Glitter and Grunge

School isn't totally lame

2011-11-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

You might remember that our son was in first grade last year and at the end of the year we decided to retain him for a "bonus" year of first grade. You might not, because, really, who keeps track of other people's kids and their schooling issues? Anyway, retain him we did, not without a little trepidation.

While Tyler has struggled a bit in academics, he has always been ahead of his peers emotionally and socially. He makes friends easily, is kind and compassionate beyond his years (but occasionally mean and obnoxious beyond his years), which led us to worry about what retention would mean for him. Our team of first grade teachers assured me that the bonus year usually doesn't register in the kids minds, they just make new friends, have a new teacher and call it a day.

Which, naturally, wasn't the case for our boy.

Going to school was a bundle of nerves for him, he knew he would be the oldest in his grade and thought that the entire school was laughing at him (no really, for about two weeks he would come home saying that kids laughed in the halls when he walked by or kids at the next table were laughing at lunch, any laughter in his earshot that he could be positive wasn't about him, in his mind, was about him). No amount of assuring him that all 600 kids in his could not possibly a) know who he was b) know who he was and CARE or c) know who he was, care and be bothered with what grade he was in.

I'm not sure what changed, but eventually it did change. I think he realized his friends from last year are still his friends, he made new friends and his amazing teacher established him as a leader in the classroom (every kid's dream). If anything needs to go to the office or a kid needs to go to a part of the school they are unfamiliar with, the old pro gets to take them.

We went from whining about how boring school is and how dumb homework is to "Well, school is totally boring and homework will always be dumb, but it's not all lame."

And this week someone has discovered that he likes reading. We have Junie B Jones, Stink (Judy Moody's little brother) and the Magic Treehouse to thank for that.

This is what amazing looks like

2011-11-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Kelly is 6 weeks (ish) into her first round of chemo and looks amazing. Don't ask her how she feels, but she LOOKS great. She laughs at me every time I tell her that, but it's the truth. It's been nice getting to help take care of her and the kids while Eric is at work. Charlotte and I drop the two older kids off at school and then head over to Kelly's to hang out until Lily gets out of kindergarten a couple days a week. Some days we are quiet (as quiet as a 1, 3 and 4 year old can be) and tippytoe around so as not to disturb the patient and others we chat and giggle and talk all morning long.

I think the hardest thing for Kel has been the restrictiveness of being sick. Kelly is always ready for a party and fun, impromptu Popsicles on the front lawn and allllllllll day trips to Six Flags with five kids. We go to Funderland and Fairytale Town and the zoo together. We take them to the lake and out to ice cream. Kelly is the official driver of the Fun Bus (ok, there is no official Fun Bus, but if there was, she'd be driving.) When you are on chemo the fun is greatly reduced, but we have still been finding ways to have fun.

Target is especially fun now, and Chipotle and Home Goods. I think I'm Kelly's enabler since her husband is always telling her that she shouldn't be out much (and she shouldn't) but we seem to have established weekly outings. Twice I have taken her on "quick" trips to Target that may or may not have lasted two hours each. Once we went out to dinner with friends and to Home Goods and shut the place down. But I wasn't driving that time, so I'll say that wasn't my fault.

And last weekend we had a girl movie night (Troop Beverly Hills) and I might have stayed over talking till midnight. It might be tiring, but I think it's good for the soul, hers and mine, to have a tiny slice of the normal fun we used to have back. For now I'll happily drive the Fun Bus, just until she can take it over again.

I ♥ Sacramento {Gunther's Ice Cream}

2011-09-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

The weather forecast for the rest of this week is in the upper 90s, so though I had planned on posting about Gunther's earlier in the summer, it clearly isn't too late. I may have to treat ~~myself~~ the kids to an ice cream after school one day in order to survive the heat.

Gunther's Ice Cream has been a part of my summer memories for as long as I can remember. My Grandma went there when she was in college in the 40s and my uncle worked there when he was in high school. I can remember being Lily's age (or younger maybe) playing on the window sill and wooden booths waiting for my uncle to get off of work. Everyone in the family like to volunteer to go with Grandma to pick him up from work, since the likelihood of getting an ice cream cone was close to 100%.

Anytime we go to William Land Park it's pretty much a given that a trip to Gunthers is on the agenda. We spent the day at Funderland (write up on that another day) the last week of summer and naturally had to conclude the trip with ice cream. Aaron's and my favorite flavor is the Bittersweet Chocolate, which is always made in June for the flavor of the month.

The kids favorite is the clown cone in any flavor. It's hard work eating ice cream.

Gunther's Ice Cream

2801 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95818

(916) 457-6646

Can you see them?

2011-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

There is something about rolling hills and farms and dilapidated barns or cattle corrals that makes me drift off into daydreams of horseback riding in long skirts and petticoats or wagon trains dotting the horizon. California has plenty of fodder for my imagination what with Northern California's gold mining towns, the Sierra Mountains and sprawling cattle ranches along the Central Coast.

Aaron frequently gets frustrated with me when we drive places because he's the one stuck driving and instead of keeping him company I've got my nose plastered to the window, daydreaming away. Unless we are traveling down I-5 between Elk Grove and LA. Cuz that's just boring.

What'd you do last weekend?

2011-09-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

We celebrated with our friends at a wedding in San Luis Obispo. I've never been before and would definitely love to go back. Our trip was so quick we didn't even make it down to the beach. I know! Travesty! Well, I might be the only one who thought so.

First Day

2011-09-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Our first day of school. The morning went perfectly with our veteran and newbie. The alarm went off at 6:30am (!) and we all trudged out of bed bleary-eyed, but ready to go. The day didn't go without it's hitches, but by the end of it they toppled into bed excited for tomorrow.

Our little kindergartener! She was a little nervous, but did great. By the time it was time for parents to leave she was practically pushing us out the door.

2011-09-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

One of my dearest friends, Kelly, was diagnosed with cancer this week. She's 34. She's the supermom to two kids and a superwife. She likes Michael Jackson and Elton John and has been known to dance like Elaine from Seinfeld. She loves the Lord with all her heart and is an inspiration to everyone who knows her.

It's not fair and I'm more than a little ticked off about it.

Kelly and her husband, Eric, have already had more hurdles in the last five years than most of us have in a lifetime. The lightning shouldn't be striking this field, folks.

As her friend there is not much I can (or should) say or do, but as her friend I'd very much like to fight the fight for her, as would her husband, parents, siblings and so many others. There is nothing more frustrating than watching the ones you love suffer or face trials and you can't do a darned thing about it.

What we can do is pray and pray we will. There will be prayer, lots and lots and lots of prayer. As her husband says "much prayer, much power". Kelly herself has been saying all week that she intends to be the most prayed over woman Kaiser hospital has ever seen, and I believe her. This morning at 8am was her surgery and it went as best as we could hope for! (Read Eric's update here) Praise God! I am excited to see her smiling face and give her a pretend hug tomorrow.

She and Team Kelly have made it through this hurdle. Onward and upward!

I wore that hat and she stayed friends with me. That says a lot.

Pannikin Coffee & Tea; Luecadia, CA

2011-08-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself in the small seaside community of Luecadia I hope you find time to stop in at Pannikin Coffee & Tea. It's housed in an old rail station from the Santa Fe line. The thresholds still have brass plates reading "Santa Fe" which I regrettably did not get pictures of. There's nothing like an old building to get me googling for info. built in 1888 it used to be the Encinitas station and was closed in 1969; purchased for a $1 and moved to it's current location.

In all honesty the draw here for me wasn't the coffee or tea or treats, none of which I really remember. It's the visions of Victorian ladies with parasols and trunks coming and going from seaside vacations that won me over. Apparently there are similar stations in Del Mar and Carlsbad, which clearly means we need to go on vacation again soon so I can see them.

I might be a little obsessed.

2011-08-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

You may or may not know this about me, but I am a horrible horrible plant killer. Plants don't whine and complain for food and water so therefore get sadly neglected in my care. My family whines and complains for food making them much easier to care for. I got turned on to cacti when my friend Melissa started making terrariums. Sure, I'd seen them before, but when a working mother of two little ones can find time to make them (and a million other awesome things) well, one takes notice.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, though. I still managed to kill my drought-tolerant cacti (over watering, oh the irony) by using non-draining pots. I'm trying again outdoors, though. I was newly inspired by all the gorgeous plants in Southern California. There were so many succulents I'd never seen before everywhere. I used to really think they were ugly, but I'm converted by bright pink and orange and yellow flowers and deep purple varieties we saw.

Rock planters. BRILLIANT

Las Olsas and the Nature Center

2011-08-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Las Olsas, Cardiff

Our first full day in Encinitas we did so much! Besides walking downtown Encinitas, we also drove over to Leucadia and Cardiff to have lunch at Las Olsas. The restaurant was perched on the edge of a lagoon nature reserve, which we decided to check out even though Tyler objected. He felt it was too much like school to go "learn about nature".

Shells in the sidewalk. Hmm this nature center thing might not be too shabby...

San Elijo Lagoon Nature Reserve

We walked a very short trail, which was beautiful even in the grey weather. I can't imagine how magical it must be when the sun is shining. The preserve map cited several small trails and a larger loop accessible from the nature center and nearby neighborhoods and even a vista point on I-5.

Stuffed quail inside the nature center. The kids were impressed even though they didn't want to be.

Watershed in action. Uncle Gus explains how the watershed works to Tyler. He was interested for .25 seconds, one shouldn't actually learn something in vacation, you know.. Seeing how it works in action was pretty cool though. Tyler liked it in spite of himself, though he'll deny it if you ask him.

Always Magical

2011-08-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

Disney certainly gives cynics plenty to be cynical about: market over-saturation, mediocre movies, high prices, large crowds, crappy pay and benefits for those who work there, etc, etc. Regardless, I still find it magical, even though I probably shouldn't. No place on earth can make our kids speechless and grin till it hurts quite like Disney. Charlotte has never been to the parks and even though we couldn't do a full Disney trip the character breakfast was perfect for her to get her first taste of the ~~crazy~~ delight that is Disney.

The obligatory family picture that they then tried to sell to us for $30. Insert cynical statement here _____. This is the crappy one from my camera. Naturally we all looked tan and gorgeous and thin in their version.

Pluto hugs

Can you tell Charlotte was a bit freaked by Captain Hook?

Kisses for Chip (or Dale)

Baloo. Lily enjoyed this more than anyone. She grinned the whole time and I don't think she actually ate anything!

My favorite picture of Lily. Best smile ever.

For weeks leading up to this Tyler declared he was waaaay too old and that we had to tell the characters NOT to speak to him. You can see how that turned out.

This is the part that I think overwhelmed Charlotte. Actually she was probably less overwhelmed and more confused as to why strangers were singing to her.

The cupcake makes up for the singing awkwardness.

The highlight for my daughters. Lily was adorable. Charlotte was happy to see Cinderella but maybe a little over it at this point.

Hi 5'in Mickey Michael Jordan style.

Can you totally tell my husband was humoring me at this point?

2011-08-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

While the Sacramento Valley has scenery by the buckets and is beautiful in its own right, it doesn't have sandy beaches for miles and deep blue water as far as the eye can see. As much as I love the foothills, my soul finds rest and peace at the ocean. Since my brother and his family moved back to Sacramento from Southern California two years ago, I haven't visited or glimpsed the ocean except for the occasional trip to the Bay Area, which just isn't the same.

It was time, people. I suspect Tyler is wired the same way I am. He has been talking about missing the beach about as long as I have. He even recently said he'd rather go to the beach than Disneyland which for a kid is pretty impressive. It's also mighty convenient given our current survival mode on the job/finance front. We were blessed with the means to travel down south to visit my aunt and uncle in their new hometown of Encinitas last weekend.

My uncle recently moved there to be the City Manager (yay Gus!) and earlier this summer he strongly encouraged us to come visit him. You don't have to ask me twice to come visit you at your house less than two miles from some of the prettiest beaches in the state. We were only there for a few nights; with three kids the whole household guest/fish stinking rule definitely holds fast. You know, "after three days house-guests and fish start to stink." I think we left just in time. At least my aunt kept saying "Next time we'll have to see such and such sight/building/beach/park." So I'd say that's a good sign. Or she's really polite, it could really go either way.

Charlotte loves her Uncle Gus!

Aunt Tee and the kiddies at the Fellowship Gardens

As a blogger I always wonder if I should share vacation photos. I know for some people look at someone else's vacation photos is torture, but I figure if you follow blogs in the first place perhaps that isn't your issue, right? If it is this week will likely be a good one to skip, I'll be talkin up the vacay a bit.

Six!

2011-08-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

More accurately, Charlotte is three today, but she has been telling everyone she's six for a month now. We didn't have a party for her since we went to a character breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel while on our vacation last week. The older kids and I have talked about making her sunshine cupcakes for our Sunday night family dinner, which became rainbow cupcakes.

Then big sister decided to paint a rainbow mural in little's honor. Fruit is easily arranged in a rainbow pattern and viola! normal Sunday night dinner becomes a party.

I'm glad we did it just for the ear to ear grin on her face when everyone sang to her. I think she was too overwhelmed at Disney to really enjoy her birthday cupcake. The smiles last night were priceless!

I don't know what it is about new birthday clothes that transformed her from two to three. She looks so grown up!

Bring It.

2011-08-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

Two more weeks. In two more weeks the madness of school begins again, this time with two! Lily starts kindergarten and boy are we excited. Since last year's decision to have Tyler do 1st grade again we are doubly grateful that God laid it on our hearts to have Lily start kindergarten this year rather than last year. She has an October birthday so she would have been four for two full months of kindergarten and it just felt young.

It's a blessing that is for sure. Our kids are friends, yes, but competitive to the core. I can't imagine what being in the same grade would have done for their relationship. Maybe nothing. Maybe it would have been awful. I'm just glad we don't have to find out.

I'm not a weepy mom come the first day of school. I honestly thought I would be given my penchant for tears during commercials and birthdays and memorable family moments. It might be that my emotions are clouded with early mornings, and lunch making and homework battles. At least that has been our experience thus far. I think I have conquered the early morning thing much to my husband's relief. He took care of getting Tyler ready and out the door last year, but those days were numbered.

The kids had 8:30 am tennis and swim lessons all summer that required me to be dressed and out the door at 8 am, so we know I'm capable, if not willing. At least for dropping kids off at school I don't actually have to get dressed, right?

Waffles {Recipe Box}

2011-07-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

Did you ever have breakfast for dinner as a kid? I have fond memories of my mom making a bacon and egg scramble for us some nights. We always thought it was so special and fun, when in reality it was probably less for the novelty if it as much as because it was time to go to the grocery store.

I can relate.

Sort of, anyway. It's because we went to the grocery store that we had all the ingredients on hand for waffles. The pantry got slim when swim season started thus making Saturday morning waffles an impossibility. I'm not one to wait when an idea strikes me, so waffles for dinner it was. Aaron is usually on waffle and pancake duty due to my tendency to burn them, but he was busy tonight so I risked it and made them myself. We usually use the good old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook version, but being the rules breaker I am, I modified it quite a bit and luckily it yielded good results - everyone had seconds, even the kids.

Whole Grain Waffles

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
2tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, seperated
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cooking oil
directions 1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, oat bran, flax meal, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In another medium bowl beat egg yolks slightly; stir in milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy). In a small bowl whip eggs whites until stiff peaks form, fold into batter. Do not over mix, you want to see some of the egg whites throughout.
3. Pour 1 to 1 1/4 cups batter onto grids of a preheated, lightly greased waffle baker (use a regular or Belgian waffle baker). Close lid quickly; do not open until done. Bake according to manufacturer's directions. When done, use a fork to lift waffle off grid. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.
4. Makes 12 to 16 (4-inch) waffles

We ate our waffles with strawberry and blueberry compote, Nutella and a little dollop of plain yogurt sweetened with honey. Pretty fabulous dinner, if I say so myself. The waffles have a nice crispy outside, which is how we like them. The compote was perfect on top; I think without it the waffles may have been too dry.

I ♥ Sacramento {Taco Tuesday - Toledo's Taqueria}

2011-07-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody, it’s Emily, I’m back to deliver the last stop on our taco tour. Our time has gone so fast and parting is such sweet sorrow but before we say our goodbyes I’m excited to share a little taqueria that I believe is a hidden gem.

I assume not too many people know about Toledo’s Taqueria mostly because it’s actually a grocery store with a taco counter. Located below Arden Way on Fulton Ave a little past Filco’s appliances it’s a welcome distraction on those days when I almost accidentally go to the gym, which is located across the street.

Toledo’s is very authentic in that you can buy phone cards there, send money to Mexico there and also buy a blackmarket DVD out of the back of a mini-van that is oftentimes parked in front. It’s really ideal for a multi-tasking Mom.

Toledo’s serves real street style tacos, which means you should order at least 3. If I was having them for my whole meal I would probably order about 5, but I am quite enamored with tacos so you’ll have to make your own call on that one. The tacos at Toledo’s are tiny but what they lack in size they more than make up for in quality. The meat is diced super-small and the ingredients are fresh and well-executed. Plus! (this is the most exciting part) for some reason that I don’t understand, yet thank the heavens for they are served with a side of onions freshly caramelized on the grill. Yum.

Next time you accidentally almost go to the gym, stop by Toledo’s to fuel up first!

That ends our Arden Taco Tour. Thank you so much Claire for having me stop by!-Emily from NotoriousMLE

I ♥ Sacramento {Magpie Caterers}

2011-07-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we went to the wedding of two of our dear friends. Their reception was at Beatnik Studios and was catered by Magpie Cafe. The food was the best wedding food I have ever tasted and quite possibly the best food I have ever tasted. Ever. I have been hearing buzz about Magpie since their opening, but had never made it down to the cafe to try it out for myself. Stupid, stupid me! I could have been eating there all this time! Since then I have made it my mission to find an excuse to go there. Unfortunately for me the soonest excuse I could come up with was our anniversary last week.

We had dinner reservations at The Grange already, but decided to stop in at Magpie beforehand, anyway. Lucky for us it was still happy hour, so we got the specials - the Artisan Cured Meats (above) and the Smoked Trout (below) both of which were amazing. We both preferred the salami of the two meats, but didn't dislike the other enough not to eat every last bit.

Magpie Catering and Cafe uses all (or mostly) seasonal and local ingredients from Northern California. Many restaurants are doing this now, but I am hearing from friends and family that Magpie does it best. I have to say that I can't disagree.

Having had a delicious dinner at our friends' wedding just a few weeks ago, we were ok with having to part ways with Magpie at just the appetizers. We can't wait to go back for dinner soon.

Magpie Cafe
1409 R Street, Suite 102
Sacramento CA 95811

Phone: 916-452-7594
Fax: 916-452-1835 hello@magpiecaterers.com

Let's Go Fly A Kite

2011-07-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Great, now I have that song stuck in my head!

I forgot to post about Tyler's kite flying at school, so I am doing it now. It's mostly driven by the fact that he is spending the week with friends out of town and it's nice to see his sweet face even if only on the blog. He has gleefully informed us that he "doesn't miss us at all' and we should let him stay a whole extra week. It's only day 3 of 7 though I don't think he'll be missing us terribly after 7 days either.

You see, our friends have 4 BOYS. He is in pure Lego, Hot Wheel, Nerf gun, video game, wrestling heaven right now. It's truly no wonder he's in no hurry back to us. I know as his mother I should be heart broken that he doesn't miss us and the only tears he's shed are over the fact that I won't promise he can stay another week, but frankly I'm thrilled he's getting the boy time he needs. Sisters just aren't the same.

I ♥ Sacramento {Taco Tuesday - El Herradero}

2011-07-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody, As Claire mentioned my little guy and I were busy fighting off a cold that felt like consumption but we made it through and I believe that deserves a little celebrating… with tacos. Of course!

Today’s stop is a little place on Arden, just past Bell called El Herradero. There are several reasons I am a Herradero fan and first up is the décor. Herradero is in a stretch of Arden that best described as “auto-mall wasteland” and yet despites it’s shady local and super-cramped quarters the inside is wonderful. It’s filled with original paintings of horses and was obviously decorated with love and care.

Sometimes it’s the little things, right?

The second thing I love above El Herradero are their ceviche tostadas. The ceviche is fresh and clean and you usually get to choose between fish, shrimp or my favorite “combinado!” I know some of you are feeling uncomfortable with me eating “tostadas” on a taco tour and I understand that. It’s ca-razy rule breaking behavior.

Don’t worry. Their tacos are good too. In particular people rave about the carnitas, but don’t take my word for it, go check it out yourself and report back your favorites!

-Emily from NotoriousMLE

I'm just a taco tease.

2011-07-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's technically Taco Tuesday, so I should be posting another of NotoriousMLE's yummy guest posts, but alas Emily and her sweet son have been super sick for the last two weeks! So sad for then and for us as well have to wait for more taco yumminess till they finally get back on their feet. Being sick is no fun!

I ♥ Sacramento {Circus Imagination}

2011-07-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

When we were at the County Fair we had the joy of watching the delightful Circus Imagination in action. We liked it so much that we came back for the second showing in hopes that the kids could participate. Tyler made sure he waited front and center in hopes of getting picked.

Pick me, pick me!

He was the last one picked!

Circus Imagination is family owned locally (somewhat, they are in the foothills) and they travel to schools, fairs and community events showing kids how to put on their own imaginary circus. It is so fun and so easy! We are hoping to try it out with our kids and some of their friends one day. We had originally thought we might try it for our daughter's upcoming third birthday, but we think maybe we'll give a go when she (and her friends) are a smidge older.

Being the butterfly catching clown is an extremely important job.

There was an impressive "sharpshooter", Dead-eye McBang


The Butterflies running from the clown!

The menacing menagerie

Tina the Tightrope Walker

Trust me when I say it was darned adorable.

I ♥ Sacramento Guest Post {Taco Tuesdays: Chando's Tacos}

2011-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

For the next few Tuesdays, I am pleased to have my friend Emily guest posting her favorite taquerias in the Arden-Arcade area. Since it's my birthday week, trust me I'll be using that leverage to get me a taco or two for dinner this week!

Hi everybody I’m Emily Perez from NotoriousMLE and I’m so happy to be here guesting at Glitter and Grunge. Claire does such a great job pointing out SacTown highlights that I thought I’d join the fun and take you on a Taco Tour of the Arden area. You like tacos, don’t you? Of course you do. So let’s go!

Chando's Tacos

Our first stop is Chando’s Tacos. Located in a weird industrial strip west of the Capital City Freeway Chando’s blithely oblivious red and yellow paint job is a welcome relief for hungry travelers.

When you get there they will be blasting salsa. Non-Spanish speakers might not know this but salsa is not commonly played at taquerias, and good salsa is even more rare. I know you don’t know me but you must trust me! My husband is Colombian. I know of what I speak. I took my friend Jason to Chando’s last week and when he heard the music he turned to me excitedly and said, “Oh, it is so on.”

Indeed. There was a point when I thought I’d have to remind him we were there for lunch and not dancing.

Am I boring you with my salsa-blabber? Don’t worry. There’s so much more at Chando’s then ambiance! In fact I haven’t gotten to the most important part yet: their mouth-wateringly delicious tacos. Chando’s is literally a walk-up window with a patio in the back. Since they are tight on space they grill the meat on a spit in front of the stand. This means your taco meat is being produced approximately three feet away from Arden Way. Amazing, no?

They are literally street tacos.

Messy Mulitas

I spent a summer in Mexico City and when I’m at Chando’s it all comes flooding back, the smoky grill, the blasting music, the traffic and most of all the kind of tacos that you just can’t eat fast enough. In addition to tacos, quesadillas (excellent ones) and tortas they also serve a wonder of modern Mexico that they call mulitas. Mulitas are a quesadilla/taco hybrid. They are messy and delicious and everything you didn’t know you needed. But you need one. You need one bad.

On that dramatic note I bid you ado, but I’ll be back later to bring you two more taquerias worth trying in the Arden area!

Emily Perez

NotoriousMLE

Notoriously Loud. Notoriously Sleepy.

Notoriously Ready to Eat at All Times.

FINALLY!!!!

2011-06-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, people! It is finally Summer. Yesterday at 12:10pm school let out. I swear we were the last district to get out for the summer and it feels like some people's summer is already half over! We do have the luxury of a good old fashioned summer break - we won't see the inside of a classroom until the Tuesday after Labor Day, which is a rarity now.

WHOOSH

That would be the collective sigh of relief that both Tyler and I are giving right now. It has been a really rough year for all of us, one that has resulted in us deciding to have him repeat first grade again next year. Let me tell you, that is no easy decision to make.

Our son is already on the older end of the calendar with his January birthday and keeping him back meant that he'd be a 13 year old 6th grader and 19 year old high school graduate. At first we really struggled with what that might mean for him socially until we were chatting with friends and it turns out that two of our close friends were 19 when they graduated high school and we never even knew it! So much for that "social stigma".

The biggest thing that contributed to deciding to keep him back was that because of his lack of confidence in school he never wanted to study or do his homework. Simple (even on first grade terms) assignments would become epic battles that no one could win. Our sweet, cheerful, happy go lucky boy would cry and whine and moan about going to school, when previously he liked school.

Thankfully he had the sweetest teacher in the first grade whom he adored even though school was hard for him. She encouraged him and made him feel special even when he was struggling. Love her for that. Especially since I pretty much wanted to lose my mind whenever there was more than two pages of homework (which was often).

We are taking this summer to improve on handwriting, spelling, sight words and simple math problems so that next year he will hit the ground running. We are all really excited that Tyler will have the chance to be the top student in class next year.

But for now we are just going to take a deeeeeep breath and be super excited that SUMMER IS HERE!

Coffee Filter Flowers

2011-06-15T22:59:00.000-07:00

We are ALL ready for school to be over, even little sister. She knows Tyler wants nothing more to do with school and they would rather be playing (or fighting) all day. I have been in survival mode the last couple weeks. If we do to much fun stuff (like going to Six Flags, which we may have done last Monday) without Tyler there ends up being hell to pay for the rest of us.

I was honestly even hesitant to try the coffee filter painting with Lily for fear of how Tyler would react once he got home. All we did was paint coffee filters with watercolor paint and then arrange them into flowers. I think it was making them into flowers that changed them from a potentially cool 7 year old boy project into a decidedly girly project.

Wheew. Crisis averted.

Scout Living Grand Opening June 11!

2011-06-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

Last week I stopped into Scout Living to say hi to Toni (who is also a seller) and meet the awesome owners of Scout Living, Erin and Stefan. These folks are super nice! The store is still undergoing some arranging tweaks in preparation for their Grand Opening festivities this coming Saturday. Even in a somewhat unfinished state the place looks awesome. I can't wait to take Aaron there and start begging for birthday presents.

I would like everything from seller Blockhouse Modern (also known as Serene and Alan from Mimimito), but if I can't have all of it I will happily take the floral platter. And maybe the groovy floor lamp. The owners have rustled up some really fabulous pieces and sellers. It's the kind of place that makes me feel like just about everything they sell would be perfect in my house.

Locker room shelves!

I went to an old high school for a track meet or something one time. They had the shelves with wire baskets in the locker room instead of lockers. I remember, even at 14, being completely enamored with them. No wonder everyone thought I was a weirdo in high school.

Scout Living is having their grand opening festivities June 11. It you are planning to hit the town for Second Saturday, plan a stop at Scout Living. You won't be sorry! If you want to see more of what is being offered, check out Erin's write up on Scout Living at Bows and Sparrows. Her pictures are way more awesome than mine.

Groovetastic red couch. The reason why I need a living room!

Love these light fixtures! I bet they made them - something to ask about next time I go.

My girls gave me a heart attack playing with this mid-century children's vanity. In another life (the one where I'm rich) I'd love to buy it for them. They were adorable pretending to get prettied up in front of the mirror, but owning it at their ages and they way they treat furniture would be criminal.

County Fair Re-cap

2011-06-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Usually when we go to the county fair it's just me taking the kids. This year it was especially nice going to the fair because we went on a day that Aaron could come with us.I don't mind going on my own, but it sure is nice to have him with us. That way when we see hilarious things like the poster below we can chuckle over it together.

Every year area high schools create murals that line the entrance and usually depict the theme of the fair, which this year was "Story and Magic" or something like that. There were quite a few literal interpretations (magical books) but our favorite was this one by the local all girl's high school. We chuckled over the fact that probably only an all girls school could come up with a poster that included unicorns, centaurs, mermaids and candy.

The main thoroughfare. As we walked by a martial arts club was passing and holding "real weapons" (according to Tyler). He was quite impressed.

It ain't the fair without the tractor races. Every year a certain miss always finds the pink one. A fight was avoided only because our other miss didn't fit on that model. Not sure we'll be able to dodge that bullet next year. *sigh*

All the kids got a chance to lasso a bull. Only Lily ended up landing it, but alas, no picture. Instead gaze at our baby lassoing bulls in Snow White dress up shoes. Yup we let our kid for to the fair in dress up shoes.

Our brood in front of the Circus Imagination, which deserves (and will get) it's own post. It was definitely the highlight of the fair!

This clown looks reeeeeaaaly familiar...

Cake! And eggs! And canned treats!

And that, folks is the Sacramento County Fair in a very tiny nutshell.

It'll Always Be Marine World To Me

2011-06-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Lucky for us Marine World *ahem* Discovery Kingdom is practically down the street (ok, down the freeway about an hour). We can visit dolphins, sharks, seals, tigers, butterflies, macaws, and orca whales whenever the fancy (and a little bit of prep) strikes.

The kids especially love the silhouettes of all the different shark species. Tyler was especially impressed by the Great Hammerhead Shark.

Tyler is soaking wet after being forced to go down the Tidalwave ride, which terrified him, not once, but twice. Poor kid. Clearly he isn't going to get over it. And Charlotte loves the characters so much I am pretty sure she'd trade in her family to live with them.

Money, Money muuuh-nay!

2011-06-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Teaching kids fiscal responsibility is a foreign language to me. It seems like it's a really fine line to teach them that money is important and we all need it, but not to treat it like an idol or let money matters consume you. I feel like it would be as easy to become money-obsessed in the name of fiscal responsibility as much as it is to be so in the name of greed.

We haven't done a whole lot to teach our kids about money at home, but we have been pretty good when on vacation. Our last big vacation was at Disneyland, home to consumerism at its best. To combat the obnoxiousness that comes with seeing, then wanting everything in sight, in the months leading up to our trip, we had Tyler save change to be used as his spending money.

We got our boy a wallet and gave him $30 from the change jar - $10 for each day we were there. Once we got to the park, the very first thing we did was take him over to the "Bank" so he could get Disney Dollars. Seeing the pride on his face while he exchanged his money was awesome, though at first he was confused as to why this guy was taking his money.

Ultimately, at nearly 5, he was more interested in rides and characters than treats and toys (thank God) and he never really spent any of his money. Instead on the last day I he bought a bazillion piece Disney-themed Mr. Potato Head set which is still a favorite of grownups and kids at our house, so good spending!

How is this relevant to now? Both Tyler and Lily are old enough to understand and somewhat appreciate the value of a dollar and what it takes to earn a dollar. We told them that for our next Disneyland trip (whenever that is) that they would be responsible for earning the money for their own tickets. That is $200 per kid to pay for a 3 day ticket and be able to tithe or donate some of it to charity or a missionary at church.

(Imagine how thrilled I was when Lily asked me, "Mom, how old will I be when we have enough money to go to Disneyland?" Thank God the kids don't think they will be able to do this overnight! She will be six in October; I told her not to be surprised if she was 7 or 8 when we went.)

The kids have come up with some great money earning strategies. In addition to the classics - a lemonade stand and allowance - they have decided to have a "Project" (craft) sale, a talent show, and house sit while our friends and neighbors are on vacation. A friend suggested collecting cans and that one is the top favorite for now (because it's the easiest perhaps?).

This is actually further fruit of Aaron's job challenges - if he got that perfect job right away we likely would have gone of vacation as planned and done nothing more than give the kids their daily stipend. Not having the extra money to spend requires us to think outside the box and gives us an opportunity to teach the kids about hard work, saving, giving and then enjoying the fruits of their labor.

I think this is going to be a great lesson for all of us.

2011-05-31T23:04:00.000-07:00

Underground Gardens, Fresno CA

Those of you who we talk to on a regular basis know that since December Aaron has been looking for a new job. It's been pretty stressful. We have had our ups and downs as we have hoped for certain opportunities to work out only to find that they aren't going to.

While it's frustrating and stressful, it's also a chance to really trust God and what He has for us. There have been moments where I thought (and told people, lol) "If he doesn't get this job I'm really going to wonder where God is in all this!" I have my Debbie-downer moments, but really overall we are both really excited for the future.

The knowledge that this life and these trials and blessings are His very best for us is a constant comfort. In our worldly perspective a trial is never perceived as a blessing, but he know that God's promises are so much better than our own and that we don't always understand what He is doing in our lives until later.

All we know now is that we have much to be thankful for. We are healthy, our kids are healthy. We have a roof over our heads and food on the table. We have friends and family who love us. We have never truly experienced want. Our needs have always been met.

It would be nice to have that dream job, but until then we will be patient and praise God for what we do have.

I ♥ Sacramento {Sacramento County Fair}

2011-05-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yay! The County Fair is this weekend! For some reason I love the County Fair, but hate the State Fair. Probably because the County Fair still has cool competitions in baking, canning, table setting (Huh? Yeah.), baking and flower arranging. It's less crowded and less likely to have rowdy teenagers. It's cheaper and smaller and BETTER.

I love the County Fair. Where else can you get a cupcake and then just to your left find "Psychic Advice" from a "Consultant"?

...or stare into a frightening mass of bees behind glass and try fresh honey...

...and see horses up close and be afraid of them like the city kid you are...or watch the horse acrobats strut their stuff (heh) for prizes and ribbons?

Where else can you pet mini horses, which you are far less afraid of...

...and get sickeningly sweet cotton candies from the Candy Factory....
...and feel sorry for rainbow hued sheep...

...and cuddle with baby goats?

At the County Fair.

May 26-30
Admission $5 13 and up
kids 12 and under free

"I need to get out more."

2011-05-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

Oakland Zoo, 2008, Oakland, CA

Said the girl who gets out quite a bit. I've been going over my upcoming I {heart} Sacramento posts and there is a disturbing trend towards food. Lots and lots of food. Sacramento has places to stuff your face in spades and as many food related blogs to talk about them, so as much as I like to talk about food, I'm trying to diversify a bit.

State Fair, 2009, Sacramento, CA

I'm thinking this is probably good timing, with summer right around the corner. I don't do well with staying at home all day for days on end. There ends up being too much TV watched and junk food eaten and whining going on. And that's just me.

Thankfully this region is teeming with parks, lakes, trails, beaches, mountains, museums, shopping, and general funness of the nature I like best all within a day trips radius.

What is a "day trip's radius" you ask? It's the radius of the amount of time I'm willing to subject myself and my three kids to a car or train ride within one day.

So, basically about 2 1/2 hours. Maybe three if the fun is amazing, but honestly most fun isn't worth the barage of are we-there-yet's and sibling rivalry that seems to amplify when placed in a small space like, say, a minivan. You know, for instance.


Jelly Belly Factory, 2011, Fairfield, CA

The kids and I have made a little "wish list" of places we'd like to visit this summer. Our son has swim team practice every day through mid-August, so that may impede our ability to do much, but we shall see.

Micke Grove Park, Lodi- My friend Toni from Mimomito told me about Micke Grove and hoe awesome it is for kids. I just looked it up online and it does, indeed, look pretty awesome. With a Zoo, FunTown and Japanese Garden it sounds like a kid heaven.
WoW Science Museum, Lodi
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento
Visit as many Sac County libraries as we can. After I pay my fines, of course. Which i am sort of afraid to look at. The kids love checking out the different children's areas that the various libraries have. Most branches offer story and craft time, which is a huge bonus for my two younger kids. There is a summer reading program where kids can earn rides to the State Fair or coupons to area businesses. Since I have a reader who hates reading I can appreciate the bribery.
Explorit Science Center, Davis - It's limited hours during the school year have made it a challenge to visit before, but I have high hopes that we will make it this summer.
Fairyland, Oakland - Similar to Fairytale Town in Sacramento, but I am told it's bigger and a little more interesting for older kids.
Oakland Zoo - This is absolutely my favorite Zoo in Northern California. It's huge, the animal variety is great and the docents are wonderful. I'm hoping we can go more than once.
Discovery Museum, Sacramento
Aerospace Museum of California, Sacramento- Planes, rockets, space rovers? I will be my son's hero.
Tour The State Capito, Sacramento, CA
Sutter's Fort and the Indian Museum, Sacramento, CA
Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, CA- Tractors and large farm equipment might sound borning, but the kids are definitely jazzed about this one.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo - I have to add this because we bought season passes.So we are going at least two more times, to make the purchase worth it. I'll be honest and say that I am afraid for us all, since little kids, amusement parks and lines often spell disaster. And yet I continue to put myself in this position...

PS This is not a pledge to actually go to all these places. I'm not crazy.

I ♥ Sacramento {Block o' Sweets}

2011-05-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

1801 L Street, Suite 70

What? You've never heard of the Block o' Sweets and surely with a name like that, if it existed you'd know about it? Ok, so it's not exactly an official name but, trust me, it exists. Specifically, it's the block on L Street that houses TreyBCakes, Ginger Elizabeth Chocolate and Yogurtagogo among other great businesses the names of which I don't know, probably becuase they don't sell sweets. Yes, I have a one track mind at times. Sue me.

I'll take the whole tray!

Trey B Cakes probably wins the distinction of being my favorite place on the block mostly because it's open late. Not that I'm out late every often or anything, but it's nice knowing that a place with treats just as good (maybe even better) as Rick's is also open until the wee hours of the morning (or midnight. I have three kids. That is the wee hours for me.).

I regularly get the LuLu Cupcake, the grownup version of a Hostess Cupcake. Husband likes the gelato, which I have yet to try. He's not very good at sharing sometimes.

1801 L Street, Suite 60

Seeing as Chocolate is its own food group at our house Ginger Elizabeth's probably should be my favorite, but as an excellent artisan chocolatier it has excellent artisan prices, which is to say not at all excellent.

Now don't let that discourage you from going and trying the Coconut Curry (my personal favorite) or the tamer Lavendar, just know that this is a special occasion kind of place. The macaroons are delicious as well. They are the traditional french kind, which make me feel all fancy like Marie Antoinette, but with less tragedy.

1801 L Street, Suite 9

And lastly, we have Yogurtagogo, which is our kids favorite. Making their own frozen yogurt with toppings will always win out in kid world. And frequently in husband world. Whenever it's open it's his poison of choice.

It's good, but there isn't enough chocolate there for me.

Please don't blog this, mom. You are embarrassing me.

I ♥ Sacramento {Midway Antique Mall}

2011-05-11T13:59:00.002-07:00

I have been wanting to check out the Midway Antique Mall for quite sometime. Ever since Megan forwarded the link to Erin's post on Bows and Sparrows about them I have been scheming to get myself over there. A couple times Megan has said, "Come on, let's GO!" and I have turned her down becuase we didn't have any extra cash to spend on all the fun things that I knew I would want, but wouldn't be able to get.

On Mother's Day I knew it was the perfect day to go over there with the family becuase it's A) the one day a year I get to do exactly what I want all day long. and B) as such I would get to pick out goodies and my husband would happily spoil me. Win win.

"Hands behind your backs, kids." Well, one listened, anyway.

After church and lunch on Sunday we went over there with kids in tow. I mention the kids because some of you veteran antique mall goers might be cringing over the thought of a seven, five and two year old anywhere near an antique mall. I was, even though the kid to adult ratio was 1:1, about as good as it gets. My kids were angels. Maybe the stars were aligned, maybe Midway is really fun for kids or maybe it was the well placed mom-guilt I gave them the night before ("All I want for Mother's Day, kids, is for you to listen, be nice to each other and not whine all day. You can do that for Mommy, right kids?"). Whatever it was, it worked.


my kids have awesome taste in games

groovy miss kitty (only $50)

crochet hangers ($3ea)

The thing that struck me most about Midway was the impeccable condition all their pieces were in. Everything has been beautifully restored and most items look brand new, with a very small percentage (usually upholstery) looking only slightly worn. Record players, radios, telephones, clocks, watches all have been painstakingly restored and while they carry hefty price-tags a good friend who works there has mentioned that some peices may even come with warranties.

1940s Deco Glam room. Not my taste, but fun to see.

Another thing I noticed was how kind and helpful everyone was. No one seemed put out by the number of children we had with us (we were quite conspicuously the only ones there with kids) or with how loud they were, which while they were not whiny, they are still kids and were noisy. In fact I noticed a couple of the workers tailing us because they liked chatting with our 2 year old, who is by far our chattiest kid.

I came away with a few sets of vintage buttons (thanks Granny!) and a "MOM" coffee mug (thanks husband!) but not the perfect mid-century end table I was hoping for. It wasn't for lack of trying, they just didn't have what I needed. Bummer, cuz I can't use the Mother's Day shopping spree card again till next year.

Midway Antique Mall

5130 MADISON AVENUE * SACRAMENTO, CA 95841

PHONE (916) 779-6252

Hours M-F 10 am - 6 pm

Ok, free treats and TV might have had a role in the good behavior.

Mad Tea for Baby

2011-05-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's been so quiet on the blog for awhile partially becuase I was getting ready for a Mad Tea party shower in honor of the adorable new mom up there, Amanda. I'm sure she's not glad I took this picture, but I am, becuase she is too cute. The morning of the baby shower this woman ran a half marathon. Yeah. I know. She is amazing. Or crazy, but mostly amazing ;)

She's 28 weeks along, which is traditionally early for baby showers (so I am told) but being one to buck the system (take that, system!) and the fact that her BFF Nikki was in town and could be my co-planner extraordinaire, well, we went for it. I am so glad we did, not only do Nikki and I work spectacularly well together, it was just a fun time. And we all know how much I love a fun time. (A lot in case you didn't know).

Nikki has much better photos than I do on her blog, A Revolution of Self, so definitely check them out. She also ran the half marathon with Amanda and Amanda's husband, Jasen.

Nikki is inspiring herself, as she has recently reached some lifelong health goals which included becoming a vegan. She and her husband, Jordan are leaving in August to begin a new life as missionaries in Manila, Philippines. I am so excited to follow their journey on her blog and Jordan's (the link of which I can't find. Help anyone?). God is doing truly awesome things in Manila and they get to be a huge part of that.

You can see Nikki's enthusiasm for what she and Jordan have been called to do whenever she talks about her future home. I love love love talking to her. I love having such inspirational friends. That's what friends are for right? To love you for who you are, while still inspiring you to be a better person. At least I really feel that way about mine.

Since Nikki is a vegan I tried to buy or make lots of vegan treats for the party. The biggest hit of all was the peanut butter fudge our friend Megan made. Amanda's favorite treat combo is chocolate and peanut butter, so we had plenty of that. She also loves almond macaroons, which I got her (and forgot to give her so they went stale in my purse. Very sad) and I made an Almond Amaretto cake, which is a favorite in my family.

Both these recipes are so simple it would be a crime for you not to try them out. I haven't yet attempted the Amaretto Cakeas vegan, so that was the normal recipe.

I didn't get any picture of the fudge, probably becuase I was too busy stuffing my face with it. There were leftovers but I was too consumed with hiding it from my family to think about taking pictures of it.

Megan's So Good You Will Be Driven To Hiding It From Others Peanut Butter Fudge
Melt equal parts of (vegan)

Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter
with 1-2 T Maple Syrup

Let set. Cut up into little delicious pieces and try not to eat it all at once.SO SIMPLE. Dangerously so.

Amaretto Cake
1 Yellow Cake Mix, prepared as directed on the box, but baked in a bundt pan
(I usually get Trader Joes or Bob's Mill cake mixes)
1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
1 cup of good quality Amaretto
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 water

Grease the bundt pan and spread the slivered almonds across the bottom of the pan (it will create a pretty crust) before pouring the cake into the pan for baking.

Over med/low heat bring the water and sugar to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. If you want to keep the kick of alcohol in the cake, add the amaretto after the sugar is dissolved and begins to become slightly syrupy. If you want to cook off all the alcohol, then add all the ingredients at once. Cook it all down until it covers the back of a metal spoon (sort of like pancake syrup).

When the cake is cooled, but still warm, take it out of the bundt pan and slowly begin brushing the cake with the syrup allowing it to soak in. When you finally get tired of that (usually about 30 minutes for me) just dump what's leftover over the top of the cake.It'll still be delish.

Another Chapter...Kids Sports

2011-05-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

pre swim nerves

heading to the race

Our seven year old has joined the swim team.

We are in new territory, friends. We have officially entered the world of Kids Sporting Events, where parents live out their dreams through their children.

Ok, yeah, that's a bit pessimistic of me, but I have learned through my own and my three brother's sporting experiences that there is a segment of the parent population that gets a bit crazy when it comes to kids sports. And probably other things too.

Knowing this we prepped our boy quite a bit before his first swim meet. "Son, we are just here to have fun." "This is not about winning, it's about learning how to be a good team member and a good sport." "You are only in a race against yourself, don't worry about the other swimmers."

You get the idea.

lined up on the block and ready to go

Sure, there will be a time when winning, technique, improvement and beating personal bests will be more important and even encouraged, but not as a seven year old. Thankfully our coaching staff is really encouraging of the kids no matter their skill level.

Tyler is really enjoying his time on the swim team and is starting to make new friends (like the little dude next to him in the picture below) which really makes us happy. It was touch and go at the beginning of the day as it was FREEZING and Tyler has zero body fat, so the poor kid's teeth were chattering so much that he was getting a headache. It was pathetic and I thought for sure this whole swim team thing would be an epic fail.

we might need to work a bit on that entry dive...

Thankfully after we prayed together that his attitude would change and few well placed Lego bribes he pulled himself together and had a brilliant day. He finished last in all his swims and really wanted to give up during his 50 meter (two laps) swim, but he didn't which made us beyond proud. He was in tears when we pulled him out of the water, but the encouragement of his teammates, friends and family cheered him up quickly.


...and our freestyle stroke.

Later that night he was watching TV and the kid on show declared "I quit!" Tyler turned to me and said, "That's too bad. You shouldn't quit, I didn't quit and it was really hard to swim two laps."

I ♥ Sacramento {Mini Burger Truck}

2011-05-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Given last weekend's (almost too) hugely successful SactoMoFo, I thought I should talk about one of the real bright spots of the day, Mini Burger Truck. Twitter was on fire for them and if you have ever had the pleasure of catching up to the truck, you know why
.

I have been following Mini Burger Truck on twitter for awhile and literally following where they were, patiently waiting for them to tweet a location near me, so I could see what all the fuss is about. Finally, a few weeks back, they tweeted a location practically around the corner from me at the Broadway DMV, so I zipped out to the DMV offices on 50th and Broadway.

I was on a major time crunch as my husband was home that morning, but would soon be on his way to an afternoon meeting. Seeing as 50th and Broadway was only a few blocks from our house I figured I'd be fiiiiine. Plenty of time.

Not. They were at the other DMV office on 24th and Broadway. Fail. Well, sort of. I still got our burgers, but I made the hubs late to his meeting. Oh the things I do for a good lunch.

I don't have better pics of the burgers since I had to basically grab them and run back to my car, where I was yelled at for parking illegally (or at least in a private lot), drive as fast as was (legally) possible to get home to my hubby, hand him his lunch so he could drive as fast as was (legally) possible to his meeting, while (unwisely) eating while he drove. They were good enough burgers that he wasn't mad at me for making him late, so that says something.

p.s. When you attempt this, be smarter than me and check their schedule. You could double check on twitter since the city's lame food truck rules prohibit staying on one place longer than 30 minutes, but the online schedule is pretty helpful.

p.p.s. Because I know youare dying to know we got one of each of their regular menu burgers and the monthly burger, which at that time was the Phat Pig. We also got a side of sweet potato tots. Oh. My. Yum.

I ♥ Sacramento {Ashlee Gadd of Where My Heart Resides}

2011-04-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

I am pretty excited about this blogger feature, because Ashlee is so darn sweet. She has been writing her blog, Where My Heart Resides for about two years and has lived in Sacramento for 5. I found her lovely blog via Twitter, which is another good reason to get on board the social media bandwagon (several upcoming locals are twitter finds). Read on and be sure to pop into Ashlee's blog and say "Hi!" You can go ahead and tell her I sent ya ;)

What do you love best about Sacramento? Hands down, the people. Sacramento is a community, and I am constantly reminded of that in my day-to-day interactions with friends and strangers alike. Sacramento rallies for a cause like nobody’s business, and I love the energy in this city.

Favorite local haunts: Ooooh, so many to choose from! Café Bernardo, Temple Coffee on 10^th, L Wine Lounge, Yogurt-a-go-go, The Crest Theatre, Mix for dancing, and Marilyn’s on K for live music.
The best shopping in town is: Sacramento has the BEST thrift stores. The Goodwill on Watt Ave is amazing, and I love Thrift Town. Also adore Crimson and Clover, YSJ Vintage, and Face It.

When out of towners come I'm always sure to take them to: Depends on the crowd….any of my local haunts for sure, maybe Dive Bar to check out the mermaids, McKinley park for a picnic, movie at the Crest, a Rivercats game…

One thing I wish Sacramento had: An outdoor entertainment venue!

Ashley has kindly shared with us three of her favorite posts, Frozen, an essay on missed opportunity, Britt n Joe, a lovely photoshoot with her newly engaged friends and the sweetly hopeful, Finding Joy in the Future.Please take a few moments to say hi to Ashlee!

Jumpin back in!

2011-04-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Helloooo!

My goodness that was an unintentionally long break folks! Last week was my kids Spring Break and I had big plans for us. BIG PLANS. We were going to go hiking in Calaveras and to visit out of town friends and down to the river for a picnic and to every single ice cream parlor in town. It was going to be epic. Instead I laid on the couch sicker than sick with the worst cold ever (which was probably bird flu or something) and watched Disney channel with my kids all day.

Wait. What? You're saying that's all fine and good, but a whiny sick girl can still post a blog update? True story. However, one thing they don't tell you in Mom Training is that when you are sick and the kids are not there will be a level of boredom and whining emanating from every pore of your offspring's bodies. So in frustration at my darling children I slammed shut my laptop and managed to do it just hard enough to fry my hard-drive.

God bless my husband for being totally cool about it, though on Easter Sunday when Pastor Craig announced his new sermon series on anger, Aaron laughed and nudged me. Point taken. I will be taking diligent notes for the next few Sundays.

The laptop is still fried for now, but we dragged out the trusty desktop and I will have some great local blogger features for you! I am pretty excited about them! I will have my first later today and another one tomorrow. I might save my last one for next week, but we shall see. Either way, I'm jumpin in!

I ♥ Sacramento {Pancake Circus}

2011-04-14T11:43:00.001-07:00

If you know me well you know our family's love for Pancake Circus and if you read this blog with any regularity you have possibly been wondering when I was going to mention Pancake Circus. Or maybe you haven’t, because it’s more likely that you really don’t think of me or my family’s penchant towards a kitschy diner that borders on frightening (unless, of course, you love clowns) very often, or, like, ever. Either way I think I deserve a pat on the back for waiting this long to talk about Pancake Circus.

We freakishly love this place and have been coming for years. I’ll be honest and say that it isn’t the best pancake you ever had, or the best value, but that really isn’t the point. We started coming here not long after our first child was born, all our kids have sat in the little highchairs that clip onto the tables and giggled over the cartoon bears and lions over the lunch counter. The owner now greets us and the kids with a huge smile and an inquiry about school for the kids, work for the husband, life for me.

The waitresses, comically crusty at times, have all been there forever, know their regulars by name and even can list of the names of the grandkids. If you don’t go there regularly they serve you with quick matter-of-factness; you can count on being seated, fed and paid up in 45 minutes on a weekday. Expect long waits on weekends and holidays, an hour or more at times, but we have come to enjoy sarcastic banter with other hungry folk while we wait. I’m thinking that the Circus attracts a certain kind of customer because I am struggling to think of an instance where we haven’t had a witty exchange with the people waiting next to us. My husband enjoys himself a sarcastic witty joke with a stranger. Perhaps that is what he really likes about this place, people laugh at his jokes. The man loves an audience.

Breakfast deals begin around $7 and generally feature sausage/bacon/eggs and 2-4 pancakes. My favorite has always been the buckwheat pancakes with berry syrup. We (Aaron and I) usually get a Circus Special and share it. The kids are pleased as punch with dollar pancakes and hot chocolate. I didn’t start taking pics of Charlotte until after she ate all her whipped cream, but it was close to as tall as her head. No wonder they love it there!

Dangit. I haven’t had breakfast yet, now I’m hungry!

Pancake Circus

2101 Broadway

Sacramento, 95818

Hours: 6a-3p

p.s. they apparently now have t-shirts. Yes, I will be rocking one of those soon.

Bunches of Daisies

2011-04-12T20:59:00.001-07:00

It will probably come as a surprise to many who know me that not only was I a Girl Scout growing up, but that I actually enjoyed it. I joined the scouts as aBrownie, probably because my mom needed a break and the hour long meeting after school gave her relief from at least one of her four kids, even if temporarily. Girls Scouts, like a lot of things, was a mixed bag of great experiences and not so great ones, but looking back on it, it was a pretty meaningful character builder for me. Just for the heck of it, recently I took my girls into the Girl Scout Store near my house to take a peek around and was pretty overjoyed when my daughter was immediately intrigued by the patches and uniforms and books and cookies. She wanted to know if she could join and which uniform was “hers”.

Of course we didn’t leave the store without going over to the office and signing up for a troop. Within a day someone from the council called me because I had marked “willing to co-lead” on our sheet, which in Girl Scout-speak means “sucker”. Kidding. Though when the lady told me they had a leader shortage and if I wanted my daughter to be in Girl Scouts we’d have t take on a troop. Alrighty then. I’m about to disappoint that little vision in blue, so bring on the 6 year olds!

This Movie’s On Me

2011-04-11T00:14:00.001-07:00

Ok, not really, West Wind Drive Ins are picking the tab for everyone on April 14. Gates open at 6 pm and movies start at dusk.

I always thought the drive in theatres looked fun, but I was never allowed to go, probably in no small part due to fears that any potential dates I might have might have roving hands similar to Danny’s in Grease. Probably a good call on my Dad’s part. 15 years later, I’m married with three munchkins, and my drive-in movie date could have roving hands if he wanted. TMI? Don’t worry, we’ll stick to a PG family night and check out the West Wind drive in with kids in tow.

I ♥ Sacramento {2nd Sunday Antique Faire}

2011-04-08T23:32:00.001-07:00

9am: Wake up! Remember it’s 2nd Sunday and the Antique Fair at W/X is on!. You have no cash, but you can’t get any now because you are already running late for church. You haven’t even gotten out of bed yet.

9:30 am: Remember that your husband has a meeting all afternoon and can’t go with you to the W/X so it is just you and the three littles.

9:35 am: Consider not going. It’s hard with the littles.

9:37 am: Of course you are going to go, you always go, littles or not.

9:38 am: Begin thinking of potential bribes. $1 to spend on whatever they want has worked in the past, ok, let’s go with that.

10:00 am: Quit thinking about the Antique Faire and start dressing kids! You’re late!

12 pm: Church is over, time to high tail it our to the W/X. Kids are complaining they are hungry, but you decide to save time and get food at the Faire. Exit freeway and remember you still have no cash. Head off to do that while the kids whine and complain about how hungry they are and why are we stopping? and WHAT you have to get MONEY?! GEEZ, MOM!

12:02 pm: Ask yourself why you do this alone every stinking month and then tell the kids ~~to be quiet or they won’t eat~~ you’ll only be a second and you’ll be right back, you just have to run to the ATM.

12:10 pm: You’re parked. You’re out of the car. You’re IN.

12:11 pm: Three little voices ~~loudly~~ sweetly remind you they are hungry. So you get pizza. What kid dosen’t like pizza?

12:20 pm: Your kids didn’t love the pizza. Lemon garlic olive oil and sausage artisan pizza didn’t quite appeal to the preschool palette, so you ate yours and theirs. It was delicious. Now they are sharing a giant kettle corn, making this a meal all of you might regret later.

12:30 pm: Kids have eaten, but have started to fight over the kettle corn.

12:35 pm: Your oldest starts complaining loudly and saying things like* “Ugh! My BACK hurts!” “We have been walking FOR SO LONG!” (15 minutes) “This is the WORST DAY EVER!”

12:40 pm: you contemplate getting new children. Oh look! There is a table full! (Not at all creepy….)

12:45 pm: You spend the bribery dollar. Takes 10 minutes to decide on a few McDonalds toys you already have at home (and were probably purchased at last months faire). Now a new form of bribery needs to be determined.

1 pm: You test out some furniture. It’s agreed that you should buy the whole set. You’re extremely proud of her taste.

1:20 pm: Everyone has finally reached their limit of shopping/whining/walking, are now broke and treats are in order.

1:30 pm: Banana Splits. YES.

Can’t wait to do it all again next month.

Sacramento Antique Faire

Every 2nd Sunday

21st Street
(Between W and X Streets - Under the freeway)

Admission is $3.00.

Children 16 and under are free

Parking is free

2011 Faire Dates:

April 10

May 8

June 12

July 10

August 7

September 11

October 9

November 13

December 11

*Yes, my boy says some combination of these remarks EVERY single time we go.

Do something good today

2011-04-06T09:48:00.001-07:00

Not that you don’t do amazing things everyday, I’m sure you do, but you can do something especially good today and buy the new Lullabies for Getty CD by The Damnwells. If you purchase it directly from the Lullabies for Getty website more money from the sale goes to The Getty Foundation, which I shared with you all here.

Isn’t she just gorgeous?

Sweet little Getty has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, SMA, a degenerative muscle disease and is terminal. Most children diagnosed with SMA type 1 (which is what baby Getty has) have 2-3 years to live. Researchers for the cure say that they are within a few years of finding a cure. Can you imagine? By purchasing this CD we can actually make a very real and lifesaving difference to babies and children with SMA!

You can preview everyone of the beautiful songs here and download the entire CD for $9.99 here. DO IT! Please?

And then you can ignore me forever if you want. (But please don’t, I like you all.)

Shop Sacramento {Cranes for Japan}

2011-04-05T09:28:00.001-07:00

I love supporting local businesses and am always a sucker for a good cause, so when I saw the Cranes for Japan shop I was hooked! Local lovely Erica Jue is the kindhearted gal behind Cranes for Japan. She is donating 100% of the proceeds from sales of these awesome crane t-shirts to Save the Children's Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund. Since the sun has finally made an extended appearance in the valley, now is the time to stock up on short sleeved warm weather wear!

Girl’s V-neck and Boyfriend tees are $22; Guys Tees and V-necks are $24. Great deal for a cool shirt benefiting a good cause!

Close up of the crane. Love how it looks against the heather gray tee.

Pretty Ballerinas

2011-04-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

I realize the photos are awful and blurry, but part of me likes the action it conveys. We had the stereo turned up super loud to “dancing music” and Lily held a dancing class for Charlotte. My favorite part is Charlotte’s “leotard” (Little Mermaid bathing suit).

Twirling

Perfectly in sync

Lessons in a proper curtsy

I want some stripey tights!

(Note to self: get a rug, hide the tv cords, break the kid of the paci habit)

There’s a new kid in town.

2011-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the first Sacramento Craft and Flea Market under the W/X, which is slated to be every 4th Sunday of the month. Around 250 vendors were lined up according to the event website, but Saturday’s monsoon scared off most of the vendors. After last week’s epic rains I needed a day out and my friend Megan (and her mom) was happy to join me.

There were a few craft vendors and quite a few “newly manufactured goods” vendors. Seeing as the parking lot wasn’t full this time, I am unsure if this will end up being a great place to find unique artisan and handmade goods or a good place to find cheap stuff. I really really hope it will be the former and not the latter.

Megan is a good model to have around - for lots of reasons, but especially because she looks cute in sunhats.

Think the birds will think these are pretty? I know my mother would love them. They kind of remind me of something out Alice in Wonderland.

It would be really cool to see some local food trucks out there and at the Antique Market someday. Mini Burger Truck maybe? One could hope. Yes, everything does eventually come back around to food.

Pretending I’m Julius at Iva Gard Shepherd Garden and Arts Center

2011-03-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

I’m no Shulman, but a girl can dream.

Eichlerific has some pictures of the fireplace inside that make me want to try to visit during an event, so I can take a picture. Also, flickr user atomicpear has some other great interior shots.

I ♥ Sacramento {Getty Owl Foundation}

2011-03-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

Sweet Getty and her mom, Kate

Whatever your opinion is of Sacramento there is one thing that I think everyone should agree on – Sacramentans care about each other and the world. Sure we have lots of problems, what city doesn't? Yet we try very hard to make sure our homeless population is cared for through numerous charities and church ministries, hours after the disasters in Haiti and Japan local bloggers and residents were already organizing relief fundraisers, and when we hear about little ones in our community suffering, we pitch in to help however we can.

Sacramento blogger Stacey Ball is no different and has started the Getty Foundation in honor of her friend’s sweet baby girl, Getty, who was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) when she was four months old.

The Getty Foundation website describes SMA as “an inherited disease that causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. Infants, like Getty, with SMA Type 1 (SMA1), the most severe type of SMA, are born with very little muscle tone and weak muscles. They develop feeding and breathing problems as the weakness gets worse over time. The weakness eventually becomes severe.

There is no cure or treatment for SMA. The lifespan with SMA1 is seldom longer than 2 – 3 years.”

For parents of newly diagnosed children this news is shocking and completely devastating to say the least. When little Getty’s parents got the news Stacey knew she needed to help however she could and the idea for The Getty Foundation began to take shape. Please visit the Getty Owl website for more information on Getty and the Storm family’s journey with SMA.

The Getty Owl Foundation was established in February of 2011 with the goal of raising money to assist families who are newly diagnosed as well as fund research for a cure for SMA. Getty is not personally benefitted from funds raised for The Getty Foundation, though there is a place to donate for Getty specifically on the Foundation website. Both the Sacramento crafting community and blogging community at large has come together for Getty in a very beautiful way.

Getty just celebrated her first birthday on March 25th (yay Getty!) with a special giveaway filled birthday party held virtually on the foundation blog.

Coming soon is the release of the "Lullabies for Getty-Sweetwater Child" album available to download on iTunes. I have heard a few songs from this album and it is truly not one to be missed. Absolutely beautiful! You can get a little listen yourself on the Getty Blog.

If you are interested in joining us in helping The Getty Foundation please consider participating in any of these upcoming events:

June 11th: 2nd Annual GETty Crafty at Fremont Park from 10am to 3pm.

August 13th: SMA Awareness Night and SMA Art Auction: meeting at the capital and walking through the streets of 2nd Saturday to support awareness. There will also be an art exhibit by children and parents with SMA, live music and crafts at various locations in Midtown.

September 19th: 2nd Annual Getty Owl Golf Tournament at Granite Bay Golf Club

December 4th: Team Getty runners will be participating in the California International Marathon. There are 80 runners currently with more signing up every day.

February 26, 2012: First Annual Getty Owl Run: Quarter Mile Kids Race/5K/10K with post race family festival.

If you would like more information on any of these events please email Stacey at hoot@gettyowl.org.

I ♥ Sacramento {California Auto Museum}

2011-03-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

This picture will be embarrassing these kids for years to come.

California Auto Museum

2200 Front Street Sacramento, CA 95818-1106
Ph: (916) 442-6802
info@CalAutoMuseum.org

7 days a week - 10a – 6p
Third Thursdays open until 9p
Admission is FREE for members
$8 Adults
$7 Vintage (65 and older)
$4 Students (with current student ID)
Children 4 and Under free
Call for group rates, Reduced for AAA members

I have lived in Sacramento for umpteen years and only went to the California Auto Museum for the first time last week. This is a fact that I find particularly noteworthy for several reasons. First, growing up my parents took us to museums all the time. Every time we traveled we trotted to all the local museums. Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum? Been there. Creepy Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum? Done that. (Twice! Once as a kid and once on my honeymoon. Yup, dragged the man there two days into our marriage. We’re still married, so that’s something.) World of Coca-Cola “Museum”? Bought the t-shirt.

Second, I have three brothers. How could any self respecting parent of boys not take them to a museum devoted to cars? Ok, that was probably stereotypically lame, not all boys love cars, but it brings me nicely to my third and final point.

My dad and brothers loved vintage cars! We spent many a weekend at vintage car shows! How did we not go to the auto museum? Of course, now one of my brothers is going to comment saying they had memberships or something and just never took me because I was a self absorbed teenage girl, whatever, guys. What. Ever. Ha! Who am I kidding, my brothers don’t read my blog.

Anyway, The auto museum was a total win for our 7 year old. As soon as we walked in and he saw the kelly green Lamborghini he was saying “Mom. MOM, MOM. You are soooo awesome! Thank you for bringing me here!” Charlotte (the 2 year old) was tailing him saying “Awesome! Awesome!” in her little helium sounding voice. Lily is generally too cool for everyone, but she was pretty excited herself. Go mom!

The experience was even more fun because we were escorted most of the time by a very knowledgeable docent (whose name I forget, bad me). He was a super nice retired CHP officer and was patient with our kids who might possibly have had a hard time keeping their paws off an Italian race car or two.

This beast was entirely “home”made out of Caddy parts! It ended up at the museum when it broke down not to far away from Sacramento. The owner decided to donate it and built a whole new one! Our docent said that it was a huge hit at last year’s State Fair. I’m hoping they bring it out again this year because I want to see that puppy up close.

I took probably 100 pictures on our visit; I’ll show some restraint and stop posting so that you have something to enjoy when you go to the California Auto Museum.

Because you are gonna go, riiiight?

I ♥ Sacramento {Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary}

2011-03-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary Patricia L. Holmes Adoption Center

6001 Folsom Boulevard
(at the corner of 60th Street and Folsom Blvd in East Sacramento).

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 12p-6p

(916) 556-1155

purrball@happytails.org

I am going to be honest here and say that this is more of a “My Kids ♥” scenario, than I do. As most my friends and family know I am terrified of cats due to unfortunate experience while babysitting a family with a cat who had a brain tumor. It ended rather badly. For me. It will likely come as a surprise to them that I entered not only a facility that rescues cats, but the little rooms that housed 8-12 of them in a small space. Living dangerously, that’s me.

Rational (or not) fears aside, when my kids asked to visit the kitties at Happy Tails on adoption day I said ok, because I may be a fraidy cat (har har) but I’m no jerk and Happy Tails does a good thing for Sacramento’s homeless cat population. The kids loved visiting the cats and Charlotte only asked once or twice if she could take home a “little kitty”. We all know what the answer was.

This kitty needs a home! He sat perched just waiting for the door to open so he could dart out. He had the prettiest coat, too. You can see him in the background of the next picture ready for “freeeeeedom!”

Charlotte was in heaven and tried to pet every cat who strutted past her, and Lily cautiously pet a few of them, but Tyler was content with just looking. All three kids wanted to come back, so we may make it a regular thing to come visit the animals since we won’t be adopting a pet any time soon (Famous last words, right?).

This cat was super shy whenever someone entered her enclosure, but the moment the kids walked by she batted the glass, ready to play. Lily was completely enchanted by her.

This room housed the older “grumpier” cats and we were advised not to visit with them, as they have a tendency to scratch. No need to tell me twice!

Cats and some dogs can be adopted through Happy Tails anytime. Their adoption page on the website has all the info you’ll need to bring home a new member of the family. If you decide to adopt a pet please let me know!!

I ♥ Sacramento {Capitol Dawg}

2011-03-23T12:44:00.001-07:00

Capitol Dawg

Phone: 916.444.1226

1226 20th Street (Between Capitol & L)
Hours: 11a-8p Monday-Saturday, 11a-9p on 2nd Saturdays, closed Sundays

I wasn’t planning on posting this yet, but since Groupon is featuring Capitol Dawg for Sacramento’s deal, I thought I’d give them a shout out and tell you to go get a Groupon if they are still available.

They had me at hello. I was pretty hopeful that a place willing to call 1/3 of their potential critics idiots right from the get-go was good. We went to Capitol Dawg on a weekday around 5, so it was dead, which is a serious plus when your menu is mind numbingly long and you have to order for four kids (my 12 year old sister was with us) and your selves. Everyone ordered quickly except me. I hemmed and hawed and changed my order once or twice, which is a luxury probably not afforded to most people since I have heard it can get busy in there. Pays to eat dinner at senior citizen hours, I guess. Oh yeah, it was also St. Patrick's Day, so people probably weren’t at the point yet where a hot dog slathered with chili cheese and hot pepper sauce sounded good.

The décor is fun and it was tempting to sit inside just to look at it all, but the weather was nice and rain was in the forecast so we took the show outside to their patio.
Notice that tiny green frame on the wall? Justin Beiber eating a hot dog. Yuck. I took a picture of it because it got my sister all red faced and googly eyed (I’m only this mean because my teenage crush was much more original – Fred Savage from the Wonder Years. Everyone else was all about Jordan Knight or Donnie Wahlberg.).

Prop 51 (Chicago Style) - mustard, green relish, onions, tomato, kosher dill pickle spear, sport peppers, celery salt , poppy seed bun

Sutter’s Fort (Our own taco style) guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, mild salsa with grilled onions added. It was decided that my hot dog was the best. WIN for the hemming and hawing!

Tesla Dawg (Coney style): mustard, chili, onions.

WINNING!

Can I be Julius Shulman when I grow up?

2011-03-22T23:17:00.001-07:00

I always joke that I didn’t finish college because I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up and my husband couldn’t afford to put me through school just for fun. It would probably be more funny if it wasn’t totally true. We have talked off and on very casually about me going back to school, but when we land on the topic of majors I always get flustered and things just start tumbling out of my mouth. “Art. No, marketing. Er -- photography, no no no, English--history--business! Ah, nevermind.” and I go back to making dinner, or corralling kids, or un-pausing the TV.

Even though we only talk about it rarely, who I want to be when I grow up is always in the back of my mind. I am fully content and happy with this whole mothering gig I’ve got going, so it’s not like I’m itching to be someone else or resent my family for keeping me from doing something great or some such nonsense like that. I actually think what I love most about wondering what I will be when I grow up is the wondering. I like dreaming and planning and talking about big grand amazing plans even if ten minutes later I’m yelling at the kids to clean up the puddles they left in the bathroom after their showers.

After watching the documentary Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman* I decided I want to be him when I grow up. He photographed modern architecture in the 40s and 50s. His pictures are iconic and if you are imagining midcentury modern architecture, one of his images is likely floating through your brain. Perhaps even this one.
Within 5 minutes of the movie starting I was so touched by Shulman’s energy (he was in his early 90’s during filming) and passion for what he did. I smiled and laughed through most of the movie and even cried twice, once when he donated his entire life’s work to the Getty Museum and once when he received an honorary architecture degree. Just beautiful. While I don’t have one iota of his photographic talent I can relate to how he felt about buildings and the city he loved.
I love buildings (usually of a certain age) and vintage signage. Luckily for me, Sacramento has them both in spades. For years I was too embarrassed to get out my camera every time I saw a sign or building I wanted to photograph, but after seeing a few of my favorite landmarks (Nut Tree, anyone?) disappear I realized that I needed to get braver if I wanted to record my favorite bits of Sacramento and beyond. You never know when Burr’s Fountain might decide to get a new sign and ruin my day.
*Hey-oh! Crocker Art Museum is hosting a screening of Visual Acoustics April 7 at 7! We will be there, you should go. (Thanks, Toni for telling me about it!)

I ♥ Sacramento {Beers Books}

2011-03-21T11:12:00.001-07:00

Beers Books
915 S Street
Sacramento CA 95811

(916)-442-9475

Hours:
Mon. – Wed. 1oa – 6p

Thurs. – Sat, 10a – 8p

Sun. 11a – 5p

For about a year while I was in college I worked downtown on L St near the capitol. I was a ~~really bad~~ administrative assistant to a lobbyist and soon after I started work I discovered Beers Books at their old 15th and L location (where Cafeteria 15L is now). I escaped the office and enjoyed many a lunch hour in Beers Books. I used to buy cookbooks, CS Lewis and the occasional classic to read on the hour long bus ride I had from work to my apartment out on Fulton Avenue.

When we were dating my husband would buy me books on his lunch hour as well. The first Christmas we were together he bought me a book on physics and astronomy. I had clearly mislead him to believe I was far smarter than I was(am). He never buys me books anymore. Now he buys me People. (And I sold the physics book at a garage sale.)

Beers Books has been in business since 1936 and has had only four owners (and as many locations). It’s most recent location on S Street is large and sprawling (for an indie bookstore, much less a used indie bookstore) and definitely has the look and feel of the public library, which probably is due in no small part to the old library chairs everywhere.

Beers is definitely a place to get lost in for a few hours to find something you didn’t know you needed. They do buy some new books and will special order anything you want, if you don’t mind waiting. They also buy books and list what they are currently buying on their website. They are apparently rather well known for their metaphysical department, and seem to have quite a few books that collectors drool over. You can check their blog for the “book of the day” (which ironically doesn't appear to be updated daily) my favorite being the recent “1886 Professional Criminals of America”. The blog and website also list their regular sale days, the best being 20% off on Second Saturdays.

The signage all over the store was funny. My junior high self enjoyed it immensely.

Do you remember these books? I thought this one was particularly funny. Pretty much a rear shot of a winged horse thing that sorta looks like it passes butterflies instead of gas. Yup, no wonder the moral of the story is “Laughing at yourself can be the most fun of all.”

$7 each. I reeeeally wanted all of them. Cuz they’re pretty.

Also, on another note, they are not shy about adult books (Meaning books with titles you might not want your school aged kids reading out loud. Or at all. The parent in me had to mention it.) many of which are displayed by the register, which we thought was a funny sales angle. Either they know their clientele well and display what the people want up front and easy to find or these are the titles punks are most likely to run off with so they keep ‘em close. Something tells me it might be a little of both.

Chocolate ‘n’ peanut butter belong together. Fact.

2011-03-20T21:08:00.001-07:00

It’s becoming a joke around here that I always add peanut butter to everything. I blame Amanda for this because she brought over brownies one night for dessert and before throwing them into the oven to bake swirled a heaping spoonful of peanut butter into the brownie batter. I was hooked from then on, especially now that most of my baking is gluten free.

My favorite gluten-free cupcake mix is (so far) the Betty Crocker gluten free chocolate cake mix. I have never really been one for following rules which is probably why I like baking mixes so much. They lend themselves well to rule breaking – even the gluten free variety. It’s not like I break a ton of rules (How’s that for justification?) just one or two substitutions and an add-in here and there. No one around here is complaining, that’s for sure.

This would also translate pretty well to a regular baking mix, no doubt. Most cake mixes call for eggs, oil or butter (fat), and water, so what I do is replace the fat in cake mixes or brownies with peanut butter. I figure that if I have to have a fat it might as well be peanut butter, right? That’s healthy…there’s protein, too. (Wait. Is peanut butter even a fat?)

It’s ok. You don’t have to agree with me. I have it all justified just fine in my world. In case you do agree with me or are just curious here’s my method of making cupcakes.

Chocolate/Peanut Butter/Banana Cupcakes with Marshmallow “Frosting”

You’ll need 1 Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Cake mix (Makes one 8 in round or 12 cupcakes).

Follow package directions except substitute peanut butter for oil/butter.

Add 1 ripe mashed banana.

Mix and pour into cupcake tin; bake according to package directions.

When the cupcakes are done kick on your broiler to high, but don’t adjust your racks on the oven.

Take a marshmallow and place it on top of each cupcake and broil them till they are toasty.

Take the cupcakes out of the oven and smoosh down the marshmallows before they cool so that they cover the cupcakes like frosting.

Try not to eat them all in one day.

For Japan With Love

2011-03-17T22:41:00.001-07:00

Donate via For Japan With Love to benefit Shelterbox, the first organization on the ground immediately after the tragedies in Japan.

I ♥ Sacramento {Nopalitos Southwestern Café}

2011-03-15T10:52:00.001-07:00

Nopalitos Southwest Cafe
5530 H Street
Sacramento, CA 95819
(916)452-TACO(8226)
nopalitos@nopalitoscafe.com

It isn’t unusual that I will try a new (to me) place in town and find that it is so good that I am mildly ashamed of myself for not going sooner. I have never felt more ashamed of myself for not going somewhere sooner as I was when I finally stopped in at Nopalitos Southwestern Café. Lily and I had a rare mommy and me time where it was just the two of us so we ventured out for some breakfast. I have been driving past Nopalitos and not stopping in for twelve years. My sorority in college (Yeah, I was a sorority girl. Whatcha gonna do about it?) had a storage unit down the street that we went to all the time. And I never stopped in. I commuted down J street for a couple years. And I never stopped in. I have lived a scant 10 minute drive away for the last five years. And I never stopped in. Oh the breakfasts I have missed out on! And I, not unlike Ron Swanson, love breakfast food. Though maybe not as obsessively as he does. I mean, I have yet to hang framed breakfast food art in my office, but I’m not dead yet so you never know.

Lily and I shared a smoked bacon scrambled eggs plate with bacon, eggs, potatoes and two huge slices of extra crispy bacon all for $6.50. Reasonably priced for a moderately sized breakfast. Not sharable with the husband or the boy kid, but certainly sharable with one (but not both) of my girl kids. I very much enjoyed the salsa bar, though neither the medium or hot salsa seemed to pack any punch. I’ll reserve final spiciness judgment for another visit since house made salsas could vary depending on available ingredients, I suppose. Don’t worry I’ll be going back to make sure for you.

Probably what I loved most about this place was that it had a real lived in, community vibe. We sat outside and within minutes we were having a conversation with the nice couple across from us who said they visited regularly, the food was great and that I made them feel old (I was wearing my dad’s 1976 high school letterman jacket. The man graduated the same year and was mildly perplexed that he could have a daughter my age and grandkids. Ha!). Nopalitos has been a pat of the East Sac community since 1992 and I hope that it’s there for quite a bit longer.

I ♥ Sacramento {Erin of Bows and Sparrows}

2011-03-14T08:46:00.001-07:00

5% of people cannot roll their tongues like that. I am among that 5% and am thus extremely jealous that she can.

I am excited to introduce you all to Erin today. She runs Bows and Sparrows an awesome fashion/lifestyle blog where she shares gorgeous fashion, home and musical finds. This girl has amazing style and frequently features local businesses, artists -and most recently- fashion mavens, on her blog. Her photography is beautiful, especially on her Closet Case series. I’m not gonna lie, when I realized that she was from Sacramento I was pretty over the moon about it and knew that I was going to be featuring her for I ♥ Sacramento. She is just all kinds of adorable and super sweet to boot. Recently I asked her a few questions about Sactown and her favorite haunts and she happily shared with me.

Perfect gold sequins

How long have you lived in Sacramento? I moved to Sacramento in 2002 - although, I've lived in the area for most of my life (namely Davis and Chico).
What do you love best about Sacramento? Honestly, the thing I love most about Sacramento is the community and support system that I have in place. My group of friends are pretty much the most amazing people and I can't imagine moving - unless they're coming with!

Erin features beautiful, stylish local ladies for “Closet Case”

Where are your favorite local haunts? I think this list changes depending on the weather, but a few of my current go-to haunts are the Shady Lady, Temple Fine Coffee and Tea, Magpie Cafe, Azul, Kasbah and Badlands (for dancing).
Where is the best shopping in town? I love supporting local boutiques like Fringe21, Cuffs and Krazy Mary's. Of course, I have to admit that a lot of my shopping also happens at Target, Urban Outfitters and Loehmann's.

On a recent walk around the city Erin and her friend Nathan discovered Stitch - gorgeous urban living

When out of towners come I'm always sure to take them…The last time my friend Willow was visiting from NYC, we took her to Bulls (1330 H Street). It was the middle of the day on a weekday and the place was dead. Still, we thought it would be a really unique place to go and none of us had ever been. While none of us actually rode the mechanical bull, the bartender did let us climb onto it for some photo ops. Oh, and we played some shooting game and drank Pabst. It was very classy. That said, I generally take out-of-towners to my local "haunts" (see list above) because I want them to get a taste of what my life in Sac is truly like. and avoid taking them… There aren't necessarily places that I intentionally avoid - it's more that there are places that don't even register on my radar, you know?

Erin reminds us that every lady needs a little Chanel

What are your favorite blog posts? The blog posts that I love the most are my "Closet Case" interviews, where I get to go inside the homes and closets of some of Sacramento's most effortlessly chic ladies (and, on the horizon, gents). I have a very voyeuristic side to me, which I think a lot of people can relate to. There's something so fascinating about how other people live - I think that's why blogs are so popular, we get to take a peek into the lives of others. For me, these "Closet Case" posts satiate that desire of mine. Plus, all of the ladies I have featured have been super unique, sweet and awesome people. It's been a blast getting know all of them.

------------

Raise your hand if you knew Sacramento had a mechanical Bull riding Bar? Yeah. Me neither.

Thanks, Erin!

Be sure to visit Erin at her blog, friend her on Facebook and follow her on twitter. She is delightful no matter where you find her.

All photos are courtesy of Erin S. for Bows and Sparrows

I ♥ Sacramento {Lulu Forever}

2011-03-14T01:24:00.001-07:00

Lulu Forever

315 33rd Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

Monday-Saturday 10a-6p

(916)444-7309

I love vintage clothes. Ever since I was in high school and my Granny trotted out my two aunts’ 1960s and 70s prom dresses I have been head over heels for vintage. In my high school and college days (read: skinny) it was super easy to find great vintage clothes. I still have many of the pieces I bought at thrift stores back then because I am in denial that I may never wear them again. What does this sad sad story have to do with Lulu Forever. Well, not much other than to say that Lulu Forever stocks clothes for everyone (read: those who may wear a large or extra large). That is not to say that other vintage stores don’t, but the owner, Marayah, takes special care to have a wide range of sizes and in all sorts of things – dresses, skirts, coats, bathing suits (yeah! bathing suits!) and more. Her collection of vintage is mostly 50-70s with some pieces from the 80s and 90s that fit the 50s-70s aesthetic. In other words, she carries the kind of clothes I want to wear everyday.

I was thrilled to run into Toni and Serene from Mimomito, who were there to feature Lulu Forever for their wonderful blog as well (great minds think alike, I tell ya!). Serene took the most gorgeous photos, definitely check them out. I bought the dress below (still figuring out how I want to style this one.) a great belt and went back the next day to buy a lovely hot pink 1950s era hat. As I was walking out the second trip, I found two cardigans that have my name written all over them, so suffice it to say that I love this store.

As a thank you to all my readers Marayah has offered a 5% discount to anyone who mentions “Glitter and Grunge I heart Sacramento” and an extra 5% for anyone who friends Lulu Forever on their facebook page. Their prices are beyond reasonable, so an extra 10% will create some out of this world deals!

I ♥ Sacramento {What To Do This Weekend}

2011-03-11T21:39:00.001-08:00

Unless you have been living under a rock or moved here yesterday you probably are well aware of the activities that Sacramento has to offer this weekend.

But just in case here is a short rundown of the haps.

Second Saturday Art Walk – Start times vary, but most events are concentrated downtown/midtown. Map of events and short descriptions of gallery shows can be found at their website.

Midtown Bazaar – I St between 16th and 17th. Handmade arts and crafts market happening every Saturday from 12p-5p, on Second Saturdays from 12p-9p. Vendor lists can be found on their website.

The Owl Song (starts at 46 seconds)

Autumn Sky at Luigi’s Fun Garden – 1050 20th Street, 8:30p, $5. If we didn’t have a family commitment tomorrow night we would be going to see Autumn Sky.

Sacramento Antique Faire – WX under the Freeway, 6:30a-3p, admission $3. Over 300 vendors. Need I say more?

Sacramento’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Old Sacramento, 1 pm, Free. Put on by the Old Sacramento Business Association, most restaurants and businesses will have special Irish themed menus all day.

A creepy collection of kid pics at the Antique Faire. See anyone you recognize?

And in case you were wondering we have plans to take advantage of the weather and have a picnic in Capitol Park. My husband works in “The Building” as it is otherwise known and our kids are fascinated by Daddy’s work. They may or may not believe he is the governor. We have never taken a tour of the capitol as a family and seeing as it’s free, we’re going to do that with the kids before heading to a 25th Anniversary Party in a wine cave tomorrow night. Which I am pretty excited about. A party in a cave is sure to be good.

Future Project Runway Contestant?

2011-03-10T22:18:00.001-08:00

A couple Sundays ago we were mad dashing around the house to get ready for church and I yelled “Everybody get dressed! NOW!” The only one who listened was the two year old (figures). Charlotte proudly came out of her room in her outfit.

Hot pink tank top (with sequins), hot pink skirt, hot pink jacket, one pink sock, one red bandana print sock and two dress-up shoes. A-stinkin-dorable.

And yes, I let her go to church and out to lunch like that. She makes me proud.

I ♥ Sacramento {Mimomito with Serene, Toni and Rose}

2011-03-08T20:33:00.001-08:00

One of my very favorite local blogs is Mimomito, where Serene, Toni and Rose dig through craigslist postings for my your mid-century modern loving pleasure. These girls have adorable, fun, kitschy, awesomely mid-century modern taste and it has already been established that I could never go thrifting with them because we would probably get into a fight over something.

“I saw it first!”

“ No way! I clearly saw it first”

“Well, forget you, I touched it first!”

Not pretty, not pretty at all. I might be willing to risk it though. I asked these lovelies what their favorite finds have been and let me tell you, these girls are good. All the pics in this post are their favorite finds/projects and can also be found on Mimomito.

Toni officially has the best story ever when it comes to a find. she says, “My kitchen table is my pride and joy. It's a 1950's formica dinette with a gray cracked ice table top and four stunning red chairs in original upholstery. I purchased it in Stockton, CA for $125 from a lady that inherited it from her mother. The lady's husband didn't like "that old look", so her loss was my gain.”

Anyway, I asked the girls to tell me some of their favorite haunts in Sacramento and places they have to take out of towners when they visit. (I love this part of interviewing for this feature because I’ll be reminded of a cool place I haven’t been to before or it’s been so long that it was off my radar or they will list places that are my favorite places, too, which is super fun! That is when you know you have met a kindred spirit. )

adorable Rose in her awesome living room, with the coffee table she and her husband, Ben, recently refinished. she says it will be a family heirloom for sure!

Rose: I haven't had the pleasure to entertain many out of towner guests...and I think a lot of our outings would depend on the weather. In the summer I would take them to the American river to go swimming, in the fall I would stop at Temple coffee for some joe, then a nice walk through the Capital Park. River swimming is just good ol' fun and the Capital is gorgeous in the fall because of all those warm colors. Town House on wed’s night for Karaoke, probably Kru for sushi, or Roxie’s for lunch. More often then not, towner’s would prolly all end up at one of our friends house (like Serene’s) for a YouTube/snack party at night time…those are pretty great.

Rose’s other half, Ben works from home on their “metal tanker”. I love it!

Toni: Some of my current local favorites to support are, Phono Select, an awesome new record store with a great selection of music; Lulu Forever, where you can shop for good quality vintage clothing; Never Felt Better Vegan Boutique for all of your vegan needs; SactownSwings @ Club 21- where I can practice the cool moves that I learn from Johnny at The Ballroom and the Eichlerific Blog is great MCM blog that we love.

Serene describes her favorite find as “Amazingly weird 70's artwork we got off CL for $8 from a seller named Leslie, who then became Torn Pocket vintage who deals with the 57th street antique mall”

Serene: Some of my favorite things about/in Sacramento… well, I love that it's flat here. I grew up in the hill-laden Bay Area, and love that Sacramento is the Midwest of California. Flat, wide open, and rivers to jump in in the summer time. I used to dream about open fields and rivers since I was a kid and was happy to find it just an hour and a half north of my hometown. As for places to go in Sacramento, I love Bombay Bar & Grill for their veggie pakoras, Sher-e-Punjab's lunch buffet, Great Wall's all you can eat Mongolian grill, and Pho Hoa Viet on Broadway for a midnight pho fix. (I love eating.) Other places I really need to go to this summer, but have yet to go, are the Drive-In movie theater and the 24 hour driving range to whack some golf balls.

Another of Serene’s favorite pieces (which also hold the honor as the piece that most makes me want to cry out of jealousy) is the record player bench.

Wondering if they have favorite Mimomito posts? Oh they do, they do!

One of Serene’s favorite posts was the Git’r’done Terrariums that Rose put together, while Rose’s fave was The Un-photographed Gentleman. And Toni’s faves are all the home features!

This kid is cracking us up lately

2011-03-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

I should be putting laundry away, but I’m stalling. Blogs may not be good for much, but they sure are good for keeping one from doing one’s chores. I have a couple really cool I ♥ Sacramento entries in the pike, but I noticed we were getting Sacramento heavy around here, so I felt like I needed to temper that with some kid posts. Plus, it is becoming painfully obvious to us that our baby is pretty much not a baby anymore. Since we are fairly sure that we are done having kids it bittersweet when the littlest isn’t so little anymore, and I feel like I should be documenting her a bit more.

She has always referred to herself as “Chardette” which we thought was cute till one of my brothers pointed out that it sounds like she is saying “sharted” so within a day I taught her the correct pronunciation of her name. It’s still cute since she really emphasizes the “l” in Charlotte. She still says “I yuv you” and refers her brother and sister as “my Liwly” and “my Tylew” which melts everyone’s heart when they hear it. She also shamelessly introduces herself to EVERY SINGLE PERSON we see when we are out. The staff at Trader Joe’s LOVE her and are always excited when she comes in and re-introduces herself. Our neighbor was trying to explain “stranger danger” when we were getting ice cream last night and Charlotte just blankly looked at her and then turned around and said “Hi! I Charlotte!” to the waitress. So much for that.

Ok. Enough stalling.

I ♥ Sacramento {The Shack}

2011-03-04T22:09:00.001-08:00

The Shack

www.eastsacshack.com

Open Monday through Friday, 11am until 8pm

Saturday and Sundays, 8am-2pm

5201 Folsom Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95819

Phone 916.457.5997

I have several I ♥ Sacramento posts in the works right now and I am starting to notice a trend. There seems to be quite a few eateries on the list, which either speaks to my one track mind towards food or the greatness that is Sacramento’s restaurant scene. We’ll, go with the second one m’kaaay? Thanks.

Some days it pays to be a ~~neurotic blogger~~ proud mom with a camera always stashed in her purse ready to take ~~photos for the next blog post~~ cute shots of her kids at any moment. We weren’t planning to go out to lunch, but we were hungry and in the area, and The Shack was calling. Ever since I decided to do I ♥ Sacramento I knew it was going to be a place I would feature. It definitely didn't disappoint. Now, not being a food blogger I can’t really go into detail about our meals other than to say that it was good and we’d go back. I’m more interested in whether or not a place has that Sac Town vibe. Since I’m featuring The Shack we can all agree that it does.

My husband I visited on a recent Monday holiday and the place was packed so we had to sit at the bar. I gotta say I love sitting at the bar when we go out, but unless a place is packed we generally forget that we can sit if we want and allow the hostess to usher us towards a boring old table. But I digress. The Shack earns points for being packed on a weekday (even if it was a holiday), for having a fun assortment of clientele (hipsters, college kids talking about their lame boyfriends, and East Sac moms. That’s variety, man.) and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beer menu (it’s extensive, maybe even exhaustive) even though all I care about is whether or not they have a good cider (they do), which is the closest to beer that I drink.

Those fries were pretty amazing. You should totally go get some.

I ♥ Sacramento {Sacramento Beer Week}

2011-02-27T09:07:00.001-08:00

This town has a Beer Week, friends! How awesome is that? Need I say more?

Actually, yes, I do need to say more. Don’t be an idiot. Drink responsibly, grab a designated and head out to one of the dozens of restaurants, bars and pubs that are hosting Beer Week events. Check out their website for an extensive list of events.

It’s also Sacramento Fashion week. I’d link the website, but it seems that in epic poor planning the web domain expired two days ago. Oops!

Birthdays Are Fun At Any Age

2011-02-26T22:20:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was a big birthday weekend for our family. We finally got around to celebrating Tyler’s 7th birthday with a super small party at home. He has always wanted a party at home, but we usually take the show on the road since our house is TINY and our parties are usually HUGE. But, in the effort of granting birthday wishes (especially the easy ones) we said he could have two friends from school over for a Star Wars Lego themed playdate (For the third year in a row. I’m getting good at this.)

I kinda wish I had taken a picture of what I started with – a package of Star Wars confetti, crepe paper, a color wonder marker set and a couple hanging decorations. In about 30 minutes we had a party. I got the seal of approval when Tyler got home from school, surveyed the scene and said to me, “Mom, I’m impressed. I’m reaaallly impressed.”

A few days later my whole family gathered at my Grandma’s house to celebrate her 85th birthday. It was really cute to see how happy she was to be surrounded by her family, especially when we were singing happy birthday. She grinned from ear to ear! It reminded me of my little boy, who has always given his best, happiest, biggest smiles as his family and friends sang happy birthday to him. I really think that it’s his very favorite part about birthdays. It was fun to see that, for some, it never changes!

Babies are equivalent to celebrities in my family and there were several in attendance. My poor nephew, Roman, was getting more attention than he bargained for and it seems he has inherited his parent’s shy dispositions as he kept sucking his thumb and closing his eyes to “hide” from the crowd that was gathering. It was pathetic and awfully cute. That worried expression was pretty much on his face all night!

Happy Birthday Tyler and Grandma!

I ♥ Sacramento {Pietro Talini’s Nursery}

2011-02-21T09:17:00.001-08:00

The first thing my granny did when we bought our house was take us to the nearest nursery, which luckily for me was Pietro Talini’s Nursery. Open since 1976, Talini’s is a small family owned nursery in East Sacramento not far from where I live. Granny hoped that I would have her knack with flowers and was thrilled to buy me pallet after pallet of daises and herbs for my new yard. Sadly, that has thus far not been the case. The beautiful flowers she bought for our brand new backyard died a month later (oh you have to water everyday?) but I still find myself wandering the aisles at Talini’s every once in awhile, thinking that perhaps I’ll find a knack for gardening in between the annuals section and the fruit trees (I really want to try out a lemon tree!).

This last trip I took with my girls in tow and they eagerly looked through seed packets, choosing their favorites for me to buy them. They choose a hummingbird mix of wildflowers that I am actually kind of excited about. It would be really cool if we actually got hummingbirds in the yard. Admittedly, I mostly agreed to get the seed packets because the packaging was cute. Yes, my name is Claire and I am a sucker good packaging (Biore anyone? You know you would never have bought those nose strip things if the packing wasn’t cute!).

If you are a gardener, or not, Talini’s is a fun place to go and dream of the backyard you will create (or just wish you could).

I ♥ Sacramento {Pietro Talini’s Nursery}

5601 Folsom Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95819

(916) 451-8150

Irresistible Cuteness

2011-02-19T14:51:00.001-08:00

She kinda makes me want to get my own pink *Pumas.

When I typed it, I was kidding. For the fun of it I decided to provide a link just to see if they even had them in adult sizes.

~~They are half off and I am getting them!~~ Booo! They do not have my size! It was a nice 30 second dream.

A Perfect Day

2011-02-15T01:10:00.001-08:00

We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the day: blueberry pancakes for moi, pink pancakes for kids and daddy inscribed with syrup love, followed by cookie decorating with Grandma and Grandpa.

My nephew Roman was a good sport, watching while all the kids decorated cookies. It’s tough only being 6 mos old! We love getting to watch him two days a week. Every morning the girls ask if Roman is coming to play. It’s good because since we started watching him the girls have stopped asking for a baby brother. They get their fix! Brother, however does not, since he is at school all day. Oh well!

I didn’t make my honey a Valentine this year, so I decorated a cookie for him. Can you guess which one? Happy Valentine’s Day!

Good reminders on a Tuesday

2011-02-08T09:02:00.001-08:00

Not only is the song pretty rad, the stop motion created entirely of felt makes me squeal with glee. I love me some stop motion!

Valentine Parties Aren’t Just for Kids (especially this one)

2011-02-07T17:41:00.001-08:00

My love of throwing parties is kinda a joke among our friends. I will find any excuse under the sun to throw a party. Kids birthdays, my birthdays, the dog’s birthdays. Never mind that we don’t own a dog. At first I was going to throw the kids a Valentine making party, but the logistics of getting all their friends together and then the reality of having any number of preschoolers and first graders in my house with glitter and glue….pretty much led me to deciding to have a grown up party. Enter the cupcakes, wine and vintage Frederick’s of Hollywood catalogs.

{I lost the camera battery on my good camera and my crappy camera produces crappy photos, so sorry for that!} But I dug out all my paper scraps and whatnot so that a few girlfriends and I could make valentines for our friends and family. However, not long after we started we found the stack of early ‘70s pen and ink Fredericks catalogs and, well, the rest was history. They are a little risque, but boy did we ever have fun making them and laughing all night. We pretty much decided that none of the guys in our lives were getting them and made mental lists of girlfriends to send them too, so consider yourself warned!

I ♥ Sacramento {Rick’s Dessert Diner}

2011-02-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

I have been tossing around the idea for this feature for awhile. My hometown, Sacramento, may the state capitol of California, but in spite of (or because of?) this fact we can’t get no respect. My parents were born and/or raised in Sac and though most of my childhood was spent in Hawaii and St. Louis, Missouri I now wholeheartedly love Sacramento as if I lived here my whole life. I have lived here since I was 14, which didn’t seem that long till I just did the math. It’s long enough.

We have been called a “Cow Town” for years and Kings fan’s penchants for the cowbell (waaaay back in the day when we had a decent basketball team) didn’t really help dispel that image. Now, our NBA team eats everyone else’s dirt, but the city itself is enjoying more music, art, shopping and nightlife than it has in a long time. Sure, some lifelong Sacramentans don’t exactly love some of the changes going on around town, but as long as we keep welcoming such awesome events as the SactoMoFo (Sacramento Mobile Food Festival) all is right in my world.

Doing a feature like this about my town and it’s close neighbors lets me share my favorite places and gets me out of my comfort zone of normal haunts and exploring the city with the fam. Win win!

I ♥ Rick’s Dessert Diner

2322 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95816 (Map)

(916) 444-0969

Tuesday through Thursday: 10 AM – 12 AM
Friday and Saturday: 10 AM - 1 AM
Sunday: 12 Noon – 11 PM
Monday: 10 AM – 11 PM

Online

Obviously it was hard to choose. They had four different kinds of brownies. Chocolate Mint, White Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Fudge and Chocolate Fudge White Chocolate Swirl. We got Chocolate Fudge White Chocolate Swirl along with a slice of Lemon Strawberry Cake, Red Velvet Cake and and Almond Apricot Chocolate creation. Lily got vanilla ice cream. Though before deciding on ice cream, she asked if she could get a whole cake while standing in front of the case below. I can respect that.

I love this picture of Charlotte. She was literally jumping up and down when we walked in. It was awesome. She kept eyeballing the eclairs, but ultimately was *ahem* guided towards the brownies.

I’d be lying if I said this was our favorite place in town for desserts - it isn’t. But as far as atmosphere and choice go, this is where it’s at. On weekend evenings on through till closing it’s a packed madhouse, but the wait just adds to the fun(it does, really! Two words: people watching). Over the years I have learned that I prefer their lemon cakes, bars and cheesecakes as opposed to their chocolate and most cake offerings. Their sweets are overly sweet at times, so be warned of you prefer a more bittersweet chocolate or subtle sweetness (like I do). Aaron is a chocolate junkie and at times he feels the chocolate treats are a bit too much of a good thing.

I was just informed by my brother’s girlfriend that she has never been. Looks like I’ll be going back with her tomorrow…

Potential Valentine Gifts for the Mister

2011-01-31T10:19:00.001-08:00

He’s never on facebook and doesn't read my blog, so I can post these.

I think.

To be safe I am sharing all my favorites that way if he peeks he will be left wondering which gift I might be getting him.

If I get him one at all, that is.

Screenprinted poster, Fifi du Vie $25

Turntable Clock, Pixel This $129

Maple Wooden Clock, Off Cut Studio $55

Mustache Mugs, kaoriglass $16

Bronze Sponge, Bath and Body Works, $3

What? The man likes a nice shower pouf! Got any better ideas? Post them in the comments!

Snow Day – California Style

2011-01-28T21:28:00.001-08:00

Living in the Sacramento Valley doesn't give us the surprise treat of a snow day, so we make our own, usually over the many three day weekends January and February have to offer. One year the snow level was particularly low and we had a quick 45 minute drive up to Apple Hill to enjoy snow, apple pie and hot cider. It was great and since the kids were little it was a relatively quick trip since they were over it pretty quickly.

Yeah, not so much the case this year. We drove a couple hours and when we hadn’t even hit the snowline yet, we started to panic. Luckily I spotted a campground from the freeway which was shaded enough that there were some patches of snow here and there. Being California kids they didn’t even realize what they were missing and were just thrilled to be playing in the white stuff.

Gloves? I don’t need no stinking gloves!

(for those who might be wondering (grandma) Tyler was here, but I didn’t get any good shots of him, he was a blur the whole time we were there.)

Digging In My Closet the Haiti Edition

2011-01-27T09:29:00.001-08:00

If you read blogs regularly you are pretty familiar with the posts devoted to the outfits bloggers wear. I always love these features because bloggers are (mostly) real people with normal lives and some of them come up with some pretty awesome outfits. Its fun peeking in their closets and I feel like its fashion magazines for the normal person.

My friend Megan once told me that she didn’t really get the whole showing off your outfit concept and I can see where most people would think it’s weird. It is weird. And probably not a little bit narcissistic, but since I am both a little bit weird and a little bit narcissistic it works in my favor. Now, I am not fool enough to believe that any of you are all that interested in what I wear. Most days I am not all that interested in what I wear, but I figure that if I post something clothes related once a week or so then maybe it will inspire me to get out of my pjs more than just to pick up Tyler from school. And to get out the flat iron, which I did not do this morning, but clearly should have. Maybe I’ll clean enough of the house to get a decent picture, but probably not.

Normally I will post where I got the particulars of the outfit, but in honor of our upcoming Haiti Benefit Concert at church I am only going to tell you where to get the t-shirt. Here. Now go get one! (please)

Pinterest Pretties

2011-01-26T20:46:00.001-08:00

Back to Roots stacking rings, $49

Discovering the above image on Pinterest led to finding this lovely shop which has led to me wanting these other pretties:Back to Roots single ring, $29

Double Personality Earrings, $37

Get your own at lunaticart.etsy.com

Haiti Benefit Concert February 4

2011-01-26T09:07:00.001-08:00

I am beyond thrilled to be helping organize another Haiti Benefit Concert with my friend Jasen Ashdown and his friends from Help End Local Poverty (HELP). Last year, right after the quakes, we scrambled to put together an event to raise money with music (Jasen’s passion) and a handmade market (mine). Through that event and a few others that HELP supporters put together HELP’s founder, Chris Marlow, was able to put together a team, go to Haiti and build a children’s home.

So please join us, February 4, 2011 at 7 pm in the gym at Arcade Church, for a concert, great food and local artisans selling their goods! Check out our facebook page for more info and updated vendor lists.

Mommy/Daughter Day

2011-01-17T10:39:00.001-08:00

Middle and I went to lunch all by our lonesome the other day, a rarity when you have two siblings. We went to a newish pizza place not far from our house, but quickly realized that is wasn’t as casual a joint we were looking for. It wasn’t super kid friendly and most of the clientele was older retirees or professionals out to lunch, so my giggly wiggly girl stick out a bit. It was good food even if a bit pricey for a mom/daughter day. Definitely more of a date night kind of place.

Why Can’t My Ideas Ever Be This Good?

2011-01-15T23:21:00.001-08:00

If you are a regular blog reader you have certainly heard/read the buzz about Pinterest. They are definitely the new, cool popular kids in the blogosphere cafeteria and you definitely want to be sitting at their table. Right now they are in their Beta testing phase, so joining is “invite only”. Yeah, I felt left out for a second, too, but if you go to their site they will put you on their waiting list. I was only on the list for about a day before I got the go-ahead to sign up and I have been playing ever since. It helps that I seem to have some sort of lame stomach bug, which made it impossible to move all day – all the better for wasting hours on end on the computer.

What I love most about Pinterest is that all the random photos and recipes and ideas I see in my blog roll and “mark” for later, but then forget about now have a happy, organized place to hang out. A place where I can actually FIND them again, how novel! I just wish my brain functioned so well.

Mmmm, Cake!

2011-01-15T09:33:00.001-08:00

Arguably the most important part of a party is the cake. That is, if you like cake. Otherwise, maybe it’s pie or cookies… When we got married in 2001 we were pretty strapped for cash and generally very unsure of how we were going to pay for the party we wanted to give our family and friends. We were hugely blessed by a sweet lady from our church who offered to make us our cake for free. FREE! (PS the thought, “Hey, I should post a picture of my wedding cake!” Led to “Hey, where are my wedding pictures?…Hey, I don’t actually have a scanner, but how about I take photos of the photos…HEY, let’s post them to Facebook and embarrass everyone we know and love!” and thus the post from the other day was born. All because I wanted to write about a cake. It’s very much the If You Give A Mouse A Cookie syndrome.) Are you tired? Yeah, me too. It’s hard work reliving history. That sweet little gem up there was our wedding cake. It was delish. I think we ate the topper when we got home from our honeymoon because we didn’t want to cook. Or not. It was almost 10 years ago, I don’t remember. But I do know we did eat it long before the one year anniversary because I didn’t want to cook. Not much has changed in 10 years…

{Martha Stewart }

If we were made of money, I’d have this cake. But since we are not and unlikely to be by the time our anniversary rolls around (in July) I think that we are going to have an assortment of cakes and treats made by family and friends from their own recipes. Something more like this:

Which is danged adorable! If we do that we will have my Granny’s AMAZING Holiday Pound Cake. Yeah, I don’t care that it’s going to be July. It’s so good that I think you all should have the recipe, especially since you stuck around this long. Make it and then you can thank me later. It is worth every calorie.

Granny’s Holiday Pound Cake (It looks really lovely in a bunt pan like those shown above, via Martha Stewart.)

1 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Shortening

3 Cups Sugar

5 Eggs

3 Cups Flour (unsifted) may use additional 1/2 cup

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp each extract: rum, brandy, vanilla, lemon, almond

Preheat oven to 325F. Cream butter and shortening until like whipped cream. Do not underbeat. Add sugar, beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients into mixture and mix well. Add flour first and last alternately with spur cream. Add flavorings, mix well. Bake in greased and floured angel food cake pan or decorative bundt pan for 1 1/2 hours. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Granny (above) added a few notes in our family cookbook (which she wrote herself and gave to each of us kids in 2000 and now new brides in the family get them.): This has become a family favorite particularly during the holidays. Friends who taste it invariably ask for the recipe. And my Aunt Vienna adds: My most requested recipe! My husband’s family often ask me to bring this cake when we visit them in France. It’s a great compliment. This is a great basic recipe!

Bottom line: Simple cake. Always Impressive, even in France.

The Good, the Bad and the Backstreet Boys (and why copying the cute intro from a movie probably won’t translate well to your wedding photos)

2011-01-10T11:20:00.001-08:00

Things I loved about our wedding:

The guy (duh, but if I don’t mention him someone will inevitably call me out on it.)

My dress (my grandmother’s 1950s gown which she bought in NYC with her mother. I later found out that it was from a new shop in NYC called Kleinfeld’s), vintage handmade tiara and $30 cathedral length veil.

My bouquet, which are fake (!) and an AWESOME gift from the ladies I worked with at the time. They were lovely in pictures and most people didn’t even know they were fake up close.

The tables at our reception, which were all different. One of the ladies I worked with arranged to have each table set by a different lady at church with their own fine china, flatware etc. The result was super cute and the one thing people comment on still 10 years later (even over how gorgeous I was, the nerve).

The after party. Aaron’s parents hosted a small gathering in their hotel suite right after the wedding for their friends and some family and we crashed it. It ended up being so much fun mainly because all the stress was OVER. We were married! YAY! I was out of the dress that the dry cleaner shrunk! YAY! We took the 1000 bobby pins out of my hair! YAY! They actually ended up kicking us out a few hours into it thinking we might want to get onto the honeymoon. Pshaw. ;)

And the parts we could have lived without:

The Backstreet Boys/O Town/InSync/NKOTB tribute picture. Our photog was clearly channeling his inner boy band because all our groomsmen pictures look like bad album covers. Sorry guys.

The tables at our reception, which were all different. Wait. What? You loved the tables, right? Yup I did, but Boy Band Photographer didn’t take a single picture of our cute tables. Not A One. Photographer fail for not being intuitive and Bride fail for not making a list in case of photographer fail, so really I guess it’s just a Bride Fail.

The My Best Friend’s Wedding tribute pic, which sadly, was on purpose. My maid of honor always loved the opening sequence of My Best Friend’s Wedding “Wishn’ N’ Hopin’” where the maids all put their bouquets over the brides face and they so sweetly encircle her in flowers and happiness and joy and smiles. She thought it would be the cutest thing ever to recreate. It might have been had the photographer ever seen the movie and thought to take the picture of just me and the flowers. Nope, it still looks funny.

The English countryman tuxedos. We had a theme before themes were cool. It was a tea party and every good tea party needs a proper English gentleman or 8, right? Oh so very wrong! We have laughed and I have apologized for those tuxes nonstop in the last 9 years. However, left to his own devices Aaron was going to choose a zoot suit, so I am thinking that we were hosed in the tuxedo department no matter what.

All in all none of these things matter, really. I have a stellar husband, awesome kids and - wedding of my dreams or patchworked party - we have a great blessed life. The party doesn't make the marriage, we do. It has been fabulous and better than either one of us could have imagined.

Isn’t he handsome?

2011-01-04T22:57:00.001-08:00

WE HAVE A SEVEN YEAR OLD!!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!!

“Did you get the picture of me eating my cupcake? Oh, I’ll do it again.”

Right after that bite his brain and his stomach finally had a talk and he looked at me and said sheepishly, “Mom, this frosting is kinda gross.” He had been going to town on the cuppie so fast that he didn’t even realize he didn’t like it till it was almost gone LOL! Lily rejected hers after one bite. They got Bubblegum Cupcakes (vanilla cupcake with bubblegum flavored frosting). I tried it and it wad awful, but you know it’s really bad if a bunch of kids won’t eat it.

“Mom-mom-mom, get a picture of me drinking my milk!” One day, when he realizes I have a blog, I will be an unhappy woman. Ignorance is bliss, kid.

She was the smartie who asked for “Pink, Mama!” (Or Strawberry Strawberry)

Not her birthday, but gosh darn it! That little face!

Had to share, it was the right thing to do.

And, I am nothing, if not fair, so here is the other cutie.