Seeing Sacramento & Beyond
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialSacramento’s Winter Wonderland: Late Night Live Music Venues
Art of Chaos at The Boardwalk
If you enjoy the feel of late night and the pounding of live music through your veins, here are a few haunts in which to consider hanging.
Vega’s [Old Sacramento] – Mix of History and Haunted Club – This underground establishment doesn’t require a password to get in, but it has managed to remain a bit of a secret. It’s not exactly romantic, but seems to beg for a little intimacy while you’re there. Explore all the crannies in which to cuddle up with a partner and then bundle up for some cozy time by the outdoor fireplace. They (pretty much) only serve beer and wine (and a mysterious homemade punch if you dare), but it’s worth a dip into the underground and the building is as old as Old Sac gets. 910 2nd Street
The Boardwalk [Orangevale] – Bonafide Long-time Rockin’ Establishment – The Boardwalk has been hosting local and not-so-local hard rock and heavy metal bands and fans since 1987. A somewhat small and dark venue tucked into a vacuum-like section of Sacramento’s suburbs, its sound quality keeps bringing them back for more. They serve lots of fried food and are open to all ages, so don’t be surprised to see a few adolescents roaming the premises. While it’s not exactly an enchanting place, it doesn’t claim to be such. www.boardwalkrocks.com
On the Y [Arden-Arcade] – Dive Bar Meets Metal Madness – With that dive bar atmosphere, On the Y could simply be perfect for a cold beer (known for being “the coldest in town”). But late at night it comes alive with the sounds of screaming voices and thrashing instruments. A respected venue for hard-core music, On the Y manages to contain order with the music tidily tucked away in a corner, so you can still hold a conversation should you choose. If you prefer a more mainstream vein, they also host karaoke regularly. 670 Fulton Avenue
Shenanigans [Downtown] – Two-Headed Musical Monster – Not too many late night venues have two levels with such different feels. Shenanigans has a stage for all kinds of live music upstairs, while downstairs is all about DJs, dancing and dark corners. You might also just stop by early in the evening for a game of bar Jenga, plate of club grub, and chat with a friendly monkey (stuffed or otherwise). www.shenaniganssacramento.com
No Snow Day? Will You Settle for Some Sunshine?
Views from the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza
If you’re a downtown/central city type… Stay at the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza, order some delicious and (surprisingly) reasonably-priced room service, and then enjoy the views as the sun sparkles through the Tower Bridge and settles into the Sacramento River.
Convenience is king here with immediate freeway access, but I suggest you park the car and leave it because you can hoof it to pretty much whatever your heart desires. Shopping and a brewery (River City) await you at the Downtown Plaza – just steps from your room – and Old Sacramento is not much farther the other direction, home to a handful of classy restaurants, historic sites, intriguing shops and photo ops.
Try Ten22 for dinner or drinks on the patio, Steamers for some breakfast tacos at a sunny sidewalk table, or the Delta King for river views and a more lavish (but still affordable) champagne brunch. Haven’t seen the newly-expanded and highly renovated Crocker Museum yet? It’s just another short jaunt away and will fulfill your more artistic, creative and cultured tastes.
If mom-n-pop is more your style… Stay at the comfy, cozy Amber House Bed & Breakfast in Midtown, unwind with a welcome drink on the porch, and then head out for some boutique shopping ‘afoot. Once those hunger pangs grab hold, grab some grub at Chicago Fire or Zelda’s pizzeria or try Kru or Tamaya Sushi. Independent bookstores and art galleries also abound around here.
Seriously, we’re all feeling pretty spoiled here since the New Year hit, and we’d like nothing more than to share our fine weather, amenities and attractions with you!
[Watch for more photos soon to come~]
It’s Raining Restaurants…
... and food that will melt in your mouth
Dream Life Scenario: Wouldn’t it be fun to try a different restaurant each night of Sacramento’s restaurant week? Ok, maybe that’s just wishful thinking for most of us, but how about just one restaurant a year – Each Dine Downtown Restaurant Week, try a new place or re-visit an old favorite! For you visitors out there, FYI, this is a really good time to visit or schedule “meetings”, because you can’t cook for yourselves, now can you?
My husband and I were recently given a “prevue” of The Melting Pot’s DDRW menu. Neither of us had been there in a few years, and we were looking forward to “date night”. We met Lea, our easygoing sever/”personal chef”, ordered a couple glasses of Boeger’s Barbera, and then let all of the above work their magic. My mouth literally began to water as Lea mixed the ingredients for our first fondue, and soon we were dipping, scooping and sampling away. We loved it all, although Granny Smith and the Mexican cheeses seemed to cancel each other out a bit.
Next up: Our salads. Tom ordered the spinach and mushroom, and I, the crisp greens with candied walnuts. Both salads and dressings were delicious – an overall delight to the senses – but my candied walnuts were all “candy” and little walnut (pleasing my inner child but disappointing my adult tastebuds). Onto our third course: Generous portions of fresh prawns, filet mignon, chicken breast, salmon and sirloin sat patiently waiting to be dunked, sizzled and served up hot. While the filet mignon didn’t have that melt-in-your-mouth quality you might expect, the rest of the meats more than made up for it. (Not a meat-lover? The breads and vegetables were heaven when dipped in the Melting Pot’s rich, creamy cheeses! And the dessert menu? I wish for you on this 7th Annual Dine Downtown Restaurant Week room in your belly…)
The math on this one certainly added up in sweet savings for us, and the opportunity alone – to try something new or enjoy an evening on the town – should be gobbled up before it’s gone. Dine Downtown Restaurant Week starts this Monday, January 9th and ends January 18th. Thank you, Melting Pot and the other 29 Sacramento-area restaurants for participating in such a generous, delicious event. Now it’s up to us to don our best bonnets, pick up the reins, and ride that sleigh into town!
Reservations are recommended and can be made at www.downtownsac.org/dinedowntown. Be sure to ask for the DDRW menu if you’re just dropping in. Also check the website for all 30 participating restaurants. The event is brought to you by Downtown Sacramento Partnership.
Salud & Bon Appetit~
Scenic Drives: Chico, CA
You either love it or not so much – Sierra Nevada Brewery’s signature green-label pale ale. But if you visit the brewery/restaurant/gift shop/tasting room, there’s really something to love for everyone. For instance, the truly scrumptious food and handful of beers on tap, the lively, inviting indoor ambiance and large outdoor patio, the hour-plus-long guided tour and friendly staff. But there’s plenty more to love about Chico, whether you’re an outdoorsy type, partygoer or mom-n-pop shop peruser.
Although Chico and I have a long history together, it had been at least 15 years since I’d been there. Chalk it up to fewer friends of college age… but Chico is still more than worth the hour-and-change drive from Sacramento.
First stop: Downtown. With plenty of boutiques, bars and restaurants, this is a good place to start. We didn’t get to explore Bidwell Park this time around, but hope to do so in any other season (than winter). Later in the evening, the Irish pub beckoned us from across the street, and we were sure glad it did because we discovered the best fish tacos to date! Now we were primed for some really loud music and LaSalles is the place, not to mention they have the coolest trees in the back (which mesmerized me nearly as much as Banshee’s fish tacos). Nighty night was spent walking distance to downtown at the Quality Inn, and I’ve got to say – quite clean and classy for a motel just off the main drag (and we hear the restaurant next door – Paradise Cafe – is delicious).
There’s certainly more culture and history to Chico than I’ve touched upon here, but perhaps you will be inclined to discover it for yourself.
Next Stop: Sacramento’s Dine Downtown Restaurant Week 2012… Yum!
{Photo courtesy Sierra Nevada Brewing}
New Year! New You?
What is the New Year all about, really – beyond the glitz, horns, crowds and late night mayhem? Isn’t it really just a symbol for something that humans seem to need? A reason to pause, look back, see where we’ve been… A chance to put it into perspective and take note of our lives so we can live them a little more consciously. Isn’t the beginning of a new year like a fresh start or do-over even?
It is, to me, a reminder to honor the past and envision the future. Sure, I like having a reason to drink tiny bubbles and literally sparkle against the darkness of the night… but how about getting in touch with that inner sparkle and carrying it into the New Year?! I suppose that’s why we have New Year’s resolutions and extended gym hours. But beyond our societal traditions is something deeper; something both universal and highly personal.
If you could literally start over, what would you do, who would you be, how would you approach the dawn of a new day?
Good Intentions, Great Gifts – Fresh and Local!
Practical, Healthful, Thoughtful Gift Ideas
A GIFT OF GOOD HEALTH: Food is medicine too, and many winter fruits are packed with enough natural vitamin A and C to knock out winter colds with a one-two punch. Try a Christmas stocking filled with satsuma mandarins or tangerines and fuzzy kiwi fruits. Add a mug with lavender or dried herbs for soothing tea, and throw in a couple of lemons and a little jar of local honey.
BIG BREAKFAST GIFT BASKET: If you’re staying at the home of your holiday hosts, show how much you appreciate their hospitality. Line a large container with pretty dishtowels and fill it with all of the fixings for a yummy omelet breakfast: California cheese, little red potatoes, gourmet mushrooms, garlic, green onions, fragrant herbs and farm fresh eggs. Carry in a big bag of oranges along with a bottle of bubbly and assure your hosts that brunch is on you.
INDOOR PICNIC: A sweet gift idea for the cute couples in your life is an indoor picnic basket. Line a basket or box using any fabric item with a red-checkered motif. Fill with an assortment of California grown snacks, such as olives and tree nuts. Fresh apples pair well with sharp dry cheeses, and dried fruit, such as medjool dates, pair well with soft fresh cheeses. If you choose, you might include a fun music mix, a deck of cards, and a malty microbrew or beautiful local wine.
For some great holiday decorating ideas inspired by Mother Nature and information on the area’s farmers’ markets, visit www.california-grown.com and stay awhile.
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!
www.local-food-tours.com, (800) 838-3006
Decades of Dinky Dining Deliciousness
Jim Denny's Outdoor Patio
What the best thing about Jim Denny’s is can surely be debated. Could be the food, could be how hard you have to work to get the food. Could be the nostalgia, could be all the Food Network attention it gets. Could be watching the gals behind the counter operate like a (fairly) well-oiled machine, could be sitting outside on a warm, lazy morning. Could be the charming retro vibe, could be that the small but mighty structure stands out like a sore thumb amongst a set of otherwise-numb fingers.
Sad to say it was my first visit to Jim Denny’s in Downtown Sacramento, especially since I was born and raised here. What excuse do I have other than being a creature of habit and allowing most of my younger-year decisions to be made by others?! Anyway, what matters now is that I’m a bit more “in the know” when it comes to this long-held tradition and establishment.
Saturday morning, 10:40am, November 19
We were able to find a seat right away because a couple of barstools opened up right as we walked in, and we got to watch the cook juggle Hubcap pancakes and monster omelets right in front of us. But then we had to wait nearly an hour to actually eat anything. In hindsight I think it’s good to know this kind of thing ahead of time, so you don’t bite someone’s head off if you happen to stumble in starved from the get-go.
We got the Works Omelet, which they recommend sharing. Loaded with meat, cheese and veggies, and served with toast and potatoes on the side, it was a nice hearty meal. We both agreed, however, that my husband could have eaten it all himself (if I’d be willing to roll him home, that is). And the $11.50 price tag seemed a little high, but we’re probably paying for TV-worthy food at this point. Still, steaming and delicious, it hit the spot and then some.
Founded in 1934, Jim Denny’s certainly has a certain charm, and I had the urge to back up the truck, hook it up and take her away with us. Overall, the staff was friendly but not sweet-as-pie. Curiously, I’d say at least half of the diners were out-of-towners. The place is mostly counter seats because the back part of the “building” (if you can call it that) is for food prep, dish washing and what-not. There’s more to the story of course – check out their website and reviews on Yelp - just don’t believe everything you read. The website says they’re closed Saturday and Sunday. (I found this to be half true).
816 12th Street (between H & I), 916-443-9651
[P.S. If you do eat the whole thing yourself, there are plenty of hotels nearby to fit any budget. Check out the hotel finder on www.DiscoverGold.org]
Authentic Sacramento
Sacramento’s (Fall) Splendor
What makes Sacramento authentic? What makes it unique? People who live here often forget about its rich history, and that’s probably a pretty typical learned reaction to one’s environment. Like waking up to a gorgeous view every morning… The “novelty” will inevitably wear off a bit, the sheen dull a little in the repetition of the beauty. It’s just human nature, they say, although many of us do try not to fall so hard into these ruts.
I write about the greater Sacramento area all the time, and even I forget about some of her substance, significance, glory, gorgeousness, character and charm. So I’m going to be starting a new series on ‘Authentic Sacramento.’ Because every place we inhabit becomes a part of us, and it’s up to us to pause and take notice.
If you have any personal thoughts on what makes Sacramento authentic, please leave a comment here.
Have a great day!
~Melanie
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.
