Sacramento’s 4^th Annual Wine & Dine Week is in full swing! This week only, restaurants in Sacramento, Davis, El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Granite Bay, Plymouth, Rancho Cordova, Roseville and Woodland offer a three to four course meal at a fraction of the regular price. Even better, each meal is paired with different local wines. View the menus online and be sure to make a reservation, this is a popular event!

So go ahead and treat yourself…affordably. With almost 40 restaurants participating, there is something for everyone. But hurry, Wine & Dine Sacramento ends this Sunday, July 11^th.

Fabulous single-story home, lovingly maintained by original owners. Open & spacious great room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen with breakfast bar, & plenty of storage…this 1565 square foot home has it all. Three bedrooms and two baths: spacious  master with vaulted ceiling and two additional bedrooms. The yard is Sunset Magazine material! A definite must see! Large private yards, gorgeous flowers, established fruit trees (sweetest myer lemons you’ve ever tasted!), serene koi pond & waterfall, covered & uncovered patios…spectacular! NEWER A/C, tile roof, appliances. Recently painted interior/exterior.

More pictures below -

Galleries typically hold openings between 6-10pm. Especially if you are driving, arrive early, park, and get on foot as soon as possible. Or better yet, take lightrail. Midtown is usually un-drivable by 7pm.

Folsom has caught on to Second Saturday fun and hosts its own Art Walk the second Saturday of each month. Stroll Historic Sutter Street and enjoy art, live entertainment, wine tasting and more from 4-9pm.

Busy this Saturday? Roseville has their Saturday Art Walk on the Third Saturday just for you!

LIGHT, BRIGHT, OPEN…SPECTACULAR! 2 master bedroom suites plus one additional bedroom and guest bath. Kitchen has an abundance of cabinet space, upgraded corian countertops and breakfast nook. Family room, dining room, laundry room, 2-car garage…all tucked away in a private cul-de-sac location. Patio & yard are large enough to entertain, but small enough to maintain…just enough gardening to satisfy your green thumb. HOA maintains front yard in this gated senior community.

Not only can you borrow books (for FREE!) but you can borrow movies, television shows, even music. The online reserve system allows access to numerous library collections and, with it, almost everything is an option if you’re willing to be a little patient.

I recently placed myself on the reserve list for the HBO series Rome. Once my turn comes and it’s transferred to the library of my choice for pick up, I will get the acclaimed series for three full weeks without having to pay a penny.

In addition to rentals, the library is expanding its services to reach out to the community. They offer many different programs (almost all at no cost), including:

• Job Development Classes (the next is Sat, June 12, Small Business Quickbooks Training @ The Folsom library)
• Family Activities (The next is Sat, June 5, Pirate Day @ The Folsom library)
• Summer Reading Programs to keep your kids’ minds active over the summer break
• Story Times for kids of all ages throughout the week
• Teen and Adult Book Clubs
• A wide range of Cultural Events (The next is Jun 12, African dance and drum demonstration @ The Rocklin Library)

Want to find out more? Check out your local library or visit their site online:

• El Dorado Hills Library on the corner of Silva Valley and Serrano Parkway
• Folsom Library at two locations: Georgia Murray Building (Stafford and Natoma Streets) and Norman R. Siefkin (Vista del Lago High School campus, on Broadstone Parkway)
• Granite Bay Library at 6475 Douglas Blvd, near Barton Rd

Contact Rosie Kessell, the Police Volunteer Coordinator, to request this free service while you’re away, (916) 351-3409 or rkessell@folsom.ca.us.

May is National Bike Month

Work in Sacramento? Swing by the Capitol Bike Fest on the West steps of the State Capitol between 11am and 1pm for dozens of booths with everything you’d like to know about bicycling, staffed by cycling organizations and bike shops. You can enjoy music, ice cream and free bike safety checks on your lunch break. There will even be bike valet parking!

Live further from a bike trail? You and your family can still participate. From 6 to 10am, Sacramento County Regional Parks is hosting a Park ‘N’ Ride. They will waive parking fees at four American River Parkway locations to encourage people to try parking and riding along the beautiful American River Parkway. There will also be energizer stations at some locations with free coffee, bagels and juice and a chance for riders to purchase an annual pass to parks and be entered in a raffle to win a custom-fitted bike! Check out the online flyer for all the details.

Want to see how it’s done? Check out the Tour of California before it ends on May 23rd. The race was here earlier this week, but is moving down south. As my husband is an avid cyclist, he was there to catch all the action and took this video of the peleton riding through El Dorado Hills.

I was fortunate enough to see part of the race up close and personal. As I was sitting on the patio at Starbucks in Sacramento writing an offer for a client,  the cyclists rode right past us.  It was very exciting! Even if you missed it in person you can still watch, their website is impressive and allows you to watch the race live. 

We are lucky to have so many beautiful trails; take advantage of them this month!

Be on the look out! New business is coming to Folsom.

1. Karen’s Bakery
705 Gold Lake Drive #340, Folsom, CA 95630
Breakfast Hours: M-F, 6-11am, Sat 7-noon
A Folsom staple, Karen’s Bakery offers a huge selection of homemade baked goods and breakfasts. My recommendation is the Granola with Vanilla Yogurt and Fresh Berries, although it’s hard to go wrong with much on the menu. Slightly pricy and certainly not a traditional breakfast (they only serve eggs scrambled), Karen’s has a gourmet feel and plenty of charm. They even have great coffee and espresso drinks!

2. The Purple Place
363 Green Valley Road , El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Breakfast Hours: 7-11am daily
Yes, I know this is technically in El Dorado Hills, but it so close (and delicious) that it makes the cut. Better known as a Biker Bar, The Purple Place has a café that serves a mean breakfast. I’ve heard raves about their Ooey Gooey Coffee Cake, but I prefer to stick to the basic eggs and toast (and occasional mimosa). The most traditional diner on the list, the staff is always friendly and the food is very reasonably priced.

3. Early Toast
25075 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom, CA 95630
Breakfast Hours: 7am-2pm daily
If you’re looking for an international inspired breakfast (albeit, Americanized), look no further than Early Toast. They have a nice selection of crepes and Mexican inspired fare (the owner also owns Mexiquite) and is the only restaurant in Folsom where I order an omelet (Vegetable Omelet, sans Sour Cream). They have large portions and heavy food, so make sure you go hungry!

4. It’s a Grind
2770 E. Bidwell Street and 189 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom, CA 95630
Breakfast Hours: M-F 6am-10pm, Sat-Sun 6:30a-10pm
I must admit, if there is anything that I find lacking at most breakfast places, it’s the coffee. So when I want a great cup of coffee to go with my breakfast, I head over to It’s A Grind. Surprising as it may seem, the Folsom locations have delicious homemade quiche, and I absolutely love their Vanilla Nut coffee. Comfy chairs and free Wi-Fi make this a surprising, but very worthy, breakfast choice.

5. Mary’s Gold Miner Café
426 E. Bidwell Street, Folsom, CA 95630
Breakfast Hours: M-F 6am-2pm, Sat-Sun 6am-3pm
Gold Miner Café has all the basics and then some, my favorite being the Buckwheat Banana Pancakes. This place is kid-friendly and always packed. If you’re looking for a traditional, small town diner, this is the place for you. It’s a bit of a greasy spoon and a little more expensive than you’d expect, but it seems to be the place to see and be seen by Folsom residents. Christina Mendonza is a regular

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know where you like and why so I can check it out. Like I said, I’m always looking for a great breakfast.