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
http://putahcreekwinery.com/events.html
The 3rd Annual Wine & Art in the Park 2013 will take place next Saturday, May 11, 11-5pm in Winters. Featuring wines from Capay Valley, Winters, Davis, Dunnigan Hills and English Hills – as well as local food, music and art – it’s another intimate affair that promises a significant dose of romance. (If you haven’t yet experienced Winters’ flavors and charms, this is a great way to get it all done in one cool, shady spot). $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
P.S. Nearby accomodations include Holiday Inn Express West Sacramento.
Enjoy and sleep tight!
Where the Sun Always Shines
Comforting food, complex wines, inviting atmosphere, engaging staff… It seems there’s always a dose of warmth oozing from this corner of the world, even when the weather outside is frightful. (Pix to the right>)
Mighty Fine Wine, They Do Say
The summer of 2012 is coming up roses – or at least bouquets – for three Greater Sacramento area restaurants that were recently given Awards of Excellence for their wine selections by Wine Spectator Magazine.
Carpe Vino (Auburn) –This classy wine bar, wine shop and restaurant was awarded for the “breadth and depth” of their list. http://www.carpevinoauburn.com
Taste (Plymouth) – This small town charmer has been awarded for their wines by Wine Spectator five years in a row. http://www.restauranttaste.com
Enotria (Uptown) – This off-the-beaten-path restaurant and wine bar received a “Best of” award for their collections of California, French & Italian wines. http://www.enotria.com
Awards of Excellence in the past have also been given to: Ella Dining Room & Bar, The Melting Pot, Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana, The Firehouse, Morton’s the Steakhouse, Pilothouse Restaurant, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. http://www.winespectator.com/restaurants/search?name=sacramento%2C+ca&page=1&submitted=Y&commit=Go&zip=&dist=0&awardlevel=&winestrength=&pricecategory=&corkage=&sortorder=award&size=10
Congratulations, Everyone! We’ll be seeing, er, sipping you soon~
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
A Spell of the Senses
A Great Gathering Place
Always refreshing it is for me to find people not operating from a place of rules and rigidity, but rather graciousness and openness. And since this usually breeds a sense of freedom and enjoyment, these are the people with whom I want to move forward in life.
This is how I feel when I am in the company of the people at Berryessa Gap. Their annual ‘Springtime in the Vineyard’ gathering over Memorial Day weekend, for instance, was like a breath of fresh air ~ with wine flowing, food in abundance, expansive views and friendly folks from all over. They just have a way of attracting and pulling fun, friendly people together; including the talented, folksy musical duo Misner & Smith, who painted the backdrop with their beautiful blend of harmonies.
Sipping a glass of Verdelho as Tom finishes his second shrimp and carnitas burrito, with the sun glistening on the just-sprinkled upon vines, it seems to me exactly what ‘The Good Life, Sacramento’ is all about. For if you listen, look, take a whiff, and happen to detect a slice of the good life… I’d say you were right on the money with this vintage. If you go, nevertheless, prepare for potentially rapidly-changing weather, as the same moisture that encourages the plumpness from the coastal range’s grapes has been known to make a sudden appearance on a perfectly sun-shiney day.
Berryessa Gap is known for their Spanish varietals and ‘Life is short so enjoy them now’ philosophy. They have two tasting rooms in Winters – one downtown and another in the winery – and plenty of great events (from small Friday night gatherings to the annual Paella Contest).
Revolution Wines V. Rominger West Winery
Celebrating Food, Friends, Wine & Life!
In one corner of Sacramento’s central city we have Revolution Wines, a winery, tasting room and bistro. And in one southeast corner of Davis we have Rominger West, a winery, tasting room and event space. Rominger (pronounced ‘roam’inger) West’s grapes are grown in the coastal range that overlooks the Sacramento Valley. Revolution’s grapes come from various locales in California, including the Sacramento Valley. Both produce and serve red and white wines, although I’ll refrain from comparing them, since wine palate and preference are so individual.
Just off Hwy. 80 at the Mace Blvd. exit, Rominger is in a ‘business park’-like setting across from Target. But once inside, it’s really a non-issue. Revolution is right off of – and almost beneath – the 160 freeway… So as far as convenience goes, they’ve both got that going for them. Revolution hosts wine dinners and release parties, happy hour and Second Saturday functions, and it also has a restaurant on the premises. Rominger West has local businesses cater during their weekly social events that include Thursday Happy Hour, Friday night parties, live music and dance lessons.
Rominger tries to be as sustainable as possible, is in a college town, and yet draws plenty of older folks. Revolution has a nice outdoor patio and offers a $10 deal for tasting and a glass of wine. Seems nearly neck and neck to me, but since these days more than one winner can exist at the same time… I figure it might just come down to where you’re headed or coming from, what day or time it is, and whether or not there’s enough room in your schedule for both.
Here’s to the urban wineries~ Making wine more accessible and mainstream!
http://www.Revolution-Wines.com, (916) 444-7711, 2831 S St, Sacramento
http://RomingerWest.com, (530) 747-2044, 4602 Second St, Ste 4, Davis
Here’s Your Passport to Fun this Weekend
Great Wines + the Great Outdoors!
Start in any of the following towns – Davis, Winters, Vacaville or Capay – and then enjoy the scenery as you meander to the next. While passports aren’t required to be present, you will need one in order to partake in all the extra VIP fun. Passports are $40 and more information can be found at the link below.
Enjoy the bounty and beauty of Northern California!
Passport Weekend ~ October 8 and 9th, 10AM-5PM
Taste, Sip, Song of the Delta
Is it just me or is there a lot going on July 16th?! If I could be several places at one time, one of those places would be ‘Taste of the Delta’ festival going on at Windmill Cove Resort & Marina just outside of Stockton. Local Delta wines and appetizers will be served, along with live music and more from 1-4PM. Tickets are still a steal at only $25 (but they jump to $35 at the door for late-risers and commitment-phobes).
Just because I have three other things on the calendar that day doesn’t mean I’m giving up just yet. Wine, food, water and Delta breezes are a pretty irresistable combination!
916-777-4041, http://www.TasteoftheDelta.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.
