Seeing Sacramento & Beyond
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Historic
If I Only Had a Brain, a Heart, the Nerve… and a Ticket to Tonight’s Event!
Maximilian Riedel, of Riedel Crystal, will be atop Sacramento’s historic Elks Tower, sharing his fine-tuned knowledge of wine, wine glasses, and how well the two pair up.
We all know that not all wines are created equal, and we know that plastic, styrofoam and metal do not great wine glasses make (although they can be useful in a pinch)… but how about shape, size, weight and other delicate factors of glass and crystal stemware? How might they change the intimate experiences you have with your favorite wines?
It’s an art, a craft and a science for some. But it’s sure a fun, fun and more fun hobby for the rest of us! All you need for tonight is a golden ticket.
$85 will get you up close and personal with Mr. Riedel, a golden slice of his knowledge, wine tasting, h’ors d’oevres, dessert, delicioius views, and a 4-piece set of Riedel Crystal wine glasses worth more than the price of a single ticket.
The event is also a fundraiser for the Sacramento Chapter of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives). So go forth, eat, drink and be merry. Because you can.
February 1, 2011 – 6PM
http://www.sacramento365.com/event/detail/441089303/Wine_Seminar_with_Maximilian_J_Riedel
www.riedel.com
[Photo Credit: DB's Travels, FlickR]
Local Legend, Lore, Libations and Lunch!
Dark, casual, old…. It’s the kind of place I would normally frequent, so it’s also a little odd that my experiences with Old Ironsides are so limited. I remember someone suggesting going there one night after a party. It was rather late, but I guess we were still in party mode, and we arrived to find Old Ironsides of like mind. Bucho, a popular Sacramento-originated band with an engaging singer, was playing in the back room. The place was lively but there was still room to move around. I liked it.
That’s why it’s odd again that I didn’t return for nearly 4 years. This time: Lunch with an old friend whom I hadn’t seen for over 20 years. I was greeted from afar by the bartender when I walked in. The lunch crowd was much thicker than I expected. I found my friend and proceeded to catch up with her for 2 hours over food that was somehow simple, comforting and vibrant at the same time. We were again bid a farewell from afar as we parted and finally emptied the place out.
I can’t tell you what Old I looks like inside…. maybe perfectly dive-y. I know I have yet to experience this place fully, giving it my full, undivided attention. I know there’s more to discover here, and if it takes a ridiculous amount of time in order for me to do it, well, it’s certainly nothing personal.
Old Ironsides remains anchored at the corner of 10th & S, as it has since 1934. Named after the legendary war ship, “it was the first local establishment to serve liquor after the close of prohibition,” the proprietors say. I’m told by a local historian, however, that it was a speakeasy before that… But maybe that’s still supposed to be a secret?
www.TheOldIronsides.com, (916)443-9751
Knock Three Times, Speak Easy & Drink Up
DSP's Speakeasy Tour (and optional pub crawl)
In the New World that was America in the 1920s, the land of opportunity unwittingly welcomed both the good and the bad. Or perhaps all that possibility – and in some cases hardship – helped create and shape some lives and characters for the worst.
My husband and I like to watch the television show ‘Boardwalk Empire’, even though we’re not as dazzled by it as we’d hoped. What keeps me hanging on is the historical significance (and I’m not ashamed to say, beautiful clothes). But now I’m even more intrigued about what transpired during (and after) the Prohibition years, because I can literally see how my own backyard was affected by it.
Downtown Sacramento Partnership gives a Speakeasy Tour (and Pub Crawl) on the 3rd Saturday of every month. I was surprised how many people showed up this past weekend, considering it was raining hard enough to flood the old town once again. But with umbrellas and curiosities in hand, we followed the easy-speaking tour guide Shawn Peter from place to place, hearing stories about what transpired underground, both literally and figuratively.
I’m not going to give all the good stuff away – because the tour is really worth its $10 price and the two hours you’ll spend peering into the past – but it’s not hard to imagine Old Sacramento as it was back then and how it too succumbed to the “new world” of the “underground”. Just imagine a bustling new Gold Rush town, how the city itself was not supportive of Prohibition, and all that sprouted from the rich soil of possibility.
Sacramento’s rivers became the West’s major alcohol trade routes, the city’s literal underground labyrinth became littered with “illegal” activities, businessmen turned into crime bosses, boats became floating bars, and speakeasies cropped up everywhere from attics to high schools.
The quality of liquor went down while its demand went up, bathtubs turned multi-functional, and trap doors became all the rage. People learned how to be sneaky, how to get around the law, and how to love the allure of things forbidden. Others learned how to utilize the laws now in place to make a fortune and seal their questionable fates.
Old Sacramento, still looking much the way it did back then, is full of intrigue, ambiance and charm, especially at night when the lights dim, the sights soften, and the separation between then and now blurs. When down in an old dark basement bar, it’s easy to imagine oneself alive during the tumultuous time of Prohibition… The question is: what kind person would it have brought out in you?
For more information or to make reservations: (916) 442-8575, dsp@downtownsac.org, www.downtownsac.org
Do Something Different from the Masses
Have You Ever Been Moved by a Bird?
Movies on a Big Screen – mostly hosted at the historic Guild Theatre – is an ongoing film festival/microcinema that started in Sacramento in 2006. They show independent films, documentaries and shorts, host community-based special events, and on occasion have late night audience participation screenings. Many screenings include filmmakers and guest speakers in attendance for Q&A.
This Sunday, October 24th, Movies on a Big Screen is hosting ‘Ghost Bird’, along with the director Scott Crocker.
About the movie: Set in a murky swamp overrun with birders, scientists, and reporters, “Ghost Bird” explores the limits of certainty, the seductive power of hope, and how one phantom woodpecker changed a sleepy Southern town forever.
Extinction means that a species has ceased to exist forever. The term is meant to be definitive and final. But what happens if an extinct species isn’t really dead? In 2005, scientists announced that the Ivory-billed woodpecker, a species thought to be extinct for 60 years, had been found in the swamps of Eastern Arkansas. The story was celebrated around the world as the rediscovery of a lifetime. It prompted the largest recovery effort ever undertaken for a lost species. Millions of dollars poured in from the government as ornithologists and birders flooded the area. Along the way, the town of Brinkley, Arkansas – itself on the brink of extinction – was transformed by the hope, commerce and controversy surrounding the bird. But continued credible sightings by expert birders were coupled with a mysterious absence of evidence. And five years later, the Ivory-bill remains as elusive as ever. “Ghost Bird” brings the Ivory-bill’s blurry rediscovery into focus revealing our uneasy relationship with nature and the increasing uncertainty of our place within it.
“[Director Scott] Crocker has turned a bird-watching tale into a multilayered story that will fascinate practically everybody.” – The New York Times
“Beautifully crafted…heartbreaking, ironic and infuriating. It’s a stunner.” NPR
“‘Ghost Bird’ is a rare beast indeed — a matter-of-fact documentary about a seemingly innocuous subject that manages to become profoundly moving.” – IFC
Sunday, October 24, 2010
7:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento, CA
All movies shown at Movies on a Big Screen are $5 unless otherwise noted.
www.MoviesonaBigScreen.com
p.s. If you’re around for Halloween, check out their old school horror flick marathon.
The Pony Express Rides Again
Wanted: A Few Good Horses
The term “lightening speed” is certainly relative; what was considered lightening speed in the 1800s can hardly compare to the progress we’ve made today. However, imagine living in a simpler, more rustic time… when travel was always cumbersome and communication across vast lands was painstakingly slow. And then imagine something coming along – say, a horse and man – that changes everything you once knew – practically overnight.
When people moved out west, letters were carried by boat, and it took about six months to send or receive a letter by ship. It was a way to communicate, yes. But as far as efficiency goes, it was obviously far from ideal. So when the Pony Express was imagined to life in 1860, and it only took 10 days across the United States on horseback, imagine how many facets of life were affected by it!
The Pony Express was special because it connected East and West in a manner never done before. For 19 months the Central Overland and California Pikes Peak Express Company carried letters and telegrams through challenging terrain to prove the most central route through Salt Lake was passable year round. That trail is now a federally designated Historic Trail.
2010 marks the 150th Anniversary of inception of the Pony Express. And from June 6th to the 26th, The National Pony Express Association will conduct an anniversary Re-Ride over the 1,966 mile route of the National Historic Trail from California through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas to Missouri. There will be various checkpoints and exchange stops with operators who will radio information to the public. GPS transmitters will also be carried by the riders, which will transmit location to a satellite.
The men and horses of the Pony Express originally set off on their journey from what is now Old Sacramento. You can see the statue at the corner of 2nd and I streets and see artifacts at the Wells Fargo History Museum.
Sometimes, something comes along that changes what we know, how we live and how we think. And sometimes, we have to look back and honor what was to more thoughtfully and deliberately appreciate what is. As for the period of the Pony Express, while it may have been brief, its existence was far from insignificant. After all, it was a simpler but groundbreaking time, and the Pony Express is a symbol of our love affair with the American West.
Come join the kick-off anniversary ride and festivities: Monday, June 7, 10a.m., Old Sacramento. Visit www.xphomestation.com for more up-to-date information and anniversary events across the nation.
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.
Iceland: Frozen in Only Memory Now
Iceland exterior, circa 2006
As an ode to North Sacramento’s late Iceland, here’s an article I wrote about it in 2006 (It was published in the Midtown and Land Park Monthlies).
Iceland’s Prolonged Triumph… and Extenuating Spirit
Why would I stop off at the ice rink? I can’t skate on ice without eight wheels – four beneath each foot, and my ankles wobble like weebles no matter how tight I thread the laces. Sometimes, however, and very often in actuality, what exists is much more than meets the eye; what intrigues, inspires or titillates lays beyond what it is we are already failing to really see.
Here’s the lesson: If you continue to pass the same people, places, things on by… having little clue of the stories, characters and colors within… you’ll really miss out on some of the very best stuff. Want me to cut to the chase already? There’s history here, mystery, sentiment… and perhaps even… ah, I’m not going to spoil the secret just yet. First, let’s take a little trek back in time.
During the1920s Del Paso Boulevard was the now-historic route Highway 40, and it was the main thoroughfare through town. The railroad came by here as well, and trains needed ice regularly. So one local man, previously gripped by tragedy at another local ice plant, seized his opportunity. It was Bill Kerth (aka: Pop Kerth), and he opened the American Ice Co.
For many years Bill was quite successful… until the arrival of the refrigerator in the 30s, when ice was no longer as necessary in the same capacity. So what did he do with his tremendous ability to make ice when demand for it decreased drastically? He thought outside the icebox, and created recreation and leisure out of necessity! He built our very own Iceland in the heart of the then bustling North Sac.
Chris Lord, the owner and manager of both the ice rink and plant keeps telling me story after snowballing story, and I’m entranced by a history that still feels so tangible. Chris’ own story at Iceland, in fact, began in ’62 when while walking home from the theatre one day he was hit by a flying snowball – lobbed at him straight from inside the ice rink.
The plant itself is now “the oldest operating ice plant in California” and it still fuels the rink today, as well as the public pool behind it. Although the water’s heated nowadays, back when I was a small fry, we weren’t so lucky. We had to swim in a concrete-bottomed ocean of melted ice.
Today Iceland is holding her own, although it’s no easy or given task. Chris tells me that it’s a “hard business in California,” that it’s “not a big money-maker, but is nostalgic and meaningful to a few.” “We’re all involved. The employees all care about being here.” It’s simply not a forgettable job (nor place for that matter) failing to touch those who come near.
“Everybody knows everybody in the business, and most grew up in the business. You learn fast that you gotta wear a lot of hats,” Chris says without the faintest hint of a smirk, as if no pun was intended (but I’m watching him because I hear he’s quite the jokester). And while there have only ever been a few other ice rinks in the Sacramento region, this one’s outlasted about 65 rinks throughout the state.
Chris continues sharing Iceland’s nostalgia and challenges, and tells me that summers here are slower than winters. I respond with surprise, thinking back to my own childhood when we used to come here to escape the Sacramento summer heat… I look from the bleachers out onto the rink and note the same odd smell that used to occupy the place before. I can hear ‘Wildfire’ playing in the background… and for all I know I could be ten again.
I’m certainly still wide-eyed and eager as Chris begins telling me about things that go bump in the night here. He says that both buildings are on the registry of haunted historic places. And yet it doesn’t seem to bother anybody. “We figure it’s probably just Bill Kerth rummaging around,” Chris admits. “It’s not creepy really. You have to be open minded.” It is, after all, a family-oriented place. That’s the way Bill intended it, and that’s the way it’s going to remain. While the ice plant did seem a little spooky to me (keep in mind, it was nighttime), I didn’t sense any reason to be afraid of ol’ Pop Kerth. His creation may have cold hands, but she’s sure got an enduring warmth to her ticker… Anyway, I’d personally worry more about remembering ye woolen mittens!
[Iceland offers multiple public sessions every day but Wednesday, figure skating school, freestyle sessions, ice dance classes, discount lessons, group lessons, shows and events, broomball, private parties, field trips and ice plant tours! 1430 Del Paso Blvd., 925-3121 or 925-3529, www.icelandsacramento.com].
(I recall some fascinating story about the invention of the Zamboni… I’m not sure why I didn’t include it in this version of the article. Anyway, sadly, a fire destroyed Iceland over the weekend. It is unfortunately not the only historic building in North Sacramento to have been a casuality of fires started in the rear of the building.)
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!
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
Hello, Enchanting Happy Hour!
Delta King Lounge
The historic Delta King Riverboat is pretty special in its own right, alright. It has a lot of, well, history. (It even has some ghosts, some say…). You can eat there. You can even sleep there. And now… you can experience one of the best Happy Hours around upon it.
The Delta King sits atop the Sacramento River off the Old Sacramento riverfront. Venture aboard and look around. The Lounge is on the far right side, upper floor, providing a very nice view of the river and West Sacramento. If the weather’s nice, grab a table outside – the fresh air just adds to the experience. But even if it’s raining, it’s going to be warm and cozy inside, and you’ve always got those views of the river.
The Happy Hour is from 4-7 (if memory serves. Could be 5-7). The service is friendly. And the options are splendid. I got a truly scrumptuous glass of Wente Chardonnary for $4. (Ok, I had two). Tom got a Guinness for $3, and there were several other drink specials. The appetizers are half-priced, although full satisfaction! Shrimp cocktail, crabcakes, sirloin sandwich, fresh ahi…. come on…. this is the life! And for less, no less!
They also have some pretty great room rates right about now, so its high time to take full adventage of this one-of-a-kind experience!
www.DeltaKing.com
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.
