Considering leaving SoCal for NorCal area, considering Sac need info (Los Angeles: sales, apartment complexes)
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Hello, I went through the threads to see what I can find info wise but need a little more help...
I found some studio listings to average out about $700 or less a month In apartment complexes... I haven't figured out what area/county to live in but I do need to be close to public transit, the social security administration offices, mental health services, grocery stores/markets etc... ( I don't drive).
I also would like to attend a community college but don't know which community would work out.
I'm also running a home based ebusiness and need to be close to the post office.
Is there an area that fits this bill?
I like slower paced, working class environments. Would like to be close to activities and schools for elementary aged kids. I can make my own entertainment (lived in a military town that was in the high desert so I don't allow myself to get bored). I'm a moderate conservative but out going enough to adapt to bohemian or more traditional places.
I don't mind dry heat (The worse it got in the desert was around 125/130 an a little muggy humid so 100 sounds like a dream!).. I do like more cool, over cast weather... over all I would like urban but close to greenery like parks and old town/down town areas...
I imagine living closer to the coast gets expensive and I am from East Los Angeles so a little bit of sport is fine by me, I want to raise tough kids that can adapt but I'd like them to not be in such a fast, dog eat dog pace as Los Angeles has gotten...
And if there is any rockabilly/40's swing-big band types that can be nice to me, that would so be appreciated...
So anything anyone here can add, elaborate on, or ask so I can better make my decision?
You can find a link to the community colleges in the region here. Off hand, my hunch is your best bet would be something near ARC or Sac City College. Sac City College also has a branch in Davis that might work at well.
and the walkscore map here. This will give you a sense of which neighborhoods are easier to get by without a car. On the site you can also look up the score for a particular address including areas that don't show up on the map. This is handy if you see a classified ad on craigslist and want to know what kind of services are within walking distance?
Lastly it sounds like you might qualify for subsidized housing. That might give you some more options on which neighborhoods you can afford to move into.
Davis or the downtown grid are probably the easiest areas to live without a car. But you rent might be too high (unless you are in subsidized housing) or you might only afford a place that is too small in those locations. Your other option is to look at places near the light rail station. You have excellent shopping via light rail in Rancho Cordova (access to Walmart, Target, Raleys, Safeway, 99 cent store, social security office as well as multiple thrift stores). Even if rents on a studio are the same in Rancho Cordova, the studio itself is probably going to be much bigger in Rancho Cordova.
Lastly before you look at any place, you might want to check out the neighborhood on the crime mapper. It will give you a sense of how safe/dangerous a neighborhood is. I recommend using the advanced search to look up gang activity.
You should be able to find someplace in the Sac area that would come close to meeting your criteria. Definently it is a slower pace than Los Angeles.
Good luck, but may I suggest you don't decide how you want to raise the kids until you have some and I suspect you don't yet. You may change your mind a 100 times between now and then. What about a job? Will you need to find one, if so, keep in mind the economy isn't all that great in Sacramento.
You can find a link to the community colleges in the region here. Off hand, my hunch is your best bet would be something near ARC or Sac City College. Sac City College also has a branch in Davis that might work at well.
Extension center of these campuses do not have enough classes for someone seeking a college degree.
It depends on what program they are interested in and what they want to do with the degree.
You might also want to check out the concurrent enrollment program. (basically you take classes at UCD, but get credit for them at Sac City and only need to pay Sac City tuition).
Oh Thank you so much for the useful links Jimbo and Manda!!! And thank you also for the well wish Nita... I actually have 2 kids ten years apart and step kids in their late teens (I'm early 30's). My decision to move myself and the youngest and eventually the oldest is because I want a city/urban location that is slow paced enough to teach them street savvy in a more calm and controlled setting. The Desert where I am now is too slow paced and I think seeing more colors and more people may help them but also the experience of saying they lived by the State's Capital to help introduce positive citizenship values. But is there anywhere that the stars are clear at night?
The light pollution here is minimum and other than seeing some of the buildings lighted up at night from the freeway in passing SAcramento four years ago, looked like Gotham City from Batman Animated and that was cool, looking forward to it (Where there was purple back lighting and almost a beacon feel to this one that looked like City Hall I suppose, almost lighthouse in feel)...but I want my kids to still see the stars, even if its only when we go hiking or camping out at night... So how does it look in at night? Rancho Cordova I mean? I should google pictures...
But yes the light rail idea I like, that's how Covina was for me down in SoCal... I'm kinda hoping to find a place that has an apartment building with a 1920-30's feel if any exist... Or even a small apartment in a off the main drag neighborhood... maybe one that is a tiny shack in look with a narrow walkway through the side... of the property.
The ultimate score would be a mid century jem of kitsch! Seen a few but I didn't get the areas they were in...
Is there any neighborhoods with a higher senior citizen population? I like hanging out at the community centers where old folks play bridge and cansta, that sort of thing... Figured I could volunteer there to keep me sane while I get over the rebound mourning period. (TMI, sorry) and well I imagine the yard sales would rock!!!!!
Also is there a swing/rockabilly scene out there more or less? I looked up some meet up groups, not much luck but what are the clubs like? Is it mostly country and western, hip hop top 40's pop dance stuff? Is there any industrial/synth clubs or any jazz ones? How about 80's clubs? (Come through for me Jimbo, I like how you think and provide info, very concise and very helpful) lol...
Rancho Cordova is a 1950s era suburb, mostly created to serve Aerojet and Mather Air Force Base (since closed but converted to a civilian freight airport and other uses.) It's not an urban place by any stretch of the imagination. It looks like a mid-century strip mall with some mid-century suburbs. I don't think anything in Rancho Cordova today is old enough to have been around in the 1920s-30s.
Sacramento has a pretty good rockabilly/psychobilly scene, there are places like the California Auto Museum that host car shows plus bigger car shows at Cal Expo (usually with a big rockabilly turnout) and a lot of tattoo studios in town are rockabilly scene hangouts. There are two roller-derby teams in town that have strong representation from the local rockabilly scene. There are several industrial clubs: Asylum every Sunday night, Noir on second Friday, Darkness on second Saturday, and Reverence on the fourth Saturday of the month. Most of the 80s clubs have recently switched to an 80s/90s or straight 90s format as those of us who grew up in the 80s have moved beyond club-going phase (forthe most part.) Jazz is something of a Sacramento tradition (we have a world-famous jazz festival) and there are also some blues clubs, and a lot of rock venues that tend to have a smattering of punk, metal, or (a seeming Sacrameto favorite) proto-sixties garage rock. There are semi-underground music venues catering to freak folk, prog/psych, experimental/noise, and other genres not popular enough here to fill a regular club. I don't think there are any country bars in the central city, except maybe country nights at a couple of the gay bars. There are plenty of country bars in the suburbs if that's what you're into, though.
People may hit me with brickbats for suggesting it, but if you're looking for a neighborhood with older homes, close ties with the local music scene (both live bands and dance clubs), a lot of senior citizens and a lot of hipsters of various types, you might want to look at Midtown or one of the old central city neighborhoods. The only rub is that rents are kind of expensive (it's a premium compared to the rest of Sacramento) and central city schools are so-so at best. Houses vary from the 1850s to the 1940s, with a smattering of mid-century apartment complexes and a few new condos. It's one of the few places in Sacramento where one can get by without a car.
And the yard sales around here absolutely do rock. Sometimes they're either old folks selling off rad old stuff, or hipster kids selling off their record collections to make rent, although there are plenty that are just people selling Tuppwerware and old toys, like any place. Once a month there is an antique fair under the freeway, it costs $3 to get in but it's 5 acres of amazing old stuff, totally worth it.
The building you mentioned might be the Esquire tower--did it have rows of horizontal blue lights rising up along it? That is a relatively new office tower that was built on the site of the old Esquire Theater. They kept the 1940s Streamline Moderne facade, and continued its neon element up the height of the tower, there is an IMAX theater behind the old facade now. If it was an older terra cotta building with red and blue lights, it might be the Elks Building, one of the old 1920s skyscrapers.
I'd suggest looking in central city neighborhoods like Newton Booth, Richmond Grove, Southside, Marshall School (which just re-opened as a charter Montessori elementary), Midtown, or the Alhambra Triangle. Alkali Flat and Mansion Flat are interesting neighborhood but probably a little hinkier than what you're looking for.
I really, really recommend coming up for a visit and just puttering around--if you do, I can recommend more specific places to visit.
Wburg YOU rock!!!!I thoroughly enjoyed reading that. It was a great listing and review of places I like... Farmer's Markets would be nice and a zoo if any exist, I like mom and pop joints, pitch and put places... and maybe the occasional dive bar with a classic rock band... And ooh I am so dressing up all Victor Victoria meets The Lone Ranger at the Gay clubs, wooho, hee hee!!!!
But all the clubs sound great. I'm not big in to clubs any more... more in to breweries or hole in the wall places with good beer... Bakeries, Flower shops, tv repair stores, even a shoe cobbler!... I like neighborhood theaters and art houses... and for the schools you mentioned in midtown, etc... I would make it possible to afford up there...
I do enjoy a subculture feel of things, (I'm a retired Anarchopunx goth industrial trace, dark wave shadow dancing type) and now I have signed up for the rockabilly/psychobilly one but I still love the 40's-60's in music, cars, that sort of thing. I'm a retro Vintage Nut all the way!!! That's actually my ebusiness. I seen there is a chamber of commerce listing online and also the Rancho Cordova Post. I think I may start visiting those sites more. Also any local government pages so I know more or less where everything is. I may be driving by then (also how are the motorcycle trails and Harley Dealerships or authorized mechanics?) Is there also any drag strips, nice places to go cruising?
The Roller Derby sounds fun! IS there any hockey teams that use roller blades or ice skates? Also is there any chapters around Sac for the women's field hockey league?
How about VFW/American legions Posts/Clubs?
Gosh what else? "Hinkier and "Brickbats"?
One last question... what is the dating scene like in the sub/alt community? And also age group demographics?
I should look for a mommy and me program... Okies thank you so much again!!!!!
Also forgot... is there a listing of local reviewed shops/services, like the best of awards, etc?
Walking Tours?
ANd is there an Amtrak Station anywhere near by Rancho Cordova or anywhere in Sac? And any recommendations of cab services, Realtors that manage rentals, local eateries to local hotel/motel?
Best Bookstores, musical instrument shops, alteration dry cleaners, health care facilities, hospitals and markets... the little mom and pop kind or specialty/gourmet of sorts?
Farmer's markets: There are daily farmer's markets Sunday-Thursday in various parts of the central city and the suburbs, unfortunately they move every day. Here's the deal: Cetified Farmers' Markets Times and Locations
The Sacramento Zoo is located in Land Park, it is about the only zoo of significant size in the region: The Sacramento Zoo - Home
Can't think of any pitch & putt places (in fact, I had to look it up because I had never heard of it) but this place might to be your liking, and it is right off the Light Rail line in Rancho Cordova: Welcome to Monster Mini Golf . No clue about field hockey, but there seem to be a lot of weird intramural sports around here: in 2003-4, there was a local "Drunken Dodgeball" league that advocated to the IOC to make dodgeball an Olympic sport. There is also an ice skating rink on Del Paso north of downtown, "Iceland," but I don't know if they do ice hockey or anything.
The central city neighborhoods are definitely where it's at if you are into dive bars and mom & pop businesses--we have a hatful of them, and several local microbreweries (including one that offers do-it-yourself beer making.) The two art-house theaters in town are both in the central city area: the Tower Theater Tower Theatre Homepage and the mighty Crest Theatre Welcome to the Crest Theatre .
If you're into antiques, there aren't many antique shops in the central city but there are a bunch in the suburbs, and the antique faire I mentioned will literally make your head explode. Sacramento Antique Faire
I also recommend "Midtown Monthly" to get some inside insight into Midtown, written mostly by people who actually live and hang out there: Midtown Monthly - Sacramento and Beyond
I think there are VFW halls and American Legion posts still in the suburbs, but the VFW hall downtown is a nightclub called "Element" (they totally ruined it) and the American Legion hall is a gay nightclub called "Club 21" (they didn't ruin it, and even left the American Legion logo embossed grills on the heater registers--that's where the aforementioned "Reverence" club is located.
If you're on Yelp, Yelp Sacramento is a good way to find reviews of local businesses. The Talk section is a little snarky but I have a feeling you'd get along fine there. http://www.yelp.com/sacramento
Traditionally, how Midtown works is that people move here in their late teens or early twenties because they hate the suburbs and Mom and want to go to clubs and hang out with other kids with pink hair and tattoos. They grow up, get state jobs, get married, start having kids and move to the suburbs, except for (a) the gay crowd, who normally don't have kids, (b) those who don't end up having kids or are just too weird to find a mate, or (c) the truly hardcore. A lot of new retirees tend to look at Midtown as a nice alternative to a big yard, and there is a whole generation of folks who moved here in the sixties and seventies (the truly hardcore of another generation) who still live down here. So Midtown tends to be a mix of students, artists and layabouts in their twenties, active senior citizens (we're talking folks in their seventies who still go to shows and walk and bike everywhere) and a handful of very weird people in their thirties and forties. Midtown is not as racially diverse as some parts of the city but it's pretty diverse.
I've been out of the sub/alt dating scene for more than a decade, but it seems to still be going on.
Amtrak: Sacramento's Amtrak station is the second busiest in the state, after Los Angeles. There is no Rancho Cordova Amtrak station, but the light rail line in Rancho Cordova goes directly to the Amtrak station downtown.
Walking tours:
Downtown Sacramento Partnership: Life & Culture: Book a Tour (http://www.downtownsac.org/DSPAPP/V/life-and-culture/Book-a-Tour.html - broken link)
Hinky: hinky - Wiktionary Mildly sketchy, mostly something you can't necessarily put your finger on. Sacramento's central city used to be a very sketchy place through the 1980s and early 1990s, it still hasn't thoroughly gentrified (thank goodness!) and a couple of neighborhoods are places where you still want to watch your back at night or when walking alone. Alkali Flat and Mansion Flat have a lot of homeless walking through during the day, between the spots near the river where they camp and social services, and downtown Sacramento where they panhandle change from state workers. The nasty folks who prey on street people (sell them drugs, rob them etc.) tend to watch these paths the way wolves watch deer trails, and sometimes they get hungry enough to go after richer prey.
Brickbats: Chunks of brick hurled as a weapon. I am known as a loudmouth and midtown Sacramento booster here, because I adore the place and tend to encourage people to move here, especially fellow former anarchopunx/goth/industrial/whatevers who are trying to find a place that has some character and style. That being said, there are some caveats. Sacramento has a massive inferiority complex from growing up in the shadow of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Events and activities are a little harder to find here, you kind of have to seek things out at first but once you know where things are and know where to look there is actually a lot going on. From my limited experience in southern California, I like to compare Midtown to a very, very reduced version of Melrose Avenue between Fairfax and LaBrea. Not a hoity-toity shopping area, but some interestingly funky things to see, especially along 21st Street, J and K Street in the twenties and L Street in the teens.
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