Month: August 2009

CA State Fair -Open!!

Long time readers of The Rag know that we are big fans of the Big Fun. As you read this, the 2009 California State Fair is open for business! Check us out for tips and reviews over the next couple of weeks.

Why do we love the State Fair? It is difficult to succinctly say, but it has something to do with loving California. The fair is a great place to learn about the myriad reasons that make California the greatest place in the world to live. Check out the agriculture, the art, wine, the thrills, and the spirit of fun that permeates Cal Expo for the next few weeks. It is especially obvious if you have been a patron at other fairs around the country. Every fair has rides and shows, but we’ve got bits and pieces of California wrapped up in a microcosm.

This year’s theme is Weird, Wild and Wacky, which I hope the organizers have taken to heart. Amid a down economy, a dysfunctional government and a dry summer, we need some fun here in Sacramento. Let’s party.

This Friday, the fair features American Idol David Cook on the Golden One Stage. For those of you that scoff at the contest, you have not seen that Cook is a soulful rock musician with a good band, decent songwriting and a strong possibility at a (gasp) legitimate music career. I’ll be there to see how he does.

Freilachmakers klezmerize the crowd at Fairy Tale Town

freilachmakersThe family had missed the other Twilight Concert Series shows at Fairy Tale Town, but we were in attendance last night for the final outing in the series, when local klezmer band The Freilachmakers made with the freilach. Although I love to rock and/or roll as much as the next guy (unless the next guy is Gene Simmons), I always come back to the sounds of traditional music, and the Freilachmakers are experts at their craft. I don’t speak Yiddish, but I do believe the band’s claim that it has “defined what may be called ‘the Sacramento sound’ in klezmer and Sephardic Jewish music.” Who is going to dispute that claim? I hear the klezmer kids in Europe go nuts for that swingin’ Sacramento sound.

Continue reading “Freilachmakers klezmerize the crowd at Fairy Tale Town”

Squeeze Inn Back Inn Business

According to News 10 (and probably several other sources I was too lazy to find) the ADA lawsuit against burger favorite Squeeze Inn has been dropped.

Here’s the strange thing about this whole ADA system: no changes were made to the building, and someone else can come along and sue instead. Of course, if someone else does sue, they’ll be subject to the withering criticism of animal fat lovers everywhere.  I’d go over there today to celebrate, but I’m saving my arterial blockage for the STATE FAIR WHICH STARTS TOMORROW!!!!

I LOVE YOU POPPY!!!!!!!!

“Supernanny” has great idea

So, we’ve all heard by now that the casting team of ABC’s popular parenting show “Supernanny” will be interviewing families from 12 to 5 p.m. on August 23rd in Roseville, CA. Cool, right? Parents with rambunctious little ones can audition to have their lives improved by their “behavioral expert.”

The show is looking for families of all types who need help from Supernanny Frost, who is a “behavioral expert,” said Tiffany Dejillo, a Supernanny casting producer.

The casting call is being held at Pump It Up, an indoor inflatable party destination located at 10556 Industrial Ave., Suite 100, Roseville.

Hmm, really? Anyone that has been to one of these inflatable Thunderdomes will tell you that even the most “normal” kids can quickly get out of hand as they bounce around haphazardly, high on birthday cake, leveling anyone in their path.

Am I alone in thinking that opening up this facility to kids that may or may not have behavioral issues while their parents talk to casting producers is a dicey idea at best and should be video taped to air as its own reality show?

“Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!”

Jus’sayin.

I’m finally an Art Beast

I finally got a chance to take the whole family to Art Beast yesterday, and I submit for your consideration that Art Beast is the coolest family outing that has ever existed in Sacramento.

Imagine you live in a charming, drafty old Victorian in Midtown. Now imagine you have a second charming, drafty old Victorian in Midtown that you can use exclusively for your kids to play. (I’m not sure how you came to own 2 homes in Midtown. Maybe you had a lot of money invested in gold, or you own the agency that makes “There’s an app for that” ads for Apple. Work with me here.) If you were to dedicate the entire basement to dress up, the whole living area to every kind of art and/or craft known to man, the entire upstairs to dance and other creative movement like tumbling and arm-wrestling, and your backyard to water and sandboxes, you would have something like Art Beast.

Continue reading “I’m finally an Art Beast”

Your Raggers on Insight

Hello, readers. This is a hot infotainment alert that Sac-Eats and I will be raiding the public airwaves again to discuss the big fun that you, your family, your date, your friends, or any combination of the above can have at the California State Fair.

Please tune in to Insight on Capitol Public Radio, which you probably hear at 90.9 FM, on Monday, August 24th at 10:00 AM. We hope you will join us!

Secrets to cocktail crafting revealed!

Erick Castro shows you his O face
Erick Castro shows you his O face
I enjoyed several libations during the 2nd Annual Midtown Cocktail Week, but I am a “hands-on” guy. When I taste a great cocktail, I immediately think, “How can I do that?” Luckily, the organizers created an educational event with burgeoning bartenders like me in mind.

During the two-hour seminar, bartender extraordinaire Erick Castro shared many of his professional secrets, which I will now share with you. Besides these individual tips, the overarching theme of the lesson was that bartending is a serious craft that requires, if you want to be great, an encyclopedic knowledge of thousands of liquors, cordials and mixers; most bartenders make drinks, but only a few are shaking and stirring up liquid art and revitalizing a lost piece of uniquely American culture.
Continue reading “Secrets to cocktail crafting revealed!”

City offers class on water conservation

watering at Oki ParkThe City of Sacramento will be offering a class in water conservation to any local resident who wants more info on “how to use water wisely and comply with new watering rules.” As expected, the Sac Bee commenter krew are all over this one.

I should make sure to point out that I do not advocate wasting water. For example I do not support watering the lawns at parks that have reduced maintenance. One wonders whether lesson #1 in the workshop is “have your yard annexed as a City park”…

Water Conservation Educational Workshop
August 29, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
City of Sacramento Water Conservation Office
2260 Glen Ellen Circle
Sacramento, CA 95822
Workshop details (PDF)

Free Michael Jackson Rides on Fridays!

MJ
…and the winner for “most awkward press release title” goes to the California State Fair with their announcement that their Magnificent Midway will feature 4 rides from Neverland. The first 5,000 fairgoers each Friday will receive a golden ticket for one free Michael Jackson ride.

Stay tuned for our annual coverage of all the Big Fun!

Honey, Stop the Car! The Ugliest House in Sacramento is for Sale

We’ve talked about this particular house before, right on the corner of La Sierra and Arden, tricked out with lights that look like severed heads from the Statue of Liberty, and adorned with enough bling to make a 17th century French noble blush. Well, it’s on the market.

In what is probably a wildly optimistic listing, the realtor has stated:

Honey, stop the car! Don’t miss this rare opportunity to purchase the crown jewel of Arden Park! Absolutely no expense was spared in this spectacular 5 bedroom 4 bath 4400+ sq ft home which also includes a 2 bedroom 1 bath 850+ sq ft guest home, totaling almost 5,300 sq ft. Check the comps, this is a tremendous value and similar homes in this zip code are priced far higher and do not offer this level of quality. Bring your pickiest buyers quickly, this home will not last!

At over $1 million, I think that this house might last. Have you seen any similarly tricked out mcmansions in your neighborhood?