Unnamed British boy wizard themed fun [PHOTOS]

The Game Guy pointed out that unless Fairy Tale Town has extremely deep pockets or lots of political firepower, their “Harry Potter” night is a bazillion dollar licensing lawsuit waiting to happen. Despite the threat of legal action, a good time was had by all.

Lots of kids ran around in Hogwarts robes and Gryffindor ties, which was cute. Some cosplaying grownups, including a Snape/Voledemort/Tonks/Mad-Eye Moody family, a Dobby mask, and awesome Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy couple’s costume. The trivia contest game show was a hoot; the showing I attended was won by an 8 year old in Quidditch robes, sitting on his dad’s lap. A few photos after the jump.

Continue reading “Unnamed British boy wizard themed fun [PHOTOS]”

How the “Other” half of the other half lives

What with all the talk at Cesar Chavez Park and around the nation about the “1%,” the Bee yesterday provided a closer look at those wealthy one-percenters living in our own backyard.

Looking at a breakdown of the industries the 1% works in, the first question that jumps to my mind is what’s “Other,” where apparently 38% of the region’s $300,000-plus-earners make a living? Is the secret to making it in America avoiding all college courses that might lead you to law, healthcare, finance, construction, trade, or manufacturing?

I should be living in the Fabulous Forties by now.

Sampino’s Towne Foods: Welcome home

One of my recent favorites is Sampino’s Towne Foods, a wonderful and quirky Italian deli and gourmet meat market on 16th and F Street. I may have never noticed it, tucked away next to 16th Street Donuts. What I really like about Sampino’s comes down to two things. First, of course, is the quality of the food – magnifico!

And second, the warmth of the place. I swear, I feel more at home at Sampino’s than I do in my own apartment. The staff at Sampino’s will do anything you want with the pastas, salads and meats you see behind the glass. You can point to a lasagna and ask them to heap it onto their chicken marsala, then skewer a pastrami sandwich, two porcini mushrooms and a meatball onto the lasagna with toothpicks. And they’ll do it.

Continue reading “Sampino’s Towne Foods: Welcome home”

Think Big not thinking about the little people?

from thinkbigsacramento.com

Not too proud about that headline. Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy’s poll about the use of City funds to bankroll the new arena showed overwhelming public support for going to the ballot box, the Bee reports today. However, Think Big Sacramento, the Mayor’s initiative aimed at making the arena happen, calls the poll suspicious. Apparently they have their own poll that contradicts Sheedy’s:

Chris Lehane, head of the mayor’s Think Big Sacramento commission, pointed to a poll his group commissioned in August that found majority support for selling some city land, and for leasing city parking garages as part of a potential financing plan.

Supporting putting it to a vote and supporting some of those uses don’t seem to be diametrically opposed, but I’d have to see the questions on both polls. The Bee doesn’t supply those.

Continue reading “Think Big not thinking about the little people?”

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”

American River Parkway Clean-up on November 5th

A makeshift homeless camp under State Route 160 near Del Paso Blvd.
A makeshift homeless camp under State Route 160 near Del Paso Blvd.

From the American River Parkway Foundation…

The American River Parkway Foundation will stage another volunteer clean-up effort on November 5th to target the lower portion of the Parkway that has been impacted by homeless camps. We invite you to join us for this 1-day event: November 5th from 9am-12pm. Location: Northgate Blvd. at Hwy 160

The recent clean-up effort at William Pond Park received a great turn out. As someone that rides this stretch every day, I am so thankful that folks take time out of their schedule to show up and get their hands dirty. It is such a wonderful benefit of living in Sacramento.

Visit the American River Parkway Foundation on Facebook for more photos and videos of these events. You must be at least 14 years of age to register and be accompanied by an adult if between the ages of 14 and 17 (is that 15 and 16?).

Wilco @ Mondavi Center, February 1

WILCO
Creative Commons License photo credit: planetadelcangrejo

American rock god Jeff Tweedy and his band Wilco will be making an appearance in Davis at the Mondavi Center next year. The show on February 1 is part of their U.S. tour this Winter for “The Whole Love,” their 8th studio album, which was released last month.

I’ve given “The Whole Love” a few spins and it is a big, bad-ass record. The tickets for the Mondavi show are $45 and they go on sale Friday (pre-sale starts Thursday) … Is that a lot? I haven’t paid for a concert ticket in ages. But Wilco coming to town is enough to get my to break that trend.

Wilco
with White Denim
Wednesday, Feb 1 2010 @ 8:00 PM
Mondavi Center for the Arts
Davis, CA
Tickets: $45 at Another Planet Entertainment
WilcoWorld.net

“Activist Mayor” sees no need to discuss City business?

Apparently Mayor Johnson is dealing with some flak about his less-than-stellar attendance at city council meetings. However, I don’t think he should deal with this situation by letting his campaign spokesman Steve Maviglio do any actual spokesmanship:

“Kevin Johnson puts more energy, time and enthusiasm into the mayor’s job in a week than his predecessor did in a year,” Maviglio said. “There’s a lot more to being an activist mayor than banging a gavel at a dull City Council meeting where minutia is discussed.”

As the great Dirk Calloway said: “With friends like that, who needs friends?”

The Brunch That Nightmares are Made of, or How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Sunday

This has nothing to do with the attached article, but the image of Thomas Jefferson punching a gorilla makes me feel better

“Hey honey, want to try someplace new for brunch?”
I’m surprised lighting didn’t strike me as soon as I said those unassuming words. It turns out the fates had a much more insidious plan to ruin my weekend up their ethereal sleeves.

SUNDAY (the day of reckoning)

11am- We are joined by our friend Tiffany, who, being game, says that she would love to join us for a little dining adventure south of the city. I tell her that there’s this place on Yelp that has some great reviews. From the map, it looks like it’s on the river and features some mouth watering soul food. Basically all I had seen in the reviews were the words “sweet potato waffles” and I was sold.
11:30am- We depart for Water’s Edge Bistro at Moon River Inn. Continue reading “The Brunch That Nightmares are Made of, or How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Sunday”

I Love Your Fat Face (It’s Not an Insult)

It took me a while to figure out what was going on on 19th Street. For months, I’d be driving down the one-way thoroughfare at about 30 mph, trying to share the road with cyclists, dodge vehicles coming out of the Safeway parking lot (one of the worst designed parking lots in the universe by the way), and make the light at S Street, when a waist-high sandwich board would distract me for a nanosecond. I couldn’t tell whether it was advertising clothing, popsicles, food, wine, or jewelry. When I finally stopped and pulled over one day, unable to deal with the confusion and distracted driving any longer, I realized that the sign was actually advertising for all of those things at the same time.

Confusing? Yes. But if you’re willing to put up with just a modicum of initial confusion, you’ll find yourself well rewarded at — wait for it — Fat Face @ Bows & Arrows. Is it a vintage clothing and jewelry boutique? Yes. Is it a culinarily clever café? Yes. Is it both? Amazingly, yes. Does it work? Quite well actually.

It really shouldn’t be all that confusing. Maybe I’m just too set in my ways to recognize a restaurant/boutique partnership as a standard American business model. However, my preconceived notions aside, there’s nothing wrong with eating in a vintage clothing store. Especially when the food, drink, and ambiance is utterly delightful.

Continue reading “I Love Your Fat Face (It’s Not an Insult)”