The Biz Journal reports. I think that’s great news, though when is it ever bad news when it comes to the River Cats?

I’m so far ahead of my time that I’m already thinking what I’m going to eat next year. 

Thankfully for me and you, some people still think they can make a go of it in the restaurant business.  My hats off to them (if I wore hats that is– but if I did, I’d probably not wear multiple hats at the same time).  I admire their gumption, their sticktuitiveness, their bluster, their steadfast disbelief in the economic doomsday machine crushing us all in its bloody jaws.  There are a few places on the horizon that have piqued my interest, and a few others that seem stuck in some wormhole feedback loop, never actually progressing towards any kind of state of readiness, yet producing waste product by the ton, trucked away in oversized trash receptacles once a month or so.  But I digress.  Here are a few spots that we should all keep and eye out for in 2009.

The Firestone Building- 16th and L- With a nightclub upstairs and two restaurants downstairs, the Firestone will add a little more to the16th street corridor of what the 16th street corridor already has, that being moderately upscale chains and clubby lounges.  Signs proudly announce that a California Pizza Kitchen will be arriving soon, as well as the slowly materializing Fleming’s Steakhouse (a Morton’s-like chain steakhouse), and finally “Mix,” an adult nightclub from the owner of Mason’s which is just one block away.  Now don’t get too excited, “adult nighclub” doesn’t mean leather masks and crotchless footie pajamas, but rather a club aimed at the over-30 set. Continue reading “Looking Forward to 2009: Grand Opening Edition” »

“Nobody is indispensable” is what my mom has always said when the economy has started to look bleak, encouraging me to work harder and diversify my skills.

The downturn affected me (and also sac-eats, as he is married to me, and my layoff also greatly affected him) in early October as I was laid off.  I had the feeling that it was coming — namely, I had been involved in closed-door meetings in the previous two cycles of layoffs, yet I was not included in these meetings this time around — so I had at least mentally prepared myself a bit.

Here is how I got into an even better position in five weeks flat: Continue reading “How to find a job” »

But did not move to keep the initiative from going into effect, the Bee reports.

Gay and lesbian artists calling for a boycott of California Musical Theater, after it was discovered that CMT artistic director Scott Eckern donated $1,000 to the Yes on Prop 8 campaign, have succeeded in pressuring Eckern to resign from his position with CMT, the nonprofit theater company he served for almost all of his adult life. The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch has the press release.

I worked for Music Circus in 1996 and 1997, when Eckern was the managing director. He interviewed me for my first position, and I worked closely with him (as everyone did who was anywhere near the tent, it seemed — from volunteers to headliners). He is a good man and plainly no bigot. It saddens me to think that all the work he did for that company — and on behalf of the gay community — will count for nothing.

Continue reading “BREAKING: CMT’s Eckern loses job over Prop 8 support” »

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.

Another fall has arrived and another crop of appley goodness has been laid out for the intrepid daytripper to consume.  Apple Hill is in full harvest mode, and the weather couldn’t be nicer.  The crowds are bound to be overflowing this weekend and the apple themed desserts, pies, breads, jams, trinkets, colostomies, and hardware will overflow from the folksy establishments in the folksy land of folksy Apple Hill.

It occurs to me, as it does every year at this time, that some of you may never have been to Apple Hill.  Hmmm.  I see.  Ok… Well then… What the f*$% are you waiting for!?!  Someone to spoon feed you ‘Hill info like a mother shoveling thin apple puree in the drooling mouth of an overfed infant?  If that’s what it will take, then I’m game.

Here we go:  Who’s a big boy?  Who? Who?  Who wants some applesauce in his little pouty apple barn?  Hmmmm?  Nevermind, I can’t keep that up. Continue reading “Apple Hill Unpeeled 2008″ »

According to fft (*MLNSFW picture), Mates of State will play Harlow’s on October 6. Mrs Cool and I have seen some great Mates of State shows in our day (Old I, Capitol Garage…those were the days!), so I recommend highly. Between the Mates, the Shins and Electro Group, I was pretty much Omnibus records #1 fanboy from 1999-2001 or so. Mates of State have really turned into that label’s most successful alums; you’ve heard them somewhere on a cell phone commercial or something. Some tunes from the new album “Re-Arrange Us” are available on Mates of State’s website.

This show is not listed on Harlow’s calendar yet but 10/6 would fall between the band’s show in Portland and a show at the Fillmore in SF the next night

* Might Look NSFW (but everybody is covered).

I saw one heckuva great band last night at Harlow’s. The funny thing is, this band has been together for slightly more than 30 years, yet they outrock bands half their age.

I speak, of course, of X, one of the best bands to come out of the LA punk scene, back in 1977. However, X is about far more than punk rock, although that is certainly integral to who they are. But they also bring in many other influences to their sound, such as country, rockabilly, old time rock n’ roll (a la Chuck Berry), even hints of jazz and funk. And there’s no denying that singers Exene Cervenka and John Doe are two of the most talented lyricists ever in the rock world. Continue reading “Great show at Harlow’s” »

Jeff Tweedy of Wilco

Also known as the most rockinest way to blow $700. The lineup is totally insane… Radiohead, Beck, Wilco, Tom Petty, Jack Johnson for the big names. Broken Social Scene, Cold War Kids, Drive-By Truckers, M. Ward, The Walkmen. Norcal will be represented too, with Cake, Mother Hips and Jackie Greene. Looks like Sean Hayes is going to be there too, I wonder if he’s going to do “Just Jack!”*

No artist has ever played at night in Golden Gate Park before. Radiohead will be the first!

Crazy. Thom and the boys will be playing a 2 hour show on Friday at 8 at the Polo Fields, after Beck rocks the house at Lindley Meadow.

*This joke provided by Stickie