Free Events Sacramento

This week: Artsy Excellence & Purposeful Excursions
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Art: Passion and Purpose with David Garibaldi Harlow's April 9 Tues 7pm-Midnight Join in supporting foster children with David Garibaldi and others. Come early and enjoy a dinner! Garibaldi's synergy of music and art is what makes him unique as a painter and a performer.

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There are always lots of things to do in Sacramento California. Find these events and many more on Sacramento365.com - the year-round source for Sacramento events.

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This Week: Embrace the Spring Season
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		Museums: Celebrating Women Veterans California State Library Ongoing-March 29 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm This exhibit explores the changing role of women in the military, 1916 to present. Military uniforms, recruiting pamphlets, photos, and more are on display.
		Food/Wine: Wine Appreciation: Spring into Regional Wines Food Co-op's Community Learning Center & Cooking School March 21 Thurs 6:30pm-8:30pm Join Certified Specialist of Wine Susan Brown as she introduces you to some enjoyable wine varietals produced locally, including Chenin Blanc, Barbera, and more.
		Dance: CORE Dance Collective's Frayed Edges Benvenuti Performing Arts Center March 21-March 23 Thurs-Sat 7:30pm This show is a contemplative exploration of the distractions that take focus away from the important relationships in life.
		Theatre: "Lonestar" & "Laundry & Bourbon" Threepenny Playhouse March 21-March 23 Thurs-Sat 8pm James McLure's two one-acts are set in Maynard, Texas. Characters in both plays are connected to each other, one of the hallmarks of small-town life.
		Kids & Fam: Funderland's Easter Bash Funderland Amusement Park March 22-March 24 Fri-Sun 10am-6pm Enjoy Easter Egg hunts throughout the day, appearances by the Easter Bunny and Happy the Squirrel, fun Easter crafts, coloring contests, face painting by a pro, nine great kid sized rides, and more.
		Music: Louis Prima Jr. Confucius Hall March 22 Fri 8pm-Midnight Louis Prima Jr., son of legendary artist Louis Prima, is bringing his show to Midtown Stomp for an awesome night of dancing!
		Special Events: Midtown Spring Clean Up Meet at Parking Lot of 2020 J Street March 23 Sat 9am-Noon Celebrate the start of Spring by cleaning up Midtown. Coffee and snacks will be provided in the morning when you arrive and lunch will be provided after the cleanup at 11am.
		Museums: Old Sacramento Underground Tours Sacramento History Museum March 23-Dec 31 Sat & Sun 10:30am-3pm Hidden beneath the city for nearly 150 years, Old Sacramento's underground has long been the capital's best-kept secret.
		Special Events: Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs McKinley Park March 23 Sat 11am-2pm Enjoy finger foods and fun while your dog sniffs out eggs filled with tasty treats and valuable prizes. Easter attire is encouraged for pets!
		Kids & Fam: Camellia Symphony Orchestra's Free Family Concert Series Tsakopoulos Library Galleria March 24 Sun 1pm-3pm Kids will love the instrument petting zoo, "funshops" to create art related to the musical experience, and the concert itself.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Our Hometown Tourists visited the California Automobile Museum on their most recent excursion.  The following blog includes accounts by Janet Lewis and Carol Dabrowiak with photos by Cynthia Gibbs detailing their visit to this Sacramento attraction.  When you stay at a participating Sacramento Gold Card hotel, remember to ask for your FREE Sacramento Gold Card.  The California Automobile Museum offers two-for-one adult admission and a 10 percent discount in gift shop with your Sacramento Gold Card. THe California Automobile Museum is located at 2200 Front St. near Old Sacramento.

Janet Lewis

Did you know that there were electric cars as early as 1899?  One version was steered with a rudder!  Did you know that Dodge vehicles are the inventions of the Dodge brothers?  That the earliest automobiles got about 40 horsepower from a 400-cubic-inch engine - a ratio of 10:1?  And that now we have more like 1:1?  It can all be found at this Sacramento attraction located a short distance from downtown Sacramento hotels, restaurants and other museums.

From the quadricycle to horseless carriages (literally), from touring cars to the modern age, it's all pretty fascinating when you can hear the stories from people who know what they are talking about. 

Cindy, Carol, and I really lucked out to receive a docent-led tour on our recent visit to the California Auto Museum.  Don W's obvious passion and enjoyment of autos and auto history definitely ignited my interest and made me want to pause and actually try to figure out how the energy gets from the engine to the wheels, as well as the mechanical principles used to stop the early autos. 

It was fun to climb in the historic old truck on display and try out the foot pedals inside and the hand crank on the front (watch out for your thumbs).  Of course brightly colored, stylish vehicles caught my eye, especially the 1920s yellow-and-green roadster all trimmed out in fancy brass.  I could easily imagine Carol, Cindy and myself gliding up to the Grand Island mansion on a summer night in our fancy flapper getup for a swanky party!  Then there is the sparkly golden car and the dark turquoise vintage T-Bird, each vehicle cooler than the last, until I fell in love -- with the Edsel! 

The California Automobile Museum had several choice Edsel examples on display the day we visited.  The red-and-black sedan turned my head, but my favorite is the light turquoise woody Edsel station wagon (surf city here I come).  We even saw a Mercedes that strongly resembled Cindy's first car.  And Carol was intrigued with the Delorean and its wing-like doors.   

There is so much to see if you can find a way to know what you are looking at.  A docent-led tour is definitely the way to go!  The California Auto Museum is a big place - 70,000 square feet.  Plans and fundraising are under way for a new museum building at the same location.  You can help:  Go see the amazing exhibits at the California Automobile Museum. 

Carol Dabrowiak

If you need to hold an event or arrange a group tour, why not have it at the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento?  This would be a really fun and interesting place to have a business meeting, reception or a group of tourists for a visit.  The museum is located near Downtown Sacramento, close to many hotels and other Sacramento attractions. It has a stage and sound system where a band can perform or you can conduct a training session. Staff can set up tables for banquets, parties, wine tasting and more. The best part would be the chance to tour the museum and learn the history of the American automobile. But you don't need to be invited to an event to visit the exhibits.

The museum is housed in a large warehouse along the Sacramento River near Downtown Sacramento. It doesn't look very fancy on the outside, but it is ideal for the display of automobiles. It has vintage cars from every decade since the first car was built in the late 1800s. The early vehicles were horseless carriages. They used buckboard seats and wheels with wooden spokes. There were no tops or headlights, and you had to crank them to start the motor.

Our docent, Don, told us facts about the cars on display. He quickly realized that Janet, Cindy and I were not so interested in the evolution of carburetors or transmissions, so he told us stories about Henry Ford and how he built his empire.  Ford didn't invent the automobile, he invented the automobile industry. He wanted everyone to be able to afford a car, so he constantly looked for ways to bring down costs. He used assembly line mass production and set up dealer franchises around the country.  By 1916, Model T sales reached 472,000 vehicles at a cost of $360 each.  Originally the cars had steering wheels on the left, but Mrs. Ford wanted to exit the vehicle on the right side so she could step onto the sidewalk. So the steering wheel was moved to the left side of the car.

We learned that a lot of the cars are on loan to the museum. The owners can come by and borrow them back if they want to go to rallies or auto shows. Most of the cars, even the really old ones, are still drivable. The cars are sometimes used for parades, weddings and processions.

The California Automobile Museum encourages school field trips. It has hands-on activities geared to every age group. One of the activities recreates an assembly line where students put together a Model T cardboard car. There were students working on a project when we were there.  This would be a great venue for Sacramento student tours.

The day we visited the museum, we saw vintage cars, racecars, alternative fuel cars and the blue Plymouth that Gov. Jerry Brown famously drove in his first term of office. There were also special exhibits highlighting off-road vehicles and automobiles from 1968. You realize that Americans have a serious love affair with their cars. And I mean that in a good way. Stop by for a visit.

This Week: Plan for a Superb Adventure
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		Music: Muse Sleep Train Arena Jan 29 Tues 7pm Muse's fusion of progressive rock, electronica, and Radiohead-influenced experimentation, paired with their emotive, passionate sound and live presence is not to be missed.
		Festivals: Art of Migration Festival Mondavi Center Jan 30-Feb 3 Wed-Sun, times vary In a unique confluence of events, UC Davis entities come together to explore "migration" through art, music, and more.
		Theatre: The North Plan Capital Stage Ongoing-Feb 24 Wed 7pm; Thurs-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm The unchecked growth of America's security-surveillance-detention complex is taken to its worst possible conclusion in this hilarious dark comedy.
		Film: Screening: Sound City Crest Theatre Jan 31 Thurs 7pm & 9:30pm Sound City doesn't just tell the story of this real-life rock 'n' roll shrine, it celebrates the human element of music as Dave Grohl gathers some of rock's biggest artists to collaborate on a new album.
		Sacramento Nightlife: Flappers & Fellas: A Rip-Roaring '20s Soiree Elks Tower Historic Ballroom Jan 31 Thurs 7pm-9pm United Way Emerging Leaders is puttin' on the ritz and bringing The Great Gatsby to life at this soiree mixing cocktails and ballet.
		Special Events: Wear Red Day Arden Fair Mall Feb 1 Fri 10am-2pm Come out for a fun Go Red Strut around the mall, stroller decoration station & contest, free health screenings from Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute, fun prizes, and much more.
		Food/Wine: The Art of Beer Fusion International Arts Center Feb 1 Fri 6pm-10pm Enjoy beer tasting from 24 California breweries, a food pairing area, a silent auction, and art exhibition.
		Museums: Sacramento Museum Day Various museums Feb 2 Sat 10am-5pm Experience Sacramento's incredible wealth of art, history, science, and wildlife at little or no cost.
		Special Events: Happy Tails Valentine Pet Photos Pet Food Express - Roseville Feb 2 Sat Noon-4:30pm Progressive Portraits will take photos of your sweet pets for Valentine's Day! Children & adults are welcome in the portrait too.
		Sports/Rec: Super Bowl Sunday Run Sacramento State Feb 3 Sat 9am This is your ticket to a guilt-free Super Bowl Sunday! Enjoy the beautiful 10K course through scenic campus commons.

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There are always lots of things to do in Sacramento California. Find these events and many more on Sacramento365.com - the year-round source for Sacramento events.

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In town for a convention? You don’t have to stray far from the Sacramento Convention Center to discover the essence of our city. Here are 10 suggestions for filling in those gaps between commitments.

1.       Rub shoulders with politicos and fill up on fun facts during a free tour of the California State Capitol.

2.       Get some fresh air in Capitol Park, where 40 acres of gardens and memorials await exploration just two blocks from the convention center.

3.       Explore Midtown. Sacramento’s vibrant Midtown district is home to dozens of boutiques, galleries, restaurants bars and nightclubs. From the convention center, turn right on J Street and let serendipity be your guide.

4.       Get happy. Downtown and Midtown restaurants are justifiably renowned for happy hour deals aimed at the after-work crowd. Mikuni Sushi, Spataro, Ella Dining Room & Bar and de Vere’s Irish Pub are all popular.

5.       Visit Old Sacramento. Don’t miss this 28-acre National Historic Landmark district filled with buildings set in the time frame of the 1849 Gold Rush and the coming of the Transcontinental Railroad.

6.       Eat our (or in). Trying local restaurants is the fun part of a convention stay, but don’t overlook in-house dining at your convention hotel. Dawson’s at the Hyatt, Morgan’s at the Sheraton Grand and Grange at the Citizen Hotel are among the city’s best.

7.       Take a coffeeshop break. Sometimes you just need to get away from the crowd, out of your hotel and into a place where you can enjoy a quiet cuppa joe. Temple Coffee and Old Soul Co. are Sacramento originals.

8.       Visit the California Museum. From its Hall of Fame gallery to its changing exhibits, this “home of the California dream” explores the people, places and events that have shaped the state. Dig in some more at the California State Archives, upstairs in the same building.

9.       Go carousing. Sure you have to be dressed and at your meeting by  8 a.m. tomorrow. But that shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying Sacramento by night. Our night spots include Mix Downtown, The Park Ultra Lounge, Faces and Harlow’s.

10.   Get cultured. The Crocker Art Museum, founded in 1885 and recently doubled in size thanks to a new addition, showcases a century and a half of California art as well as changing exhibitions.

This weekend, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s.

King is most famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in Washington, D.C., and the work he did in the South, but he also stopped in Sacramento and spoke at Hornet Stadium at California State University, Sacramento, on Oct. 16, 1967.

On that day, King outlined his goals and ideals for the future, according to The Huffington Post. He said he was glad to be in an academic setting for the speech, and he urged Americans to fight to end segregation, noting that in the 18 months before his speech, 58 African American churches had been burned in Mississippi.

March for the Dream and a Discussion on Civil Rights

Sacramento continues to honor Martin Luther King, and Monday’s 32nd annual March for the Dream is preceded by a civil rights discussion at the Brickhouse Gallery on Saturday.

The March for the Dream in Sacramento is the largest march in King's honor in the state, and the second-largest one west of the Mississippi RIver, drawing a diverse group of more than 28,000. Taking part in the march is free, but marchers also have the option to register and collect pledges to help eliminate the academic and opportunity gap, according to the march website.

Other Events on Marting Luther King Day

Monday is the last day for Ice Skating at the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink, and the Harlem Globetrotters: You Write the Rules World Tour will be performing at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento at 2 p.m.

Visit Sacramento365.com for other great things to do in Sacramento. Fairytale Town will also be open on Monday for kids and families to be able to come by.

(Top image of King speaking at CSUS courtesy Center for Sacramento History. More photos of King, including another of him speaking at CSUS, can be found in a Sacramento Bee photo gallery).

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our Hometown Tourists visited the California State Indian Museum on their most recent excursion.  The following blog includes two accounts by Janet Lewis and Carol Dabrowiak, and photos by Cynthia Gibbs, detailing their visit to this Sacramento attraction.  When you stay at a participating Sacramento Gold Card hotel, remember to ask for your FREE Sacramento Gold Card.  The California State Indian Museum offers one free adult or child admission with the purchase of a regular-priced adult or child admission with your Sacramento Gold Card. 

Interior photography is prohibited in the museum out of respect to the Native Americans and their objects. Above interior photo courtesy California State Indian Museum.

Carol Dabrowiak

For all the years I lived in Sacramento, I never knew there was an Indian Museum. I guess that's because it sits in the shadow of Sutter's Fort. Literally in the shadow behind the fort.  It's a little-known Sacramento attraction filled with information about our history that honors the culture of the native people of California.

The first thing we saw when Janet, Cindy and I started our tour of the museum was an array of woven baskets from different tribes. When you see the baskets next to each other, you notice the differences in the weaves, fibers and colors used by each tribe. They are all unique. The function determines the shape - open and shallow for cooking or tall and urn-like for water.

You then notice the different implements that were used for hunting and farming. The museum uses a clever game to encourage visitors to learn the names and purposes of the implements. A paper with pictures of the tools asks you to name the tool by finding it in the museum exhibits and learning its use. Is it a fish trap or water vessel? A spear or clapper? Then you write the name next to the picture. You win a prize if you get them all correct!

There are pictures and exhibits depicting how Indians celebrate different events. They have special costumes with elaborate beading and feathers. They use animal hides. The headgear is ornamental and colorful. They have musical instruments to keep a rhythm and encourage dancing. They celebrate weddings, harvests and hunting.  And of course they respect and revere their elders and celebrate them.

The food supply was dependent on hunting and fishing, but they also used acorns to supplement their diet. They ground the acorns with stones to make flour, which was then used in soup or bread or sometimes a simple mush. Berries, edible plants and roots were also used when they were in season. Almost nothing was wasted. Before they cooked rabbits, they removed and tanned the hides and used them as soft diapers for the infants.

I read that this Sacramento museum opened in 1940. It is located near several downtown Sacramento hotels and other tourist attractions.  It does not look or feel dated. It honors a past generation with modern exhibits that appeal to the current generation. It is a Sacramento tourist attraction that is part of California's history, and I'm glad I finally found it and got to explore it.

Janet Lewis

Cindy, Carol and I visited the California State Indian Museum on a Thursday morning and had the place practically to ourselves, so we were able to take our time.

The core of the experience for me encompassed the language and trading maps and the basket displays by tribal groups.  It was very interesting to note the similarities and differences in basketry form and design between regions.  Baskets and other items were traded from hand to hand, ending up sometimes far away from where they were made.  For example, shells from the ocean or lowland rivers moved from west to east; obsidian from the mountains might find its way to tribes in regions far from where it originated.  This began long before paved highways or even horse-drawn wagons.

Baskets were (and for some still are) used by California’s native people in everyday life for ceremonies and celebrations, for gift giving, and for sale in the tourist trade.  Woven basketry is to California’s native tribes what clay pots are to the New Mexico tribes.  Baskets were traditionally traded or imported, depending on the tribe or region.  Native women and men made plant fiber baskets in different styles, of different materials, for different purposes.  According to the museum cards, the art and skill of basketmaking has not disappeared.  You can even get a small basketmaking kit in the gift shop.

My very favorite is the No. 9 basket jug, Paiute, for holding liquid; a twined ovoid shape with a closed end and a handle.  This basket was covered in pine pitch to keep it watertight.  I’d heard of this type of basket but had never seen one in real life before.  If there were one item from the museum that I could choose to hold in my hands, that would be the one!

Perhaps our collective favorite feature of the Museum was the “scavenger hunt” game, a bookmark-sized paper that illustrated 10 items to find and identify.  The museum staff told us that kids get a prize for filling it out completely.  Just like three big kids, Carol, Cindy and I had a lot of fun with this activity as we found out and discussed what the items were, how they were made, and how the native people used them.  This added a very nice focus and depth to our museum visit. 

Tools that the native people made and used were very intriguing to try and figure out.  We saw a wooden drill for making holes in shell beads and a photo of how the beads are finished (once strung, they are rolled on stone to smooth the outsides).   There is a different type of drill for making fire -- the “portable hearth” that features a softwood shaft spun on a hardwood base.  We also saw a deerhide drum that looks like a suitcase and marveled at elk antler purses made to hold dentalium shell money.

Another intriguing item of particular note is the rabbit skin blanket in a case on the back wall.  Strips of tanned rabbit skin with the fur still on were woven and twisted through a plant fiber net.  The result was a big square blanket that is soft on both sides.  Carol remarked, “It was your cloak during the day and your bed at night.” 

The Museum isn’t just about artifacts, though.  It’s about the native people who made and used these items.  There is an exhibit about Ishi and honored elders.  There are also photos of native people and native families through different eras.

The native people made great use of plants such as the amazing and indispensable soaproot, which provides, among varying uses, food, fiber, soap and fish poison.  A soaproot brush is on display, with the handle made from the plant’s resin and the brush from its fibers.

Speaking of plants, the native people's food wasn’t just all acorn mush!  Pounded deer meat broth, parched seedcakes, manzanita berry cider, steamed sweet clover, roasted quail ... I could tell it was getting close to lunchtime ...  Good thing we were so close to some great downtown Sacramento dining.

This Week: Sing, Dance, and Be Merry
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		Kids & Fam: Junie B Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells Davis Musical Theatre Co. Dec 24 & Dec 26 Mon & Wed 1:15pm Follow the hilarious hijinks of Junie B. as she draws the name of her arch nemesis, May, for her class' Secret Santa gift exchange.
		Theatre: Peter Pan Community Center Theater Dec 26-Dec 30 Wed 7:30pm; Thurs 2pm & 7:30pm; Fri 7:30pm; Sat & Sun 2pm & 7:30pm Don't miss the high-flying magical adventure this holiday season! Cathy Rigby takes flight in this all new production of spectacle and fantasy, filled with timeless magical moments and a captivating hook.
		Film: Thurs 'til 9: Screening: "The Sound of Music" Sing-Along Crocker Art Museum Dec 27 Thurs 6:30pm Grab your friends and family for a festive sing-along screening of this beloved classic. One of the most popular musicals of all time, this movie is sure to put the happy in your holidays.
		Dance: The Moscow Classical Ballet: The Nutcracker Three Stages - Folsom Dec 27-Dec 30 Thurs 7pm; Fri 7:30pm; Sat 2pm & 7:30pm; Sun 2pm Tchaikovsky's timeless tale of family and the magic of Christmas brings people together to enjoy the merriment of the holidays.
		Comedy: Speedy Caldwell Tommy T's Comedy & Dinner Theatre Dec 27-Dec 30 Thurs 7:30pm; Fri & Sat 7:30pm & 9:30pm; Sun 7pm Hailed by CNN as one of the best television studio audience warm-up comedians, Speedy Caldwell has a brilliant talent for making people laugh and a poignant eye for humor.
		Music: Mother Hips Marilyn's on K Dec 28 Fri 9pm Mother Hips are hailed by critics for their rootsy mix of '70s rock & power pop & for their unflinching ability to sing it sweet & play it dirty.
		Kids & Fam: Leave it to Beavers Effie Yeaw Nature Center Dec 29 Sat 10:30am-11:30am Have you seen the beaver tree in the Nature Area? Teeth-marks tell a story of a visit from industrious beavers. You will get to examine biofacts like a skull with orange front teeth and a water resistant pelt.
		Music: John Lee Hooker Jr. Torch Club Dec 29 Sat 9pm From the gravely blues of the Detroit streets to a new era of sound, John Lee Hooker Jr. has distinguished himself as a contemporary bluesman.
		Sacramento Nightlife: Boca Raton Bash Party Boca's Brazilian Fusion Lounge Dec 29 Sat 9pm Come on out for an end-of-year bash party! With specials like free drinks for ladies and complimentary champagne, you are bound to have a blast.
		Sports & Rec: Kings vs. Celtics Sleep Train Arena Dec 30 Sun 6pm Root the Sacramento Kings on to victory against the Boston Celtics in this basketball game.

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This Week: Find Time for Fun with Friends and Family
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		Sacramento Nightlife: Santa's Tavern & Hot Toddy Competition The Golden Bear Dec 10 Mon 7pm Partake in music and spirits, rub elbows with a few elves, and have some fun under the mistletoe as the 12 Days of Midtown continue.
		Special Events: Best of Sacramento Party Thunder Valley Casino & Resort Dec 12 Wed 6pm-10:30pm Experience the Best of Sac with more than 50 restaurants, wineries, breweries, & distilled spirit vendors, with live performances on two stages.
		Special Events: Thurs 'til 9: Art Mix Crocker Art Museum Dec 13 Thurs 5pm-9pm This month's Art Mix celebrates all things Americana in honor of the exhibition American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell.
		Festivals: Found Footage Festival Sacramento State - Hinde Auditorium Dec 13 Thurs 7pm This one-of-a-kind event showcases footage from videos found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country. Plus, there's plenty of live comedy along with the found footage.
		Comedy: Bobby Slayton Punch Line Comedy Club Dec 13-Dec 16 Thurs 8pm; Fri & Sat 8pm & 10pm; Sun 7pm A true comic's comic, Bobby Slayton is one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.
		Music: Project4Trees Bows & Arrows Dec 14 Fri 8pm Project4Trees are unique designers of hip-hop, planning future sounds that exemplify the transformative power of creative expression.
		Special Events: Christmas Memories Governor's Mansion Dec 15 Sat 10am-4pm Transport back in time to the place where 13 of California's governors & their families lived, spent Christmas seasons, & shared holiday traditions.
		Special Events: Drawing for Toys Empire's Comics Vault Dec 15 Sat 11am-6pm Artists come together from around Sacramento for a live drawing session and auction to raise toys and money for the Marines' Toys For Tots Drive.
		Sports & Rec: Fleet Feet Free Holiday Classic Sutter's Landing Regional Park Dec 16 Sun 8am *Run starts 9am Do all those cozy holiday gatherings make you sweat? Run for the chill of it!
		Music: Benefit for Larry Crawley: Songwriter's Showcase & BBQ Blue Lamp Lounge Dec 16 Sun 1pm-8pm This show features a showcase of performers from Sacramento, all playing for the benefit to help long-time musician and all-around good human Larry Crawley return to his home of Danville, IL.

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Featured Local Artist of the Month: Eileen Downes

Learn more about collage artist Eileen Downes in her Featured Artist Profile.

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Make It A Night: Discover nearby Eats, Sleeps, and Drinks

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There are always lots of things to do in Sacramento California. Find these events and many more on Sacramento365.com - the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Do you have an event coming up? Make sure it's on Sacramento365.com, the Sacramento calendar of events.

By Janet Lewis and Carol Dabrowiak, photos by Cindy Gibbs

Janet's Story

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Sacramento was recently named the "Farm to Fork Capital of America."  Below, our Hometown Tourists write about one of the many "Farm to Fork" style activities available in Sacramento.

In the dead of winter, I daydream about the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in downtown Sacramento.  Every year I look forward with anticipation to when the Market will open in May.  Then I look for good reasons to go downtown on a Wednesday morning.  Somehow it seems all of my downtown meetings happen on Thursdays instead!  But, at least once a year, Cindy, Carol and I make a point of meeting for some downtown Sacramento dining on a Wednesday during the Market season.  The past two years, we’ve added the Grange Restaurant’s “Follow The Chef” tour and lunch to our Wednesday Market adventures.  Grange is located inside of The Citizen Hotel, a downtown Sacramento hotel located across the street from Caesar Chavez Park.

In June of 2011,  Cindy and I did Grange Restaurant’s “Follow The Chef” tour and lunch.  I still have the souvenir reusable shopping bag.  It gives me good memories of the fresh and seasonal three-course lunch we enjoyed at the Grange that day in June along with 12 other (unintentional) "Hometown Tourists."  It was there we met Sarah A. of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau and hatched the idea for the HTT blog!

Celebrating summer, the meal that June day featured locally produced squash blossoms, kernel corn, cherries, two kinds of wine (chardonnay & zinfandel); supporting cast included goat cheese, cabbage salad & biting mustard greens - all  totally delicious and refreshing!  The chef made mine dairy free and still deliciously prepared.  Carol was not able to join us, but that gave us the perfect excuse (if one were needed!) to do “Follow the Chef” again in a slightly different season in 2012. 

Just over 1 year later, Cindy, Carol, and I are still enjoying and finding ever more adventures as HTTs!  Travel and tourism in Sacramento is alive and well and giving us lots of opportunities to see some really great things.

In September 2012, Cindy, Carol and I took the opportunity to celebrate and have a reunion of sorts with our SCVB mentor, Matthew, at the “Follow the Chef” tour presented by the Grange restaurant.  Even though the Grange does this every Wednesday during Market season, it is a new experience each time!  As we found on that September day, the cast of visitors and victuals changes constantly with the seasons. 

We each arrived via a different travel mode:  Cindy walked over, Carol drove in, and I rode light rail.  Carol took advantage of the Grange’s valet parking -  very convenient, and only $5.  A good deal!

Our group of six Follow The Chef guests was smaller this time than last year.  But, all the better to enjoy congenial conversation, and, more serendipity!  One of our lunch companions turned out to be a contact with the parks department of a nearby city.  A great lead for a future HTT adventure!

A bonus from following Chef Oliver around the Market are the samples we received from the vendors:  green figs, honey,  3 kinds of grapes --including Muscat.  Both the honey and the Muscat later featured as sauce on our dessert!  Oliver pointed out that as we approach the autumn equinox, the offerings at mid-September Market are season-spanning;  tomatoes to pumpkins;  corn, cucumbers, and stone fruits, just to name a few.  Such variety and opportunity for creative eating!

Our group ambled about, making purchases from various stalls and tucking our items into our souvenir reusable shopping bags.  Now I have a collection!  When we got to our table and set the bags onto spare chairs, Carol warned, “Watch out for your bags, don’t mix them up!”  Wouldn’t that be a surprise when we got home?

As last year, the wine pours offered a a Chardonnay and a Petit Syrah from Bogle Vineyards, one of our local Sacramento wineries.

First course, a salad.   The ingredients were from Feeding Crane Farms:  spicy stemmed greens and watercress, heirloom tomatoes and Armenian cucumbers, with pine nuts on top and a muscatel vinaigrette.

Oliver came out to see us at each course.  By the 2nd course he had a blue apron over his white chef’s outfit!

Main course was salmon, baby pastas, tomato, arugula, watercress, brocolini, and a delightful tomato chip.  Carol’s vegetarian version featured a generous portion of “lobster” mushroom .  We all found our entrees delicious and filling. 

Dessert consisted of beautiful individual pear tarts described by the pastry chef as “tarte porteleau with frangiapani” made of red Bartlett pears, almonds, bourbon caramel and with an amoretto cookie under a pouf of whipped cream.

My non-dairy dessert was 3 seasonal sorbets.  They were delicious with the last swallows of the wine!  I must have looked longingly at the tarts, though, because the pastry chef brought me out a small dishlet of the poached pears in Bariani honey --  they were fantastic, with a bite-sized popcorn ball on a clear hard candy wafer.  Talk about tiny but with a huge wow factor!

All too soon, I found myself heading home (er, back to the office) on light rail with a full shopping bag, a full stomach, and a full heart!  Plus a shared vow with my HTT buddies to “Follow The Chef” at the Grange again next year!  A true Sacramento attraction!  

Carol's Story

We knew it was going to be a special lunch. Because when Janet, Cindy and I arrived at the Grange Restaurant and Bar the hostess said, "Wait here for Chef Oliver.  He'll join you in a minute."

That was the start of a delicious afternoon. Grange is located across the street from Cesar Chavez Park where they were having the Wednesday Farmer's Market, one of Sacramento's many culinary events. Part of our lunch experience called "Follow the Chef" included a tour of the market with Chef Oliver. Grange is committed to using fresh local ingredients in all its dishes. Chef Oliver shops the market every Wednesday and is on a first name basis with most of the vendors.

At every booth we visited, the chef gave examples of how he would use the seasonal ingredients in his recipes. When we were there we saw an abundance of squash and stone fruit. Chef Oliver explained that the tomato season was winding down and when local tomatoes were gone he would no longer have them for his restaurant. In fact, in the middle of winter if a diner orders a burger and requests a tomato slice for the burger, they are told "No." Did I mention they were committed to fresh and local?

After we strolled thru the market, we were guided back to the restaurant for a three-course gourmet lunch. There were six people in the "Follow the Chef" group that day, and there was a special table set up in the back of the restaurant for our meal. The servers hovered around us, filling our wine glasses. They also noted our dietary restrictions: Janet is lactose intolerant and I'm a vegetarian. No problem.  

The courses started to arrive. With each course, Chef Oliver came out to explain the ingredients and the processes used to prepare the dishes. That made everything taste special.  We all loved the fusion of flavors and ingredients. We plan to return soon when the market has a different blend of seasonal crops. We all felt inspired to go home and experiment with new recipes. It was a delicious afternoon in downtown Sacramento.