Gold Country

We're excited about what is happening in Sacramento.  And you should be too.  As the summer travel and tourism season kicks off, Sacramento events, attractions and more are ready to accommodate your group's itinerary.  I have compiled a list of 5 things we are excited about in Sacramento.  There is something here to fit all the varied interests of the members of your group, and we are here, as always, to help you plan the best itinerary to fit the needs of your group.

Here are five things we are excited about in Sacramento:  

1. The Beer Renaissance - Beer-making has long been a tradition in Sacramento, but a wave of new breweries has recently popped up in town. Track 7, Ruhstaller and American River Brewing have joined the ranks of Sierra Nevada Brewing,  Rubicon, River City Brewing Company, Sacramento Brewing Co, Two Rivers Cider and more to help reinvigorated Sacramento's beer scene. Come on over for a cold one!
   
   
   
   
    
2. Fun on the river - The weather is warming up and that means it's time to get out and enjoy great Sacramento recreation on our local waterways. For the adventurous, there's whitewater rafting from companies such as EarthTrek Expeditions and Gold Rush Whitewater. For the slightly less adventurous, there's "slow drift" rafting from American River Raft Rentals. For those who prefer to view the river while enjoying a glass of wine, Hornblower Cruises offers sightseeing and dinner cruises throughout the week.
   
   
    
3. "Follow the Chef" is Back - Grange Restaurant's wildly popular "Follow the Chef" lunches return this month and run through October. Each Wednesday, the head chef from Grange will take a group of lucky folks through the farmers' market across from the restaurant. Guests sample fresh produce as they soak in the chef's culinary knowledge. Then it's back to Grange for a fabulous 3-course lunch using many of the ingredients picked up at the market.  Many other Sacramento restaurants also offer "Farm to Fork" inspired menus that feature the best of the bounty of the region.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
4. Pedal Power - Sacramento is one of the country's top cycling cities. With miles of paved bike trails along the river, an abundance of safe bike lanes in midtown and an overall easy terrain, it's no surprise Sacramento biking has become such a popular attraction.  Experienced bikers and amateur enthusiasts come from all over to experience the American River Parkway.  You'll see everything from beach cruisers and fixed gears to high-tech road bikes being pedaled around town and chained up in front of Sacramento's super bike-friendly restaurants and cafes. Bike culture continues to flourish in Sacramento as visitors and residents embrace a more green-friendly and healthful lifestyle. 
   
   
    
5. City of Festivals - Everyone loves a celebration, and a quick peek over at the sacramento365.com event calendar will show that Sacramento truly is the City of Festivals. Celebrations of food, wine, art and culture keep Sacramento buzzing. Grape Escape, Juneteenth, Gold Rush Days, California Capital Airshow and The Sacramento Music Festival are just a few examples. Have a group with a specific interest? Give us a call - we probably have a festival they'd be interested in.
   
    

See anything here that you would like to include in your group's itinerary?  Email me to learn more planning your group's visit to Sacramento.

Hello again. Well day two in Murphys started out a little cloudy and I don't mean the sky!  Actually the weather in the Gold Country was quite beautiful that morning.  We were lucky enough to stay at my friends brother's home up above Murphys and had a wonderful view of the hillsides!  Our first stop of the day was for breakfast in Murphys on Main Street.  We went to Grounds. It was a lovely place with inside and outside seating.  We enjoyed the morning outside with Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's.  The second day at Murphys (there is no apostrophe; you will read why when you click on the link) was saved to visit the outlying areas of the Gold Country.  At breakfast we mapped out the wineries we wanted to visit.  But before we left Main Street we stopped at one last winery, Frog's Tooth. They had some lovely wines and the staff was very nice!

Now we are off to visit the first Gold Country wineries off of Main Street, Ironstone Vineyards. 
Ironstone is a very large winery with a huge tasting room/deli, a museum and an amphitheatre where they hold concerts.  When you first enter Ironstone you see these amazing wine barrels planted with tulips and daffodils. It is so beautiful and I couldn't get over the amazing colors.  We were tasting a few wines when in walked a gold mine - really he was!  He showed us the gold he had taken from the river, but he wouldn't tell us where for fear we would want to start panning for gold.  He was a very interesting character with many stories. Ironstone has gold panning on their property. 

As we were  getting ready to leave, John Kautz (Kautz family owns Ironstone Vineyards) came in. I introduced myself and he offered to give us a tour of the jewelry shoppe/museum.  The museum is filled with historical artifacts. Here is John showing us some of the many historical pieces he has curated for the museum.  One he is especially proud of is the Gold Leaf specimen.  It is housed in a bank safe-type room for temperature and security reasons.   We then set off to visit some other wineries, Indian Rock and Coppermine.  Indian Rock is a small winery with a lovely pond to have a picnic around.  On Saturdays they BBQ for their winery guests.  Indian Rock had a lovely Barbera that made its way home with me!  Coppermine was next. They provided you with pub tables to do your tasting.  They also paired their wine with potato chips and chocolate. I could not have asked for a better combination!!  Last but not least we went to visit Twisted Oak Winery.  You drive up a twisted road with many roadside attractions along the way.   It is a fun drive through the vineyards and it overlooks the hills of the Gold Country. 

Here we tasted a few wines that were not in their tasting room on Main Street.  As we left the winery there is a large frog that looks like a rubber chicken. In our travels we saw a few of these large frogs and the story is that Calaveras County (where Murphys is located) is known for their jumping frog contests.  So here we are at our last stop with a frog that looks like a rubber chicken!

As we are leaving I stop to take one more picture and I feel like I am on top of the world or at least
"Queen of The Sierra."  
 

It was a wonderful two days in the Gold Country.  It is easily a day trip and you can stay at one of the Sacramento area hotels and enjoy one day visiting Sacramento, California, attractions, like Old Sacramento.  Or make a weekend of it and stay in one of the lovely and quaint Gold Country hotels!!  That is all for now.   I hope you enjoyed the tale of Murphys. Until next time, CHEERS!!

Hello all you lovers of wine!!  I know many of you have been to wineries in California and in asking around I found that several of my co-workers and friends have been to Murphys in Calaveras County.  Well, I had not until now!!  Murphys is in the Gold Country and is known as the Queen of Sierra. 

I am excited to get to talk about Murphys but I must start at the beginning.  My girlfriends and I left
Sacramento on Saturday morning.  We were in the car 10 minutes and made a stop at Lidos Bar & Grill in Carmichael. I told the girls we didn't get very far. in Lidos we planned our trip and within the hour we were on the road with The Sacramento Regional Wine Tasting Guide and Map and heading towards the Gold Country and the town of Murphys!  One of my friends grew up near Murphys and she loves wine so I knew I was in good hands! 

The drive at this time of year was absolutely beautiful; all the hillsides were green and they looked like green velvet blankets!  We arrived in Murphy's in about 90 minutes.  We drove down Main Street in Murphys where you see several wine tasting rooms, quaint shops and restaurants and Gold Country Hotels.  We parked and began the day with our first winery, Twisted Oak.  They served us some lovely wines. Most of the reds were of the Spanish varietal.  We were told that the owner was talking about one of his wines and stated that it pairs with chicken. He said, "it's so good it would pair with a rubber chicken!" (We didn't actually have any rubber chickens to eat.)

Our next stop was Newsome-Harlow Wines. The first wine we tasted was their Sauvignon Blanc, one of my favorite varietals. It was lovely and several bottles were enjoyed at the tasting room and will be enjoyed at home.  Newsome-Harlow has several other delicious  wines. One red I really enjoyed was named Train Wreck, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah! There is a wonderful outside patio and we were told that on sunny warm days it is the place to be.  We were also treated to their restaurant The Kitchen, it is adjacent to the tasting room and is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays. The other days it is used for their wine club. All these wineries we are visiting are on Main Street in Murphys, so we are taking a nice stroll looking at the quaint shops, restaurants and the unique Gold Country hotels available for your enjoyment.

Now we get to eat dinner. There are a lot of nice restaurants to choose from, we chose Mineral because my girlfriend is a
vegetarian and she knew the chef. Here we are enjoying our dinner, I chose the Mineral Burger which was delicious. We brought in a Barbera that we purchased from Hatcher and had a lovely dinner with old and new friends 

That is the end of Day One in Murphys. I hope you enjoyed reading about Main Street in Murphys, Queen of the Sierra. The next day we visit some of the Gold Country wineries that surround Murphys! You will see at the end of Day Two why I thought I was Queen of the Sierra!!

Do you depend on booster clubs, parents and fans when it comes to the success of your team -- on and off the home field or home court? Could you use a reliable boost of support to help you plan and execute a well-run tournament?

It's no surprise that tournament directors and competition organizers recruit the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau to assist with their volunteer-run events. Here are 3 reasons we can help you plan a successful tournament:

• Athletes and their families always rank #1.

We work hard off the field, so you can focus and do your best when game time matters. During the free time, athletes and their guests remain our first priority. Ask us how we can enhance their visitor experience.

From personal greetings at Sacramento International Airport and welcome signs at contracted hotels, our tournament services include exclusive discounts at premium shopping malls in addition to brochures and visitor guides.

• Put us in the game, Coach. We know venues, hotels, and more.

We have working relationships with a range of world-class venues from Lake Natoma to impressive facilities like Memorial Auditorium; affordable hotels; restaurants; shopping; and entertainment -- all conveniently located within close proximity. We'll even arrange transportation if you need it!

Furthermore, Sacramento has hosted an array of sports -- from USA Club Soccer to U.S. Fencing, high school wrestling to cross country, NCAA Division I volleyball to USA Track & Field Olympic team trials, and more. We bring the gold standard of professionalism to all levels of competition.  

• Promote your event with a customized web site.

You tell us the details. We listen, and then build your microsite -- so you can get back to the game! Access the site via smartphone for info on the go. It's faster & less costly than an app. Give 'em travel related info. when they want it.

By the way, housing is only a quick click away! Athletes and guests easily can book hotel rooms from a list that you choose to work with.

Before we forget to mention, we've got sunny weather -- without humidity. Athletes love our restaurants, many of which serve fruits, vegetables, even rice that's grown locally. Most of all, they enjoy the enthusiasm of our neighbors who gather to cheer on aspiring athletes. 

Contact Director of Sports Development, Brad Hillard, CSEE (bhillard@cityofsacramento.org) to talk about the needs of your tournament.

Sometimes not all group activities are for everyone. Maybe whitewater rafting is a bit too daring.  Or the group is wine-tasting and you don’t drink. We all find ourselves in this type of situation from time to time. Well, have no worries. The Sacramento CVB strives to make everyone in your group enjoy their time here - even if that means planning a separate activity for an individual or small group that isn’t interested in doing the group's main activity. 

We want everyone in your group to enjoy their visit to Sacramento, even if it takes several itinerary options.  For example, if a person does not wish to participate in one of the many Sacramento recreation activities such as whitewater rafting or biking on the American River Parkway, we are happy to provide options for those group members so they do not feel left out or have to wait on the "sidelines." 

We recently had a large group in town that was scheduled for a hard-hat mine tour in the Gold Country. A couple of group members knew they wouldn’t feel comfortable in such a situation, so we helped them fill their day with other – less strenuous – activities such as shopping, visiting a museum and going on a carriage ride.

We are more than happy to make such plans for any members of your groups that, for any reason, don’t wish to participate in the main group activity.  There is a wide range of fun things to do in Sacramento. 

Contact me to learn more about what I can do to accommodate all the members of your group.

At the Sacramento CVB, we’re all about making things easier on tour operators. After all, isn’t that what we’re here for?  Part of this means that we partner with the representatives from the surrounding regions so that you can expand your itineraries, but still have one simple point-of-contact.

We recently worked with a tour operator interested in planning a Gold Rush themed itinerary for a group tour which would include visits to Sacramento, Coloma, Sutter Creek, Angels Camp, Columbia and Yosemite.  With so many stops, she was faced with a long list of contacts in order to secure reservations for lodging and attractions. Luckily, at the top her list was the Sacramento CVB. We listened to what she wanted to do over the course of this itinerary – mine tours, zip-lining, gold panning, etc - and we were able be a one stop shop for all her needs. 

We know that many of our visitors will want to make short day trips into the historic Gold Country to take advantage of the vast history, wine and outdoor recreation opportunities available there. This is why we work closely with the Gold Country Visitors Association to remain knowledgeable about all the Gold Country has to offer and how your groups can maximize your time in the area.

So while there might not be whitewater rafting or mine tours within Sacramento’s borders, the Sacramento CVB’s tourism team can still help make that an easy part of your itinerary without you having to make extra phone calls.

Combining the lively, urban experience of Sacramento with the rustic appeal of the Gold Country provides any itinerary with variety and substance that’s hard to match. Add that to a larger Northern California itinerary and it really can’t be beat.

So if you’re looking to plan a new itinerary or to spice up an old one, contact the tourism team at the Sacramento CVB and we’ll make navigating the Gold Country simple.

The SCVB is constantly signing on new partners that can be beneficial to your group.  We are able to work with our partners to give your groups the best possible experiences in Sacramento for the best price.  We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a few of our new partners.

• Gold Country Wine Tours takes visitors on an unforgettable wine tour through the beautiful Gold Country.  The Sierra Foothills of Amador County offer some of the most beautiful sites and oldest vineyards in Northern California.  These vineyards offer a great wine tasting experience, less commercialized and less congested than Napa or Sonoma.

• Earthtrek Expeditions outfits adventurous travelers for rafting trips on the American River.  Established in 1977, Earthtrek has been providing professional and quality services to rafters for the last 30 years.  Eartrek’s base is located less than one hour from downtown Sacramento and is a perfect fit for our more adventurous groups.

• Sacramento Children’s Museum opened its doors for the first time this month to excited children and grateful parents.  This stimulating and educational center is designed for children from birth to age 8.  The Sacramento Children’s Museum believes that “play” is part of a child’s “work.”  The SCVB is excited to have this new museum as a partner and a possible destination for your groups with younger children.

Our relationships with our partners allow us to be able to get you the best deal – at no cost to you. Please email us at tourism@discovergold.org to learn more about how the SCVB can organize the best possible visit to any of our new partners. 

This Week: Slide into a Festive September
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		Music: The Golden Cadillacs Torch Club Aug 31 Wed 9pm These country/soul pickers share their honey-baked California country rock with anyone who's ever hung their head at a bar searching for answers at the bottom of a drink.
		Sports & Rec: River Cats Fan Appreciation Night Raley Field Sept 1 Thurs 7:05pm Be here for the final home game of the season as the River Cats play the Las Vegas 51s. Staff and players will greet fans at the entrance gates and prizes will be given out throughout the game.
		Festivals: Sacramento Greek Festival Sacramento Convention Center Sept 2-Sept 4 Fri 11am-11pm; Sat Noon-11pm; Sun Noon-10pm One of the most prominent heritage festivals in Sacramento, this celebration is devoted to the traditional foods, entertainment, and displays of the Greek Community.
		Festivals: Rainbow Festival 20th & K Streets Sept 2-Sept 4 Fri & Sat Times Vary; Sun 10am-6pm A celebration of pride for the GLBTI community and its friends, Rainbow Festival focuses on the strength and diversity of the community by simply having fun.
		Festivals: Gold Rush Days Old Sacramento Sept 3-Sept 5 Sat-Mon 10am-5pm Turn back time to the 1850s during the glory days of the Gold Rush. Enjoy all the old favorites plus new attractions and free entrance to all five museums in Old Sac.
		Festivals: Chalk It Up! Fremont Park Sept 3-Sept 5 Sat-Mon 10am-6pm Celebrate the talents of hundreds of local artists & musicians at Sacramento's favorite family festival. There is truly something for everyone of any age to enjoy, with a broad variety of community groups, craft booths, kid's art activities, live music, gourmet food trucks, & a wine and beer garden.
		Kids & Fam: Family & Children's Tour Sacramento Historic City Cemetery Sept 3 Sat 10am Children are encouraged to participate as they tell tales, explore cemetery wildlife, and uncover secrets from the past.
		Music: March to the Beat of One Heart Concert Antiquite Maison Privee Sept 3 Sat 6pm-11pm A benefit for Doctors Without Borders in Somalia, enjoy performances by Lee Bob Watson, Electropoetic Coffee, Harley White Jr. Trio, and many others.
		Theatre: Drinking Habits Chautauqua Playhouse Ongoing-Sept 25 Fri & Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm Accusations, mistaken identities, and romances run wild in this traditional, laugh-out-loud farce.
		Music: Handsome Furs Townhouse Lounge Sept 4 Sun 8pm Concerts 4 Charity & Record Club present Montreal-based indie rock duo Handsome Furs, who are stopping in Sacramento to support their critically-acclaimed new album, Sound Kapital. Also performing are UUNS & Talkdemonic.

 
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Staying in town over Labor Day Weekend?
Become a fan of our Facebook fan page and stay tuned mid-week for a collection of activities happening this Labor Day Weekend!

Come say hi to Sacramento365.com at these events!

Sat, Sept 3-Mon, Sept 5: Chalk It Up! at Fremont Park. Be sure to keep an eye out for our Sac365.com square, designed by Margo Mullen!

Featured Local Artist of the Month: Goran K. King

Learn about sculptor Goran K. King in his Featured Artist Profile.

This Week: Take Pride in all the Entertainment Sacramento Offers
Email support@sacramento365.com to get the Top 10 Events Newsletter delivered to your inbox.

		Music: Asobi Seksu Blue Lamp Lounge May 31 Tues 8:30pm Haven't heard of Asobi Seksu? Don't miss your chance to see this New York City-based band here in Sacramento! Using a textured and effects-heavy vocal and guitar sound, Asobi Seksu creates dreamy, pleasing pop music. Find out more>
		Music: Hot Lunch Concert Series: Musical Charis Fremont Park June 2-Sept 1 Thursdays 11:30am-1pm The Hot Lunch series kicks off this week and carries on through summer, so grab your lunch (consider the Hot Lunch special from Hot Italian!) and head over for an afternoon of free music in the park. This week features Musical Charis. Find out more>
		Theatre: Broadway Sacramento's Mary Poppins Community Center Theater June 2-June 19 Tues/Wed/Fri 8pm; Thurs & Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm *Additional 7:30pm showing on 6/5 The world's most famous nanny arrives in Sacramento. Combining the best of the original stories by P. L. Travers and the beloved Walt Disney film, the Tony Award-winning Mary Poppins is everything you'd hope for in a Broadway musical-and more. Find out more>
		Festivals: Doggy Dash & Bark at the Park Festival William Land Park June 4 Sat 7:30am-1:30pm Come for the 2K or 5K walk and stay for the SPCA's Bark at the Park Festival, where you can enter your canine pal in the Pup Show, high-flying disc contest, or the ever-popular pug races! Find out more>
		Festivals: Sacramento Entertainment Fair Studio 24, Inc. June 4 Sat 10am-4pm This is an extremely interactive event with live performances by entertainment groups, demonstrations of filmmaking with equipment and actors, teleprompter and green screen, voiceover recording in studio, and much more. Keep an eye out for the Sacramento365.com table & come say hi! Find out more>
		Festivals: Sacramento Pride Capitol Mall Greens June 4 Sat 10am-6pm *Dance Pavilion open until 8pm The parade kicks off the event with the festival after, featuring entertainment from Miss Coco Peru, Raquela, Jovi Radtke, and other live personalities, a high-energy dance pavilion, Kid's Zone and Carnival, hundreds of exhibitors and food vendors, and more. Find out more>
		Festivals: Art Happens... Sacramento Arts Complex June 4 Sat 11am-9pm "Art Happens..." shows the art of wine, beer, coffee, visuals, music, and more. Enjoy tastings from local wineries and breweries, musical performances, art on display and for sale, and various booths with art experiences for adults and children alike. Find out more>
		Food & Wine: Raley's Grape Escape Cesar Chavez Park June 4 Sat 4pm-7pm Grape Escape brings the most delicious products from eight counties together at one all-inclusive event to celebrate the region's award winning wine country and highly-touted local cuisine. Featuring more than 100 gold country wineries and restaurants including wine and food tastings, a chef's cooking competition, and live music and art displays. Find out more>
		Music: Pops in the Park: Tom Rigney & Flambeau McKinley Park June 4 Sat 6pm-9pm Pops in the Park is a free, family-friendly concert series held every Saturday in June at various parks. Bring a picnic and enjoy the sounds of Tom Rigney & Flambeau-a hot roots music band playing Cajun, zydeco, blues, and New Orleans music. Find out more>
		Sports & Rec: Seersucker Ride Meets at Revolution Wines June 5 Sun Meet 11am; Ride Noon Dress in your seersucker best and join on a leisurely community ride through Sacramento. The Seersucker Ride traverses from Revolution Wines, over to Land Park to enjoy a picnic, live music, and games, and then heads out to the Crocker Art Museum before finishing at de Vere's Irish Pub. Find out more>

 
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Looking to drum up interest in your event?
-Consider promoting it with Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events. Reaching over 3,000 fans on Facebook and over 2,000 followers on Twitter, social media giveaways through Sacramento365.com are a great way to gain audience members that may otherwise not know about or attend an event. Additionally, our presence at various events throughout the year is another opportunity for ticket giveaways and fun promotional activities to promote other upcoming events to the community. Find out how to participate>

Sac365's Deal of the Week: Save 50% at SHAZ Restaurant!
-Tired of bland foods? Spice up your cuisine with SHAZ Restaurant. SHAZ opened its doors in 2009, and critics have been raving about its authentic Pakistani and Indian cuisine ever since. SHAZ is a break from the ordinary and offers some of the best Punjabi-style cuisine in Sacramento. Traditional décor and friendly service add to an unforgettable dining experience.

See what the critics are raving about and add some spice to your cuisine--SHAZ Restaurant, just $7 for $14 worth of food. Take advantage of this deal Tuesday-Friday only, on Sacramento365.com's Weekly Deal Page.

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

So what do international travelers need to know before planning a trip to Sacramento? It is important for our international guests to be aware of the rules and regulations involving the procurement of a visa for travel to the United States. The U.S. Department of State has provided an excellent resource for all International travelers looking to visit the United States for leisure travel. 

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is available to nationals of 36 participating countries. If a country meets various security requirements, its eligible citizens are allowed entry into the United States without a visa if they are visiting for less than 90 days for tourism or business. This program was created to allow guests from these 36 countries to travel to the United States without having to go through unnecessary and time consuming barriers. Click here for a list of the 36 eligible countries and more information on the VWP.

Citizens of Canada, Mexico and Bermuda are not participants in the Visa Waiver Program. Click here for information about entry to the United States for citizens of these countries.

Finally, citizens of countries that are not participants in the VWP should not worry about entry into the United States. The U.S. encourages travelers from all countries to choose us as a destination for leisure and business travel. Advance planning is always the key to navigating the visa application process. If you apply for your visa well in advance of your travel, you should be able to enjoy a seamless entry into the United States. Click here for more information about obtaining a temporary visa.

And once you have researched how easy it is to plan your vacation in the United States, we want you to consider Sacramento as a top destination. The Capital City is the perfect start for your Northern California getaway. Rich in Gold Rush history, Sacramento boasts some of the best attractions from museums to restaurants to outdoor activities. Sacramento is also the perfect “Hub-and-Spoke” location to serve as your gateway to all of Northern California. Centrally located, Sacramento is driving distance from the best of Northern California.

We invite you to “Discover Gold” in Sacramento. Contact the SCVB to assure you are given the best tools and deals for your seamless travel to Sacramento.

• Rose Sidhu began her career with Hyatt Regency Sacramento as a valet (learning to drive a manual transmission on a Porsche) and now works as a security agent with GM Ulrich Samietz as her backup.

• Amado Abarca, a line cook with Radisson Sacramento, was celebrated for his inspiration with a smile and outstanding respect from his peers.

• Alex Palamarchuk, a native of the country of Georgia, of Sheraton Grand Sacramento was described as the 'heart of the house' and praised for his "I'll take care of it!" mentality.

The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau just released the revised Sacramento Regional Wine Tasting Guide & Map. 

Upon my return from my two week vacation in Southern California I decided to end it with a trip to some surrounding Sacramento Wineries.  I wanted to show a friend some different areas to taste wine so we took the new Sacramento Wine Tasting Guide & Map and decided to check out Amador County!  It was a beautiful Sunday for wine tasting.  We followed the directions on the map to get to Amador County; the directions took us through some beautiful rolling hills and farmland and we drove into the town of Plymouth.  The first winery we stopped at was Wilderotter Vineyards, a small quaint winery.  They are known for their Sauvignon Blanc, as they should be; it was delicious, so we purchased a bottle.  Next we went to Bella Piazza a beautiful winery, larger then the first.  It was their wine club pick up day so they were serving free lunch to their wine club members. 
From there we went to Vino Noceto winery and that is where the fun began, not that is was not fun before, but we ran into some friends from Sacramento. That is him in his cowboy hat and gold caddy!!  
Outside of Vino Noceto winery sits a fun statue which doesn't have a lot to do with wine but it is a conversation piece. It came from Doggy Diner which the owners of the winery purchased for minimal dollars and have been offered several thousands for it, but will not sell it.  The wines were great and we enjoyed their 2008 Nutz, a Sangiovese blend under the label Tutti i Giorni, meaning "everyday" in Italian. It too was exquiste, and was purchased by us! Our next stop was Andis Winery, which is right across the street from Vino Noceto.  You can't miss this winery as the building is brand new and state-of-the-art.  They offer some lovely wines and for all those beer lovers, they have an IPA on tap....and they keg a Petite Sirah so you can buy a pint of beer or a glass of wine and sit outside, as we did with lunch and good conversation.  The grounds are lovely and there are vineyards everywhere you turn! 

Now we are off to our last stop: Cooper Vineyards, another small lovely winery. We arrived as they were about to close, but we arrived in time to taste one of the best Barbera's we had all day!  The highlight of this last stop was meeting the owner of the the vineyards, Mr. Dick Cooper, and some of his family members.   We ended the day on a high note. But wait, there was one more stop which just happened to appear without even planning for it. 

On the way home we put in our home address in the GPS and, low and behold, it took us to Poor Reds. My friend had never been to this well-known establishment which is known for a drink called the "Gold Cadillac." 

All in all a wonderful day...a Sunday, Funday to remember!  There are many more wineries in Amador County and it warrants a trip back to check out the others.  My recommendation is to plan out an area on the map and enjoy that particular group of wineries, bring a lunch and a designated driver.  It is beautiful country and great for some surrounding Sacramento outdoor activities and enjoying some different wineries in California!

I hope you found this helpful in your wine tasting adventures in the Sacramento area. 

I plan to visit Calaveras County for the next blog!! 

Until then.....cheers!!

Until recently the adjective 'cowtown' made Sacramentans cringe. It unfairly reduced our bounty of gold country wineries, outdoor recreation and sports, and cosmopolitan city living to … commodity cows and draft animals. Well, we invite you to join our revolution, to rightly respect our agricultural neighbors for nourishing and fueling our daily lives.

With 320 days of sunshine a year, the Sacramento region is a jewel with urban and rural facets. Area chefs (professional and amateur) are quick to recognize local growers who bring high-quality vegetables, fruits, meats, beers and wines to their dining rooms. Locals and visitors alike, whet your appetites as you consider your next culinary experience in California’s capital.

Rather than equip you with a laundry list of good eats, let me highlight the gourmet ghettos and allow you to discover tasty treasures for yourself:

·         Savor Old Sacramento’s fine dining scene even if you didn’t bring your Sunday best.

Dine on the riverfront or in a number of restored, historic buildings.

·         Bound by 11^th and 16^th streets, near K & L streets, enjoy a variety of cuisines near the Sacramento Convention Center and the State Capitol. Anchors include The Park Downtown (15^th & L), The Firestone (16^th & L), and The Elliott Building (16^th Street, between J & K).

·         L Street & Capitol Avenue between 18^th & 21^st streets are the veins of Midtown's Handle District.  

·         The Sutter District surrounds Sutter’s Fort, but its artery is 28^th Street, between J and N.

·         Explore Midtown along J Street, bound by 18^th and 28^th streets, and R Street between 14th & 15th.
Note: MARRS, on 20^th Street between J & K, is not as distant as we once thought.

·         Tower Café reigns at the heart of the ethnic food enclave on Broadway, between Riverside Blvd. and 26^th Street. Thanks to Capital Public Radio, the local NPR affiliate, for this preview.

·         Luxury defines Financial District dining on Capitol Mall, bound by 4^th and 7^th streets.

On the verge of a food coma as you daydream about a decadent meal? Book accommodations and ask for VIP treatment at these Sacramento Gold Card hotels.

I get this question a lot…

Question: What is going on in Sacramento this weekend?

Answer: This question is so general and there are so many factors to consider before answering. Are you traveling with children and looking for Sacramento family events? Are you here on business and looking for a quiet evening out to unwind? What interests you? I always try to get a feel for what the person is looking for before I suggest events because typically a weekend in Sacramento is filled with different types of events from exhibit openings and farmers markets to sporting events and concerts.

If the caller has access to the Internet I always suggest Sacramento365.com, a Sacramento calendar of events managed through the Convention & Visitors Bureau. This website is a go to for all events happening in Sacramento. You can search by date, venue, type of event, etc.  Events are submitted daily and the calendar editor works hard to keep the information up to date on the site and to upload events in a timely manner, so keep checking in frequently. If the caller does not have access to the web I am happy to look up certain dates and check for events. In our Visitors Guide we have a listing of events usually a year out from the release of the guide (which is released bi-annually).

Let’s take this coming weekend for example. I looked up events happening from Friday, 9/17, through Sunday, 9/19. There were 120 events listed! Below are just 5 to give a snapshot of the many fun things to do in Sacramento for visitors and locals.

·         No Reservations: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain (Fri. 9/17)  - Bourdain, the internationally acclaimed chef, author, and host of Travel Channel's emmy-nominated No Reservations, has been dubbed "the bad boy of cuisine" for his rock star looks and blunt observations about the world of restaurants, chefs, and cooking.

·         The 5^th Annual Fair Oaks Chicken Festival (Sat. 9/18) - Country breakfast, children’s park with carnival rides and art stations, live music by bands such as Mumbo Gumbo, microbrew tastings and a variety of food vendors.
 

·         13th Annual Sacramento Reptile Show (Fri. 9/18-Sat. 9/19) -  See 4,000 reptiles from across the U.S. The show is also a "sale" where reptile enthusiasts or newcomers have the opportunity to meet the breeders, gain excellent knowledge on the care of reptiles and, if interested, take a new pet home.

 

·         Capitol Concours d' Elegance (Sun. 9/19) - The 17th Annual Capitol Concours d'Elegance, benefitting Shriners Hospitals for Children will showcase more than 100 exceptional examples of American and European vintage and exotic cars and feature the cars of Italy and France as well as Ford Thunderbird.



 

·         Rent (Fri. 9/17-Sun. 9/19) - Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer-Prize winning Broadway Musical based loosely on Puccini's opera La Boheme follows a year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York's East Village and tells the story of their struggles with love, drugs, and AIDS.

There are a number of events that happen around the same time every year and in some cases the same weekend each year. The SCVB’s three major events are examples of this: Raley's Grape Escape: A Food and Wine Celebration (June), Gold Rush Days (Labor Day Weekend) and New Years Eve Spectacular (on Halloween, just kidding, on December 31^st).  Plus, Free Museum Day is always on the first Saturday in February each year. You can find these events on Sacramento365.com as well, or just give me a call.

There is always something going on to suit your fancy here in Sacramento!

Calling all foodies, wine connoisseurs, fortune-hunters, nomads, and fiscal conservatives. From July 2-11, Sacramento’s premier restaurants will be offering 3 to 4-course menus with wine pairings starting as low as $25 per person during our annual Wine & Dine!

This is the time to experience Sacramento dining and actually try the restaurants you drive by on your way to work but only window shop and sigh because it doesn’t seem like the responsible choice of spending. Like the red tag sales at Macy’s we eagerly await, this is the foodie/wine sale for all of Sacramento locals and visitors to enjoy.

Restaurants from Old Sacramento to downtown, Midtown to Roseville, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Folsom, Woodland and Plymouth are participating in this years Wine & Dine.

Pan Seared Salmon (Cafeteria 15L), Grilled 8oz Prime Angus Sirloin (Chops), Roasted Chicken Breast stuffed with Parmesan risotto and asparagus (Ten 22), Blueberry Pistachio Encrusted Lamb Rack (Enotria)…are you salivating!? Map out your dining conquest at www.sacramentowineanddine.com where you can check out all the restaurants, menus, wine offerings, and make reservations.

Whether it's a girl's night out, a date night, or simply an addition to your Sacramento nightlife, everyone should take advantage of Wine & Dine week:

Girl’s Night!
Girlfriends, wine, food, and chocolate desserts: the unconditional love of every woman’s life. Take advantage of this opportunity and plan a girl’s night (or a few for that matter) that embrace all of our favorites. Make sure to check out the dark chocolate smores at Sienna Restaurant!

Single? Now’s the Time to Mingle
Looking to impress that special someone you’ve had your eye on? Take her to a four-star restaurant such as Ella or Grange for half the price! Engage in good conversation over a few glasses of great wine from various wineries in California and don’t go broke doing it.

Date Night with the Wife
Getting a babysitter and deciding where and what you want to do is often overwhelming for the average family goer. The mere thought of getting out the door to go on a date exhausts you in itself. But every couple needs a little alone time, so, don’t make excuses. www.sacramentowineanddine.com  makes it easy: find a restaurant nearby, look at the menus, the wines, the price points, choose your favorite and make reservations all through the click of your mouse.

Baby Booming Venture
You love your food and wine, you know your food and wine, and you’re always looking for new culinary experiences. Use this time to explore Sacramento’s dining scene and viticulture stemming from Napa Valley and Gold Country wineries. Ten days of Wine & Dine equals 10 opportunities for you to cash in on. Map out your dining destinations and explore the city you live in (or if you're not from here) plan the perfect Sacramento culinary vacation!

Whatever your situation may be, check out www.sacramentowineanddine.com, and make sure to post comments about your experience(s).

If you’re like me, you are always in search of the real deal. It’s what makes me choose locally owned over mass-produced, independent stores over chains, an actual walk instead of a spin on the treadmill and so on. Of course, it’s clearly impossible to avoid the fake stuff.

We have created a fake world around us. From lip-synched concerts to jeans with factory-manufactured holes in them, authenticity is harder to find than ever.

In Joel Achenbach’s essay of the same name, he coined the term “Creeping Surrealism.” He was moved to create the term after contemplating some store-bought cookies that were designed to look homemade. Somewhere along the way, Pepperridge Farm actually had to design a machine that purposely would make uneven edges to mimic a handmade product. How weird is that? Don’t you still know that you’re eating a factory-produced cookie.


“Creeping surrealism” has crept well in to the world of tourism.

This was never more obvious to me than on a recent trip I just took.  It was theme park after theme park and chain restaurant after chain restaurant.

The week I spent away made me appreciate Sacramento more than ever.

Sure, we don’t have major theme parks, but we have something better: A soul.

There’s a real city with real people in Sacramento.  When you walk into a bar that looks like an Old West saloon, there’s a good chance that, at some point, it really was an Old West saloon. If you want to pan for gold, take a short drive to Coloma and experience the real Gold Country and actual gold panning. I’m not saying everything is authentic in Sacramento – we have our fair share of standards – but there is more than enough “real” city to give you a true sense of being somewhere.

Our restaurants have real chefs who control their own menus based on the real and actual produce grown just miles down the road. Our best water park is the real and actual river. Our big hotel that looks like a boat actually is a boat. Our biggest tour attraction, the Capitol building, is filled with real and actual politicians doing real and actual political work – more or less.

When you visit Sacramento, you’ll get a real experience in a real city that wants to show you a good time. There’s a lot to be said for that.

You’ve seen them as many times as I have:  These Internet “lists” that rank the best places in the world to propose marriage, ride a bike, raise kittens, open a small business or drink the best beer in the world. Actually, I made that last one up but am game to see the beer list. Seriously, I’m begging you.

This morning I was sent one of those lists (courtesy of Portfolio.com) that ranked The Top 100 Fun Cities: From shops, to food, to sports, and to culture, these are the hot spots for having a blast.   Being a fan of fun things myself, I was intrigued to finally have a roadmap of where the fun lives! This summer is really shaping up to be a winner, I thought to myself.

And then I read the list, which made me question if my definition of fun is shared by the rest of the country. 

I’ve always approached life with the idea that most things are what you make of them. When traveling for business, I typically find a way to have fun in whichever city I’m visiting. I like live music (you already know of my affinity for beer) and can typically fill that want in most cities across the country.  But from an intuitive standpoint, I wondered what the criteria of making this list actually was. 

Some of the higher ranked cities seemed obvious:  New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Yep, been to all three and had fun each time. Makes sense.  But then the wheels fell off. 

Ranked in the top 25 were exceptionally fun cities like Providence, Poughkeepsie and Madison. Now I don’t know about you but I wasn’t aware that the smiles were that contagious in Wisconsin. And frankly, Poughkeepsie sounds like a made up name and cities that aren’t real can’t be all that much fun.

In reality, those cities may indeed be the epicenter of fun and I am merely making fun of their alleged fun ranking. But here’s where this list makes no sense:  Las Vegas is ranked at 26 and Orlando is ranked at 42. 

Really? 

Just so I’m clear, the folks at Portfolio.com are telling me that Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit are more fun than Vegas or Disneyworld? Who did they survey for this? The Mayors of Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit?

Sacramento (the City that I have year-round fun in) made the list at 48.   Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita. As an aside, we are considering that line as our new marketing tag. “Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita!” 

I personally rank Sacramento higher than 48. Sacramento and the Gold Country have more than 200 wineries. That’s spells fun right there.  We have visual, performing and some just plain odd works of art in Sacramento, too.  We have miles of running trails, two rivers, a lake with tons of boats and water skiers. We have expensive, moderate-priced and free events in Sacramento. 

There is lots of movie filming in Sacramento, one-of-a-kind history in Old Sacramento and some of the best farm to table restaurants that I’ve ever been to; I’m told by a local restaurant owner that everything that most people eat in this country grows within 100 miles of Sacramento. That sounds fun. Or unique. Whatever. 

These lists are subjective, for sure. To some, Paris may very well be a great place to propose marriage. But chances are, the best place to propose marriage is the place where your significant other said yes.   At least that’s the way it works for me.

Most every city can be a blast (especially Sacramento) if you know what you like.  With that said, I think I’d rank Sacramento as 6^th best place for fun in the country. Right behind New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Orlando.