Bonjour! I hope you had a restful weekend. I spent last Saturday strolling with family in Sacramento, the state capital of California (90 miles/ 145km north of San Francisco).
This is the Tower Bridge over the Sacramento River. You may recognize it from the 2017 drama/comedy film, Lady Bird! Since we came from the Bay Area via Interstate 80 Business Loop, we didn’t get to cross this bridge.
Downtown Commons (DoCo) is Sacramento’s entertainment district that surrounds the Golden 1 Center, a major concert venue and home of the Sacramento Kings basketball team! Next to the arena are restaurants, big and small shops, and a movie theater. Not sure if the mural above is there year-round or only for Women’s History Month, but I’m glad I got to see this image of such a beautiful and powerful woman!
Estelle Bakery & Pâtisserie
Speaking of woman, there’s a bakery in DoCo named Estelle, which happened to be staffed only by men (well, at least on the day I went). When I spotted this French bakery, I just had to go in! I was instantly drawn to the shop’s bright interior and its minimalist décor. There were delightful ceiling light fixtures that looked like giant seed heads of a dandelion. Inside, I was pleased to hear French music playing, too!
While the salads, cookies, and pastries looked beautiful, none of them appealed to me – not even the macarons, unfortunately. Maybe I was still full from lunch! I did, however, get one of their big butter croissants for the road.
One way to get to Old Sacramento and the Waterfront from downtown is through the pedestrian underpass.
Old Sacramento looks like it’s still in the “Wild West” days with its wooden plank walkways, cobblestone streets, and brick buildings. There’s also a single-room schoolhouse, a huge candy store, costume shops, and a few restaurants and bars with “saloon” in their names.
The Delta King is an authentic paddlewheel riverboat that was built in 1927. It has meeting rooms, two restaurants, and hotel rooms. It doesn’t leave the dock, though.
Spotted in Sacramento:
Until next time, have a great week ahead!
Bonjour: A Francophile Blog 
How funny and coincidental that there’s a street named after you, haha! 😉 Never been to Sacramento despite being a California native, but it looks to be a pleasant trip to the capital. That French-inspired patisserie looks delightful; perhaps I’ll make it over someday!
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It was a pleasant surprise to see an uncommon name on a street sign! 😂 If you go to Sacramento (on a weekday), you must visit the State Capitol, too. I went many years ago and learned so much about our Golden State.
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