"What's going on Sacramento" Chit-Chat

[Korey]

Serg: Yeah I want parks like that! I like Tanner Springs Park in Portland and there's a courtyard at UC Davis that is planted with natural grasses, forming a meadow like area, really cool environment.

Rampant, that's a great map/overlay. Really makes me wish 5 wasn't where it is though

[wburg]

Looks like the park Serg is showing is a nature area, not a designed park environment: Southside Park was a designed park, the pond was dredged out from a swampy ditch on the south end of town into its current form (minus the part that is under Highway 50.) A park like that would be more along the lines of something to put along the American River parkway (with components hardy enough to be inundated in winter months.) A few improved walkways and bikeways along the river trail areas would make for nice walks--I took a hike there a couple of weekends ago around Sutter's Landing Park. The levee provides nice elevated views of the river, while you can turn around and see the skyscrapers of downtown in the other direction.

It should be noted that not all the "green" in that park map will be "parks" in the form of grass and trees: the area around the Shops buildings will technically be "park" uses, but will consist of train tracks around the RTM and a hardscaped plaza in between the Shops buildings not part of the museum.

[Korey]

Originally Posted by wburg

Looks like the park Serg is showing is a nature area, not a designed park environment

Yeah I took a second look after I posted and see what he's talking about (Although I still like Tanner Springs, surrounded by density). They have many of those type of raised paths in Yosemite that are great hikes.

[innov8]

So this year Sacramento has been ranked by both Forbes as the fifth most miserable city in U.S.
and number six by Bloomberg Businessweek as America's Most Fun, Affordable Cities.

You'll have a blast on a budget if you choose to live in any of the 10 cities on
our list of the nation's most fun-&-affordable places to live.

Good times, low prices
It can be difficult to enjoy the wealth of dining and nightlife options in big
cities such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco after housing and
other expenses are paid. Fortunately, many areas outside of major
metropolises offer both affordable homes and a variety of restaurants and
bars, according to a new report from Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate.
The company, with real-estate data company Onboard Informatics,
evaluated 6,106 ZIP codes in which the median home price is within 20% of
the state’s median home price. It then selected the 25 areas with the
greatest number of bars and restaurants. The list of fun, affordable places
includes tourist destinations, such as Honolulu and Myrtle Beach, S.C., which
tend to have a greater number of restaurants and bars, as well as college
towns, such as Wilmington, N.C., and Tempe, Ariz.

Note: The report is based on ZIP codes, but a city name is included as a
frame of reference for the reader.

10 most fun, affordable U.S. cities
No. 6: Sacramento, Calif. 95814
Number of bars and restaurants: 188
Population: 10,061 (based on zip codes)
Median home price: $228,500

Besides museums and shops, downtown Sacramento, the city’s original
commercial district, has a variety of restaurants, cafes, pubs and wine bars,
according to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

[ozone]

Sacramento is affordable. That's why many of us live here instead of our first choice. But the fun part depends on what you find fun. If I were in my 20's again and hadn't really experienced much of the world outside Sacramento it would be much more fun for me. That's not saying I don't have fun. Just that I get really bored and discouraged here because there's too little urban stimulation and chance interaction with interesting people. I don't know how to change that -here.

[wburg]

When I get bored, I go out and do things--ideally, things that promote urban stimulation and chance interaction with interesting people. It has worked for me since I was in my 20s and still does.

[ozone]

Originally Posted by wburg

When I get bored, I go out and do things--ideally, things that promote urban stimulation and chance interaction with interesting people. It has worked for me since I was in my 20s and still does.

I go out all the time. I just don't find most people & places that interesting in Sacramento. There is something missing here. It's not just me. Lots of people say the same thing. I have really tried to stay positive and get involved but .....*yawn* I need a nap....

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

It's been five days and I already miss Sacramento (specifically the heat and the blue sky).

[downtownserg89]

I'm gonna go ahead and try to bring a bit of life back to this forum by asking this: Did anybody make it out to the Cars on K street event? Did K street feel like a whole new street?


I would have been there, but after I got off work all I wanted to do was nap for hours.


I might take a bike ride down K Street later. I hope it feels like a little crammed bay area street

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Yep, I was in town for the weekend and drove down K Street. It was, simply put, surreal (especially when I nearly got run off the road by RT).

[wburg]

I rode across K Street on Light Rail but not down it--was tempted to stop by the festivities but had luggage to lug (was returning from a trip.) I'll stroll by tonight.

[downtownserg89]

I rode my bike down K street tonight, and was saddened by the absolute lack of vehicles. Then again, it was a cold monday night...


All I wanted to see was a car or two driving down K street!


Anyway, I will be sure to lurk K street during the daytime tomorrow, in hopes to catch a glimpse of a car driving by. Jesus christ I sound ridiculous right now..

"Im gonna make plans to visit k street simply to watch cars drive by!"


This is what a true Sacramentan gets off to.

[wburg]

I strolled down K Street after work yesterday too, to stop by the Crest Theatre, which celebrated 25 years since its "grand re-opening" in 1986 last night, and ate dinner at the Crest Cafe. We saw a car or two a minute rolling down K Street, and I had to resist my urge to razz the drivers the way I used to when drivers would accidentally turn down K, unaware (or uncaring) that it was a pedestrian walkway.

I also noticed that there is a sign in the window at the Roos-Atkins building at 10th and K: Sharif Jewelers is moving into the ground floor. Last year some friends and I installed a holiday display on that corner. When someone asked me if I was planning on doing the same this year, I replied that I'd rather see the space leased out to a tenant. The response was a sort of amused chuckle...but sure enough, I got my wish! And it gets me off the hook for organizing another holiday display...

[downtownserg89]

They're putting a Sharif there? Meh, I was hoping for something a bit more exciting. That part of K Street is slowly transforming into a nightlife hotspot, so you'd think they would add another business that fits into that category, such as an appealing clothing store, or a lounge or something fun.

but hey, I can't complain. A business is better than a vacant space.

[Mr. Ozo]

I drove down K Street last night, Wednesday 7:30pm. I was the only car the whole length. Lots of people out on the streets. I truly felt ridiculous driving on K Street. There were two cop cars on 11th street, chopping at the bit to pull over some new K Street drivers, obviously going to have a field day arresting drunks on weekend.

First Impression: I still feel this was a waste of money that was stolen out of the Two Way conversion fund, which would have been much better spent converting certain one ways back to two way.

The main problem is that there is no logical reason to drive down this part of K Street. The way that the one way street system is set up, the only reason you would drive down K would be to turn around and circle the block. There is no possible route that is shorter than not using K Street.

As for biking, I think I would say you can just ride in the middle of the street because the traffic is slow and there are no bike lanes. Biking on K actually makes sense because you can go all the way from Midtown.

[wburg]

I am a little bit concerned about the relocation of money from the two-way conversion fund, but am prepared to wait and see what happens on K Street in the next year.

The choice of Sharif's isn't a mind-blowing catch, but as retail tenants start to fill spaces, hopefully we will see some more interesting choices. One problem to overcome is that a lot of those buildings are now offices, so there is no opportunity to put retail storefronts into those spaces unless the existing (and leased) ground-floor offices choose to vacate. One thing I'd really like to see is a tenant in the ground floor of the Renaissance Tower--it has been vacant for many years, which is a bit embarrassing considering its iconic status.

[wburg]

Hey Serg, look what's coming to Alkali Flat! Cracker manufacturing!
From today's Bob Shallit column:

An acclaimed Wisconsin manufacturer of artisan crackers has opened a satellite production facility in downtown Sacramento and is gearing up to make as many as 50 local varieties for the Northern California market.

The plant opened last month at the southwest corner of 12th and F streets and is the first expansion for Potter's Crackers of Madison, Wis.

Its recipe for success: Using organic and locally sourced ingredients to make crackers that pair up nicely with local cheeses, says Peter Weber, who founded the company five years ago after concluding that his home state had wonderful cheeses "but not a lot of great crackers that could hold up to those cheeses."

With his mother in charge of the Midwest business, Weber moved here two years ago to obtain an MBA at UC Davis – and then opted to stay in California to oversee his firm's first expansion.

Among the crackers being produced at the downtown Sacramento site: cranberry and pumpkin grahams ("absolutely delicious with goat cheese," Weber says), along with caramelized onion and olive crackers – all made with flour, dairy products and produce from the Sacramento Valley.

By the end of next year, Weber says he expects to have a staff of 15 people making up to 50 local cracker products – all coming in boxes that contain information on suggested cheese pairings.

The company is strictly a wholesale business, selling to regional and specialty grocers. The first local outlet to carry its products is Corti Brothers on Folsom Boulevard.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/29/408...#ixzz1f70S0pN1

Now all we need is a cheese shop next door.

[downtownserg89]

wait, you mean the place that used to be Domino's pizza??

I biked by over the summer and saw a man and a kid painting the inside, so I stopped and asked what was going in and they said a bakery. I was excited to have a bakery 2 blocks from my home! A cracker shop? Meh, not so much. Who's gonna buy crackers around here??

I'm sorry but I don't think it will last. Don't get me wrong, this sounds like a precious business, but this shop belongs in Land Park, somewhere near Taylor's Market.

[wburg]

It's not a cracker shop, but a cracker factory--he was correct to say it was a bakery, but one that will specialize in making crackers. The crackers will be sold in more precious neighborhoods--it looks like Corti Bros. in East Sac is the first local place to carry them, and I wouldn't be surprised if Taylor's did before too long. But if they're going to bake there, they might be willing to sell some out the door too.

Isn't there still a bakery kitty-corner from there? If not I think the closest bakery is New Roma on 18th and E.

[downtownserg89]

yeah there's Sugar & Spice on the NE corner. I've actually never stepped foot in that building. I don't know why, to be honest.

I wish Doughbot would have opened up there instead of a cracker factory. I'm sorry but I am just not a fan!