Are You That Woman

Oka-Bs still Made in the USA 2021

OKA b. Shoes that Love You - Originally published 2012

And yet another product I already owned and bought last year because....drum roll...they were Made in the USA. I needed some new slip-ons. Not for spa use necessarily, but to have for that quick footwear and out the door. I did go with the basic black, but these come in some really great styles and colors.

Oka-B really are comfortable and affordable, too! The website states, "A shoe that's 100% recyclable, waterproof, Made in the USA and priced under $40."  And they give you guidance on recycling their sandals and all the other great eco-friendly stuff they do.

Made in the southern quadrant of the USA in Buford, Georgia. Where? Okay, near Atlanta. These sandals are fun, fanciful, frilly, fierce, and Made in the USA! You know, they're kind of like flip flops on steroids.  Hey, I wonder if I could find a real pair of flops Made in the USA. Do you know?

PS - They're vegan, too!

Long Island Ice Cream is providing happiness again on Stockton Boulevard

Yes, they’re open! At long last! During the early days of the pandemic, Long Island Ice Cream was social distancing with ice cream lovers. Then in autumn 2020, an arson fire at Tirapelli Plaza shuttered all the businesses including Long Island Ice Cream. On April 23, 2021, they happily reopened providing full service, welcoming the community of supporters but still requiring masks and social distancing. Nothing is sweeter than a little ice cream – except lots of ice cream. Is there a milkshake favorite? Some days are a Rocky Road and some days are Cookies ‘n Cream.

When Ken acquired Long Island Ice Cream (LIIC), it needed lots of TLC. Opened in the ‘70s, the one-time Baskin-Robbins passed through various owners until Ken took over in 2009. The then owners, originally from Vietnam, had chosen the name Long Island in honor of a famous island in the Mekong Delta. Ken decided to preserve the name and goodwill with locals. Today, fans of Long Island Ice Cream believe it’s a nod to New York, a valid assumption.

 “First thing I did was infuse money into rehabilitating the store and products. Focusing on quality and attention to detail, Long Island committed to serving the best ice cream from different manufacturers – including the local favorites from Gunther’s Ice Cream! We grew year after year and made a commitment to providing the best customer service,” Ken said. 

About 75% of Long Island’s customer base is from outside of the area. With a focus on quality, supporters clearly like what they do. Word of mouth is the best advertising in a world where social media reigns. “We make some of the best milkshakes in the area! We hear this again and again and that ‘friends recommended’ LIIC. The milkshakes and smoothies are fully customizable. We don’t use any syrups and use higher butterfat content ice creams and milk – the key to a great shake. Adding fresh fruits makes it even better!”

They buy from three different vendors and select what they do best. There are four Long Island divisions: ice cream, drinks – milkshakes and smoothies, cupcakes (German chocolate, vanilla, coconut pineapple, red velvet, also gender reveal, and brownie cups, and coffee.

Yes, LIIC also does fresh-brewed coffee drinks – nothing is pre-brewed and everything is made to order. Just like ice cream, coffee drinkers are very specific so Ken caters to their penchants carrying Pete’s, Starbucks, and (Sacramento’s own) Temple. The difference between coffee cremas (the flavorful, aromatic, reddish-brown froth that rests on top of a shot of Espresso) is noticeable and coffee drinkers have a preference. “Think coffee milkshake! Try fining this anywhere else – we grind, brew, and chill the coffee before blending it into mouthwatering ice cream. I strive for perfection and have learned that people are willing to travel for that ‘perfect’ confection or beverage.”

At the onset of Covid-19, LIIC immediately modified their service. They installed an electronic lock to control the number of people in the store; added extra staff and took orders outdoors, but this has all changed as restrictions have eased.

“We actually grew during that time because we changed the way we did business and helped new and returning customers who were concerned. It’s still been challenging but we’ve been very lucky for all the people who have supported us. Going into March it was scary and we saw a little downturn, worrying it might be the end for us. Every crisis can be weathered with cash reserve; fortunately, we received a small PPP loan and disaster aid through SBA. When you have employees counting on you, it was a huge relief.”

“Even though business life on Stockton Boulevard has been tough, we have a good clientele base and I have a good location. The cost-benefit is that rents are affordable. For starting a small business, it’s economically viable. It was a good decision to come here and I try to build relationships. What better way to make people happy then to make them a delicious treat and see them smile and say. ‘That’s why I’m back again!’ That’s the enjoyment.'

Born in Oak Park, Ken still lives in the neighborhood where he was raised. Joining the Navy right out of high school, he traveled the world before returning to Sacramento to help his mother. Ken has worked at UC Davis Medical Center interpreting heart rhythms for 20 years – the ice cream parlor is a ‘side gig’. “It’s been a great 11 years and I’ve met so many good people. Nothing like the feeling when someone tells you, ‘That was perfect!’ You feel like you’re doing something right.” 

Long Island Ice Cream
5017 Stockton Boulevard
916/737-8888 

Butte County Watchable Wildlife

California Watchable Wildlife (CAWW) celebrates the state’s wildlife and diverse habitats by acknowledging and elevating the value of wildlife viewing and nature tourism to benefit individuals, families, communities, and industries while fostering awareness and support for conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats.

Throughout Butte County, a wide array of feathered friends, mammals, reptiles, insects, and fish are full-time residents, making it an ideal California Watchable Wildlife (CAWW) destination.

Discover red-tailed hawks, Swainson’s hawks, falcons, river otters, owls, Mexican free-tailed bats—and too many more animals to list—at Butte County’s urban parks, neighborhoods, and rivers. With its myriad of lakes, seasonal wetlands, vernal pools, and creeks, Butte County also welcomes millions of migratory birds each fall and winter as a major player on the Pacific Flyway. Each year, winged visitors make their way to flooded rice fields, nature preserves, parks and refuges where you can watch breathtaking fly-ins and showstopping fly-outs of ducks, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, snow geese and tundra swans (and more!).

Whether you walk, paddle, hike, or observe from your car, it’s easy to get up close and personal with nature in and around Butte County all year long (just look for the binocular signs).  Discover more about a few of Butte County’s official California Watchable Wildlife locations and check CAWW as more locations are added:

• Bidwell Park
  • Premium Site: worth visiting if you have limited time; has wildlife values year-round
  • The habitat: Blue Oak foothills woodland, Riparian, Grassland, Foothill Pine-Oak Woodland, Freshwater seeps/wetlands, pond
  • With both a lower and upper part to the park, Upper Bidwell Park is the Watchable Wildlife focus, with over 100 species of birds found during various seasons and critical habitat for the Eastern Tehama deer herd, the largest in California. The area also provides critical habitat for and spawning for threatened Spring Run Chinook salmon and hosts larger, seldom seen, animals, such as mountain lion, black bear, coyote, and bobcat.
• Chico Seed Orchard
  • The habitat: Oak woodland and riparian
  • Originally known as the Plant Introduction Station with the purpose of plant breeding research and plant introduction from all over the world, today the Chico Seed Orchard produces plants for projects such as reforestation, wildfire recovery, watershed restoration, fisheries, riparian habitat for threatened and endangered species, oak woodland restoration, and more. The trees and plants from around the world provide shelter for 200 species of bird throughout the year.
• Feather River Fish Hatchery
  • Located on a scenic stretch of the Feather River just below Oroville Dam, this hatchery offers stunning scenery, an underwater window view of fish using the fish ladder, close-up views of Chinook salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing, and opportunities to see fish spawn naturally in the river gravels below the hatchery. The Feather River Fish Hatchery handles 30 million eggs, 15 million fingerlings, and 17,000 adult salmon and steelhead annually. Approximately 20 percent of the ocean sport and commercial catch originates here. Best viewing will be during the salmon spawning season (mid-September to November) and steelhead spawning season (late November to February 1). Find other wildlife viewing opportunities along the Feather River, where you’ll enjoy views of waterfowl, wading birds, songbirds, birds of prey, and small mammals.
• Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
  • Premium site: worth visiting if you have limited time; interpretive programs and/or displays, well-developed facilities
  • The habitat: 35% upland, 5% permanent wetland, 60% seasonal wetland, 5% riparian, plus delivery ditch, natural slough, and creek banks.
  • Gray Lodge Wildlife Area is a spectacular, seasonal wetland, located 5 miles north of the Sutter Buttes. Wintering waterfowl, which includes over a million ducks and more than 100,000 Ross' and snow geese, enjoy loafing on the shallow ponds of this 9,200-acre wildlife area. Occasionally, muskrats and river otters are seen swimming through the deeper waterways. The upland fields and tree-lined canals provide habitat for warblers, red-shouldered hawks, ring-necked pheasants, tricolored blackbirds and much more. You may even spot some of the nocturnal life, such as barn owls and black-tailed mule deer, some of which are albino.
• Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
  • The habitat: Butte County’s part of the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge is the Pine Creek Unit, which consists of 141 acres of native grasses and 423 acres of mixed riparian forest
  • The Sacramento River is an important breeding area for migratory songbirds and other migratory and resident land birds. This River is also an important migration corridor that provides stopover resting and feeding habitat for birds that breed in the nearby northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade foothills and mountains. Many mammalian species are year-round residents of the Refuge. Fish species occur at the Refuge in the main channel, sloughs, oxbow lakes, and on the inundated floodplain. Visitors to the Pine Creek Unit can enjoy about 2 miles of trails, accessible by foot or boat.

Photo Contest:  California Watchable Wildlife administers the annual California Wildlife Photo of the Year Contest. Photos can be present or past, but must have been taken in California, including the wilds of Butte County. The contest has five submission entry periods, beginning in January 1, 2021 and ending October 31, 2021. The final judging period, November – December, is reserved for selecting the Photo of the Year. Learn more about this annual contest at California Watchable Wildlife and submit your photos for your chance to win!