Today’s Trivia Question❓

September 16 is celebrated in Sacramento as 916 Day. Where does the 916 come from?

A. The year the city was incorporated
B. The region’s telephone area code
C. The number of blocks in the original grid
D. The elevation of the Capitol dome

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

For fifteen years Juno’s Kitchen was a sandwich counter on J Street in East Sacramento with a few seats out on the sidewalk. People drove across town for one thing. The panko-crusted eggplant sandwich, built on Mark Helm’s own wild-starter sourdough, baked fresh every morning and sold until it ran out.

In May he closed it.

Not because it stopped working. Because he wanted to cook again instead of making sandwiches all day. So he took over juju kitchen & cocktails at 15th and L, a block off Capitol Park, and opened the doors on May 6.

Bigger room. Full bar. Patio. The menu now runs to lamb empanadas, barbacoa tacos, arancini, roasted mushrooms, hummus and pita, plus an all-local beer list and craft cocktails.

The eggplant sandwich came with him. That was the part he would not give up.

There is no phone line and no reservation list. You walk in.

What I like about this is the timing. Fifteen years of doing one thing well enough that people plan their Tuesday around it is a thing most people would coast on for another fifteen. He closed it on purpose, while it was still good, to go do harder work in a bigger kitchen.

The old J Street space is not sitting empty either. It is becoming Nene’s by La Costa, a modern Mexican spot. East Sac keeps the address, downtown gets the sandwich.

If you go, Torch Club is a few blocks up 15th and has a 916 Day show that same night. Make an evening of it.

Read the whole story behind the move

Talk Soon,

Suneet Agarwal
CEO & Founder, Best Sac Homes Group

$375,000 · 3 bed · 1 bath · 1,056 sq ft · built 1920

Currently active. MLS 226073818.

A 1920 bungalow that has just been refreshed: fresh interior paint, brand-new carpet, new kitchen and bathroom countertops, and a full set of new stainless steel appliances. The roof was replaced in 2024. The lot is the real story here. It is big enough for RV and boat access, has a large storage shed, and leaves room to garden, entertain, or look at an ADU down the road (buyer to verify). The backyard already carries mature fruit-bearing Fuyu persimmon, apricot, fig and pomegranate trees. Twin Rivers Unified schools, and easy access to downtown Sacramento, Arden Fair and the main commuter routes. A straightforward option for a first-time buyer or an investor who wants something move-in ready with room to grow.

Quick Mortgage Rate Check-In

30-year fixed — 6.76%
15-year fixed — 6.09%

National averages, Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, week of September 10, 2026.

Sacramento gave itself a holiday and named it after the phone system. September 16 is 916 Day, and it started as an unofficial thing before the city made a point of recognizing it.

The number goes back to 1947, when California was carved into exactly three area codes: 213 for Los Angeles, 415 for the Bay Area, and 916 for everything up here. That is a strange thing to be sentimental about until you count how many local businesses have put it in their name, their logo, or their merch. The area code quietly turned into shorthand for the place.

City Hall tends to mark it with park cleanups and tree plantings. Everybody else marks it with a show.

Most people start by typing their address into something and getting a number back. That number is a starting point, not an answer — it does not know your street, your block, or what the house two doors down actually closed at.

If you want the real one, just ask. No pitch, no pressure, no obligation to list anything.

Thinking about a career that is never boring?

Real estate is all about hustle, heart, and endless possibilities.

Are you a people person? A problem-solver? Someone who likes turning strangers into lifelong clients? This could be your calling.

Curious how to get started? Let’s talk — no pressure, just a friendly conversation.

Tropicali Flames, Rueben Kincaid and DJ Ladybird playing the area code’s own holiday. Fifteen dollars at the door.

Where:

Torch Club 904 15th Street, Sacramento

When:

Wednesday September 16 · 8:00 pm – 11:59 pm

Downtown’s summer happy hour run, with five, seven and nine dollar drinks at participating bars and restaurants. Only a couple of Wednesdays left before it wraps for the year.

Where:

Participating spots across Downtown Sacramento

When:

Wednesday September 16 · 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Wednesday morning market downtown with local produce and vendors, and a short walk from the Capitol if you work down there.

Where:

Capitol Mall Greens 1300 7th St., Sacramento

When:

Wednesday September 16 · 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

B. The region’s telephone area code

916 was one of California’s three original area codes, assigned in 1947 alongside 213 and 415.

Happy 916 Day, Sacramento. Keep it Sactown Strong until next time!