Author: RonTopofIt

RonTopofIt is a complex personality, as are most of the small breed of modern day renaissance millionaires. He wishes more people were like him and yet believes that it takes all kinds. You've met RonTopofIt many times, you just don't remember him.

Here’s a tip: Eat at El Forastero

Tip jar at El Forastero's drive-through on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Not sure this is the best idea the folks at El Forastero have had.

The RonTopofIt family hit the drive-through at El Forastero Mexican Restaurant on Fair Oaks Blvd. at Walnut Ave. this afternoon for a quick bite. I had been meaning to give it a go since they took over the space previously occupied by Taco Ball back in October (a large chain being replaced by a smaller chain, go figure). Shocker, Yelp is all over the place with reviews. I went in with little research, however, and had never been to the other locations in Sacrament and Stockton (it’s been a few months, guys, time to update the website) so I was ready.

Highlight #1: Open 24 hours

Of course I’ll never utilize this feature, but it is nice to know it is there. If I was young and single, I’m sure this would be awesome after a late night of hanging out by myself watching Seinfeld reruns.

Highlight #2: Breakfast is served all day

I love me a breakfast burrito. Simple to make, but not always easy to make, especially at 2 in the afternoon when only bacon and scrambled eggs wrapped in a tortilla will do. Continue reading “Here’s a tip: Eat at El Forastero”

Red-placard smackdowns holding steady

Don't be alarmed, this is only a sample.
Don't be alarmed, this is only a sample.
The Sacramento Bee published this story about food safety violations being down in Sacramento County today.

Under the new system, restaurants in the county get three inspections a year, while markets and produce stands each get two. Sacramento conducted 5,600 food inspections in 2004, before the red-yellow-green program started. Last year, it conducted more than 16,000. To carry out all that enforcement, the county has doubled the number of inspectors it employs, from 15 nearly a decade ago to 31 today.

I first wrote about this back in 2006, and I can’t think I’ve ever seen a yellow or red card around town.

The county handed out 680 yellow placards in 2010, compared with more than 1,100 three years earlier. Red-placard smackdowns have held steady at just over 110 annually.

With this information, I decided to test out the Sac Food mobile app that CoolDMZ wrote about in September. Continue reading “Red-placard smackdowns holding steady”

Didn’t need no welfare state

Opening to All in the Family
Everybody pulled their weight.

The Associated Press released this article yesterday about California making deep cuts to its welfare programs and I couldn’t help but notice how each new agency picked it up and spun it a bit differently. News10.net, for example, only gave it four paragraphs and with little statistical information or specifics. The Contra Costa County Times, on the the other hand, provided over 30 paragraphs with many statistics and specifics about the cuts.

At any rate, here are some numbers that caught my eye…

The state has one-eighth of the nation’s population but one-third of all welfare recipients. California is one of the few states that send welfare checks for children when their parents are no longer eligible. About three-quarters of California’s 1.5 million welfare recipients are children 18 and younger.

Gulp.

California will spend $6 billion… Continue reading “Didn’t need no welfare state”

Bowling in the New Year

Here’s a guide to family-friendly New Year’s Eve events in Sacramento from CBS Sacramento.

If you’re looking for an active way to ring in the New Year, look no further than Country Club Lanes, where you and your family can bowl the night away, as well as play laser tag, enjoy the arcade and billiards, and grab something to eat or drink in the café. New Year’s Eve prices are $36 per hour per lane from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and $42 per hour per lane from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Prices are per hour, per lane and pro rated to the minute, and there’s a maximum of eight people per lane. Shoe rentals are $1 per pair.

Man, $36 per hour and then $42 to bowl? Have I been out of the game for that long? At least shoe rentals are still reasonable.

What else is going on for families and partying adults alike?

What’s our problem?

Sam and Ralph calling it a day.
Sam and Ralph calling it a day.

Interesting commentary on capoliticalnews.com about this recent article in the Sacramento Business Journal regarding unemployment rates in Sacramento.

In the middle of downtown Sacramento there is a building with a gold dome. People from all over the State come there for three purposes. The Republicans to give back freedom, allow families to keep more of the money they earn and to allow business to grow so they can hire people. The Democrats have two purposes. One, in the belief you are incapable of spending your own money they take as much as they can–so government can spend it. Their second purpose is to assure that business have a high cost of operation and that regulations force as many jobs to Texas.

I am always humored by the “my side is better than your side” debate with politics. Reminds me of the old Sam Sheepdog and Ralph Wolf cartoons from the ’60s. “You’re the problem!” “No, you’re the problem!” “Hey, it’s lunch time, who wants a pizza?”

The people of Sacramento can not be very smart. They have a bad unemployment problem. Instead of voting for themselves and their families, the voters of Sacramento appear to believe they are not competent enough to get a job, spend their money, get into a school or get government contracts without the iron fist of government in someone’s face–taking from some and giving to others, while growing a government that has tanked.

What do you think? Are we smart? Just not *very* smart? I’m all for voting for myself and my family. Where does that line form?

Kings win, World Peace loses

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Bringing youth together all around the world
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Kings beat the Lakers at home for the first time in more than three years, 100-91 on Monday night. Former King Ron Artest, er, Metta World Peace wasn’t too worried about the loss.

“We have a lot of games left, a lot of games left,” World Peace said. “Everything is going OK. Everything will be great.”

I think I’ll get a few more weeks of fun out of the “World Peace said” thing (and by “a few more weeks” I pretty much mean this post). For example, why did Artest change his name?

“Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world,” World Peace said in a statement released after the name change court hearing.

Alrighty then. Dream big, right?

At any rate, it’s a good win for the Kings and it is nice to have the distraction in town again. Might replace the “this is some cold spell we’re having, huh?” ice-breaker.

People wait in lines to act like people


$70 for the toddler version!

We all know about the Black Friday deals that bring out the best in people, but running a close second is the release of Air Jordan basketball shoes. Just like in 2009 (wow, to the day no less), folks went nuts this morning trying to get their hands on the $170 sneakers.

When Champs, which was selling the highly coveted Air Jordans, couldn’t handle the crowd, workers called in security and Citrus Heights police officers. Now, store management is refusing to open the gate until the crowd disperses.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

More from KCRA…

Many said they will easily sell the shoes on Ebay for up to $500. Arden Fair’s security team hired eight off-duty Sacramento police officers to secure the area. Overnight, as some people tried to cut in line, fights erupted, according to those who were waiting. In past years, people who managed to buy Air Jordans sometimes lost them to armed robbers as they left the mall’s property.

Pa rum pum pum pum.

On the plus side, I did notice that my 2009 post mentions the shoes selling for $175. This year’s version are going for $170. Inflation, shminflation.

Wake up kids, we’re going to Baskin-Robbins

Family Night is Every Night at Baskin-Robbins
Don't spill ice cream on your pajamas, Junior.

I noticed this sign at my local Togo’s/Baskin-Robbins eatery yesterday (another awesome photo, so you’ll have to take my word for it).

Every Night is Family Night
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Something for $1.00
Something Else for $1.50

Hope they don’t come out with a happy hour…