Tag: downtowm

I want to ride my bicycle, part deux

The Sacramento Business Journal reports that Sacramento ranks fourth in the U.S. and first in California for bicycle commuting among the 70 largest cities.

“I think the city has been good about making conditions better for cyclists,” he said, noting a number of changes the city made last year in midtown.

Several streets, including P, Q, 19th and 21st, went from three lanes to two with bike lanes. The city also converted a number of parking meters to bike racks.

Remind me where midtown is again?

At any rate, we are very fortunate to have the American River Parkway (great article here, btw) and other trails that help make bicycling easier and safer in Sacramento. I do think that employers can make it easier to commute by bicycle (many have already, I know) by providing secure bike lockers and storage areas for equipment. A lot of bicycle commuting has to do with the type of job you have, too.

What have your experiences been with bicycle commuting? When HeyMeg wrote about this topic in 2007, safety was a big concern. Still a major issue? Access to trails from outlying cities?

City touts “win” in Railyards environmental case

Tresspassing
Creative Commons License photo credit: ThinkingStiff

The City of Sacramento and Thomas Enterprises are proudly bragging of a “win” in the suit against them brought by the Downtown Plaza and three individuals who challenged the environmental impact reports prepared for the Railyards site. The Sacramento Superior Court today ruled that the City and Thomas Enterprises complied with the law under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The tall ship is here!

Hawaiian Chieftain
Creative Commons License photo credit: timmycorkery

The Hawaiian Chieftain, “a replica of a typical European merchant trader of the turn of the nineteenth century,” has docked in Old Sacramento for Adventure Cruises:

Our three-hour family-oriented Adventure Sail features a living history experience with demonstrations of tall ship handling, sea shanty singing, and maritime storytelling.

Tickets are pricey, but come on, shanty singing.

Historical Seaport Web site

UPDATE: La Bonne owner collapses

la bonne soupe

UPDATE: Stickie just alerted me that the Sac Bee is reporting that La Bonne Soupe owner Daniel Pont collapsed and was hospitalized today while working to get his restaurant re-opened. So was the restaurant really ever put up for sale? I am confused. Poor guy, we wish him luck. UPDATE: On Friday October 9 the restaurant passed its reinspection.

I know CoolDMZ is probably the last person you look to at this here Web log for restaurant advice, but since nobody else was touching the news that the beloved and world-renowned La Bonne Soupe was summarily shut down this week after a health inspection turned up a “mild to moderate” cockroach infestation I thought I’d chime in. The report can be viewed here.

Continue reading “UPDATE: La Bonne owner collapses”

Farmers’ Market Fresh: Cactus Paddles

Farmers from Satiety Vineyards do the prickly work for you.
Farmers from Satiety Vineyards do the prickly work for you.

Combing the farmers’ market is unlike any grocery store experience. You can’t simply head to aisle five in search of tomatoes. Instead, you’ll be looking behind the croissant baker, next to the kiwi preserves vendor, and beside the rhubarb bucket. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easy to miss that single farmer selling something uniquely special.

Thankfully, GreenBeet is here to do the browsing for you! I’ll leave no turnip unturned to bring you the most delectable gems from the downtown Sacramento Sunday market.

This week’s pick? Cactus paddles from Satiety Vineyards of Woodland.

Continue reading “Farmers’ Market Fresh: Cactus Paddles”

Second Saturday: Sneak Peek inside the Artists’ Studios

Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento
Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento

Looking for the best of Second Saturday? This weekend offers a unique glance at more than 90 Sacramento artists’ studios—all within a 4-mile, bike-friendly radius of downtown. The Center for Contemporary Art is hosting its fourth annual Capitol Artists’ Studio Tour. Participating artists will open their private studios to the public today and Sunday from noon till 5pm. Check out their latest works, purchase art directly from the artist, and see first-hand where their creative genius takes shape. Maps and a list of participating artists can be found here. This handy guide breaks down studio locations by artist and by region.

Continue reading “Second Saturday: Sneak Peek inside the Artists’ Studios”

SN&R: Josh Pane backing ballot measure to stop mermaid bar

The News & Review’s Cosmo Garvin reports that former City Councilman Josh Pane is “mounting a campaign stop the mermaid bar on K Street” and several other businesses being funded by a recent city council subsidy.

The $6 million subsidy came from a special fund set aside to support redevelopment projects by local developer David Taylor.

That just doesn’t sound right, does it? But I know that government cheese has always been around, and that there are probably businesses up and running today on the grid who wouldn’t be here if not for government cheese. Likewise I’m sure that my knee-jerk reaction against this particular subsidy would set me up as a hypocrite if the council were to subsidize a midtown Barnes & Noble, or a 65th St. Target. (Send your angry anti-corporate e-mails to: cooldmz-at-sacrag.com)

Also: the over-30 dance club would be called “Frisky Rhythm”? Gag me with a spoon…

Mad About Plaid: Seeing this show once is not enough

Cosmopolitan Cabaret Forever Plaid

Even if you didn’t grow up in a KCTC “Music Of Your Life” listening household with parents who grew up in the WWII era, it would be impossible to not enjoy The Cosmopolitan Cabaret’s presentation of Forever Plaid.

Sac-eats and I just returned from the 8pm show, where we were treated to 90 brilliantly executed minutes of ’50s and ’60s tunes in four part harmony — which proved to be the ideal antidote to the figurative election hangover. Still smiling ear-to-ear, I’m already plotting which table I need to reserve for my next visit to this show.

Continue reading “Mad About Plaid: Seeing this show once is not enough”

Proven innocent?

Perhaps all of you legal eagles out there can help me with something. The Sacramento Bee reports that a man was shot in the abdomen yesterday in downtown Sacramento. The story has a headline that reads, “Sacramento panhandler accused of shooting disabled man.” The first sentence of the story reads, “A woman panhandling in downtown Sacramento Monday pulled out a gun and shot a disabled man who refused to give her money, scattering a terrified crowd gathered at a busy bus stop, police said.”

Is there a difference between *accused* and *police said*? Throw in a photo of the “accused” and you got yourself an open and shut case…

I did enjoy this quote though:

“Why would someone ask money from someone who is obviously disabled?” asked his younger brother, Adrian Perez. “This is really outrageous.”

Do disabled people have a history of not carrying spare change? Just sayin’

Update: Bad example as the suspect has basically confessed to the crime. I do still wonder what terms the media can use, quote, etc. with regard to criminal activities.

Free ‘Survive I-5 Commuter Pass’

During the I-5 construction project, the Regional Parks Department is offering at no charge a commuter pass to allow commuters to park at Discovery Park or another American River Parkway facility, to cycle or skate to work in downtown Sacramento. The pass will be valid Monday-Friday, and includes all County park facilities along the Parkway (excludes Hagan Park). The Fix I-5 project is scheduled to begin on May 30 and expected to last until early July.

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