Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Julia Beckner

NYE 2010 - Keepin' it local

2009-12-31T04:30:21Z

Ok. So tonight is the big night. If you still haven’t made your plans to say good bye to 2009, here’s a quick and dirty guide to the best low key local spots to check out.

Part four: Low key and local

Start out at Brew it Up, at 14th and H streets. Here you’ll find a reasonably priced prix-fixe menu at only $30 per person. Stick around after dinner for the Brewery Bash, which begins at 9 p.m. Pre-paid reservations score you a reserved table, party favors, canapé appetizers and sparkling wine at midnight. Call 441-3000 for more information.

Or, check out de Vere’s Irish Pub for a hearty, home-style meal with a glass of bubbly for only $45 per person. Menu items marry contemporary California cuisine with traditional Irish dishes; choices include Guinness braised oxtail and a rack of lamb with Jameson fruit chutney. Dinner reservations are available between 6 and 8 p.m. de Vere’s will open up all areas of the pub at 9:30 p.m. to those who wish to stop in for a drink. To sweeten the deal, de Vere’s is offering free entry for the entire evening – that means NO cover charge – making it really easy to usher in the new year with nothing more than a quiet pint of Guinness and a wee bit o’ Irish whiskey. Learn more at deverespub.com.

Marilyn’s on K, a local favorite, is hosting its annual New Year’s Eve Bash with perennial college favorites, The Mother Hips. This California band, signed to its first major label by Rick Rubin, makes a well-timed stop at Marilyn’s on K while on tour to promote their newest album, Pacific Dust. Visit marilynsonk.com for more information. Be sure to check out January 1 on the website’s events calendar – Marilyn offers to you her tried and true hangover cure. Couldn’t hurt to jot down the recipe - just in case.

For something truly local you can’t go wrong with Torch Club, a Sacramento favorite since 1934. Known for its history as state politico’s preferred watering hole, ‘The Torch’ is currently known as the best place to catch Sactown’s hottest bands. New Year’s Eve will not disappoint as local darlings, Stacie Eakes and the Superfreakes, take the stage. $20 will get you in the door, champagne at midnight, and some party favors to help ring in the holiday. Call 443-2797 for more information.

New Year’s Day: Another local favorite, Capitol Garage, is stepping up as ‘The Place to Be’ the next morning with an unbelievable brunch deal that includes 8 different versions of eggs benedict and $4.95 bottomless mimosas. Make your reservations now by calling 444-3633 as they will most likely be swarming with folks hankering for a big breakfast and a little hair of the dog…

Whatever your plans this New Year’s Eve, be safe, and have fun Downtown.

Wine and dine your way into 2010

2009-12-30T22:28:15Z

Now that we’ve covered both family-friendly options and have supplied partygoers with a variety of exciting nightclub options this New Year’s Eve, we shift our focus to those who may prefer a more sophisticated, grown-up celebration. Several exciting dining options await you this New Year’s Eve. Part three of this four part series highlights Downtown’s finest haute cuisine, with specific information on each establishment’s New Year’s Eve options.

Part Three: Wine and dine your way into the new year!

For romance, nothing can beat The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento. This well-respected eatery is extending its dining hours and opening its heated outdoor patio to accommodate the New Year’s Eve Sky Spectacular show. Dine on such lavish fare as oysters and caviar or Chilean sea bass with black truffle butter while fireworks decorate the night sky. For a truly special experience, try a glass (or bottle) of Armand de Brignac, considered the best champagne in the world, according to both FINE Champagne Magazine and Jay Z. Armand de Brignac became this famous rapper’s drink of choice following his public fall out with Cristal, bolstering Armand’s reputation among rappers worldwide and elevating sales for the company to record levels. Visit firehouseoldsac.com or call 442-4772 for more information or to make reservations.

Foodies throughout the region will want to consider Grange Restaurant at the Citizen Hotel. As those who have stayed at the Citizen Hotel know, half the fun of this place is its stylishly eclectic décor and decidedly metropolitan vibe. Known for their emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, their four course prix-fixe menu is sure to please even the most discerning palate. Their New Year’s Eve menu features Sonoma artisan fois gras tortelloni and pan roasted Novy Ranch rib eye steak - all for $69 per person. Make a weekend of it with a special holiday room rate of $99 (when using code NYECVB) that includes late checkout. Visit grangesacramento.com for more information.

Choices, choices! Located inside The Park Downtown, Mason’s Restaurant at 15th and L streets, is offering a multi-course prix-fixe menu with more options to choose from than any other downtown restaurant. Mason’s will offer a three-course menu at 5:30 p.m. for only $50 per person and a four-course menu at 7:00p.m. for $75 per person. With an amuse bouche as part of the deal, Mason’s presents a top notch dining option at a very reasonable price. Seating is limited; it’s best to call Mason’s directly at 492-1960 to make your reservations.

Indecisive? Morgan’s Central Valley Bistro and Sheraton Grand Hotel have partnered with downtown nightclubs to offer perhaps the most comprehensive New Year’s Eve package available. They have thought of everything for you, allowing you to just check in and relax. Start with a lovely three-course dinner with exciting options like 'Roasted Beets and Purple Haze' or 'Tagine Style Petaluma Chicken.' You can add tickets to Dream Ultra Lounge, Faces or Social for après-dinner drinks and dancing. Top off your packages with in-room amenities such as personalized top shelf margarita or martini bar. New Year's Day Brunch options also available through this package make for a truly luxuriously lazy weekend. Build your package at grandsacramento-epackages.com.

Tomorrow’s theme: Low key and local

NYE 2010 in the Central City - Party like a Rock Star!

2009-12-29T19:21:24Z

This four-part series features very different itineraries to celebrate 2010 downtown. Whether your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve involves funky beats, bottles of bubbly, a caravan of kids, or haute cuisine, the Central City is the place to be!

Downtown is home to some of Sacramento’s coolest bars and clubs, with many venues offering VIP services that can take your night ‘to the next level.’ Part two showcases these hotspots and their VIP amenities like private booths, bottle service, dedicated staff and complimentary champagne.

Part Two: Party like a rock star!

Over at 10th and K, Cosmo Café, Cosmopolitan Cabaret and Social Nightclub are partnering to offer something for all ages this New Year’s Eve. Billed as the 'Largest Party of 2010,' here you can enjoy a lavish prix-fixe dinner and entry into all venues for only $99. Dance the night away with DJ Pat Allen upstairs at Social or show off your old school dancing skills with the Spazmatics at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Dinner and party packages for either Social or the special NYE Cabaret show are available at cosmosacramento.com.

See and be seen at The Park Ultra Lounge, where Sactown Magazine will be celebrating their third anniversary. The Park is offering a variety of VIP packages to suit your entourage that includes front-of-the-line admission, special seating, complimentary champagne and spirits as well as your own VIP host and waitress for the evening. At the stroke of midnight, a massive balloon drop will reveal swag and other goodies from local wineries, retailers and restaurants. Learn more at theparkdowntown.com.

Or, celebrate with the folks at MIX Downtown as they commemorate their one-year anniversary on New Year’s Eve. Enjoy champagne and cake while dancing the night away to DJ Jus James. MIX chefs will offer a delicious menu selection of eats and sweets, including Grilled Lamb Lollipops, Shrimp Tempura Cocktail and Fudgy Peppermint Brownies. Holiday drink specials round out a fun and festive evening. 100.5 The Zone will be broadcasting live from the event- your celebratory ‘woo-woos’ could be heard all across the greater Sacramento region. Additional details available at mixdowntown.net.

Dream Ultra Lounge is ringing in the New Year in style with DJ Elements and DJ Victorious, who will be spinning your favorite top 40 and club hits all night long. From the masterminds behind Cabana Ultra Lounge and Ink Eats and Drinks, Dream is sexy and exclusive, with state-of-the-art sound and lighting. Dream has partnered with the Sheraton Grand hotel to offer a room and party package for only $199 that includes tickets to the event. Other VIP party packages are available. Visit dreamultralounge.com for details.

Tomorrow’s itinerary: Wine & Dine your way into the new year!

Celebrate New Year's Eve 2010 in the Central City

2009-12-28T20:03:10Z

So, you survived Christmas. Now the big question isn’t whether or not you’ve finished your holiday shopping, it’s all about what to do this New Year’s Eve. This four-part series aims to take the mystery and anxiety out of what to do in Sacrmento to ring in the New Year. Each day, we’ll feature very different downtown ways to celebrate 2010. Whether your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve involves funky beats, bottles of bubbly, a caravan of kids, or haute cuisine, the Central City is the place to be!

Part One: Family style
Got kids? Start your evening early with a visit to the California Museum’s Out of this World exhibit, an exhibition of famous television and movie costumes sure to delight movie buffs from ages 8 to 80. View iconic movie garb like Darth Vader’s cape, helmet and lightsaber or Indiana Jones’ whip from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The museum is open daily until 5 p.m. Admission is $8.50 for adults, with discounted admission for children. Visit californiamuseum.org for details.

Afterward, head down to Old Sacramento to catch the 6:30 or 8:00 p.m. showing of Theatre of Lights, a symphony of lights, sounds and visual effects that accompanies a narrative reading of the beloved poem, The Night Before Christmas, first introduced in Sacramento in 1857.

Take a break from the winter chill with a visit to Old Sacramento’s newest restaurant, Ten 22. Brought to you by the owners of landmark establishment, The Firehouse, Ten 22 offers unique, family friendly fare like Corn Flake Chicken Wings, Dungeness Crab Tater Tots or hand dipped Mini Corn Dogs. Call Ten 22 at 441-2211 to make reservations.

Cap off your evening with a post-dinner stroll around this historic district and enjoy free family entertainment at Waterfront Park courtesy of Radio Disney’s Rockin’ Road Crew. If you can, be sure to stick around long enough to catch the 9:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve Sky Spectacular, a free fireworks show set to children’s music. For those who want to party past bedtime, a second fireworks show starts at midnight-just in time to usher in the New Year. Visit discovergold.org/nye for complete schedule and information. Pre-paid parking available at both Old Sacramento garages beginning at 3 p.m. for a flat rate of $8.00.

Need a room? The Citizen hotel is offering a special $99 room rate (with late check-out) for the holiday; book online and use code NYECVB to receive discount.

Tomorrow’s Itinerary: Party like a rock star!