My Life in Lyrics- Track # 2

Busy, busy couple of days. Trying to recover from the (non existent) roaches, busy at work, and avoiding the gym as much as possible. It's hard work! I've had this song playing non stop for two weeks now.

"we are very busy people
we are very busy people

there's crusty socks
and stacks of pizza boxes
making trails straight
to the bed

and when we're done
sleeping we'll stay busy
dreaming of the things
we don't have yet

well there's a long
long list of chores
and shit to do before
we play, oh let's just
piss away the day"



Hey The Limousines, thanks for playing my song.

It's a Jungle Out There

Thank goodness the night was not over for Baby Mama, Baby Daddy and myself after the disappointment that was dinner. I don't think the two would have given much thought about visiting me ever again if it wasn't for how the rest of our night went.

We decided to chase the bad memories of Lucca's down with some cold ones over at DeVere's. This is the Irish Pub I told you guys about on my last record-breaking trip. This time around we were just going for some beers... us and the rest of Sacramento and its greater area. We got there and it was PACKED. It took a good amount of time just bob and weave my way to the bar. It's a good thing I have pasty white skin, freckles and red hair because my fellow Irishmen behind the bar served me up quickly. Others were waiting there a bit longer just to put their orders in. I went with my fav SnakeBite, and Baby Mama and Baby Daddy went with some kind of beer on tap that I clearly can't remember.

Normally I love the place. It's a great place to catch up with a bunch of friends, and wander from group of friends to group of friends and chit chat and throw back a few. But if it's just 2 or 3 of you, your going to better served (litterally) going to some place just a tid bit more intimate. We weren't even halfway done with our drinks when we decided all the commotion was all just a little too much for us, and we left.

Baby Mama and Baby Daddy wanted to head back up to the rooftop lounge above DeVere's that we had been to earlier that evening on our Safari where we saw Cougars and Manthers. The problem with Mix is that if you're on a big night out (which we were. Lots of drink and food already consumed with lots more in the future), the cover charge come nightfall hits your wallet pretty hard. It's $20 a head to be able to walk up the stairs to enjoy the night air. Now, that's par for the course in Sacramento so I'm not saying it's more expensive than other places... But it's just that it can get pricey if you're planning on going someplace else rather than the rooftop petting zoo. That's why Baby Daddy turned on his charm.

A few smooth words to the doorman-bouncer-guy and quick shake of the hands, Baby Daddy got the three of us in for half the price. Once upstairs we tried to find a spot just as good as what we had before, but had to settle for a little more exposed spot. It wasn't all that bad though. We did get a nice view of a Manther in his natural habitat. His mating ritual involved sharing the fruits of his labor (cash turned into alcohol) with his unassuming mating partners (a group of 20 something women). But the would-be partners were not to be fooled. They knew their extra bright colors and patterns made them more appealing than most others... and that the Manther's molting fur (slightly balding head) and mangy coat (denim shorts) were no match for them. They huddled together and formed a pack and thwarted the Manther's advances in hopes of finding a more fit one that would be better fit to raise their young. Or buy them more expensive drinks. Same thing really.

After our lesson in the ways of the wild, we moved over to the bar next to the dance floor and proceeded to watch a whole 'nother breed of animals on the prowl. This mix included slightly inebriated young females, slightly inebriated old females, and a few men looking to capitalize. Good times!

We had a round of drinks while taking it all in, and decided the night would not be complete without a(nother) nightcap at a(nother) great light night people watching spot. But we didn't need a tranquilizer dart to make it out of our next place alive, just another stomach ;)

My Life in Lyrics- Track #1

Having a GREAT time tonight moving all of my furniture to the middle of each room because my apartment complex thought this week would be a great time to spray for roaches (don't worry, they're not on the third floor yet)... And I started humming the perfect song for the occasion:

"I got bugs
I got bugs in my room
Bugs in my bed
Bugs in my ears
Their eggs in my head
Bugs in my pockets
Bugs in my shoes
Bugs in the way I feel about you"

Hey Pearl Jam, thanks for the soundtrack.

-- an iPost

Disappointed by Men

The Friday night Baby Mama, Baby Daddy and I had wasn’t over after the Manther sighting… we had a date with the Governor and his fine culinary friend Lucca. But sadly, all did not end well…

As we were finishing it up at Mix, the three of us spent a bit debating about whether to give up our great corner spot at the lounge and head over to everyone’s favorite Lucca’s, or take our chances on the small plates where we were at. Having never been disappointed by Lucca’s before—and with cheesy polenta on our minds—Baby Mama and I convinced Baby Daddy to head over the eatery on 16th and J Streets. This place serves up a sort of Italian-y/Mediterranean-y mix of food… and it’s just what we needed to soak up some of our drinks if we were going to continue on our record setting night.

I had received an invite from the Governor earlier that day (we’re like this: {fingers crossed}), and he called ahead to make reservations for the four of us. Usually that place can get pretty packed so I recommend calling ahead. After all, everyone wants their chance to take a peek at the Governator. It’s the state’s worst kept secret (other than the fact that they may have a small money problem on their hands) that this is Arnold’s favorite lunch spot. He likes to post up on the back patio, smoke a cigar, and gnaw on some sausage. He says Lucca’s sausage reminds him of the kind he would eat at home. I’ve never had sausage from Austria… But really, when's the last time you heard a foreigner say that something “reminds me of home…” and you didn’t have the urge to shove whatever they were talking about in your mouth? Well, food-wise at least.

When we got to Lucca’s they didn’t seat us in the Governor’s fav patio… and in fact, it turns out the Governor didn’t even show up for our date (how rude!). But that didn’t keep us from enjoying the great outdoors. We got seated on the main patio. This outdoor area is off to the side and covered so it stays nice and cool in the summer, and warm in the winter with all the heat lamps. There’s also a nice outdoor fireplace where you can request to be perched in front of. We all did that for my dad’s birthday one year… in the middle of December. The heat lamps and fireplace made it the perfect temperature, and we got to enjoy the fresh air. It’s kind of the reverse of my other favorite dining experience: Sitting outside in the heat and getting a cold blast from inside.

I don’t remember what we had to drink when we got there, but I’m pretty sure I was trying to pace myself so I went with a Diet Coke. I’m not sure what anyone else had to drink because all I could remember was the food. For better or for worse.

Now, I’ve been to Lucca’s many times and never walked away disappointed. Especially after ordering mine and Baby Mama’s fav Polenta. They serve a huge dish of this cheesy cornmeal mixture as a side, and top it with fresh homemade marinara sauce. Calling it a side dish is deceiving, because it’s definitely enough to count as an entire meal. Baby Mama and I split it this time around. It was so creamy and cheesy tasting, that I imagine they use a whole stick of butter and whole wheel of cheese to make it. They use Fontina, so the cheese doesn’t taste doesn’t bite you… it just makes you want to move it all around the inside of your mouth to ensure that every possible taste bud gets to covered in goodness.

After the polenta and my mouth had a sweet reunion, the main courses were served. Baby Mama and I decided to split the Chicken Saltimbocca, and Baby Daddy went for the steak.

Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off and delve straight into the bad. It’s not that the chicken was bad, just sooooo disappointing for Lucca’s. Everyone raves about this place whenever we go there, so to get served a meal that tasted like Thanksgiving in a cafeteria made me really sad for Lucca’s. Kind of like a mother being disappointed in a child when they don’t do well on a test in a subject they excel at…. or me being disappointed in Kobe for missing a no-look-through-the-legs-behind-the-back-blindfolded-while-handcuffed dunk. It’s like “Come on! I know you can do better!” I know because I’ve tasted better from Lucca’s.

When I read the description of the chicken on the menu, I thought it looked delish: stuffed chicken breast with pancetta, Fontina and sage with mashed potatoes. I had just had a love affair with the Fontina in the polenta, this can’t be much different, right? Well, not really. The chicken was dry and it wasn’t so much “stuffed” as it was “accessorized” with the equivalent of a quarter of a sage life and one shred of cheese. Then, it was topped off with what tasted like the type of gravy you make out of those little packets at the grocery store. Just add water. Oh, it makes me sad just writing about how disappointed I was. Eh tu, Lucca?

Thank goodness Baby Daddy was on this trip. His dish nearly saved the night (he has to be good for something ;) ). He ordered the Grilled Bistro Steak topped with a blue cheese sauce and was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The meat was perfectly cooked and the creamy bite of the blue cheese sauce balanced out the meatiness of the slab of cow on his plate (sounds appetizing huh?).

We decided to skip on dessert because we had still had a long night ahead of us. But I didn’t walk away empty-handed. The night’s meal taught me a couple of lessons:

1) Don’t trust men who wear high heels. (Sorry Governor, I don’t take being stood up lightly). You know what they say about short men, Governor? Me either.

2) Don’t order chicken off a restaurant menu. Ever. Come on, there are so many better things to try.

3) Go more places with Baby Daddy….

As we learned later that night-- whether it be ordering the right dishes, or slipping the right guy the right amount of cash—he’s a handy guy to have around. At least one guy was good for something that night.

What's a Male Version of Cougar?

Because that's what myself, Baby Mama and Baby's Daddy were dealing with when we started the new Freckled Record.

After Zocalo's we headed over to this new-er bar in downtown, called Mix. It's a rooftop bar that serves small plates. And when the sun goes down the cover charge goes up and it turns into a club... one the of the hottest in downtown.

For their Happy Hour, from 4-7, they don't charge to lounge around in their open-air digs. The whole lounge isn't totally out in the open... the back half is covered. And in the winter they pop a huge tent over the other half, making it semi-open-air. In the summer it can get pretty hot up there if you're their for Happy Hour... but when the sun starts to go down it's one of the best places to just sit back and relax. We got there just as the sun was heading down, and took up a GREAT spot in the corner. This place has retro-style lounge chairs, Adirondack chairs, and benches all around the perimeter with cushions and pillows.


That was the view from our corner spot. (The woman on the left is a perfect example of the type of people that like to frequent this place. Not saying anything bad... just saying. The key demo for this place is the over 30 crowd. 'Nuff said.)

We sat back and ordered a few beers to water down the cocktails we had just had. They've got a specialty cocktail menu, a wine list, and small plate menu. I've tried some of the small plates when they first opened and wasn't overly impressed, but I'd be willing to give it another try (if you're in town I'll let you treat me to some ;). We decided to stick to just beers as we had reservations later on that evening.

Just because we didn't eat doesn't mean we didn't have a lot to digest. There were some interesting people there. Including the male version of the cougar to our left. I've heard of Mougar, Billy Goat, Trout, a Cobra or a Manther. I'm going to go with Manther. I say he was staring at Baby Mama, but Baby Mama says he was staring at me (poor guy must have already had his beer goggles on).

Anywho, the three of us (Baby Daddy included, not Manther) concocted the story of our lives if he were to approach us. The first two characters were Baby Daddy and Baby Mama:


These two were in Sac getting to know hockey big-wigs because he was looking to make the move from playing overseas to playing in Cali. Next up was Baby Mama's cousin, who was Baby Daddy's assistant:


The story couldn't be that hard to keep straight, right?

We eagerly awaited Manther's approach, but alas, he never came. I didn't know whether to be flattered or embarrassed that a balding man his late thirties didn't hit on me. It didn't matter... we had dinner reservations to catch at one of my family's favorite spots. After all, we had a date with the Gov-nuh.

New Freckled Record!

Oh, I can always count on you guys to help me in quest to gain as much weight as possible. That's what friends and family are for. In the case of a couple of weekends ago, I had family to blame for the extra pounds I was carrying around come Monday morning. And I had them to thank for helping me set a new record: Seven eateries in only two days! Really it was nine if you count the places we went twice. (If you remember, the old record was six eateries in three days.)

After I finished up in Redding I raced home in eager anticipation of what I knew was ahead: Visitors! Oh, how I love visits. Especially from people I like ;) My two cousins came up the other weekend- Baby Mama and her Baby's Daddy- and we had a grand ol' time. At least I'd like to think so. I'm sure they left wondering how much longer I'll survive up here with all the food and drink consuming that I've got going on.

Baby Mama and Baby Daddy came up on a Friday evening... sans baby. You know what that meant, right? Time to par-tay! They were looking forward to walking around and having a couple of cocktails, and I was looking forward to showing them how I roll/waddle.

Our first stop was just down the block from me (isn't everything?). We strolled into Zocalo- which is a fancy Mexican food place- right at the end of Happy Hour and were able to order up some of their specialty drinks. We all started off with their house special Blackberry Margarita:


This little mix is pretty tasty. The blackberries give a nice tartness and the Agave (natural sweetener) made sure to mask the alcohol just enough that you could drink and drink and drink and drink and not feel it... until you stand up. It was a little too sweet for Baby Daddy... his next drink was a Caipirinha (let me try this out... KIE-purr-een-YAH). It's normally made super strong with Cachaça, which is a Brazilian distilled liquor. It's been a while, but I don't remember this version to be anything to write home about. Baby Mama on the other hand, was perfectly content with the sweet Blackberry Margarita:


The happy hour prices were $5 a drink... but normally they're $10. I recommend trying it out first during Happy Hour... and then decide if it's worth going back to pay full price. In my opinion, they're good drinks- but not great. So I'm a Happy Hour girl there :)

One thing that didn't cost a dime, and is a great thing about this place... is that they give you chips and salsa with your drinks, even if you're sitting at the bar. But it's not your every-day chips and salsa:


At Zocalo's they give you freshly made tortilla chips, two different salsa choice (one is sp-sp-spicy and the other is mild) and a bean dip. The bean dip is my fav. No, it's not Frito-Lay bean dip (does that even contain beans?). Here they mash up some really smokey tasting black beans (and I'm sure some other stuff) and top it with some crumbled Cotija cheese. Now those close to me can tell you that I don't normally like smokey-tasting food, but the smokey flavor mixed the Cotija- and sometimes dipped again into the salsa- is pretty good. It's nothing fancy, but it's the perfect compliment to their cocktails.

After we were done with our drinks and chips we decided the night was still young and we still had A LOT of room left in our little tummies. We decided to head over to this fab roof-top bar/club thingy/place. I would go into more detail, but what would that leave me with to write about tomorrow?? Come on people! I've got to keep you coming back for more!

So let me revert to my old career and give you a little teaser: "Coming up, the story of three pretty young thangs who spent a night on the town that included cougars, a near brush with the Governator, and a Hot Bag of Donuts... after the break." Take that Katie Couric!

ROAD TRIP: Redding: A Trip That Would Make the Grandpas Proud

So if you recall (or just scroll down) I was spending some time up in fantastic Redding on a business trip. Now, I give this place a bad rap. It's hot(ter than Fresno), it's far away (from everything), and it's shopping and food scene blows. However, leaving my description of the town at that would not be fair. It is in a gorgeous setting, with trees, cliffs, Mt. Shasta nearby, and the Sacramento River winding through and through... which is how I entertained myself during the trip.

The first night I spent there, I just daydreamed about being back in Sac. The second night I decided to make the most of my trip, and the most of what I had brought along with me.

Before I left, I packed up my golf clubs. I've been wanting to get back onto the driving range for a couple of months now, and I thought this trip would be the perfect time to get back into the swing of things (rim-shot!). I pulled out my trusty Yelp! app on my iPhone to look up the best range. There were quite a few to pick from. The one I ultimately went with didn't have the most appealing descriptions of hosts, facilities, or range balls... but the name intrigued me: Aqua Golf.



This little rink-a-dink range is right on the Sacramento River. The "range"? It's the water. This was the most fun I've ever had just hitting balls. And I was all by myself (well except for the hot "range" dude that puttered around in a little boat scooping up balls with a skimmer... with his shirt off). The best part was that with my first swing, I hit the ball over 100 yards! Without whiffing! Without slicing! Without me relying on my grandpa! The easy going may have had something to do with the range balls being extra-floaty. I'm sure that made them extra-light. But for a large bucket of balls for $9, I really can't complain.

After I left the range I drove up the river a bit to a place where my other grandpa told me I had to visit. The Sundial Bridge.



Apparently there's only 2 or 3 of these in the world. I was shocked to see how many people were out there on a Wednesday night... a lot of families walking, teens trying to put the moves on each other, or punks riding their skateboards around. They were all out there for a good reason: The bridge is awesome at night. The bottom part that you walk across is lit up from the underside. The huge support cables coming down from the "dial" make for some pretty artsy angles. (As you can see, I'm as good of a art critic as I am a food critic.)



I didn't spend much time there... just enough time to walk from one end to the other and back. But that won't keep me from recommending it to any of you... or from coming back and telling my grandpa I did as I was told. That is a lot to ask of me. After all, I'm only 25 years old ;)