Across the world, the mural movement is bringing artistry and color to cities large and small.

A growing body of research has associated murals with social, cultural and economic benefits. Murals help build a sense of community. They offer accessibility to art and creative expression without the problem of cost-based barriers, such as museums and galleries.

This month, our own city’s mural status will be multiplied and celebrated. Running Aug. 8–18, Wide Open Walls has become the premiere mural festival on the West Coast, attracting artists from all over the world who contribute to Sacramento’s vibrant street art scene.

I first learned about Haven for Hope, a unique homeless facility in San Antonio, Texas, from a close friend, Jill McDonnell. Jill is a professional photographer. Her passion is capturing extraordinary images of homeless people in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Walk of Stars returns to the Handle District in Midtown to celebrate four superstars from the Sacramento area who have excelled internationally and brought positive attention to the community.
This year’s honorees are Major League Baseball star and manager Dusty Baker, Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders, mixed martial arts champion Urijah Faber, and renowned food and wine expert Darrell Corti.

Josh Nelson, co-founder and CEO of The Kitchen, along with stepdad Randall Selland, mom Nancy Zimmer and sister Tamera Baker have recently earned themselves a Michelin star—the first one ever to be awarded in the Sacramento region. There’s something special about this family that sets them apart. Aside from stellar food, a strong local following (Selland’s Family Restaurant Group, anyone?) and an unshakeable bond, keeping customers at the forefront of everything is their recipe to success. I had the pleasure of chatting with Nelson—while he was on a family trip to Hawaii, no less—about their journey, what guests can expect from The Kitchen and everything in between.

The tables were turned on us in late 2018 when we released our The Second Edition of the photographic guidebook Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. Here’s why we published it.
Sacramento is known as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. No other major American city is more centrally located amid so many small, family-owned farms, ranches and vineyards—all producing year-round in our ideal Mediterranean climate. Sacramento adopted the Farm-to-Fork Capital designation through the efforts of civic and business leaders who wanted to sing the praises of our local food-growing and food-making experience.