This past Saturday, the West Coast Brewfest was held at Miller Park in Sacramento. Within spitting distance of two rather confused whales, I and several hundred of my closest friends partook in that fine summer event, the brewfest. Unlike an Oktoberfest celebration wherein men wear high socks and lederhosen and the women pour themselves into lace-up bodices, the brewfest calls for a completely different wardrobe. The typical brewfest attendee is typically garbed in: for males, shorts, flip-flops, t-shirt sporting comical yet cynical saying and sunglasses; for ladies, shorts/skirts, flip-flops, t-shirt sporting comical yet cynical saying referring to men’s inability to use good judgment when choosing a mate, and sunglasses.
Month: May 2007
Scott’s Seafood
This is not so much a review as an update.Last year I wrote a simply sashimi-grade review of Scott’s Seafood. Well, that was a year ago and it appears that 
things have gone downhill. The Eats family has ventured to Scott’s twice in the last two weeks and both times been treated to weak service, ill-prepared foods and Golden State Warriors losses. (Maybe Scott’s didn’t have anything to do with the Warriors losses, but they could have at least tried to box out on Carlos Boozer.) I’m hoping that this downward trend does not spill over to the Oakland and Folsom locations, but the Loehmann’s Plaza restaurant is definitely in a freefall.
Two strikes, Scott. One more, and you’re dead to me.
The Squeeze Inn
OK, I will simply and succinctly try to explain the Squeeze Inn burger experience here and leave you to make your own decisions. I would offer a ringing endorsement of the Squeeze Inn right now, but am slightly leery of getting sued when someone goes there on my recommendation and has a massive coronary.
You walk in the front door and scope out the seating arrangement; all twelve stools are taken. That’s right, twelve whole stools in the place, not exactly the acre wide new chain places that you’re used to. You give the evil eye to the two parents who have brought their small Amerasian children because the kids are taking up two stools and chowing down on McDonald’s chicken mcnuggets. Not only is this a slap in the face to the owners of the place, but it’s a direct challenge to anyone who walks in. It says, “Hey look at us, we’re so important that we get to take up precious real estate without even buying a product.†You quietly hope that this whole family gets squat-humped by lunatics wearing Grimace and Hamburglar costumes.
Schedule mixup at San Juan
How bad is this San Juan scheduling mix-up? Actually, that’s not a rhetorical question, I still have no idea how this actually happened. The CBS13 story is very vague:
Some principals told students they could come for a shorter day while other students were taking the exit exams but in essence they needed to be there the whole day for the state required classroom minutes to count.
And those shortened days off added up to 4 whole school days at Encina? Wow. I can imagine being pretty pissed if I were a San Juan parent right now. After all, as we all know, all the schools really have to do is babysit the kids for a predetermined amount of time. I kid the everybody…
But seriously, the exit exams are not a new thing, and neither is the “required minutes of instruction” thing. How could things get this bad? Could nobody remember what they did during exit testing last year? Anybody else got a question?
National honors for CBS newsies
Following up on his earlier coverage of KBFT, the stellar newscast at Christian Brothers High School, the Bee’s Sam McManis reports today that KBFT won a national honor for Best Daily/Weekly News Show. Congrats, kids!
“Boil ‘N Fry Day” Saturday
Just found out about “Boil ‘N Fry Day” this Saturday, sponsored by Sac Rag favorite Dad’s Sandwich Shop and Lite Brite Productions.
This event is a blast with bands, crawfish, hotwings, beer gardens and Hill Billy Games! Last year’s net proceeds benefited a terminally ill child through the local chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
You had me at crawfish. Here are the details on MidtownGrid.com.
KCRA: Literally insane for the whales
“Whale Watch” is getting out of hand. The entire KCRA 6 PM newscast last night was dedicated to “Whale Watch.” At about 10:15 last night Edie Lambert was talking to Toby Ross, the City Manager of West Sacramento, who cautioned would-be whale watchers to stay off of levees that are not meant for car traffic. Would it be cruel to suggest that drivers too stupid to stay off of non-roads in order to watch whales too stupid to stay out of fresh water rivers are a match made in heaven?
However, it does reflect well on the kind of news that KCRA likes to present. Flipping over to CBS13 at 11 is like watching the Great Britain PR spot on “Children of Men.” War. Famine. Dead horses. Only CBS 13 still soldiers on…
It’s all the rage
Most have you have probably heard by now that Sacramento ranks #8 nationally for road rage.
As someone who spends a great deal of time on the road during the average workday, this comes as no surprise to me. People tailgate, switch lanes quickly, then gun it — only to end up at the same red light as the person they were trying to pass. I know with certainty that if I leave a safe distance between me and the car ahead of me, someone will cut me off to take that space. Continue reading “It’s all the rage”
Heh heh, you said “Humpback”…
Nothing shows our Sacramento like whales accidentally swimming upriver. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is about this occurrence and the news it generates that amuses me so. I think it has much to do with the fact that it is a completely random natural anomaly — like a hermaphroditic sheep or Lindsey Lohan — but since we live on the river and have the news 24/7 we have kind of come to expect it. It is given the sort of seasonal reverence that the cicadas get back east. But it’s really more akin to sap on a maple tree in the shape of a Saint, if you think about it. Anyway it amuses me. I hope these gentle giant idiots get the technical assistance they need to find their way back into the ocean.
(By the way, I kid the whales. I do really hope they’re not in danger and I think I probably would go see them in Rio Vista.)
‘Tis the Season…
for beer festivals! I will be keeping you up to date on all the beer happenings in the area this summer.
Beer festivals are always a good excuse to drink in the name of charity. Also, did you ever notice that almost all of the charities that these fests support are children’s charities? Do you know why we need so many children’s charities? They are too young to drink beer, so people feel sorry for them.
Raley Field Beerfest is being put on for the first time this year as the annual beer fest for the Northern California Brewer’s Guild, which is headed up by Rubicon owner Glynn Phillips. The event is tomorrow, Saturday the 12th. I have no idea what time this event starts as the organizers have done a “less-than-stellar” job at promoting it. Admission includes 10 complementary tastings, more can be purchased. One small suggestion to the NorCal Brewers… You have a web site. Maybe you would, oh, I don’t know, promote your event on your web site?!?!!?!? Promote it somewhere? One more note – No one in their right mind is going to pay almost $9 in Ticketmaster fees for a $25 ticket when we can buy one onsite for $30. Beer patrons, arrive early and anticipate a long line. Expect between 30 and 40 breweries from across Northern California.
The 8th Annual West Coast Brew Fest is the following Saturday, May 19th, from 1-5pm at Miller Park. Notice the handy link to a web site where you can get maps, information, and purchase a ticket with no service charge that is actually $5 cheaper than onsite the day of the event. No tokens, admission gives you unlimited tastes. Expect almost 50 breweries from across the West Coast and beyond.
Drink safely, my friends, and drink only the best.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BREWERIES
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BREW-FESTS
And, for the love of all that is holy, drink beer to save a child.
The Sac Rag 