A beloved community park

I was a little lazy last weekend and hard pressed to go very far for an adventure, so I hopped on Hwy 80, took the Capital City Freeway loop, and was downtown from the Citrus Heights area in about 15 minutes. Of course, it was Sunday and the traffic was light. However, once I got there it took me another 20 minutes to locate my targeted destination, McKinley Park. That was simply a matter of getting turned around three times. It's actually easy to get there if you're just using your internal compass and natural intelligence (of which I was in short supply on Sunday apparently).

I never thought I could relax in a city park as I found myself doing that day. The weather was gorgeous. It was breezy and even a little too cool in the shade for a summer's day. But I wasn't complaining. I've just come from Phoenix!

Anyway, the park is lovely, unless you have an aversion or fear of ducks and geese, for they are obviously in charge of the pond and 50 feet in any directions. They're beautiful and people came with bags of feed for them. Squirrels are also in abundance and seem to be doing well in the food department as well. No skinny varmints in this neck of the woods.

A squadron of dragonflies, seeming to fly in formation, made a reconnaissance mission around one area of the park. What they were looking for - I have no idea. However, they were fun to watch and imagine them having radio conversations like the fighter pilots in old World War II movies. My imagination got away with me - a sure sign that the place was relaxing the old girl (me).

The place seemed way too deserted for its size. It's 275 acres are bound by Alhambra and McKinley Boulevard, and 33rd and H Streets, so we're not talking a tiny community park here. However, the area residents obviously use the park for walking, jogging, dog-walking and even horseshoes. One gentleman, who was very good, was out honing his skills, ringing the post almost every time.

There were tennis courts, a beautiful swimming pool (not open that day for some reason), lots of picnic tables, benches for resting and a truly grand playground. The playground was put in by a community group in 1984, and resembles a castle made out of wooden blocks. Two giant lions guard the gates.

Whether you just want some peace and quiet, or a place to take the kids for an outing, or a romantic spot to nuzzle a bit (I saw several couples walking hand-in-hand and sneaking a smooch when they could), this is the park for you. It's not that far from anywhere in the Sacramento area. On the plus side, there are several areas nearby to explore if you're an urban adventure seeker. You'll find interesting coffee houses or places for lunch that aren't on the national franchise list.

Live a little! Check out McKinley Park for yourself.

Roseville, Rocklin and Steinmart

I went in search of the only Steinmart in the Sacramento area as if on a mission. In fact, I was on a mission. I work with some ladies that love to shop, and I personally know they are missing out on a great experience, as only one has ever been to a Steinmart. There are only 22 in the entire state of California. However, since I returned to California from Arizona, where there are seven of these glorious stores in the Phoenix area, I am a big fan of what I call the “funky” store.

Well, after some trepidatious wandering down the wrong highway, I consulted my map again and finally found Steinmart after only 30 minutes of hard looking. It was actually easy to find, if you don’t follow the directions of an 18-year-old stock boy from Camping World, right off of Highway 65. He was sweet, but come on, he’s only been driving for two years.

I don’t usually extol the virtues of chain stores, but I have to make an exception here. What I love about Steinmart is that where other “discount” stores carry the castoffs from other chains, Steinmart concentrates on high quality and often very unique items. I always find things there that are unusual and therefore, to me, desirable. I don’t want to wear what everyone else is wearing, although I often end up doing just that.

In addition to clothes, I’ve found shoes, jewelry, gifts and household items that I just loved. Their selection of decorative pillows can’t be beat and one of my nieces was the recipient of a beautiful set of multi-colored, hand-blown wineglasses from Czechoslovakia that I found there.

Now let’s talk prices. When I wanted a shower curtain that was rich-looking, I found a red and gold one that had been $35 and paid less than $7. You can’t even get a nice Wal-Mart shower curtain for $7. My watch, the first one I’ve worn in years, is a Bulova that started its retail life with a price tag of $199. I paid $19.99. It has been running on the original battery for almost two years and I love it.

The trick is taking advantage of their “red dot” sales and signing up for their “card”, which doesn’t really do anything for you except that then you get on their mailing list and they send you coupons regularly. If you combine a 20% coupon with the discounts, up to 75%, you walk away nearly feeling guilty for the amazing bargains you’ve just scored.

Okay, so the title promises more than Steinmart, but to be truthful I don’t have a lot to deliver on Roseville or Rocklin. Both are growing communities with lots of shopping opportunities. In Roseville, I wandered around until I found Vernon Street, a restored and celebrated downtown area, but didn’t find much to cause me to stop and explore. However, the old cottagy ( I think I just made a word up) homes in the downtown area lend a lot of charm. And of course, I found another bridge. The one pictured here is a footbridge over a little creek and the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall is captured in the background. I really liked old Roseville, but if there is an old Rocklin, I didn’t manage to find it.

Don’t worry, I’ll explore again when I’m not so excited about Steinmart, so I can really concentrate and bring you more to explore yourselves in both Roseville and Rocklin.

Give yourself a treat and visit The Nugget

Although The Nugget grocery store has a reputation for being appropriate for those with expensive tastes, when I visited the mercantile located in El Dorado Hills with the fanciful front pictured above, I found there were quite a few bargains and treats to be had. After all, $2.49 for 7-inch high cream puff has to be considered a bargain. This, of course, is one of the treats I bought myself.

The wine and cheese selections were incredible, again with many reasonable prices for various choices that go beyond what the normal grocery store offers.

In a section overflowing with natural facial solutions and odds and ends, I found a small basket I’ll use as a purse and Pacific soy candles that have incredible scents that actually seem to permeate a room. I bought just a couple of votives this time, to test out the brand, but I’ll be back to restock later, when I feel the need for another pastry treat and a moment of reprieve at the patio tables outside.

There was also a great supply of “take out”; Chinese, barbeque and the usual offering from a deli department, all arranged in an appetizing way.

I’m afraid I did not venture much into the more traditional grocery items, like dairy, produce, meat, etc. I was too caught up in the periphery and time was pressing. I knew I had just so much time, on July 4th, until the swimming pool that awaited me would cool and no longer appeal.

I bought my cream puff and a unique soda and sat on the patio, in the shade, enjoying them both. My eyes were far bigger than my stomach, for it was only a few bites into the gigantic pastry that I could not go on. Not for lack of flavor though. It was a lovely surprise to find that the filling was 100% heavy whipped cream – just like a cream puff is supposed to be.

So, if you get to visit a Nugget grocery store, there are a few around the Sacramento area, make it an experience and treat even if you do actually need milk and eggs.

Been to El Dorado Hills lately?

Why does shopping have to be done in such ordinary, boring settings? That must have been the question the developers of the El Dorado Hills shopping complex asked themselves.

I had heard of The Nugget grocery store in El Dorado Hills and wanted to check it out for the blog, but I also wanted to see "Sex in the City" this weekend. So I combined the two outings and drove out to El Dorado Hills.

I was completely unprepared for the lovely setting the theatre towers over. Built like a European street scene, with more than one architectural style blended together, the shops line a street that ends at the theaters. Before you get there, however, there's a lovely pond with a fountain, bridge and courtyard, loomed over by a bell tower with a working bell that rings on the hour. I couldn't see whether or not the bell was the old-fashioned kind or an electronic model, but I really couldn't have cared less. The effect was the same. Calming, peaceful and able to carry one away to another time and place within seconds of its tolling.

The courtyard was nearly deserted, although one couple sat sharing soulful conversation and another older twosome strolled hand-in-hand.

I recommend the drive. The shopping center has all the usual stuff, drugstores, Starbucks, Chili's; and yet, it has several smaller, unique stores. The Nugget is well-worth the drive - so much so that it will have it's own little write-up later this week. Stand-by...

Bridges - Symbolic and beautiful

I recently drove through the golden hills of Amador County, in particular down Fiddletown Road. This road runs along crevices where water runs during the spring, in creeks and in spots, simply rivelets. Across these temporary streams, there have been bridges built to cross from the road to the other side, where people have built homes.

It's a wonderful drive, especially if you like bridges. To me, bridges are highly symbolic, with expressions of "having reached the other side" and even more, "making a connection." So, personally, I love to see funky little bridges as well as the big beautiful ones you can find in and around Sacramento.

I was even able to find a bridge made by the joining of tree branches as they reached across Fiddletown Road towards each other.

The bridges drive was just one of the many wonders I experience everytime I head for the hills. There are so many amazing things to see if you're not simply plugging along staring aimlessly out the window as we are so often wont to do. Just paying a little attention can reap huge rewards in the hill country. Look for textures and juxtapositions. You'll quickly find old worn fenceposts, dating back a couple of decades sharing ground with an electric fence or telephone pole. Amidst a grassy field, there will be an old upended tree trunk with it's roots reaching for the sky.

Just look a little harder next time you're winding through the Gold Country and see if you don't find some bridges that interest you.