KCRA, where the non-news comes first

KCRA reported over the weekend that the economic downturn has hurt River Cats ticket sales. “It’s considerably decreased” says Chad Collins, Director of Ticket Sales. “I hope this isn’t an indication of what the rest of the season is going to be,” says Group Events Executive Marie Maita.

Think again. Those quotes are in the story, but they’re actually just courtesy of local residents waiting in line to buy tickets, “reporting” on their memory of what the line was like last year. Seriously. Continue reading “KCRA, where the non-news comes first”

Double dose of the walking dead at MOBS

A zombie-themed double billing at Movies On a Big Screen Friday:

7 and 8:30 pm, “Dead Exit” (2009)
This is a locally produced and shot zombie horror flick, and it was actually filmed primarily on location at the Movies On a Big Screen theater. It’s a short film (about 20 minutes) that is being presented as a “Sneak Preview” before it heads out on the festival circuit. The cast and crew will be in attendance, and you can bet some of them will be dressed as reanimated ghouls.

The reanimated infestation has reached a crisis point, overwhelming both local law enforcement and federal agencies. Designated evacuation and quarantine sites, known as “green zones,” were developed to protect the few survivors and strategic assets that remained. … In the midst of the chaos and confusion caused by the latest collapse in the perimeter, three lone survivors rush to the final evacuation point.

Continue reading “Double dose of the walking dead at MOBS”

Tales from dancing on laps

This lap dance story is rich:

When Helen Hart tried to jump start business at her house by putting up a sign for adult tap dancing classes, the 79-year-old grandma started fielding calls for adult lap dancing services.

“I get maybe three to 17 [calls] a week,” Helen said. “I’m nearly 80, so age does mean something. Can you imagine a man coming to the door and I open the door and I go, ‘Yeah?’ He goes, ‘Oh, never mind.'”

It’s made even richer by Helen’s sense of humor…

This lap dance story is not so rich:

Sacramento’s Sheriff’s Department is calling for a ban on lap dancing, but only for two adult bars the county has been battling for years over zoning issues…”The physical nature of the lap dance creates an unsavory element, if you will. I mean, it attracts an unsavory element that leads to prostitution, loitering around these businesses,” counters Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department…”There’s no hands touching the customers or customers touching the girls, not at all,” said Mull. He also said in a time of high unemployment and fewer dollars flowing into government coffers, the lap dance ban makes no sense. If the bars have to close down, he said 130 jobs will be lost.

I don’t think the hands touching thing is what concerns people here…but, I could be wrong. You could always just invite the unsavory element to your house for a Pole Dance party!

Argument at Denny’s results in a grand slam

Happy “Furlough Friday” all. It’s your last one…

And to celebrate I thought I’d share this little gem from cbs13.com

A car full of women slammed into a South Sacramento home this morning crashing through several walls and nearly hitting several sleeping children.

Blah, blah, blah, RTOI. We’ve seen this before.

Police say the four women who were inside the car got into some sort of fight at a Denny’s on Mack Road. When officers arrived to break up the fight, the women sped off, leading cops on a high-speed chase into the South Sacramento neighborhood.

Right, right.

Police believe alcohol was involved. The driver has been arrested on suspicion of evading police, resisting arrest, assault and lynching.

You know, the usual…

Breakfast-The Carmichael Way

I’m not a morning person — heck, I’m not even an early afternoon person — but I still get excited about a really good breakfast.

Lido Cafe-7739 Fair Oaks Blvd

The Lido is simply a great breakfast spot. Two little birdies told me so, their names are “sweet potato pancake” and “homemade cinnamon roll.” In another part of town, those might sound like streetwalker handles, but not in Carmichael son.  Those are two of the many standout delicacies waiting for you on the Lido menu. Add to that the spot-on service and the great coffee and you’ve got yourself gen-u-wine breakfast perfection. Other than the fact that the owners of Lido didn’t call me personally years ago to tell me how good their grub was, I can’t find fault.

El Palmar-2452 Mission Ave

I’ve talked about neighborhood favorite El Palmar before. Well, it’s still good, and the new, more expansive digs on El Camino can accommodate the ceaseless business.  But we’re here to talk about breakfast, and El Palmar serves one of my favorites. No, senor, it’s not a breakfast burrito, that silly California hybrid. It’s just one word that says breakfast delight: MACHACA.  Machaca con huevos, that is: a scrumptious mix of scrambled eggs and spiced, shredded beef that trumps any omelette anywhere by anyone.  Some rice and beans on the side and a michelada to drink makes for el desayuno perfecto. Continue reading “Breakfast-The Carmichael Way”

Oprahbucks

Good news! … sort of … maybe … Cbs13.com & sacbee.com report that two Sacramento homeless programs have been flooded with donations since they were featured on Oprah Winfrey’s show last week (yes, last week, I know this story is old news, not trying to scoop here, and stop looking at me like that).

CBS13 also profiled St. John’s Shelter shortly before the story ran on the Oprah show. John’s Shelter for women and children is filled to capacity, thanks to the economy. Executive Director Michele Steeb says the shelter turned away 25 women and children a day in 2007, but that number jumped to 80 in 2008 and is now 130 per day in 2009.

“Thanks to the economy“. Nice.

And from the Oprah article:

Tent cities are illegal in Sacramento, but Lisa says that may change soon. “So many people are seeking out shelter because all of the homeless shelters are filled beyond capacity, that they’re actually thinking about legalizing tent communities, and the city is actually thinking about providing services,” she says. “Surprisingly, the community has been extremely sympathetic because so many people in Sacramento have gone into foreclosure. … The shelters say that people have actually been donating more because the attitude is ‘I’d rather spend money so that people can have shelter than buy new material stuff.'”

If you are actually interested in learning more, watch the video of Lisa visiting Tent City.

Fairytale Town celebrates 50

Folks may be surprised to learn that Fairytale Town opened its doors on August 29, 1959!

Of course you already know that…

Fairytale Town is a nonprofit family park with more than twenty three-dimensional child-size play sets based on favorite fairytales and nursery rhymes. A family of friendly animals and children’s gardens nestle in this safe and colorful place. Fairytale Town’s mission is to promote the imagination, creativity and education of children.

Yesterday they kicked off a two-week book drive.

…families bringing in a new book to Fairytale Town March 2 – March 16 will receive one free child with a paid adult admission. All books will be donated to Woodbine Elementary School here in Sacramento.

Be sure to check out their calendar as they are celebrating all year long (with a new site on the way, too!)

Congratulations!

25 Random Things…(State Budget Edition)

Those of you who are down with the book of faces will know what this article is about from the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper.

Playing off Facebook’s “25 Things About Me” meme [I’ll save you the trouble: “a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation)”].

A few favorites…

3) The Assembly and Senate both passed 34 separate pieces of legislation to enact the budget.

4) These included five separate ballot measures that require voter approval in a May 19 special election; if any is defeated, the budget deal unravels.

12) Governor Terminator, who drove Gray Davis from office by bashing him for hiking the Vehicle License Fee for car registration, last week doubled the VLF to balance the budget.

20) At least three separate ballot initiatives are in the works to get rid of the two-thirds vote requirement for passing a budget.

Which ones do you find especially noteworthy?

Did Someone Say BANJO-RAMA?

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!  At the Carmichael Elks Lodge, come and see your favorite dixieland banjo players strum it up.  According to the website, the event runs from 11:40am to 5:30pm (banjo players are very specific with timeliness). 

If you’ve never attended a Banjo-Rama before, then you owe it to yourself to probably not come to this one.  Honestly, this is the 42nd annual Banjo-Rama, and if you haven’t come out for one of the 41 previous events, you’re not coming this year.  I know that: you know that: let’s stop pretending that you care about my banjo obsession. 

There, I’ve said my piece.  You can all go about your business.