On Saturday the Midtown Business Association is hosting its annual holiday celebration, featuring tons of fun events for Sacramentans of all ages and interests. Highlights include the IndieSacramento trunk show and craft bazaar at 24th and J all day featuring crafting and live music, an open house viewing of the Governor’s Mansion renovation, and a Ricky Berger and Sac Rag favorite Daisy Spot show at Bows & Arrows at 6pm. Tons of stuff for you crafter types, and kiddie activities all day at the Mosaic Salon parking lot at 27th and Jay. Here is a walking map for the event. (PNG image)
Tag: Holidays
The Great Sacramento Santa Hunt of 2008
I remember fondly going out to an annual breakfast with my dad, The Game Guy, Sr., one special Saturday in December for pancakes and then to a little mall full of non-chain stores to visit Santa Claus- who was the embodiment of ol’ St. Nick if I ever knew one. One of the benefits of being at such a mall was the total lack of crowds which allowed our Kris Kingle to be take his time and actually engage in a conversation with me. After I got done visiting with Santa, my dad and I would then go Christmas shopping for my mom (it wasn’t until many years later that I realized the Saturday alone was probably the greatest gift my Dad and I could have given her).
By the time my sister came along, we kept up this tradition for at least 10 years. And for 10 years, the same Santa Claus. No foolin’- it was the same guy every year, and after a few years, he started to remember my dad (something about the Scotch my dad would bring for him probably was the trigger).
So as I looking towards my first Christmas as a dad, I can’t wait to start this tradition with my own son, Game Boy. Naturally this begs the question: where, dear readers, is the best place in Sacramento for a pancake breakfast (please don’t say Pancake Circus) and an awesome Santa? My first thought was to search out non-chain-based malls to capture the Santa experience of my youth, but then quickly realized that meant Florin Mall which instantly terrified me. So, any other suggestions?
Sac Food Bank turkeys get big turnout
I think this qualifies as heartening news. Mrs Cool reports that the line outside the Sacramento Food Bank for the thousands of free turkeys being given away today — courtesy of a food drive last week sponsored by KCRA — was around the block. As sac-eats pointed out, this is a great week to do some good.
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.
If you ice it, will they come?
At the risk of being out of touch with the what’s *really* happening in Sacramento, I mention this sacbee.com article about a new outdoor ice skating rink scheduled to open Friday in Folsom. The details can be found at visitfolsom.com.
This article makes me wonder, however, if it is a smart idea to spend money on “extras” like this in an effort to boost local business.
- A report from Folsom city staff puts the total cost of operating the rink for two months during the holidays at $248,000 – $68,000 more than it is predicted to bring in.
I get that the intent with this project is encourage folks to shop and eat locally, but could the $248,000 be better spent helping local businesses lower their prices? Decrease their lease payments? Or is just full steam ahead and let’s see what happens?
Especially with the news that so many of the region’s cities are scrambling to save money and cut corners.
- In an effort to control costs, Folsom has a freeze on hiring and discretionary spending, Miller said. But even that won’t be enough to close the budget shortfall, which could be as much as $5 million for the current year if the city were to do nothing.
Your thoughts?
FREE car washes for veterans at Harv’s today
This guy probably gets
free washes everywhere
Today is Veteran’s Day, and Harv’s Metro Car Wash will be offering free car washes for veterans.
[Harv’s co-owner] Aaron Zeff and business partner Doron Levitan are both veterans themselves. Zeff trained locally at Mather Air Force Base before its closure and finished his career flying the supersonic RF-4 Phantom.
Harv’s Metro Car Wash
1901 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.446-0129
http://www.harvscarwash.com
Midtown Halloween Safe Trick or Treat Walk Saturday
Dust off your pop–culture, literary, or costumed-hero themed costumes and let your freak flag fly tomorrow in Midtown:
On Saturday, October 25 from 11a.m. to 3p.m., the MBA and many local Midtown businesses will participate in a community Safe Halloween Walk along the J Street corridor from 16th to 29th and the surrounding streets.
Get your costumes and candy bags ready for this fun, safe, and FREE daytime event– visit the participating businesses to trick-or-treat for candy and share in the local Halloween spirit!
Meet up at the Relles Florist parking lot on J and 24th. On-street parking will be free on J Street between 16th and 26th, and on 16th Street to 29th Street between J and K.
Oktoberfest at SacBrew
This Saturday, Sacramento Brewing Company will host Oktoberfest with eight house-made German beers, oompa bands and authentic German food under a big tent at Fulton and Marconi. If you enjoy any of the above items, you would be a fool not to attend. Festivities begin at Noon and last into the evening. Prost!
This also seems like a good opportunity to point out to readers who have not visited in the past year or two that SacBrew has both a new owner and a new Brewmaster. It is still the same old place, but the quality of both food and beer has improved, especially the beer, which is now jaw-droppingly awesome. I recommend a visit.
July 4th Nevada County Parade – PHOTOS
A little belated, and not as good as the ones zokuga snapped at the Folsom Cattle Drive but I thought I’d share my photos from the Fourth of July classic hometown parade in Nevada City. Click through for a slideshow…
Continue reading “July 4th Nevada County Parade – PHOTOS”
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
Regardless of your political leanings, you’ve got to admit that we’re fortunate to live in a place where we can all come together (sometimes anonymously) to discuss (often snarkily) the issues of the day — whether serious or silly, contentious or banal.
There are many societal ills that likely have the Founding Fathers rolling in their collective graves, and many modern Americans have had this mentality for some time, but things could be much worse.
So raise your beverage of choice, light up a safe & sane firecracker, and take at least one moment over this three day weekend to realize that you’re pretty darned lucky.
The Sac Rag 
