THE WEEKEND WIND-DOWN
“The Weekend Wind-Down” is a series from The Bold Italic highlighting ways to explore the Bay Area and wind down from your stressful week. If you have an idea or tip, email us, or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.
I sometimes have to burst my own Bay Area bubble by reminding myself there is a California that exists beyond our wondrous community. In fact, many of the things that make the Bay notable — weather, outdoors, history, weed, and cultural wealth that has thrived since before the Gold Rush — can be found in other parts of our golden state in just as much, if not more, abundance.
That’s my way of declaring Amador City — a tiny community of 167 residents located in California’s Gold Country, about one hour northeast of Sacramento — as a dope, nearby spot worth your time.
It was an act of generosity that caught us off guard since we’re used to double-checking our locked doors and putting everything out of sight due to rampant window-smashing, break-ins, and robberies that occur throughout Bay Area cities.
The town is tucked away on a dry hillside, and unless you’re summoned there, you probably won’t stumble upon it. My wife and I happened to be there for a wedding, which, it turns out, is the primary reason outsiders visit. But instead of getting back to the Bay right after my homegirl’s nuptials, we spent the weekend exploring the one street that carves through the center of it all.
When you ride up the highway on Old Route 49 (a reference to the Gold Rush of 1949), you’ll see an old, rusted cut-out of a saloon-style backdrop to welcome you. Then, you suddenly plunge into a Wild West scene that’ll leave you wondering what time warp you’ve entered. It only lasts for about three blocks, but it’s a glorious sight.
Historic buildings line the small avenue and like the larger, neighboring community — Sutter Creek — you’ll want to spend an afternoon wandering around on foot to explore its antique-rich quirks.
Start in Pig Turd’s Alley — a literal alleyway where pigs would cross from nearby farms on their way to the market. There, despite an off-putting name, you’ll discover Amador City’s brightest gem: Meyer’s Antiques. It’s a treasure trove of Northern California history and could double up as a museum if it wanted to.
From photos of San Francisco’s 1906 skyline after the city’s destructive fire to memorabilia of the Bay Bridge being constructed to original postcards of Yosemite’s El Capitan with hand-scrawled messages from former lovers, just spending a half hour there will change the way you think about California’s layered past. And the best part? You can buy anything to take home.
The owner is a past East Bay local who has been collecting regional history for decades. He offers his best — and not so best — products to the public inside a quirky, underground shop.
The best part? He let my wife and I leave with a bagful of antique freebies simply because he’s a good dude. It was an act of generosity that caught us off guard since we’re used to double-checking our locked doors and putting everything out of sight due to rampant window-smashing, break-ins, and robberies that occur throughout Bay Area cities.
Instead, we were treated to a genuine conversation and unexpected tokens of kindness. But it wasn’t the only free thing we’d receive during our time in Amador City.
We crossed the street to End of Nowhere, a winery and burger joint. Though being on the edge of the tiny town did make it feel like we were approaching the literal end of nowhere, we instead found yet another friendly and engaging experience awaiting.
We tried their organically grown and creatively named wines while learning about the history of the region’s underappreciated vineyards from local owner, Chris Walsh. You’ll get a free tasting of four wines, and will most likely get schooled — in the best way possible — on subjects as diverse as Italian immigrant history to old school Ford restorations. (The bar’s countertop is propped on top of the repurposed grill of an original Ford 1 truck).
The micro-winery prides itself on its old-world farming practices, which uses “carbonic maceration” and natural yeasts to grow their wines, instead of the more commercial herbicides and pesticides utilized by larger producers. My favorite is their Zinfandel — a type of wine that I generally know nothing about, but learned to appreciate during my time exchanging stories with Chris. It’s a fruity, bold red with a surprising summer smoothness. We were given a free tasting to see which we liked best, and to be honest, I would’ve taken any bottle home.
The decor features art from nearby residents, board games, and interesting books in a living-room-style space, creating a dope vibe. Once you’re ready to walk up the road, you can order a burger cooked on an outdoor charcoal grill, and they’ll deliver it to you on foot.
Relocate to Break Even Beermakers. It’s a taproom in an old wooden tavern at the top of the two-block hill. There you’ll appreciate beers that are uncommon to the Bay Area palate: Jawbone, which is a dry peppercorn beer, and Hearth, a malted caramel beer made with old-style copper. They also offer Bluebelly, a light pale beer with a smooth, bready sweetness. And you guessed it, you can get a free (and generously poured) tasting.
Once the burger arrives (I went with the “Spicy” option), you can grub and share a few rounds in the outdoor section of Break Even. Though they’re planning to open a larger brewery space across the street, they currently only offer the small but delicious selection of three beers inside the quaint saloon, which opened in March 2021.
Of course, you can’t leave without wandering into the other nearby shops like Dreamy Whites Atelier (which features homemade soap that takes two months to ferment) and the largest structure in town, the Imperial Hotel — a two-story brick building from 1879.
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Take a few things to go, too. A four-pack of beers, a bottle of wine, some knick-knacks from the underground antique shop. If you’re lucky, you might get to know a few locals as we did, and one of them might buy you a bottle of wine for yet another free, peacefully relaxing, and memorable experience to cherish once you return to the chaos of your Bay Area life. (Yes, a stranger bought us a bottle of wine because she enjoyed our conversation; thank you!).
Although we saw the phrase “Forgotten California” in Amador City, I admit it’s not a place I’ll ever forget as a Californian.
You won’t, either. And you’ll find some more pictures from my trek out to Amador City below that will surely leave you wanting to get out of Dodge.
