Gathering Place LOCAL BISTRO IS ‘THIRD PLACE’ FOR POCKET RESIDENTS
development. Adrian Woodfork, a resident of Park Village, says, “Having a train 38 feet from your fence line is extremely uncomfortable any time of day or night. It is totally detrimental to the homes. The Park Village homes were not constructed to hold up to a train passing on a daily basis.”
BY SHANE SINGH
We’ll keep an eye on this, and an ear open for the distant wail of train horns.
POCKET LIFE
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n England, it’s called “the local.” Ray Oldenburg, eminent author and professor of sociology, christened it “the third place.” Both names refer to gathering spaces where a community comes together. In England, it’s a pub, though drinking is not required. What matters is the presence of regulars and newcomers, warmth and hospitality, a friendly room that’s neither home nor work. In our neighborhood, the third place is Pocket Bistro at Florin Road and Riverside Boulevard. Tucked into the corner of a shopping center, the bistro is our local. Sacramento attorney Josh Clark can often be found at Pocket Bistro with his wife and two daughters. “We love this place,” he says. “It’s a nice spot when we don’t want to cook dinner at home. Also, you also can’t beat the value of the kids meals!” Couples, some married, some dating, many just hanging out, fill the space. You will find co-workers relaxing and sports fans debating the 49ers’ salary cap. For regular Perry Felker, it’s about being made to feel special.
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POCKET MAR n 14
In the kitchen at Pocket Bistro with chef Octavio Jimenez and owner Edmund Abay
“The staff is very friendly and the food is good,” he says. The Pocket and Greenhaven communities are suburban, but people still need to go out and mingle. That’s why every neighborhood needs a third place, a local, a Pocket Bistro.
LITTLE ENGINE THAT CAN’T California State Parks is proposing to run an excursion train along a
right-of-way owned by Regional Transit from Old Sacramento to Land Park near the zoo, and eventually all the way down to the river town of Hood. The environmental impact report on the project makes note of additional noise, noxious odors and even potential compromises to safety at Executive Airport. The proposed route would run directly behind many homes, including the Park Village
A bit further down the line in the Z’berg Park neighborhood, reaction has been mixed. Fifteen-year Z’berg Park resident Karen Berkovitz recalls, “Farmdale residents who have lived here for a while note that about 25 years ago, we had freight trains and that was a lot worse. Those people remember and don’t mind the new proposed train at all.” Berkovitz believes the project is on hold because of vocal Z’berg Park neighbors. Some of those neighbors strongly oppose the train because of the backyard proximity. Berkovitz says it’s been difficult to get accurate information on the project. “We never seem to get the correct answer,” she says. Local real estate agent Chip O’Neil thinks the train will have a “significant effect on the property values.” He notes that the rail line was abandoned in the early 1970s after a land swap with State Parks. O’Neil lives two blocks from the