Author: Hillary Louise Johnson
Northern Comfort
A husband-and-wife team of fine-dining veterans elevate the art of comfort food at their inviting new North Sacramento restaurant. Pull up a chair under the old oak tree on the patio and sit a spell. Supper’s almost ready.
Hot New Hoods
It’s no secret that Sacramento is at a tipping point. Amidst all the construction dust, however, there are a few areas, such as R Street, Oak Park and West Sacramento, that are ready for their close-ups right now, and they are where you should be heading this weekend if you want a taste or a sip of the buzziest neighborhoods in the region (a flaming Sex Panther cocktail, anyone?). Consider the next 18 pages your insider’s guide to these hot hubs, where new restaurants, bars, boutiques and one-of-a-kind urban experiences await your arrival. Ready, set, go out!
The Place Maker
If you felt the pulse of the city quickening the last time you spent an evening out dining, shopping or gallery hopping in midtown, Oak Park or the R Street Corridor, Ron Vrilakas likely had a hand in that. With an uncanny ability to transform historic structures into modern gathering spaces, and to create new buildings that blend seamlessly into their surroundings, he has helped define the look and experience of our most exciting—and most livable—neighborhoods. Meet Sacramento’s busiest architect and its scrappiest developer, whose goal is to turn our city into an urban paradise, one innovative project at a time.
Amaro Amore
The team behind Shady Lady has crossed R Street to open Amaro, serving up classic Italian fare inside a playfully elegant dining room. Its name may mean “bitter,” but for foodies, the new restaurant hits the sweet spot.
Actor Keith Powers
Sacramento native Keith Powers boasts a half-million swooning Instagram followers, thanks to his roles in two critically acclaimed musical biopics, Straight Outta Compton and The New Edition Story. Now the 24-year-old actor is romancing Bella Thorne in the new television drama Famous in Love, which premieres April 18 on Freeform (formerly ABC Family). He shares a few choice anecdotes, like how he learned to bust a move from Ronnie DeVoe and that awkward moment when he met Dr. Dre.
Best Western
The modern steakhouse fare at Meadowlands restaurant makes this former stagecoach stop in Sloughhouse worth hitching up the buggy for a ride
Morning Glory
Breakfast-for-lunch becomes an instant everyday tradition at Pushkin’s Restaurant, the new midtown offshoot of Olga and Danny Turner’s popular gluten-free bakery
Raw Talent
When Kru moved from a pocket-sized midtown locale to an expansive space in East Sacramento, chef-owner Billy Ngo responded to the sophistication of his Japanese restaurant’s splashy new digs by upping his already elevated sushi game and creating an even more seaworthy dining experience.
The Land That Time Forgot
Sacramento’s formerly thriving Japantown disappeared without a trace—not once, but twice. A new museum exhibit reveals our hidden history
Made in the Shade
A new global study conducted by MIT affirms Sacramento’s status as the City of Trees
Culinary Art
At the Haines brothers’ buzzworthy new Wildwood restaurant, the art on the walls shares equal billing with the art on the plate
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Mushrooms. Walnuts. Pomegranate seeds. Mashed potatoes. Can this really be Mexican food? Welcome to Mesa Mercado, a new market-to-table restaurant in Carmichael that celebrates Mexico’s historic cuisine.
The Art of Architecture
An extraordinary arts community sprouted in the fields of UC Davis in the 1960s. Now, with the opening of the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum, a building every bit as innovative as the art it houses, the legacy of that improbable era of California art history is on glorious display for all to see—and touch.
Coloring Outside the Lines
For the plaza outside the new Kings arena, Sacramento pulled out all the stops and spent $8 million to land Jeff Koons’ sculpture "Coloring Book" in what was the art world equivalent of a No. 1 draft pick—expensive and potentially game-changing. Here’s the behind-the-scenes look at how fate, fortunes and family connections came together to make it possible.
A Mighty Heart
After two NCAA division titles, two Olympic gold medals and eight seasons as the Sacramento Monarchs’ original franchise player, Ruthie Bolton, aka “Mighty Ruthie,” faces down the biggest challenge of her life. And it isn’t on a basketball court.
Past Perfect
Saddle Rock, Sacramento’s first restaurant, rises from the ashes of history, reinvented by a new generation of culinary pioneers. It’s time to reconsider the oyster, among other delectations of Gold Rush gastronomy.
A Dandy Shandy
Tank House’s lemony frozen treat is the summer super quencher that just might turn you into a day-drinker. (After all, it’s always beer-thirty somewhere.)
Going the Distance
In 2012, swimmer Haley Anderson made waves when she captured the silver medal in the 10-kilometer open water race at the London Olympics. Now this tough Granite Bay competitor hopes she’s as good as gold in Rio this summer.
Raising the Barn
On the banks of the mighty Sacramento River, an instant architectural icon has sprouted from the earth, connecting the natural landscape of the riverfront to its modern neighbors ashore, all while making a bold statement about our region’s history and our new civic identity. Here’s how our newest urban landmark was born.
Truth and Consequences
After taking on the National Football League with his stunning discovery about the long-term damaging effects of concussions, and then being portrayed by Will Smith in one of the most high-profile dramas of 2015, Dr. Bennet Omalu has now become a powerful voice for athletes, military veterans and children alike. Here’s how a Sacramento pathologist journeyed from a poverty-striken childhood in Nigeria to his new role as a global game changer in the world of science.
Inside Out
How one modern family and their architect developed a Sacramento home that blurs the lines between the lives inside and the world outdoors.
On Sale Now!
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