Sacramento...

I was born in Sacramento. I left my family home in the suburbs of Citrus Heights in 1990 at 18 years of age and began my true Sacramento life. I’ll explain what I mean by that, but first I’ll tell you how it is now. This is... Sacramento.

Sacramento now is still great, but much, much changed from the Sacramento I came up in. A major shift started in 2014-ish. I was slinging books at Beers Bookstore on my second stint. The last time I worked for Beers was in the mid-late 90’s. This time almost every other customer made the statement, “This is a great bookstore. This is my first time here. We just moved to Sacramento from the Bay Area.” Bay Area folks had already been trickling in for several years, taking notice of a great and way less expensive life in the not-too-far-away land of Sacramento. With the Bay Area interest and migration, our property rates went up, up, up, and everything has grown plus become more crowded. I’m not expressing this as a matter of complaint (well maybe a little), as I do love to see our city devlop and become more active, appreciated, and vibrant. I love to see people discover how life can be very good here in Sacramento. I do write this though with the longing to express how things were here, more the feeling of it here before, so that ol' Sacramento vibe is not lost.

My true Sacramento life meant moving to midtown, in with my man. We started on 29th and P (now a parking lot) with a rent of $350. a month. This was a time to discover my life, and myself separate from my family. This period of time was full of live music, reggae festivals, swimming up on the north fork of the American River with friends, working at Books Inc., drinking Henry Weinhard beer and Cook’s champagne, a much simpler time for us in general.

There were drunken walks after partying at the Fox and Goose, and Old Ironsides through downtown and midtown. "Daisy Spot," my favorite local band. Mike Farrall gave epic performances, wailing on his guitar. Performances we still talk about to this day.

Weekends were quiet from State workers flooding back to their suburban homes in greater Sacramento. Downtown Sacramento became a desert island every Saturday and Sunday. Weekends smelled of cannabis and Nag Champa incense, as the people of Downtown and Midtown Sac were slow to rise. We’ve always had great food here, and about a thousand different activities you can do on the weekend. Being central to the foothills, mountains, rivers, ocean, coast, delta… every direction from Sacramento, an adventure can be had and even right nearby one can find nature and good times.

Being a native of Sacramento, I can spot the Sacramentans vs. the newcomers. We have a certain vibe, a look I can’t quite put my finger on. I once had a friend who exemplified specifically the Sacramento girl look. The Sacramento girl usually flys by on her bike, rides her bike around town in confidence, with long flowing hair, or braids blowing in the breeze, layers of vintage, thrift store finds, Doc Martens, and usually some statement piece tattoos on full exhibit. I love those Sacramento girls.

Downtown Sacramento

There are trains. One can be driving around Sacramento and be stopped at a train crossing, traffic building behind as you wait for the caboose to roll on by so you can be on your way again. I never tire of the soft mournful train horn cries, the background soundtrack of Sacramento living. Trains and rivers all around us, tucked into a wide valley.

Sacramento is camellia flowers, and old vine roses, fabulous Asian eats, hot and dry summer days. Sacramento is crisp blue skies, a walk by houses that look like Wayne Theibaud's cakes on display. Sacramento is the gold of the Tower Bridge, the rose garden in McKinley Park, the stately mansions of the Fabulous Forties in East Sac, the blinking neon signs of Gunther’s Ice Cream, and The Raven, and The Crest, and The Tower Theatre.

Sacramento has birthed some great musicians, bands, actors, films… We’ve grown, but that classic Sacramento is still in there. We used to walk the streets of downtown Sac and know everybody. Everybody, a familiar face, your neighbor, or fellow artist, or musician.

We’ve always had our issues with hard drug use and providing enough food and homes for the houseless, and it’s always weighed heavy on me. Though we have our problems, we are a diverse community with many great neighborhoods, and eateries reflecting that diversity.

We are the Capital of California. The lovely domed ghost white Capitol building sits back from the road surounded by tree-covered park, our downtown neighbor where so much action happens daily.

Sacramento, you have been honored in films like "Lady Bird", but only some of us know what it was like to come up here in the 90’s. I remember times of listening to Tom Waits while toking joints and drinking Greyhounds with my friend from earlier in this piece, my Sacramento girl, between working shifts at the bookstore. Sacramento girl and I would henna our long wavy Jewess locks of hair bright red, read erotic fiction and poetry together, and wander the streets of Sacramento like two young beautiful enchantresses.

Now a new group of youngsters is coming up, listening to their favorite local bands play live at some of the same bars. They only see the Sacramento they see now, the cycle continues on, but in a different version of Sacramento.

I’ve traveled and practically been priced out of this place I’ve called home for my entire adult life, but this is my home. This is where I always come back to. This place holds a lot of memories for me.

This is Sacramento.

XO,

Michelle