Author: CoolDMZ

"X-ray vision to see in between / Where's my kimono and my time machine?"

Sacramentans sought for Stanford speech sampling

Researchers from Stanford University will be in Sacramento from Sept 3-13 for Voices of California, a long term linguistic research project to study regional differences in English as spoken across California. Sacramento probably does have a unique linguistic flavor but those of us who’ve been here long might be hella immune to its nuances. From the press release:

The great environmental diversity of California results in vastly different ways of life across the state. And the diversity of the state’s population brings a variety of linguistic influences to the dialects of California. The Stanford team will be conducting interviews with lifelong Sacramento residents are members of all ethnic communities that have been in Sacramento for several generations.

If you have some time to help with this really interesting study you’re encouraged to call 916-806-6732 or email vocSacramento -at- gmail.com for more info.

Voices of California

Local Redditor has #1 submission

When Redditor “Ransacked,” who you might know as Sac Rag writer “Ransacked,” had a watermelon grow into and through a light fixture in his booming garden, he posted it to Imgur and sent the link to the “MildlyInteresing” forum on Reddit. And then it hit the #1 spot on the entire site. Pic, because it happened:

10339256_10203134259532002_9196110034787573751_o

I’m actually not sure how rare it is for a Sacramentan to have the #1 post on Reddit, but this is where 275 people in a comment thread should tell me all the times it happened.

Gold Rush Days not worth it without the dirt?


“Because of the drought” is becoming the new
“because of the budget.”

Today came the news that Gold Rush Days are being cancelled due to the drought. Specifically because of the 3000 gallons of water used daily to dampen the dust from the dirt spread on the road during the event, normally held Labor Day weekend by Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau.

So you can drive your car down the freeway and park next to a mall and when you’re done you can eat at Joe’s Crab Shack, but it’s out of the question to just do away with the dusty roads? This is the major draw? If that was my decision I might have gambled that Gold Rush Days without the dusty streets is better than no event at all.

Maybe it would have felt too much like just any old day in Old Sac? What do folks who usually attend Gold Rush Days think? Would paved roads not suit the occasion?

Update: No so fast, Visitors Bureau.

Roseville’s Susac called up to SF Giants

qmBoSNosFormer Jesuit High School star Andrew Susac, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2011, got the call to the big leagues today. This news is so fresh the kid hasn’t even had time to Tweet it yet, but he’ll be in uniform for tonight’s game against the Dodgers.

Susac unfortunately owes his call up to an injury to Hector Sanchez who took a ball off his grill last night in an 8-1 loss to the Dodgers which was kind of like a “ball off the grill” to the whole team. Sanchez has a mild concussion.

Local in the running for potato chip flavor contest

DUAF_Lay's Wavy Mango SalsaYou can’t make this stuff up. Julia Stanley-Metz from right here in Sacramento dreamed up “Wavy Mango and Salsa Potato Chips” and is subsequently one of just 4 finalists for a $1 million grand prize from Lay’s.

On Tuesday, July 29, Julia Stanley-Metz will be joined by the Mayor of the City of Sacramento Kevin Johnson at World Peace Rose Garden to officially proclaim the date, “Lay’s Wavy Mango Salsa Potato Chip Day in Sacramento.”

Continue reading “Local in the running for potato chip flavor contest”

Save 30% on “city pride” tees at therethere

therethere is a new tee-shirt company that specializes in hyperlocal designs. Starting in 2010 with the Oaklandish brand, (which I might add I saw a lot of in a recent visit to the East Bay) they have branched out into other locales where they partner with local artists to create screen printed tees using iconography and slogans that hip locals will appreciate. They came to the Sacramento market in April with about a dozen designs available online and at a few brick and mortar shops like the California Museum, Hot Italian, and Cuffs Boutique. Here is yours truly, sporting the “Sac Gold Nugget” tee at a recent SactoMofo food truck night in Tahoe Park:

10416591_826600484019661_3143909909870320587_n

Continue reading “Save 30% on “city pride” tees at therethere”

“6 states” initiative could appear on ballot

20140715-073330-27210514.jpgThe group behind the batshit-insane proposal by venture capitalist Thomas Draper to divide California into 6 separate states has gathered enough signatures to appear on the ballot, according to this article. Sacto would be in “North California” which would run from the Sonoma coast to Lake Tahoe. For some reason Silicon Valley and Jefferson (pictured) would be the only ones without “California” in the name–including Los Angeles which would have the indignity of being called “West California.”

If the Secretary of State’s office approves the signatures, this initiative would be able to appear on the ballot in California in 2016 where real Californians, the kind who have in the past voted for <INSERT YOUR FAVORITE STUPID INITIATIVE HERE> would be able to really vote on it.

Wahoo’s Fish Tacos to open next week


From the Wahoo’s Story

According to Cowtown Eats, which I have been remiss in not re-blogging more often since they give us so much traffic on Twitter, the venerable So Cal chain Wahoo’s Fish Tacos is planning to open in Sacto a week from today.

During the Handle District’s annual Bastille Day Waiter Race on Sunday, they had employees handing out coupons for free entrees. One of their employees freely shared the info.

They also invited me inside to take a look. The space is still unfinished, with at least several days worth of work left on the interior. If I had to guess, even if they open on the 21st, it’ll be several weeks before they get all they move from the “soft launch” phase to the “well-oiled machine” phase.

The location is on L street at 18th–Cowtown says 1818 but Wahoos.com says 1820, but I’m sure there will be fish imagery to lead you to the right place. This just kind of makes me long for Pescado’s though, and that insane salsa they used to make, which I have never seen prepared exactly as well anywhere else.

Link: Cowtown Eats

Magazine names Corti Bros. deli one of the best in America

Posted by a fan to Corti Bros. Facebook group

Missed this the other day, but heard about it from a longtime Sacramentan friend. Food & Wine magazine named the deli at Corti Brothers in its list of best American delis. This puts it on a list with the most famous delis in America, and the writeup highlights its meat department which “stocks nearly everything, including kangaroo or antelope meat.” I know what I’m having for lunch.