By Lisa Tabion Martinez

I've lived in Sacramento for only two years, but in that time I've discovered our city's dirty little secret.

  There are two kinds of Sacramentans: those who embrace our city and accept it as it evolves, and those who love to loathe it and constantly compare us to other places. I have to admit that, until this past year, I struggled with a love-hate relationship with Sacramento.

  Two years ago, I took a big leap of faith. I moved from Chicago to Sacramento to be closer to my boyfriend, Mark (who has since become my husband). It was a rough transition for me. In Chicago, I lived in the spunky Lakeview neighborhood, just blocks from Wrigley Field, the lakefront and loads of great bars, theaters and restaurants. The neighborhood pulses with an urban energy that you could find only in places where different worlds and social circles collide on the sidewalk. In Sacramento, I moved into a quiet residential neighborhood about 10 miles south of downtown. It was nice but definitely not the dynamic I was accustomed to. Needless to say, I couldn’t help but mourn my old urban lifestyle.

  All of that changed a few months ago when my husband and I bought our first home—in downtown Sacramento. Ever since my West Coast migration, I craved some of that big-city energy. I kept searching for something authentic—people and places that were unapologetically and uniquely Sacramento. I found it downtown, with its tree-lined streets, eclectic storefronts, historic architecture and unique, locally owned restaurants.

    Mark and I had been house hunting for nearly a year. We flirted with the idea of buying a starter home in West Sacramento or Natomas or a fixer-upper in one of Sacramento’s more established neighborhoods. We came close to buying a few, but it was just never right—at least not right for us. And then it happened: Mark found an amazing (and affordable) two-bedroom condo nestled in the heart of downtown.

    We moved into our new home in May and couldn’t be happier. It sounds like a cliché, but we’re right in the heart of everything, from theaters and museums to restaurants, the river and bars. I’ve nearly abandoned my car in favor of walking. My mornings typically start with my 12-minute schlep to work, which sometimes includes a stop at my favorite local cafe for a caffeine injection. At least once a week on my lunch hour, I hit the local farmers market. One of my new bragging rights is that Mark and I walk to special events like the Friday Night Concerts in the Park and Second Saturdays without worrying about where to park our car.

There is a rhythm and energy about this neighborhood that I can’t help but love. And it’s in those hours before and after the regular 9-to-5 crowd appears and disappears that you really experience downtown. You have time to explore and discover the new boutique or restaurant around the corner and linger in a cafe or nightclub without worrying about how long it will take you to battle the traffic on your way home.
When I tell people where I live, I often get that puzzled look that begs to know “Why downtown?”

  We chose to invest downtown because it offers the best of both worlds. We’re surrounded by big-city style and energy without sacrificing the personality of a real neighborhood and community. And with all of the new plans for development downtown, we know our neighborhood is on track to be the Next Big Thing. So I’ll let you in on my own dirty little secret. Despite my passion for the Windy City, I’ve learned to love and embrace downtown Sacramento for all of its quirks, character, big dreams and failures. It’s my home and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Lisa Tabion Martinez is director of marketing and outreach for Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

This article appears in the December 2009 issue of Sacramento Magazine.