Did you survive the heat this weekend? When it gets super hot like this all I usually want to do is throw on some shorts, crank the AC and loll around indoors. However today, Mr. S. and I had plans to go check out the Good Street Food and Design Market in Del Paso Heights so lolling was out of the question. I had heard that the marketplace was trying to follow the format of Dose Market in Chicago and San Francisco's Ferry Building so I was excited to check it out.




We arrived early at the marketplace (located in a warehouse) to find a clean, bright venue with fun music pumping and various vendors set up. Considering this was their "grand opening." I thought they were very organized and things seemed to be running pretty smoothly. Although it was a relatively small market, there was a nice mixture of vendor types (clothing, art, music, food and drinks), there were plenty of places to sit and they carded guests at the door to ensure those who were of drinking age were braceleted. We ended up browsing through the merchandise for a bit, grabbing a cup of coffee from the guys at Broadacre and then taking a seat to soak in the scene. It was fun to watch the vendors interact with the public. Some might consider the goods a tad pricey but they were on par with what you'd come across if you shopped at a independently-owned boutique or a local bakery/cafe. As we were leaving, Mr.S. commented that it would be really cool if they added a few more food trucks in the future (we only saw two in the back lot when we were there) and I agree- this would be a great place for the food trucks to congregate and peddle their eats. It'll be interesting to see what the marketplace coordinators add to the mix if the concept catches on-- I would love to see some charcuterie offerings or perhaps a table selling hand crafted spirits (small batch bourbon?). Overall, we had a good time and it was a nice way to spend a Sunday morning.





When: First Sundays of the month, from 1-5 pm. June 3 through November
Where: 1409 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento
Info: www.facebook.com/GOODstreetfooddesignmarket
Cost: $3 for Adults, Kids 18 and under free
Parking: Bike parking available. Ample street parking for cars.

In the DPH area this summer- get ready for live music, DJs, tasty food, shopping and beer & wine...first Sundays, June through November.

For more info, check out their Facebook page: GOOD Street Food + Design Market

1201 Grand Ave., Sacramento, CA 95838. (916) 922-7501.

There's something about Jimmy's that makes me want to play that old Jay-Z tune, "Heart of the City," as I roll up to it. The pistachio colored building in one of the rougher parts of Del Paso Heights has seen better days. It's weather worn storefront sits quietly back from Grand Avenue, almost like an observer to the neighborhood that surrounds it. There's a tired looking gentleman sitting patiently in the parking lot under the white "Jimmy's" sign running a recycling station and the front door is covered with a multitude of signs of what is and what is not allowed upon entering. Driving by you'd think it was like any other neighborhood quickie mart, only Jimmy's isn't...



Once inside, the front part of Jimmy's is a convenience store carrying a smattering of snacks, sodas, along with a few hard-to-find Cajun food brands like Blue Runner, Camellia, and Cajun Injector. The back portion of the store though is where the action's at. The back serves takeout to its customers- breakfast, lunch and dinner. The entree menu ranges from: fried/smothered chicken, catfish, red snapper, ribs, meat loaf, ox tail, chitterlings and gumbo. The sides menu is equally as impressive: grits, mac and cheese, red beans, black-eyed peas, yams, greens, cabbage and potatoes. I have a soft spot for homemade meat loaf so I ordered one of their personal sized meat loaves, a big serving of greens  and a whoppin' dollop of mac and cheese. (The meatloaf came with a choice of rice or potatoes, which I skipped.) The total for my lunch was $6.75 and I had more than enough for two meals. Everything was delicious...the meatloaf was seasoned well (and slightly peppery which I liked), the mac and cheese was thick and creamy and the greens were cooked perfectly. Next time I'd like to try some of their gumbo and perhaps one of their desserts- yellow cake, banana pudding, or sweet potato pie. (I'd also like to talk to the owners a bit, I'm almost certain that the place is run by an Asian family. An Asian family cooking up soul food in the middle of DPH? How unusual, but hey if it tastes great, it tastes great.)

So Jimmy's may not exactly be in the heart of the city geographically speaking, but it's definitely serving up some love to the city from that tiny little kitchen in the hood...one to-go container of soul food at a time.