The best of Elk Grove, via Instagram
To be honest: I loved growing up in Elk Grove when I didn’t know any better, and then I hated it. As a kid, I had a ton of freedom. I walked across the park to school by myself or with the neighbor kids. I spent my afternoons riding bikes around empty construction lots and playing at the park or out on our street until it was dinner time. I played soccer in the fall and spent summers at the water park or the public pool or a friend’s backyard pool. I ended up going to high school at a private Catholic school in Sacramento: about a 20-minute drive from Elk Grove, suddenly all of my friends were scattered across the central Sacramento regions. Once I hit my teenage years, I hated Elk Grove for its cookie-cutter houses and reputation as the boondocks and the fact that it was SO far away. (Note: I was especially dramatic and high maintenance in my high school years!)
I’m still not a huge fan of the cookie-cutter neighborhoods, but I’ve grown to love Elk Grove’s rural roots. My parents put in a pool when I was in high school, and I finally realize just how incredible it is to have that as a space to relax when the temperatures climb. I love that we border two wildlife refuges, that parks are scattered all around, that we’re just one freeway exit away from true farmland. It’s such a blissful escape from New York City–especially when my parents cook all of my favorite foods AND I get to hang out with Annie all day long!
I spent every high school summer by the pool with a stack of fashion magazines and a pitcher of pink lemonade. It’s still my favorite way to spend an afternoon!
My dad taught me how to make his famous enchiladas when I was home. I can’t wait to make them for my next dinner party in NYC!
Our morning walk route with Annie: she goes nuts for the squirrels! I just can’t believe we live in a neighborhood with trees big enough to have squirrels–but I suppose the neighborhood has grown up as much as I have. We moved here in the early 1990’s, when the houses were brand-new and the park was full of saplings.
Perfect. View.
I really wanted to work on my home practice this week, and setting up a yoga mat by the pool TOTALLY blew my cramped mornings in my Brooklyn apartment out of the water. The only problem: Annie was a little too involved sometimes! I didn’t want to try any headstands for fear that she’d knock me over.
My buddy!
Morning glory was my favorite flower when I was a kid: I loved how it went to sleep at night and “woke up” in the morning!
This is my freeway exit: wide open spaces.
My parents joined a country club after I went away to college, and they’ve become SUCH serious golfers! My dad was the club champion a couple of years ago, and they won the couples championship last year. My mom even got a hole in one the day before I came home! I popped over to the club to give my mom and her golfer friends a few yoga tips to open their shoulders and strengthen their core–super fun, and not a bad view from the patio!
The sunset view while walking the dog. I didn’t appreciate it nearly enough growing up, but I’m so grateful that I was surrounded by so much nature as a kid!
What’s your favorite photo of Elk Grove?
Special thanks to my parents for a wonderful week at home: Hotel Dugan is still my favorite place to stay!
