Jul 28, 2021
Summer brought an unwelcome spectacle to City Hall when an unknown who became somebody let an even bigger nobody crash her political career.
The first nobody is City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, who rose from obscurity last year to bounce incumbent Steve Hansen into retirement. Valenzuela is a tireless campaigner who benefited from personality traits absent in Hansen—humility, sincerity and the willingness to listen and learn. Voters liked her passion for community issues. They also liked the fact that she wasn’t Steve Hansen.
Jul 28, 2021
I’m happy to report Plan B, the California-meets-France restaurant in Arden Town Center, hasn’t lost a step. When my mother called and asked if I’d like to go for dinner, it delighted me to learn the food and service are still on point. Plan B’s resilience makes a visit that much more joyful.
If you are not familiar with Plan B, I understand. The restaurant sits in the back section of the center, facing neither Watt Avenue nor Fair Oaks Boulevard, the two main cross-streets. Plan B is a little tricky to find on La Sierra Drive but worth the search.
During many visits, I’ve sampled most dishes and found them consistent reminders as to why French cuisine still sets culinary standards.
Jun 29, 2021
Sacramento Police Officer Tara O’Sullivan was gunned down during a domestic disturbance call in June 2019. Her death sent the region into mourning. I’ll never forget waving our American flag on the Business 80 overpass as her funeral procession slowly moved from Rocklin to Elk Grove.
The idea for a beautiful tribute to Tara began over cups of coffee between friends earlier this year.
Jun 29, 2021
The East Sacramento Improvement Association is not just another neighborhood group. Established in 1958 when Sacramento was still a sleepy backwater, it’s believed to be the city’s oldest neighborhood association.
Founded as a way to coalesce local opposition to Mercy Hospital expansion when Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House, the East Sac Improvement group is one of the city’s largest and most effective grassroots advocates. It typically gets early peeks at proposed developments within its boundaries and has re-shaped or helped kill projects it dislikes.
Jun 29, 2021
Part of the magic of The Prickly Pear is finding this hidden treasure as you stroll down U Street in Southside Park. Follow a path into the backyard of a historic two-story home, weaving through arches of wisteria and fairy lights.
The manicured succulent garden opens up like a scene from a semi-arid fairy tale. Amethyst geodes and signs pointing toward Narnia, Westeros and Hogwarts keep company with a pair of pygmy goats nibbling mischievously on the leaves of an overhanging pineapple-guava. Underneath a broad awning of corrugated plastic, a who’s who of popular succulents dominates the space.
