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}

August 17 (through the 21st) – Yolo County Fair Opens – It’s the last free fair in the state! Woodland, CA, www.yolocountyfair.net

Thursdays ‘til 9 – The Crocker Art Museum will remain open until 9PM on Thursdays through August and September. In addition, every third Thursday of the month the Crocker concert series continues through September 15. Sacramento, CA, www.crockerartmuseum.org

Mondays Added – Old Sacramento Underground Tours have added Mondays to their days of operation now through Labor Day. There’s still time to get a peek. Old Sacramento, CA, www.historicoldsac.org

Chateau Montelena

First of all, avoid the weekends, if at all possible. Second, avoid the main drag and head someplace with back country roads like Calistoga. Third, get a wine map (complimentary at many places in the area) and chart a route if you really want to visit specific wineries. Fourth, since tasting fees are the norm here (typically $10-20 per person), consider sharing a glass with your partner and maybe actually buying some wine. Most places will waive the tasting fee if you make a purchase. Fifth, be friendly with the pourers. If they think you actually like wine -and aren’t just out for a free party – they might ignore the fee altogether. And finally, if the parking lot is full and the place resembles an amusement park, consider skipping it for someplace more intimate. Your chances at learning a lot more about wine and possibly even making new friends skyrocket when you meander off the beaten path and slow down long enough to really savor each sip.

http://www.montelena.com/

Juicy!

Season Debuts:
Earlicots – The first apricots to arrive, tart
Aprium – Rich in flavor
Poppy Cot – Apricots with a blush
White and Yellow Peaches and Nectarines – Try the yellow Queen Crest and the white Snow Angel
Golden Rainiers Cherris – Have the pinkest glow
Blueberries from the Delta – Antioxidant-rich

Fresh Vegetables – Onions, garlic, broccoli, summer squash, pickling cucumbers, bok choy, swiss chard
Root vegetables – Beets, carrots, and radishes

Insider Tip: Fresh green – yes, green! – garbanzo beans can soon be found at the farmers’ markets in their fuzzy pillowlike pods, and some farmers pull the entire bushy plant from the roots. This means fresh garbanzos are here for a limited time. Not only are they rich in minerals and folate, but just one ounce provides 5 grams of both protein and fiber.

Many vegetables are able to grow year round in California because of its varied climates. However, some crops are phased out in order to make room for new ones. Different types of lettuce and greens are replanted often, so let the growers know which ones you like best.

For recipes, market locations, dates and times, and more visit www.ca-grown.com!

If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?
FUN, of course~

OUTDOOR CONCERTS
Announcing the kick-off the 20th season of Friday Night Concerts in the Park.
May 6th and every Friday night, 5-9PM, through August 12.
Cesar Chavez Park, Downtown
www.SacFridayConcerts.com

ART & WINE AFFAIR
20 area wineries, artists, vendors, live entertainment.
Saturday & Sunday, May 7 & 8, 11-4PM
El Dorado Hills
916-802-6924, www.eldoradohillsartaffaire.com

PIXAR COLLECTION
Disney Fine Art by Collectors Editions presents the Pixar Collection worldwide debut — One Day Only!
Sunday, May 15, 11AM to 4PM
California State Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park
916-445-6645, www.csrmf.org

NATURE TOURS
Delta Eco-Tours – Take a short or long nature and cultural history tour of California’s best and most breathtaking locations along the Sacramento Delta.
Saturday, May 21, 2-hour History & Riparian Cruise
Saturday, May 28, 4-1/2 hour Tule Wilderness Adventure
Delta Ecotours/Hartland Nursery
13737 Grand Island Road (P.O. Box 439), Walnut Grove, CA 95690
(916) 775-4545, www.DeltaEcoTours.com

HISTORY TOURS
Gold Rush Legacy Tours and Old Sacramento Architectural Tours begin in May and go all summer long.
Saturdays & Sundays at 11AM
916-808-7059, www.historicoldsac.org

And for more ongoing, engaging and special events check out www.Sacramento365.com!

Patio Dining: What Good Weather was Made For

TODAY marks the celebration and opening of their outdoor patio, starting at 11:30AM and featuring a fresh new spring menu of local, organic and seasonal ingredients. Music from NOW 100.5 FM, glorious weather and undetermined amounts of fun are included. Reservations are recommended, and valet and validated parking is available.

As for “Tomorrow”, I’m speaking metaphorically, because hey – it makes for a cute title. From April 10 through 13, Ten22 will be participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area Dine & Donate Program, where 15% of all revenue generated will be donated to the non-profit organization. Ten22 is the first restaurant in Sacramento to participate in this Program, and gives us all a reason to create a better (and more delicious) tomorrow.

And finally, Thursdays… They’re the new Friday for those affected by furloughs, and Ten22 has created TASTING THURSDAYS, a wonderland of food and beer pairings. For just $10 per person, you can experience a different theme with Executive Chef Jay Veregge at 5:30PM every Thursday. “Themes” include ‘Spring Ciders and Local Production with Seasonal Cheeses,’ ‘Warm Weather Beer “Cocktails” of the Future with Veggie Pairings,’ and ‘Trucker Hats and Bad Beer: Down Home Brews and Country Nibbles.’ Who can resist?

Also don’t miss Friday and Saturday nights at Ten22: live music all evening long performed by local talent!

Come to think of it – that’s a lot of fun for one weekend – can we camp out on your new patio, Ten22?!

www.ten22oldsac.com

For me, I have tendencies when it comes to wine and weather, being more likely to drink reds when the weather is cold and whites when it is warm. It’s not rocket science, but neither is it foolproof. This winter, for instance, I’ve been drinking more whites than reds… as if my palate is as confused as our weather patterns.

But regardless the season, there’s always good news ahead for wine lovers. And since Spring has officially just sprung, what better way to celebrate its arrival than with good wine, food, music and the great outdoors?!

Spring Fling, a Picnic in Clarksburg Weekend Wine Tasting Event, will be under way the first weekend in April. Less than a nickel and dime away from Sacramento, Clarksburg is actually the closest wine region to the river city, but that by no means makes it any less significant. An undeniably beautiful area with a hefty handful of reputable wineries, Clarksburg is home to Bogle Vineyards, Heringer Estates and Carvalho Family Wines to mention just a few. There will actually be twelve wineries in attendance and over 50 wines available for sipping.

So bring a picnic and blanket or take advantage of the food vendors when you get there. Tickets are a steal at just $12.

Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3rd, 11AM-5PM

Brought to you by the Clarksburg Wine Growers Association: www.clarksburgwinegrowers.org

Gain an appreciation for an early art form that featured beautifully bold imagery, learn how California’s fresh produce was kept cool during transport before refrigerated cars, and discover why the railroad was the key to the early success of the California agriculture industry. Dripping with color, these labels depicted verdant fields and idyllic pastoral scenes, subtly suggesting that California was a magical place – a place where it was always sunny and the grass was somehow greener. To those of us who live here, we know there’s a certain magical aura around California, one usually best seen during dawn or twilight hours. Of course, we still have to deal with real-world stuff – just like everyone else. And no matter how much succulent fruit we produce here, we still get sick sometimes.

Widely regarded as North America’s finest and most popular railroad museum, the 100,000-square foot Railroad History Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

More Information: www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org or call (916) 445-6645

Cost: $9 adults; $4 youths ages 6-17; free for children ages 5 and under

Berryessa Gap Rare Bubbly

Shrimp sizzling in garlic butter; peppers, onions and sea snails; chicken, chorizo sausage and risotto; sangria with pomegranates and lemon, sangria sweetened to near perfection, sangria with jalapenos?! It can’t be often that the wine at Berryessa Gap takes second stage…. But on this night of sangria, tapas, paella dishes and festive people, it was difficult for me to give the wine I love so much all the attention it truly deserves. November 6th was Berryessa Gap’s annual Paella Cook-Off & Dinner, and this being my first, it certainly won’t be my last. Sometimes when you fall in love with something, it actually loves you back.

One of the owners, Mike Anderson, escorted a few of us around the grounds and showed us how the magical elixir is made while dispensing some very frothy champagne into our glasses. I sipped carefully and tried to absorb the lessons at hand: An immense respect and care for the grapes, an unfaltering appreciation for good wine at an accessible price, a unique approach with exotic varietals… The really important stuff was coming across, while on another level (and to my delight) I felt I was re-living scenes from ‘Bottleshock’.

Fast forward a bit into the evening: Nick Toma from Good Day Sacramento, Charlotte King from The Grand Adventures of a Food & Wine Diva, a few other community pillars and food lovers, and myself are judging the paella dishes. Having sat next to her, it is clear to see how much Charlotte knows about food, and I know I have a lot to learn, but the soft-hearted ‘can’t-we-all-just-get-along’ part of me wants them all to be winners. Still, there’s a lot to consider: Is the meat or seafood under or over-cooked? Is there any flavor overwhelming the rest? Does the flavor of the rice reflect the complexity of the dish? Is it a more traditional or bold style paella? And on and on.

The sangria and paella themes of this event pay homage to the area’s Spanish roots. If you visit the tasting room in downtown Winters, there’s a binder with the history of the area, which is quite impressive for such a tiny town. But that’s the thing ~ How small a town is does not define its depth. And the same can be said for Berryessa Gap wines. You’re not going to find them mass produced and put on every store shelf… But if you sip, focus and think about what really matters in life – good company, good health, good food – this wine pairs well with it all!

www.BerryessaGap.com
www.WineFoodDiva.com
www.GoodDaySacramento.com