Exploring Sacramento

Lollygagging at the Leland Stanford Mansion

April 13, 2019April 12, 2019 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights

If you’ve got a free afternoon and the skies are cloudy, a tour of the Leland Stanford Mansion is a great way to spend a few hours, exploring the house of one of California’s captains of industry.

stanford_mansion_sacramento_california

The mansion was once home to Leland and Jane Stanford, whom you might recognize as the founders of Stanford University. Leland served as Governor of California from 1862 to 1863, but was also a railroad magnate, which is how he amassed his considerable wealth. He purchased the Mansion from its original owner, Sheldon Fogus, and remodeled it several times to better suit the family’s needs. Outfitted with gas lighting and indoor plumbing, the Mansion boasted cutting edge technology for the 1800s.

The Stanfords’ story, as presented by the docents at the Mansion, is a rather sad one. They were a childless couple for many years, and only had one son, Leland Junior, who died at age 15 (2 months shy of 16) of typhoid. The family had been on a tour of Europe, which was supposed to be a year-long excursion before Leland Junior began university. Instead, he died before he was able to begin his studies, which left both his parents bereft. They ultimately decided to try to turn their personal tragedy into something that could benefit others, and together they created Stanford University as one of the country’s first explicitly coeducational and affordable institutions of higher learning when it opened in 1891.

As for the Mansion, due to its multiple renovations, you can see a variety of architectural styles blended together in the final product. Although it’s classified as a Victorian structure, you can also see Renaissance Revival and French Second Empire influences, as well as the rather Haunted Mansion-esque Mansard roof.

leland_stanford_mansion_ROOF — Some claim the Mansion is actually haunted, but I just find the roof reminiscent of the spooky Disneyland structure.

There is no photography allowed inside the Mansion, so you’ll have to visit to see the luxurious digs for yourself. The visitor’s center offers postcards with images of many of the rooms on display, as well as more information about Stanford’s back story as an entrepreneur through the Gold Rush days and beyond.

I found these two pieces particularly interesting:

You can find the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park at 800 N. Street in downtown Sacramento.

K destinations that kick butt

April 12, 2019April 12, 2019 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights

I have to admit, I find the letter K a little frustrating. And why do we even need it, when we already have the letter C?

It’s a krusty komedy konundrum!

Anyway, I racked my brain for some K words that might appeal, because I’m not about to tell you to go check out Kitchen (AKA Sacramento’s most expensive restaurant), even though their Spring menu does sound rather appealing. And I don’t give a hoot about basketball, so talking about the Kings is also not going to happen here.

After much konjuring and a little kursing, I kame up with two options: kites and kazoos!

First, the kites

If you’re into flying them or know a kid who might be, check out Old City Kites and More. As their name implies, they’ve got kites galore, and also offer toys, games and home decor. Need a performance yo-yo? WHO DOESN’T?! Ready to puzzle away an afternoon? HERE’S YOUR HAVEN! Ready to tell the wind who’s boss with a good old-fashioned windsock? SOCK IT TO ME!

With a staff that’s intent on keeping it real, I’m already loving this store, with or without the stunt kites.

Kites have gotten a lot more pricey, but also a lot more cool, since I was a kid. Now you can choose from fancy birds, butterflies, dragons, sharks or cartoon characters, or even spend in the hundred-dollar range for huge kites that look large enough to pull you off the ground and send you soaring.

I’m rather partial to this pirate shark specimen:

Kwit it with the kites already

If kites aren’t quite your cup o’ tea, let’s switch to kazoos.

Check out Kline Music for all your musical needs, from instruments (bought or rented) to sheet music to lessons to repairs.

Want to get kooky with a uke? They’ve got ukuleles in all sizes to fit all pocketbooks. (I didn’t even know ukuleles came in different ranges, “from soprano to bass,” so shows how much I know!)

You can find all your favorite band and orchestra instruments here, plus guitars, banjos, mandolins, dulcimers, accordions, keyboards, and a wide variety of world drums. And I’m pretty sure they’ve GOT to have kazoos in there, too. Or at least a harmonica?

As per their Google Maps virtual tour, I can see they’ve got a good selection of piano keyboard neckties and scarves (classic!), and there are a good number of director’s batons, too, in case you’ve been wondering what to get your long-suffering conductor for his or her next birthday or upcoming holiday.

In short, this music store is packed to the gills with everything a musician could want, from beginners to hobbyists to professional performers. It makes me a little nostalgic about my youth, when I had to hop on over to the local music store to grab new sheet music for solo performances (flute and piano) or pick up new strings for my sister’s cello. And if you like musical gifts, they’ve even got a selection of mugs and those ever-present sculptures to complete your mini home orchestra!

So, which will it be: kites or kazoos? Why not both?

Journey to the Jensen Botanical Garden

April 11, 2019February 1, 2020 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights1 Comment

Though the Jensen Botanical Garden may be small (at only 3.5 acres), in comparison with other cities’ botanical gardens, visitors find that the price is right: admission is free!

Located in Carmichael, the garden is open to the public from 8 AM to dusk, daily, and includes a Nature Path for the Blind with Braille placards indicating the names of plants throughout.

Spring is the best time of year to visit, since this is when most of the flowers will be in full bloom. April is a great month to get out and enjoy nature, in any of Sacramento’s parks.