That experience is a huge part of what prompted my decision to make a career change. My job made it nearly impossible to see my family, both logistically and financially. And that is a reality I refuse to accept. So when I started my job search, I asked myself, "Where do I want to live?" The answer was immediate: "I want to stay in Sacramento."
But wait a minute! You just said you were crazy homesick, crying like a little girl for a hug from your parents. Don't you want to move back East to be closer to them?
Nope. Both my family and my best friend have lobbied hard to get me to go back to New England. But as long as my next job affords me the ability to visit them at least twice a year, I want to stay here. I can't leave - I love Sacramento too much. Yes, you heard me right - I absolutely adore this city.
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| Sacramento (from West Sac) June 2014 |
When I tell people I think Sacramento is a wonderful city, I usually get one of two responses:
1. "Really?! That's so great to hear! That's not something you hear young people say very often!"
-or (more often)-
2. "Seriously? Why? At least go to San Francisco."
First of all, STOP comparing Sacramento to San Francisco. They are two completely different cities. Stop holding one to the other's standards, and just see it for its own merits. Don't get me wrong - San Francisco is amazing, but Sacramento has a lot going for it. Secondly, it's really a shame more young people don't see how much our city has to offer.
I fell in love with Sacramento the day I moved here - June 5, 2011. I checked into my hotel downtown, and went for a walk. I wandered across the street and found myself in the Capitol Park rose garden. As I made my way through the park, I saw towering palm trees, magnolia trees in bloom, and navel orange trees, full of fruit. Behind it all, was a breathtaking building. Say what you will about some of the people who work inside, but the California State Capitol is impressive. Around the park and nearby streets, people were out in the sunshine - talking, exercising and (for the most part) smiling. It was one of those defining moments. I can't explain it, but I knew I would be happy here.
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| Capitol Park, Sacramento June 5, 2011 |
The first reason I love Sacramento is perhaps the most obvious if you know me at all - I love, love, love the weather. As someone who grew up in ridiculously humid summers and miserably cold, snowy winters, I don't think it gets much better than this. Summers are hot, but it's a dry heat. Winter nights rarely dip below freezing and I'm happy to trade in my snow shovel and ice scraper for an umbrella and rain boots. Flowers bloom all year long. It's acceptable to go out for ice cream in December. There's more sunshine than inclement weather. And the sunsets...damn. Those never get old.
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| View From My Apartment June 2014 |
Let's talk about food. There are few things I enjoy more than a good meal with friends. And Sacramento has lots to chose from. Now before you start comparing Sac to a big metropolitan city again, just think about it. You want Mexican? You have dozens of choices. Burgers? You've got choices. Indian? Thai? Sushi? Again, choices. And while I'm no food critic, I've found good spots for all of these and much more. You want to eat local? Done. Farm-to-Fork is HUGE here and you can always find a meal made from locally-sourced ingredients. If not, make one - there are farmers' markets all over the place with some of the best produce I've ever seen!
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| Farmers' Market Under The WX Freeway, Downtown Sac |
While we're talking about eating local, let's talk about drinking local. The craft beer scene is absolutely exploding in and around Sacramento. As a big beer nerd, this excites me tremendously. I love trying new brews and finding new favorites. And I can feel good about paying for a cold one, knowing it's supporting local brewers. Those brewers, by the way, are also some of the nicest, coolest people you will ever meet.
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| One of my favorites: Milk Stout at Bike Dog Brewing in West Sac |
But it's not just beer. Let's not forget about perhaps the most important thing of all - coffee. I don't know about you, but I do not function without it. Whether it's a latte with fabulous foam, a mocha with the right balance of espresso and chocolate or a cup of cold brew in the summer, finding the perfect pick-me-up is not hard. Choosing which coffee shop to visit on a given morning? Now, that can be a challenge.
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| Temple Coffee Midtown Sacramento |
Sacramento is, in my opinion, the perfectly-sized city. Big enough that there's always something going on, but not so busy that it's overwhelming. Need a dose of culture? How about history? There are dozens of festivals, concerts, plays and museums to check out. I love spending a Sunday afternoon checking out the latest exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum. And just around the corner, some of my favorite Saturdays are spent in Old Sacramento. I'm perfectly content taking pictures of the old buildings, window-shopping, people-watching or munching on that free taffy after a relaxing lunch overlooking the river. Then I'll cross the Tower Bridge and make my way down the River Walk, to my favorite building.
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| The Ziggurat Building West Sacramento |
Raley Field is right across the street, which reminds me of one of the things I love most about Sac. This city loves its sports. Seriously - it's awesome. Watching the city fight to keep the Kings in town was incredible. And that enthusiasm is contagious - I can't help but root for them, even though I've never really cared much about basketball. (Yes, I graduated from 'Cuse. No, I don't know how that happened either.) Sacramento has a new soccer team, and I think every game during the inaugural season has been sold out! While I admit I jumped on the futbol bandwagon during the World Cup, I'd love to check out a match myself. The cycling community here is also notable. I don't have a bike (I actually don't think I've ridden one since I was probably 11 or 12), but it's one of the bike-friendliest cities I've ever seen. My passion is reserved primarily for football, and over the past few years, I've found I'm in good company here. I've even found a bartender at one of my favorite sports bars who roots for my beloved Patriots too! And back to baseball for a minute - catching a River Cats game after work (when I'm employed, anyway) is easily one of my Top 5 favorite things to do in town.
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| Raley Field, West Sac June 2014 |
These are some of my favorite things about Sacramento. But what brings them all together is the people. Maybe it's the Capitol or maybe it's something else, but there are a lot of smart people in this town. And as someone who has a zero-tolerance policy for stupidity, bros and vapid girls who use the word "like" as an indefinite/definite article, I find this incredibly refreshing. Also, Sacramentans really care about their city. City council and other neighborhood and board meetings are often packed. Social media is buzzing with people, involved in their communities, encouraging others to join them. But when it comes to people, my decision to stay in Sacramento is based on one thing: my friends. I've met some incredible people over the past three years and I'm not done making awesome memories with them. Many of my closest friends are settling down - getting married, buying homes, having kids. Like me, they see and appreciate everything this city has to offer.
So no, I don't want to move back to the Northeast. I still miss my family enormously, but my heart is in Sacramento. And you know what they say...
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