Seeing Sacramento & Beyond
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialDreamy Days
Clouds Above Trees, South Lake Tahoe, CA
As the cloud changes form and drops some of its excess mass, the rainbow stays with it, but stretches and extends from front, and over the top to back. In it I see pink and green primarily, colors that remind me both of purity and potential.
I hear church bells around the corner. And then I see a carnival and childlike lust for life and her dreams in the kaleidoscope of my mind.
Some things are visible but out of reach. Others are tangible yet finite. And still others are not literally seen or felt, but breathe life into the kind of dreams that eventually create new kinds of life.
Moon in Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie
Camellia Symphony Orchestra
The moon was as round and large as a family-sized pizza from Ricos. It was even more startling since we hadn’t seen the likes of a moon in quite some time. The air had a hint of crispness to it, but not so much that it really felt like winter anymore.
After a cozy visit with drinks and spring rolls at PF Changs, Tom and I ventured just across the street to the Memorial Auditorium for some pre-show wine tasting by Scribner Bend. There was also a silent auction before ‘Charms, Spells and Enchantments’ was set to begin.
The title alone was enough to intrigue me, but the question remained: Would the Camellia Symphony Orchestra’s performance equally entrance us? There was, perhaps, another question I should have been asking myself instead… What is the Camellia Symphony all about?
As it turns out, the CSO musicians are volunteers. It’s been that way for 47 years. And for 47 years, area residents have enjoyed and supported the orchestra in return. I just wish I knew that going in. I also wish I knew this was a one-night only gig. Meaning, the musicians put all that blood, sweat and tears into learning these magnificent pieces… only to perform them in front of a crowd once.
On this night – Saturday, February 27th – the music unveiled a tale that words perhaps could not, but a little background information did help set the stage. ‘Charms, Spells and Enchantments’ was composed of three unusual masterpieces that are not frequently played. Each one is “derived from worlds of fantasy and magic … capable of transporting the receptive listener into realms foreign to customary daily life.” For instance, there’s a wizard’s apprentice who summons up some serious trouble; a broomstick brought to life, a flood of cascading waters and an anarchic world of frenzy (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas). And a beautiful gypsy girl falls in love with a handsome young man, only to be held back from true love by a pursuant ghost (El Amor Brujo by Manuel De Falla). Finally, with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, the “unrelenting rhythms mirror our darker, more irrational nature” and tendency to sacrifice purity for prosperity.
Although often mesmerized by the movements of the musicians, I had to look at the majesty of the space I was in to fully engage my imagination. What the Memorial Auditorium lacks in acoustics, it makes up for with eclectic and elegant old-world beauty. Built in 1926, the auditorium has welcomed such musical talents as the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Melissa Etheridge and Death Cab for Cutie. It is on the National Historic Register.
The Camellia Symphony Orchestra next will present ‘The Great Classics’ on April 17, again at the Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are affordable, the venue is enchanting and the music is moving and soothing to the soul.
Local volunteer musicians and members ensure the orchestra will persevere, making it practically a family affair. When it comes to the survival of art in all forms in our community, it is in large part up to us to stay engaged and continue to try new things. Charms, spells and enchantments ~ Isn’t that pretty much what life is all about?
[On the way home, you might think I was craving a pizza... But what I actually had to have instead was a cold, creamy chocolate milkshake.] ; }
For more information, visit www.camelliasymphony.org.
And thanks to www.SacramentoPress.com for the lovely evening!
Lounging in Style
Rainy Window at Level Up Lounge
The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau held a networking mixer at Level Up Lounge on Tuesday night, February 23, 2010. The lounge is above Thai Basil Restaurant at 2341 J Street. (There’s a 3rd floor as well, but I think they try to keep that under wraps).
Level Up generously provided beverages and a variety of appetizers for guests, including chicken satay skewers, mango salsa on fried wontons and “beef jerky” on sticky rice pads. In addition, owner Suleka Sun-Lindley handed out coupons for her alluring mid-level space.
There’s something about the decor of this place that I just love. Rain or shine, it’s appealing and comfortable. With its colorful chandeliers, ever-color-changing backdrop lighting and sheer-curtain-covered windows overlooking the lights and action on J Street, Level Up has a unique look and feel all its own when it comes to Sacramento area lounges.
For the literally young, I think it can get pretty hip and hoppin’ late at night. For those of us a little older (but still young enough at heart), afternoon and evenings are always a great time to discover the place, take it over outright or duck into a low-lit corner.
The artist responsible for all the colorful, eclectic artwork currently adorning Level Up’s walls is John Titus Krempel, a well travelled and lived man with much to show for it.
www.LevelUpLounge.com
Office Inspiration – A Break Away?!
The Bread Store, across from OfficeMax
So I took a walk this afternoon to sneak out of the office, suck up some fresh air and soak up some of that late winter sunshine. About halfway, I decided to duck into OfficeMax on J & 17th because I was curious to see what they had.
But because I was also in need of some career comfort, it delighted me to plop down into an office chair that felt almost heavenly in comparison to the one I’ve got. It was black – not my color of choice when it comes to office furniture – but hey, I know I’m the minority in that regard. And anyway, it was just so darn comfortable that I had visions of wanting to sit at my desk all day and write away.
Then I spotted some very attractive journals/notebooks that awakened my sense of all things pretty… and just in time, frankly, because I too was in need of some career inspiration.
And although I walked out empty-handed (to be fair, I didn’t have my wallet with me), I did not walk out with nothing. You see, shopping at office stores is not exactly titillating to me…. but on this day I learned that they can be quite comforting, and even inspiring if you let them.
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
Sacramento’s Annual FREE MUSEUM Day is Here
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
Free Museum Day is just ’round the bend, this Saturday, February 6!
Free shuttle and all the art and culture you can handle in one day included.
Rain or shine. Expand your mind!
www.sacmuseums.org
Arden Fair – Hits Midlife at 52
A 'Retro' Arden Fairl
It’s a cold and wet Friday afternoon. We drive into the Arden Fair Mall parking lot and slip right into a convenient parking space (Obviously, it’s not Christmastime). We walk down the mall, which is full of people and light, and still I find myself missing the gargantuan Christmas decorations that really make the place sparkle during the holidays (But then again, I don’t usually get to see them because I usually avoid the December crowds like the dentist).
After some rather intense shopping, Tom and I decide to take a load off and rejuvenate at the quiet and cozy California Cafe bar. There’s a couple eating a late lunch, two women just finishing cappuccinos and a woman with an armful of bags having a beer and what looks to be a shot of vodka.
Refreshed, we separate to cover greater ground. Tom finds the perfect black t-shirt at Banana Republic. I sample 20 different ‘butters’ at The Body Shop and try on some billowy little nighties at Victoria’s Secret.
I think back on what Arden Fair used to be like: Small and dark with Weinstocks on one end and Sears – separated by a small street – at the other. I look out and see an open field across the street… notice the scent of caramel corn emanating from Caramel Corner… see the five and dime Ben Franklin store… the movie theater hidden underground and the psychedelic 70s paisley carpet luring us down into its clutches… There’s the groovy Food Circus and Corti Brothers speciality market separated from the main mall by an automotive shop to the east…
I loved that little mall, and how it still reminds me of childhood and the magic lurking in dark, quirky spaces.
These days, Arden Fair is hardly anything like it used to be. It’s better in so many ways – large, clean and constantly full of the latest and greatest shops. There’s a handful of restaurants encasing it like a half circle. And at Christmastime, the crowds are so great that shuttles scoot people from the parking lots of other nearby businesses. (Of course, that field across the street is now full of buildings… and I may be the only one bothered by the loss of that little touch of nature).
Still, what was once the Little Humble Mall that Could is now the large contemporary mall that does. I wonder what 10 or 20 more years will unveil, and how we’ll look back on this particular time and place with nostalgia.
www.ArdenFairMall.com
{photo courtesy Arden Fair Mall}
Warm Reprieve on a Winter’s Day
Summertime at Lucca
Sometimes, a little Lucca is just what the doctor ordered on a stormy winter day…
Sometimes, they’re so friendly you wonder if it could be true.
Sometimes, warm, hearty food such as this is exactly what the doctor himself is having.
Most often, the Happy Hour menu makes you feel like royalty, indulging with little monetary care.
And always, those tiny little flaky fried zucchini chips are like swallowing a handful of mini happy smiling faces.
So back to verse 2… It must be true then. They’re just always eating those lovely little crunchy bits of bliss.
Many know that Summertime’s a breeze at Lucca with her trellised outdoor patio and large open-air windows. But don’t let Wintertime stop you from visiting… because Lucca can be downright cozy ~ when the heavy rains are beating down the long windows and you, gentle ladies & men, are warm and dry inside.
www.LuccaRestaurant.com
Cool Surprise Awaits in Midtown
Midtown Ice Rink
It’s a beautiful sunny day and a new year full of potential. Forget the finger-pointing ’shoulds’ of your resolutions… why not combine something that’s fun and good for you?! The Midtown Ice Rink is still open, after all (through Jan. 18), and what better way to liven up after the holidays than with a little brisk, lingering cheer!
You can grab a warm drink at Peet’s next door, a warm slice at Luigi’s next to that, or stop in afterward for a glass of bubbly at Lounge on 20. While the theme is still Christmas-based, the glittering lights and pop music add a little sparkle to an otherwise dull January. Just bring your mittens and some cash, because they don’t take American Express.
Midtown Ice Rink
20th between K & J Streets
$8/adults, $5/kids, $2/skate rental
www.exploremidtown.org
Old Sacramento – Take Another Look
Early Winter in Old Sacramento
No matter what you do – or don’t do – in Old Sacramento, there’s always something spectacular waiting up the cobblestone street, down the alley or ’round the bend.
www.OldSacramento.com
www.DiscoverGold.org
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.
