Sacramento, CA

As I was sitting and enjoying a cup of Ginger Snappish tea this morning, it occurred to me that I never told anyone about the Gingerbread Houses that are currently on display at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum. Every December, people are invited to design their own glorious gingerbread creations to be displayed and judged at the Schoolhouse. Anyway, judging for this year is long past–it was on December 8th. However, the delectable creations are still on display through Sunday, December 23rd.

In any case, it’s the perfect opportunity to escape reality for a few moments when you start to get too stressed out. With only a scant few days left before Christmas, God knows we’re ALL feeling at least a little bit stressed out. There are presents still to be bought and wrapped, cleaning to be done, cookies to be baked, groceries to be bought, anxiety that Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary will get drunk and fight AGAIN…and well, you get the picture I’m sure! As for me, I’m STILL not done making my sister’s Christmas gift and she’s coming tonight so I’m not quite sure that I’ll be able to finish it without her knowing what it is. *ARGGGG!!!!!!*

The point is that we could all use a little bit of a break and I can’t think of anything better than to escape to a land where houses are made of candy and children’s innocence lives on unchecked. If you can’t manage to escape for even a couple minutes, then I reccommend you check out Mary MacIntyre’s page. She has a couple of other really brilliant ideas for how to relax amidst all of the stress this season inevitably brings with it.

And if that doesn’t work, you can always try getting a tad bit drunk

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The Discover California Wine Bar & Tasting Room is holding its third annual California Christmas Party on Thursday December 13th from 5:00PM to 8:00PM. It’s the perfect opportunity to show visiting relatives from out-of-state what it really means to be a Californian. There will be delectable Californian wines and food to taste and the decor will be entirely California based. They are even going to have a Californian Santa Claus who will be dressed in shorts and sunglasses carrying his favorite surf board. All attendees will receive beach balls, sunglasses, and visors to add to the summery ambience. You also get a complimentary wine glass with the Discover California logo on it. The price is only $15.00 per person–just remember that no one under 21 will be allowed to attend. However, since it is going to be in downtown Sacramento, you could just drop them off at the Westfield ice rink on your way over…

In any case, it’s sure to be one of the few activities geared entirely towards adutls for the Christmas season. That means it’s one of your only chances to escape your own belvoed little demons for a couple of hours. Furthermore, it should be entirely worth it just to see Santa and all of the idiots who will show up in summer attire freeze their butts off. Frankly, I can think of no better source of entertainment then watching someone become disabused from the sunshine image California is so often associated with. it’s sure to be worth at least a couple of laughs–as long as you’re not one of the idiots trying to be in costume that is!!!

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For me, the Christmas season is the perfect excuse to become a child again. It’s even EASY because there are always all kinds of activities to help you relive those lost days when everything was viewed with innocent wonder. In fact, it’s as easy as a trip to Old Sacramento today.

The fun will begin at Stage Nine Entertainment Store, Inc from 12:00PM to 4:00PM. Stage Nine will be celebrating the 55th Anniversary of Disney’s Peter Pan with a couple of special guests of honor. Kathryn Beaumont–the voice of both Wendy and Alice–and Margaret Kerry–the original model for Tinkerbell–will both be present ot help celebrate. Tim Rogerson will also be unveiling his newest Sacramento-themed Disney piece, Flying Over Sacramento. In the painting, the characters are depicted flying over Sacramento’s Tower Bridge instead of London’s classic bridge. Canvas editions of the painting will be available for $395.00 and lithographs will also be sold for $119.00. They may sound expensive, but I can guarantee that their value–both monetary and sentimental–will explode as everything else Disney is wont to do. In addition, they will be collecting gifts for needy children so that you can help to make it just as special for someoen else as it is for you.

If you’re not comfortable with the blatantly childish, there is also something a bit more subtle to attract your attention in Old Sacramento today–the Capital City Yacht Club’s Annual Holiday Lighted Boat Parade. All decorated boats are welcome to join in the parade regardless of whether you are a member of the Yacht Club. If you’re like me and you’d rather just watch, then you can do so from one of two points. The boats will meet up at Miller Park at 6:00PM and will then travel down the river to Old Sacramento at around 7:00PM. The best viewing areas are of course on the waterfront and on board the Delta King so you will want to find a spot early on. Anyway, I’m sure it will be just as good as Disney’s Fantasmic so you can be a kid again without admitting to it!

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I don’t know about the rest of you, but one of my all time favorite parts of Christmas is getting to share all of the classic stories with the next generation. The Polar Express has always been one of my favorites–the BOOK mind you and NOT the movie. Anyway, I’m pretty excited because the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento is hosting the very first West Coast appearance of the Polar Express Train Ride. On this special train ride, the classic tale will be told and brought to life anew as you travel to the North Pole to see Santa Claus. Santa will even be giving special gifts to all of the children on board the train. To completely surround you in the wonders of a child’s innocence, they will even be serving hot chocolate!

If you can’t get tickets–because they are rather hard to find right now–don’t fret too much. After all, they have recently announced that they will be continuing this new tradition next year as well. Tickets for 2008 will go on sale on October 1st, 2008 and are expected to sell just as quickly as these ones have. In any case, it is one of those things that you just shouldn’t miss out on during the holiday season…like driving around to look at Christmas lights or ice skating under a star filled sky so that even “though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”

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Lately, the city has been exerting extensive effort towards rennovating these historic areas of Downtown with mixed results. I have noticed that when they fail it is usually because of lack of community involvement and awareness. They try to keep the people in the dark and then everything ends up being one giant f**k up. Thankfully, they seem to have taken a much different approach to rennovating one of the most historic areas of Downtown Sacramento.

One of the things that Sacramento is most known for is its history as a railroad town. In particular, it is the birthplace of the Central Pacific Railroad’s contributions to the Transcontinental Railroad. For years, the area surrounding the downtown railyards has fallen into disuse and succumbed to the same sort of degeneration that sadly so often happens in big cities. However, it was recently decided to extend the city’s efforts to clean up the downtown area to include the railyard. Furthermore, plans for reviatlization include the addition of a main thoroughfare for shops and boutiques which will bring business to the area and hopefully keep it clean for years to come.

The best part though is that the developer, Thomas Enterprises, is letting the community become a part of the project in a way that is creative and fun. They are holding a contest to name the streets that will run through the area. They will be looking for names that “represent the character of the Sacramento region and reflect our historic past” while also creating “a fresh, contemporary feel” to fully embody what Sacramento has become–a place of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Of course, some people will be upset because there is no monetary prize for “winning.” However, I think that you get something much better from entering the contest–a chance to be a part of living history. You get to truly be a part of Sacramento itself and I don’t think anyone could argue for a better gift than that!

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The 2007 Great Sacramento Duck Race will be held on Saturday, August 18th at Waterfront Park in Old Sacramento. Up to 20,000 rubber ducks will be dumped off of the I Street Bridge into the Sacramento River in support of local Special Olympics programs. They will float down the river to the Tower Bridge, with the first ducks to arrive winning prizes for their adoptive parents. Some of the grand prizes include a hot tub, a home energy makeover, travel packages, and–of course–lots of moola!!! You don’t need to be present to win and it isn’t very expensive to participate so why not adopt at least one? =)

There are different packages available so that everyone can participate. The cheapest is a Lone Duck for $5.00. There are two options for mid-level packages which both cost $25.00. The first is the Quack Pack. It includes five entries into the duck race, a souvenir duck, and coupons for local merchants. The second option is the Six Quack. Choosing this option will earn you six entries in the race, but no souvenir duck. The final package, the Quacker’s Dozen, is only available online. This package gives you thirteen duck adoptions for the price of ten, the souvenir duck, and the coupons. If you don’t like to use your credit card online, you can also adopt a duck at one of our local adoption agencies. If you’re feeling motivated enough, you can even become part of a sales team and earn more chances to win great prizes like a BBQ grill or a cruise vacation!

The ducks are all “dressed” in different costumes from their various sponsors. There is even a contest to vote for the Best Dressed Duck! The only catch is that you have to be 18 or older to participate, but who’s to say that you can’t purchase ducks for your children too…hehehe. Anyway, it is a really fun and creative way to earn money for a really good cause so, if you have the means I fully urge you to participate. Have fun…and may the best duck win!!!

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We went to Joe’s Crab Shack for my friend’s 21st birthday and it was absolutely fabulous. Their menu has a wide variety of choices–even for people who don’t like seafood–but the different crab dishes were probably the best. They had everything “crab” that you could possibly imagine–crab cakes, crab dip, and of course king crab. They also had an extremely wide array of alcoholic beverages to choose from–which was very handy for a 21st birthday party. They have these things called Trash Cans which are basically designed to get you trashed. My friend had one–the Beach Bum–that was kind of like a tropical Long Island. It was so strong you really couldn’t even taste anything but the alcohol. They come in these little collectible trash cans, which I thought was a pretty neat touch. My other roomie had two Pina Coladas which were very, very good. They even had these cute little decorations on the top of them. As for me, I spent the night drinking Lynchburg Lemonades that were completely life changing!

Anyway, we had a really good time. The service was really good, the people were a lot of fun, and the restaurant is right on the river–giving it the most amazing views at sunset! Be forewarned, it is NOT a romantic kind of place…it’s more geared towards big groups, parties, and such. It is VERY loud and VERY busy. Also, since it is busy, you will definitely need to make reservations. It is pretty impossible to get a table without them–even to just sit at the bar! Even with reservations, it still took us 45 minutes to get a table…definitely NOT the kind of place to go if you are in a hurry. If you’re willing to wait–or are going to be walking around Old Sacramento anyway–then it is completely worth the wait. It is located at 1210 Front Street next to the Boat Rentals stand and across from the parking garage. To make reservations, call 916-553-4249.

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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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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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