In what is sure to add some weight to those “next big thing” comments about Sacramento’s Sister Crayon, ultimate hipster scene maker-or-breaker Pitchfork is offering the preview track Cynic from their forthcoming EP Other.
If you like Portishead, Mazzy Star, or Sneaker Pimps, (or for you hip kids, CocoRosie, Natasha Khan or Matteah Baim), watch for Other to drop soon and catch them live around town while you still can.
I visited Colonial Heights Library with my family on Saturday, and we and several other families were treated to a hands-on visit to the library’s Demonstration Garden, which in the rear of the property. Though the garden is not typically open to the public, staff do regularly open the back doors to allow patrons to enjoy the garden. In addition, the garden is part of a “Read & Feed” program to highlight planting and nurturing of crops as well as nutrition and literacy.
On this particular visit we got to help harvest some cherry tomatoes! I have posted a few photos after the break… Continue reading “The Harvest is in at Colonial Heights Library – Photos”
Just in case you thought that ramen, or salumi, or Korean tacos were the next big thing, the simple burger is back to establish its supremacy as America’s (and Sacramento’s) original “big thing.” It’s called the Sacramento Burger Battle.
Tomorrow night at Raley Field, over a dozen local burger slingers will pit their skills against one another to see whose burger is the mightiest, juciest, burgeriest, thing you can stick in your mouth. Tix are $55 (which is, yes, a little pricey), but it includes beer and wine tasting, burgers, live music, and ladies who will grind your meat food.
No one under 21 allowed (sorry kids). Proceeds will go to charity, a real charity and not some tea party front organization. Get all the details at http://www.sacburgerbattle.com. Â See you there.
Congratulations are in order for part-time Sac Rag author, GreenBeet (@AwakeAtTheWhisk), as she made CBS Sacramento’s recent list of 10 Best Sacramento Foodies To Follow On Twitter.
It’s hard not to love a foodie with the witty name “Awake at the Whisk.” Amber describes herself as “living la vida locavore!” She’s from Sacramento and her long-ago switch to a health-conscious vegetarian diet is a win for foodies looking for unique recipes and recommendations. Amber is a fanatic about keeping things healthy, striving to always use organic local products and support those who share similar goals. Her recipes are creative and often made with ingredients she has grown herself. Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, it’s nearly impossible not to want to make everything on her blog.
Fellow Sac Rag food-loving author, sac-eats, was unavailable for comment and is currently not a member of the Twittersphere.
Mt. St. Mtn., the vinyl-only record label of Sacramento lo-fi/garage bands like G. Green and Standard Tribesmen, as well as other SF/Nor Cal bands, has launched a new website at mtstmtn.com. Taking a big step up from the label’s 90s-era band site, the new hotness has improved navigation to showcase the label’s limited-edition vinyl releases and print zines, including integration with a PayPal store to purchase vinyl and zines.
The label is set to distribute a debut LP by Sacramento fuzz-rock supergroup Fine Steps, but Mark Kaiser (of Mayyors and Omnibus Records fame) tells me the initial run is almost completely sold out. The Fine Steps (featuring Sacramento rock scene stalwarts Chris Woodhouse and Julian Elorduy) play an infectious jangly surf-rock that could be one of Sac’s next big music exports. Here’s “Tomorrow for All Today”:
The Bee’s Ryan Lillis reported today that Mayor Johnson’s “Think Big” arena task force received funds from the Sacramento Kings, with whom of course the Mayor has negotiated on a proposed arena.
Apparently Johnson missed a 30-days deadline for reporting many of the donations; in fact donations made last summer were reported in August. This is a major scandal that in a fair world would keep Johnson from getting reelected or even finishing his term. Continue reading “KJ’s Think Big funded by Kings, Bee reports”
I know a few of us bloggers like to joke about how we are grumpy old men trapped in svelte, exquisitely toned younger men’s bodies. But I’d like us to take a moment to make fun of this awesome op-ed that takes it to a professional level. It’s a “Special to The Bee” from Bruce Maiman, a former radio show host living in Rocklin:
With Labor Day weekend behind us and the unofficial end of summer upon us, I’m reminded of something I rarely see anymore: kids playing outside. Have you noticed? Over the years, there’s less and less of it. Why?
Feel free to tell me your favorite part. I think my favorite is where he completely discounts skateboarding, a great outdoor activity, but cites playing with army guys as an example of acceptable “outdoor play.” Or maybe when he laments that kids here in Sacramento, on the West Coast of the United States, are rarely found bottling fireflies. Or when he blames the 24 hour news cycle for scaring parents into keeping their kids indoors, paragraphs after raising the specter of rising obesity as a scare tactic to get kids outside playing stickball.
Here’s the scoop: my favorite Japanese restaurant in town, Akebono, is opening a ramen shop on 19th and S. They’re taking over the space currently held by Jalisco’s Mexican restaurant.
A) I have heard nothing but limp reviews of Jalisco’s so no loss there. B) Akebono’s new enterprise will be pork based ramen only (sorry vegetarians (not actually sorry)). C) It will be better, bigger, and open later than Shoki. D) I can’t wait for ramen weather.
One is how easy it is get a drink. Per person, Sacramento has more groceries, drugstores and other liquor outlets to buy booze than any big city in the state, other than Bakersfield, according to state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control numbers.
Nah, I think the old “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” response applies here.
One patron, Jeremiah Harvey, a 27-year-old lawyer, said many people aren’t as afraid of getting a DUI as they used to be because the price isn’t as high. “Now, it’s going to be expensive, but it’s not going to ruin your life,” he said, sipping a bourbon at de Vere’s Irish Pub. In Sacramento County, a first-time DUI offender typically pays about $2,000 in fines and court costs, has to spend at least 48 hours on a work project and serves three years on probation.
Now we’re talking. The old “Risk/Reward” logic. Could be on to something here.
And yet another factor could be that Sacramento is the state capital, where alcohol lubricates the wheeling and dealing. Public officials sometimes set a bad example. Just since spring 2010, state Finance Director Ana Matosantos, Assemblyman Martin Garrick and then-state Sen. Roy Ashburn all pleaded no contest to driving drunk downtown.
Not bad, our culture definitely follows the “Do as I say, not as I do” approach to behavior.
So, what do you think? Like the article says, should we even admit we have a problem?
It’s always fun when a local news personality leaves to join another local news agency as they have to show excitement about the new job without seeming glad to be out of the old.
Take this story from KCRA about Lisa Gonzales joining KCRA.
“I am honored and humbled to work at the station I grew up watching. This is a rare opportunity and an exciting new chapter in my career,” said Gonzales. “I can’t wait to get started!”
You know, as opposed to the station you grew up ignoring?
I enjoyed her stuff over at KOVR 13 and look forward to seeing her on KCRA 3’s morning show.
The Sac Rag 