Life wouldn’t be an adventure if everything went smoothly and just how you expect the day to flow. I am a planner and I thought I had our day trip to chase waterfalls at Table Mountain all figured out.  We had a great day but maybe our hiccups will help make Phantom Falls feel not so elusive. Phantom Falls is located in the North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve just north of Oroville, CA. Anyone over the age of 16 years old planning on walking through this area is required to purchase a land pass for the day for $4.58. You cannot purchase them there, so plan ahead to purchase and print to b ..read more

Ready or not, Valentine’s Day is less than a month away. Honestly, maybe I was just looking for a reason to visit California Caramel Company’s new retail locaton in Lincoln, CA. I know the caramel apples that I purchased aren’t going to last until Valentine’s Day, but I justified buying them because I didn’t want to promote something unless I had taste tested it for myself. Let’s be real, the apples only lasted a few hours before they were devoured. Owner Kristina Scott started making her handcrafted caramel treats 12 years ago in her home. Her new retail location just opened up in the histor ..read more

One of the many joys of the holidays is the element of surprise of what’s beneath the wrapping paper or even behind the closed door of an advent calendar. Anticipation grows and kids enjoy the surprise of chocolate in traditional advent calendars as they count down the days until Christmas. Adults can also open a new door and enjoy daily surprises of a single serving of wine each day as they count down to Christmas.   Not only does this create a sense of celebration, but for those with wine connoisseurs on their list, you can get a head start on your holiday shopping. To save you time research ..read more

People are asking me, “What made you decide to write a book?” It all started with TOMS Shoes. In 2006, Blake Mycoskie founded a company that started a retail movement that would give back to those in need. The one-for-one movement seemed like the perfect recipe, buy a pair of shoes and someone living in poverty would also get a pair of shoes. I was inspired and intrigued at the same time. I must have joined the mailing list for TOMS shoes, because in 2012 I received a package in the mail from Blake Mycoskie with a bottle of blue Essie nail polish (to promote “A Day Without Shoes”) and two copi ..read more

Every now and then I hear a story on the news that warms my heart. I haven’t had a chance to go to the flower farm that pays it forward, but I felt like it was worth sharing. So sorry about the lack of pictures. Nine years ago the Mezger Family of Woodland, California had a party and found that they had a lot of vases left over. They decided to fill the vases with flowers that were growing on their farm and took them to a nearby retirement home. Inspired by the joy and positive responses from this small act of kindness, the Mezgers started a flower farm filled with zinnias. It is a two acre fa ..read more

One of my favorite summer activities is a family adventure, even if it is just for the day. This week we decided to escape the Sacramento heat by heading to the Marin Headlands. Located near Sausalito, the Marin Headlands is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. You won’t find a shortage of activities here from several hikes, beaches, vista points, and walking through historical sights. The park website is very helpful giving tips on what to see & do based on the amount of time you have to spend here. There is also a visitors center located in an old military chapel that can he ..read more

Open four nights a week, serving a four course dinner to a maximum of 24 dinner guests for $44.00 per person is a new dining concept called Fourk. Playing off the theme of four, I thought it was only appropriate I write this post on the 4th of July. Executive Chef and Owner, Paul Jansen is a US military veteran who served for 24 years and currently in the Reserves. He left his position working for a top Fortune 300 company to pursue his passion of good food and good wine to go into the restaurant business. He started with Citizen Vine, expanded to Citizen Grind and now added Fourk to his repe ..read more

Unassuming and adjacent to the historic Blue Goose packing shed is Loomis’ newest watering hole, Gander Taphouse. Loomis is a small family oriented town that takes pride in their sense of community. Now the community has a new place to hang out with their family and meet up with friends. The Gander Taphouse is family owned and run by husband and wife team, Nate and Kim Peters. They have created an atmosphere where you can be inside or outside, gather around tables, be cozy on couches or socialize around games of foosball, table shuffle board, corn hole or oversized connect four. As they have ..read more

Now that the boys are older and involved in many activities, time together as a family is hard to come by. Even if the boys are home, they don’t always want to spend their free time with their parents.  However, if we suggest going out to eat together, we usually get willing participants.  It was even easier to convince the boys this week to join us for brunch when I mentioned that this restaurant offers a “bacon flight.” Voted by Sacramento Magazine as Best restaurant to wait in line for, Awful Annies is family owned with two locations; one in downtown Lincoln and the other in Auburn. We hav ..read more

I don’t think I will ever look at brooms, trash cans, flames or grocery carts the same way after seeing STOMP last night at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. I had the privilege of seeing this riveting production as a guest of Broadway Sacramento on opening night. Our evening started with a pre-party at Downtown and Vine located on K Street. A great wine bar that carries a variety of wines from around the world and offers tasting flights of red, white and sparkling wines. A cool spot for a drink and a bite to eat before a show. The location can’t be beat as it is only a few steps from t ..read more