Uncovering the Awesomeness of Sacramento

When inquiring about Sacramento’s liveable-ness, I was genuinely reassured that this town must be great, because, well, it’s so close to Yosemite, and Tahoe(!), surrounded by wiiiiine country (to be read with a long drawl while waving one’s hand downward), close to the Bay, and hey-- aren’t there a lot of farms nearby? Well that’s all wonderful, especially for those who have a set of wheels and lots of time to kill. However, I will be spending 99% of my time inside the city, so I’m really wondering what Sactown is all about…

Here’s what I’ve discovered thus far.

Firstly, Sacto is completely ignored by the larger population mainly because it is completely overshadowed by its flamboyant neighbor to the west: San Franny. Immediately the first and only place that comes to mind upon the notion of Northern California, San Fran/ Oakland/ “the Bay” boasts a plethora of boutiques, shmancy restaurants, music shops, herb clinics, street cred, art galleries, Berkley, punks, hippies, fashionistas, and that gosh darn rice-a-roni treat! Turns out those things exist here too- (save perhaps the roni), they just aren’t quite so public.

American River Bike & Running Trail

Thirty-three miles of paved biking along the American River, ending at Folsom Lake...

Second Saturdays

There is in fact a thriving art scene amongst a growing collection of downtown galleries, all of which open their doors for a night of public viewing, mixed with lively cafes, shops, and restaurants. I’m told it gets wild in the summer months, but still a bright and festive winter event.

Buddhist Monasteries

Get your meditation on om. Free meetup sessions weekly at Wisdom Kadampa to practice cleansing the mind, and pray for some good old world peace.

Urban Garden Mania

Front yard vegetable gardening is legal now! Raised beds and plots are creeping into sight… along with the occasional community garden plots (like 19^th & P and 3^rd &U).

Food Justice Networks

Not only are there loads of food banks and religious communities distributing food to hungry families, there are also a ton of progressive activists who are fighting for nutrition access, buy-local efforts, farmers’ rights, and environmental protection.

Free Healthy Food

Many places in Sac give out food to hungry persons, so far I am most familiar with Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, and Sac Food Not Bombs. 

Central  Farmers’ Market 

Every Sunday at 8 am, under Highway 80 (8^th and W). This is the Big Kahuna: crowds jostle for California’s freshest produce (especially Asian varieties), flowers, cheeses, pastries, etc. There are actually loads of others throughout the week, listed on this page

  

McKinley Park

Giant! So big there is a lake! I went to a Saturday morning H.I.R.T. Fitness class here, which took place just after the Yoga Club, synchronously with Boot Camp, and followed by the Slackliners.

Coffee shops: Old Soul, Peet’s Coffee, and many more

Old Soul is conveniently in Oak Park, near SFBFS. J I’ve taken to their $2 ceramic pots of Red Blossom teas, definitely on a VISTA stipend! I *zemer* free wifi.

Natural Food Co-op

A total institution here, supplying bulk and natural foods, and offers cooking classes to make delicious, nutritious meals.  They take EBT, thank goodness!

MeetUp Sacramento Groups

Yep, its McKinley Park Fitness. Also on my list is Sacramento Geeks (prom dressup party and trivia quiz pub night), Midtown Events, Pirate Party Sewing, Meditation @ Kadampa Monastery, and Creative Writers Workshop. Click the link for updates!

Sacramento Trees!

Midtown and East Sac neighborhoods are full of old Victorian houses and tree-lined streets, with plenty of bike lanes. Currently, half the streets are covered in a blanket of red, orange, and yellow leaves...

I could go on. In only a week I've learned about some of Sacramento's unspoken awesomeness, and look forward to a whole year of amazing discoveries!