Saint Barbara Club of Sacramento

We went to the Saint Barbara Club of Sacramento's Annual meeting today.  From left to right Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, etc. etc...If your name is Barbara, you are invited to attend next year on the first Sunday of December.  Many thanks to Barbara Davis (center) for hosting us!

15 Can Challenge

Today we dropped off our 15 cans and $630 collected from JMHS class of 64 to support the West Sacramento Christmas Basket Project. Helena Helmold (center) is the coordinator of the West Sacramento Christmas Basket Project. Every year she and her band of angels collect and distribute food and toys to many families in our community. The Project doesn't have a confirmed site for this year's sorting and distribution and are hoping to hear soon so they can spread the word. Last year Frank Ramos & Company allowed the Project to setup in one of their vacant warehouse spaces in the Port area...If you know of someone who can help with donating a space this Christmas please spread the word.

Finishing touches on the Mike McGowan Bridge

The Mike McGowan Bridge will be 615 feet long and approximately 80 feet wide and is expected to be completed by end of 2014.  Linking South River Road across the Barge Canal, our new bridge will help alleviate traffic on Jefferson Boulevard, adding a third connection between the north and south sides of town.

Silo Demolition in Progress

The progress is slow but steady in the demolition of the old Cemex Cement storage silos on South River in West Sacramento.

RIP Goose Club (1987 to 2014)

The Goose Club on Jefferson Boulevard closed this week.  A local hangout for many years, most recently it was owned and operated by Carl Zagar and his son Joe.  Many will remember when it started out as pizza and beer joint in the 1960's (some say in the 1950's) then later became the Wild Goose. Carl and his wife Judy bought the business back in 1987 and we have great memories of meeting up with friends to play pool and shuffle board there.  We look forward to the grand opening of the new West Sacramento Sports Bar and Grill in this memory filled building! 

Goodbye to the Old Cemex Silos

These old silos at the Cemex cement plant on South River Road are now being  torn down as part of the continuing redevelopment of the riverbank area. See more at the Business Journal.
Photo by Barbara Smith (2008)

#Westsacbestsac- You know it is!!!

Less than 1000 feet separates the City of West Sacramento from Sacramento, the Capital City of California, the greatest State in the USA! #westsacbestsac

Spirit Halloween Store in West Sacramento

You can find all your Ghoulish needs in one place this Halloween.  Maya and I stopped by the Spirit Halloween Store in the Southport Town Center today to look at their costume selection. #spirithalloween has a great selection for kids of all ages!

The TBD Fest Riverfront Street in West Sacramento

The lineup and the weather looks to be a fantastic combination for music lovers attending TBD Fest this weekend (October 3,4,5).  Bringing 3 days days of Music, Design, Food and Ideas to West Sacramento's Bridge District,  it was previously know as the Launch festival. The name was changed to TBD Fest when it moved from Sacramento to West Sacramento. Find them on Facebook.

(Published on Jul 8, 2014) October 3rd - 5th w/ performances by Justice (DJ Set), Blondie, Moby (DJ Set), Empire of the Sun, Explosions in the Sky, Dillon Francis, Kurt Vile & The Violators, MS MR, Gramatik, Deltron 3030 and more. This video was designed to get you stoked. Share the awesomeness.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Grand Opening this Thursday

Stop by the new Dickey's BBQ on Thursday for their Grand Opening at Southport Town Center. The first 50 guests will get a free gift card and the first 100 guests will get a free cup of tea & other Dickey's Goodies! On Saturday they will have $2.00 pulled pork sammies and more prizes.  On their sign it says that kids eat free on Sundays!  What a deal...

Vince's Restaurant and Bar in West Sacramento

We love the new menu at Vince's. The caricature drawing is the likeness of the restaurant founder Vince Frugoli. See more about Vince's.

Vavricka Gardens on 3rd Street

We saw this quaint garden with a booth for selling their products on 3rd Street just near the Third Strike Cafe.

Ettore's at the Nugget Bakery

This beautiful cake caught my eye yesterday...fresh red rose petals. Just exquisite!

Jackrabbit Brewing Co in West Sacramento

Growlers and bottles tonight with a special treat! Thanks for the great photo Debbie Johnson.

James Marshall High School Class of 1964--50 Year Reunion Announced

SAVE THE DATE - James Marshall High School Class of '64 50-Year Reunion Saturday, October 18, 2014 5:00 PM, at the Veterans of Foreign War Post 8762, 905 Drever Street, West Sacramento, CA 95691. For more information please contact Gary Reason (916) 371-5601 or Randy Bradbury Smedley (916) 371-2433

Twosome Scooter

We spotted this gentlemen riding his Scooter at the grocery store this morning.  He said he gets around all over town and even drove it to Mack Road one day.  His wife rides in it with him.  He is excited that West Sacramento is working on more bike friendly lanes on our main drags.

Find out more about The Palmer Twosome Scooter.... This full suspension electric two person scooter will take two of you almost anywhere a car can go and then some: down the lane, out to the barn, to the Doc's, the store, the church, or wherever the spirit moves you. Able to climb the steepest hills in San Francisco, go across grass, gravel, snow and unpaved roads this electric wheelchair is also ideal for those who have lost their license through macular degeneration and etc. and still need to travel locally. It has Moped Wheels for these adventuresome travels. Made in USA

Capitol Bowl Exterior Remodel

Capitol Bowl at 900 West Capitol Avenue has completed their exterior remodel and it looks wonderful!  Caps Bar and Grill's food is delicious and has a nice outdoor eating area with tables that convert to fire pits during the cooler weather. 

Hungry Heros

These hungry fire fighters made a quick stop by the SactoMoFo's food truck event in Lowe's parking lot last night on their way back to their home station house on Sacramento Avenue. They were called to the West Side to assist in putting out two grass fires in the Southport area. The Fire and Police personnel in West Sacramento are just the best and we really appreciate their service in protecting our community.

Cute 'n Classy Children's Shoppe on 15th Street

Cute 'n Classy Children's Shoppe has a great selection of trendy and stylish new and gently used clothing for kids size newborn to 14. They also buy back your gently used kids clothing. We found our Maya a darling skirt and mod tennis shoes for end of school free dress week.  The shop is located at 120 15th Street in West Sacramento. Find them on Facebook.

Megan's Bake Shop on Jefferson Boulevard

We stopped by Megan's Bake Shop to order some amazingly beautiful and delicious cupcakes for the nephew's after graduation party from River City High next week. Megan's shop is located at 1001 Jefferson Boulevard and she also stocks a great selection of supplies for all your baking projects. Check out her classes for kids of all ages. Find Megan on Facebook.

Farm to Fork - West Sacramento's Urban Agriculture

Be sure to drive by the corner of 5th and C Streets on the north side and see the new Urban Garden Project planted on two-thirds of an acre.   Read more on Sacbee.com about projects our City is encouraging to counteract urban blight on unused property.  See story on Westsacweb.com Groundbreaking: West Sacramento Urban Farm

Third Strike Cafe Opening May 27

Roy Ulatan's family has owned the house at 3rd and G Streets since 1943 and their recently converted Third Strike Cafe is now slated to open this week.  Starting May 27th, 2014, authentic Filipino style BBQ with recipes handed down by Roy's grandparents will be available from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, but only on the days the River Cats have a home game (but not on Sundays because the family will be at the game)!  Take out orders can be phoned in to pickup and take to the game. On June 2, the cafe will be open weekday (M-F) mornings for coffee and pastries from 6:30 AM to 11:30 AM.   We will see you there on their very charming patio enjoying a great cup of coffee.  Find them on Facebook.

Yolo Brewing Company Opening in June 2014

Mike Costello of Yolo Brewing Company gave us an advance tour today of the new beer hall located at 1520 Terminal Street in West Sacramento. Guest brewing services and small batch craft brewery beers will be featured, and roll up doors will allow access to food truck vendors during special events. A kitchen is in the planning stages and for those of us who frequented Mike's "Brew It Up", we hope they will be serving those fabulous kettle chips with bleu cheese soon! Check out their website to purchase tickets to one of the four preview parties starting May 29, 2014. You can also find Yolo Brewery on Facebook.

Quick Quack Car Wash opens in West Sacramento

Quick Quack Car Wash opened to lines of cars waiting for their free Grand Opening Car Wash through May 29, 2014. Their newly renovated site is the former River City Car wash on Harbor Boulevard in West Sacramento. The chain operates 17 car washes with locations in California, Texas and Colorado.  Our car looks beautiful!!

New signage at the Port of West Sacramento "SSA Marine"

SSA Marine (Stevedoring Services of America) The Sacramento-Yolo Port Commission approved a new master lease of its West Sacramento maritime facilities with SSA Pacific, Inc.

"In West Sacramento, SSA Marine handles a variety of bulk, breakbulk and project cargo, including: rice, fertililzer, lumber, cement, minerals/ore, metals, wind turbines, machinery, generators, steel and heavy lifts."

Holy Cross Cinco de Mayo Festival 2014

Rob Peffer shot these pix of folks enjoying the Holy Cross Cinco de Mayo festival on Sunday, May 4, 2014. It looks like it was a great turnout for the festival held each year at the Holy Cross Preparatory Academy on Todhunter Street on the north side of town. 

Beautiful Yucca in bloom

This beautiful Yucca was blooming in full splendor on West Capitol Avenue in front of Carol's Restaurant yesterday. I love the landscaping in our beautiful city!

New Tenants coming to Westbridge Plaza

Westbridge Plaza was completed in 2008 and it is great to see new construction activity this month.  We talked to Ron Meade, President of RC Pacific Construction at the site today and his crew is working on the improvements for several new tenants in the center including a bank, Allstate Insurance Office, a sports store, Great Clips and more. Great news for West Sacramento!

Photo above posted on West Sacramento Photo of the Day in 2008.

Third Strike Cafe Opening May 27, 2014

We drove by the new Third Strike Cafe located at 630 3rd Street. I shot this photo from the street as we drove by this morning, but it looks like it will be a cafe with a cool beer garden, and it is just a short walk from Raley Field.

This update comes from Janice Orr:

"I just wanted to thank you for posting the photo of the new Third Strike Cafe. It was my grandparents home and my dad has been working tirelessly to transform it into a coffee shop and plans to offer homemade smoked meats and rice dishes (family recipes) for the lunch crowd or hungry River Cats fans.  Lots of blood, sweat and tears went into the place and seeing your blog post brought a happy tear to my eye. I live in St. Louis, MO, so have not been home to see the coffee shop since last summer. I'm planning a trip this June and can't wait to see it finally finished.  Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the newest addition to the neighborhood!"

Happy Mother's Day from the blog authors!

This blog authors Debbie, Barbara and Christy here-- wishing you a Happy Mothers Day 2014!

Neon Relic- A blast from the past!

Today's post will bring back some memories for the old timers in West Sacramento. This neon sign once welcomed folks to the El Rancho Bowl on West Capitol Avenue (now the Capitol Bowl). Thanks to our sleuth Michael Nyberg who found this relic of the past at a recycling facility off Harbor Blvd. It sure brings back memories for me.

Photo by Michael Nyberg

RIP Marino Pierucci

by West Sacramento Historical Society.

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — APRIL 30, 2014 – Note: This past week longtime West Sacramento resident Marino Pierucci passed away at the age of 91. Over Marino’s long and eventful life he played an important role in how our city grew and prospered and was also the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services for the Washington Unified School District until his retirement in 1981. He was an incredibly bright, interesting and fun person to spend time with and the following article about him and his beloved wife of 72 years, Mary, is reprinted below in his memory. Marino’s warmth and easy smile never failed to light up a room and he will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him. Read the rest of the feature News-Ledger article BY DARYL FISHER here: Not bad for a boy from Broderick

SacMoFo Event @ Lowe's in West Sacramento

Ernie Hernandez doing his thing at a recent SacMoFo event featuring mobile kitchens and chefs from the Sacramento area. You will find Ernie coordinating the food trucks and music on the 4th Wednesday each month for Lunch at the River Walk Park and dinner in the Lowes parking lot.

TLC @ Raley's in West Sacramento

Linda O. takes a moment to clean this candy display with a toothbrush. That's dedication! Linda has worked for Raley's since 1987. She's worked in stores in Woodland, Sacramento, and our West Sacramento store, which is almost done with it's latest renovation. We love our local Raley's, especially all the long-time employees like Linda that take such good care of us!
Photo by Christy Jourdan

The Eatery in West Sacramento

We are so sad to hear The Eatery in Southport Town Center has closed their doors. Owners Jess Milbourn and Monda Korich-Milbourn did such a great job providing a unique dining experience for us in West Sacramento and we are very sad to see them go.

River City High School Students, Teachers and Staff are HAPPY for a SPRING BREAK.

Project Prevention 5th Annual Yolo Fashion Show

Student volunteers did a fantastic job modeling sustainable designs by Timothy Westbrook and Alexis Rose (lower photo right) who brought their genius and generosity to West Sacramento last night.  The Annual YCAA Fashion Show fundraiser was held at the City Hall Galleria and there was a packed house. Other high points of the evening was a performance by the Syncopated Sea Monkeys from River City High School and a live auction for a week stay in Puerto Vallarta, donated by Wes and Jolaine Beers.

Retail Center - 1600 Sacramento Avenue

This small strip center across the street from Emma's at 1600 Sacramento Avenue doesn't seem to have any vacancy problems.  From the left there is a Market & Deli, Cigarette Mart, Cash4Gold, Ray's Barber Shop and a Pizza Place. 

Remembering Luanne the Face Painter

Today I was remembering a Funderland outing with our friends the Linkers.  Their grandaughter Keira loves to have her face painted and she was a regular customer there.  Luanne was the very sweet women who painted the faces of many children and she passed away July 13, 2011.  Funderland has a memorial on their website for Luanne.

On the hunt!

This beautiful White Tailed Kite was perched high in our neighbor's tree this afternoon. Many of the North American kites have an eye color that is some shade of red. The White-tailed Kite has a similar hunting strategy and prey preference as the American Kestrel.

Mercado Loco comes to West Sacramento

We stopped in to see the new Mercado Loco on West Capitol Avenue yesterday.  The Mexican food store features a great meat market (carniceria), produce aisle and bakery (panaderia).

Vierra Farm's Produce at Raley's

We stopped by Raley's Market this afternoon and we were greeted with this sign advertising butternut squash from Vierra Farms in West Sacramento. It was delicious!