Category: Arts

All-Star Line-Up Celebrates California Women

This Thursday, March 4, First Lady Maria Shriver partners with The California Museum for a FREE “Day at the Museum,” a celebration of California’s leading ladies. Prepare to be inspired! The all-star line-up includes Iron Chef Cat Cora and Sacramento’s own Biba Caggiano (owner of Biba Restaurant), Sacramento-native Lisa Ling, the original founders of Sacramento nonprofit WEAVE, California’s top female elected officials, astronaut Sally Ride, environmental activist Erin Brockovich, and many more!

Festivities also include yoga, chef demonstrations, basket weaving, Indian drumming, exhibits, music, you name it! You’ll be kicking yourself if you miss this grand affair. And you’ve gotta admit the price is right. Here are the details: Continue reading “All-Star Line-Up Celebrates California Women”

Ganglians at Daytrotter Studios


via myspace

Local band Ganglians have a session up today on Datrotter.com, one of my favorite sources for discovering new bands. The sessions on Daytrotter come with cool artwork (which shows up on your i-Whatever) and a spacey/poetic writeup.

The Ganglians, who rocked last year’s SXSW, have an intriguing and unique garage pop sound. The heavily reverbed vocals and hard, sometimes darker, psychedelic sounds will kick your ears’ ass. The ass of your ears. “Hair,” which I wrote about previously, is an amazing track from their self-titled debut, which is available for purchase…somehow…from Woodsist.

Ganglians: Heads Spinning Into Loops on Daytrotter.com

Are you a no bs security guard?

Paul Blart, Mall Cop
Safety never takes a holiday.
Yes? Man, you are in luck.

via RealityWanted.com

We are looking for real life experienced Security Guards to be part of a new reality series. Are you the toughest, boldest, no bs Security Guard? Are you a natural leader? We are looking for real people who are the biggest and most energetic security guards to be part of a new show taking place in Sacramento. We are not looking for actors. You must have experience working in security and you must already have the proper training. This casting is for Sacramento only, you must pay your own way if you live outside the Sacramento area.

I believe they are called Security Officers…

Don’t mess with Texas

I received an email this morning informing me that the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon is holding a contest to change their name. Why? Because they have to!

When we decided to revitalize the long-standing Sacramento Marathon in 2005 our goal was to give it a name, identity, and personality that would be fun and relevant for our community. At the risk of being offensive to some, we renamed the event to the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon. Our runners not only embraced the name “Cowtown”, but also the theme, the festivities, and, of course, our cows. After all, who could resist those loveable, yet admittedly forlorn, cows that grace our race shirts each year?

Makes sense to me. If you can’t beat’em, join’em, right?

Simply put, Sacramento is no longer a cowtown & the name no longer accurately describes our community. We’re ready to forge ahead proud to leave this outdated ‘description’ behind us…Apparently, not so in Texas! The folks in Fort Worth, TX, their runners, their attorneys, and no doubt their cows, are so pleased to have the distinction of still actually being, well, a “cowtown” that they will go to any lengths to covet the name “Cowtown Marathon” exclusively. So, we are relinquishing the name and they can now maintain a legacy Sacramento no longer has to endure.

Alrighty then…So, what would your suggestion be? Feel free to submit it formally, and even in the name of the SacRag if you want to be really cool. Otherwise, leave your snarky goodness as a comment and we’ll have some fun at Sacramento’s expense.

The California Automobile Museum

TESLA Motors Roadster electric vehicle sports car EV
Tesla girls, Tesla girls

I had occasion to visit the California Automobile Museum (formerly The Towe Auto Museum) this weekend and boy was I impressed. I’ve never been much of a “car guy” but I appreciate a sweet ride when I see it. The inventory is quite remarkable and with the new “Born to Ride” exhibit showcasing the evolution of motorcycles you get quite a bang for your buck ($7 for adults with an AAA card). I enjoyed the “Going Green” exhibit as well and got my first look at a Tesla Roadster which will be up for auction on January 22, 2010.

Check out the fact sheet for more details or visit them on Facebook or Twitter. Great reviews on Yelp, too.

It’s a bit tricky to get to with downtown construction (link to Google map), but there was plenty of free parking once I got there. They also participate in Sacramento Museum Day (free admission!) which will be held on February 6, 2010.

The Crumbling of America

The History Channel amuses me, as many of their shows seem to be fact checked by contestants on “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” (the adults, not the kids), yet I still tune in to their shows. Today, I watched The Crumbling of America, which details the disasters that American cities face from our dilapidated infrastructure.

Of course, Sacramento’s levee system is highlighted. My favorite part is their computer simulation of a levee breach in Natomas, which consists of a picture of water superimposed over a picture of Arco Arena. Woo, high tech!

Continue reading “The Crumbling of America”

Simpsons 20th Anniversary DVD Release Tomorrow

Doh! Slather on some cologne and grab a Duff beer, because tomorrow’s gonna be a special day! It’s the DVD release of The Simpsons 20th season. Woo! Hoo!

If you missed the delightful 20th Anniversary documentary hosted by Morgan Spurlock last night, don’t have a cow, man. Rumor has it the feature is part of Disc 4 on the DVD.

Where can you buy the complete DVD set? Shop locally and head down to The Beat at 1700 J Street. It’ll cost you $49.98.

But that’s just a fact, and as we all know, the wise Homer once said, “Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true!”

Rockcomedyjazz Night at the Press

If there’s one thing the Press Club is not known for, it’s comedy; if there’s another, it’s jazz—yet both will be on display alongside one of Sacramento’s favorite bands, The Snobs, this Tuesday night at 9 p.m.

Comedian and host Noel Dewitt (who also happens to own one of Sacramento’s best salons,  Mirrors) will share the stage with an unlikely, but hard-not-to-like lineup of comedian John Ross, comedy jazz duo The Freebadge Serenaders (don’t be surprised if one of the members of the Serenaders looks surprisingly like me), and The Snobs.

The cover charge is a paltry $3, and drink specials will be flowing all night. Come on by for some toe-tappin’, belly-bustin’ good times.

Press Club, 9PM, $3- 2030 P St

Design of the Times

Jason Williams shows of his tattoo
Go, EBOY, Go!
While the Sac Rag takes a few days off to celebrate the winter solstice, I thought I would leave you with a few links to sites showcasing tattoos of all shapes and sizes.

Nothing on current Sacramento Kings, but I did find more from former King, Jason Williams.

Happy Holidays!

Farm City: Tales from an Urban Farmer

FoodNov09 458Novella Carpenter compares herself to the witch in Hansel and Grettle, “I fatten things up so I can eat them.” A more apt description might be Charlie from the Chocolate Factory: she’s found a golden ticket to building community through urban farming, and she sure is ecstatic! Carpenter recently spoke about her new book, Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op as part of a fundraiser for Soil Born Farms.

Carpenter embodies the passionate social movement surrounding locally grown, sustainable food practices. She’s sharp as a tack, yet laid-back, and comes dressed in her jeans and work boots. She opens by cheering about her afternoon class on backyard chicken farming, “I felt like I was part of the resistance movement. Yeah!” She declares with fist raised, earnest but laughing.

Carpenter takes this work seriously. She lives Continue reading “Farm City: Tales from an Urban Farmer”