This summer means live music, $3 Sake Bombs, cool sips of house wine, candy-mixed milk shakes and diva/drag queen shows.

Midtown Sacramento offers a wide range of unique urban eats and social corners that invite everyone at Sacramento State to come in and relieve pent-up stress.

Nick Monroe, one of the many ousted radio hosts for KWOD 106.5 radio station in Sacramento, plans to have live music on Thursdays in his newly opened sandwich shop, The Beach Hut Deli. The Hut is nestled between Relles Florist shop and the Blue Door saloon on 2406 J St.

It’s bright corona umbrellas and large Happy Hour posters can be seen from several blocks away. Business has been out of control with a line of people extending out the door for at least three hours each day, Monroe said.

“(The deli) has a good vibe and people like to have a beer on the patio while people-watching,” he said.

The deli’s quaint patio is perfectly positioned amongst the hundreds of trees and flowers that grow along the city’s streets.

“It’s become a hang out,” Monroe said.

Monroe, who opened the sandwich house in March and built all of the store’s tables, chairs and decorations, said he plans to extend his summer hours of business and add live bands to the mix.

“Working here is fun and there’s a good atmosphere,” said 20-year-old Joy Carter. She said the location is perfect and there’s nothing else like it. “It gets hectic, but it’s a good crazy,” she said.

Aside from the location and atmosphere, the food is good, too.

“I’ve gained like 40 pounds in just three months,” said Monroe, smiling and looking down at himself.

If sandwiches are not on the list of cravings, another newly opened eatery offers $3 dollar Sake bombs and tall glasses of Chimay, a high quality Belgian beer.

Dragonfly has been open for five months and is strategically built only a few blocks away from the state capitol, near Java City coffee house and Zocalo, a small Mexican bar and grill on Capitol Avenue, in Midtown.

David Parish, the manager and a Sac State graduate, said he plans for a lot of business this summer with the store’s trendy interior and large, affordable sushi dishes.

“It’s good energy and the location is great,” he said.

Along the walls of the trendy and brightly painted restaurant hang paintings made by Mike Rowden, one of Sac State’s art professors.

“Our Happy Hour is getting better and better and our Thai chicken noodle dish is out of control,” said Parish as he pointed to different spots on the menu, which showed $5 sushi appetizers and $3 drinks.

At night, the one-of-a-kind restaurant attracts many young people with its long Sake list.

“A lot of people are seeing Sake as an alternative to beer and wine,” Parish said.

Across the street, another Sac State graduate, Dana Scarpulla, stands behind Paesanos Pizzeria’s entryway podium. She welcomes her guests into the small, 10-year-old Italian-style eatery that looks like it came straight off the sinking streets of Italy.

During peak hours, the store is bustling with activity, as it is a favorite for graduation and birthday parties, according to Scarpulla.

She said everyone loves Paesanos for its loud music and casual dining.

“We’re often called the loudest restaurant in Sacramento where people can drive up in limos or walk in wearing sweat pants,” she said.

Alongside the long list of wine and beer are favorite dishes like the Fettuccine Arrostiti, with its grilled chicken, roasted peppers and spicy cilantro-lime sauce.

A few blocks away lies an area of Midtown popularly known as Lavender Heights for its wide range of alternative lifestyles and streets lined with bright rainbow flags hanging from all of its establishments.

Faces, a gay bar and nightclub, the Depot and Hot Rod’s are among the popular hangout spots for people looking to grab some food and dance late into the night.

Stepping into Hot Rod’s, pictures of Britany Spears, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson line the walls while fries and hamburgers cook on the grill. The small milkshake, fries and hamburger shop resembles a smaller version of Mel’s Diner, with a flare for famous pop celebrities and decorated with bright reds and oranges.

“We have a niche for the 21-and-older crowd being the only place open really late,” said general manager Scott Hinman.

Hot Rod’s serves food at midnight while people are coming to and from the clubs and bars nearby.

“It’s more than just a gay-friendly place to eat; it’s also a punk-rock sneaking-out-of-the-house-late-at-night scene,” Hinman said.

The staff is energetic and friendly and the menu and prices are popular.Snickers and Reese’s candy bars are scattered throughout the store’s famous milkshakes.

“A milkshake with our one-third pound of meat sandwich called Rod’s Charbroiler and super chili cheese fries is a favorite,” said Hinman.

Robert Long, an employee whose grandmother works at Sac State, said he loves the food and diverse crowds, which makes Hot Rod’s stand out from the rest of Sacramento.

“When I’m not working, I like to hang out here,” he said.Just across the street stands a large neon-lit sign reading Faces outside a medium-sized nightclub.

“We are a gay club, but we have a lot of straight couples and fag-hags,” said Large Marge, one of the club’s managers and a long-time notorious drag queen in Sacramento.

Faces is very popular and ahead of all of the other Sacramento club’s sales with it’s Tuesday night Latin program, free barbecue and a diva/drag queen show on Sundays, free comedy show on Mondays and male strip shows on Thursdays.

The club is also hoping to have its two-story dance floor, VIP lounge and swimming pool done in time for the Rainbow Festival during Labor Day weekend.

Faces is the originator of the festival, which sponsored Kimberly Locke and her hit song Eighth World Wonder last year.

The club welcomes everyone to come and experience its atmosphere this summer.

“Of course we let you (heterosexual) breeders in because 10 percent of them will be like us!” Large Marge said.