Why I Love Living and Working in Sacramento
By Carly Reich
The Grid
The Grid, the central core area of Sacramento that includes Old Sac, Downtown and Midtown, is where I spend the majority of my time. I’m a true “grid kid,” I live, work and play here, and there’s never a shortage of things to do. With such a wide variety of restaurants, parks, recreational activities, bars, museums, galleries and more, you’re sure to have a fun day on the grid. And its all within walking or biking distance of each other. My job at Outlet Coworking puts me right in the middle of a prime district of Midtown. There’s all the lunch and happy hour options I could ask for! Need a break from the government employees, hipsters and parking tickets? There’s also…
The Suburbs
I grew up in the suburbs of Sacramento (Orangevale to be exact), so the suburbs will always hold a place in my heart. It’s not all just strip malls and big box stores (although sometimes those can come in handy). There’s parks, rivers, lakes, bike trails…Truly something for everyone. Especially if you have a family, the suburbs of Sacramento are an affordable way to have a yard, proximity to good schools, even your very own garage. And if you’re like me, let’s face it, every once in a while you just want a calorie-laden meal at a chain restaurant. For all the other times, there’s…
The Farm to Fork movement
One of my favorite Sacramento phenomenons is the Farm to Fork movement (an obvious choice for someone who likes to eat as much as me!) Many local restaurants have committed to using regionally grown, fresh products in their kitchens. Being the capitol city of the largest producing state of agriculture in the nation makes it easy to see why we’ve been dubbed the Farm to Fork Capital of America. You can also visit any of the numerous local farmer’s markets to make your own kitchen farm to fork friendly as well!
It’s Close to Everything!
This is a bit of a cliched way to describe Sacramento, and I’ve known some people to get offended by this description because they think that it takes away from what our city offers within its limits. I just see it as another perk of living here, and it’s the truth! We’re within 2 hours of basically anything I think you could want that Sacramento doesn’t itself have. Feel like strapping on a board and hitting the slopes or trying your luck at the card table in Tahoe? How about playing in the sand of the Pacific Ocean? Want a taste of big city living in San Francisco? Is wine country more your style? All these and more are a leisurely drive away.
The Sports
Sacramento is home to multiple professional sports teams as well. The upcoming new arena is bringing new excitement and expectations to an old favorite, the Sacramento Kings basketball team. Our very own Sacramento River Cats minor league baseball team is now AAA affiliate of the World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants. And our newest pro sports team is the Sacramento Republic FC. They won their own championship in 2014, their first year as a club, and with them they’ve brought talk of a Major League Soccer franchise to our city. (There’ve been some setbacks on that front, but we can still make it happen!)
The arts community
Second Saturdays are just one of the regular events showcasing the area’s many artists and galleries. As the name would suggest, the event takes place on the second Saturday of each month, and features many different mediums of art on the grid and beyond. Sacramento is also home to many excellent music venues where you can see local and touring musicians, the Sacramento Ballet, multiple theater companies, and more.
I think some people that live here get caught up in the daily grind and don’t realize how much their city really has to offer. So try something new this weekend- See a show at the historic Crest theater. Dance to a live band at Harlow’s or Ace of Spades. Have a beer and some baseball at a River Cats game. Check out this month’s exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum. Take a free tour of the architecturally stunning State Capitol building. Or find your own adventure… there’s lots to choose from!
**Disclaimer- The views and opinions in this blog post are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Outlet Coworking.