BY EMILY MIBACH
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
It’s one place in Natomas where they know your name – and what you drink.
No, it’s not a neighborhood bar, but an independent cafe which doubles as a community art gallery.
Ringo “Sam” Samadhana, the barista and part owner of Maestro Coffeehouse & Gallery is what makes this cafe a neighborhood favorite. Just check out yelp.com and you’ll find reviews about friendly and fast-working Samadhana.
If you order the same thing more than once, he will have it down – and will remember your name.
“Sam knows my order, I can even call in and ask Sam to have my order ready when I come in, if I’m running late,” customer Scott Dosick said about mom-and-pop coffee shop located at 2069 Arena Boulevard Suite 130, nestled between Mountain Mike’s Pizza and Tapioca Express Inc.
As a community partners go, Maestro Coffeehouse & Gallery is top notch.
Weekly chess tournaments are held every Saturday morning, which anyone can attend. On the second Saturday of the month, exhibits by local Natomas artists are featured on the coffeehouse walls and occasionally musical guests perform. Maestro has hosted book-signing events for local writers and supports fundraisers for Natomas schools such as Westlake Charter and the International Baccalaureate program planned for Inderkum High School.
Maestro Coffeehouse & Gallery also supports local art education and often exhibits work created by Inderkum students.
Teachers Michelle Townsend, Kyle Pederson, Dino Gay and Dave Contreras all have students whose art has been displayed at Maestro. Townsend spearheads the partnership between the cafe and Inderkum art classes which was initiated by Samadhana.
“Sam contacted our principal (at the time), Ben Flores,” said Townsend. “I went to check it out and saw it was a great venue.”
To celebrate the students’ artwork when it’s on exhibit, a reception is held for students and parents and is open to the community.
“The music teachers pick a few students to play at the reception. It’s great for the young artists’ confidence and also for their parents,” said Townsend. “The principal and other teachers go to the shows, (it’s) really a great opportunity to get to know the kids outside of the classroom.”
Added Townsend, “It shows the community a different version of the students, and displays what students are learning in the public high school environment.”
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| PHOTOS BY CHRIS SHANNON |
[…] long been a neighborhood favorite, as one of only a couple non-franchise coffee shops in Natomas. The café operated for several years as Maestro Coffeehouse & Gallery until it changed ownership — and names — in […]