The 7th Annual Beer & Chili Festival is on Saturday April 21 at Roosevelt Park from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The festival features a chili cook off competition, beer tastings from local breweries. The event is a fundraiser for 4 R Friends and raises money to keep pets happy, healthy, and at home.

Admission is $20-$35 depending on Chili Only Ticket, Beer Only Ticket, Beer and Chili Ticket. Children under 10 are free.
Children 10 & up must purchase a Chili Only Ticket.

Get tickets here.

Dogs are welcome. Children are allowed at the event but must be accompanied but an adult at all times.

Roosevelt Park
1615 9th Street
Sacramento, 95814

Saturday, April 21, 2018
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Rain or Shine
Admission: $20-$35
Bike Parking Available

Tuesday (February 27, 2018) participating IHOP restaurants will celebrate National Pancake Day with a free short stack of pancakes. You will be asked to consider leaving a donation ($5.00) for local charities.

Check with your local IHOP if participating and for exact hours of participation.
Find your IHOP here.

IHOP: “There is a limit of one free short stack per guest. The offer is valid at participating restaurants for dine-in only while supplies last and is not valid with any other offer, special coupon or discount. “

IHOP National Pancake Day
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM — Check with your local IHOP if participating and for exact hours of participation.

Tuesday, March 7 is National Pancake Day. Get a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes between 7:00 am to 7:00 pm at participating IHOP restaurants.

The pancakes are free, but consider at least a $5.00 donation to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital (local: UC Davis Children’s Hospital). Extra good: make a $5 donation and receive a coupon good for $5 off your next visit.

National Pancake Day
IHOP Restaurants
Find your IHOP here

Tuesday, March 7, 2017!
Free pancakes 7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Who says California doesn’t have seasons?

For the month of April, we had our fair share of Spring storms. Mother Nature has also made wet weather somewhat convenient for folks who had outdoor plans for the weekend. After listening to thunder crashing outside of the newsroom, I found my car dusted with hail.

By the end of the work week, the stormy weather moves out of our area and leaves behind a sunny weekend.

Earlier this month, we took advantage of the warm weekend weather with dinner on the patio at Pearl on the River. We had a shaky start to our dining experience, but the delicious food and our thoughtful server transformed it into enjoyable evening.
(more…)

Waking up to more rain. This weekend – I’m sure plenty of people are ready to hunker down at home with a decent supply of beer and munchies.

On Sunday – some folks want to stay inside and watch Team USA kick take down Team Canada for the Gold Medal Match in Hockey. USA! USA! USA!

On a dreary day like this one, I’m also willing to leave my cozy home and venture outside for a great bowl of noodles.

I enjoy warming up inside Noodle City in Davis. It’s a small food spot packed with savory aromas of meat, soy sauce and soupy goodness. I ordered the Dumpling Soup on my last visit. It was a fine mix of broccoli, carrots and dumplings – all swimming in a savory broth.

On the other side of the Pacific, the New York Times posted a fun, educational article on the art of finding and enjoying the perfect ramen shop in Tokyo.

By the way, I’m still on the hunt for a yummy noodle/ramen spot in Sacramento. Any recommendations?

The ladies who lunch….

…end up at Tuli Bistro. On my lunch dates in Sacramento, ladies always suggest meeting up at this intimate foodie spot on S Street. Folks who have been working for 10-hours in a windowless office will enjoy the sunny skies on the patio. On colder days, we can warm up by the bar and the woodfire oven.

Mac-n-Cheese from Bistro Tuli

“That’s not from a blue box,” pronounced one chef behind the bar.

Tuli’s lunch menu offers modern, gourmet versions of burgers, fries, pizza and more. I always come back to this classic comfort food: Macaroni and Cheese. Tuli’s bakes gemelli pasta with three cheeses and cured ham. This scrumptious dish works for me in warm and cold weather.

Lately, I’ve been challenging myself to whip up my own versions of comfort food. This year, my hubby asked for Mac & Cheese for Valentine’s Day.
(more…)

Blue tails whipping in the air.
Wispy souls dancing on a breeze.
Metal monsters blasting anything that moves.

Yes, I finally saw Avatar in IMAX 3D. This our second attempt to watch the James Cameron film at the IMAX theater on K Street. On our first attempt, we made the mistake of trying to purchase our tickets at the theater. This time around, we reserved our seats online.
Great Success.

(more…)

A tale of two burger joints: Same name, same company – but 2 different cities and 2 totally different dining experiences.

On two separate weekends, I tried out Burgers and Brew in Sacramento and Davis. Both are owned by Crepeville.

Let’s start with the one in Sacramento.


[Burgers and Brew in Sacramento]
(more…)

Need a day trip that’s all about wine? Check out Arger-Martucci Vineyards in St. Helena.


I loved this 2004 Pinot Noir: rich texture with a subtle fruity finish. Arger-Martucci has a beautiful tasting area. It’s next to a pool, surrounded by vines and roses.

Closer to home, I was tickled to read about a Sacramento event combining my two passions: Wine and Twitter!

L Wine Lounge is hosting the Sacramento Vino Tweetup on Tuesday, 7/28, starting at 5 PM. I stumbled on this #vinotweetup via @entreprini. You can buy tickets on the event web site. The ticket price includes appetizers and wine flights from these winemakers:

• James David Cellars
• Radee Wines
• MAS Wines

Cheers!

Blanket, sandwiches, potato salad and an amazing bottle of wine.
They all add up to a lovely picnic in Clarksburg. I enjoyed checking out new wines and classic favorites in this vino haven by the Sacramento River.

In this photo: I’m in wine tasting heaven with this 2007 Petite Sirah at Bogle Vineyards.

When my co-workers found out about my love affair with wine tasting, they said I had to check out Clarksburg. I finally carved out a lazy Saturday afternoon to explore this adorable town.
(more…)