Dang, you hit the mark. Bay Area native, current Sac resident here. This review is spot on.
Next time you're here, check out the Mapple Room Lounge, an old-fashioned dive in the middle of strip mall sprawl that didn't mind my trans friends' patronage.
And yes, my husband and I are here because it allowed us to buy a house, something impossible to do in my much-loved and much-missed home in the Bay Area. I suppose when the kids are grown, I'll look back on my Sac era fondly, but like parenting...there are some days I ask, how did I get here....lol.
So glad you felt it hit! Especially coming from a Bay Area native and Sac resident, that's awesome. Noted on Maple Room, it came up a few times in my pre-planning just never made it that far out, went the opposite direction with the Trap, haha.
What you've expressed is what I felt emitting from the city itself. But it really does have a decent amount of quality amenities. Growing up in Colorado Springs, I would have killed for all that Sac offers. Cheers!
Another great ramble through a place I've never considered going! :) Appreciate these so much, they provide much needed respite from my email drudgery.
Hey Zach! Sac native here who thoroughly enjoyed reading an outsider's take on the city.
A counter-anecdote to your experience with the Kings fandom: the last time I went home, some friends and I met up at SacYard Tap House, your typical beer garden on the border of Midtown/East Sac but with excellent taps (and pints under $10, thank god!). I think they usually stay open until midnight, but the weather was so bad and they crowds nonexistent that they prepared for an early close while we all watched the Kings 4th quarter go into overtime. Our group of 4 was joined by at least 2 other stragglers, barking in front of the TV, while the bartenders were busy turning stools upside down but joined in on the commentary. We were looking for another place to grab a nightcap so we left before the game ended, but felt no rush whatsoever to get out before the buzzer.
I thought it was super interesting hearing your take on the dive bar scene, as my friends and I who grew up in the late 90s-early aughts, during a time when the city was more accurately "cheap ghetto," now mostly go to the first-rate-city cocktail/theme bars when in Midtown, or Kupro's (a long-time classic, recommend!), but revert to the dive-ish bars when in East Sac.
After leaving SacYard, we ended the night at Bonn Lair, an English pub also in East Sac. They open early for Premier League games and have a healthy crowd late at night. With an unconventional layout that forces half of the room into a pit surrounding a fireplace, it's another place filled with camaraderie.
Glad to hear you already found a home at the Round Corner, and I hope you'll be back to see more next time!
That's hilarious to hear about the Kings game experience with a bedraggled group in poor weather. And damn it, Bonn Lair was on my list, but I went to Club Raven instead. Alas, this will always happen, no way I can see it all (though I could have been less lazy the last night).
But I *might* be back in December for CIM! Take me to a dive if I'm out there!
Yeah, I’ll be in the UK end of August for a wedding and fun. Prob no second rates cities, but maybe! Any in mind? Down to meet up and tear up some pubs too, if the timing works.
No worries you write well and go to cool places (like my local in Olympia, McCoys!). I’ve had a similar idea for a newsletter for sometime now, only on an international scale. I just need to garner enough subs to pay for it, haha.
Dang, you hit the mark. Bay Area native, current Sac resident here. This review is spot on.
Next time you're here, check out the Mapple Room Lounge, an old-fashioned dive in the middle of strip mall sprawl that didn't mind my trans friends' patronage.
And yes, my husband and I are here because it allowed us to buy a house, something impossible to do in my much-loved and much-missed home in the Bay Area. I suppose when the kids are grown, I'll look back on my Sac era fondly, but like parenting...there are some days I ask, how did I get here....lol.
So glad you felt it hit! Especially coming from a Bay Area native and Sac resident, that's awesome. Noted on Maple Room, it came up a few times in my pre-planning just never made it that far out, went the opposite direction with the Trap, haha.
What you've expressed is what I felt emitting from the city itself. But it really does have a decent amount of quality amenities. Growing up in Colorado Springs, I would have killed for all that Sac offers. Cheers!
Another great ramble through a place I've never considered going! :) Appreciate these so much, they provide much needed respite from my email drudgery.
Hahah, thanks as always for reading my man!
Hey Zach! Sac native here who thoroughly enjoyed reading an outsider's take on the city.
A counter-anecdote to your experience with the Kings fandom: the last time I went home, some friends and I met up at SacYard Tap House, your typical beer garden on the border of Midtown/East Sac but with excellent taps (and pints under $10, thank god!). I think they usually stay open until midnight, but the weather was so bad and they crowds nonexistent that they prepared for an early close while we all watched the Kings 4th quarter go into overtime. Our group of 4 was joined by at least 2 other stragglers, barking in front of the TV, while the bartenders were busy turning stools upside down but joined in on the commentary. We were looking for another place to grab a nightcap so we left before the game ended, but felt no rush whatsoever to get out before the buzzer.
I thought it was super interesting hearing your take on the dive bar scene, as my friends and I who grew up in the late 90s-early aughts, during a time when the city was more accurately "cheap ghetto," now mostly go to the first-rate-city cocktail/theme bars when in Midtown, or Kupro's (a long-time classic, recommend!), but revert to the dive-ish bars when in East Sac.
After leaving SacYard, we ended the night at Bonn Lair, an English pub also in East Sac. They open early for Premier League games and have a healthy crowd late at night. With an unconventional layout that forces half of the room into a pit surrounding a fireplace, it's another place filled with camaraderie.
Glad to hear you already found a home at the Round Corner, and I hope you'll be back to see more next time!
So happy a Sac native read and commented!
That's hilarious to hear about the Kings game experience with a bedraggled group in poor weather. And damn it, Bonn Lair was on my list, but I went to Club Raven instead. Alas, this will always happen, no way I can see it all (though I could have been less lazy the last night).
But I *might* be back in December for CIM! Take me to a dive if I'm out there!
Always a pleasure to get a Second Rate Cities in the inbox - great work as always man.
Thank you, I appreciate it! Remind me, are you in the UK?
I sure am - in Broadstairs out on the Kent coast (about 1h30 due east of London). You thinking of lining up a SRC international leg?
Yeah, I’ll be in the UK end of August for a wedding and fun. Prob no second rates cities, but maybe! Any in mind? Down to meet up and tear up some pubs too, if the timing works.
Sounds great man, will DM you and get a plan together
Nice write-up! I've been to Sacramento probably four times (mostly for work) and have found it pleasant each time. Thanks for the interesting read!
Thanks! Hopefully this gave you have a few haunts to hit post-work next time.
Excellent stuff.
Thank you, always appreciate it.
No worries you write well and go to cool places (like my local in Olympia, McCoys!). I’ve had a similar idea for a newsletter for sometime now, only on an international scale. I just need to garner enough subs to pay for it, haha.
Haha I know, I’m toying with setting a very meager paywall to see if that can fund a trip per year, we’ll see. And yes, McCoy’s is great!