4th of July Parade in East Sac's Fab 40's

This year will be another great 4th of July parade in East Sac's Fab 40's!

We will start on 41st Street between J and M and sometime around 11:00 we will roll out in a large, neighborly mob up the block to J Street, down 42nd Street to Folsom and then back up 41st Street.

I'm not sure what makes this event so magical, but it is. There is no marching band, baton twirling troupes, fancy cars, groups of Kiwanis/Rotary Club/Fraternal Order of anything. It will be neighbors on foot, bike, wagon, motorized beer cooler or other crazy contraptions. Some people will dress up in red, white and blue, some people will dress up like Uncle Sam. Aside from a firetruck and some great front yard parties, there is very little organization that the casual observer can see. 

The vast majority of people that go to this 4th of July Parade aren't going to watch the parade roll past them, they are there to walk side by side with hundreds of fellow neighbors the whole route. I guess that is what makes this parade so special. We aren't going there to watch it, we are going there to be a part of it.

I do love my neighborhood!

Sacramento Independence Day Celebration

One of the many perks of living in East Sac is the close proximity to Cal Expo and all its great events. This is especially evident on the 4th of July, when the fireworks from the Sacramento Independence Day Celebration light up the night sky just across the river. It's so close that you can see much of the light show from your very own yard or the levy. 

But if you want to see it really close up, you can hop on the freeway and get to Cal Expo in about 5 minutes. Doors open at 4:30 and fireworks will begin at 9:30pm, with food and beverage sales going on throughout the evening. General admission is free, with a limited number of $10 reserve seats available. On-site parking is also $10. For more information, check out the Events by Cal Expo page at www.calexpo.com.  

Tree Tour of McKinley Park

If you missed the McKinley Park tree tour in June, do not despair. Another tour is being held this coming Tuesday evening, July 1. Attendees will congregate in the Shepard Garden and Arts Center parking lot at 6:30pm. Then for the next hour and-a-half, a certified arborist will lead a tour through the park.

Apart from comfortable shoes--and water if it's hot out--nothing else is required to attend. However, you are encouraged to bring a tablet or smartphone if you'd like to learn how to map trees electronicaly using the GreenprintMaps app. For more information, and to register for the tour, go to the events page at www.sactree.com.

 

Pops in the Park June 28, 2014

This Saturday, June 28, the final Pops in the Park concert will be held at McKinley Park. And what a finale it will be! Starting at 6pm, Garratt Wilkin & The Parrotheads will be performing a celebration of the music of Jimmy Buffett. Margaritas, beaches and boats. There's no way that won't be fun. The emcee for the night is KCRA and KFBK Financial Advisor Kelly Brothers. 

The place is sure to be packed, so get there early for the best view of the stage. Bring your own blankets, lawn chairs and picnic. Or you can get dinner and dessert from Burr's Fountain, Clark's Corner and the East Sac-Midtown Kiwanis Club. (Portions of the proceeds will go toward funding nighborhood improvements and next year's concert series.) For more info, go to eastsacpopsinthepark.com.

Since McKinley Park is just two blocks from my home and I plan on getting there early and staking out an area for my neighbors to have a block party! We did this last year and it was a blast. 

3522 D Street in East Sac Just Sold

When I first moved back to California many years ago, my wife and I rented a great little house in East Sac at 3522 D Street. It is on the friendliest block that I have ever lived on and I know more neighbors there than at all the others homes that I had lived in up to that point.

To me, this block of D Street exemplifies what a great neighborhood looks and acts like. It has all the qualities that make East Sac one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the area.

We do regular block parties and summer outdoor movie nights, we meet up at the local events like this weekends Pops in the Park in McKinley Park and we help each other out in so many ways.

I am so happy that I got to help a great person buy the house that Cheryl and I lived in for several years. I'm even happier that I get to introduce a wonderful new neighbor to this great block and know that I have just helped her move onto one of the friendliest streets in the neighborhood.

I love my job!

2014 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Starting this Wednesday, June 25, the USA Track & Field Championships return to Sacramento. For five days, the best American track and field athletes will compete at Hornet Stadium on the Sac State campus. Events will include sprints and long-distance running, shot put, javelin, hurdles, high jump, pole vaulting and more.

Sac State was chosen as the venue for this event, and undoubtedly many more, due to the completion of a vast resurfacing project. The Sac State track area is one of the first in the world to feature Mondo's Super X 720 surface (reformulated rubber).   

Ticket prices and events vary day by day. For more information on tickets (including VIP packages) and what events will occur each day, go to track.sacsports.com or call (916) 808-7781.

Pops in the Park

This Saturday, June 21, perennial Pops in the Park favorite, the John Skinner Band, will be rocking Bertha Henschel Park starting at 6pm. Their distinctive blend of hit songs from the 1950s--from swing to rock to Motown classics and ballads--are bound to get the audience dancing and singing along. The emcee for the evening is KCRA meteorologist Tamara Berg.

Come early for the best spot. Bring your blanket, lawn chair and picnic dinner. Or you can get delicious vittles at the event from Burr's Fountain, Formoli's Bistro and the East Sac-Midtown Kiwanis Club--with a portion of the proceeds going to fund neighborhood improvements. For more information about Pops in the Park, be sure to check out eastsacpopsinthepark.com.

Knob and Tube Wiring and Appliances

I am getting very close to helping a neighbor buy a house that I once lived in when I first moved back to California. It is a great older home in East Sac, on one of the friendliest blocks you could ever want.

The lender called me with the concern from the insurance company that the house still has knob and tube wiring. The lenders concern was that modern appliances shouldn't be run on knob and tube wiring and they wanted to know if the whole house is knob and tube.

I looked at the inspection report and the pictures of the electrical panel all opened up by the inspector. Sure enough, there is plenty of new wiring connectors in there. Looking at the pictures in the crawl space there is a mix of knob and tube as well as new wiring. When I asked my favorite home inspector what he remembered of this job from two weeks ago and if the wiring was updated for the appliances, he made a comment about the fact that most appliances weren't around when knob and tube wiring was around.

This got me thinking and I did a bit of digging on the internet. Apparently knob and tube wiring was popular from the 1880's through the 1930's and into the early 1940's.

The next search turned up that the first hand powered dishwasher was invented in 1887 but the first domestic dishwasher didn't come about until 1926 and they didn't gain main stream use until the 1950's.

The first clothes washing machine goes back to 1752 and the first electric one was advertised in 1904. Demand for the electric washing machine really started picking up in the 1940's and by the 50's they were very popular.

Electric stoves were first patented in 1892 but were just a novelty until after the 1930's since electricity prices were so high and other fuel was more affordable.

While there is some overlap of the use of knob and tube wiring and some of our main electrical appliance, the majority of American homes probably never had knob and tube wiring run to these appliances.


What did I learn from this hour long trip down the historical rabbit hole of wiring and appliance? That I'm very lucky to have been born when I was and to have always lived with these great luxuries! Sure, when I was a kid we didn't have cell phones and console games were things like Pong and Tank. Kids these days have no idea how good they have it, but then again, neither did I when I was their age (but I didn't have the internet to look up how good I had it).

Taste of East Sacramento

Right after Pops in the Park ends, it’s time to start thinking about next year. The Taste of East Sac event is just the thing to get the ball rolling. On Sunday June 29th, from 5-7pm at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park (at 34th Street) the 6th Annual Taste of East Sacramento will show off the best food, drink and entertainment the area has to offer.

Presented by the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and Selland's Market, the event will include offerings from more than 15 area restaurants, wineries and food purveyors, including 33rd Street Bistro, Dos Coyotes and Hoppy Brewing Company. There will also be art on display and live music by The Brian Dougherty Trio.

Tickets for the event are $30 in advance. There are a limited number, and every year that have sold out quickly. They can be purchased at Selland's Market-Cafe, or call (916) 452-8011 or email eastsacchamber@aol.com. 

I went last year and had a great time. I've already bought my tickets for this year and plan on seeing a lot of my East Sac clients there!

East Sacramento Second Saturday

Why should Midtown have all the fun? On June 14, East Sac joins the Second Saturday party…with a vengeance. From 6-9pm at 57^th Street Antique Row, enjoy food, music and, of course, plenty of art and craftworks from local galleries and retailers. There will even be activities for the kids. The many participants are listed in the flyer below.

East Sac's Pops in the Park 2014 Weekend #2

This coming Saturday, the second Pops in the Park concert will be held at Glenn Hall Park in River Park. Starting at 6pm, The Count will be playing their unique blend of rock and R&B. The emcees for the evening are KCRA's Edie Lambert and former assemblyman (and Lambert's husband) Lloyd Levine. 

Bring your own food, or you can find plenty of delicious refreshments from Burr's Fountain, Formoli's Bistro and the East Sac-Midtown Kiwanis Club. (A portion of the proceeds from food and beverage sales will help to support neighborhood improvements.)

And more great bands and food are still to come. For more information about Pops in the Park, go to eastsacpopsinthepark.com.  

McKinley Park Food Truck Mania

Hungry for more? Then come on over to McKinley Park this Friday night by 5pm for the next Food Truck Mania. For those of you who've been before, this Friday's line-up of food truck vendors promises to offer a range food and drink that is every bit as new and delicious as you've come to expect. And if you haven't already gone, what are you waiting for? 

Food Truck Mania in McKinley Park will continue every second Friday through October. For more information about this and other food truck events, go to the Sacramento Mobile Food Events site at sactomofo.com.

McKinley Park Tree Tours

This coming Thursday, head on over to the Shepard Garden and Arts Center parking lot to meet up with a certified arborist and learn more about the trees in McKinley Park. The tour runs from 6:30 to 8pm. The technologically savvy are encouraged to bring their tablets or smart phones to learn about electronic tree mapping, using the GreenprintMaps app (a very cool app for looking up trees in McKinley Park and all over the city). 

I did a Tree Tour last year and loved it. Very informative and while I only remember a small percentage of the great information that was shared that day, it still surprises me on how often I can pull up good tidbits about our local tress. 

For more info, and to sign up, call (916) 974-4322 or visit www.sactree.com.

 

253 39th Street in East Sac Just Sold

I'm building a great set of neighbors around me! I've just helped a wonderful couple buy a house at the end my of block. They will add on and do some serious remodeling and turn it into an amazing home.

These neighbors were referred to me by past clients. The house they bought is just three doors down from where those friends live! I now have five clients within eight houses of each other! I'm feeling pretty good about calling this My Neighborhood!

:)

Mulch Madness

What better way to unwind after a hard day’s work than getting your hands dirty at the first Mulch Madness of the season? From 6:30 to 8pm this coming Monday, June 9, volunteers will apply root-protecting, water-conserving mulch around the trees in McKinley Park.

If you have your own wheelbarrow, gloves and rake you can use, great. If not, you’re still welcome; equipment will be available. For more information, and to register as a volunteer, call (916) 974-4332 or visit www.sactree.com.

East Sac's Pops in the Park 2014 Starts this Weekend!

For nearly 20 years, through the efforts of Councilmember Steve Cohn, countless volunteers and many talented artists, Pops in the Park has raised money for East Sac parks while also providing a month's worth of great live music, food and fun. And this year is no exception. 

Starting this Saturday, Pops in the Park kicks off at East Portal Park at 6pm. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and be sure to get there early to get a good spot. The Chris Gardner Band, specializing in their own unique brand of country-rock music, will be performing. The evening's emcees are B Street Theatre's Buck Busfield and Bill Blake. You can either bring your own refreshments (they are requesting no outside alcohol) or purchase them from Burr's Fountain, Clark's Corner and the East Sac-Midtown Kiwanis Club. 

And here's the schedule for the rest of the Pops in the Park series:

June 14- Glenn Hall Park, The Count

June 21- Bertha Henschel Park, John Skinner Band

June 28- McKinley Park, Garratt Wilken & The Parrotheads: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett

Sounds great, doesn't it? For more information on Pops in the Park, visit eastsacpopsinthepark.com.

3747 Willow Bend has Just Sold!

I helped some wonderful clients buy a great home in Antelope a couple years ago. They were referred to me by another great client and I was happy to help them.

Work is taking them out of the area and so they contacted me to help them sell their home. We were aggressive in the pricing but they did everything to make the house show it's best and I really pushed the marketing on the home. We had them in contract for a full price in the first weekend, for a net total of much more than they thought they could get.

I love working with great clients and it is even better when I get to work with them on the second time around.

You can see the full details at my real estate site.