Author: GreenBeet

Spring Awakening: Theater Review

Prepare to be moved! Spring Awakening, which opened at the Community Center Theater on Wednesday and runs through November 15, brings rare vitality to the Sacramento stage. The play offers originality from set, cast, music, and story alike. Make no advanced presumptions. Whatever you imagine the play to be like, you’ll probably be surprised.

The story takes place in Germany in the 1800s, yet you could easily be watching a modern drama. The themes are utterly timeless: teenage rebellion against strict parents and stern teachers; new love; curiosity about the body; heartache and hope.

Continue reading “Spring Awakening: Theater Review”

Sacramento Seen in Green: City Voted 7th on Environment

Back in 2002, Sacramento earned an award from Time Magazine for being the most diverse city in the nation. It’s still a badge of honor we wear proudly, and it’s time to add another star to our uniform. Sacramento has officially been ranked the 7th “Smarter City” by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Basically, we’re mean on being green.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) didn’t pass out this honor lightly. Their mission is to “protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth.” Birds, bees, trees, you, and me—the NRDC is trying to protect us all. Their “Smarter City” ranking drew upon a number of environmentally-friendly criteria, breaking down the results by city size. Sacramento was measured in the “large city” grid along with jolly green giants San Francisco, Seattle, and the like.  

Continue reading “Sacramento Seen in Green: City Voted 7th on Environment”

No Impact Man: Film Review

NoImpactManCould you live one year without electricity, toilet paper, toothpaste, or your car? One New York City man embarked on this seemingly impossible journey with his family. The results were filmed for the documentary No Impact Man, which opened at the Crest Theater yesterday. The film compliments the best-selling book by the same name.

Colin Beavan is a history writer with an environmental worldview. When he realizes that his lifestyle doesn’t live up to his own expectations, and that his writing falls short of fully expressing his passions, he embarks on the potentially crazy adventure of becoming No Impact Man: diminishing his environmental footprint. His wife, at first begrudgingly, must join him for the wild ride along with their toddler daughter.

Continue reading “No Impact Man: Film Review”

Adventure Cyclist Shares Globe Travel Tales Tonight

Weir's new book: Travels with Willie
Weir's new book: Travels with Willie

Ever picture yourself traveling across the globe?—by bicycle? Sacramento native Willie Weir has done it, and done it cheaply. Across the United States, Canada, and even through far-flung places like South Africa and Laos, Willie has put his pedal to the road. He shares his travel tales tonight at REI in Sacramento at 7:00pm.

Weir is a cycling columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine and a public radio cycling commentator. He’s experienced it all, and done so on a tight budget. He’ll go so far as to call himself “cheap.” In fact, one five-month journey cost him only $400. Find out how he does it tonight for a cheap $5, which benefits the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates.

If you can’t make the event, his adventures can also be found in his new book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist.

Haunted Sacramento: Your Guide to a Happy Halloween

halloween

Possible Halloween costumes: junior high P.E. teacher (wig, sweatshirt, and gym shorts found at local thrift store)
Possible Halloween costumes: junior high P.E. teacher (wig, sweatshirt, and gym shorts found at local thrift store)

A Sacramentan’s go-to Halloween guide featuring tips on ghost stories, jack-o-lanterns, costumes, ghostly haunts, and spirits.

Ghost Stories:
No Halloween party is complete without a haunted tale. If your theatrical skills are lacking, or you’ve long forgotten how the story of The Hook ends, I’ve got the answer for you! Professionally-narrated audio ghost stories are available for download from the Sacramento Public Library. Simply download your favorites and turn up the volume. You are no longer limited to the spooky CD of the door creaking or the smash hit “Monster Mash” played on repeat. These ghost stories are sure to send tingles down your spine.

Continue reading “Haunted Sacramento: Your Guide to a Happy Halloween”

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.

Go Bold this Second Saturday

Raw and vibrant, "The Hunger" reflects the passion in the paintings by Santiago Proano.
Raw and vibrant, "The Hunger" reflects the passion in the paintings by Santiago Proano.

Sometimes you have to exit the beaten path to find brilliant artists. This Second Saturday, I recommend heading to a most unlikely spot to view the works of a bold and commanding Sacramento artist: Santiago Proano at the Marco Fuoco Gallery on 6764 Folsom Blvd. at 7PM.

The gallery is part of an interior design business, which is the perfect locale for an artist whose paintings pop straight off the wall, leaving colorful, intense emotions that will complete any vibrant home design. Proano’s art is not the kind to be tucked into the corner of a room. It’s the sort of art that sets the tone, calls you in, and tugs at your mind.

Continue reading “Go Bold this Second Saturday”

Farmers’ Market Fresh: Cactus Paddles

Farmers from Satiety Vineyards do the prickly work for you.
Farmers from Satiety Vineyards do the prickly work for you.

Combing the farmers’ market is unlike any grocery store experience. You can’t simply head to aisle five in search of tomatoes. Instead, you’ll be looking behind the croissant baker, next to the kiwi preserves vendor, and beside the rhubarb bucket. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easy to miss that single farmer selling something uniquely special.

Thankfully, GreenBeet is here to do the browsing for you! I’ll leave no turnip unturned to bring you the most delectable gems from the downtown Sacramento Sunday market.

This week’s pick? Cactus paddles from Satiety Vineyards of Woodland.

Continue reading “Farmers’ Market Fresh: Cactus Paddles”

Second Saturday: Sneak Peek inside the Artists’ Studios

Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento
Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento

Looking for the best of Second Saturday? This weekend offers a unique glance at more than 90 Sacramento artists’ studios—all within a 4-mile, bike-friendly radius of downtown. The Center for Contemporary Art is hosting its fourth annual Capitol Artists’ Studio Tour. Participating artists will open their private studios to the public today and Sunday from noon till 5pm. Check out their latest works, purchase art directly from the artist, and see first-hand where their creative genius takes shape. Maps and a list of participating artists can be found here. This handy guide breaks down studio locations by artist and by region.

Continue reading “Second Saturday: Sneak Peek inside the Artists’ Studios”

Start the Presses! Local Publication Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek in final edits of their anniversary issue of Sacramento Book Review
Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek in final edits of their anniversary issue of Sacramento Book Review

One year ago, as newspapers across the country were stopping the presses, one brave couple dove in head-first. That’s when Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek started a little publication called Sacramento Book Review. Just as the LA Times was closing their book review, this Sacramento couple was starting theirs.

Crazy? Perhaps. As Rojek reached out to publishing companies in search of books to review, one publicist bellowed, “What idiot starts a book review in this economy?” The idiot savants went on to publish 115 reviews in that first September 2008 issue. Today, the company boasts 100 book reviewers, and this month they started their second publication, San Francisco Book Review.

Continue reading “Start the Presses! Local Publication Celebrates One Year Anniversary”