In these tough economic times, be thankful for tough economic times

The Sac Bee reports on a rare benefit in this down economy:

While Sacramento commuters spend on average 24 hours a year stuck in traffic, that’s better than in most urban areas, and it’s a smoother commute than drivers here have had since 1993, a new report shows…

Commute-period congestion peaked in Sacramento in 2005 and 2006 at 35 congested hours per year on average, then tailed off as the recession hit, according to a report published today by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University.

With the economy tanking, we were able to get rid of a lot of the trafficularsclerosis clogging up our arteries:

Furloughs, layoffs, lack of construction, and fewer delivery trucks on the road are key contributors to more free-flowing commutes, local officials said.

I don’t know about you, but I blame Obama.

CAKE chart topper is death of music industry?

Good news for Sacramento’s own CAKE band, whose new album “Showroom of Compassion” opened at #1 on the Billboard charts for the week! However, it did so by selling only 44,000 copies, the lowest high sales mark in Billboard history (beating out Taylor Swift). McCrea and co shouldn’t get too comfortable in that spot as you know the record won’t last. But still, that’s great for their “comeback album” to get some interest.

I know that I have not bought a compacted disc since the Clinton administration, but I’m also not sweating it. The only development of the new music industry paradigm that worries me is that bands now have to do almost anything but focus on selling records if they want to make money, which could lead to more selling out. For example, there is no way in hockey sticks that Vampire Weekend didn’t have a discussion of whether J Crew or Old Navy commercials would be better suited for their song “Holiday.” (Or is it much less sinister than that? Does Old Navy just go through the record label to purchase a song for their winter launch?)

P.S., yes, I know I used Cake and death in the title of the post. Wasn’t that like 4 years ago now though?

Popfest this Friday!

Poppy!

Sacramento’s culinary community is banding together this Friday to help out friend in need. If you are a local foodie and have a little cash for a great cause, you won’t want to miss Popfest at the Sterling Hotel. Popfest will benefit Poppy Watson, who was terribly injured in a dog attack last November. She has already undergone two reconstructive surgeries, has several more ahead of her and the bills are already devastating.

This is the part where you go to the Sterling Hotel on Friday for Popfest. You will feast on wonderful food from the all-star lineup of Selland, Mulvaney, Mahan, Ngo, Pechal and Zoellin. You will quench your thirst and cleanse your palate with local creations from Two Rivers Cider, Barryessa Gap Vineyards and my favorite new local winery, Turkovich Family Farms, or cocktails made by bartenders from The Shady Lady and DeVere’s Irish Pub. You will try the incredible new Fortaleza Tequila, which is made using centuries-old artisan techniques. You will hold your head in shocked delight at the prizes you can win in both a live and silent auction.
Continue reading “Popfest this Friday!”

“Nick on the Town” on new K Street nightlife

Nick on the Town reviews Dive Bar, Pizza Rock and District 30 and gives them his stamp of approval. Well, all of them except for District 30…

which I actually didn’t go into last night because I didn’t feel cool enough. Of course, by “didn’t feel cool enough” I mean I felt sleepy. But, man, they’ve gone through a lot of effort to convince you just how cool the place is. They even hired “world famous hipster DJ Steve Aoki” to play tonight.

Nick would know, so if he goes thumbs up on this then I am almost completely turned around on the issue.

Sacramento Museum Day is coming

Humpty Dumpty Sat On a Wall...
Creative Commons License photo credit: UhDuh
Fairytale Town is on the list!?

The 13th Annual Sacramento Museum Day will be on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All participating museums close at 5 p.m. with the last guests admitted at 4 p.m.

From this latimes.com article:

Though it’s tempting to museum-hop until you drop, realistically you’ll be able to squeeze in only two or three museums on the free day. The museum association also offers the following advice…Expect a wait at the more popular sites such as the Crocker Art Museum, the Sacramento Zoo and the Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park. Park your car and use a free shuttle that services most of the museums on the list.

There are 26 museums participating in this year’s event so this is a good opportunity to visit a museum less traveled.

Classy decor at Sandwich Spot

I work out at Mather AFB, and one of the small number of lunch options out that way is Sandwich Spot. Sac-eats reviewed the midtown location when it first opened and had favorable things to say about the experience, and I basically agree with his assessment. Good bread, interesting combos (like my favorite, hot roast beef, pastrami, and salami with pepper jack cheese), and inflated but not egregious prices.

However, what is notable about this location is its laughable “Vegas-themed” decor. A large photo-printed mural of the strip adorns one wall, and the rest of the walls are covered with stenciled words that connote Vegas: Baccarat, jackpot, slots, etc. It is cringe-worthy. And that was before I noticed the door to the restroom… Continue reading “Classy decor at Sandwich Spot”

Maloofs open to “all options” for Kings

Regarding what to do with the Kings, dumping them on Anaheim or Vegas is now an option. I can’t really see Anaheimians attending Kings games, but maybe an underwhelming last place basketball team that is currently showing it can waste even a rookie of the year is just what that area needs. It doesn’t sound like the Maloofs are as secure in Vegas as they once were, so if they move there it won’t be for the same reasons it would have been a few years ago. I also can’t see the NBA going for contraction but it would fit the storyline of the day and age we’re in.

It would probably take at least 2 years to move the franchise to Vegas. At this point the grieving process, once the other shoe drops, will only take about 2 days…

Pancake Circus Has Gone to the Clowns

What the hell happened to my beloved Cirque du Crepe?!? Sure, they still know how to turn out a mighty nice flapjack, but on my last visit almost every other thing we ordered was unfathomably subpar, bordering on inedible. And I’m not talking hard to cook stuff here. It’s not like we ordered souffles and coq au vin. They served a “cheese omelet” that looked more like a handful of broken fried eggs (not scrambled or anything, just whites with broken yolks in the center) wrapped around a fistful of unmelted shredded cheddar straight from the Sysco Mylar pouch. And the sausages were limp and gummy. And honestly, gummy is not a quality I look for in my bangers.

For shame, Pancake Circus, for shame. Kitsch will only get you so far.

Pancake Circus- 2101 Broadway, www.pancakecircus.net(yeah that’s right, they have a website, if that’s not a sign that Skynet’s about to take over I don’t know what is)

Food*  Atmosphere*** Service**

Don’t sell state office buildings!

SacRag writer Stickie sez “booooooo” to selling off California state office buildings.

Before GAS became EX-GAS, one of his final victories was arranging a deal to sell 11 of the 24 state buildings that he placed on the market under the guise of fiscal austerity. This deal included several pieces of Sacramento real estate: The East End Complex, Attorney General Building, Emergency Management Agency Building, Franchise Tax Board Complex, and Department of Justice Building. Their sale was blocked in December by a state appellate court.

Luckily, a new administration means a chance to reverse this decision before it costs California billions.
Continue reading “Don’t sell state office buildings!”