When I first moved to California from Massachusetts, I immediately noticed the sheer volume of street art. I mentioned this to a friend who has lived here most of her life, and she told me that many Californian cities have percent-for-art initiatives that help fund public art from the budget of construction or renovation projects. Sacramento’s own Art in Public Places (APP) program was established in 1977 and has 350 current works, more than half of which are from local artists.

The grid is full of them. The Wide Open Walls website catalogs dozens of works and even has a tool to help you plan a tour if there are specific ones you want to see. But I think it’s most enjoyable to grab a coffee and just wander.

Here are some of my favorites.

1517 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95811

Holy Diver closed down, but the mural on the front of the building is still there. Lin Fei Fei, a local muralist, painted it for Wide Open Walls in 2018. This moody mural fit well above a hard rock venue.

1608 I St Sacramento, CA 95814

Also part of the 2018 Wide Open Walls festival, this mural is near the first place I lived in Sacramento. Its bright, summery colors always helped me find my way home when I was still learning my way around the city.

1808 14th St, Sacramento, CA 95811, USA

This mural on the side of the SEIU Local 1000 building stood out to me one day on a walk. I like a floral motif in art, and the colors are particularly striking against the beige building and deep blue sky.

The Middle Eastern-inspired coffee company Haute Coffee is coming to Roseville, Sacramento, and Elk Grove. March 23 was their Roseville location’s soft opening.

A Sacramento State student photography exhibit is on display at the Crocker Art Museum through April 12. It focuses on local floodplains along the Yolo Bypass, where there are projects underway to restore the fishing habitat.

Oak Park’s library closed in 1989 when the city of Sacramento consolidated several branches in the area. Local residents Dorothy and Michelle Benjamin are the leading voices behind a movement to bring a library back to Oak Park as an important educational and community hub.

Toasted Rooster Cafe, a women-owned breakfast and brunch restaurant, is making plans to open its second location at a former Denny’s on Greenback Lane.

I drive past Pho ABC’s Citrus Heights location several times a week, so it had been on my list to try for a while. A few days ago, I found myself craving a banh mi and decided to check it out.

Without a doubt, I will be back. The bread is the foundation of a good banh mi, and Pho ABC nails it with crunchy crust and a light, airy interior. They offer chicken and pork versions. Pictured here is the pork, which was perfectly marinated.

Find things to do in and around Sacramento for the week of March 30.

Cheers,

Hailey

_{Sacramento, thoughtfully curated.}