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Wburg you are too cool!!! I'm so eager to go check it out. One of my penpals is from Sacramento and well I think I will look them up one day to see if they would show me around town. Heck maybe even him and his kiddo may have never done some of the activities themselves... ANd snarky? Ah I may be beat by a brick bat myself, lol... I figure since I'm the California rep and may become partner for this social network for billies and psychos... I may end up helping with the scene being dead or slow, but it sounds wonderful so far. And my own retro vintage living ezine may find a great niche, I'm really considering this place now. But i agree, I need to see it first.
I really like your Melrose comparison, it used to be a nice place up in to the early 90's, then it became too hoity toity with designers and bistros that over charged for everything. I remeber making the pilgrimage a few times on the bus to look for Doc Martins at the time... the memories, lol...
Sounds a lot like Midtown--it used to be a funkier neighborhood with more things like thrift stores, junk shops and used bookstores, in recent years more high-end boutiques and "ultra lounges" have displaced some of the dive bars and secondhand stores. And as I said, it SEEMS like a dead scene but there is actually a ton of stuff going on below the surface (in underground venues etc.) and recently there are more efforts to blow the lid off in public (like the Second Saturday and Third Saturday/Design Downtown street fairs.)
I'd be very interested in your retro vintage living ezine. I am involved with the local historical society, write books and articles on local history (from the 1850s to the 1980s) and live in a 100 year old house, so I'm very into that stuff.
Incidentally, a bit of psychobilly trivia: Lux Interior and Poison Ivy met here in Sacramento before moving to Cleveland and forming the Cramps.
no way they did? I don't know much of the history there. I looked up briefly Rancho Cordova and Midtown I have yet to get stats on... my site is www.retrocollective.com and the site I'm an admin on is www.psychobillyfever.com (it was rockabillyfever for a while, still will be but thats due to premiere). The PF site is based out of Texas but currently the stronghold is southern California. I've talked to the owner and well I'm trying to create a telecommuting setting and for my own site it will probably be all home based for a while. I do need to attract all the vintage/retro aficionados to be my muses and well the fund raising I hope to do for both sites will benefit other programs after covering overhead costs. The RF/PF site will try to donate to music programs and encourage grassroots/village mentalities to affecting change on a personal, one on one level and my site is so Happy Madison in wanting to bring more volunteers to do assisting living programs that last i heard was having its funding cut. I figure focus on making our elders as comfortable as possible and document their stories before they die off or dementia takes them away. I also figured since it will be a while before I can do the American Revolution trail tour, I could hang out by the State's Capital and really feel I'm somewhere magical and to answer you on the building I seen, it did have that art deco look and I do believe there was blue lights... All I recall from the freeway was that it looked amazing, almost like that district in Down Town Los Angeles by The Central Library, Gas Company Tower, etc... but in Sac, that area I seen just looked amazing, surreal and very beautiful in a Bauhaus in color way.
I'm calculating that it may take me a year or just under to move out there, that is if I decide on it. But I should ask... what is the cuisine like and market suppliers?
I'm a foodie and I need to make sure I can find regional ingredients for my cooking. Mexican/Latin flavours would be important for my Tamale Fest in Winter time... Need to see if I can get what I need for my Mole sauce and also, my "Salsitas de chile" like Tomatillos and the dried peppers or even fresh... Hey is there any Urban Community Gardens up there? The farmers Market I'm excited about, we have one here and its just to hard to get to... Oh seafood, is there any good fish mongers that get coast deliveries or is it all defrosted at the markets? Sushi joints, I must know of the most affordable but still delicious are located. I can only survive without Unagi for so long!!!! So maybe an Asian Import market would be nice too...
Well I have a feeling I'll integrate nicely, still be eclectic but also be traditional so it sounds good, keep boosting, keep boosting!!! hee hee...
Check out local foodie blogger Heckasac: heckasac She has the inside scoop on many things, including local music, the best restaurants, and making obscure foodstuffs from scratch--she also writes for Midtown Monthly and other local papers on cuisine, music and assorted awesomeness.
For traditional Mexican ingredients there are several Mexcian mercados and panaderias in some of the neighborhoods with large Latino populations, north in North Sacramento and South Natomas, and south into South Sacramento. I am told that some some Southwestern-specific ingredients are hard to get (New Mexico green chili in particular) but most Mexican staples can be found. There are still some small Asian markets in the older Asian neighborhoods near Southside Park, with bigger ones in south Sacramento along corridors like Stockton and Freeport Boulevards. Sacramento has old long-standing Japanese and Chinese communities, but there is also a large Vietnamese community and a lot of good places for pho and banh mi. Rancho Cordova has a growing Korean population and part of Folsom Boulevard through RC is rapidly becoming a regional "Koreatown."
There are still big holes in Sacramento's dining scene, but there are some good highlights: a couple of good Ethiopian restaurants, some very good Greek restaurants (and an annual Greek food festival), lots of Indian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese, plenty of Mexican restaurants (ranging from very authentic to not very authentic, and from very cheap to not very cheap) and some ridiculously good places to get hamburgers (Ford's, Whitey's, Nationwide Freezer Meats, Jim-Denny's, Squeeze Inn, just to name a few.) Lots of Chinese restaurants, overwhelmingly Cantonese, including lots of dim sum. Italian food is kind of lacking, maybe because most of the Italians around here came from northern Italy, but there are some neat places (ranging from awesomely traditional Zelda's and Espanol to new-school Hot Italian and Pizza Masullo.) A new breed of restaurants has opened in the past few years specializing in more esoteric fare for the high-end eater, focusing on fresh, local ingredients, the big standouts are Mulvaney's Building & Loan and the Grange (or so I'm told--I'm more of a cheap burger & taco guy.)
There are several urban community gardens in the central city--one at Southside Park, one near Fremont Park (it used to be a whole block, most was taken for new apartments but the developer made part into a new community garden) and quite a few unofficial ones in vacant lots and backyards. Because Sacramento is the center of a massive agricultural valley, there are several actual wholesale fruit & vegetable markets but they are generally only open to wholesalers. The Sunday morning farmer's market under Highway 50 (takes up two city blocks) usually features a couple of fishmongers. I think a couple of markets around town get coast deliveries but I'm not enough of a foodie to know which ones. The cheapest sushi joint in town just closed down (RIP Ricksha!) but there are dozens of others--check Yelp for more reviews and feedback on sushi by people who know more about it than I do.
Here's a Sacramento secret: the Market Club, a great "greasy spoon" restaurant hidden inside a wholesale vegetable market that dates from the 1920s. The founders of the market were mostly local Chinese, Japanese and Italian farmers, and the Market Club used to be where they would drink and gamble but now it's a diner open from about 4 AM until noon (the operating hours of the market.) They feature specialties like "Wienie Royale", a Japanese-American recipe that is a legacy of the internment period: families were provided with government-issue hot dogs, they made them into kind of a hot-dog stir-fry dish. Their menu is an eclectic mix of Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Portuguese--much like the surrounding neighborhood. I just call it 100% American, a little of everything. Market Club - Sacramento, CA
I interviewed a bunch of folks who grew up in Southside and are now in their 70s-80s (did a book about it: Sacramento's Southside Park - Google Books ) and heard some amazing stories (and recorded them for posterity.)
Ah I'm so going!!!!! You paint a wonderful picture, and now I have more to ask my Sac Pal about... Thanks! The food just sounds like it will be amazing. I'm so the type that loves to try new to me eateries and I do not have shy tastes but an American greasy spoon or burger joint would be awesome. I luckily found a few out here but I've been cooking my meals for the most part. Except for Greek Grandma's cooking from Pete's here in Stumps (Twentynine Palms). But I am saddened about the Italian restaurant situation. I've very much in to the complex and yet simple provincial cooking of the south region but I'm sure its trying what they have in the northern influenced places and doing a bit of fusion.
I feel so honored and privileged to be told about the diner in the wholesale depot. I must and will try that place, especially since I have not had Portuguese in like forever!
And I think for ice cream I may luck on that list... I am looking for a neighborhood joint style creamery place that makes ice cream cakes and has the high butter fat custard like stuff. But also a serene yogurt shoppe that uses real fresh fruits, etc. Oh and is there a dried fruits and nuts sold in bulk type places? We have Hadley's Out here an hour away in Cabazon. They also sold fruit and honey wines cheap... ah that place was amazing! Speaking of which, wine/liquor type places? On base we have the 7 Day star which is like a quickie stop inside the PX where a section, fine spirits are sold. Well the prices are amazing because 1. no tax and 2. no mark-up, actually wholesale prices... And their schnapps section was decent. I was thinking of having my bar stocked in my future home and display my quirky bar ware finds and pull a Tom cruise Cocktails, hee hee...
You know I'm going to just keep on asking you tons of question haha!!! You are so sweet, thank you. I really am digging this place so far. I'm getting very thorough answers and suggestions. I'm so used to the military wives message boards where it got so catty and off track. This forum is awesome thus far!!!
I think I would just need to find a good mechanic, handyman, seamstress/tailor and bakeries, oh and a deli/butcher shop... I may just be set for my first 6 months, lol...
Three ice cream places I can recommend: Vic's in Land Park, Gunther's in Curtis Park, and Burr's Fountain in East Sacramento. All are old-school neighborhood institutions. Another Southside institution I refer you to is the Osaka-ya bakery, which features amazingly good Japanese style shaved ice (sadly, only open during summer months.)
Yogurt shops are kind of the hep new thing in Sacramento (well, technically they were the hep new thing about 20 years ago, passed from fashion, and now they're back in style), you pretty can spit in any direction and hit a yogurt shop, almost all of which will have fresh fruit, mochi, and the usual sugary toppings. Several (Yogurt-a-gogo on 19th and Mochii on 16th) specialize in tart/low-sugar yogurt, vs. the more ice cream like stuff.
The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op sells dried fruit and nuts, so do some local chain markets like Raley's and Nugget, and there are several vendors of both at the farmer's markets. Sacramento is home to the Blue Diamond almond cannery, they have a gift shop that is pretty much the cheapest place to get almonds anywhere. If you can drive out into the hinterlands, there are also farmer's markets in pretty much every direction as you get into farm country that feature whatever is in season, dried fruits, cheeses, olives and olive oil, and just about anything else growable and edible (the Sacramento/San Joaquin Valleys produce about half the country's fruit and vegetables, something like 80% of the nuts, and more dairy products than Wisconsin.)
Sacramento has a lot of wineries (two "urban wineries" downtown, a couple others on the outer fringes of the city limits, tons more in nearby farm country) and wine bars but I don't know much about them. I think the only PX is one at (I think) the former McClellan Air Force Base (there used to be two Air Force bases, McClellan and Mather, plus an Army signal depot, all are closed and primarily for civilian purposes now.)
We are lacking in Portuguese restaurants (the Market Club doesn't have much but using linguica in a couple of things), and perhaps I exaggerate about Italian food because I'm a southern Italian from Chicago and my standards for such things are frightfully high. Zelda's Pizza is worth a stop (and another rockabilly-crowd hangout), it is an excellent old-school pizzeria with an absolutley unique approach (some call it Chicago style but it's not, it's sort of a pastry crust with the cheese on top of the sauce) and notoriously sassy service (getting a pizza takes forever but it's totally worth it, waitresses have been known to threaten impatient patrons.) Speaking of Italian food, there are a couple great Italian markets--the legendary Corti Bros. on Folsom Boulevard, and Italian Importing on J Street. Both are worthy of high praise even from a Chicago boy like me. Both will do for deli/butcher shop purposes. I do my own sewing so I'm no good advice on tailoring, and for mechanics I only know where to get my old Volvo fixed.
I really, really recommend coming up for a visit and just puttering around--if you do, I can recommend more specific places to visit.
Hey Wburg!!!! I'm so sorry its been a while, its a long story but I'm ready to start planning my vist.
I looked at airfare through SouthWest Airlines and also the hotel offers attached and Because the name was just that cool and where it was located, plus amneties... I'm thinking The Vagabond Inn Sacramento Executive. Seen the pics and I like it!
It described that its walking distance to The Capital and it offers shuttle service to the airport, plus internet included. The rates weren't too shabby either.
And it described a place called the Fox and Goose Public House which caught my eye since I like my pubs, but I wasn't sure if this place was a trendy knock off or the real thing, close by. It sounds more expensive than what I can afford if I stayed longer than a day though...
So I don't pass out from hunger, are there any tasty and cheap place to grab a nosh around there you can reccomend? I'm not picky really, unless we are getting into fisheads and pickled pigs feet, then I'll gladly take the punk card. I figured since the check in is close to an early dinner time, let's say around 5pm mid week, maybe some cool little joints with no huge dinner rush? I'd like to have atleast one nice, relaxing sit down meal that isn't Denny's y'know? The more unique the better and the service should be a friendly example of the hospitality in Sac. Anything fit the description?
And OH!!!! I looked up a few of the housing programs, and I may actually be able to buy, rather than rent if I get in on the Target Area Homebuyers Program (http://www.shra.org/Content/Housing/HomeBuyer/target.htm - broken link). they list these areas but again, cluless here...
But as a back up I did look at a few rental costs and I may be able to afford a two bedroom after all, though three bedrooms and 1.5 bath would be awesome, I'll have to wait and see...
Anyhoo, I'm aiming for St. Patty's Day more or less. And I'm sorry if this is cliched, but I sooo want to rock out to some Dropkick Murphys and The Pogues somewhere cool having a nice porter in a real pint glass, so again... help?
I'm thinking I arrive on the 17th and check out the 19th? So any activity ideas would be great also, just keep in mind hangover the 18th, lol...
Thank you much again and hey....
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!!
Thank you so much before for your wonderful descriptions and suggestions
If you can arrive one day earlier, one thing you'll definitely want to check out is the new Thursday night club, the Bad Bones Rockabilly Bar--it will be two blocks from your hotel. It's at a nightclub called Necropolis, in Old Sacramento:
Fox & Goose is a local cultural institution, they have been there for decades. It's definitely sort of a "California Irish" kind of place but the atmosphere and food are great. They have live bands but no jukebox. It's about a block from Old Ironsides, the longest-running bar in town (they got the first license after Prohibition ended) at 10th & S. They have the best jukebox in town, period, but they also have a lot of live music and dance clubs.
For places to eat near the hotel where you're staying, I would recommend Fanny Ann's Saloon on 2nd and K, or Sacramento Brewing Company at 4th and K. A lot of the best places downtown close before the dinner hour (they serve the state employee lunch crowd, which outnumbers downtown's population by more than 3 to 1) but if you arrive during the lunch hour go to La Bonne Soupe on 8th between I and J--chef Daniel Pont is a local legend, it's a tiny one-man hole in the wall with the best soups and sandwiches in the city, bar none.
The other Irish pubs I know are the Bonn Lair on 37th and J, Streets of London at 18th & J, and DeVere's at 16th & L. DeVere's is the newest, but they're in a great building and last year they did a St. Patrick's party that filled the entire block, and the owner Henry DeVere is a great guy.
Of the neighborhoods above, the only one I'd consider would be Southside Park--actually that's the neighborhood where the Fox & Goose and Old Ironsides are. It is the second least gentrified part of downtown Sacramento (the least gentrified is Alkali Flat.) That's the neighborhood I wrote the book about and mentioned upthread. There is an elementary school (William Land) in the neighborhood, moderately rated:
Oak Park's very northern sections maaaybe, I have friends there, but it's still a hinky area, if you aren't willing to tolerate a certain amount of drug dealing and prostitution I wouldn't recommend it. The rest are gradually farther out from the central city--North Sac/Del Paso is close to downtown and has awesome thrift stores but really dangerous neighborhoods, Stockton Boulevard and Franklin has amazing places to get really good cheap Mexican and Vietnamese food (using the general rule of the less safe you'd feel getting out of your car, the better and cheaper the food) and the Army Depot is waaay out in the middle of nowhere in the industrial part of town, probably a location of choice if you want to be able to sit on your back porch shooting cans with a .22 and not have anyone call the police.
Hello, I went through the threads to see what I can find info wise but need a little more help...
I found some studio listings to average out about $700 or less a month In apartment complexes... I haven't figured out what area/county to live in but I do need to be close to public transit, the social security administration offices, mental health services, grocery stores/markets etc... ( I don't drive).
I also would like to attend a community college but don't know which community would work out.
I'm also running a home based ebusiness and need to be close to the post office.
Is there an area that fits this bill?
I like slower paced, working class environments. Would like to be close to activities and schools for elementary aged kids. I can make my own entertainment (lived in a military town that was in the high desert so I don't allow myself to get bored). I'm a moderate conservative but out going enough to adapt to bohemian or more traditional places.
I don't mind dry heat (The worse it got in the desert was around 125/130 an a little muggy humid so 100 sounds like a dream!).. I do like more cool, over cast weather... over all I would like urban but close to greenery like parks and old town/down town areas...
I imagine living closer to the coast gets expensive and I am from East Los Angeles so a little bit of sport is fine by me, I want to raise tough kids that can adapt but I'd like them to not be in such a fast, dog eat dog pace as Los Angeles has gotten...
And if there is any rockabilly/40's swing-big band types that can be nice to me, that would so be appreciated...
So anything anyone here can add, elaborate on, or ask so I can better make my decision?
Thanks in Advance,
Gina
A realtor would have great info on this but you are wanting to rent so I would suggest living near college areas or downtown. Only because you don't drive and college areas and downtown are better suited to this lifestyle by providing the amenities you described within walking distance. If you choose the "burbs" you'll either have to get a car or will be terribly inconvenienced.
Hello, I went through the threads to see what I can find info wise but need a little more help...
I found some studio listings to average out about $700 or less a month In apartment complexes... I haven't figured out what area/county to live in but I do need to be close to public transit, the social security administration offices, mental health services, grocery stores/markets etc... ( I don't drive).
I also would like to attend a community college but don't know which community would work out.
I'm also running a home based ebusiness and need to be close to the post office.
Is there an area that fits this bill?
I like slower paced, working class environments. Would like to be close to activities and schools for elementary aged kids. I can make my own entertainment (lived in a military town that was in the high desert so I don't allow myself to get bored). I'm a moderate conservative but out going enough to adapt to bohemian or more traditional places.
I don't mind dry heat (The worse it got in the desert was around 125/130 an a little muggy humid so 100 sounds like a dream!).. I do like more cool, over cast weather... over all I would like urban but close to greenery like parks and old town/down town areas...
I imagine living closer to the coast gets expensive and I am from East Los Angeles so a little bit of sport is fine by me, I want to raise tough kids that can adapt but I'd like them to not be in such a fast, dog eat dog pace as Los Angeles has gotten...
And if there is any rockabilly/40's swing-big band types that can be nice to me, that would so be appreciated...
So anything anyone here can add, elaborate on, or ask so I can better make my decision?
Thanks in Advance,
Gina
I used to be a UPS driver and know the neighborhoods pretty well. I think near sac State would be a nice area with all of the local shopping. Cadillac drive has Cadillac apartments and others and is right by the college. The only draw back to that area is a lot of traffic and theft (breaking into cars mainly) but this is to be expected in high traffic areas.
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