Month: June 2010

Monday morning transit frustrations

Sacramento Regional Transit 117 Siemons U2 1993 1
Creative Commons License photo credit: jacksnell

My commute involves cycling and light rail, and for the most part this is a really smooth setup for me (especially since I haven’t been asked to show my pass since Justin Bieber* was in diapers). So after riding hard to the light rail station on Friday afternoon, looking forward to the weekend, I took my usual spot toward where the rear of the last car would be, knowing that the front cars tend to fill up.

As the train approached, I could tell it was a 3-car and not the usual commuter-friendly 4-car train. As I hoofed it up the station to the end of the third car, only to board and find 2 cyclists already on board the back of the train, it occurred to me that it was Friday at 4:15, which should still count as peak hours. However, it was Friday, and we all know that a certain segment of riders are Furloughed on Fridays (or are they still? I have completely lost interest). Either way I feel sure that the length of RT’s trains is affected by Furlough Fridays, leaving the rest of us in the dark.

Continue reading “Monday morning transit frustrations”

Peruvian Food Festival

Succulent chunks of citrus-drenched white fish “ceviche.” Creamy potato surrounding a hidden pocket of beef (“papa rellena”). Flaky phyllo dough nestling layers of caramel cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Sugary sweet bubble gum Inka Kola.

These are the delightful treats that await you at the Sacramento Peruvian Food Festival, taking place right now until 6:00 P.M. at 711 T Street. It costs $3 to get in (kids are free). Once inside, you’ll purchase tickets to exchange for food. Most entrees cost between $8 and $10, desserts range from $2 to $5, and drinks start at $2.

If you’re familiar with the potato and meat-based dishes of Peru, you’ll find your traditional favorites. If you’ve never experienced the region’s cuisine, be adventurous. You really can’t go wrong. Even vegetarians can find a simple dish called “Tacu-Tacu,” a tortilla made with beans, rice, onions, garlic, and hot peppers. And if you need it, they’ll provide you with a menu describing most of the dishes being served.

Do come prepared to use your Spanish. The cooks serving up these tasty treats will be speaking their native language. However, don’t ask what their favorite dish is. I tried, and was met with the same answer again and again: Todo! (Everything!) Although, I will say that I came to exactly the same conclusion.

Carly caught on News 10

Could be worse...

While prepping for an interview on News 10 Good Morning today, Carly Fiorina made fun of Barbara Boxer’s hair. Apparently this is news. I find this odd, as I clearly remember reading a study that identified a gene that, when activated in females, significantly increases snarky exposition on women’s hairdos. When activated in males, it increases the likelihood that they will attempt self-fellatio during adolescence. Either way, we should accept it as part of nature and remember not to do it in a television studio while running for the US Senate. On his blog at KXTV, Dan Elliott points out that News 10 was classy and did not play the tape. He also declared the event “barely newsworthy” and that wannabe gotcha journalism that simply catches famous people off guard to embarrass them is an odd cultural trend. Cheers to News 10 to not jumping on the tired gotcha bandwagon.

June ballot measures add up

Capitol Alert Screenshot
Conflict of interest? Or just annoying?
This story in the Bee about the amount of money spent on the June ballot measures made me cringe.

Nearly two-thirds of that cash came from Pacific Gas & Electric, which has poured $46 million into the campaign for Proposition 16, a constitutional amendment that would require two-thirds voter approval on proposals for a public utility to expand services to new customers or new territories using public funds or bonds.

“PG&E’s spending to support Prop. 16 has eclipsed all other proposition spending this election season,” the foundation’s president, Kim Alexander, said in a statement.

Of course, I scan over to the right side of the page and what did I see being advertised? Fitting, I guess.

Sure seems like this kind of money could be put to better use, huh? Perhaps PG&E could save a library or two and use that exposure to promote their measure? Seems crazy, but these are crazy times, right?

Vacationing on the cheap

A little Ford’s Real Hamburgers shout out on Friday (actually, she credits roadfood.com, which is a great site, btw…Hello, Marie’s Do-Nut Shop!) on Fox 40 Morning News when Paul Robins interviewed Amy from “On the go with Amy,” a mother of two who blogs about vacationing on $150 – $200 a day. She offers up some great ideas on making it work including finding activities that are free or inexpensive (walking across the Sundial Bridge in Redding, visiting the Oregon Vortex where balls roll uphill, and strolling through the zoo in Portland). This trip takes them from San Francisco to Seattle.

I discovered a little travel trick of my own recently. When renting a car, try agencies located outside of the airport. If you’re traveling light enough, the cab or shuttle fare is well worth the hassle. I was able to cut $150 off the same reservation at an agency 5 miles from the airport (the same agency, mind you). Fewer taxes, too.

Watch the clip after the jump… Continue reading “Vacationing on the cheap”

Last day of school at John Paul II

IHMs (nuns) at work in the classroom at All Hallows Parish School 1966

When the bell rings shortly at John Paul II School in Tahoe Park, it will be Alice Cooper’s dream come true: Schooool’s out. For. Evah. The Catholic Diocese is closing the school and allowing its students to transfer to the new Saint Patrick SUCCEED Academy on the former campus of St. Patrick Elementary School in South Sac.

According to what I have been told, the Diocese currently has no plans to lease out this great old brick school facility. There are still people involved with the All Hallows Parish who might be able to use the facility in the future for educational programs. Me, I’d love to see a public charter school open up there.

John Paul II School opened in 2005 as a merger between All Hallows and St. Peter’s Parish Schools. All Hallows Parish School opened on the site in 1948.

The Sac Bee has a nice photo gallery of the last day of school at Sacred Heart (my alma mater), which opens a new campus across the street this fall. But no mention of JPII.

CA Small Brewers Day at Rubicon!

All day today, Rubicon will be donating a portion of their profits to the California Small Brewers Association. If you are a craft beer lover, you should stop by for a pint and a bite. You have probably never heard of the CSBA, but they are fighting to promote California’s great beers and to help make California a friendly business environment for brewers to take roost. CSBA Executive Director Tom McCormick will be in attendance to answer any questions you have about the beer industry.

Cosumnes River Preserve

Weekend outdoorsy fun was had by the whole family yesterday as we finally checked out the Cosumnes River Preserve down in the Galt/Walnut Grove area. The preserve is a 46,000-acre wildlife refuge along the Cosumnes River (the last undammed river in the Central Valley), winding from Sacramento County all the way down to the delta. With a paved wetlands pathway and a rougher river walk trail, there are a few miles of walking to do, as well as boating, cycling and hunting. The weather was perfect yesterday, so we enjoyed a beautiful walk along the sunny wetlands pathway and a shorter jaunt on the river walk. The wide trails make it easy for walking with kids (since there is doubtless plenty of poison oak along the way).

We followed this up with a drive over to Walnut Grove and back home along the 160, stopping for cool treats in downtown Clarksburg. I don’t know what it is but I love the Delta area! A couple of photos after the jump…

Continue reading “Cosumnes River Preserve”