Seeing Sacramento & Beyond
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Day Trip’n
Cars: From Mean to Pristine
Race to the Finish
I snapped this shot while attending Reiff’s Annual Street Bash and car show in Woodland a few weeks ago. Touring the house – which is much more museum than home – I suddenly recalled being there as a child, soaking all the sights up with my eyes while my dad traded antique stories with Reiff. Putting the memory to a literal place, town and face, I felt my younger self coming full circle.
The block party is fun, but you can get a more intimate tour of the architectural artwork any time of the year. Just let Reiff know you’re coming, and I wouldn’t recommend rolling up on empty. www.reiffsgasstation.com
Since we’re on the topic of cars, here are some more pix; some taken at Reiff’s party and others taken outside Elkhorn Station. Elkhorn Station, by the way, is a rural escape with great food, sprawling views, live music and no pretense. On the River Road and just off the I-5, it’s the closest thing to the Sacramento Airport next to fields and more fields. It has some history, but you’ll have to Google it to get more info, as I didn’t find a website. Or just ask the guy driving the tractor in the middle of the road which way to the cold beer.
Freeport Festa: You are Cordially Invited
Mary, Monica & Justina Invite you to Festa
Festa Dinner
Saturday, May 29
Tri-Tip, Beans, Bread, Salad, Dessert
$15 per person
Music
Festa
Sunday, May 30
Parade starts at 10am
Mass at 11:30am
Auction at 1:30 (Donations are welcome)
Freeport-Clarksburg
Portuguese Hall
54113 South River Road
[North of Clarksburg in Yolo County - 2 ½ miles north of Freeport Bridge]
For more information, contact Monica Souza at (916) 925-8661.
Scotts, Celts, Kilts, Cold Beer!
Festival-Goers and Historical Characters Mingling
Since I live there, it’s probably okay for me to admit that Woodland is not especially well known for its fancy variety of world-renowned festivals… But having just attended the 134th Annual Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival at the Yolo County Fairgrounds, I think this one’s worth writing home about.
Modeled after the traditional gatherings of Scots in their homeland, the weekend-long festival features Olympic-style heavy athletics and Highland dancing, pipe bands and Celtic rock groups, sheep dog trials, historical re-enactments and more.
Just like any festival, there’s plenty of good food and fun, cold beer and faire frills, shows and vendors (although I would have personally appreciated more of those). But unlike many festivals, this one’s got an eye-full of colorful kilts walking around, as well as those manly Scottish games playing out on the open field. This April, there was plenty of sunshine and luckily also plenty of shade beneath ye olde olive trees. And if there’s one thing about Woodland, everything’s pretty easy here: easy to access, easy entry… easy escape.
What began as a simple “Scottish Picnic Competition” in a park is now what allows the club to “benefit” the public through education, scholarships and charity. McKinley Park in East Sacramento was the site of the first Sacramento Scottish Games & Gathering on June 16, 1877. The festival moved to the 55-acre Yolo County Fairgrounds in 1997 due to it having more elbow room, ample parking and helpful fairground staff.
The event is hosted by the Caledonian Club of Sacramento, a nonprofit organization established in 1876. Club membership is open to any one of Scottish birth or descent, their kin, and to any person interested in the rich and historic traditions of Scotland. They host other annual events, including the Sacramento Tartan Ball in November.
Keep the Sacramento Scottish Games in mind next year; it’s a magical day for anyone interested in Scottish and Celtic arts, culture and history – or anyone just a fan of festivals, period. It takes place the last full weekend of every April.
www.saccallie.org, (916) 557-0764.
Dreamy 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.
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
Preston Castle: Selective Self-Destruction?
Preston Castle, Ione CA
You can see it suddenly appear from behind the hills and trees as you near… It can be a little unsettling.
Preston Castle, which is located outside the small Gold Country town of Ione in the foothills just above Sacramento, was built in 1894 and was once the Preston School of Industry for troubled boys. But time has a way of scarring the space that surrounds us….
In 2009 the television show ‘Ghost Adventures’ spent a night in the castle…. Only to find some troubling memories, and perhaps spirits, still lingering within the decaying walls ~ possibly seeking escape, justice or redemption?
Just a 40 minute drive from the heart of Sacramento, the castle is worth a look (and second glance over your shoulder). With roofs, walls and floors caving in on some accounts, the castle still stands like a determined soldier protecting its inhabitants. Only, no one human has resided in the castle since 1994. (Although it appears to have been dilapidating since the day it was built).
The exterior of the structure is misleading, as some rooms within are actually “rooms” no more. While others, curiously, seem somehow preserved. And although the school sought to help troubled youths by teaching them skills and giving them structure and purpose, there were those somehow beyond reach. Just ask the ghosts of murdered workers who are believed to still be lingering.
The Preston Castle Foundation holds fundraisers, wine tasting events and craft fairs, as well as offers special photographer tours and overnight stays. General public tours are availalable spring through fall, and proceeds go toward preserving the outwardly majestic castle… perhaps as a way to honor those who’ve come (and died) before us.
www.PrestonCastle.com
The Gem of the East
South Lake Tahoe, Lakeside Beach
Lake Tahoe is the most sparkling gem of the east – from our perspective anyway. Only 1.5 hours from Sacramento, it’s an absolutely do-able day trip, and is a ‘not-to-be-missed’ for anyone traveling through the Golden State.
Speaking of golden, Tahoe dazzles in the summer with casinos and clubs, beaches and bars, restaurants and shops. The silver lining? That shows itself early winter, when the snow begins falling, pleasing winter sport fanatics and simple romantics at heart.
The locals are welcoming and the visitors are friendly in this little Switzerland-like oasis of a natural miracle. Here, you can live it up celebrity-style or do it down-home and easy. And whether you head to North Shore or South shore (there’s actually an east and a west as well), there are also plenty of great Gold Rush towns to explore along the way.
Seem like a lot to accomplish in one day? Ok, go ahead and stay the night. But tell them ‘Sacramento sent ya,’ would you?
Back to Nature
Harmony Amongst Earth's Creatures
Do you like Nature? Farm-fresh food? Apple picking? Wine festivals? Water recreation? Do you like to go on nature hikes? See how something’s made? Watch Mother Nature in all her glory?
Flower farms, organic ranches, farmers’ markets, petting zoos, fishing, horseback riding, Green movements… the list is long and so far ever-growing when it comes to the agricultural and nature opportunities in the Greater Sacramento area.
Watch for more comprehensive information to come! In the meantime, pack your binoculars, maps, camera, maybe a picnic… and get ready to get back to the basics… They’re more stunning than you might recall.
Cozy Up in Downtown Winters This Summer
Downtown Winters CA
If you’ve never been to Winters, you’re missing Norman Rockwell’s point. Adding to the small town charm of an adorable and historic rural community, the 1st Annual Winters Outdoor Quilt and Textile Art Festival is coming Saturday, June 27th and Sunday, June 28th. Take a gander because you love quilting… or just because it’s a great reason to get you to go. (I once had a roaring time at the Stockton Asparagus Festival… and I wasn’t even all that fond of Asparagus at the time).
Anyway, when things like this come to a tiny town, one might say the whole town gets involved. And the involvement in Winters is getting more and more artsy, and more and more inviting. Home to the beloved Palms Playhouse (live music), the infamous (in a good way) Buckhorn Steakhouse, Putah Creek Nature Area, art galleries, wine tasting, and plenty of good eateries and charming businesses, Winters is a perfect little day trip, afternoon jaunt or weekend getaway.
In addition, there’ll be a sunset dinner with local Firefighters. I assume it’s a fundraising thing, either for the artists or public servants. But I say, ‘sunset, firefighters, local art… you probably can’t go wrong either way.’
(Winters is just west of Woodland and Davis, north of Vacaville. Call 530-795-2580 for more information on the festival or visit www.yolocvb.org for general area and event information).
[Photo Courtesy Solano Magazine]
More Day Trip’n
Ok, not almond blossoms... but you get the picture.
… Continuing on the road less travelled toward Capay Valley (Hwy. 16), old agricultural towns are mere specks along the lush landscape and almond orchards line the way straight to Cache Creek Resort & Casino. But first, the sleepy town of Esparto is the crux of the annual Almond Festival every spring (although ironically you might be hard-pressed to find much ‘almond stuff’ there – it’s more about the scenery of the almond trees blossoming, I’m told). A little farther up and out, the even tinier town of Capay has a roadside pub (Capay Junction) that serves the coldest beer I’ve ever had (not to mention a pretty mean hotdog if you can get the grouchy bartender to heat one up for you). And while Capay Valley Winery gives tastings by appointment, I hear it’s worth the call ahead of time. (We didn’t have that tidbit of information before embarking on our journey…)
[more to come!]
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.
