Author Archives: Andrea Kennedy

Perfect Place for Pedalin’ Peeps

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How many times have you biked our American River Bike Trail in 2012? In your life? For me, the answer for both – regrettably – is only one. And the only proof I have is that I’m the one who took this photo.

I’ve run on the trail before, the 10 miles or so from Discovery Park to Watt Ave., just not biked. And it’s not like I don’t have a bike; I bought mine from the Bike Kitchen months ago. So my heart’s in it, I’ve just never been a bicyclin’ gal. But now I live in a city where every 16 seconds I see another permutation of two or three or four wheels whizzing down the road. I needed some motivation to get in gear, and last weekend it came in the form of that lady pictured at right: my sis-in-law.

My husband’s sister, Giselle, visited us last weekend from Hood River, Oregon. She’s got a view of the Columbia River from her back porch, so we couldn’t let her leave without showing off our Sacramento waterway, too. (And, by the way, that’s my hubby, Gannon, pictured at left.)

So far, when friends and family have visited, we’ve walked the river, perched on the Guy West Bridge to peek at feeding fishes or floated the river with the S.S. Happiness. But I wanted to try something a little different. I brought up the idea of biking knowing that Giselle – an experienced urban biker from her days living in Portland – would be game to see the river via two wheels. Besides, it was about time I got back on my bike myself. I do live in Sacramento now, thank you very much. So with the generousity of our super stupendous neighbors (I love Sacramento neighbors!) who lent us a bike and helmet from their garage for our visitor, we were on our way.

We biked from home to the Guy West Bridge river entrance, racing under the sun and whizzing through trees to find the sounds of wind and water. For such a stunning, sunny day, the trail was calm, and at times felt like our own. We stopped to skip rocks under the Watt Ave. Bridge, then pedaled home with our bellies full from a pit stop at Selland’s.

Before that bike ride, I gave myself excuses to not ride my bike. It’s too cold. My tires look flat. I’m not enough of a two-wheeled phenom to make it in this fast ‘n’ fixie town. My gears skip. It’s not worth the helmet hair.

Really, I think I just needed a little boost of pedal power confidence and a gorgeous bike trail setting to remember what all the fuss about biking in Sacramento is about.

I even rode my bike to work once last week. Helmet hair and all.

A St. Baldrick’s Hero

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Before…

        

After!

She is so happy!! I love it!!!

Last night, my amazing friend Leslie did the deed with the ‘do.

Watch the video here! Right before the Kings vs. Clippers game, in front of the arena for all incoming fans to see, Leslie and another St. Baldrick’s hero, Nicole, had their heads shaved bald in solidarity with kids suffering with pediatric cancer. In the last couple months, Leslie, a UC Davis Cancer Center data analyst, raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation with the commitment to shave her head as a sign of unity with kids who lose their hair, or lives, to cancer.

In short, she is amazing.

During the NBA halftime show, Les and Nicole were even brough courtside and projected on the jumbotron to spread the word about St. Baldrick’s and get a boom of applause for their efforts. (And a standing ovation from our Team Leslie crew up in the nosebleed seats!)

I hear she has been making media rounds as well, and she’ll be at deVere’s on March 12 when the rest of the St. Baldrick’s participants get shaved, too.

And how awesome does she look?!? Apparently, if you rub her head, you get 1 kharma point. But if you donate, you get A MILLION KHARMA POINTS!!!

TED: Bacon for the Brain

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Photo for TED by James Duncan Davidson

As lots of you have seen from Facebook, yesterday’s TEDTalks streamed live to the Guild Theater from Long Beach were jaw-dropping, enlightening and fun all rolled into one. I spent the day as a social media volunteer for the Talks and posted a tidbit of goodness on each of the 23 presentations. So, instead of elaborating here on the amazing ideas ignited by speakers – pictured above is last year’s TED Prize winner, French street artist JR – I’ll send you over to my personal Andrea Kennedy Facebook page to peruse the litany of awesome that I posted throughout the day. You’ll understand how my cup o’ WOW easily runneth over.

Now, for a quick shout out of thanks: THANK YOU, Brandon Weber, Lee Chasen, Clay Nutting, Rashell Choo and everyone else who worked to make TEDx Sacramento happen!

Speaking of cool people, other than the I.V. of Ideas Worth Sharing, a great benefit of yesterday’s event was the crowd. I felt so lucky to meet some really creative, intelligent, fun and super nice folks that I hope to get to get to know better soon – meaning, of course, I’m about to get a crash course in Sacramento Happy Hours! Bring it!

It felt pretty special intermingling among a bunch of like minded people who came out to be inspired by today’s greatest innovations. But something that we all noticed was that it really was just a bunch. Not a packed house house. Not even a full house.

I was there all day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and I think at peak hours that intimate (read: tiny) Guild Theater was maybe just over half full. Curiously though, leading up to the event organizers were above capacity on ticketholders and had to start a waiting list. I thought for sure the venue would be standing room only. I felt a little highfalutin that I even got a ticket! I mean, this is a live stream of TEDTalks! THE. TED. TALKS. FOR FREE.

So, what gives?

I was flabbergasted that more people didn’t come to TED. Did people not know about it? Did they know about it and just not care? Did they just not show up?

To that end, here’s a clip from my new TED acquaintance, Jackie Dotsen of Powder Keg of Awesome. She has her own Idea Worth Spreading – the idea of just showing up.

I love Sacramento. I love that passionate locals went to so much time and effort to organize and stream TEDx Sac. I love that the TED community in Sac is steadily growing, with TED Salon events and a TED Sacramento main event at the Crocker in August. (Follow TEDx Sacramento on Facebook to find out more.) But I really wish that more Sacramentans had shown up yesterday.

In the same breath, I know TED was on a work day. I didn’t expect the entire city would shut down for TED, and I know people have to bring home the bacon. But I took the day off work, and for upcoming events I’ll probably keep taking off work, because TED is like bacon for my brain.

And you like bacon, right?

Leaping with TED

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Happy Leap Day, Sacramento! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to celebrate this rare day by participating in an also rare and super special event, TEDTalks!

TEDx Sacramento will be streaming live TEDTalks at the Guild Theater the entire day, and I can’t wait to be inspired by the crazy awesome lineup of TED speakers. I’m also one of TEDx’s social media volunteers and will be posting TED tidbits on Facebook throughout the day. One of the speakers I’m most excited about: street artist and last year’s TED Prize Winner JR! Stay tuned!

P.S. How awesome is it that we have this awesome event?!?!??? I love this Sacramento life!!

A Bountiful Market

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Look at all that color! We are *so* lucky here in Sacramento to have all this bounty right at our fingertips… or, at least, just a hop skip away at the 8th and W Farmer’s Market.

Now, I know I typically conduct such formal food photo shoots with my CSA stuff, but I just couldn’t help myself when I got home from the market on Sunday. Such ripe and vibrant produce begs for shutterplay. And, since my last round of CSA was quickly depleted leaving only Spike, I was due for a fun food shoot anyway.

Easter egg radishes, Meyer lemon, Mexican lime, blood orange – KIWI! – vine-ripened tomato, mint, basil and LOOK AT THOSE GREEN ONIONS. Not leeks. Not garlic. Green onions. Amazing.

Note the butter peeking out at right. Now, I do not mess around with butter. Butter is… heaven. Butter is life. I have been known to eat smooth, salty slivers straight from the block. I’m a purist. So sue me.

This is the best butter I’ve ever tasted. USDA Certified Organic Spring Hill Jersey Cheese Unsalted European Style Butter. It’s a mouthful o’ words and a mouthful o’ glory. Apparently, I’m not alone in my admiration. Michael Mina orders it by the truckful.

Speaking of super fabulous restaurants, while I was perusing one of the market’s citrus stands, I found myself standing next to the one and only restauranteur extraordinaire Randall Selland!

A celebrity in my eyes, I had been wanting to meet Mr. Selland of The Kitchen, Ella and Selland’s Market Cafe fame since before I moved here. And here he is standing next to me ordering kumquats! O, happy day!

When I mustered the gumption to introduce myself, he was – of course – more gracious than I could have ever imagined. I’ve always gotten the feeling that the Selland family business is one with an abundance of integrity, hard work, passion and love of family, and after meeting their patriarch in person, I am not at all surprised.

Have you been to the market lately? Seen any other big local names?

CSA Box, February: Not a Triceratops

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Recognize this??

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

Wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiit………….

It’s our fractal friend the Romanesco! We got one in our CSA box last week! And, yes, it’s like broccoli meets cauliflower meets Jurassic Park.

I’ve named him Spike.

This really trippy green guy came to us last week, and I’m waiting to eat it like a awesomely wrapped gift I can’t bring myself to open. Then again, I know if we wait too much longer to eat it, our Roma-dino will in fact turn against us. And I do not want this thing growing four legs and battle ramming its way out of the fridge door.

Other CSA treats that survived traveling to us with our buddy Spike here were oranges, apples, pears, green lettuce, leeks, small red potatoes, chard and box choy (most of which was delicious and can no longer sit for a photo).

More local food photos from today’s Farmer’s Market coming up!

Lounge ON20 Love Affair

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Do you feel you’re swimming in pink champagne? It’s not your screen. It’s Lounge ON20.

Saturday night, Gannon and I cozied into a cushioned booth tucked in the back corner of the lounge for our first dining experience at this swanky Sac spot swimming in a warm magenta glow. Shame on me for taking so long to make it to the lounge. Months ago, I profiled their Chef de Cuisine, Mike Ward, for Comstock’s Magazine, so I knew the culinary treats within those uplit walls. At least I thought I knew.

Chef Mike delighted us with the amuse bouche pictured above – thai tea shooters, if my pink champagne memory serves – topped with flowers and melt-in-your-mouth raspberry foam kisses. (Rumor has it those raspberry kisses will also make an appearance tonight for anyone able to snag reservations for their divine Valentine’s six-course “Love Story” chef’s tasting menu.)

The teeny teas packed a flavor punch, filled with an explosion of delicious. Literally. Chef Mike had immersed in the glass a ball of flavor – part of his “exploding stuff” repertoire he alluded to in my article. A welcome surprise of “What the-?!?” …then …”YUM.”

After Chef started things off with a bang, we moved on to a compilation of Chef Mike’s master work and a Lounge ON20 must-try: the charcuterie plate.

Chef Mike, who along with Lounge ON20 Executive Chef Pajo Bruich is a local pioneer of molecular gastronomy – particularly charcuterie – presented us with more than a dozen culinary creations. Of course, I would fail miserably trying to remotely explain what comprises this delectable spread, but every bite: exquisite.

The best part: the flavors on this plate are deliciously interesting twists on familiar flavors that I already love, like ham, chorizo, pate, cherry, garlic, eggplant and an array of mustards made in-house. So for those people who see innovative presentations like this and think, “Too fancy for me,” I DARE you to try this plate and not like it.

And then… there’s the pork belly. A degree of indulgence all its own.

Another one of Chef Mike’s creations, he preps this pork for weeks or more before it lands on your plate – thick and succulent in its infinite pork glory. For this magic, he deserves a place in heaven.

Every bite more indulgent than the last, my love affair with Lounge ON20 is in full swing. More than an eatery, Lounge ON20 creates a top notch culinary experience maximizing the Central Valley’s magnificent ingredients down to the last mushroom. Even their balsamic vinegar is the finest in our fine region.

Plus, you can tell that the chefs who create these plate sensations along with Chef Mike truly take pride in what they do with food. Refreshing and wonderful in every way.

Thanks to the lounge for a sophisticated, intimate setting to enjoy an indulgent evening.

Next stop: Happy Hour!

CSA Box February: Romantic Radicchio

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Consider yourself warned… we are getting romantical!

My husband and I got a jump start on our lovey dovey February last week when this voluptuous, spicy, merlot-colored lady arrived at our door begging for adoration.

She really is quite the blushing bloom, is she not?

Lucky little radicchio found her way to us just as my husband and I were about to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of our first date and 3-year anniversary of getting engaged. On a sidenote: Time flies when you’re in love. (You were warned!!!)

Anyways… I was meal-planning for the occasion and knew I had to highlight radicchio on our celebratory plates. So I banished the idea of a salad – how very common! – and opted to go minimalist. And by minimalist, I mean as easy as humanly possible. (Ha! And you thought I was trying to be all fancypants.)

Radicchio, in her infinite beauty, made a lovely presentation quite easy – adding a flourish rosy romance to our plates. I spread her leaves unadorned under a sliced rack of lamb I’d done up in the oven with a side of rosemary lemon fingerling potatoes and creme fraiche.

A whole lotta fancy, right? I guess it could be, but it sure doesn’t have to be. I mean, look at that lamb. It’s succulent meat on a stick. And our lovely radicchio made the perfect flavor vehicle for a creme fraiche-fingerling potato taco.

Do you see where I’m going with this? We abandoned the dining table and chairs, parked ourself in front of the fireplace and ate with our hands. And that, my friends, is romance.

If you’re cooking up any special meal (or totally non-special meal for V-Day disavowers), check out what else is primed for the picking.

Here’s what else we got in our CSA box:

  • Navel Oranges
  • Gala Apples
  • Leeks
  • Chard
  • Red Leaf Lettuce
  • Carrots
  • Spinach

Enjoy your week!!