What do you think of Sacramento?

Well, speaking only for myself as a California born-and-bred girl & a 6-yr Sac resident ... here are some random tidbits from my brainpan at the end of the day:

California's motto: "Fires, Floods, Quakes and Fun!" (If a quake clocks in at less than 5.0, it's not worth talking about.)

I like snow as long as it's a two hours' drive away. Which, from Sacramento, it is (Reno and Tahoe). We're told to not complain about our 110-degree summers because "at least it's a dry heat." Sorry, when it's over 100, I think anybody gets to complain. We're currently in a three-year drought, which our governor (yes, HIM, you know who I mean) declared a state of emergency earlier this year, so right now, we're all just waiting to see if we get rain. Go here for some fairly disturbing pictures: http://www.water.ca.gov/newsroom/photo/drought.cfm.

I think you have to be a Californian to feel it in the air when the seasons change. We don't have to rely on such overt signals as snow. :P

Never had a deer run across the front yard, but do we have them running across the freeways--does that count? I live in Midtown, which is close to the downtown retail area and within walking distance of the capitol, and yet I have a raccoon stalking my backyard.

No fun dialects. We don't have accents in California! :P Nobody here, however, says "Frisco" for San Francisco so that's a legendarily sure way to tell if someone's a tourist. :P

As far as hobbies go ... well, you're talking to a buncha writers. So what we do mostly is write! But, OK, Sacramento is also a big bicycling town. (The national headquarters for Bicycle Hall of Fame actually just moved to Davis, which is 20 minutes away.) We also have great food and produce and 95% of California's rice paddies are here or within 100 miles of here.

Personally, I like Sacramento because it's big-city and small-town all smooshed together in some weird, cozy, functional way. The state capitol probably exemplifies it best -- a political, stately building surrounded by beautiful garden that (allegedly) has within it every plant species native to California.

And we have good sushi. Not as good as Hawaii, but still pretty good. (And Hawaii is only a 5-hour plane trip away should one be wealthy and/or spontaneous enough for that.)

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.

Good to see someone doing research. :D

Sacramento is not exactly the epitome of excitement, but we do have some neat features--all of which we took field trips to in fourth grade. Railroad museum and Old Sac (a pioneerish-sort of section of Sacramento, perhaps someone could explain it better), Crocker Art Museum, that sort of stuff. We have the ocean 2 hours away on one side and the mountains 2 hours away on the other.

Have you heard the news that you're dead?
No one ever had much nice to say.
I think they never liked you anyway.

my 4th grader will be going on the overnight to Sutter's Fort - in authentic (uh, sorta) costume and all. they have to pretend that it's 1847 and some of them have to be members of the Donner Party, which I consider ghoulish, but hey, whatever gets kids excited, right? yeah cool, eating people!

and snow is definitely something we go to: "go to the snow" or "go up to the snow". and you pack your kids into fleece and boots and drive an hour or so to go sledding and then home again to where it's 50. best of both worlds ;) and people here cant even drive in the rain (it basically doesn't rain from may to october except maybe one or two drizzles), so i can't even imagine if it snowed.

the heat here is awful. we make a practice in our family, right when i am about to go insane with the 100 degree plus temps to spend a weekend either at the coast or in the mountains. we can't afford huge vacations, but a few days' respite helps a lot.

i'm from ohio, though i've lived in several placews as an adult (texas, it's a whole 'nother planet) so it's all new to me.

Phyllis (with toddler on lap, so am typing 1-handed)

2007 (winner) - untitled contemporary romance (never finished)
2008 (winner) - Victorian English romance novel (finished, still editing)

Welcome to Northern California!!!
I have ALWAYS lived in California, just not so much Northern Cal, so I am still new to this area myself...
I have lived from Central Valley (Bakersfield-Fresno) to Orange County (Southern Ca/Los Angeles) my entire life.
Have only been here a 3 years. The above reply was correct on our 4 seasons!!! Hot Sun, Fire, Quakes & tourism.
Just that DRY HEAT of 100 degrees and more, then of course, the state forests catch on fire, then we have those earthquakes, and we get in our cars and travel.
SNOW is a four letter word to Californians and as general tourist, must dress up our kids & drive an hour to show them... .SNOW... really, as a very young child, I thought it grew on the ground like grass... what a surprise to find it falls from the sky like the rain! go figure!
After 3 years, still can't figure out the which freeways connect to which, traffic either bumper to bumper stopped or racing along at 90... avg suggested speed being 55, which NO one drives!!! yeah, yeah yeah, I am THAT little ol' lady driving in the slow lane,...because I am driving slow!!!
Anything below 50 degrees is WAY too cold.
True, we do NOT identify SF as "frisco"... always as THE CITY.
Californians do NOT have an accent (not like Dakotas or Wisconsin vs New York, Maine, etc.)
(tho' central valley, future farmers sometimes sound like they are from the South).
Central CA to Southern CA, not known for much diversity. Yet, here in Sacramento, I have met folks from many countries, signage on businesses are in different languages, the restaurants are plenty. Just pick a country & there is a restaurant somewhere around here that serves those traditional dishes (yum!!!).
Sacto is very proud to be the state capitol. & they do promote the Old Sacramento downtown quite a bit around here.

ahhhhhhhh!!! hope I can write like this after November 1st!!!!! ahhhh!!!!

It is all about discovery of the world around you!
Enjoy!!!

:) California USA

2009: The Husband Jury (completed)
2009: The Jake Brakes (in process)

I've lived all my life in the same house in Folsom, which is a 30-45minute drive from Sacramento. We rarely get snow, (once every 5 years about), and when we do it's all dirty and it melts before touching the ground. But it does snow ash in the summer time from all the fires. It's true, Californians don't have accents! In fact, I have a slight tendency towards the New Jersey accent (where my mom was born and raised), and I got teased by my friends.
As far as dialect...yeah I've never heard anyone refer to San Fransisco as "Frisco" though I do say, "San Fran" myself. Most people refer to Sacramento as "Sac town" "Sacto" or "Sac" for short. The word "hecka" is a trademark of the valley, and we tend to say "like" much more often than is ever necessary, though it's more common with preteens and teenagers.

Even though I'm used to it, I think I still have a right to complain when it's 100+ degrees outside. If it's 50degrees or below everyone bundles up in layers and yet we still complain.
Californians pride themselves on their produce. We provide our own agriculture, (mostly). We like to brag that our oranges are better than Florida's and that we have better cheese than Wisconsin, (Happy cows come from California!)
Our Govenator will terminate all others! (Lol) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZMwKPmsbWE The end of that video amuses me...
In Sacramento you see people from all over the world! While attending Sierra College I'd hear people speaking Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, French, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, and other languages I don't even know. It's just one big melting pot of ethnicities!
About our freeways....The speed limit is 65 but only trucks and old grandma drivers drive that slow, the rest of us are pushing 70-90...

Old Sac, Arden Fair Mall, Apple Hill (in Placerville), Lake Tahoe, the Capitol (building), and the Train Museum are common staples for locals. Personally, I love Old Sac, the shops there are fun.

Hope this helps with your research!!! :D

I like to beat Writer's Block in the head with a fire extinguisher!
“...didn’t anyone ever teach you how to tell a proper lie? I know you’re probably hoping I’ll just give up and kill you, but you’ll find that I’m a very stubborn sort of man.” -Jorbayn

I'm Northern Californian born and bred...5th generation on my father's side, as a matter of fact. And, damn proud of it!

Sacramento/Sacratomato/City of Trees/Sacto has a very diverse population, as previously mentioned. Name a country and there's a 90% chance there is a restaurant and/or neighborhood in the Sacto area.
Many native Californians will say they don't have an accent...it's true. We just talk real fast. But, actually it depends where your family was originally from. I'm told I have a bit of a Midwestern accent. This is do to the fact I spent a great deal of my childhood with my mother's parents, who were born and raised in Missouri...which I pronounce as 'Mizzura' and Iowa is 'Ioway'.
Popular hangouts usually involve good food and drink...and an awesome view. I've been told by some East Coast buddies that Californians have some of the most eclectic food tastes. Hey! That's due to the fact we have been exposed to many different native dishes since birth. (See above)
Hobbies? I'd have to say just about any activity which involves the outdoors is safe bet. Hiking, bicycling/mountain biking, water sports (on lake, river, or ocean), bird watching, and snow sports (skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country, snow-boarding, or just playing in it). Personally, my view on snow is that it's best enjoyed from a window in a nice warm lodge or bar and avoid driving in it as much as possible.
Minnesota? Why...would you live there? It's like the Dakotas, eh. But, I hear there's good fishin' in Minnesota.
Deer running across the front yard? Nah. Across a winding highway at night? Oh, yeah! Guaranteed. I've had coyotes, skunks, raccoons, possums, squirrels, geese, stray cows, sheep, and goats, and neighborhood brats wreck havoc in my front yard, though.

Regarding the earthquake replies? If sh*t doesn't fall of the walls or shelves, it wasn't an earthquake...in my book.

You can't mess up Sacto. It's impossible.

NaNoWriMo 2006 - "A Liberty Tree"
NaNoWriMo 2007 - "A Daughter of Liberty"
NaNoWriMo 2008 - "Second Chance"
NaNoWriMo 2009 - "Would the Moon Rise Again"

oh a note about accent: it's really average american only extra naaaasal.

and it's soda and drinking fountain :)

and i've felt one earthquake in 7 years and it was just a little wavy motion on the fringes of one that was fairly large (though not catastrophically so) in nevada. If you look at the usgs earthquake map, you'll see that Sac is in a quiet spot with earthquakes in a oval around it.

2007 (winner) - untitled contemporary romance (never finished)
2008 (winner) - Victorian English romance novel (finished, still editing)

When Katrina hit, all the water science guys started fluttering about talking about weakened Sacramento levies. And it turns out that Sacramento levies actually have a better chance of rupturing than the ones that did in Katrina. Only ... we don't get hurricanes, or rain, I guess. Just one to sleep on.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.

Has anyone mentioned the dreadfully hot summer yet? What's that you say? They've mentioned it a dozen times already? Let me reiterate: Sacramento summers are HOT. The rest of the year, though, isn't that bad.

One thing to know about Sacramento is that it's one of the most culturally diverse cities in all of California. There are, last I heard, over two hundred distinct cultures represented in our city; it's not a long drive from my area, where everything is in English, to an area where everything is in Lebanese. It's not much further to a section where everything is Indian. And certainly not far to an area where everything is Spanish. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Personally, I really like Sacramento's "big town with small town feel" atmosphere. I work downtown, and frequently go for long walks down J Street because I really enjoy looking at all of the different little stores as well as the people of the city. A couple of miles down from my office is the big Convention Center, and a little ways past that is Old Sacramento, with its Old West atmosphere and the Railroad Museum.

I live in an older neighborhood called Elmhurt, which has lots of elm trees and older houses. From here I can hear the traffic on HIghway 50, but it's not that bad. I'm in walking distance of a couple of small restaurants, some shops, several friends's homes, as well as a Starbucks, a large Catholic church, and the UC Davis Medical Center.

There's also the big rivers that people spend lots of time on, particularly the American River. I haven't spent much time there myself, but I know plenty of people enjoy boating and fishing on the American River. As others have said, it's a two hour drive to the snow, two hours to the mountains, two hours to the beach, and so on. I've never had a deer cross my yard (in Elmhurst we get mostly squirrels, rats, and the occasional stray cat), but I know that there are a few deer in Discovery Park along the American River. That area is no stranger to rattlesnakes, apparently.

And, of course, we have the Capitol building, which may not be in walking distance of my house, but is definitely within biking distance, and definitely within walking distance of the office I work in. And everyone knows who's at the Capitol building.

So, aside from the summers, when it's like we've died and gone to Hell, Sacramento is a great place to be.

Hope that helps.

Richard

Richard Crawford, Sacramento Region Co-ML
Code Monkey by Day, Word Monkey by Night
http://www.mossroot.com/codemonkey

Have you ever visited the Stanford governor's mansion? There's a closet on the second floor that still shows the water damage from some flood. And it was three or four years ago when we had flooding the last time. THAT was impressive. I live way high up, though fairly close to the river and woooo Nimbus Dam was pumping it out and the poor salmon that were trying to run had to give up.

And we have allegedly corrupt officials letting people build in flood plains.

And a water bottling plant even though we have no water.

2007 (winner) - untitled contemporary romance (never finished)
2008 (winner) - Victorian English romance novel (finished, still editing)

Underpope, don't you mean "Elmhurst"? Ever so much prettier-sounding than Elmhurt, which just takes my mind back to the Freddy Krueger days.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.

A few things that I don't think have been mentioned:

1) What makes the hot, dry summers (kind of) bearable- the Delta Breeze. For most of the summer, much of the area cools down a lot at night.

2) Along with the use of hecka/hella, another key speech quirk: Sacramento/Northern CA natives call the freeways 5, 99, 80, 50. For people from Southern CA they are The 5, The 99, The 80, The 50....

3) Even in the more developed parts of the area, there will be little odd things- large yards with horses in them, a bunch of sheep grazing in a yard by the freeway, next to a car dealer. Also, you can get into "the country" very fast on the outskirts of town.

4) The rivers really affect the way the area is laid out and how you get around: there are only a few ways to get over each of them, and it adds to the sometimes confusing navigation and traffic congestion.