Cheesemaking at Murer House, The Big Cheese in the Lunchroom, and Cheese Quesadillas at Zocalo
Happening around Folsom and beyond
Fresh camembert. The product of a cheesemaking class I took at Murer house. YUM!
Newsworthy
I want to be a lunch lady when I grow up! At least, I want to be THIS lunch lady when I grow up. Joann Weber is nearly 87 years old and apparently, is a treat to be around and just loves her life and her job. She supervises breakfast and serves lunch at Brooks Elementary in El Dorado Hills and she was named the 2021-22 Classified Employee of the Year. From what I read in this article from Village Life, she has a ton of optimism and spizzerinctum that she gets from being around the kids. But don’t count her out in the adult activities. She also line dances 3, 4 even 5 days a week. She’s my new hero.
Sienna owners Mark and Karoline Platt have more energy than I’ve ever dreamed of. Not only are they in the midst of moving their signature restaurant, Sienna, to the site above Pottery World in the Montaño De El Dorado Shopping Plaza, but they also just opened a new restaurant in El Dorado Hills Town Center called South Fork Grille! It’s in the old Bistro 33 location. “We’ve always had space envy of that spot,” said Karoline. “It’s such a beautiful location and Town Center has really blossomed. It kind of fell in our lap.” Apparently, they are trying to strike a casual vibe with this restaurant, taking inspiration from the South Fork of the American River. Per this Village Life article “Jambalaya pasta, spicy tuna sushi, buffalo cauliflower and a hummus plate are examples of an eclectic menu that will satisfy a wide array of palates.” YUM! I bet you’ll find me there some day soon.
Did you hear about the fire up near Dutch Flat that shut down I-80 in both directions on Tuesday? They’ve done a good job containing it. As of yesterday, it was about 48 acres and had a 50% containment. They were able to get the freeway open on Tuesday, but as of Wednesday morning according to this article by Gold Country Media westbound Interstate 80 remained reduced to one lane. At this point all threats have been mitigated. Whew. So we don’t have another Mosquito on our hands.
Hey! Did you know?
Got a budding author or historian at your house? Or maybe both? The DAR in Folsom sponsors an essay contest for all Folsom and El Dorado Hills students in the fifth through eighth grades. This year the Essay Title is: “Delegate to Second Continental Congress: How will the essential actions of a good citizen (dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism) help meet the challenges that America faces in this decade?” Students will need to submit essays for judging by Nov. 1. Winners at each grade level will receive a bronze medal and their essays will advance to the California State DAR American History Chair for further competition opportunities.
The Folsom Public Library in coordination with the California State Library makes available some pretty cool classes and tutorials that cover everything from getting your GED to preparing for college to studying for professional exams. And it’s all free. There’s even a whole section on exploring different occupations and registered apprenticeships. Maybe I’ll check that out - decide what I want to do for the rest of my life, other than being a cool lunch lady.
Hap’nins
Head downtown for DOCO’s Block Party this weekend. It’s the third year for the event, which has a harvest theme this time around. There will be live music, giveaways, line dancing, a mechanical bull, pumpkin painting, horse wagon rides and a petting zoo! Event takes place on Sunday September 18 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Head over to Zocalo's official grand opening party tonight! They're going to partner with Sacramento's Brazilian Center to bring an extraordinary Samba and Drum act along with customer favorite mariachi and Live DJ to celebrate their Grand Opening and Mexican Independence Day! (6 p.m.)
Don’t forget the Bark ‘n Splash Bash at the Steve Miklos Aquatic Center on October 1! It’s a Folsom tradition! I think it’s brilliant. They let the dogs out (or in as the case may be) for the final day of the season because they’re going to drain and clean the pools anyway. Might as well have a barking good time before they do! Admission: $10 per dog (human companions are free).
Don’t miss Save the Graves Living History Cemetery Tours at the Placerville Union Cemetery on October 15. Learn about local pioneer history by strolling the cemetery grounds, where you’ll meet notable historic figures of El Dorado County through living history performances. Each character is painstakingly researched and the performances are crafted to honor those interred. Proceeds help protect and promote Pioneer Cemeteries of El Dorado County
… And stuff
Sacramento’s favorite comedian Mike E Winfield made it to the top eleven finishers for America’s Got Talent this year. But, alas, September 14 was not his day. He was eliminated before they got to the Top 5. If you don’t trust Howie and you want to judge for yourself, here’s a video of the act that got him to Top 11 from KCRA3. Auditions for the next season of America’s Got Talent are underway and people can submit a video online here.