Month: December 2006

“So much for world peace” or “Who wants to talk Project Runway?”

This was the punchline delivered by one of the news anchors on the Good Morning Today it’s Early show yesterday after running a story about, ahem, current Miss USA Tara Conner. Of course, no one got it and he had to explain that she’s being scrutinized for her underage drinking, drug use, and same sex lip locking (not that there’s anything wrong with that! well, she was Miss Teen USA, but she was 18! we think, not sure if she was at the time, but let’s not split hairs here) and that typically that’s the answer contestants give when asked…just as I will do now, he let it go and moved on…but I laughed, talking head, dude, I laughed!

Today, cbs13.com ran a story (lucky for me as I’ve been itching to rant on the subject and needed the “local angle” to pitch to my editor at headquarters) about a local beauty queen’s reaction to Donald Trump’s decision to let Miss USA keep her title as long as she agreed to enter rehab. Continue reading ““So much for world peace” or “Who wants to talk Project Runway?””

Office XMas party reviews: R15 and Melting Pot

R15
Young and old mix at R15, if by mix you mostly mean the old hitting on the young

We widget factory workers were “blessed” this year with two holiday parties, and as usual this gave me an opportunity to check out some local hot spots I normally wouldn’t frequent.

First up was Café Bernardo/R15, the latest venture in the Paragary empire. Our luncheon was served in an upstairs room, one of the areas set up with XBOX 360s with wireless remotes. The fare was fusion, which if you have ever read this blog before you can probably guess is not one of my favorite styles.

Continue reading “Office XMas party reviews: R15 and Melting Pot”

Jim Denny’s: Counter Intelligence

It would be easy to gush about the food at Jim Denny’s, or to spend hundreds of words talking about the wonderfully nostalgic feel of the place, or even to wax poetic about simpler times and forgotten values that so few eateries still embody. But, for the sake of brevity, I’ll try to sum up the Jim Denny’s experience in two words: Nailed it!
Continue reading “Jim Denny’s: Counter Intelligence”

Not sure if “outdone” is the right word…

The same two houses I reported on last year for their terrible holiday light displays are at it again this year! At right is a house on the 3500 block of 52nd Street, right around the corner from me. You’ll notice they mined some of the same subject matter as last year, namely giant geometric shapes. This year just one Santa, and he’s riding a pogo stick. The bright area atop the gate is a green frog. Ho hum, not much else remarkable about this house… What’s that giant shape in the center, you say? Why that’s a spider, of course… with a Santa hat and presents on its back. It’s left over from Halloween, when it was ridden by a zombie bride.

Can’t wait to see what they do for President’s day! The giant native American spider god that haunted Andrew Jackson?

Yo mamma walks into a bar

News10.com reports that a local elementary school principal has banned the telling of “yo mamma” jokes on campus.

We see good kids just sitting there going back and forth with each other and I’m like what are you doing? Oh, we saw it on TV and were just doing ‘Yo Momma’ jokes, don’t worry about it.

And he was like, “what are you doing?” and they were like, “nothing, just telling jokes” and he was like “oh, no you’re not” and they were like…

When the kids get in trouble, when the kids get in fights and the cyber-bullying starts and they tell me specifically that they were doing ‘yo momma’ jokes, then yes it changes their behavior…

Cyber-bullying? At any rate, I’m not sure what to think of this. Will a ban on certain types of jokes really control behavior? I can just see this spawning a new line of jokes whereby the kids find a loophole in the rules and get there digs in. Maybe something like “Yo Daddy” or “Yo Cousin”.

Yo cousin so stupid it takes her two hours to watch 60 minutes

Doesn’t quite have the ring to it, I know, but stick with it kids, it’ll catch on.

This reminds me…I’ve been meaning to bring back, “that’s what she said”. Who is with me?

Sent from heaven

“I want the perception to be that every time you turn around, there’s a black-and-white,” he said. “We want people to have one of two reactions: ‘Oh, thank God, a patrol car is here,’ or ‘Oh my God, a patrol car is here.’ “

So says Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness in today’s Bee.

The Sheriff’s Department, who patrols the unincorporated areas of Sacramento (including, as the Bee points out, Rancho Cordova), are changing their colours. These cops are going retro – recalling the great law enforcement strategies of the 1920s:

Schuler said the zebra color scheme first appeared in the United States in the 1920s, when nearly all cars were black. Officers painted the doors white to set them apart, launching a national trend.

Continue reading “Sent from heaven”

Weird things are afoot at the CPK

BibbyKnocked off early at the widget factory yesterday and took the family to Barnes & Noble at Market Square. Gotta love that kid’s section–plenty of fun for the kids, but with only 2 exits it’s super easy to monitor. Afterward, while eating some really authentic Chinese food from a little restaurant I usually just refer to as “Orange Chicken” who walks in to the humble Market Square but NBA superstar Mike Bibby. He did some holiday shopping at B&N, graciously signing a few autographs for his adoring fans, before dining at California Pizza Kitchen. Gods among men. I tried to give him a what’s up nod but believe it or not he was talking on a cellular phone the whole time!

Continue reading “Weird things are afoot at the CPK”

Breakfast at Fox & Goose: Great or Really Great?

‘Twas my first occasion this morning to break fast at the venerable and highly regarded institution of fodder and libation that is the Fox & Goose. The food lived up to the hype. The eggs and bangers were cooked perfectly, and also adequately accompanied by a butter-soaked crumpet and wonderfully fried potatoes. Looking around the table, the variety of breakfast options and the quality of the food was on full display. Highly recommended is the “The Goose” for breakfast and of course for an evening pint. As previously reported, stay away from the fish and chips, it’s not one of their specialties. One question remianed when the meal was finished though: Where were the baked beans and black pudding?

Fox & Goose- 10th and R St. Sacramento
Breakfast food**** Ambience*** Service***

Tower Update

Tower Records/Books has reached critical retail mass. Most CD’s are being sold for 60% off and others are going for a flat rate of $1 or $2. Employees say that the doors will probably be shutting before Christmas. Due to these extreme bargains however, most of the good stuff is gone. So, if you have anyone on your Christmas list that is looking for some obscure CD, make sure to check out Tower before going to the internet. For example, Trio Beyond’s tribute to the “Tony Williams Lifetime” called Saudades is only $12, which is a small price to pay for the tasteful organ stylings of Larry Goldings, the world’s greatest Jewish jazz organist.