One way to put it…

The Bee’s Stan Oklobdzija (at least I think that’s how the Sacto 9-1-1 blog works) checks in with an interesting side note about the city’s murder rate for 2009:

Even if someone is killed between now and March 5, this will be the longest period without a homicide in the city of Sacramento since 1999, records show.

Don’t everybody throw your hats into the air in triumph at the same time, lest a falling hat commit a homicide on its way down.

(But on a serious note, that’s pretty great news. I can’t believe there hasn’t been a homicide since New Years!)

No Mermaids Need Apply

mermaid barI know I made light of the mermaids thing but the larger issue is the proposed $8.6 million city subsidy for the building of the complex. As you might expect, there is a petition out there in opposition to the subsidy. Neighboring businesses argue the subsidy would “bankrupt” their businesses. The Midtown Business Association has collected some documents about the proposal (they call the proposed new bar with swimming girls a “mermaid bar,” which is confusing — if it was truly a bar for mermaids, that wouldn’t necessarily cut into the bottom line for neighboring businesses catering to “normals.”)

Based on the developer’s proposal it sounds like the mermaid bar/mermaid-themed bar is going to be punningly titled “DIVE BAR” and the “adult pizza” (??) joint is to be called “PIZZA ROCK.”

Pamela Wu moving on

P Wu Just received this email from KCRA anchor Pamela Wu:

After 14 years in the TV news biz, I am excited to make a career change.

I will be working for Kevin Johnson!

No, not Sacramento’s mayor…

Kevin Johnson is Dean of the UC Davis School of Law, where I will become the Director of Marketing and Communications starting on Monday, February 23. My duties will include raising the profile of the law school in the local and national press, as well as marketing the school to prospective students, faculty, and donors. If you’re a reporter in need of a legal expert to quote for a story, I’m your gal.

I will miss television journalism and my amazing colleagues at KCRA-3, but I won’t miss working crazy hours and on holidays, and I definitely won’t miss doing the snow reports from Blue Canyon!

U hadn’t heard this news yet. P. Wu has always been a fan of this here web log and we’ve always been a fan of hers. We wish her luck in her new career!

Downtown to get mermaids??

We would be remiss if this planned testament to d-baggery were allowed to go unremarked:

[San Francisco nightclub owner George] Karpaty’s K Street proposal has some novel elements: a pizza shop with staffers doing “dough acrobatics,” a dance club targeting the 30-and-up crowd, and a bar featuring a built-in aquarium with women swimmers costumed as mermaids.

I’m trying to find the local news clip touting the mermaid idea as being “straight out of the movies” — the movie in this case being the totally relevant “Analyze This” from 1999. I’d like to see this idea carried forward into a whole block of ’90s movie-themed d-bag hangout spots. For example, a “breakfast any time” Vegas diner joint, a “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” juice bar, or perhaps a “Crying Game” hot dog shop run by women.

And let’s not forget the “dance club targeting the 30-and-up crowd.” Who really wants to see that?

A Roundup of Really Good Meals

Maritime– Valentine’s Day prompted the return of Mrs. Eats and me to Maritime. Chef Song is still putting out absolutely exquisite food. V-day brought a set menu including ahi tartar, roasted duck on puff pastry, sea bass over risotto (my favorite) and filet en croute (filet mignon cooked in a pastry shell).  Desserts (Song’s true speciality if truth be told) were divine, coffee creme brulee and strawberries macerated with wine and served with a creme anglaise.

The big news about Maritime is not that the food is still good, or even that they’re still open.  The news is that they’re changing their name, changing their service, and changing their vibe. The new name is Ambiance, the new vibe is a little slick and a little less top crust, and the service is $45 a person fix price menu only.  I hope very much that this rebranding works.  Chef Song is a treasure, and we’d do well to keep him in town.

Enotria– With new chef Tony Brenes overseeing the small, two-man kitchen — the second of the two men being Chef de Cuisine and 11-year Enotria vet Christian Sieck — things are very, very good at Enotria. The short rib ravioli, a surprisingly light dish all considered, with a wispy ravioli pasta, stuffed plump with flavor-infused short rib, topped with a single piece of pecorino and a dot of rich, syrupy balsamic, is absolutely out of this universe.  Ask new wine director, the intense yet lovable Chad Seaburg, what to pair it with, and you’ll have yourself quite a nice evening. Continue reading “A Roundup of Really Good Meals”

The Ace-man leaveth

Fans of the Adam Carolla show were greeted with some bummer news today as Adam announced that Friday will be his last show on terrestrial radio. The show’s home station, KLSX (97.1) in Los Angeles will switch to the oh-so-popular “Top 40/Contemproary Hit Radio” format on February 20th.

From latimes.com:

“Beginning next week, new episodes of Carolla’s show will no longer broadcast in any market, although it is believed that “best of” shows may air in some territories.”

The good news is that the show will continue via podcast starting Monday at adamcarolla.com.

The show was heard locally on 106.5 (KWOD).

UPDATE: Budget passes, gas tax cut

Yay budget. I’m not sure what you commenters were looking at, but I was ahead of all other news outlets in calling the delays. Did you think the delays were from my not having the right info? 🙂

I’m a little confused as to why there was so much discussion about getting constitutional amendments on the ballot. Since when does getting a proposal on the ballot require almost crashing the system? Isn’t it conventional wisdom by now that part of the reason we’re in such trouble now is that it is too easy to get initiatives on the ballot? It seems like the three budget-reform amendments would have been a lock with or without Maldonado’s vote. I bet if you polled average folks most people think legislators already don’t get paid if they are 100 days late on one of their most important work tasks, almost resulting in the crumbling of one of the world’s largest economies. Now the Democrats are in the odd position of appearing to need to be convinced that they shouldn’t.

I’m also confused as to why Federal stimulus dollars (“Obamabucks” — I’ve just coined that) were added to the mix so late in the game. Were they going to give back some of it? Were they planning to divert the money to something that wasn’t part of the budget? I’m sure somebody can explain. This whole thing has been so disheartening that I must admit I haven’t been following it as closely as I could have.

“Stay Classy” alert: Lance’s bike stolen

News10’s Ryan Yamamoto reports that cycling legend Lance Armstrong’s one-of-a-kind time trial bike was stolen from his trailer overnight. The trailer was parked behind the new Residence Inn downtown. Yay Sacramento!

This is also a “Stay Classy” alert due to the use of the acronym “WTF” in a news article, quoting Armstrong’s Twitter feed. Yay 21st century newsgathering!