Flea Market for Iceland

Scroungers, pickers and rememberers of days past will not want to miss out on tomorrow’s fundraiser to rebuild Iceland. More than 30 local vendors and artists will be selling Sacramento-centric treasures, including a wide variety of antiques, jewelry, and items from the Northern Sacramento Historical Society, KZAP and Tower Records. There will also be an exhibit of art photos of Iceland. Music, food, and a DIY tie dye station will be available. Admission is free!

Urban Flea Market
Saturday, June 19
1309 Del Paso Blvd
9am-3pm

Sac City Superintendent’s reading challenge aims high

Not.

Join Superintendent Raymond’s SUMMER READING challenge and Get Caught Reading a great book!

Read two or more books this summer and record the titles on a Reading Log. (Emphasis mine)

Two books! In just one calendar season?! “Get caught reading”?! Not to mention, judging at least by the 1st-2nd grade suggested list, the reading level is not exactly reaching for the stars either. It includes mostly picture books and “easy reader” type books.

Fortunately the Sacramento Public Library offers several literacy programs this summer. The Make a Splash reading contest aims to get kids to complete at least 5 literacy related activities. They also have a program with Fresh Choice that I believe encourages kids to read 5 books with a free meal as a reward. I cannot find anything about it online but it definitely is a thing — ask your librarian!

Zombie Jamboree

Braaaiiiinssss

In celebration of Trash Film Orgy‘s 10th Anniversary, an attempt will be made to break the world record for the largest zombie walk (current official record = 4,026). More details will be coming to their website, but the parade will be Saturday, July 10 from 7-9pm starting at Sub-Q. To get prepared, there are plenty of sources for advice and inspiration on perfecting your undead look. One great spot uses the Socratic method to help you fill out your story (Were you buried underground? Have you eaten yet?) and eHow has a fifteen part video series that provides step-by-step instruction.

NYTimes’s grim view of housing market

The housing market has a good local angle, so I don’t think it’s out of place to point out this accidentally terrible page design in none other than the New York Times today:

These guys are so picky! Don’t they know that even only-partially-destroyed homes are getting snatched up fast these days? You want walls and doors you really have to go out of your price range anymore.

Far at Daytrotter Studios

gratitude1
Creative Commons License photo credit: justingaynor

Another Sacramento band graces the Daytrotter Studio, this time the recently reconstituted ’90s proto-emo band Far, led by Jonah Matranga. From the trippy-dippy (in a good way) intro by Daytrotter’s Sean Moller:

… [T]he band builds itself around very intense and very serious thoughts of when we’re living and when we’re doing something less than living. It could refer to dying, but more often than not, in listening to the words that Matranga pens, we get the feeling that being dead and dying don’t carry all of that permanence. These just happen to be conditions – no less serious – but situations that can be fixed if the winds and minds are right.

Daytrotter.com: We All Live On (Far session)

Toilet Paper Saves Lives

If you’re living on a budget, you might have done the unthinkable to get by in these tough times: switched to cheap toilet paper. Going from soft to scratchy is the ultimate fiscal sacrifice.

So imagine how local nonprofits must feel. These budget-savvy agencies (they don’t call them “non” profit for nothing!) have been penny-pinching on their toilet paper budgets all along. In these tough times, there’s really nowhere else to cut back. So when cuts have to be made, agencies look to their life-saving programs.

“It’s amazing the number of expenses nonprofits face that people don’t think about,” said Steve Heath, president of United Way California Capital Region. “Nonprofits work magic with their budgets to make a positive difference in countless lives in our region, but there’s only so much they can do. Donating toilet paper is a great way to join together… ensuring more money goes toward vital programs that change people’s lives.”

Save a life with your toilet paper! (Did you ever think you’d hear that phrase uttered?) Continue reading “Toilet Paper Saves Lives”

Monday morning transit frustrations

Sacramento Regional Transit 117 Siemons U2 1993 1
Creative Commons License photo credit: jacksnell

My commute involves cycling and light rail, and for the most part this is a really smooth setup for me (especially since I haven’t been asked to show my pass since Justin Bieber* was in diapers). So after riding hard to the light rail station on Friday afternoon, looking forward to the weekend, I took my usual spot toward where the rear of the last car would be, knowing that the front cars tend to fill up.

As the train approached, I could tell it was a 3-car and not the usual commuter-friendly 4-car train. As I hoofed it up the station to the end of the third car, only to board and find 2 cyclists already on board the back of the train, it occurred to me that it was Friday at 4:15, which should still count as peak hours. However, it was Friday, and we all know that a certain segment of riders are Furloughed on Fridays (or are they still? I have completely lost interest). Either way I feel sure that the length of RT’s trains is affected by Furlough Fridays, leaving the rest of us in the dark.

Continue reading “Monday morning transit frustrations”

Peruvian Food Festival

Succulent chunks of citrus-drenched white fish “ceviche.” Creamy potato surrounding a hidden pocket of beef (“papa rellena”). Flaky phyllo dough nestling layers of caramel cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Sugary sweet bubble gum Inka Kola.

These are the delightful treats that await you at the Sacramento Peruvian Food Festival, taking place right now until 6:00 P.M. at 711 T Street. It costs $3 to get in (kids are free). Once inside, you’ll purchase tickets to exchange for food. Most entrees cost between $8 and $10, desserts range from $2 to $5, and drinks start at $2.

If you’re familiar with the potato and meat-based dishes of Peru, you’ll find your traditional favorites. If you’ve never experienced the region’s cuisine, be adventurous. You really can’t go wrong. Even vegetarians can find a simple dish called “Tacu-Tacu,” a tortilla made with beans, rice, onions, garlic, and hot peppers. And if you need it, they’ll provide you with a menu describing most of the dishes being served.

Do come prepared to use your Spanish. The cooks serving up these tasty treats will be speaking their native language. However, don’t ask what their favorite dish is. I tried, and was met with the same answer again and again: Todo! (Everything!) Although, I will say that I came to exactly the same conclusion.

Carly caught on News 10

Could be worse...

While prepping for an interview on News 10 Good Morning today, Carly Fiorina made fun of Barbara Boxer’s hair. Apparently this is news. I find this odd, as I clearly remember reading a study that identified a gene that, when activated in females, significantly increases snarky exposition on women’s hairdos. When activated in males, it increases the likelihood that they will attempt self-fellatio during adolescence. Either way, we should accept it as part of nature and remember not to do it in a television studio while running for the US Senate. On his blog at KXTV, Dan Elliott points out that News 10 was classy and did not play the tape. He also declared the event “barely newsworthy” and that wannabe gotcha journalism that simply catches famous people off guard to embarrass them is an odd cultural trend. Cheers to News 10 to not jumping on the tired gotcha bandwagon.