Sacramento Social Influencers’ Paint ‘n Brunch Event

“District 56 will soon be putting Elk grove on the map!” declared Cambria Pollinger, from the City Manager’s Office, Elk Grove’s community center coordinator as she conducted a detailed tour on the city’s future plans for Elk Grove at District 56.

Last week, the City of Elk Grove held a fun Paint And Brunch event for Sacramento’s social influencers. Fifteen of us were invited to learn about the future of Elk Grove, specifically with District 56 being the new and exciting hub of the city. We enjoyed three hours of well-spent time learning about the gorgeous District 56 that will invite and entice locals and newcomers to Elk Grove. We were served delicious delicacies from Cafe Elk Grove, as we painted on pottery and socialized with one another.

If you are a fellow Elk Grovian, you will take much pride in knowing that you are an intricate part of this historical time, in the fast pace growth and rapid prosperity of Elk Grove. Also, as a Sacramento native, you will see many opportunities opening up with District 56. Lastly, as a Californian, you will soon be surprised to learn that the once small suburban city of Elk Grove may very well find itself standing on its own merit as a strong presence on the map.

About the Center at District 56

The Center at District 56

District 56 describes the 56 acres of land owned by the city of Elk Grove. Cambria Pollinger educated us on the past and present details of the city’s intentions to build hotels, a performing arts center, plenty of pistachio trees and much more within the next ten years. 25 million dollars was spent on District 56 for the public to enjoy, and with the idea of putting the city of Elk Grove on the map.

The Center

District 56 is currently known as the community center. But this is by no means an ordinary community center. This is a state-of-the-art building known as The Center at District 56. The Center includes the community center, senior center, and veterans’ hall within a large 32,176 square foot one-story building. It includes plenty of indoor and outdoor community gathering spaces and rental spaces for public and private events. Also, the building structure boasts an impressive gold-level certification for sustainable design under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

District 56 Cafe Elk Grove

Upon entering District 56, a clean and serene 860 square foot Cafe Elk Grove awaits to cater to those with various taste buds and appetites. With the city of Elk Grove now being the 7th most diverse community in the nation, the Cafe ever so cleverly offers foods from different countries. For this reason, on any given day at the Cafe, one can expect to enjoy a quality cultural dish. The Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, desserts, and specialty drinks from Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM, and on some weekends.

Main Hall Room

Main Hall Room

The Main Hall is a very large and spacious room, beautiful in design and appearance. A 7,000 square foot hall, it boasts state-of-the-art lighting, audio, and visual capabilities. This space is available to rent as a whole for weddings, ceremonies, and big parties or it can be divided for smaller needs into the Franklin, Laguna, and Sheldon Rooms. Furthermore, the wide stage with sliding glass doors overlooks the greenery and is designed for bridal parties or surprise guests to make a dubious, grand entrance into the hall. In addition, large 72-inch tables with chairs are offered with the room rentals. Also, the Main Hall is attached to a very large 1,023 square foot Commercial Kitchen and Pantry. Each is available for rent with the Main Hall, or solely for cooking classes and baking parties.

Conference Room

Large and spacious Conference and Meeting Rooms await for future rentals with free WiFi throughout the facility. The Conference Room was methodically designed. In this case, it allows the flow of creative minds to enjoy the view of the greenery, giving a feeling of zen and being one with the outdoor world of nature.

The Outdoor Patio

The 3,840 square foot serene Outdoor Patio leads to gorgeous fire pits, overlooking the new swim park, peacefully waiting for the arrival of new guests. The Outdoor Lawn encumbers 7,358 square feet of green grassy knolls and Oak trees. A walkway titled Avenue of the Arts displays art structures of local artists. Additionally, wide-open spaces await food trucks and the Small Farmers’ Market that will start in April. Bounty on the Boulevard will also be moving here from Sacramento.

Other Amenities

Food and music festivals will take place here as 76 medallions sit on the concrete for future tent spaces. The swimming pool will be open for rental parties. In addition, the Senior Center is operated by the Senior Center of Elk Grove for the 50+ community to connect to classes, programs, activities, and travel. Apart from this, the Veterans Memorial Hall is also another gathering space for Elk Grove veterans and members of the American Legion, Marine Corps League, and Veterans of Foreign Wars to meet and commemorate.

Cafe Elk Grove Menu Highlights

Arroz Caldo Chicken Soup – similar to Chinese porridge, this Filipino delight is a thick and hearty meal, filled with chicken, rice and garlic.

Chicken Pesto Panini & Pulled Pork Panini – delicious hot sandwiches filled with generous amounts of meat on crunchy, toasted slices of panini bread.

Ube Crinkles – Rich, moist, Filipino cake-like cookies, in the exotic ube fruit flavor

Catering by Cafe Elk Grove

Muffins & Pastries

Delectables & Delicacies by Cafe Elk Grove

We were served a variety of delectables and delicacies by Cafe Elk Grove. Avocado Toast, Spinach Artichoke Panini, Pulled Pork Panini, and Tuna on Croissant were some of the highlights. In addition, desserts were served. Desserts included Chocolate Crinkles, Ube Puto Flan, Muffins & Pastries. The Very Berry Lemonade was the beverage highlight of the day. Delicious coffee from Lyrical Coffee, a local coffee company here in Elk Grove, was also served.

The Paint Party

Painting Parties by Ale’s Little Crafts provided a guided lesson of water and acrylic paints. Pottery pieces were provided, along with all the utensils and supplies needed to paint. Each piece was memorable artwork for each of us to take home and enjoy. Yolanda and Alejandra were the hosts of the Paint And Brunch event. Yolanda and her husband, Jesse, are the owners of Cafe Elk Grove. Alejandra owns Painting Parties by Ale’s Little Crafts. As a result, this dynamic duo presented a day of fun and camaraderie for all of us to enjoy. Many thanks to Yolanda and Jesse Hoover, Cambria Pollinger, and Ale for hosting a beautiful Paint And Brunch event!