What to do in Northern California June

Sunset, June, 2007

PLACERVILLE

Pick cherries in the foothills

This month, carload after carload of families pulls up at the American River Cherry Company to pluck bucketsful of unbelievably tasty sweet-tart fruit. Shirley and Reginald Rice's 15-acre U-pick farm has a thousand cherry trees; favorite kinds include Bings, yellow Rainiers, and startlingly large Utah Giants (pictured). There are also bush berries, including dusky olallieberries and heirloom raspberries such as the delicately fragrant Cuthbert. Picnicking by the fishpond on a warm summer's day with fat clouds overhead, you'll find the place almost too idyllic to believe. Sun-Fri in season, usually late May-early Jul; 2240 Dias Dr.; 530/626-3881.--KATE WASHINGTON

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BERKELEY

STOP HERE FOR A SCOOP OF SUMMER FRUIT Duck into Berkeley's new ice cream shop Ici (French for "here") for a taste of owner Mary Canales's organic ice cream in a crisp, buttery housemade cone--you'll get a fresh burst of summer flavor. The former Chez Panisse pastry chef hits farmers' markets and mines relationships with growers to get the best local produce--ripe boysenberries, Santa Rosa plums, white nectarines--for her fruit-intensive ice creams and sorbets. Canales also makes ice cream bonbons covered with chocolate, ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream bombes layered with fruit flavors that put rainbow sherbet to shame. How do you say "yum" in French? 2948 College Ave.; 510/665-6054.

--CHARITY FERREIRA

OAKLAND

PLAY IT COOL WITH THE KIDDIES Tots in tow this summer and you're tired of Chuck E. Cheese's? You'll want to check out Tumble & Tea Cafe, where bambinos burn off energy in a swanky indoor play space. Grab a glass of lemonade and the gorgonzola-tomato salad as kids fuel up on standbys such as organic PB&J and Goldfish crackers. Curl up on the couch and monitor from the sidelines, while little ones dress in costumes, romp in the castle, or climb the mini jungle gym. Some Sundays feature Breakfast with the Band, when local musicians jump-start playtime with rockin' tunes. Play area for ages 5 and under, $5.95 ages 1-5; $; 4210 Telegraph Ave.; 510/601-7378.

--MICHELLE LAU

SACRAMENTO

WATCH DREAMS BEING BUILT

Even if a wedding isn't on your calendar this month, you can get a peek at an elaborate, elegant cake. Most bakeries keep works-in-progress behind the scenes, but Ettore's Restaurant and European Bakery--a favorite of Sacramentans for a refined sandwich or luscious pastries--has installed a decorating station out front. Customers can see anything from marzipan roses being airbrushed to construction of a whimsical hot-dog cake inspired by Sacramento artist Wayne Thiebaud. June promises to be a busy month; for the best chance of spotting tiered fantasies, drop by on a Friday or Saturday. 2376 Fair Oaks Blvd.; 916/482-0708.

--K.W.

SAN FRANCISCO

DISCOVER THE INSIDER'S WAY TO DINE A teensy shrine to all things New Orleans, Cajun Pacific restaurant used to keep neighborhood surfers in po' boys and gumbo seven days a week. It closed its doors to full-time service two years ago and now has a more relaxed schedule, opening for dinner most weekends. The faithful await notice via email of owner/chef Chuck Maddox's themed, fixed-price dinners. Get on the list and reserve one of the coveted eight tables for a Hawaiian fish night, a Dungeness crab feast, or the French Bistro evening. You'll be part of the city's least pretentious "in" crowd. $$; most Thu-Sat; 4542 Irving St.; 415/504-6652 or www.cajunpacific.com

--SAMANTHA SCHOECH

SANTA CRUZ

VIEW CINEMA ALFRESCO The drive-in movie used to be as much a part of summer as lemonade and baseball--but now it's increasingly harder to find. If you're feeling nostalgic for the good ol' drive-in days, head to the Skyview Drive-In, which has been showing movies under the open night sky since 1949. Although viewing choices no longer include B movies until dawn, current blockbusters show nightly on two big screens. And watching a flick from the comfort of your own car retains its apple-pie charm. $6, ages 12 and under free; 2260 Soquel Dr.; 831/475-3405.

--ELLA LAWRENCE