Author: Stickie

Welcome Home, Captain Ruhstaller!

Sacramento’s newest brewery pays tribute to one of California’s founding fathers of craft beer. Tomorrow, you can lift a glass and welcome Captain Frank Ruhstaller back to his old stomping ground. Join proprietor J.E. Paino and brewmaster Peter Hoey as they revitalize Ruhstaller Beer, first brewed in the River City in 1881.

Enjoy two beers and food at Mulvaney’s B&L. All proceeds will benefit a local charity. Advance tickets for $22 available here or $30 at the door.

Welcome Home, Captain Ruhstaller!
Tuesday, November 15 — 6-8pm
1215 19th Street, 95811

Fishbone documentary tonight!

Tonight (November 6, 2011), Pale Griot and MOABS presents Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone at the Guild Theater. Co-director Chris Metzler will be on hand for a Q&A.

Narrated by Lawrence Fishburne (which is funny), the film includes interviews with Flea, Ice-T, Gwen Stefani, Perry Farrell, Bob Forrest, Branford Marsalis, George Clinton, and a whole lot of funk.

A great weekend for beer

Cheers to Sacramento Beers!
Beer lovers of Sacramento, this is one of those weekends you have been waiting for. Whether you want to drink, learn to homebrew, hobnob with other beer lovers, or do all of the above, you have plenty of chances to get your brew on.

The star this weekend is the 24th Anniversary of Rubicon Brewing Company. They will be celebrating Saturday and Sunday with 24 hoppy choices. See this blogpost for selections.

The American Homebrewers Association hosts Learn to Homebrew Day across the US. Local homebrew clubs from Davis, Sacramento and Elk Grove are hosting events.

Tonight, The Shack is hosting the staff of Knee Deep Brewing Company for the release of their Knee Deep in Powder winter ale. Several rare kegs will also be tapped. 6pm.

All weekend, Extreme Pizza will offer a variety of award winning IPAs from Stone, Mad River, Knee Deep, Firestone Walker and more, all for less than $5 a pint.

Tonight, sample fine ales and meet the brewer of High Water Brewing Company at the new Whole Foods in Folsom from 6-8pm.

Cheers!

Ouch, Tyler

Sacramento’s Chef Tyler Stone is the first elimination from Top Chef Texas.

Tonight’s premiere of the 9th season of Top Chef featured Sacramento wunderkind Tyler Stone. Unfortunately, he barely got in the door when Head Judge Tom Colicchio asked him to leave the competition before he had a chance to cook a single dish. Unable to properly butcher a primal cut of pork, Stone is the fastest exit in Top Chef history. Top Chef loves to revel in mocking the early eliminations, and show editing resulted in a less-than-favorable impression of Chef Stone for viewers.

Better luck next time, Tyler!

Professor Hodson’s parting words

Rest In Peace, Professor

The SacBee reports today on the loss of Tim Hodson, a widely respected guru of the California Legislature and a professor at CSUS. Tim was an inspiration to many of his students, including me, and we are going to miss him a hell of a lot.

Shortly before his death from cancer, he wrote a poem which I will share with you after the jump.
Continue reading “Professor Hodson’s parting words”

FBI Creepiness at CSUS

Why was the FBI undercover at Sac State this week? And why were they mistaken for perverts?

Earlier this week at Sac State, a female student reported two suspicious men to SSPD. The men, described as in their 50s, approached her and identified themselves as undercover campus security officers. They asked her to accompany them to a nearby parking lot to assist them in an investigation. She wisely refused.

After the Police alerted the University community about the attempted weirdness, adding that they do not employ plainclothes policemen, people freaked the hell out. Safety meetings occurred frequently. Thankfully, no further incidents of creepiness occurred, but the suspects still remained at large.

A second statement was issued by campus police yesterday announcing the threat to be unfounded. Was it a fanciful yarn spun by a lonely freshman desperate for attention during her first month away from home? A prank inspired by a wacky 80’s low-budget college sex romp, or a terrifying 90’s high-budget torture porn? Sorority initiation time again?

No, they were undercover FBI agents.

Assuming this entire story isn’t a load of hooey, something still doesn’t add up for me. If these men were FBI, why wouldn’t they identify themselves as being FBI? For someone investigating crimes at a University, the worst disguise is “undercover campus cop”. Very fishy. So what really happened?
Continue reading “FBI Creepiness at CSUS”

Signs, signs everywhere

Occupy Sacramento attracted hundreds of protesters today.

Protesters gain credibility with both correct spelling and witty observations
Today’s Occupy Sacramento gathering was interesting mix of social activists, anarcho-punks, young hippies, libertarians, commies, old hippies, homeless, students, zeitgeisters, union folk, families, crazies and others. I failed in my attempt to spot the FBI agent (you know there was one), but maybe she was off getting lunch while I was there. As I am fascinated with communication tools such as T-shirts and bumper stickers, I took plenty of pictures of the signage (posted after the jump). Spelling and grammar were both spot on, so don’t expect a crop of hilarious, left wing examples of Teabonics.

After speaking to several of the organizers, I became impressed with their intentions and plans to work with the participants on developing goals and policy recommendations to back up their frustration with government and corporations. I also appreciated the good nature, friendliness and humor of participants as they held votes on long term strategies and short term plans for things like food and Porta-Potties. This was not an angry demonstration, but a determined one.

Unfortunately for them, much of these planning efforts will be wasted as their camping plans will be interrupted by SacPD tonight. It seemed to be common knowledge among everyone except the protestors that they would either leave by 11pm or be arrested. A few hours after I learned of this, the first warning was issued that the party would not be a sleepover.

Despite their impending removal, organizers are determined to continue to refine their message and disseminate it through a variety of channels, including social media, news and through demonstrations. Follow them on their competing Facebook pages and web sites.

Continue reading “Signs, signs everywhere”

Occupy Sacramento

The Occupy protest movement will launch Occupy Sacramento tomorrow at Caesar Chavez Park, 9AM. A flood of communications about this is on their Facebook page. My favorite post is from the confused dude who showed up today to find that nobody was there but farmers selling produce.

My conspiratorially minded mind wonders about these Anonymous folks, false flag attacks on the protest movement and who exactly is selling those sweet masks.

Please plan your commute accordingly, and look out for Tony Bologna.

Kickstarter in Sacramento

Check out the latest Kickstarter projects in Sacramento.

You know you want one

Kickstarter is a great way for artists and entrepreneurs to reach out through the Internet and find seed money for small projects. In return for your investment, you receive a variety of thank you gifts. Funding Kickstarter projects is fun and a little addictive, as I have been finding more and more projects that I believe would help our community, artists whom I already enjoy and stuff I simply find weird.

Already, numerous projects have been funded in Sacramento. Kevin Seconds is finally getting his own tour van. Trevor Morgan will be filming a documentary on our local homeless population. Keith Lowell Jensen will have a DVD of his latest comedy tour.

Here are a few of my favorite local projects currently seeking funding. From bacon jelly to gnome insurrections, maybe you will find a project you would like to help produce.
Continue reading “Kickstarter in Sacramento”

Best in the West cocktail competition

Good luck to Ella‘s bar manager Chris Dooley who will be representing Sacramento in SF Cocktail Week’s Best in the West competition tonight. Chris will be tasked with creating a signature cocktail that represents Sacramento’s dining culture using a palette of challenge ingredients including passion fruit, grapefruit, basil, coffee, cucumbers, ginger, Absinthe and peach. Knowing Chris and his cocktail stylings, judges can expect something seasonal and fresh that not only tastes delicious, but looks beautiful and smells enticing.