Month: October 2008

Brilliant “No on 8” Campaign Stunt

Tip o’ the hat to the “No on 8” campaigners for their brilliant stunt today on the corner of Watt and El Camino.  A great deal of though obviously went into the planning for today’s protest and it totally paid off.  For those of you that missed it, here’s a brief rundown.

First, the No on 8 folks went to the nearby Wal-Mart and found the absolute craziest looking folks they could find.  We’re talking gap-toothed, elephantized-buttocksed, sloth-jawed creatures who were trotted out to the busy intersection and (here’s where it gets deliciously devious) given “Yes on 8” and “Protect Marriage” signs.  The best was the guy with the radioactive sign tattoo on his shaved dome shouting about the sanctity of marriage. If any rational person were to see this circus sideshow, they’d immediately vote against whatever these sign-wavers were campaigning for in a heartbeat.

Well done, No on 8 campaign.  Your skills in the political arena are formidable.

Tears and Anguish II: More Restaurant Closings (Electric Boogaloo)

The sign of the times is a closed sign. As a follow up to my previous piece, here’s an update on who has closed their doors.

    16th Street Plaza Cafe-A frequent haunt of the nearby state employee population, the 16th Street Plaza Cafe is no more.  They had made a name for themselves with their rustic gumbo on Fridays, but I guess that name didn’t come up enough in conversation to make the business viable.  ‘Teenth, we hardly knew ye.

Melting Pot Rocklin– As reported in the Bee today, Melting Pot is closing its doors after tonight’s dinner service. While the whole fondue concept is not my preferred way to eat, it’s always sad to see folks go under. Thankfully, there is usually enough holiday action at the Sacramento location to keep many of the Rocklin employees on the payroll for the time being. Continue reading “Tears and Anguish II: More Restaurant Closings (Electric Boogaloo)”

What does transit mean to you?

Regional Transit has put together a little Flash game that tests your willingness to pay for certain elements of the Transit Master Plan. By selecting among various options you can see how much your version of the TMP would cost — in aggregate dollars and per-household costs. The game scores your suggestion by its effect on transportation choices, congestion relief, and environmental benefit.

“Suspiria” @ Movies on a Big Screen

Suspiria

If you’re still looking for something spooky to do Halloween night and you’re into artsy gore … then let’s face it, you’ve probably already seen the 1977 Italian horror flick “Suspiria.” I have not actually seen this film, but reading about it and seeing a few stills has always been as much contact with it as I desire. I do appreciate the allure of 70s film, but I don’t dig on horror as a genre because I am a big sissy baby. However, I am also the kind of person to recommend a movie that I know other people think is hip just so that I can seem hip by association. In conclusion and in summary, go see “Suspiria” on Halloween but don’t bring any babies, whether they are tall grown men acting like them or the actual kind.

“Suspiria”
10/31, 7:00 PM
600 4th St, West Sac
Admission: $5.00

Sad news for Pumpkin Patch fans

No more pumpkin patch in Roseville

We love us a pumpkin patch here at the Sac Rag. I was beginning to wonder where we were with a 2008 review when I came across this article from kcra.com:

A Placer County pumpkin patch that’s been a local tradition for 20 years won’t be selling any pumpkins this year after getting hit by metal thieves.

Police said the thieves stole copper wiring from electrical lights and a truckload of tools from the Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Patch in Roseville.

The owner of the patch decided not to open this season after spending $15,000 on repairs.

As we used to say growing up, “that’s weak sauce, man.”

Two Great Birthdays!

This weekend, the two cornerstone businesses of Midtown will be having birthday parties.

Happy 35th to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and Happy 21st to Rubicon Brewing Company!

(I’ll give you time to do a little happy dance of celebration…. do do dooooo)

The Co-op Celebration is from 10-7 on Saturday and includes a street fair filled with local farmers, cooking demonstrations, music, education and a lot of great food at the Harvest Tasting Fair. Mind X and Jon Merriman will perform. Since Co-op means it is “cooperatively owned” by its patrons, they will have a membership drive with prizes through November. Join the Co-op!

Rubicon Brewing Company will wrap up their Hoptober celebrations on October 31 and November 1st by offering 21 of the hoppiest IPAs they could find in California (and one that snuck in across the border from Nevada). Pacific Brew News has the taplist here.

Edible Sacramento: It’s Incredible, It’s Edible, Get Used to It!

Perhaps the finest issue of perhaps the finest magazine ever just hit local newsstands this week.  Keep your eyes out for fantastic, rich, rewarding, erudite, antediluvian stories about all things edible in our fantastic environs.  More geographic than National Geographic, more fun to read than Reader’s Digest, more regular than AARP Monthly, more titillating than Juggs, Edible Sacramento includes pieces by some of my favorite writers like Hank Shaw, Ann Martin Rolke, and my mother’s favorite writer, me.

Check here for a list of locations where you can pick up Edible Sacramento for free, or check their website, www.ediblesacramento.com for information on subscribing. 

Remember the Edible Sacramento motto: If it feels like ham, don’t wipe your ass with it.

Sign of the times

My wife snapped this in East Sac today across from McKinley Park. Is this a custom sign by Realtor Mike Heede or are these popping up elsewhere these days?

For some reason it always rubs me the wrong way when people I don’t know command me to vote. I don’t think it is anything to do with the act of voting being a personal thing between me and my voting booth, I think it is just a personal aversion to Anybody telling me to Do Anything.