Sacramento Weekend: Flower Farm Inn

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am OBSESSED with flowers. Ever since I was younger, I have had an obsession with all things floral. From the first rose my Dad cut for me, to the bouquets my husband still brings me - I have loved collecting and experiencing flowers.



When Laurie suggested we spend Monday morning at the Flower Farm Inn in Loomis I was immediately smitten. How could this not be a great start to the day? We arrived just in time for brunch and enjoyed our plates out on the back patio. It was an odd but quant little area, near an old water mill and pond. It was sunny and peaceful and a cool alternative to somewhere like The Porch. Dining out while traveling can definitely add up but I liked that we got to explore different spots while we were up in the area.







After brunch we decided to stretch our legs and take a walk around the property. We didn't have the time to explore the actual nursery, but instead wondered around by the farmhouse where Laurie and Daniel got married. They showed us the barn and the alter as well as the little cottages where guests can book a stay.





Being at the Farm felt like stepping back into a Jane Austen novel. The sweet little houses were tucked back into the gardens of the Inn. There was a beautiful arbored workshop and a chicken coop - I could have easily hung out there all day pretending I was curating a garden for the aristocrats of the day. That's pretty dramatic I know - but it really felt like we interrupted some space stuck in time. I thoroughly approve of anywhere I can pretend to exist in a bygone era. My love of period costume dramas and gardens were entwined that afternoon, and I got sort of lost in my own imagination.



And the furry white chickens added an element of whimsy to the meandering...so pretty...so bizarre.







The Flower Farm village was so charming. I tried to capture some more of the cottages but realized there might actually be guests in them! 

With my roaming at bay we walked back towards the cafe and I snapped some flowers on the way out. 







I would love to return to the nursery sometime and truly experience the flowers of the Flower Farm, but I would highly suggest the B&B if you are in the area. It really felt like a little oasis in the middle of the suburbs and the food wasn't half bad either.

xoxo

~ A ~

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Sacramento Weekend: The Porch and Capitol Building

On Saturday morning, Laurie suggested we go to one of her favourite brunch spots near the Capitol Building. I was anxious to see downtown Sac so we dropped off the kiddos and made our way to The Porch Restaurant and Bar. 

Although the restaurant had a spacious interior we thought it was more befitting that we sit on the actual porch. The sun was high and it was such a warm day - too warm to not enjoy a little out door breakfast. The menu was full of country classics done with an elegant twist. I opted for the Avocado Scramble and shared some of Laurie's delicious Grilled Brie. Daniel ordered the classic Biscuit and Eggs and Jeff chose the Hash-Up. 

The food was incredible and the grilled brie was definitely my favourite - I fully support Laurie's decision to make a meal of it. As the sun got higher (and we got hotter) we decided to leave the car and walk off the heavy brunch. We took a brisk path through the city on our way to the Capitol building. 

It was love at first sight. Just look at how beautiful she is! I was honestly filled with a silly amount of pride to call this place MY state capitol. I would mark it down as one of the solidifying moments of mine and Jeff's commitment to LA (and to California). We naturally had to document it properly. 

We played around in front of the building and I fully enjoyed my California fan girl freak out. High on that easy life, we made our way back to the car and drove around the city center. It was exciting to see all the developing parts of downtown. From the new arena to sprouting business parks, it was cool to know that Sacramento is growing. You can read more on the evolving downtown area here. I hope to explore more of the Capital very very soon, and spend a day on the lawns of it's historic landmark. Being in this place felt a lot like coming home and I have to say, Eureka! I have found it. 

xoxo 

~ A ~

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Sacramento Weekend: Apple Hill

I have lived in LA for almost 5 years but have explored very little of California. On my checklist was to explore the state capital so last labor day weekend Jeff and I travelled up to Sacramento.

We began on Friday with a drive to Placer County to see my brother and sister-in-law in Rocklin. Their colorful and well designed home is nestled right near Roseville and is in the heart of the greater Sacramento metropolitan area. It was nice to leave the city and get a fresh perspective on suburban California life. 

Even though I have always been a city girl at heart, I grew up in the suburbs. There is something that is still so calming and safe about rows of identical houses and abundant parking at shopping centers. Rocklin reminded me a lot of my home town in Ohio, a green and tan metropolis of box stores and sub-divisions. I mean that in a good way. There is a warmth about the suburbs, a feeling that you don't need to try or fake it, you can just be as you are since that's where many of us came from. Rocklin was neighborly and open, and it felt like the sun could hit every inch of it. I know I would struggle living far from a major city but with Sacramento only 22 miles away - the small town didn't feel as "out there" as I had expected.

My sister-in-law Laurie grew up in the Sacramento area and we were blessed by her knowledge and planning. On Saturday we journeyed up to Apple Hill to experience the first tastes of fall. 

Apple Hill was literally the sweetest day trip. We parked in the arbor with loads of other cars and walked down row after row of apple trees. The farm and market area sit on a hill overlooking a small pond. There were vendors and tables and families in every direction. 

We started with lunch in the farmers market and naturally chose a box of apple donuts to share. There were picnic tables lining the hill with ample views of the pond and children frolicking below. It looked like something out of a story book. 

Afterwards I got lost exploring the bins of jams and butters and was very tempted to stock up on all kinds of unnecessaries. I could live off of sweets and had to stop myself from purchasing every caramel apple in sight. 

I eventually found my way over to the farm house and the family watched as the truck dumped apples into the grinder. I kept having flashbacks of going pumpkin picking with my family and always being excited by mounds of colored apples. I used to stuff them into those white paper bags and something about it always made me happy, that and the cinnamon candies. 

We wove our way through kitschy stalls of handmade jewelry and home decor. I secretly love all of those country and woodsy chachkies that people buy to fill up their homes. The small craftsman village at Apple Hill is tucked back in the woods, and I loved being surrounded by all the evergreens. 

We closed out the day with apple beers and apple milkshakes (yes, that is a thing) and grabbed all the apples we could on our way out. Apple Hill was such a nice start to the weekend and I could definitely see it becoming a #LowndesLaborDay tradition. The best part is, since we are in SoCal it was about 70 degrees that day. Can't beat a fall like that! 

xoxo

~ A ~

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