Postcard from Land Park
I grew up in Elk Grove, one of many suburbs that sprouted up around Sacramento in the early 1990’s. Although I went to elementary and middle school around the corner from my house, I went to a private Catholic high school in the heart of Sacramento. It seemed like ALL of my friends lived in Land Park, and I begged my parents to move there too: the houses are gorgeous, it was a short five-minute drive to school (instead of my 20-30 minute commute in traffic) and the towering trees and family-owned businesses seemed practically exotic compared to the cookie-cutter homes and big box strip malls that surrounded me.
Alas, my parents never moved to Land Park. Even so, the park itself–home to the Sacramento Zoo, a golf course and a couple of kids’ amusement parks–has always held a special place in my heart. It was at its most beautiful when I was home last weekend: the fall colors just beginning to change, the skies blue and the grass green. If I ever move back to Sacramento, you can bet Land Park is where I’ll want to call home.
No visit to Land Park would be complete without a visit to Vic’s Ice Cream…
…and a mint chocolate chip shake! Katelyn and I have been getting our milkshake and hot dog sandwich fix together at Vic’s since we were freshmen at Christian Brothers High School. When we went in high school, we ALWAYS knew someone behind the counter–I applied for a job there the second I turned 16! Sadly, they didn’t hire me (instead, I snagged my “dream first job” as a bagger at my local grocery store), but it’s still always one of my favorite stops when I’m home.
What’s your favorite photo of Land Park?
