Exploring Sacramento

Support Black businesses in Sacramento: #BlackOutTuesday to #AmplifyBlackVoices

June 2, 2020 Posted in local businesses

If you’re wondering how you can put your money where you mouth is, when it comes to supporting the Black community here in Sacramento, this post is for you.

First, be sure to check out the Black Chamber of Commerce. You can find many Black-owned businesses using their member directory, and if you can’t find a service you’re looking for, you can contact them for further info.

The Sacramento Bee posted a list of 25+ Black-owned businesses today, which I’m going to re-post here, as Bee articles often wind up behind a paywall:

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant (1346 Fulton Ave.)
A Toucha Class (4217 Stockton Blvd.)
Bawk Fried Chicken (1409 R St., Suite 102)
Beana’s Cafe (2251 Florin Rd.)
Cafe Connection (1007 L St.)
CoLo’s Soul Food & Seafood (2326 Del Paso Blvd.)
D’s Smokin Pit (1800 Del Paso Blvd., Suite 101)
DubPlate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine (3419 El Camino Ave.)
Fixins Soul Kitchen (3428 3rd Ave.)
Flowers Fish Market & Restaurant (3224 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.)
Habesha Restaurant (2326 Fair Oaks Blvd.)
Harry Love BBQ (4557 Auburn Blvd.)
JB’s Lounge & Grill (777 Lincoln Village Dr.)
Louisiana Heaven (6623 Valley Hi Dr.)
Maestro Coffee House (2069 Arena Blvd., Suite 130)
Mo Betta Finger Food (3751 Stockton Blvd.)
Momo’s Meat Market (5780 Broadway)
Muhammed’s Meat Vegetables & Desserts (5917 Mack Rd.)
Oak Park Brewing Co. (3514 Broadway)
Pangea Bier Cafe (2743 Franklin Blvd.)
Queen Sheba (1704 Broadway)
Shakey J’s Bar & Grill (8011 Florin Rd.)
South (2005 11th St.)
Stagecoach Restaurant (4365 Florin Rd.)
Streets Pub & Grub (1804 J St.)
T & R Taste of Texas BBQ (3621 Broadway and 1310 Howe Ave.)
Tiferet Coffee House (3020 H St.)
Tori’s Place (1525 Grand Ave.)
Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse (1322 V St.)
Willie J’s Burgers & More (2010 Club Center Dr.)

For an alternative to the Bee’s news media coverage, you should also check out The Sacramento Observer.

If you’re looking to educate yourself on anti-racism, allyship, and Black history, be sure to check out Sacramento’s two Black-owned bookstores:

Carol’s Books: 1913 Del Paso Blvd.
Underground Books: 2814 35th Street

Finally, if you want to continue your support throughout the year and stay in the loop on Black Lives Matter actions, be sure to follow the Sacramento chapter of Black Lives Matter on Facebook and Twitter.

Got more Black businesses our readers should support?

Drop a link in the comments!

Sacramento Love: a virtual tour of the city in flash fiction

April 3, 2020 Posted in A to Z, local businesses, Sacramento Sights

Although we can no longer frequent many of the Sacramento sights we know and love, I’ve hit upon a solution: let’s tour the city virtually!

I’m writing flash fiction pieces every day this month (except Sundays), as part of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge, and I’ve been setting up meet-cutes for my characters in different parts of the city. So far I’ve staged love matches on the American River Parkway, in a fictional version of the B Street Theatre (I solemnly swear I have no firsthand experience of their backstage area, and this X-rated take is meant to be humorous), and on the second floor of the Capitol Building’s rotunda.

Tune in tomorrow to find out where my fictional couple will meet for the letter D, or sign up for my newsletter and never miss a magical moment!

Prepping for a pandemic? Stock up on soup!

March 16, 2020March 15, 2020 Posted in News

The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world to be a pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here in the United States has recommended social distancing and canceling travel plans, and as of Sunday, March 15th basically everything in normal, everyday life here in California is being canceled and seniors ages 65+ are supposed to be staying indoors until at least the end of March as our state attempts to mitigate the growing crisis. So, let’s be honest: What do you realistically need to be stockpiling right now?

Hint: It’s NOT toilet paper.

What about soup?

It seems obvious, but soup is a great thing to have on hand whether you get sick with this nasty COVID-19 Coronavirus or not. It’s a one-pot solution for those who hate washing dishes and cooking, it can be consumed either hot or cold, it comes in easy-open packaging for folks who need these considerations, and it’s typically a fairly healthy option—even when canned—as most soups contain vegetables and whole grains.

Could this be a true “superfood” – one that virtually everyone likes and can enjoy?

The latest trend in soup is one you may have heard of: bone broth. While many doctors and nutritionists say the jury is still out on whether bone broth offers any substantial boost to one’s immune system, it’s always a good idea to keep some simple stock on hand if you like to make your own soups, stews and chilis.

And for those of us who prefer not to cook, there’s Kettle & Fire!

With more than 10 different flavors, including chicken and beef bone broth, tomato soup, miso soup, Thai curry soup, butternut squash soup, and chili with beans, there are plenty of great options to choose from. And with such a wide selection, you’ll never get bored!

Why Kettle & Fire?