A Watercolors and Hiking event will be held in Locke, Calif. on Thursday, September 15, 2011 starting at 10:00 a.m. The hike will be led by Martha Esch. Bring the kids and the grandparents; everyone is welcome!  Well-behaved dogs on leashes, okay. This is a mostly level 1.5 mile hike apart from one 20 foot long, somewhat steep, narrow path up a levee hill and some optional off-path routes along the way that are prickly and narrow. Locke artist and art teacher, Martha Esch, will demonstrate easy techniques to painting a quick, lovely, loose watercolor postcard of scenic spots along the hike. Next, participants will begin using watercolor kits, blank postcards and brushes that will be pas

The Sacramento Antique Faire is always a popular event for the people of Sacramento, especially the stalwart crew of the Sacramento Parking Enforcement Division. These people gladly give up their Sundays so that they can spread cheer to the good folks who accidentally or knowingly park improperly while trying to find an antique or collectable bargain from among the many stallholders who come to these events. While walking back to my car, which I had correctly parked, I noticed a long line of cars all with a parking ticket attached to their windows. Most of them had parked in the cross street under the underpass which is, of course, a bicycle lane. Tut tut, serves them right etc. Imagine

Vintage furnishings and accessories are the “new” wares for sale at a Midtown business opening next week, but despite their antique nature, co-owner Stefan Bloom said it won’t look like grandma’s attic. The Scout Living collective will open June 1 at 1215 18th St. in what Bloom called the hub of Midtown. Visitors who remember the Beyond Gotham jewelry store – which closed last September – might not recognize the building, which has been rearranged and now holds 11 separate areas ranging from 100 to 200 square feet full of vintage furniture and home décor. “It’s not an antique store – it’s more of a store for home furnishings that are antiques,” said co-owner Erin Boyle, Bloom’s wife. T

Have you ever discovered a place that made you say "everybody should see this place"? I did on a recent drive down J Street. What caught my eye was the shop owner putting some of her items outside for passerbys to get a visual and a taste of what could be in the store. I quickly found myself parking right in front so that I could get a better view of what I was hoping I was seeing. What the shop owner was putting out were items of furniture that I hadn't seen in a long time, ever since I was a kid. After perusing all the fun things outside, I couldn't wait to go inside. I was like a big kid waiting to go into a candy store. The moment I walked into the store I was greeted by Cheri the sho

First Person – 43rd Annual Antique Peddler’s Fair What do a vintage gas station sign, a metal Coca Cola tray, old wooden chests and treasure-hunting, bargain-loving people all have in common? All were congregating in Folsom Sunday for the 43rd Annual Antique Peddler’s Fair. In February, however, there was some concern that the event may not happen. The promoters were expecting between 10,000 and 15,000 people along with 150 vendors to attend, so it was imperative that they received the help from the community that was so desperately needed. The city of Folsom, the Folsom Chamber of Commerce and Teichert Construction all stepped up and made sure that, during the yearlong Sutter Street r

     Gary Schiff and Danyelle Petersen, of Schiff’s Estate Sale Building and Schiff's Estate Services, are coordinating the first annual Urban Flea Market on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 from 9am-3pm. After much urban renewal of the Estate Sale Building itself, as well as North Sacramento’s Del Paso Boulevard’s shopping district, the lot next to Schiff’s Building will be temporarily renewed with Antiques, Collectible, Furniture, Arts & Crafts, Unique and Desirable Items of all Kinds. The event benefits the rebuilding of The Iceland Skating Rink on Del Paso Blvd. The Skating Rink was destroyed by an arson fire in March. Through donations they are looking to rebuild by their 70th birthday in N

Mark your calendar and don't miss the California Automobile Museum's Annual Spring Swap Meet on Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 6am - 2pm.Vendors will offer unique and hard to find automobile collectibles and accessories, including antique auto parts, tools, books, magazines, models and much more! The Meet is located next to the Museum at 2400 Front Street - parking in Museum parking lot, on the street, and behind the Museum. New this year, vendors can pre-register by visiting www.CalAutoMuseum.org/SwapMeet. There will also be set-up and merchant and car sales registration on Saturday, March 6 from 2pm - 5pm and registration and set up will open at 5am on March 7. General admission and parking

What's old is new again at the Sacramento Antique Faire, an outdoor antique and collectible marketplace held the second Sunday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Three hundred antique dealers from the Northern California area and as far as Washington and Oregon arrived early Sunday morning to display a wide variety of antiquarian items and interior design inspirations. Many of these vendors attend the Sacramento Antique Faire on a monthly basis. With nearly 3,500 visitors to the fair each month, each vendor has ample opportunity to find a seasoned collector or amateur enthusiast eager to purchase a one-of-a-kind treasure. Quality items for sale included fine art and jewelry, pottery