Sacramento Restaurants, Nightlife and Entertainment

[greenmidtown]

By Bob Shallit - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 6:17 am PDT Monday, July 2, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D1

Hip hangout: Speaking of MARRS, developer Mike Heller has nearly filled up the trendy retail center.

Besides Yogurtopia -- and the previously announced signings of Luigi's Pizza Parlor and the Solomon Dubnick Gallery -- MARRS will have a Peet's Coffee shop, a locally owned Mexican restaurant and tequila bar called Azul, and DV8, "an urban, funky" men's and women's clothing store that is moving from 26th and J streets.

Heller, who spent $6 million converting the bunker-like office building into retail space, says he wants to bring a "spa concept" to the block-long complex and is saving the corner at 20th and K for one special retailer.

What kind of business? He's not sure. "I'll know it when I see it," he says.

[goldcntry]

Originally Posted by sugit

Speaking of wine...
______________

Wine-Bar Scene Getting a Twist

A winery tasting room in downtown Sacramento? It could happen late this fall, if Renwood Winery in Amador County's Shenandoah Valley doesn't run into any delays during the city's permit process.

Renwood is planning to move into space at 10th and L streets vacated not long ago by The Avid Reader Bookstore, says Danica Artkovich, the winery's director of marketing. Under a provision of California's alcoholic-beverage laws, wineries can have two tasting rooms, one at the winery itself, which Renwood does, and one elsewhere.

Renwood would use the Sacramento site primarily to promote its expanding line of wines under its Santino label, though Renwood releases also would be available for tasting and purchase, says Artkovich. The site also will be something of a cafe, offering visitors light plates, she adds.

Buy Renwood! Help support my Dad!

We grow Zin grapes in the Shenadoah Valley and sell them to Renwood. Good stuff!

[ozone]

Originally Posted by greenmidtown

By Bob Shallit - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 6:17 am PDT Monday, July 2, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D1

Hip hangout: Speaking of MARRS, developer Mike Heller has nearly filled up the trendy retail center.

Besides Yogurtopia -- and the previously announced signings of Luigi's Pizza Parlor and the Solomon Dubnick Gallery -- MARRS will have a Peet's Coffee shop, a locally owned Mexican restaurant and tequila bar called Azul, and DV8, "an urban, funky" men's and women's clothing store that is moving from 26th and J streets.

Heller, who spent $6 million converting the bunker-like office building into retail space, says he wants to bring a "spa concept" to the block-long complex and is saving the corner at 20th and K for one special retailer.

What kind of business? He's not sure. "I'll know it when I see it," he says.

I'm happy to see a clothing store in the mix. I wonder what affect Peet's is going to have on the new Miss Kitty coffehouse going in next to Headhunters?

[travis bickle]

Originally Posted by goldcntry

Buy Renwood! Help support my Dad!

We grow Zin grapes in the Shenadoah Valley and sell them to Renwood. Good stuff!

The key to making this successful is to focus on local wines. Give them a great product that they can't get elsewhere.

[travis bickle]

and DV8, "an urban, funky" men's and women's clothing store that is moving from 26th and J streets.

DV8 used to be the name of a cavernous club South of Market in San Francisco in the late 80s/early 90s. Anyone here remember it? I lived on O'Farrell Street at the time and SOMA was still a pretty untamed area. Actually... so was O'Farrell...

[wburg]

The Crest Theatre has been doing an awful lot lately: the Trash Film Orgy is in full swing, this saturday features the Pam Grier classic Foxy Brown followed next week by Deathrace 2000. If the Trash Film Orgy isn't quite highbrow enough for you, next weekend is the annual French Film Festival. If you prefer concerts, Eric Burdon & the Animals are playing there this Friday night.

I spoke with the Crest's manager a while back, and apparently the guy buying the building didn't realize that the Crest was already a performing arts center. After it was explained that the Crest already hosts every film festival in town, holds industry screenings and special events on a regular basis, and is a good mid-sized concert venue, it became apparent that a "re-positioning" wasn't necessary at all.

[jsf8278]

Originally Posted by greenmidtown

I just came back from SF recently and I have to say our nightlife holds up very well in comparison. This wasn't the first time I felt this way either. Of course SF has the advantage of having a much greater number of bars, clubs, and live shows but the crowds here are bigger in many instances and imo better looking. Of course SF has never really been much of a party town. What do you guys think? How does Sac hold up compared to other major cities you've partied in in terms of nightlife, good-looking people, and live shows?

I lived in ATL for about 10 years and went to a lot of the clubs there. I think SAC's midtown district is awesome. There's nothing like that in ATL. There is a midtown/gay district, but its spread out and the best bar closed a few years ago. The bars in ATL are VERY segregated too. SAC seems more diverse, and welcoming of everyone.
Additionally, in SAC you can walk to so many different bars and restaurants. Im fascinated with not having to drive from one place to the next, so maybe that’s not such a big deal to other people.

(and yes I realize Im responding to a post thats like three months old...sorry, Im a slow reader!)

[jsf8278]

Originally Posted by greenmidtown

By Bob Shallit - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 6:17 am PDT Monday, July 2, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D1

Hip hangout: Speaking of MARRS, developer Mike Heller has nearly filled up the trendy retail center.

Besides Yogurtopia -- and the previously announced signings of Luigi's Pizza Parlor and the Solomon Dubnick Gallery -- MARRS will have a Peet's Coffee shop, a locally owned Mexican restaurant and tequila bar called Azul, and DV8, "an urban, funky" men's and women's clothing store that is moving from 26th and J streets.

Heller, who spent $6 million converting the bunker-like office building into retail space, says he wants to bring a "spa concept" to the block-long complex and is saving the corner at 20th and K for one special retailer.

What kind of business? He's not sure. "I'll know it when I see it," he says.

PEETS!!! I love Peets coffee. That’s weird though, b/c there’s one at the Safeway just down the street.
*side note* If Starbucks buys out Peets I swear I'll go bizzerk!*

[wburg]

So? There's a Starbucks at 19th and R too, and one a block away from MARRS at 19th and J. Nobody ever told Starbucks "less is more." Hopefully we'll see fewer of them around--it's just a McDonald's for coffee and it always tastes burnt. Peet's is a marginal improvement, in my mind (a regional chain instead of a national one) but I do like that most of the businesses going into MARRS are local.

And it's difficult to fathom downtown Sacramento with *too many* coffee shops: when I first moved downtown, there were four coffee shops within a block of 19th and Capitol (Java City, New Helvetia, Gretta's and No Jive.) We're a coffee town.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by jsf8278

I lived in ATL for about 10 years and went to a lot of the clubs there. I think SAC's midtown district is awesome. There's nothing like that in ATL. There is a midtown/gay district, but its spread out and the best bar closed a few years ago. The bars in ATL are VERY segregated too. SAC seems more diverse, and welcoming of everyone.
Additionally, in SAC you can walk to so many different bars and restaurants. Im fascinated with not having to drive from one place to the next, so maybe that’s not such a big deal to other people.

(and yes I realize Im responding to a post thats like three months old...sorry, Im a slow reader!)

Some friends came from the bay to work (Im mean enjoy the clubs) the bars at 20th & K and they were impressed with our "mini castro". Considering the addition of MARRS, 20th & Kst is obtaining the vibrancy of Castro considering how few people Sacramento has compared to the Bay Area.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by wburg

So? There's a Starbucks at 19th and R too, and one a block away from MARRS at 19th and J. Nobody ever told Starbucks "less is more." Hopefully we'll see fewer of them around--it's just a McDonald's for coffee and it always tastes burnt. Peet's is a marginal improvement, in my mind (a regional chain instead of a national one) but I do like that most of the businesses going into MARRS are local.

And it's difficult to fathom downtown Sacramento with *too many* coffee shops: when I first moved downtown, there were four coffee shops within a block of 19th and Capitol (Java City, New Helvetia, Gretta's and No Jive.) We're a coffee town.

I agree PEETS is a great Chain. Starbucks has become the McDonalds of coffee, therefore too bland, corporate and uninteresting. My preferences are Old Soul, Peets, Butch & Nellies, Naked Coffee, and the orginal Java City with the giant tree in front of it. BTW, all these places have free wireless, unlike Starbucks.

I have high hopes for Miss Kitty at 20 & K once it opens.

[wburg]

Double post

[wburg]

My personal coffee-shop fave is the True Love on K and 23rd: it can't be beat for character and style, and I'm pretty sure they have free wi-fi too. Not to mention that they stay open late--not quite as super late as the original location (until 3:00 AM sometimes on weekends) but one can hope.

And I have to say I like the latest Java City remodel better than the last one, which was too proto-Starbuck's for my taste. I still miss the original interior, which pretty much screamed 1980s.

I have been to Old Soul a couple of times and it's nice but I am often too late for their hours (kind of glad to hear that they are staying open later these days.) They provide beans for the True Love, though, as they do baked goods for my other favorite place, TEMPLE! Temple has it all: first-rate coffee, great atmosphere, open late, perfect location, Wi-Fi and they are in a building with loads of central city mojo (the former site of Levinson's Books and the EMRL Studios.) How downtown can you get, I ask you?

[deeann]

I need to pop by Java City soon to see what it's like now.

So Pacific Roasting Company (regional chain, though they have an central operations office in GA(?)) recently opened up a new location on Fulton and Hurley. Rumor has it that the Union 76 on the corner is removing the Hurley side pumps and expanding the interior to become more of a convenience store and will include (or have a close but separate offset building of)....yep, Starbucks.

[greenmidtown]

Originally Posted by wburg

My personal coffee-shop fave is the True Love on K and 23rd: it can't be beat for character and style, and I'm pretty sure they have free wi-fi too. Not to mention that they stay open late--not quite as super late as the original location (until 3:00 AM sometimes on weekends) but one can hope.

And I have to say I like the latest Java City remodel better than the last one, which was too proto-Starbuck's for my taste. I still miss the original interior, which pretty much screamed 1980s.

I have been to Old Soul a couple of times and it's nice but I am often too late for their hours (kind of glad to hear that they are staying open later these days.) They provide beans for the True Love, though, as they do baked goods for my other favorite place, TEMPLE! Temple has it all: first-rate coffee, great atmosphere, open late, perfect location, Wi-Fi and they are in a building with loads of central city mojo (the former site of Levinson's Books and the EMRL Studios.) How downtown can you get, I ask you?

I agree wholeheartedly about True Love. you can't do much better. in the middle of K st., inside a gorgeous Victorian, great local shows, tasty all-vegetarian menu, a huge back patio, a great front patio, wide selection of coffee and tea, and it's open late for all the bored teens.
I haven't tried Old Soul but I've heard so many great things about it. N st. coffee has the best white mocha and it's a cozy little spot with coffee bean sacks from around the world adorning the ceiling. I love the back patio at Whetherstone but I hate the java city coffee they serve. the Naked Lounge is cool but attracts too many loud idiots. Finally I'm not a big fan of Temple. I find the coffee and tea mediocre and the sparse furnishings ridiculous. if you've got a big space use it! instead everyone is crammed by the entrance. it's good for downtown but I can't say I'm a big fan.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by greenmidtown

I agree wholeheartedly about True Love. you can't do much better. in the middle of K st., inside a gorgeous Victorian, great local shows, tasty all-vegetarian menu, a huge back patio, a great front patio, wide selection of coffee and tea, and it's open late for all the bored teens.
I haven't tried Old Soul but I've heard so many great things about it. N st. coffee has the best white mocha and it's a cozy little spot with coffee bean sacks from around the world adorning the ceiling. I love the back patio at Whetherstone but I hate the java city coffee they serve. the Naked Lounge is cool but attracts too many loud idiots. Finally I'm not a big fan of Temple. I find the coffee and tea mediocre and the sparse furnishings ridiculous. if you've got a big space use it! instead everyone is crammed by the entrance. it's good for downtown but I can't say I'm a big fan.

We've talked about checking out True Love for sometime, sounds really nice!

[greenmidtown]

Originally Posted by BrianSac

We've talked about checking out True Love for sometime, sounds really nice!

we usually go their casually just to eat some nachos or falafel, have some coffee, and play some board games they have laying out. it's a very chill spot to just pass the time in Midtown before the sun goes down. which reminds me, Second Saturday this weekend! I can't wait, every Second Saturday gets bigger and better. The gallery at the MARRS building is my new favorite!

[TWAK]

anybody know where I could find the least expensive supermarket in the south sac area (east of 99)? For my low income needs I go to the walmart in dixon when I visit my family, but I'd rather not keep a large cooler in my car.

[arod74]

I think your best bet might be the Food for Less (I believe that's what it is or one of the other discount markets) off 99 and Mack. Its not east off 99 but right off of it to the west and the prices are pretty cheap...

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by arod74

I think your best bet might be the Food for Less (I believe that's what it is or one of the other discount markets) off 99 and Mack. Its not east off 99 but right off of it to the west and the prices are pretty cheap...

I have seen that before, and i meant to say west, lol. I live in pocket