Sacramento #1

Sacramento, CA

In search of a plot for our next book.

We spent seven days in Sacramento to research our next book, GAME TOWN,  for 2019 release. So we thought we would give you a peek into researching a new book.

On March 20, 2018,  we took off from the Long Beach Airport at 8:10am, the flight was a bit rocky from the bad weather over central CA. Landed in drizzly, wet Sacramento at 9:30am.

We were surprised that the city seemed to be nothing but one-way streets! The capital was our first stop but couldn’t find parking on the streets or parking lots. There was a special event going on and took up all the available parking. We gave up and decided to find our hotel, Quality Inn, Convention Center. It is a small, old/updated place a few blocks from the convention center.  It was 10:00, we couldn’t get in the room until 2:00 so decided to walk to the capital, about 5 blocks. It continued to drizzle, about 51 degrees, no breeze whatsoever. Actually, it was a very nice walk.

On the way, we walked through the Camellia tree garden in front of the capitol building. Because of the drizzle, the blossoms fell leaving a beautiful blanket of color under each tree. There must have been 100 camellia trees each with their colorful blankets.

We took a guided tour of the capitol, really enjoyed the stories behind the history of the city and the building. We ate lunch at the cafeteria; they had hot split pea soup, perfect for the wet, cold day.

There was a real shoeshine man dressed in white shining several men’s shoes in an old fashion chair.

We also learned that when the Capital installed telephones, they had young men answering the phones and connecting the caller to various departments. They were a bit rude to everyone so they changed them to women. This was before the words “Telephone Operators”. They called them “Hello Girls.”

We walked back to our hotel still brisk outside, but a very nice walk.

AHA moment- We found several places to dump dead bodies, both in and outside the capitol. Also, had a nice talk with our guide after the tour, she told is about some very interesting ways in which the capitol operated during the 1950s, great ideas for some subplots.