Our Local Bounty

NEVADA AND PLACER COUNTIES are home to a growing, healthy and vibrant base of local farms, rivaling the Central Valley, Sonoma and San Luis Obispo. From fruits and vegetables (Riverhill Farm and Machado Orchards, for example) to grass-fed beef (Nevada County Free Range Beef and Sinclair Family Farm) — from olive oil, jams and honey […]

All the World’s a Stage: The Center for the Arts, Nevada Theatre and Stages at Northstar

IN THE EARLY ELIZABETHAN ERA, English acting troupes performed in inns, college halls and private homes. Then along came London’s Globe Theater in 1599, showcasing Shakespeare’s best-known plays. Theater became a popular pastime. Good performing arts have always been good for the economy. In September, we visited Ashland, Oregon, jokingly called the “town that Shakespeare […]

PlacerARTS Studios Tour is Nov. 10-12

LOCAL ARTIST HELEN PHILLIPS founded the PlacerARTS Studios Tour in 1994, because she felt artists in the area didn’t know each other well enough. “Since then, I’ve seen an incredible infusion of artists come together to present their work,” says Janet Nicholson of Nicholson Blown Glass, who has participated for all 24 years. “Each studio […]

The Sweetest Season: Mountain Mandarins

As fall arrives, Placer County’s hills are aglow with ripening Mountain Mandarins. More than 40 Mandarin growers are nestled in the hills around Penryn, Newcastle, Loomis, Lincoln and Auburn. They have been providing tree-ripened, hand-picked Mandarins since the 1880s. “Mandarins are the signature fruit of the foothills,” observes Cindy Fake of the UC Cooperative Extension […]

Loomis: Revitalizing its Downtown

DESPITE ITS SMALL SIZE, THE TOWN OF LOOMIS — just off I-80 in south Placer County — looms large when it comes to the region’s history. In the mid-1800s, settlers came to Loomis for gold mining along the rivers. Then along came the railroads. “Loomis was named in 1884 by the Southern Pacific for James […]

Placer County receives update on “Stages at Northstar” project

Fresh from being named a prestigious state Cultural District, the Truckee region is forging ahead with plans to build a $30 million, 650 seat theater and 2,500 seat amphitheater in a project known as Stages at Northstar. The Tahoe Regional Arts Foundation and Northstar presented the plan to the Placer County Board of Supervisors at […]

Tributary Whitewater Tours for whitewater rafting

Whitewater Rafting Tributary Whitewater Tours has been safely guiding California whitewater rafting and American River rafting trips since 1978 and offers something for all levels, from “mild to wild.” The tours include the North Fork of the Yuba River; South, Middle and Forks of the American River; Upper Sacramento River; East Fork of the Carson […]

“A Walk Through Autumn” in the foothills and Sierra

Our region is one of the best places in California to view fall foliage, earning it the name “New England of the West.” Here are some suggestions: HISTORIC HIGHWAY 40 Weather permitting, take an old-fashioned Sunday drive along Old Hwy. 40 from Rocklin to Donner Pass and Truckee instead of Interstate 80. The fall colors […]

Auburn Symphony: A father & son performance

CLASSICAL MUSIC RUNS in the Jaffe family. Peter is music director of the Auburn Symphony. He has a doctorate in conducting from Stanford; was coached briefly by Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa—and even has a guitar owned by Woody Guthrie. His son James is a concert cellist, chamber musician from the San Francisco Conservatory of […]

Gold Country Vintage Road: A scenic loop designed with vintage shoppers in mind

GOLD COUNTRY VINTAGE ROAD is a scenic loop designed with vintage shoppers in mind. Starting in Auburn, it winds its way through Gold Country, connecting a remarkable collection of shops, featuring up-cycled furniture, quirky accessories, vintage clothing, chalk style paint, hand-crafted jewelry and more—all at a fraction of what you’d pay in the “big city.” […]

Next Page »

  • Follow us on PinterestFollow us on Pinterest