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 ;)

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.

Perfect Monday Night in Sac

Oh if only I were in my bed writing about the wonderful time I had tonight from the comfort of my own bed. Instead I'm sitting on a hotel couch in Redding, eating olives from Safeway, wishing it were last Monday. That's when I had the perfect Monday night in Sac.

After work, Spiderwoman and I headed over to Trader Joe's. I consider myself an expert in Trader Joe's shopping, so I filled her in on some of my super secret insider tips. Like did you know their pre-marinated Korean beef ribs are perfect for cooking? Or that their asparagus can either be steamed or oven roasted? Where would Spiderwoman or you guys be without me filling you in?!? Anywho, we walked the store and I continued to point out the obvious... then decided we had enough food-shopping and wanted to do some food-consuming.

My first thought was to head right next door to Burr's Fountain, located on Folsom Boulevard near 49th Street. I've always driven by and seen people sitting on the picnic tables outside and they looked like they were enjoying themselves. Well, they must have been enjoying their ice cream, because I don't think they would like as happy if they were eating dinner there. Inside they have a sort of deli that serves up mostly sandwiches. Everything looked pretty plain and possibly not so fresh. With so many great places to grab a sandwich in Sac, I wasn't going to waste my calories there.

Spiderwoman and I wanted to try some place new, but every place I pulled on Yelp was closed on Mondays. I was trying to think of what was close, and remembered one of my favorite dinner spots. How could I forget? 33rd Street Bistro was right down the street, had a nice little patio, and had some delish sandwiches on the menu. Off we went.

We drove over to the restaurant located on 33rd Street and Folsom Boulevard. There are a couple of other locations in El Dorado Hills, Davis and Midtown (just down the street on 16th and K Streets), but this one is my fave. The Midtown location is a little on the trendier side, so I never feel as laid back in there. However, with that comes great people watching, especially for weekend brunch (hot bag of donuts! Seriously!). The Davis location is actually pretty awesome with a humongous outdoor eating area, but is too far away for me to enjoy. And the El Dorado Hills location... well I actually haven't been out there but I can't imagine it's better than the original location Spiderwoman and I chose.

We set up shop on the front patio which sits right on the Folsom Boulevard sidewalk. It's the perfect spot to watch people drive by, ride by on their bikes, or run or walk by. And on a night like we were having, it was the perfect spot to just sit back and enjoy the awesome weather. Nothing beats a summer night in Sac.

We couldn't decide on what to eat because it all looked good (especially after grocery shopping). Last time I was there I had the Tillamook Cheddar Cheeseburger and Fries, and finished it off with their much loved Trio of desserts (how can you go wrong with three normal sized portions of dessert? By the way, my pants can answer that question). Because we couldn't settle on anything we decided to split. First up, The Gorge:


This hearty sandwich is loaded with turkey, bacon, havarti, greens and mayo on a ciabatta bun. You can see they don't skimp on the turkey which is a plus right off the bat. Combined with the soft texture of the havarti and distinguishable creamy-ish taste, the luxurious herby mayo (any time I eat full-fat mayo I consider it luxurious), crispy bacon and the hearty bun... MMMMM MMMMM MMMMM. It is a very satisfying sandwich. Well, it was a satisfying half. Next up was The Puget Sound:


This super-calorie treat is a mix of crab, shrimp and artichokes topped with Tillamook cheddar sandwiched between two crusty pieces of sourdough. The genius part is the sourdough served with seafood... perfect combo. I don't know what the binding part of the mix is... I'm assuming mayo and possibly a bit of cream cheese. Either way it makes for a super rich filling. The seafood taste was not overpowering as teh creaminess took care of that. Not exactly the healthiest choice but that's why they serve it with salad right?

It was too bad the salad the sandwiches came with wasn't all that great, because I barely ate any of it... making my meal even that much healthier for me. It's basically just greens and a very light dressing of olive oil and a little bit of vinegar (or even just plane old lemon juice). No tomatoes, no croutons, no cheese, no nothing. I thought, If I wanted diet food I clearly wouldn't have ordered the sandwich!

The lack of greens in my meal would have been the perfect excuse to turn down dessert. I didn't need more calories in the form of bad carbs and saturated fat... but what fun would that have been? I have you guys to entertain and tell my adventures to. If I passed on dessert, would you have been satisfied with just tales of sandwiches? I think not!

But-- and there's always a but (or in the case of this meal, a butt)-- how could I survive my second night in Redding if I didn't have dessert to reminisce about? We will all have to wait until tomorrow to hear about the dessert that I know will at least make one of you ready to hop in the car and come visit me. In Sac, not Redding.

Time Travel

Let’s go back, way back. All of the way back to the very beginning of my three day weekend, which started on a Friday night… late Friday night.

It’s not very often I’m in town on a weekend, and when I am I like to hit up friends from my old job and see what they’re up to. Usually they’re attending or throwing some going away party, because that’s how the business goes. And that’s how it went Friday night.

I called up Blondie to see what was going down and much to my delight, she was meeting up for a going away party (Gasp!) at one of my favorite places to grab a drink: Riverside Clubhouse on Riverside Blvd., just off of Broadway by Target. I think it’s a favorite because it brings back memories of my going away party, and almost every going away party I’ve been to in Sac for that matter. I’m also a big fan because it’s a great solo-dining spot: Good food, good drinks, nice bartenders, big TVs, modern setting and interesting people.

Of course these going away parties don’t start until everyone gets off at 11PM, so when we got there I expected the place to be packed full of the young professional, young urban family crowd that’s usually there. Sadly, that was not the case. It looks like Riverside is feeling the effects of Sac’s sad state of affairs. The place was practically empty. All the more reason for me to order as much as I could to help them out ;)

My favorite cocktail to order anywhere is a Lime Rickey, and Riverside was the first place I’ve had one… and I still haven’t been able to find a place that makes one that tastes even close, or even knows how to make one at all. It’s nothing fancy, just Grey Goose, lime juice, and soda. Like I said, nothing fancy but it’s def the best thirst quenching, food-neutral drinky drink.

I ponied up to the U-shaped stone bar and ordered one, and was helped by some guy that has worked there for a while. I remember this because he bailed me out one night when I was dining solo at the bar, and two drunk ‘tards kept hitting on me. He didn’t remember me (it had been a while) but I’ll always remember him calling them a cab before they even finished their food :)

I took my drink to the patio- one of the best I’ve EVER been to. It’s covered in those triangular shaped sail thingys, has tables and lounge chairs, a three tiered fire pit, and waterfall along the entire back wall. This place has also got those garage-type doors like at Capitol Garage that gives you the nice indoor/outdoor mix if you sit anywhere near it. And if you’re not down with the great outdoors, there’s a lounge area near the entrance with tables, an open floor for dancing or mingling, and an ultra-swank gas fireplace with glass instead of coals. Oh yeah, and a huge TV.

We all opted for the patio and I stayed out there until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. It was 12:30PM after all, and I am getting old (don’t worry it was sleepiness, not drinkiness. I only had one). I had to leave there without having my fav dessert: Warm Chocolate Cake. Don’t worry as much as I like that place, I guarantee you’ll hear more about that. And see more once I figure this picture thing out.

So I left Riverside and bid farewell to the gigantic bull on top of the building (don’t ask), apologized for not being able to spend more, and hopped into my time travel machine (it’s real), that brought me back to today so I could tell you about my adventures. That, my friends (well most of you are family), is how you spend a three day weekend in Sacramento. I dare you to come up here and try to beat six places in three days (Call me!).

The Best Mornings Ever

OK, I'm still working backwards on last weekend's adventures in food. So before there were spiders, milkshakes and burgers... there were coffee and magazines.

My absolute favorite thing to do on a weekend morning (on the rare occasion I am actually in town), is to wake up, walk down to my favorite coffee spot, buy a few mags, and sit back and read and people watch. That's just what I did, and this time joined by my spider killing friend, who from here on out shall be called SpiderWoman.

SpiderWoman and I had plans to meet there at 10:30 Monday morning (remember, it was a three day weekend). I had woken up a early, and decided to go for a little stroll before our planned meeting time. So I laced up my new Nikes (bright LiveStrong Yellow.... LOVE them) and headed out the door. Normally I like to walk through the neighborhoods around me and check out the historic homes and see what's on the market, but Sunday I decided on an easy stroll around Capitol Park. 

I live right across from the park, and if you walk the path all of the way around it, it's just over a mile. That's why it's a favorite for runners and walkers alike. Plus, there's only two spots where you might have to wait at a crosswalk (both are entrances to the Capitol's underground parking garage). Anywho, I started my walk around there, and observed the following: a wedding in progress (the Rose Garden is a constant merry-go-round of weddings in the warmer months), a horse taking a potty break (CHP offices patrol the park on four legs), and a tourist yelling at a homeless person. Ah, what a beautiful day.

Thirty minutes later I made it to my destination: Peet's Coffee. Oh Peet's, how I love thee. I got stuck on Peet's after trying their sugar-free-nonfat mocha. If you think it sounds less than appettezing, that must be because you've tried the same thing at Starbucks. If so, you'd be right. BUT, this version of the 195 calorie drink (medium, no whip) does not taste like chemicals, as its counterpart does. This one tastes like the real thing. So much so that the first couple of times I ordered it and tasted it, I went back to them and asked if they were sure they made it sugar-free-nonfat. They assured me it was, and I have been a loyal drinker ever since. 

Now the best part about the Peet's that I frequent, is that it's built in this complex that takes up an entire block between J and K streets. It's part of the MARRS (Midtown Art, Retail and Restaurant Scene) building. There are nine different businesses that open up onto a huge wooden deck. Peet's is on the end of the building, and therefore gets a nice large chunk of the deck, with MARRS supplied chairs and tables. This is the perfect place to sit down with your drink, as evidenced by the steady stream of people rotating out of the tables with their dogs/lovers/friends/laptops/small children. 

SpiderWoman and I stepped inside to place our orders. They already knew what I wanted (they always do) and started my order right away. SpiderWoman ordered a hot chocolate and savory ham and cheese muffin to boot. Once we got our orders we stepped outside on the glorious deck. Of course the tables were all taken, so we wandered down a bit and took a seat on a bench. We chit-chatted and I tried a bit of the muffin. To her dismay it wasn't warm (and Peet's advised they did not have a microwave), but still pretty tasty. It wasn't so much a muffin as a really dense bundle of goodness. It had small chunks of ham, and the amount of cheese inside made it really thick. Probably not the healthiest choice, but worth the calories. 

After SpiderWoman left I headed right next door to Newsbeat. I'm pretty sure Newsbeat has every magazine ever made, and can print up any Newspaper that is published. I like to go in and scour the fitness section (wishful thinking), home section (more wishes) and local publications. This time I picked up Sacramento Magazine (where I read about Burgers & Brew), and Sactown Magazine.

Magazines in hand and sugar-free-nonfat-extra-hot-mocha in my belly, I opted to head back home rather than wait around for a table to open. So I walked back, fully satisfied with what I had accomplished already that day. After all, it's was a holiday. The fact that I even got dressed was a miracle in itself. Little did I know I would nearly die that night (see below).