Sacramento, CA

I’m thinking lately that there needs to be more rhyme and reason to my little blog. Thus, over the next couple of days I will be formulating a plan to make it much more organized. If you have any suggestions as to things I’m missing feel free to let me know and I’ll do my best to throw them in somewhere

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Scandia Family Fun Center is a Sacndinavian-Themed Miniature Golf Course amusement park located 5070 Hillside Blvd. It was the first of five simillarly themed parks founded by three Scandinavican families in 1977. The others are located in Fairfield, Las Vegas, Victorville, and Ontario. They have two different golf courses that are eighteen holes each whihc meander through a variety of streams, ponds, fountains, and gardens. There are also numerous obstacles including a giant windmill and a Scandinavian castle.

There are also a variety of activities other than golf. The Baltic Sea Bumper Boats provides both an excellent escape from the heat AND a chance to vent any frustrations you may have with your family and friends!! They have batting cages for hardball and softball with speeds ranging from 25-70MPH. You can race each other around the Stockholm Raceway in double-seated go-carts or, if you’re brave enough, seek out an adrenaline rush on the Scandia Screamer!

They have a variety of rates depending on how many different activities you want to do. There are also special discounts available for groups and birthday parties. During the summer, they are open 10:00AM-midnight Sunday-Thursday and from 10:00AM-1:00AM on Friday and Saturday nights. For more information, or for directions, contact Steve Baddley at 916-331-5757 ext 11.

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American Idols Live is coming to Arco Arena on July 25th, 2007 at 7:00PM. Tickets have been on sale since May 10th so I didn’t think that there would be any left available…broke my heart too since I really want to go this year. Out of curisoity, I was looking at a list of Sacramento concerts and there are still tickets available!!! The remaining tickets range in price from $97.00 each for Section 224 Row N, Section 203 Row L, and Section 106 Row J to $370 each for FLR 4 Row F with a variety of seats for prices in between depending (obviously) on how close you want to be. There are also still a few nosebleed seats available at ticketmaster. If you are really made of money, you might consider paying $544.00 each for Section 1 Row U at ticket liquidator as well. Anyway, there are a variety of tickets still available out there if you’re willing to spend the money for them. I plan on buying one if they’re still available on Friday when I get paid because it is so going to be worth it to hear Blake Lewis beat box and see Sanjay’s latest hair debacle!!! In the meantime, read all the latest news at Reed-Dunn’s page Watching American Idol and get ready for what is sure to be one of the greatest concerts of the summer!

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There are a couple of nifty events going on in Old Sacramento this week for all you history buffs out there. Tomorrow at 11:30AM, the Pony Express Monument will be hosting the Pony Express Re-Ride. The National Pony Express Association stages this re-ride every June and the celebration in Old Sac will be to welcome home the rider and the flag escort. It will be located at the Pony Express Monument (across from the Wells Fargo Museum at 1000 Second Street) and will be free to the public.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday from 10AM-4PM, the Living History Re-enactors will be hosting Living History Days at the Waterfront Park at Front and L Streets in Old Sacramento. It will also be free to the public.

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So, I live in Fairlake Apartments on Howe Ave and they probably have the single worst security I have ever seen in my life. They NEVER enforce any of the community rules. Our upstairs neighbors continually break the sound barrier with their obnoxious parties that last well past 4AM and when you call security they don’t do anything about it. All they ever do is tell us to call the sherriff’s department–who might I add are equally useless!!! People aren’t supposed to have pets over 20lbs….said neighbor has a dog who is closer to 60lbs. Furthermore, she always says that the dog is a “killer who will bite anyone who comes near her place.” Children are allowed to play on people’s front door stoops regardless of what time it is. The list just goes on and on…I honestly don’t know a single person who actually likes living there.

Anyway, yesterday my roomie parked her car in the fire lane for ten minutes while she was unloading groceries and getting ready to leave again. We didn’t think it would be a big deal since people always park there (sometimes even overnight!) and the security doesn’t care about bigger issues like people who don’t live there parking in permit parking! So we go outside and her car is gone (in TEN minutes!!!). Her sister and I totally thought her car was stolen since no tow truck driver is that fast!!! Then we see her blue Kia being towed out of the parking lot and heading right on Howe Ave. We yelled and waved for the driver to stop but the dumb jerk just ignored us and kept on going!!! Then, the tow company wasn’t even open so they kept us up all night telling us that they’d call when they were available to get her car out. To top it off, they charged her $300.00. Now, I understand she was parked where she wasn’t supposed to be, but we’re still pretty annoyed because they never do anythign about serious issues. I guess that’s just apartment life though *sigh*

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Five Reasons I Love Blogging:

1. I LOVE writing. Ever since I can remember all I’ve wanted to do is sit down with a pen and a notebook and write. I’m the sick kind of person who even likes writing essays. Thus, for me this is just something that is really fun since I don’t really get the time to write in my everyday life anymore.

2. I’m having a lot of fun learning about Sacramento. I always thought that there was nothing to do here, but it’s been nice so far to find that this isn’t true at all.

3. I work at a hotel and people are always asking me what there is to do in Sacramento. I used to just laugh and tell them “nothing.” Now I have all kinds of places to send them to and all kinds of cool little restaurants to tell them to go to in lieu of run of the mill places like Applebees and TGIFridays.

4. It’s also nice because I can talk to all kinds of people that I wouldn’t otherwise talk to. In person, I’m bitterly, painfully shy so it’s kind of nice to get to talk to people online.

5. Lastly, and most importantly to me, I get a nice handy place to rant about the things in life that really bother me. Let’s face it, the big people don’t care what one small complainer thinks. But when that one person’s complaints are heard all over the net it becomes so much more powerful. It lets the voice of one person sway the opinions of so many more. It’s unbelievably exhillarating

Anyway, I’m off to tag Kelly at Tiny Treasury, Scott at the Detroit City Blog, Maddy at the Hogwarts Herald, Teri at Write Anyway, and Gayle at Paris Hilton Watch.

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If you’re wondering where to take your husbands and fathers on Sunday, then I would highly reccommend that you check out The Firehouse 1112 Second Street in Old Sacramento. It was originally the home of Engine Company No. 3 in 1853 and was the first of Old Town’s buildings to be restored. Since it’s reopening it has become a popular favorite here in Sacramento. It has receievd numerous awards including the “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator Magazine and the “Award of Ultimate Distinction” from Wine Enthusiast.

Anyway, they’ve put together a pretty impressive brunch menu just for Father’s Day. It sounds a little bit pricey ($36.95 for adults and $14.95 for children 12 and under!!) but it also sound like one of the few places where it’s actually WORTH the steep prices. Brunch will begin with a starter buffet of crudités of assorted fresh vegetables, exotic fruits, cheese, salad, and pastries. The adults will then have a choice of five entrées such as Crab Cake Benedict, King Salmon, and Coconut Prawns. Children get to choose between Penne Pasta, Crunchy Chicken Tenders, and Scrambled Eggs with Ham Steak. I thought this was pretty thoughtful since most fancy restaurants don’t really offer a good selection for children–especially not on menus designed for specific days like Father’s Day. They even carry this thoughtfulness on to the dessert course where the children get a special ice cream sundae dessert instead of having to eat one of the fancier desserts (Pistachio-Almond Chocolate Bombe or Strawberry-Key Lime Cheesecake) that children often dislike just from hearing the complicated names.

Brunch will be served from 10AM-2PM on June 17th and reservations are required as it is sure to be a very popular selection for Father’s Day. You can call for more information at 916-442-4772.

If you are unable to get reservations (or if you’re like me and prefer to stay in bed a little later!!) then you can still enjoy the restaurant’s regular menu as a special treat for dad as well. Dinner will be served from 5PM-9Pm and will consist of three courses and a variety of delectable dishes including everything from oysters to foie gras, roasted pheasant to live Maine lobster, and rack of lamb to Atlantic King Salmon. (And their dessert menu isn’t too shabby either!!) Either way, you’re guaranteed to have an excellent gourmet meal and an elegant ambience that is sure to make ANY hardworking dad realize how very special he is!

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While we were driving up and down Howe Ave trying to find somewhere to eat last night we came across a large buffet restaurant called Continental Buffet Inc. My roomies and I are all really fond of buffets so we figured we’d try it out–which sadly was pretty much a big mistake. Their food wasn’t raelly all that good to begin with. I know that at buffets it’s normal for some of the food to kind of suck. However, most of theirs did! A lot of their dishes were empty–or may as well have been. The chow mein was greasy, the fried rice was flavorless, and the orange chicken was mushy. In addition, a lot of the food had been allowed to remain out for way too long. The dim sum probably would have been good if it hadn’t been allowed to stay out for so long. Everything was just really stale and disappointing. To top that off, the service was terrible. The waitress never refilled our drinks and only took away our used plates once. The worst part though was the price…$11.99 per person. We wouldn’t have minded paying it had the food been good, but with it as it was it was like the proverbial icing. Anyway, if you want to go to a GOOD buffet, you should check out Taste of China at 1000 Howe Ave instead.

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Since the weather is starting to get to the normal and UNBEARABLE heat that characterizes the typical NorCal summer, I figured it’d be nice to find some sort of relief for all of us. I had thought (along with pretty much everyone I know who lives here) that the water park at Cal Expo had been torn down. However, I recently found out that it’s just under new management now and is no longer being called Waterworld. Instead, it is now being run by Raging Waters. There are now a total of eight thrill rides to choose from including the Shark Attack Complex featuring the tallest and fastest inline water luge in Northern California–The Great White–and the Hurricane Bay Slide in which riders have to navigate through complete darkness. They also have a brand new slide that just opened this year called the Dragon’s Den. In addition, there are other attractions geared more towards children–such as Hook’s Lagoon–so that everyone can have a good time.

The newly rennovated park also now features a variety of activities to make the day more complete. They have sand volleyball pits, horseshoes, and even private cabanas that you can rent for $80-$125 a day if you want somewhere a little bit more private to hang out. The best part though is that they have set out to improve customer satisfaction as well. To that end, they have set up a variety of different sales promotions. To begin with, if you purchase an adult day pass for $29.99 anytime before June 30th, you will automatically receive a free Splash Pass. This will gain you free entry to the park for the rest of the summer–with the exception of a couple of Holidays like the 4th of July and Saturdays before 3:00PM. For ten dollars more, you can get a non-restricted Season Pass. However, you should be aware that prices will be a little bit more during the California State Fair because the park is located at the fairgrounds.

Also, starting this year, the Season Pass is now valid at the other Raging Waters locations in San Jose and San Dimas. The best part though is that they are also now offering a 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you’re not happy with the park, you can get your money back as long as you’re there for no more than an hour. This is pretty nice since it gives you a chance to kind of see what they have to offer (and how busy it is!) and not get penalized if you decide it’s not really your cup of tea.

If you’re not going to be in the area often enough to need a Season Pass, there is an additional discount that you can receive. Stop by the Best Western Expo Inn (located at 1413 Howe Ave) before you go to the park and pick up a flyer next to the Front Desk. On the back, you will find a coupon good for $4.00 off of General Admission. This is extremely worthwhile as the park is located less than a mile from the hotel at 1600 Exposition Blvd. If you’re more into saving time and avoiding lines, you can also purchase your tickets online.

Throughout the summer, the park is open from 10:30AM-6:00PM Monday-Friday and from 10:30AM-7:00PM on Saturdays and Sundays. You can find detailed driving directions here or you can contact the park directly at 916-924-3747.

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The Aerospace Museum of California is currently showcasing a special exhibit comprising replicas of some of Leonardo Da Vinci’s greatest paintings and inventions. His original sketches will be on display next to the working models that haev been built from them. Some of the inventions on the display will include the air screw (a precursor to the modern helicopter), war wagon, a robot, and even a chamber of mirrors. They are even built from materials that would have been available to Da Vinci–helping to explain how he was able to even envision the prospect of such machines in Renaissance Europe! Sadly, technology did not allow him to actually construct any of them…it was not until many centuries later that the Artisans of Florence were able to craft his ideas into workable models. In addition to his incredible inventions, there will also be life-size reporductions of his greatest paintings including the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

The museum is located in McClellan Park (formerly McClellan Air Force Base) at 3200 Freedom Park Drive, Sacramento CA 95652. Tickets can be purchased at 1-800-292-2334 or online at tickets.com. If purchased online, you can get a $3.00 off coupon by entering the the code word WINGS when asked for promo codes. I know it doesn’t sound l;ike much, but it is definately something to take into account considering that the tickets are a little bit on the pricey end (especially museum-wise!). Admission prices are as follows:

Adults–$17.95
Seniors–$11.95
Students (7-17)–$11.95
Families (2 Adults & 3 Kids)–$56.00
Active Military–$8.95

The exhibit will run until August 19th, 2007…though one site does say it will now run through the end of September as well. The museum itself is open from 10AM-5PM daily. I know it may sound like a lot of money (I’m poor so I totally know the feeling!!) but I still think it’s one of those things that you should just grin and bear it. After all, this is to be one of only a few stops in the Western U.S.–and the only one in Northern California–making it a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the inner workings of Da Vinci’s genius.

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Yesterday when I was looking at information on SMUD, I happened to also notice on their page that they are considering a rate increase for 2008. I don’t about everyone else on here, but I happen to be poor so this kind of annoys me In any case, there’s going to be a public hearing on June 7th to discuss this with the citizens of Sacramento. To their credit, they have only had two increases in 17 years–a pretty amazing feat for an electric company!!! They further add that the 7% increase will be used towards replacing old equipment and meeting new state standards for solar power. They also say that it will still be 25% lower than the rates at PG&E. Custoemrs with concerns are invited to come to the hearing to find out more information about how the rate changes will effect them particularly and further details as to how the money will be spent. Questions should be directed to Alan Wilcox at 916-732-6222.

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There’s some construction going on at the corner of Howe and Hallmark lately that has been causing all kinds of problems for local businesses. I work at Best Western and the construction crew has been doing all kinds of damage to us in particular. They hit a power line or something the other day and of course the power was off for like six hours while SMUD was fixing it!!!! We had a conference meeting that day for the Department of Health Services and they were understandably unhappy to be holding their meeting in the dark without air conditioning. In addition, many guests did not want to check in without electricity. Then, two days ago they did something similar and knocked out our voicemail. The guest phones haven’t been working properly since and it took forever to get our voicemail back up and running. I know that many other businesses have also been affected including Outback Steakhouse, Verizon, Audio FX, and Saigon Bay. Anyway, I was curious to know if there’s a way to collect back the money that we all lost from their mistakes. I’d love to relay any advice to my manager…

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…If you’re going to be in twon tomorrow, the Sacramento Zoo is having a California Celebration tomorrow, June 2nd, from 9AM-4PM. They will be celebrating California’s cultural diversity with live entertainment such as the California Middle School Band, the Hmong Women and Men Circle, and Folklorico Aztlan de Sacramento. These performances will take place at the Reptile House Lawn Stage. There will also be special exhibits by Bug Planet, Sacramento Area Beekeepers Association, and Norcal Bats among others. The Zoo will also be celebrating their 80th birthday–a very special occasion as it is also the 80th birthday for their oldest animal on exhibit–Herkimer the Desert Tortoise. They will even be giving him a special veggie cake at 12PM. Be sure to take enough time to just enjoy the many things that the zoo has to offer too. There are over 400 animals on display including Sumatran Tigers, a brand new exhibit of Magellanic Penguins, and the ever popular array of primates =)

The zoo is located at 3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822. For more information, call 916-264-5888 or visit saczoo.com. Admission costs are $7.50 for adults and $5.00 for children on the weekends. However, if you take a detour to Best Western Expo Inn (located at 1413 Howe Ave, Sacramento, CA 95825), we have a flyer that doubles as coupon for 50% off for up to six people. If you need directions, you can call us at 916-922-9833. It’s definitely worth the sidetrip–especially if you have a large family like mine

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