Tag: Events

Free Comic Book Day today

Wolversometing
Actually it sounds like this movie is teh suck

Today being the first Saturday in May, it is Free Comic Book Day at participating comic book stores all over the U.S. and Canada. You just walk into a store and walk away with a free comic book. Though you can’t enjoy a trip to Comics & Comix, you can use the FCBD website’s bookshop locator to find a participating location.

Some pretty fun sounding titles are being offered this year. This one called Resurrection sounds good and comes with a preview of Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen series. I recommend the Atomic Robo title, and of course you’ll probably need to get their early if you want to score a copy of the Brian Michael Bendis-penned Avengers book.

What were you planning to do today, just sit in your house and not get free comics?

Hunt the Grid

One of my favorite kids’ comedies was Midnight Madness, which featured an all night scavenger hunt through Los Angeles. Riding the coattails of Animal House, Disney released a safe-and-sane college comedy that got its street-cred for casting Stephen Furst, featured the great Eddie Deezen (king of all nerd actors) and introduced the world to an young Canadian named Michael Fox. Wackiness ensued.

Where is Sunshine Today?
Where is Sunshine Today?

Now, it is finally my turn. Thanks to the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen and MidtownGrid, I can live out this childhood fantasy in a wacky urban scavenger hunt. On May 9th, you can, too, if you come to the first annual Hunt the Grid. Zip around Midtown on your bike for glory and prizes with an after-party sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company.

Continue reading “Hunt the Grid”

Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend

Something told me that it was going to be a great comedy weekend coming up.  No, really.  I had a dream that George Carlin was performing on Crondall Drive and had a really crappy turnout, so he gave everyone in the audience free CDs, then we played the piano together and I made spaghetti. If that’s not a harbinger of comedy gold, I don’t know what is.

Friday-Saturday: Bobcat Goldthwait @ Laughs Unlimited, 8 and 10:30pm

If you haven’t checked out Goldthwait’s seminal 1987 album “Meat Bob” lately, then it’s time for a refresher.  No matter how manic and absolutely nutso the guy seems, his stand-up was actually insightful and witty. Don’t let all the Police Academy movies fool you, Bobcat’s got chops. Don’t expect the screaming freak-out routine however, he’s calmed a bit with age.

Saturday: Louis C. K. @ the Crest, 8pm

My favorite comedian working today, Louis C.K. is appropriately blunt yet fantastically absurd, a perfect recipe for the times we live in. Yeah, his short-lived sitcom didn’t exactly win any awards, but that puts the former Conan O’Brien writer in good company. Anyone remember the George Carlin show? At $32.50 a seat, even in a recession, the price is well worth it.

Friday: Special Guests @ The Sacramento Comedy Spot, 9pm Continue reading “Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend”

It’s OK to be Judgmental When We’re Talking beer

Judging a beer contest is a surprisingly solemn event. It turns out that it involves a lot more sitting and thinking than drinking and shouting. One spends most of his time writing thoughtful criticism or simply staring at the brew in front of him trying to figure out whether the beverage’s color is more copper-amber or reddish-auburn.

Last weekend, at the Gold Country Brewers Association annual Celebrewtion, I was lucky enough to serve as a judge for their homebrew competition. Over 70 beers by dozens of proud Sacramento-area homebrewers were turned over to be judged by a panel of almost 30 judges. The range of beers went from palest light golden lagers to  syrupy thick meads to ink black imperial stouts.

Each panel of three judges was given a flight of beers, typically about eight beers in total, to judge on aroma, appearance, flavor, and overall execution. Being a first-timer, I was grouped together with a more experienced judge who could show me the ropes. We started by looking over our list of beers and going through the general rules.  We were in the stouts and strong ales category which included barleywine, old ale, and Russian Imperial Stout. Continue reading “It’s OK to be Judgmental When We’re Talking beer”

Sac City USD ‘Tour of Excellence’ on Friday

Attention Sac City Unified parents: the district will be holding a “Tour of Excellence” of district schools this Friday. This will be a good opportunity to tour any schools you’re considering for open enrollment; especially since you’ll have an extra week to wait on finding out if your kid will be getting in. Here is what the Open Enrollment page says about the timing of open enrollment acceptance and school registration:

Acceptance notifications will be mailed home (tentatively) by March 13, 2009. Upon notification, parents are required to complete student registration at the school of choice between Monday, March 16, 2009, and Friday, April 17, 2009.

Love that the District gets “tentatively” for their part but the parents have a hard date. As it turns out, the acceptance notifications probably won’t be mailed out until next week, according to the Open Enrollment office. So their “tentativeness” could cut into parents’ requirement by two full weeks.

No Mermaids Need Apply

mermaid barI know I made light of the mermaids thing but the larger issue is the proposed $8.6 million city subsidy for the building of the complex. As you might expect, there is a petition out there in opposition to the subsidy. Neighboring businesses argue the subsidy would “bankrupt” their businesses. The Midtown Business Association has collected some documents about the proposal (they call the proposed new bar with swimming girls a “mermaid bar,” which is confusing — if it was truly a bar for mermaids, that wouldn’t necessarily cut into the bottom line for neighboring businesses catering to “normals.”)

Based on the developer’s proposal it sounds like the mermaid bar/mermaid-themed bar is going to be punningly titled “DIVE BAR” and the “adult pizza” (??) joint is to be called “PIZZA ROCK.”

“Mastering the Mysteries of Love”

City Parks & Rec are offering a saucy class that would make a great gift to share with your sweetheart: “Mastering the Mysteries of Love”…

Talk about it, watch others do it, practice it yourselves.

Hey-O!!! They are talking about communication, of course. Though presumably there is the possibility of communication about watching others doing it and practicing it yourselves.

free play care will be included for children

What more do you need!

Sacramento rallies around Grant High

By now, you’ve heard that Grant High won the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division State Football Championship Bowl Game on Saturday night in Carson, CA. Fox 40 took the lead with their extensive coverage of the game. Watch the kids arrive in Northern California from cbs13.com. Ah, to be young again…

What’s really exciting here is how quickly the community gathered around to schedule a parade to celebrate the victory.

Twin Rivers School District officials, and city officials, are scrambling to lock down speakers, publicize the event, and make other preparations. “We got a permit rushed right though and every one is very excited to celebrate some good news,” said school district spokeswoman Trinette Marquis…Marquis said the Sacramento police and fire departments have chipped in by handing out fliers in addition to their normal crowd control and safety duties. The district’s automated phone system will be making more than 25,000 phone calls to invite district students, parents and staff to the parade and rally.

That’s good stuff right there. *rant* Seriously, how many more news stories about how things haven’t begun to suck yet can we all take? We get it! */rant*

The parade (great use of umapper.com, btw) is set to start at 1 p.m. at Grant High School and end with a 3:30 p.m. rally at the City Hall at 9th and I streets.

Best Comedy Weekend of the Year

I know, I know, you’ve all got 153 Christmas parties to attend this weekend, but really, it’s the same old party every year. Get out and see some comedy instead of discussing your crappy 401k returns with your neighbor. There are several awesome shows this weekend featuing local talent and special guests from as far away as Daly City. Ooooo, Daly City. I know, it’s totally exotic.

Comedysportz Sacramento– with special guests Oui be Negroes. Friday and Saturday at 8pm.
Comedysportz plays fast paced improv appropriate for all ages. Special guests, San Francisco improv troupe Oui be Negroes will be on hand to take it to the local team. Come see a balzing fast ComedySportz match at 8pm, then stay for the midnight show at 10pm!
Tix are $12. 2230 Arden Way-Suite A.

Sacramento Comedy Spot– Friday and Saturday at 9pm, improv at the Comedy Spot. Friday’s show presents Anti-Cooperation League, the best long-form group in Sacramento. Saturday night is an improv battle pitching last month’s winners, Dabble, against SF team, Crisis Hopkins.
Tix are $8 Friday and $5 Saturday. BYOB. 1716 Broadway.

Coexist Comedy Tour– Friday at 8pm @ the Crest Theater. Frequent commenter (although MIA for quite a while) KLJ joins forces with four other comedians, each of which has a different slant on the hereafter and the after-party.
Tix are $25

et tu, Santa?

Not only does Roseville have the better mall, but they’ve now even taken Santa from Sacramento:

The jolly old one will attend holiday events in Roseville on Saturday – including that city’s annual parade – but Sacramento’s annual Santa Parade has been canceled.

The event, always run on the Thanksgiving weekend, has been called off for the first time in the event’s 26-year history, said parade organizer Laurie Hensley.

The decision to cancel the privately organized event was prompted when organizers came up $15,000 short for stages, sound equipment and cash prizes for parade participants, Hensley said.

Sorry Sacto kids, but it looks like your Christmas Eve milk and cookies will go uneaten this year. Santa is off to more lucrative pastures.

In Roseville, however, the Sylvia Besana Annual Holiday Parade is ready to roll at 10 a.m. Saturday.

It will begin at Riverside Avenue and Douglas Boulevard and Vernon Street, proceed along Vernon Street and end behind the Roseville Square shopping center.

Really, Roseville, have you no shame?

UPDATE 11-24-2008: Sac-Eats called it, the Sacto parade is back on after a hefty donation from Mayor-elect KJ. One wonders if Santa was being held as an innocent hostage in some kind of parade-financing dispute.