Where are you going? To Sacramento city
CALIFORNIA’S capital city has long lived in the shadows of its flashier neighbours. Sandwiched between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, “Sac,” as the locals call it, is often underestimated and overlooked as a small and sleepy cow town - a rest stop on the way to greener and glitzier pastures. But thanks to the downtown revitalisation and the rousing success of “Lady Bird” - Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated homage to her hometown - Sacramento has been suddenly, and rightfully, thrust into the spotlight.
Following in the footsteps of the Forty-Niners, I came to Sacramento with the aim of striking it rich. My mission: To mine the city’s treasures while home for the holidays in December. Technically, I was born in Sacramento, but I grew up about 20 minutes away in Davis. And while my teenage self would make regular pilgrimages to the city’s thrift stores and shopping centres, I didn’t fully appreciate what the City of Trees had to offer.
Yes, it housed the California State Capitol. And yes, it had far less traffic - and Botox - than our star- studded neighbours down south. But what made the landlocked capital special?
As it turns out, a lot. With burgeoning culinary, arts and cultural scenes, Sacramento had blossomed and matured, much like I had since leaving the West Coast for college in 2008. And while I wasn’t paying attention, the midsize city had become bigger and better, worthy of the red- carpet treatment. Go Fairytale Town The cheese does not stand alone at Fairytale Town. The holey, bright yellow play structure joins 35 other storybook-themed attractions that populate this beloved non-profit children’s park. Squealing tots can scramble up Jack’s Beanstalk, grab the reins of Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach, slide down the Old Woman’s shoe and even take a power nap in Mother Goose’s lap. Built in 1959 to encourage imagination and literacy among the city’s kids, the 31/2- acre fantasy park is a favourite among families with children 10 and younger. Don’t forget to say “Hey, diddle, diddle” to the park’s furry occupants, which include three not- so-little Vietnamese potbellied pigs, two of Mary’s sheep, a floppy- eared Peter Rabbit and a friendly miniature donkey dubbed Eeyore. Crocker Art Museum The Crocker Art Museum is a work of art itself, combining the elegance and charm of the Crocker family’s original 1871 Italianate mansion with a sleek,modern building. Founded in 1885, the first public art museum in the Western United States boasts an impressive collection of international ceramics, American and European paintings, and works by new and established California artists. Lap up the frothy desserts painted by Wayne Thiebaud and applaud Stephen Kaltenbach for his ethereal portrait of his father, a labour of love that took him seven years to complete. In the lobby, get the lowdown on free lectures, concerts and daily tours, as well as hands- on learning opportunities for toddlers and even programmes for patrons with chronic pain, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. California Railroad Museum
Toy collectors, train enthusiasts and history buffs unite at the California State Railroad Museum. Storyboards and interactive exhibits detail more than 150 years of railroad history, including the country’s first transcontinental railroad line and today’s modern high- speed ones. Grab your conductor’s hat and climb aboard one of the museum’s 21 beautifully restored antique locomotives and train cars. Is fantasy not cutting it? Catch a ride on the museum’s real railway, which leads six-mile train excursions along the Sacramento River on Tuesdays through Apr 24 and Saturdays and Sundays from Apr 7 through Sept 23. State Sac Running Tours
It’s hard to miss the hundreds of public art pieces that electrify downtown’s drab exteriors. The city is a hotbed of California artists, which means Instagram gold for camera-toting travellers. Admire more than 20 of the most notable additions by foot with Sac Running Tours, which leads a Wide Open Walls murals tour. Guides, such as founder Jenn Kistler-McCoy, provide a wealth of information about the artworks, artists and Wide Open Walls mural festival that draws locally, nationally and internationally recognised talent to the region every August. Don’t miss Raphael Delgado’s indomitable grizzly at 1413 21st St. and the latest “Lady Bird” mural at 16th and I streets. Eat Even in late December (at 58 degrees) there’s a line out the door at Gunther’s Ice Cream. Haters will say “only in California,” but Sacramentans know better. A neighbourhood mainstay since 1940, the soda fountain’s premium hand-made and small-batch sweets are popular year-round. The 800- square-foot shop serves 40 flavours of ice cream alongside sherbets, sorbets and fresh-fruit freezes; I opted for two scoops of strawberry cheesecake. Significantly higher in butterfat than its commercial competitors (six per cent, to be exact), the uber- creamy and ohso-refreshing frozen treat hit the spot. Recognise the store’s mascot, Jugglin’ Joe, out front? The animated neon sign, which depicts Joe slinging ice cream, makes a quick cameo in “Lady Bird.” Shady Lady Saloon
I half- expected a 1920s flapper to greet me with a tray of French 75s when I walked
Following in the footsteps of the Forty-Niners, I came to Sacramento with the aim of striking it rich. My mission: to mine the city’s treasures while home for the holidays in December.
into the Shady Lady Saloon. The dimly lit, speakeasy- style watering hole, with its dark Ushaped wooden bar, lush decor and pressed-tin ceiling, evokes the glamour and ambiance of pre-Prohibition America, when quality concoctions and conversation, not plasma TVs, reigned supreme. Jazz, blues and country artists perform five nights a week. All the while, knowledgeable bartenders, often wearing suspenders, create oldtimey cocktails with house-made tonics, bitters and syrup. Try one of the signature Southern-inspired dishes - the flaky duck confit “tots” and airy pork rinds are crowd favorites - paired with a light and refreshing White Linen cocktail of gin, St. Germain, lemon, sugar and muddled cucumber. Tower Cafe
The eclectic artwork and colourful tapestries plastering the walls of Tower Cafe reflect not only the international menu but also the ethnic patchwork of residents: Mexicans, East Africans, East Asians, Caribs and Europeans among them. Housed in the birthplace of the now- defunct Tower Records, the hippie haven serves gigantic portions of comfort food, with vegan and vegetarian options, of course. Request a seat in the lush outdoor garden area outfitted with hanging lights, a burbling fountain and a shady canopy of Japanese maples, ferns and palms. The restaurant is often packed on Sundays with young families and college students dining alfresco, drinking Tower Bloody Marys and eating the signature French toast, which is soaked overnight in vanilla custard and topped with mapleinfused butter. Shop
You won’t find anything over US$ 75 ( RM285) at Rire Boutique, and that’s intentional. Owner Josie Lee has firsthand experience being a frugal fashionista. “I started this as a college student,” says the Sacramento native. Lee makes it a priority to carry high- quality and budget-friendly items that stay on trend beyond one season. The 31-year- old fashion blogger turned entrepreneur worked her way through Sacramento State University, started her own women’s clothing boutique at 25 and now manages storefront locations in the Midtown and Oak Park neighbourhoods. Expect to find delicate necklaces and vibrant totes displayed near off-the- shoulder tops, summery shorts and breezy, casual dresses. ( This is California, after all.) Her lifestyle boutique also champions other female artists and entrepreneurs by exhibiting their paintings and selling their wares. Oh, and the store name? It’s the French word for laughter. “I pronounce it ‘ry- er,’ even though it’s supposed to be pronounced more like ‘ree-uh,’ “Lee admits and laughs. — WPBloomberg