Best of the Burbs 2014: Best of Folsom & El Dorado Hills writers’ picks

Best place to act out your Hunger Games fantasies

El Dorado Hills Bowmen

Some Hunger Games fanatics starve for the next cinematic installment of the series, but others, they grab a bow and arrow and live out the adventures of Katniss What’s-Her-Name at the El Dorado Hills Bowmen’s range on 28 targets amid the rolling hills and craggy-armed oak trees. Hopefully, they leave out the bloodshed of minors in their version, though. 3321 El Dorado Hills Boulevard in El Dorado Hills, http://eldoradohillsbowmen.com. S.

Best midlife-crisis venue

Reunion Nightclub

When you were a kid, did you ever wonder where your school administrators and dentists went to cut loose after work? We didn't either, not until we stepped foot into Reunion Nightclub. Pairing generous square footage with an interior-design scheme befitting a Saudi prince, this is where the disposable-income crowd comes to execute Botox-smooth dance moves and experience what the nightlife is like on the other side of 40 (and 50 and 60 and …). Jealous? 4370 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 100 in El Dorado Hills; (916) 939-0777; www.reunion-nightclub.com. RFH

Best place to talk to the animals

Folsom Zoo Sanctuary

You can thank a little black bear for this animal haven which was founded in 1963. That's when the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine asked Gordon Brong, a Folsom park superintendent about finding a home for a burned cub who'd been orphaned following a forest fire. Brong was already a friend to the animals: He kept deer and even a coyote near the parks' offices. After convincing the city to provide space, Gordon built a cage (with help from local boosters) for the cub, which he named Smokey. And so the Folsom Zoo, renamed the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary in 2002, was launched. Today it's a safe haven for rescued animals (some wild, some rescued after being kept illegally as pets) that can't be released back into nature. Residents include foxes and wolves, cougars and tigers, owls and eagles, and even squirrels and a skunk. It's like a critter utopia. 403 Stafford Street in Folsom, (916) 351-3527, www.folsomzoofriends.org. R.L.

Best drought-friendly farmer

Brandon Burkhouse, aquaponics expert

Brandon Burkhouse walks dogs by day, but his true calling is championing the aquaponics revolution. After three years of record-breaking drought, Californians are finally coming around. Burkhouse is working on starting nonprofit aquaponics farms in Folsom and Stockton, and his DIY aquaponics guide will be published later this year. www.nextstepfarms.com. C.D.

Best suburban replacement for Evangeline's

KwirkWorld in Folsom

Unicorns do exist. At least there has been a sighting of a synthetic full-size horned horse at KwirkWorld in Folsom. The shop sells novelty items one would expect to find at Evangeline's in Old Sac, but on a smaller, less mansion-y scale. It is the place on the northeasternmost fringe of Sacramento County to acquire quirky socks—and the spot for adorable first dates of awkward teens. There will be so much giggling. So cute. Stay in school! 330 Palladio Parkway in Folsom, (916) 293-9139, www.kwirkworld.com. S.

Best place to bowl a wicked googly

CapitalCity Cricket League

It's not popular in the United States yet, but cricket's certainly huge in the United Kingdom, South Asia and many countries in the South Pacific. Now that ESPN just expanded its cricket coverage, it's probably time to brush up on the baseballesque sport. The CapitalCity Cricket League (formerly the Folsom Cricket League) has 18 teams with more than 200 total players (and a professional-looking 21-page rule book). Check it out, and learn why Prince William and Duchess Kate think cricket's the bee's knees. http://folsomcricketleague.hitscricket.com. J.M.

Best multicultural snacking

India Bazar in Folsom

Of course India Bazar sells produce, massive bags of fragrant rice that weigh as much as a small child and loads of exotic spices. But there is also an aisle full of bhujia—fried snacks that are made of some sort of flour or legumes which are (often) liberally spiced. There are so many varieties—mung bean, peanut, chickpeas—and brands that it'll leave a curious muncher experimenting for quite a while until a favorite is found. And that doesn't taste like a bad thing. 404 E. Bidwell Street in Folsom, (916) 983-5599. S.