Month: October 2009

Bastiao Farms Goblin Gardens (photos)

This year’s family destination for autumn revelry and pumpkin harvesting was Bastiao Farms Goblin Gardens, which is located on a family farm in North Natomas.

Goblin Gardens has a large pumpkin patch with some great looking pumpkins; a nice hay bale maze (super fun to run through in a crouch, so that it looks to you the way it does to a youngster); a big hay bale pyramid; a mini racetrack for toddler riding toys, which was a great touch; an inflatable giant slide; and lots of farm implements to climb on. They appeared to have a BBQ going and some sort of basic snack bar items, but we brought a picnic and ate out in the blazingly unseasonable midday sun.

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Coming someday: Discovery Museum 2.0

Powerhouse Scince Center 2I was thinking about how badly Sacramento needs a first class science museum, and I was thinking how great the old PG&E building by the river would be for a site. Lo and behold, the Powerhouse Science Center, otherwise known as Discovery Museum 2.0, coming someday to the old PG&E building:

The Powerhouse Science Center will be the premier science & space learning center serving Northern California. It will serve as a model for 21st-century experiential education in science, math, technology, engineering, and space — and an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teaching lab.

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The End contest sponsored by … water

Frequent fun guy Radio Matthew emails to point out that 107.9 The End’s new star search contest to find a local singer who’ll open this year’s Jingle Ball concert is sponsored by Vitamin Water Glaceau. From the press release:

107.9 The End is teaming up with Vitamin Water 10 and the Westfield Galleria at Roseville to host an event to see who will open the show! Sacramento has a ton of talented singers, and we’ll find out who will open the upcoming Jingleball concert!

Might want to avoid having people think of “water” and “107.9 The End” in the same sentence. (BTW, Vitamin Water is a product put out by Glaceau, who is a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company.)

You can sign up on The End’s Web site to get preauthorized to audition on Sunday, October 25 at noon. I’ll let the peanut gallery suggest other things you might want to think about before you enter a contest with The End 107.9…

Fresnans get defensive

Another list came out recently ranking America’s smartest cities and Sacramento came in at T35 with Oklahoma City.

Metro Area Population: 2,109,832 – Daily Beast IQ Score: 84

On paper, Sacramento has a lot going for it, intellectually. It’s the capital of California, a draw for the Golden State’s best and brightest. And it’s just 90 minutes east of the Bay Area, which almost topped this list. Yet Sacramento wound up with below-average scores for almost every one of our criteria.

We do have a lot going for us, you know, on paper. It’s hard to swallow our IQ score of 84 (the winner, Raleigh-Durham, had a score of 170!), but when you consider they included college education, presidential voting turnout AND nonfiction book sales in their study it starts to make sense. Two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Fresno finished last (IQ of 3!) and the Fresno Bee’s Mike Osegueda took issue with it.

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Old Soul to open coffee shop in old Oak Park Starbucks

Old Soul Co., who run Old Soul and Weatherstone in Midtown, announced on their blog yesterday that they will be opening a coffee shop in the site of the Oak Park Starbucks which closed earlier this year. There will be a party to celebrate the opening on Monday from 11 am – 4 pm. The location is at Broadway and 35th Street.

That location sure didn’t stay vacant for very long even despite the recent economic downturn you may or may have not heard about. This is great news!

Where was I? Rainbow

October 13, 2009 - Sacramento, CA
October 13, 2009 - Sacramento, CA

Due to the overwhelmingly lukewarm response to my new “Cap’n Obvious” category last week, I would like to add another one labeled “Where was I?” We will snap random photos about town and we’ll test your knowledge of the 916 by asking that you tell us where we took the photo. Some will be easier than others. I rate this one a 5 out of 10.

With yesterday’s storm we were treated to a lovely rainbow.

Art Vault Auction

One of the pieces available at the KVIE Art Vault Auction: The Ocean's Rhythm by Suzanne Bell
One of the pieces available at the KVIE Art Vault Auction: The Ocean's Rhythm by Suzanne Bell

FREE!

Now that I have your attention… KVIE Public Television is holding a rare, free event tomorrow (Wednesday) night from 5:30 to 8:30PM. They’re opening their art vault for a one-time public auction. Did I mention? It’s FREE.

The auction offers an opportunity to purchase some amazing artworks at affordable prices. You’ll find pieces ranging from just over $100 from artists including Steve Aldridge to price points over $1,800 from artists like Julio Reyes. And in KVIE’s classy style, they promise a wine and cheese reception.

You can preview a sampling of the art and buy select pieces online in advance. Just visit their website. You will also need to RSVP in advance–space is limited. Same website.

Why do I love a blustery day?

IMG00243
Outside Sac Rag World Headquarters

I suppose it’s possible that I don’t want to know the answer to this question, but why is it that a blustery Northern California day like today fills me with happiness? I don’t think I’d want a steady diet of it, e.g. the Pacific Northwest, but something about a windy rainy day in these parts makes me incredibly joyful inside.

I’m sure I’m not the only one. Is it only because that means there is turkey and presents in my near future?

Bikes and Brews

If it’s October, that means Oktoberfest! Enjoy the brewed bounty of the season from brewers like Rubicon, Hoppy and Pyramid this Thursday with an Oktoberfest Bike Crawl. Bring your cruiser or 10-speed, rent a bike for the occasion for only $15, or ride in style in a pedicab sampling fall’s best beers and free appetizers. At each location there will be prizes, giveaways, and drink specials. And remember, it’s a furlough Friday this week, so you state workers can really let your hair down. Pre-party starts around 5pm, with the crawl starting at 6. Meet-up is at 1013, 12th Street. Cost is $20. Check out http://www.grubcrawl.usa.com for more info.

Alternatively, hit up Sacramento Brewing Company, Flaming Grill, and Sam’s Hof Brau, for some hardcore suburban Oktober’ing if you happen to be closer to that neighborhood.

Believing in the “Skyscraper Fairy”

Esquire IMAX
cc, by happyshooter

Sometime Sac Rag commenter William Burg has a great op-ed on the front page of the Sac Press today: A 10-Step Plan To Fix K Street, Or: The Legend of the Skyscraper Fairy.

1. Accept that the Skyscraper Fairy does not exist.
Many landlords along K Street have no apparent interest in maintaining or improving their properties. Some are convinced that as long as they own the land, the magical Skyscraper Fairy will give them uncountable millions for the land where their decaying buildings sit, and will replace them with shiny new skyscrapers. Thus, they have little interest in maintaining or tenanting their buildings. The result is under-utilized or vacant buildings whose facades continue to crumble.

He has some wonderful ideas (my favorites: streetcars and a permanent farmer’s market) and offers them in a hopeful manner. It leaves me a bit depressed, though, as I am skeptical that the politicians and developers currently working on Downtown will ever attach themselves to anything but the status quo.