Are You That Woman

Sacramento California Celebrates Its Newest Citizen

At Long Last, the Grand Opening of Citizen Hotel Photos & Story  by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

Sacramento's historic 1925 Cal-Western Life building has a new life and a new glow as the Citizen Hotel, the latest in the Joie de Vivre Hotels hoteldom. Known locally as the J Building (located at 926 J Street), the Beaux Arts Citizen was painstakingly restored, remade, and reinvented as Downtown Sacramento California's first and long-awaited luxury, boutique hotel. After much anticipation and a few weeks of a soft opening, the Citizen Hotel made its debut...a debutante ball as such...on February 26. A regular red carpet event...the spotlights lit up a the sky and even Marilyn and Groucho look-alikes were there to greet the throng of A-list guests.

From the locally-fresh and contempoary Grange...Citizen's ever-so glamorous restaurant...to the 12th-floor penthouse and all spaces in between, the Citizen was buzzing with excitement. Enormous flower displays and pink-hued crystals adorned tables of jumbo shrimp, cracked crab, oysters on the half shell, crab salad, and ceviche -- a temple of seafood delights. Wine fountains flowed and music filled the air. The balcony of Mezzanine lounge Scandal was jazzed and jumping. The 7th-floor tented rooftop terrace delivered more musical vibes and capital views...literally...the Capitol a jewel in the night sky.

It was exhilarating to say the least. JDV and their partners have done Sacramento proud. If you haven't been. Go! Stay! Eat! Enjoy!

And photos tell the story. Click to enlarge.

                         

Old Sacramento California Celebrates Mardi Gras

Get Your Sacramento Beads On! by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

What is Mardi Gras? Well, historically, it's Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent....the day to celebrate before the traditional Catholic tradition of sacrificing and fasting during the 40 days of Lent. Old Sacramento, California is getting the jump on Fat Tuesday with their own Mardi Gras Pub & Grub Crawl this Fat Saturday, February 22. The mood will be festive in Old Sacramento from 5pm to closing. Local merchants will be offering a variety of New Orleans-style drink, food, music and beads. Seriously people, fasting and sacrifices aren't on the schedule.

Of particular interest to the California Travel Insider...the tempting and delightful beignets being offered at Café New Orleans. What's a beignet you ask. Oh, my...it's only the best thing this side of Heaven. I'm' not usually one who chases after such sweets, but what's not to love about fried food. My Southern roots run deep y'all (native Virginian).  What exactly is a beignet? A French word -- roughly translated -- means 'donut'. Or you might think of it as a fritter. It's a pastry made from deep-fried dough and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar. Savory versions are also popular with fillings like crawfish and shrimp. But I say don't mess with perfection...just give me the confection!

O'Malley's Pub will be dishing up a whole lot of Southern comfort with catfish, gumbo and bread pudding...oops, did I say I don't have a hankering for sweets? Bread pudding is one of newest craves. Vegas Sports Bar will have $3 mai tais and Fanny Ann's will feature a Bayou Burgers. Just a sampling of all the good things to come. You can download the Mardi Gras flyer or pick-up a copy from the Zone Radio van which will be broadcasting in Old Sacramento tomorrow night from 5pm to 6pm by the Pony Express statue. 

BTW - The Insider suggests that we all stay safe. Mardi Gras is famous for free-flowing cocktails. Walk, take Light Rail or a cab, or get a DD (designated driver). Y'all come now, ya here.

Look for this flyer at participating locations.

       

Redding California Where Eagles Dared

Caltrans Eagle Cam on Route 44

The Celebrity Eagles Have Landed!  by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

Today's technology is allowing our prying eyes into the lives of two magnificent American bald eagles in Redding, California. You will find yourself being drawn into their lives.

Patriot & Liberty, celeb eagles, arrived on the scene in fall of 2004. Young and possibly newly wedded, the pair of proud eagles didn't produce any eaglets for two years. And pre-eagle cam, no one can say for certain if they produced any eggs.The eagles have returned to their nest each year, continuing to expand their stick condo to an unbelievable size!

The pair arrives each fall and eggs begin to appear in early February. The first successful eaglet birth was in 2007. This was followed by two eaglets in 2008. For 2009....drum roll...there are three eggs in the nest. One or two is normal; three is unusual. It would be rare for all three to survive, but it does happen. Unfortunately, the last to hatch will have to compete with two older, larger siblings and will clearly be at a disadvantage. Survival also depends on available food sources.

The nest is in a Fremont Cottonwood tree..."about 100 feet off the ground," said Craig Martz, California Department of Fish & Game. According to Craig, the incubation period is about 30-35 days. From hatch to fully-feathered and learning to fly is about 12-14 weeks. The eggs were laid: Feb. 6, Feb. 9, and Feb, 13. With any luck, we will see our first eaglet the second week of March...or sometime thereafter. Once the eaglets have...yes, flown the coop...the parents will hang around for few weeks before departing on a much needed vacation. Short and sweet...they'll return in October when the cycle of life begins again.Who's planning the bird shower?

A stroke of luck that Caltrans road construction was the reason for the eagle cam installation. What a thrill to intrude on the lives of two such beautiful creatures. And to think at one time -- the proud symbol of our Nation -- was on the brink of extinction. To watch these loving parents come and go -- carefully tending to their soon to be born brood -- is a privilege; an honor; and a gift to be treasured. Thank you to all involved for bringing our wildlife heritage into my home. Stay tuned for birthing news.  by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

BTW - The California Travel Insider would like to thank her friend and Redding resident, Bonnie Sharp, for this unbelievable inside tip. That's what friends are for!

Caltrans Eagle Cam Courtesy of Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Caltrans, and California Department of Fish & Game

 

Viewing Requirements

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• Quicktime Player

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What's happening in the eagle nest?

The eagles have now laid three eggs. One on February 6th, the second on February 9th and the third on February 13th. All the eggs were laid in the early evening. The eagles will take turns incubating until the eggs hatch after about 35 days.

Pay attention when the eagles switch places during incubation. Their talons are very sharp and can easily damage the egg shell, so they carefully ball up their feet when they sit down on the egg.

Eagle Facts

• Although eagles have been removed from the Endangered Species List, bald eagles are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

• There are 59 eagle species found throughout the world!

Click here for more information about eagles

                               
     

Sacramento California Amgen Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California Roars into Sacramento Story & Photos by by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

Whew! The energy was pulsing in Downtown Sacramento as the first day of the Amgen Tour of California came and went. The streets of Sacramento were packed...I mean sardines people! Not one available on-street parking space. Sacramento Light Rail was jammed -- and that's a rarity on a weekend. In and around downtown, Sacramento restaurants and bars were humming...and not because it also happened to be Valentine's Day. Nope...it was all about the race...the big, bad, beautiful Tour of California. The Sacramento leg of the Tour of California was actually a Prologue -- a flat course winding in an around the the Capital city - 2.4 miles. The clanging of cow bells, the flashing of police lights, and the screaming throngs. I'm not a cycling enthusiast, but it sucks me in every time. Today was the prelude to the actual start of the race tomorrow in Davis, California.

Foreboding skies mixed with moments of blue and billowy clouds -- the rain gods smiled on Sacramento's race day. It was a little on the cool side, but no one seemed to mind. Sadly, I won't be on the road with this year's Tour of California. But glad that today's excitement was just a few blocks away from my Midtown Sacramento home. I was happy to see so many local cyclists had taken to the road and the Sacramento Bike Valet was clearly doing a brisk business. I walked home while the hoards waited for Light Rail -- spoke to people from Folsom and Elk Grove who had the good sense to take public transit. And we thank them! Oh, and met a couple visiting from my home state, Virginia. They too were using public transit. Sweet!

While roaming around, someone I met in Pasadena during last year's Tour of California stopped to say hello. Among the thousands of spectators...what were the chances? Well, in my world the chances are always pretty good. It made me realize that even though I'm not a cyclist, the Amgen Tour of California is already part of this insider's life. And I like it!

Here are some of my favorite images of the day. Click to enlarge. Roll on Amgen!

                         

And saving the best for last..my favorite Amgen Tour of California photo, Rudy:

BTW - Two-time World Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) won his second consecutive Amgen Tour of California Prologue with a time of 4:32.909. Defending California champ Levi Leipheimer was second at 1.2 seconds and Dave Zabriskie was third at 2.648.

Vallejo California SF Bay Flyway Festival & Pizza for My Soul

Napoli Pizzeria in Vallejo California Had Me Flying High Story & Photos by Barbara L. Steinberg© 

Clearly on a Saturday night in Vallejo, California, Napoli Pizzeria on Tennessee Street, ca. 1968, was buzzing. And after a long and fruitful day at the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival I was glad to find myself among so many enthusiastic locals.

I was hungry. Meatball sandwiches. Ravioli. Penne pasta. Tortellini. And pizzas...oh, my, god, the pizzas!

The sound was joyous. Couples. Moms. Dads. Kids. Everyone talking. Laughing. Eating. Somehow, life is still good.

At the counter I met Mark -- a one-time Vallejo native -- returning home to Benicia he had stopped to pick-up his favorite pie. "I've been coming here for 40 years!" he happily told me. High praise and obviously a great recommendation for this out-of-towner. Nearly everyone seemed local. And at the register...the owner, Antonio, was greeting them all.

The couple next to me were also major Napoli fans. Vickie & Dave Marshall had their first date at Napoli when Vickie was just 16 years old. They dated for six years before finally tying the knot. That, my friends, was more than 40 years ago...they just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. And there they were...tucked into some salad, a bottle of wine, and one of Antonio's delightful pizzas.

A small Napoli pizza is easily enough for two people...maybe three, if you aren't ravenous...and I was. Still, I took 2/3 of my small Margherita home with me. And I'm happy to say it had plenty of fresh garlic, even by my "you can never have too much garlic" standards. Pizza prices range from $8.50 to $13.95. Crust is hand-tossed; sauce is homemade as are most of the offerings at Napoli.

Thank you to the unknown woman at the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival who suggested this fantastic Vallejo landmark. And thanks to the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival for bringing me to Mare Island, Vallejo, and Solano County to work on this incredible weekend. Mark your calendars for 2010. The San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival is the first weekend in February...2010 will mark it's 14h year.

           Mangia...Ciao...I mean, Chow! PS - Never fails. The leftover pizza was even better the second night.

Fairfield California Big Blue Microbrew

In Fairfield California Your New BFF is BBF Story & Photos by Barbara L. Steinberg©

What’s big, blue, and brewed? Okay, forgive my joke writing effort! The answer to this less than funny query is this:  Big Blue Frog Grille … in (drum roll please) Fairfield, California.

Fairfield, California is so much more than you realize. Yes, yes, we all know about the enormous beer factory along Interstate 80 next to that equally famous colorful candy facility.  Just off the speeding thoroughfare, hidden away in Westfield Solano Shopping Center, is this incredible award-winning microbrewery and restaurant. We were lucky enough to discover this local landmark of fun, food, and brew.  Meeting an East Coast cousin visiting in Alameda, we wanted someplace equidistant from Sacramento and San Francisco.  But something more than just convenient.  From what we could see on the BBF website, they had it all.

Arriving on a Sunday evening I wasn’t sure we’d need a reservation, but I made one anyway. I also wanted a quiet corner so we could hear our gab above the din. The hostess recommended a corner table in a quieter dining room off the main bar/restaurant. It was perfect! We shared the room with some other larger groups; the noise factor was minimal. I do not enjoy the clamor in most restaurants that has you screaming to be heard.

Entering BBF you are greeted by the brewery mascot…a beautiful, cast-iron BBF. I am sure we weren’t the first – or the last guests to grab a photo opp…stopping to kiss this potential frog prince. A specials board mentioned happy hour though we had arrived just moments too late. Imagine our delight when our wonderful waitperson, Tammy, informed us that HAPPY HOUR is ALL DAY on Sunday! What does this mean? Well…lovely pints of BBF brew for $2 and a list of special happy hour hors d’ouvres for $2. Deal and score! 

We wasted no time ordering a couple of BBF pints – Blonde Ale and Red Ale – along with homemade blue potato chips, BBF bear-battered fries, and roasted garlic that included veggies, humus and brie. Frankly, we could have stopped with the appetizers or maybe piled on a few more. Happily we didn’t. Everyone ordered something more and different: Harvard Square Stew in a bread bowl, Corn Chowder, Frog Cobb, Pasta Pomodoro, Caprese Salad, and, well I guess you get the idea. We chowed down! I had my eye on the house-smoked beer-battered salmon fish and chips but was trying to pace myself. The reason? We had already heard the dessert offerings. There is BBF bread pudding. Though I am not usually a dessert person, bread pudding is my latest fixation. I had never had bread pudding until about a year ago. I sort of get hooked on these things. I have found is that everyone has their own version of this old-time favorite. BBF is no different and theirs is topped with the Chef’s own whiskey sauce. Glad I saved room…we all agreed it was an excellent choice.

Happy hour rates aside, try the Beer Sampler. If it’s your first visit, you’ll be treated to a BBF Beer 101 from bar staff. Ask for bartender Sarah -- winner of the Northwest Brewing News' "Reader's Choice Award" for Best Bartender. A bit of a brew tour, if you will, is enhanced by views of the petite microbrewery through windows behind the bar. BTW, BBF brews are Northwest award-winners too!

California Travel Insider says: BBF owner, Dennis Landis, named the microbrew after a Peter, Paul & Mary song "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog."

I'm in love with a big blue frog
A big blue frog loves me
It's not as bad as it appears
He wears glasses and he's six foot three.

Dennis' BBF may not where glasses and isn't 6/3, but you'll love this Big Blue Frog!

 

In San Francisco California JDV Hotels is Hospitality

Just Another San Francisco California Getaway by Barbara L. Steinberg©

I embrace every opportunity to travel my adopted California home. And I know no better way to travel California then in stress-free comfort aboard Amtrak. So I was thrilled when a San Francisco meeting provided the occasion to get aboard the Capitol Corridor from Sacramento to that beautiful city by the bay. The train rumbles into Emeryville where a connector bus whisks you across the Bay Bridge into downtown San Francisco.

So the transportation’s figured out. Now where to stay? With so many lodging possibilities, it’s always handy that my years of California livelihood have brought me many good friends in the hospitality world. Among those friends, I am pleased to count California-based Joie de Vivre (JDV) Hotels. On this particular jaunt I needed someplace close to Amtrak’s San Francisco drop-off points and my meeting location. JDV has a number of San Francisco hotels and I was pleased to land at the Galleria Park Hotel on Sutter Street – a perfectly-situated 10- to 15-minute walk from everywhere I needed or wanted to be.

Though I could have jumped off the Amtrak connector bus closer to my San Francisco hotel, I opted for the Ferry Building. Why? Well, the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market was in full swing on another sunny California Tuesday and a positively brilliant San Francisco day. I couldn’t miss this chance to peruse local produce vendors and cafés…inside and out! The San Francisco Ferry Building is a year-round representation of all culinary delights from California and around the world. For me…Mecca! After making the rounds, doing my fair share of sampling, and a fabulous lunch (another story), I made my way up Market Street past the daily S.F. Artist Market at Justin Herman Plaza. Past wonderful store fronts. Interesting public art. Shoeshine stands. The homeless. It’s all part of the urban experience.

The walk is over too fast and there I am in the lobby of the Galleria Park Hotel. Built in 1911, the restored hotel is a mix of Art Deco/Art Nouveau meets mid-Century modern and 21st-century trendy. A friendly staff checks me in and I ascend to Room 415. The décor has shades of purple and green, which I enjoy against the contrast of the historic architecture. Neatly dressed in white Frette linens, the king-sized bed looks welcoming but I have work to do and a meeting to attend.

So, the long story made short:  It was an easy walk to my meetings. After a long day, I gladly collapsed into the crisp white sheets and cozy pillows. Morning comes and it’s another storybook San Francisco day. I descend to the mezzanine for caffeine.  Somewhere around the second floor, a cacophony of voices rises to meet me. There in the lobby is a gathering of hip 20- and 30-somethings (maybe a few older) laughing, chatting, air kissing, and generally having a grand time. Visiting employees of Sephora, they are GPH/JDV regulars…or so I am told. They are having way too much fun. And, now as I recall, this is the same fun-loving group I encountered in the lobby the night before.

BTW…I can’t forget to mention the third-floor Rooftop Park which I almost missed entirely! It pays to read your key portfolio. Take a moment to enjoy its meditative appeal. Plus, the complimentary wine hour 5:30 to 6:30pm daily. And the morning mezzanine caffeine is fresh-brewed and F-R-E-E! There are plenty of local coffee places nearby if you prefer. Another great GPH/JDV service is the great information about things to do. GPH's own GPS or Galleria Park Suggests: A Guide to Chinatown features “What the Locals Know: Chinatown” and "Architectural Walking Tours." Next time I hope to investivage some of these local suggestions. I just so appreciate all the extra attention to detail. It makes traveling so much easier. Especially if you’re a SF first-timer.

The latest California adventure is over too soon. The rocking and rolling Amtrak train is providing incredible sunset and bay views; still a few moments left to reflect. Despite all the fabulous food consumed during my San Francisco escapade, I am suddenly hungry. Something about riding the train, I think. Then I remember the one perfect Pink Lady apple purchased at the Ferry Plaza squirreled away in my bag. What a treat!

What a trip!

A few last California Travel Insider pointers: GPH has great weekday rates, but weekends are even better. It’s located close to great shopping (Union Square, Maiden Lane, Ferry Building, and the Crocker Galleria. No lack of places to dine, of course. But look for the opening of Midi in the hotel lobby. You’re blocks away from SFMOMA, Moscone Center, Carnelian Room, and…well, I’ll leave the rest for you to discover. Oh, yes, they are pet friendly too!

GPH Guestroom Photo Courtesy of JDV Hotels. All other photos credit Barbara Steinberg