Best of the Burbs 2014: Best of Elk Grove writers’ picks

Best experimental popcorn

The Popcorn Store

Caramel corn? Boring. Cheddar popcorn? It's been done. And sure, you can grab excellent renditions of such treats at The Popcorn Store, but there's also maple bacon, birthday cake, butter rum and habanero to be sampled. For the record, the apple popcorn tastes like Jolly Ranchers, and the tutti fruitti is a brightly colored mix of orange, grape, strawberry and banana. 9679 E. Stockton Boulevard in Elk Grove, (916) 686-0333, www.thepopcornstoreca.com. J.B.

Best thrift store for savvy media consumers

Almost Perfect Used Books & DVDs

Tucked into a strip mall off Elk Grove Boulevard next to La Bou Bakery and Cafe (best to get some coffee to browse with—don't spill!) is a cute little used bookstore chock-full of prose lying in wait to free your mind. Almost Perfect even has a paranormal-romance book section. Go on, get freaky with it! 8694 Elk Grove Boulevard in Elk Grove, (916) 684-7272, www.almostperfectusedbooks.com. G.G.>

Best excuse for more government

Elk Grove Multicultural Committee

Elk Grove is a diverse city. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it's home to higher percentages of black, Asian and multiracial residents than the state average. Still, governments don't normally go out of their way to engage issues of race and ethnicity (see Sacramento's ignored Community Racial Profiling Commission). That's why we're celebrating the Elk Grove Multicultural Committee. Established in 2011, the 10-member advisory body organizes big, splashy multicultural festivals every August and takes part in smaller events, like last month's Pakistan-themed cricket tournament and the upcoming Juneteenth celebration at Sacramento's Land Park. “We're only in our third year,” said committee member Orlando Fuentes. “We have long-term plans.” http://elkgrovecity.org/multicultural. RFH

Best oversized tacos

Super Taco Mexican Restaurants

Do you love tacos? Well, you're in luck: This little local chain of restaurants has a giant one eponymously called the Super Taco on its menu. Now, usually when it comes to tacos, bigger isn't necessarily better. But here, it is. And it's probably about the right size for a comic-book superhero: The tortilla takes up the whole plate, but it's sturdy enough and somehow stays together—not crumbling under the weight of the tasty fillings inside. One is enough for an entire meal, unless you're a growing superhero. 4720 Laguna Boulevard in Elk Grove, (916) 691-2200, http://supertacomex.com. J.M.

Best scenic jog

Lewis Stein Road

The wide and long boulevards of Elk Grove also house just as long sidewalks, surrounded by manicured grass and trees. They're perfect for strolls or runs, but the stretch along Lewis Stein Road is the most appealing in this suburban neighborhood. Elk Grove Creek runs perpendicular to the road, and to one side, it's a great, Oklahoma-flat, undeveloped field to admire. On the other side of the two-lane road, well, it's still pretty flat, but there's also Pinkerton Park, so you can reward your hard cardiovascular workout with a little trip down the playground's tube slide. Lewis Stein Road, between Big Horn Boulevard and Sheldon Road in Elk Grove. S.

Best lawn mowers

Cosumnes Community Services District

Driving past the vast, flat fields of Elk Grove, it'd be fair to wonder, “Who the heck mows all that grass?” This thankless task falls to the Cosumnes Community Services District, which manages fire protection and parks and recreation in Sacramento County's southern region. That amounts to more than 940 acres of parks, corridors, creeks and trails that need regular tending. “The larger amount of landscape is actually owned by the Cosumnes Community Services District,” said John R. Scott, contract manager for the city's maintenance and operations division. Elk Grove owns a smaller—but still plenty huge—portion of the greenspace, but it's the Cosumnes CSD that keeps it all high and tight. “It's a really good relationship,” Scott added. “It keeps everything consistent.” 8820 Elk Grove Boulevard in Elk Grove, (916) 405-7150, www.yourcsd.com. RFH

Best place to cool off

Barbara Morse Wackford Community & Aquatic Complex

Citizens of Elk Grove, don't even think about installing a new pool in your backyard. This drought ain't having it. So unless you want to be cast in your community's permanent shade, get your cool-pool fix with the rest of the neighbors at the Barbara Morse Wackford Community & Aquatic Complex. The name is a mouthful, but your backyard pool would never be able to accommodate the stupendous Wackford thrice-curving, 160-foot long waterslide or the high-diving board hovering 3 meters above ground level or the splash pool—you’re getting the idea, right? 9014 Bruceville Road in Elk Grove, (916) 405-5600, www.yourcsd.com/parks/facilities_wackford.asp. S.

Best diploma factory

Tony Marine

As a teacher, Tony Marine has the opposite of a captive audience. The Elk Grove Adult & Community Education employee teaches a high-school equivalency course to men and women just out of prison or jail at one of the Sacramento County Probation Department's three Adult Day Reporting Centers. In January, he handed out diplomas to 16 graduates, a watermark for the program. The veteran instructor has a knack for connecting with his skeptical students, years removed from formal education and battling self-doubt. Most have never had someone in their corner. “My attitude is, ‘If I can do it, anybody can do it.' But you have to want it,” Marine says. “If you want it, I will help you get there.” He means it. Elk Grove Adult & Community Education, 8401-B Gerber Road in Sacramento; (916) 686-7717; www.egace-egusd-ca.schoolloop.com. ADRC-North, 1215 Del Paso Boulevard in Sacramento; (916) 876-4042. RFH