There are times in your life when you just need to wind down. Need to find some little corner to be alone and think. Or maybe you’re not even sure what it is you need, but you just feel in a funk. And nothing you have tried – family, food, or friends – has helped.
I found myself in such a state recently. Restless. Listless. Fidgety. Dull. Spastic boredom. Twitchy tiredness. I could go on but i think you get my meaning. I needed the energy of quietness, somewhere close by, that i could both step away and step inside. Step away from the confusing clutter of my life and just – breathe. I like breathing. ;-) Aside from the obvious, it’s such a pure way to de-stress and let go of baggage. And step inside – into that quiet place in your heart. That wellspring of glowing light. Peace.
It has been more difficult to find basement bargains and free events than i thought. And Life has been, well, interesting. Which means i haven't been able to do as much writing as i like. So - my apologies. But fear not, i have some projects that will hopefully be out by the end of the week or at least by the weekend.
Soon...
Well here we are in a new year – 2011 – let the resolutions commence! Making it through the holidays, from Thanksgiving to the New Year’s, is a bit like waking up from a month and a half long party. You probably had a wonderfully good time, though the details are a bit sketchy, but you realize that you are now left with clothes two sizes too small and a zero balance in your checking account (or worse). Like waking to a massive hangover that has no end in sight.
Rest assured – i hear you. And i’m right there with you. So to help us both out, my New Year’s resolution for this blog is to give you some great tips for fun without depleting your money or adding inches to your waist. I’ll post free events, offer ideas for cheap entertainment, suggest budget-conscious opportunities for under $10, and promote ways to work off that extra piece of pumpkin pie. That is not to say i won’t post anything at all about food. Hey – we have to eat! But the focus for the first of the year is on what Sacramento area has to offer to ease the stress on our over-burdened finances, give us healthy choices, and have fun while doing it! Not too much to ask is it?
So here’s to skinny waists and fat wallets!
Free Entrance Dec. 21st, 22nd, and 23rd!
I don’t know about you, but Christmas season has a way of breaking a balanced budget. Even if you put money away ahead of time and planned your shopping wisely, there’s more spending done than most of us would like. There’s always those unexpected parties, office gatherings, and children’s events that – well – we just didn’t plan for. So it comes with a great relief to see something offered at this time of year – free.
And not just “something” but an awesome place to visit. The Maidu Museum is brand new – just opened this year – it still has that “new building” smell. Recently, landscaping crews began their artistry around the entranceways – a project close to completion – i can hardly wait to see how it will bloom come springtime!
Do you and the kids like to watch the Discovery Channel? Well going to the Maidu Museum is like being in one of the shows – IRL! So now that the kids are off from school, the shopping is mostly done, and there’s little cash left in the bank, why not treat yourself to a visit – because it IS a treat! There are hands-on activities, beautiful works of art, guided tours, and brand new displays. And that’s just what’s inside – go out on the trail and get a whole new picture of how the Maidu people lived with the land!
The FREE DAYS won’t last – so get in while the getting’s good!
Free Days at the Maidu Museum start December 21st and run through December 23rd (Tues.-Thurs.). Free entrance to the Museum and Trail. Tours are given at 10 AM and 1 PM.
Operating hours for the week before Christmas:
Tues. – Thurs., 9 AM – 4 PM
Closed Fri., Dec. 24th through Mon., Jan. 3rd, 2011
For more information call: 916-774-5934 or visit their website at http://www.roseville.ca.us/parks/parks_n_facilities/facilities/maidu_indian_museum/default.asp
I know i'm not saying anything new here - which makes me wonder why i am writing this - but i'm really excited to see the California Hall of Fame being hosted by the California Museum tonight. It's what i've been saying all along - there is a lot going for Sacramento. We've got the stuff! ;-) So if i hear one more person say that Sacramento is boring - i say - you only have yourself to blame!
You can catch all the famous faces and action tonight starting at 6 PM streaming live on the California Museum's home page or through Comcast Hometown Network, digital cable channel 104.
For a list of the Famous - go to California Museum - the California Hall of Fame - and check out just how cool Sacramento is!
There’s something about a quaint little building stuck in the middle of nowhere. Seductively inviting. It doesn’t need a gaudy sign to announce its presence. Its aloneness and singular nature draws us unerringly towards the mystery better than a neon billboard. I had driven that morning through some of the most beautiful snow-covered country, reveling in the silence and spectacular scenery, when up pops this homely pub. And my eyes immediately wandered to the building, to the people coming and going and the kind of cars there. Judging if it would be a safe place for a single woman to stop. Because i knew i would stop. That decision had been made the moment i spied the place. It was now just a matter if i would feel safe going in there. Into that mystery.
My safety sensors gave me a green light, so i parked in front and headed in. I liked the place immediately. Dark mahogany walls with lots of interesting western décor and a large fireplace with a real log fire that – judging by the embers – had been burning for a long while. And my timing was perfect – between the lunch and dinner rush. There were just enough people to make it interesting. I got a chance to chat with one of the servers and, after a short sit at the bar with a hot cup of coffee, i moved to a table by the fire. This is the kind of place you snuggle into after a long day of playing in the snow – or in the spring – a long hike on the trail. The patrons were a mix of locals and folks like me, friendly and talkative without being nosy. Just north of Nevada City on Hwy 20 at Scott's flat lies the building that was built in 1890 mainly as a stagecoach stop, but also served as a postal drop, telegraph post, a restaurant, and pub. My server told me the story how The Old 5 Mile House got its name – supposedly it was also a brothel and by law it had to be at least 5 miles from town. Ah! Good story whether it’s true or not.
I’d been out all day and was famished – time to ponder food choices. I liked that the menu wasn’t 10 pages long. I’d rather a restaurant do a few dishes well than try to please every person ever born and do it poorly. That said, when i asked the server about the flag out front, he informed me that every month they have a special ethnic food – the current month was Indian food – hence the Indian flag. The specials are an addition to the regular menu. Ah! As i looked over the menu – still hours before dinner – i was impressed with the fresh take on the typical luncheon fare. Panini with fresh pear, Italian rosemary ham, and brie cheese; skirt steak sandwich with arugula, shave red onions, blue cheese, chimichurri (i had to look that one up!) and aioli; and piadine – a type of pizza dough topped with salad items; this along with more traditional fare; burgers, Ruben sandwiches, and sausage pizza; filled out the menu nicely. (All of this is making me hungry…) They had several items too for the vegetarian – organic greens salad, grilled zucchini and eggplant pizza, and grilled Portobello Panini. I ordered the rosemary chicken, potato, roasted garlic, and goat’s cheese pizza. It was a little bit of a wait, but when the pizza arrived i was delighted by a lovely thin crust with just the right amount of sauce and toppings. Delicious! My only real complaint is that it wasn’t piping hot.
Now that i was warm and happily full, i wandered around the place and took a closer look at the dinner menu. It seems that The Old 5 Mile House is a full restaurant and can easily handle events and banquets as was evident by the elegant cloth covered tables in the back of the building. The front is deceiving – it only looks like a small bar/restaurant – a whole parking lot and main entrance was hidden by the piles of snow. Another “ah!” moment.
When i got home and looked at their website i felt a bit foolish. I had no idea just how much they had to offer – which only makes me want to go back. The dinner menu is mouth-watering, and though it was a touch pricey for a poor girl like me, the variety and tastiness of their food, and the warmth and coziness of the place will draw me back. Sure as the sun rises in the East…i’ll be back.
Here’s a helloooo to all the work crews who have been busting their balls clearing the snow and getting the power back on in Northern CA. I was up in the Scott’s Flat area on Hwy 20 and the crews were tucked along the road in every nook and cranny. Snow plows, bucket trucks, front-end loaders, tree cutters, snow blowers, utility trucks – you name it – they were everywhere. I saw downed tree limbs everywhere too. PG&E had lines and electrical poles propped and crews were working furiously to repair the damage. What a mess – and on the day before Thanksgiving too. No one can predict or help what Mother Nature will dish out for us to deal with. So i’m glad you are there to keep us from freezing our butts off!
PG&E Storm Outages and Safety Page
http://www.pge.com/myhome/edusafety/naturaldisaster/stormsoutagessafety/
