Local Business Profile

Banff Mountain Film Festival to Davis

2010-04-09T04:51:56Z

I started attending the Banff Mountain Film Festival screenings in Davis in middle school as a way to relate to my hyperactive dad.

I tagged along with him to lots of cool things I didn't fully appreciate. I remember sinking with embarrassment when he whispered loudly at me for texting during a screening of "Touching the Void" at the Crest Theatre. He'd take me to the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Davis, and I'd complain that his old farty mountain friends smelled like body odor.

Secretly, I loved every second. The short films and documentaries are fast-paced, shot in the most exotic corners of the world and feature the most compelling, gutsy and mentally strong individuals. The audience is always engaged and happy. Even the BO has its charms.

I'm not alone in feeling this way. The Banff Mountain Film Festival, born in 1976, took its show on the road 10 years later in its first-ever tour through three Canadian cities. Over the years, demand has compelled festival coordinators to expand the festival's tour schedule to hit more cities in more than 30 countries. Next week, BANFF "Road Warrior" Charla Sharp Tomlinson brings the highly anticipated international tour to Davis High School's Richard M. Brunelle Theater.

"Banff Mountain Film Festival has been coming to Davis for 11 years now" said Rocknasium owner and Banff-emcee, Mark Leffler. "It attracts a big mix of people: college students, families, athletes, regular Davis folk."

The short films and documentaries screened on tour represent a greater selection of mountain sport films screened each year in Banff, Alberta. Leffler previews films, reads feedback, and discusses audience reactions with touring Timberlon to lay out the final Davis program.

He said to expect a good solo climbing film featuring local talent.

He also anticipates the screening of "Take a Seat," a Banff Jury Award winner, about a man's 32,000-kilometer tandem bicycle journey from the north coast of Alaska to the southern tip of South America.

"This guy picks up strangers along the way; it sounds like a quintessentially Banff film" Leffler said.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival in Davis is at 6:30 p.m. April 13 and 14 at Davis High School's Richard M. Brunelle Theater, 315 W. 14th St.

Tickets are $12 and available at the Rocknasium by calling (530) 757-2902.

House of Plight Opens Doors

2010-04-02T02:57:31Z

The House of Plight, which provides a refuge for single mothers and their children, opened its doors to the public in a housewarming celebration on March 20, 2010.

The program is an extension of Commissioned II Love (C2L) Outreach Ministries and Discipleship Centers Inc., a nondenominational outreach ministry and nonprofit.

Startup funding for The House of Plight came from college students at Consumnes River College in Sacramento, Savannah State University in Georgia, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, where C2L has campus ministry divisions.

"The vision came from our pastor, Lardina King, who has a real heart for single mothers" said marketing and public relations director Erin Rawls. "We wrote grants, looked for donations and found help from a church in Savannah. As college students, we gave what we could."

C2L's mission statement says that The House of Plight believes that "single mothers and their children can succeed from various hardships in life through accountability and encouragement, life-skill training and love based on the premise of family."

In addition to shelter, The House of Plight offers a multitude of services that connect mothers with adult education, and programs on parenting, finances, buying a home, employment, and mental and social health.

The House of Plight welcomes public involvement, including donations, volunteers and sponsors. People are encouraged to donate items such as lamps, plants, bedding and dishes.

The House of Plight is located at 1301 Sebastian Way.

Sugar Plum Vegan Opens

2010-04-01T03:55:36Z

The organic purist, eco-conscious, thigh-conscious and dietary trendy may rejoice that Rick's Dessert Diner on K Street has a new neighbor with a new selection of baked treats.

Sugar Plum Vegan, a vegan and wholesale bakery that offers fair-trade coffee and organic ingredients, has opened its doors for service.

The cozy spot, situated below what was True Love Coffeehouse, has just enough capacity to hold five small tables and a very friendly staff, unfazed by transition issues with the ATM and continuous stream of customers placing to-go orders.

"We want those that are hard core vegans as well as those who are just curious to feel comfortable here" said Owner and Chef, Melissa Sugar.

The menu, which is available online, boasts a host of creative 100 percent vegan entrees, employing soy and garbanzo-based alternatives in generous, heaping portions.

The nachos come with black beans, meatless chicken, dairy and gluten-free cheese, vegan sour cream and guacamole. The Midtown Club sandwich tastes like a genuine BLT with crispy tempeh and veganaise in place of the "B."

"We are dedicated to bringing the public a cruelty free and loving experience" said Sugar. "We offer items that are for the die hard vegans that focus on whole foods as well as the transitional foods, like Gardien faux meat and Daiya gluten and soy-free cheese".

While the menu is small, it's also reasonably priced, with house-made burgers (garbanzo and veggie-based) ranging from $7 to $11.

Baked goods, Sugar Plum's specialty, are not only delicious but also beautiful. Their creators seem to have found a way to circumvent the droopy look that vegan treats often wear to remind you that what you're eating is a bastardized health alternative.

Sugar Plum also offers custom-designed cakes, seasonally appropriate pies and wedding/party catering menus.

Raw foodists and gluten-free eaters will find something to enjoy here, as will people who are into sunny patios, free WI-FI and don't mind smelling like incense.

Sugar intends to open the back patio for performances by live music and local poets.

Stay tuned to the eatery's website, as it is rumored that a weekend All-You-Can-Eat Brunch Buffet is in the works.

"Children of Chinatown" Author at Time Tested Books

2010-03-30T05:23:24Z

Projecting archival photographs above stacks of albums, Jorae described the familial and political relationships of a generation of children marginalized by two cultures.

On Sunday night, a dozen history buffs arrived at Time Tested Books to partake in an informal discussion with local author and educator Wendy Rouse Jorae about the research behind her recently published book, "Children of Chinatown: Growing Up Chinese American in San Francisco, 1850-1920."

Jorae wrote her dissertation for the University of California, Davis on the pioneer generation of Chinese Americans in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Her interest in the subject was sparked as a history student in Sacramento where she became involved in an archaeological excavation of a Chinese pioneer site near Lincoln.

While examining the accounts of first-generation Chinatown, Jorae was struck by the number of photographs she came across featuring children. Considering the assumptions of that period of Chinatown as a “bachelor society,” Jorae began investigating the experiences of these children largely overlooked in the recollection of history.

Their existence alone was highly politicized, as militant anti-Chinese forces propagandized an image of Chinatown as devoid of family or morality. Chinese American merchants attempting to refashion the image of Chinatown as “family-friendly,” proliferated photographed images of schools and children.

The highly charged nature of this exchange made political tools out of Chinatown’s children. Jorae’s research delved beyond this, exploring the daily experiences of these children, organized by immigration, family, work, school, the missions and courts.

Touching on research detailed in her book, Jorae shared a sampling of childhood experiences characterized by segregation, exclusion and identity conflict. She described the establishment over time of a sense of roots, rights and the forging of a new identity.

Follow Time Tested Books online for upcoming literary events, including its ongoing Living Library series.

The Smiths Cover Band at Blue Lamp

2010-03-11T02:40:52Z

Saturday, The Smiths/Morrissey cover band This Charming Band (TCB) will be performing at East Sacramento's Blue Lamp.

TCB, originally from Los Angeles but now calling San Francisco home, formed in 2005, when front man "Orlandissey," newly aware of his Morrissey-impersonation skills, posted a Craigslist ad seeking fellow The Smiths tribute musicians.

"We believe that the music of The Smiths still interests people and brings them together because the words of Morrissey and the music of Johnny, Andy and Mike are timeless" Orlando said. "Morrissey's lyrics transport you into 'his' England where love, acceptance and kindness are lacking and so desired which one could argue is true in our present world".

Since TCB's formation, the band has seemingly been on a perpetual tour of the West Coast, hitting Sacramento's Blue Lamp each time it comes through.

"We enjoy playing at the Blue Lamp," Orlando said. "Ed, the owner, is always supportive and a fun person to deal with. You can tell that the people who come to our shows are people who really know their Smiths and Morrissey solo tunes."

Joining TCB is rock band and local institution The Snobs, 2008 Sammie winners for Best Rock Band.

The group has two albums under its belt. The first, a four-piece recording called Stepping Large, Laughing Easy, was released in 2004. One saxophone addition and a few rearrangements in lineup later, The Snobs recorded their second album in 2009 in Sacramento's Track Shack with producer Jeff Tamelier.

Described as psychobilly and punk, The Snobs sound has been compared to that of The Clash and The Stooges.

Fairytale Town Goes Green!

2010-03-11T02:33:57Z

Fairytale Town's second annual Goes Green! event is back this weekend.

The family event will feature educational displays, activities and crafts aimed at promoting conservation and environmental awareness.

"When the director of Fairytale Town approached me with ideas about hosting an agricultural event, I wanted to tie in a green theme," said Education and Program Manager Sharlene Lal. "But as we developed the event, we realized that going green is a big idea and a movement that needs its own outlet."

Several local organizations have partnered with Fairytale Town to provide learning tools. Representatives from Solar Cookers International, the Department of Utilities, the Air Resources Board and more will be on-site, offering educational materials and handouts sharing easy ways families can change their habits to be more environmentally friendly.

Y-Not-Recycle representatives will be in attendance, handing out free coupons for electronic waste pick-ups.

SMUD will also be on-site, presenting a solar-powered demonstration trailer and promoting an upcoming mow-down lawnmower exchange. SMUD Board President Genevieve Shiroma will be offering a short presentation around noon about energy conservation.

For the kids, several hands-on activities will be available, including arts and crafts activities using recycled materials. There will be stations helping children create crowns and jewelry from newspapers and magazines as well as painting stations utilizing recycled bottles. Children are also welcome to participate in creating the "Helping Hands" collage, which involves contributing hand tracings and conservation pledges.

At three times throughout the day, the Puppet Art Theater will be performing a conservation-themed puppet show at the Children's Theater.

"The performance will be 'The Three Little Pigs' with a green twist," Lal said.

Fairytale Town Goes Green! will be held Saturday, March 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
General Admission is $4.50. Children 2 and younger are admitted free.

2010 Youth Media Forum For Social Change

2010-03-06T06:15:48Z

In an Access Sacramento office full of high-tech video equipment, timelines circulated Friday morning among representatives of local community organizations working toward Sacramento's first Youth Media Forum For Social Change. The project is aimed at showcasing and supporting the use of digital tools for advocacy and social change as well as establishing a regional network of youth and adults to share and create them.

The upcoming forum is supported by The Healthy Youth/Healthy Regions initiative, a partnership between the University of California at Davis Center for Regional Change, Sierra Health Foundation and The California Endowment. Research obtained through the initiative will dictate the Center for Regional Change's recommendations regarding youth engagement in the region.

Access Sacramento, a nonprofit community media source, is collaborating on the Youth Media Forum with representatives from the Center for Regional Change, the Sacramento City Unified School District, the Committee Addressing Racial Equity, and diverse media and community groups.

"We're lucky Sacramento is very community minded," said Ron Cooper, executive director of Access Sacramento. "It's our greatest asset. It's elusive, hard to quantify, but it's a great thing."

Kindra Montgomery-Block and bel Reyes, representatives of the UC Davis Center for Community School Partnerships, said they hope to make the event the first in a continuing series. They are supported by a number of local media organizations and community members in promoting forums and discussions of media issues.

This alliance focuses on the region's youth, middle and high-school students in particular.

"This realization of 'I didn't realize kids were doing this!' speaks to a lot of us," said Montgomery-Block. "There's a lot of potential in what's going on out there; maybe this forum is what it takes to realize some great things."

Cooper reiterated the importance of creating a space for youth to engage and network.

"If we do our work right, the good work will be with the kids," he said.

Students ages 10 to 21 are invited to participate in the forum by submitting media projects. For more information, contact Montgomery-Block or bel Reyes.

Sacramento's Youth Media Forum For Social Change will take place May 22 at 9 A.M. in the KCRA Channel 3 studios, 3 Television Circle.

Curtis Park Village Project Proposal to Planning Commission Hearing

2010-02-25T06:11:21Z

The fate of the controversial Curtis Park Village development project will be reviewed by the Planning Commission Thursday.

The project has been billed by developer Paul Petrovich as a way to blend nearby housing styles into a new community, but neighbors disagree, arguing that it's a design stuck in the past.

“We hope everyone in this city is watching as the 72-acre parcel between Land Park, Sacramento City College and Curtis Park goes to the Planning Commission for review,” said Rosanna Herber, president of the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association (SCNA). “Designed the right way, the development could meet the growing need for housing and retail space near the heart of the city and usher in an era of urban core development that is environmentally friendly.”

In 2004, the Sacramento-based Petrovich proposed a plan to develop the site adjacent to the Union Pacific Railyards to become the Curtis Park Village, composed of 500 residences and approximately 250,000 square feet of commercial space for a grocery store, drugstore, restaurants and athletic club. Despite promises to knit the housing styles of the Curtis Park Village into those of its historic namesake, Petrovich has come up against lots of ardent and emotional opposition from members of the SCNA.

"At best, the current plan is a suburban strip mall that squanders an opportunity for smart infill development. At worst, the plan could be a toxic nightmare, with a park built on tons of contaminated soil and no trees,” Herber said. “To use a political analogy, the proposed Curtis Park Village is simply a pig with lipstick on it.”

Petrovich, who has threatened to walk away from the development plan in the face of continual resistance, insists that the project he has proposed is an improvement on the site’s current toxic condition.

According to the SCNA, that’s not good enough.

Community members appealed to Davis architect Michael Corbett to provide a pro-bono alternative project proposal for the space that reflects the public's calls for limited commercial space, walkable passages and reduced parking.

“We want the design to be a village, not suburbia” Herber said.

Corbett’s plan incorporates less visually prominent parking and reduces the amount of commercial square footage from Petrovich’s proposal.

“I came up with an alternative that embodies new urbanism – walkable communities, human scales, no seas of parking with blocks of shopping,” Corbett said. “Some of the concerns about Petrovich’s design were that it created more of a suburban shopping center that doesn’t match up with Land and Curtis Park. I know he’s a good developer, but his model is based on a 20th century auto-oriented development style, and its just not appropriate for this site.”

Herber said she hopes Mayor Kevin Johnson and the City Council will "show backbone” in standing up to Petrovich’s development.

According to Corbett, the outcome is hard to predict at this point.

“I know enough people in Curtis Park who this project was important to, so I drew up an alternative. Now it's up to the city to decide if they’re going to move forward and start dealing with global warming and walkable neighborhoods, and depart from urban sprawl.”

Thursday, Feb. 25th, marks the latest turn in the ongoing development saga with a Planning Commission hearing to discuss the environmental impact report of Petrovich's project proposal.

Multiple efforts to contact Petrovich were unsuccessful.

Jazz Talent Casey Lipka

2010-02-24T05:36:38Z

Jazz enthusiasts should be aware of a new talent in town. If you haven't had the opportunity to catch the very beautiful and very talented Casey Lipka perform, opportunities abound this spring.

When did you get into music?

Music has always been a focal part of my life. As a kid, I would belt out pop songs, often along with my younger sister, in the car as we drove to school. My dad is a huge Beatles fan and plays guitar, so I was fortunate to grow up with live music in the house. My elementary school in Santa Monica, Calif., had a strong music and performing arts program, and it put on school-wide musicals each year. I was also exposed to Haitian music as one of the parents was from Haiti. My grandfather also contributed to my eclectic musical background. He loved Chinese opera, and I would come back after visiting with him and pretend I was a Chinese opera singer. In addition to singing, I started taking piano lessons at age 10, and in middle school I played clarinet in the school orchestra. While I was studying in Montreal, I started playing the upright bass that I often now play when performing along with singing.

Who inspires you?

I think the idea of jazz itself is incredibly inspiring. Within jazz there is a set form, but it allows so much room for improvisation and transformation.

Along with jazz itself, singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding has been a huge inspiration for me. When I first picked up the bass, someone told me there was a girl who simultaneously sang and played bass. I heard her music and fell in love with her sound when studying in Montreal, and two weeks later, I saw she had a show in New York City. I hopped on a bus and went. When I saw her perform, it reinforced the idea in me that music is so powerful. I want to be able to inspire and touch people in the way she did for me.

Tell me about your sound. Where and what did you study?

My sound combines jazz, soul, funk, contemporary and Brazilian. While I sang and played piano before college, I formally began studying music just prior to my year-long exchange program in Montreal at Concordia University. Concordia was really the beginning of my formal training and the time I decided I really wanted to pursue music. Being around such talented musicians propelled me to further my own development. I am now finishing an undergraduate degree at California State University, Sacramento, in the Vocal Jazz Program, led by Kerry Marsh and Julia Dollison. Being here has allowed me the space to try new things and further my own music.

How did you get into performing?

Initially, through other musicians who I had the chance to perform with. From there, I sought out my own opportunities locally in Sacramento and Los Angeles, where I am from originally. Performing has given me a chance to expand, experiment and grow. Besides doing community outreach at local schools in Sacramento, I play gigs around town and often drop into the Tuesday night jams at the Capitol Garage where other music students and faculty at Sacramento State perform.

What do you listen to?

I am always listening to different people. Right now I am listening to Baden Powell, Ahmad Jamal, Michael Jackson, Wayne Shorter, Chet Baker, Gretchen Parlato, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Thelonius Monk, Joao Gilberto and Forward Kwenda.

Casey can be reached via her website at: caseylipka.com or by e-mail at caseylipka@gmail.com

K Street Renovation Progress

2010-02-19T22:04:16Z

After months of delay, officials say the K Street renovation project is on course for completion.

The streetscape renovation includes the installation of intersection and gateway elements, lighting, landscaping and benches through the 700 block of K Street.

According to project details posted by the city's Economic Development Department, the project is aimed to enhance the aesthetics and safety of the block, as well as provide for better pedestrian accessibility and increased connectivity.

The makeover, a joint undertaking of the city and Sacramento Regional Transit, was projected to be completed in November, in time for the holidays. However, construction delays forced the Midtown Business Association to relocate Sacramento's seasonal ice-skating rink from its traditional spot at the park to a new location on 20th and J Streets.

"The lengthened construction period has been a result of unanticipated construction delays and weather," said project representative Denise Malvetti. "The park was substantially completed in November prior to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership's Carnival."

The recent weather shift is good news for Downtown pedestrians anxious to see the project completed.

"We have had great weather for over a week and are on track to complete the job in the next couple of months," Malvetti said.

Jazz Concert at Beatnik Studios

2010-02-13T01:31:33Z

Beatnik Studios was graced Thursday with performances by local jam band CFR and Oklahoma-based postmodern jazz band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (JFJO).

Beatnik Studios hosted the benefit show for the Music Never Stops Foundation, as part of an ongoing Winter Jazz Concert Series running through April. The collaborative photography studio, off Broadway on 17th Street, has become a space for community engagement and a venue for the jazz series, band launches, a music school and local craft fair, to name a few.

There was a real sense of community to the evening as supporters danced to the music of CFR, which has performed at Second Saturday and other local venues and has many loyal Sacramento fans.

Following CFR’s funky, danceable set, JFJO emerged from its road home -- a mystery trailer in the backyard of Willie's Burgers -- and broke into “Sensation of Seeing Light.”

The music opened with a false start, then built and picked up before careening into a full-on jam session.

Considering JFJO has been in the game for 16 years, the band seems young. This may have something to do with the chronically evolving lineup. JFJO broke out in 1994 as an eight-piece band with emcees and horns. Since 2008, the reconfigured lineup is has been an instrumental quartet.

You’d expect the sound to be stripped down, but it was as complex as ever, with piano and acoustic bass layered with lap steel guitar and melodica.

JFJO is known for its progressive take on classic styles. Accompanied by a 45-piece orchestra at the Oklahoma Mozart Festival in June, the band will exhibit its “Ludwig” project, a contemporary reinterpretation of Beethoven’s third and sixth symphonies.

The music was sweeping; it built and relaxed. JFJO's “Trampoline Phoenix,” about (guess what) the joys of jumping on a trampoline with friends, struck me as something that would play on a Wes Anderson submarine -- something you wouldn’t want to dance to but makes you grin.

By the set’s finale, I was forced to reassess. Lots of people were moving, and not just the hardcore jam-band groupie dancers.

One of the most enthusiastic of these dancers was Andrew Larson, a Sacramento City College student and South Land Park resident.

“This band takes jazz in a whole new direction,” he said.

For more information, visit CFR and JFJO on MySpace.

The next night of the Winter Jazz Concert Series is February 25th at 8 p.m.

SactoMetro Etsy Street Team

2010-02-11T02:45:03Z

Chances are you’ve heard of Etsy. It’s the world’s most expansive marketplace for handmade and vintage items. With neighborhood networks and a shop-local function, Etsy is revolutionizing the way people shop online. I spoke to artist and team leader of SactoMetro Etsy Street Team, Marianne Bland, about her team of local artists and craftsmen representing the Sacramento area on Etsy.com

Tell me about Sacramento’s Etsy Team

SactoMetro Etsy Street Team has soap makers, painters, people making spiritual items, fine art…just a huge variety of items. We have people doing it to supplement jobs, full-timers, mothers at home school… It's an interesting group of people trying to help each other out and use our team to benefit one another.

And how big is the team?

About 40 people.

How did you come to manage the network?

I’m the team leader, so I oversee people who want to join, keep everyone listed, blog, organize events and things like that. A woman named Betty created the team a few years ago and had difficulties managing so she had to give up on it, but I wanted to keep it going. I think artists typically have a hard time with organization, and I thought I could lend my organizing skills to keep this going. I’m surprised; it's taken on a life of its own.

What is the relationship like between sellers?

The team was created for a few reasons - to get support from each other, to supply help and advise… Everyone has different backgrounds and experiences with this. For example, my grandma was participating in craft shows, and I remember being there with her during pricing and setup. We benefit from these diverse experiences, we share marketing efforts and try to inform people why to shop local and hand-made.

How do you promote each other?

Etsy isn’t just about self-promotion, it's about getting other people excited and feeling that they’re capable! The best stuff out there is handmade because it's quality. It's about individual people who love it and care about it and put their positive energy into it. In this particular economy, where lots of people are being forced to shop at Wal-Mart, I think more and more people are starting to think, What can I do with my own two hands? That’s an amazing, empowering thing. I think lots of people have that creativity… it's just about finding it.

Do you meet for in-person markets?

We organized a craft fair at Regency Park Elementary School in December and plan to do more. We’ve done Second Saturday Art Walks, and some participate in Third Saturday Design Downtown. And we participate in little things here and there.

What does it take to start up an Etsy Profile?

Etsy is easy access to lots of people: people in business, hobbyists... Online, there is a laid-out template. You just create a free username and pay 20 cents to list an item, which stays visible for four months. When you sell something, Etsy receives three and a half percent commission. From an art background, in galleries they take 30-50 percent commission so three and a half percent is really, really affordable. There are several hand-made venues online, but Etsy has the lion’s share, so that’s the main reason people are drawn to it. I’ve shipped to France, England, Canada, all over, and it’s exciting to know that those people have access to what I’ve made.

You’re currently working on an art project.

I’m making a new piece of art every day for a year and blogging about it…I try to keep it snarky, so it’s not just boring art talk.

What inspired the project?

It's something I thought of a couple years ago…a lot of artists do time-based projects. I wanted to force myself to do something creative every day. It’ll help in developing a more solid aesthetic and experiencing what it is to be a professional artist. I’d like to be an art teacher, which is a hard thing to break into. So a year of work will hopefully springboard an opportunity for me.

What motivates you and what burns you out?

Every day I have a mini freak-out moment! The blog has been inspiring to me because my friends and family are paying attention, and I’m now starting to get strangers viewing and commenting. Knowing that other people are looking forward to my posts is a big motivator. If I weren’t engaged in this project, I’d be sitting around waiting for inspiration. Now, I’m forcing myself to see it everywhere. I drove by something with tiles today that I liked…I think I’ll do something with square and tile today. Other artists are also a big inspiration, and Etsy helps with that. It’s easy to be inspired browsing Etsy because there are so many amazing, creative people on there.

To get involved with SactoMetro Etsy, check it out on Twitter or Facebook.

Black Francis coming to Blue Lamp

2010-02-06T03:34:13Z

The Pixies are touring in 2010 … in Australia and Antwerp, Belgium.

If you don’t intend to be in those places and still are kicking yourself for missing the West Coast leg of the Pixies’ 20th anniversary “Doolittle” Tour last in November, all is not lost.

Pixies front man, Charles Thompson a.k.a. Black Francis, will be showing off the growl behind epic hits “Where Is My Mind?” and “Debaser” in a solo acoustic show at the Blue Lamp this weekend.

Black Francis’ music is characterized by recurring biblical references and a folksy country sound. He cites Iggy Pop, Husker Du, The Beach Boys and The Velvet Underground as major influences.

Black Francis, formerly Frank Black, released his first solo album in 1993 during a Pixies hiatus, and has maintained a solo presence.

After recording the 1993 album and another in ’94, Black left his record label and formed Frank Black and the Catholics. He released six albums with the band between 1997 and 2003, which were followed by a best of Frank Black compilation.

In 2003, longstanding rumors and prayers were answered when the Pixies announced plans for an extensive reunion tour.

Francis asserted his autonomy by releasing double album “Frank Black Francis” as the Pixies toured. He will be performing two solo shows in Australia on nights off from the Pixies’ 2010 tour.

Black Francis’s new album, “Non Stop Erotic” is due out March 30th.

Sunday, 9 p.m., Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $15. 21+

CalWatchdog Launch

2010-02-06T03:27:22Z

Navigating a newspaper is tricky. I avoid reading state government news early in the morning so as not to start my day feeling hopeless and impotent. Bring on the funnies.

Who is accountable for state governance?

Thursday night marked a new voice in state news and a new set of eyes narrowed on the Capitol.

About fifty people gathered at Pyramid Ale House to celebrated the launch of CalWatchdog.com, a new journalism venture with a mission of “holding the government accountable for its spending and regulatory programs by exposing government waste, fraud and abuses of power.”

I sat down with Steven Greenhut,, CalWatchdog editor in chief, amid beer, rain and power suits.

Q: What inspired CalWatchdog and what was involved in developing it?

A: We started in the beginning of the session, in early January, and the idea is to provide news coverage, investigative journalism and cover state government. There is a ton that needs to be covered and there is always need for more news coverage in the state.

Q: Do you work with traditional news outlets like print newspapers in Sacramento?

A: Yes, we’re trying to get our stories published in newspapers. I had my columns appearing in The Orange County Register and The North County Times and our cartoonists’ works are in Slate. I’ll be releasing an investigation pretty soon that we’re trying to pitch to different newspapers. We’re hoping to find a new model of nonprofit-funded journalism.

Q: Tell me about the model.

A: We’re trying to be more than a blog. We’re doing fresh stories that haven’t been covered, regional reporting and investigations. There’s always room for that. The more the merrier; it’s a huge state government. I like the new environment but we don’t know how it’s going to shake out yet. Some people have pitched nonprofit journalism as the new model and its probably one new model, but there are all sorts of models out there. What I like is the competition. But we all want the same thing: to see more news stories out there.

Q: What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of working online?

A: I’m new at it as I’ve been in newspapers for a number of years. It’s something different. Journalism is evolving and, while newspapers are still an important source of information, a lot of them have cut back on their state bureaus. But I love newspapers, so I hope to work with more of them. I also like blogs. I think they offer great and important news stories. But we’re focusing more on analysis and fresh stories, not just commenting. We still do some opinion. I’ve been an opinion columnist for so many years that I wanted to continue with that, but it's secondary. News comes first.

Q: Do you have a staff of writers?

A: Anthony Pignataro is our investigative journalist, Katie Grimes is our news reporter and we’re using some freelancers.

Q: Do you incorporate citizen journalism? Public input?

A: The blog that we do is more a developing one based on the work of our staff. But if someone had a good story idea and pitched it to me, we’re certainly open. But, nothing against that, we’re not geared at citizen journalism. I know that’s a good approach and I like it, but it’s not ours. Our approach is to have reporters and more traditional stories.

Q: What made you break out of newspaper and print and come into something like this?

A: I’ve been covering local government in Orange County for a long time. I wanted to come up to Sacramento and focus on state government, which is a mess.

Q: Is this a bipartisan effort?

A: We don’t hide the fact that we’re a project of the Pacific Research Institute, which is a free-market oriented think tank. I’m a libertarian, but my staff doesn’t necessarily share my political views. We’re not trying to do political stories, we’re trying to do serious journalism. I’m not partisan at all. I don’t care for either party! But we’re not going to hide behind a fake objectivity, a “he said, she said.” We’re going to try to analyze stories as fairly as possible, no partisan angle whatsoever, and just get to the bottom of it. We look at fraud, waste, and abuse or misuse of taxpayer dollars. We do fair stories and figure that if you look at those issues, it's certainly going to make my point, which is that government is too big. But we’re not going into this trying to push opinions and try to attempt political slant.

Q: What is involved in your process of uncovering stories?

A: I have my staff always out looking for stories. Katie is up here at the Capitol a lot. Anthony is out looking at public records and I have different freelancers who pitch stories to me. And we’re just getting started. We’ve been up for about a month, so hopefully we’ll be amping up more and more stuff.

Jewish Film Festival at the Crest

2010-02-04T03:57:28Z

Break out the yarmulkes. It is time to celebrate the Sacramento Jewish Film Festival's Bar Mitzvah year with its 13th annual Crest Theatre screening.

In 1997, volunteer coordinator Margi Park-Landau teamed up with Crest Theatre manager Sid Heberger to institute the first screening. The turnout was overwhelming.

According to Heberger, now co-director of the festival, the range of this year’s selections were chosen to represent the diversity of Jewish culture.

“The selection process involves looking at other Jewish film festivals from around the globe," she said. "We accept submissions and we also receive titles from film companies around the world including several out of Israel.”

“We read up on the films, watch them as individuals, then commence screenings for ‘Friends of the Festival’ who, through membership, screen with us and give us feedback on the films,” she said.

Maria Victoria Menis' "Camera Obscura", which was nominated for eight Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards, will be screened Saturday at 7 p.m. It tells the story of Gertrudis, a self-conscious ugly duckling, and her life in a colony of Argentinean Jews. Through a chance encounter with a nomadic French photographer, Gertrudis becomes aware of herself for the first time. The film employs surrealist techniques, hand-drawn animation and imagination sequences to tell her story. The entire film is shot on location in Buenos Aires Province.

On Saturday at 9:15 p.m., the Crest will screen “A Matter of Size,” a Hebrew and English comedy directed by Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor set in Israel. The three-time Israeli Academy Award-winning film follows four rotund men as they attempt to embrace their size by breaking into the ancient sport of sumo wrestling.

“We weren’t looking for the themes about self-image and accepting yourself for who you are that emerged out of the grouping,” Heberger said. “Almost always, there is a theme that emerges. It happens kind of organically.”

A documentary tribute to Gertrude Berg, creator of sitcom “The Goldbergs,” will be screened at noon on Sunday. Aviva Kempner’s “Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg” includes archival footage of Berg, the first Best Actress Emmy-winner and the woman described by the film’s tagline as “The Most Famous Woman in America You’ve Never Heard Of."

Heberger describes the documentary as very funny and interesting for its social commentary.

“You get to see how truly prolific she was and how she was really a forerunner to all these wonderful sitcoms we’re familiar with today like 'I Love Lucy', 'Seinfeld', 'The Honeymooners'.”

On Sunday at 2:15 p.m., the festival will wrap up with “Max Minsky and Me,” Anna Justice’s coming-of-age story based on Holly-Jane Rahlen’s novel set in Berlin. The film follows 13-year-old astronomy nerd Nelly Sue Edelmeister as she neglects her Bat Mitzvah studies in order to impress a crush by joining her school’s basketball team. She convinces Max Minsky, son of the local music cafe's Bavarian manager, to help her practice in exchange for academic tutoring.

“We were seeking out a film specifically about being Bar or Bat Mitzvah-ed and 'Max Minsky and Me' is that film,” Herberger said. “It's very near and dear to our hearts because this is our 13th festival year. It’s a Bar Mitzvah!”

Individual tickets are $10 general and $8.50 for seniors/students/”friends of festival.”

Day passes are $18 general and $16 for students/seniors/”friends of festival.”

Festival passes are $34/general and $30 for students/seniors/”friends of festival.”

Tickets are on sale now at the Crest or on tickets.com.

Super Bowl Spots This Sunday

2010-02-03T05:02:15Z

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. If you also have a crotchety dog who bites your friends, a television with a butt, or an aversion to sharing your beer, check out some of these spots on game day.

Hilltop Tavern (4757 Folsom Blvd.) is hosting its second annual Super Bowl Sunday Mac-and-Cheese-Off, where local contestants will be bringing their best dishes to the bar for sampling.

INK Eats & Drinks (2730 N St.) is offering 25-cent wings, $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers and $3 drafts.

Mikuni's (1530 J St.) is offering a Super Bowl Sunday prize raffle and all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. Adult tickets cost $30, senior tickets (+55) cost $20.

Old Tavern (1510 20th St.) is hosting a Super Bowl Sunday Chili Cook-off.

Hotshots Billiards (1721 Bell St.) is offering food and beer specials ($1 hot dogs, $1 chili, $1.50 draft beer) 30 minutes before the game, and free pool from 2 to 4 p.m.

Hangar 17 (1630 S St.) and R15 (1431 R St.) are offering drink specials and lots of flat screens.

MVP Sports Grill (1629 Capitol Ave.) is hosting a free viewing party with tri-tip and pizza.

Round Corner Tavern (2333 S St.) is hosting a Super Bowl Sunday potluck; people coming for the game are encouraged to bring a dish.

Woody's Grill (2316 Watt Ave.) is offering all-you-can-eat "Hearty Super Bowl Bites" for $12 per person, 23-ounce "mondo" beer at pint prices and discounts on their signature cocktails.

The MiX Downtown (1531 L St.) is hosting a Big Game Bash with $5 Bowl Bites including sliders, hot wings and super nachos. Drink specials include $15 Corona Buckets.

Torch Club (904 15th St.) is offering drink specials, a complimentary half-time dinner and an after-party featuring The Nibblers (a funky local soul band) at 8 p.m.

Riverside Clubhouse (2633 Riverside Blvd.) is hosting appetizer and drink specials with raffle prizes at every quarter.

Monkey Bar (2730 Capitol Ave.) is offering happy-hour domestic beers and well drinks for $2, festivities including surprises throughout the day from a number of beer distributors, and snacks like quesadillas, pizzettas, calzones and hot dogs.

Pinecove Tavern (502 29th St) is hosting its annual party and potluck with themed shots, a bar swag drawing and drink specials determined by the game score after every quarter of the game (aka drinks as low as 75 cents each).

Or for the less gluttonous, there is also the Super Bowl Sunday 10 k, which begins at 9 a.m. at Sacramento State, costs $30 and includes a tailgate theme complete with beer, brats, wings and pre-game broadcasts.

Red Hot Valentine Nights

2010-02-02T04:16:51Z

Get an inside glimpse of what's to come in the Sacramento Ballet's season by attending one of the company's "Red Hot Valentine Nights," featuring excerpts from Second Before the Ground, Nine Sinatra Songs and Frankie & Johnny.

You'll enjoy a studio show experience more intimate than on the stage followed by tango lessons with the help of the dancers themselves.

Friday night, two movements were showcased from Trey McIntyre's Second Before the Ground (a lighthearted energetic dance set to the music of the Kronos Quartet).

In excerpts from Michael Smuin's Frankie and Johnny, dancers performed a mambo, incorporating a makeshift bar to give the audience a sense of the party.

The dancers especially shined in their paired performances to Frank Sinatra's most unforgettable songs in an excerpt from Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs, described by Ron Cunningham as both a ballet and Broadway success.

The dances were sensual and romantic; the effortlessness of their movements allowed the audience to forget for a moment the incredible strength and athleticism involved.

After an ovation, Ron Cunningham invited the audience to stay for more drinks and dancing.

The tango instructor assured the pairs around me that "if you can walk, you can tango."

I didn't believe him. But I gave it a shot, allowing myself to be led around in the capable hands of John Whisler, who debuted as a dancer at age 8 and went on to apprentice and later contract with the Sacramento Ballet company.

"We're like a family," he said. "Ron and Carinne are like ballet parents."

Whisler, who claims to be hopeless as a tango dancer, said he nonetheless enjoys Red Hot Valentines Nights because the dances incorporate new styles with traditional ballet.

"It keeps things interesting," he said.

Cunningham seems to have a knack for that, supplementing a program of classic masterpieces with upcoming events like "Beer and Ballet" night and a Drag Queen Bingo benefit.

Red Hot Valentines Nights will run again next weekend, on Feb. 5 and 6, leading up to Nine Sinatra Songs, which will run every night of Valentine's weekend.

For tickets and more, visit the Sacramento Ballet website.

Take a peek at "Postcard," learn Sacramento history

2010-02-01T06:18:37Z

The Shack restaurant in East Sacramento was packed Saturday, the overflow filling the patio. So many people turned up for the book launch of photographer Tom Myers’ “Postcard History Series: Sacramento,” that he sold the 65 copies he'd brought in little over an hour.

The book is a visual history of Sacramento, taken from Myers’ collection of vintage postcards and supplemented with specific descriptions and historical details.

Myers began collecting postcards about six years ago as an extension of his interest in the history of the Sacramento area. His collection has grown to more than 680 postcards, most of them spanning the years 1905 to 1940.

The introduction to the book was written by Patricia J. Johnson, senior archivist at the Center for Sacramento History. She describes Myer’s interest in postcards as “an inexpensive way to ‘collect history."

The postcards are organized according to aspects of Sacramento, including downtown, railroads, rivers, parks, gold mining and agriculture.

A special feature of the book is a sampling of early-1900 messages found on the postcards.

“The message is sometimes the most interesting thing about the card,” Myers said.

In 2007, Myers, his wife, Sally, and son Jeff Myers published Sacramento Impressions, a collection of images representing the city’s history and culture.

Sally Myers, a professional photographer for Tom Myers Photography, said their book was included in baskets given to doctors considering moving here in order to give them an idea of what Sacramento is all about.

Jeff Myers, also a photographer, said of his parents,

“What they’re really about is stock photography. They have this huge library of hundreds of thousands of images going all the way back to Ansel Adams’ time. They do these books for fun, because it’s interesting and because they enjoy the local community.”

Visit Tom Myers Photography online.

California High-Speed Rail Authority Scoping Meeting

2010-01-29T01:53:12Z

Thursday morning, the Federal Department of Transportation is expected to announce it’s decision on how roughly $8 billion of federal stimulus funding will be allocated.

California hopefully awaits a response to it's application for $4.7 billion of the stimulus funds in order to proceed with a high-speed rail project that has long awaited realization.

California High-Speed Rail Authority Board Chairman Curt Pringle believes California is a strong contender.

“We can double the value of the federal government’s dollars by matching them with state bond funds approved by California voters last year.” He said.

By this, he referred to the narrow passage in November 2008 of Proposition 1A, allowing for a bond measure approval of nearly $10 billion in bonds to partially fund an 800-miles high-speed rail network between Northern and Southern California.

The bond act’s proponents include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Alliance For Jobs, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority, who argue that the project will create jobs and boost California’s economy while relieving auto traffic and oil dependency.

Opposition campaigns were waged by tax-payer groups like Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the California Taxpayer Protection Committee. They argue that the project’s cost is ballooning to prices higher than what the state can afford.

Preceding the vote, in November 2008, the Sacramento Bee denounced the act, stating:

"Until California fixes its chronic budget deficits, it can't afford to increase its debt for projects that, while desirable, are not of vital necessity.”

Nevertheless, Californian voters pushed the proposition through, enabling the California High-Speed Rail Authority to initialize project development.

Yesterday, the California High Speed Rail Authority hosted a scoping meeting at the Amtrak Depot in Sacramento in an effort to collect public input towards the early stages of project planning.

“Anyone that comes to something like this or offers comments, either through this type of meeting or through the website or by submitting a letter, they’re doing so at a time when we still have a lot of decisions to be made,” said spokesman Gene Endicott.

“We’re trying to reach as many people as we can with an interest in the project, whether they’re elected officials, community groups, people who live near the proposed alignments, businesses organizations…we’re trying as best we can to broadly communicate about the opportunity to be engaged in this process.”

In order to comply with state and federal laws, the California High-Speed Rail Authority must prepare a Project Environmental Impact Report, detailing project impacts and recommended mitigation measures. This scoping meeting was one of a series of public input sessions through the Central Valley; the state-wide rail project is split into eleven sections, each with its own project-level EIR.

“What we’re working on here today is the EIR specific to the section of the project from Merced to Sacramento,” said Endicott. “It’ll be a couple of years before we even have a draft of the Environmental Impact Report. The entire process will take about three years.”

In a revised business plan submitted by the High-Speed Rail Authority to the Legislature last month, three categories of major milestones are outlined: planning, implementation, and revenue services. According to the report, the completion of environmental reviews is scheduled for 2011, with construction scheduled the following year.

If implementation continues as planned, the plan’s projected passenger service date is 2017, with the completed system running from Anaheim to San Francisco by 2020.

Despite this projected time-line, uncertainty over what federal funding will be made available to the project and what Californian taxpayers are able to pay seems to have tempered the emotional campaigns waged over Prop 1A’s passage.

Attendees at the public input session seemed more curious about where the project stands than antagonistic to its existence.

City resident, Brian Hussey, was a proponent of the ambitious project and voted yes on Prop 1A. He came to learn about the progress being made towards realizing the train line.

“It’s a question whether it’s really going to get done or not. I’d really like to see them come up with a solid plan,” he said. “Right now it seems like a real political football.”

According to Endicott, disseminating information and collecting input is especially important at this stage of development, because decisions made during the stage of implementation are inevitably contentious. He named a number of issues the California High-Speed Rail Authority anticipates addressing when track alignments are finalized.

“Noise pollution is a big one for people,” he said.

But the project has not yet reached a point where these issues are addressed directly. It is unclear what California can afford to contribute to the project; Thursday's announcement of federal stimulus allocation could give project hopefuls a better idea.

Mondavi Focus on Film Series

2010-01-27T08:46:08Z

For people sick of hearing about "Avatar," the Mondavi Center at UC Davis provides low-cost alternative screenings with it's Focus on Film series held this winter and spring.

Mondavi Center Executive Director Don Roth opened the series up to the public in 2008 with three nights of Ingmar Bergman retrospectives followed by three nights of films representing "Perspectives of War in Cinema."

"We get a good mix of members of the community and students to these screenings," he said.

For this installment, the series is broken into the themes of Replay and Graphic Novel.

Roth described the films chosen for the Replay portion as representative of "two films based on the same story."

Films featured include Rene Clement's "Purple Moon" (1960), based on Patricia Highsmith's novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley"; and Jean Renoir's "Boudu Saved from Drowning" (1932), based on the play by Rene Fauchois. Both stories later underwent Hollywood adaptation with "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999) starring Matt Damon and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986) with Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss.

The final film in this theme installation was screened Saturday night, a double feature of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1934 and 1956 adaptations of “The Man Who Knew Too Much.”

The suspense thrillers are based on the same story of a family on vacation who witness a murder and are subsequently drawn into a dangerous web of mistaken identity, spy secrets, assassination and kidnapping.

The 1934 film is a black-and-white feature released by Gaumont British and is lesser known than its Technicolor Hollywood counterpart, starring James Stewart and Doris Day, featuring the Oscar-winning song "Que Sera, Sera."

The films differ in plot and tone, with the British version featuring a British couple vacationing in Switzerland, an East London shootout, and a more active and heroic female lead.

In the film's 1956 version, the story is retold as an American couple vacationing in Morocco, with the pivotal murder set in a crowded outdoor market in Marrakesh, and features the Oscar-winning song.

"The Hollywood version is more suspenseful and developed," Roth said.

While the films differ in tone and setting, both feature Hitchcock's signature techniques, including use of creepy under-lighting, provocative angles and dramatic orchestral scores.

They also share Hitchcock's singularly quirky humor and cameos of the round man himself. In the '34 film, he crosses the screen to enter a dentist's office, and in the '56 film he can be seen watching acrobats perform in the Marrakesh marketplace.

The next three films featured in the Focus on Film series have been chosen for their use and portrayal of the Graphic Novel.

The next screening, on March 8 is "American Splendor," the 2003 adaption of an autobiographical comic series written by Harvey Pekar. Pekar, played by Paul Giamatti, is an embittered antihero who creates a comic book based on his dead-end job and the pedestrian, dismal moments of his everyday experience. When his comic book achieves cult celebrity status, Pekar has to deal with the bizarre fallout of his identity being reduced to the pages of a comic. Interspersed throughout the Oscar-nominated film are pieces of interview footage from the real Pekar.

The theme will be further explored on April 5 in the screening of "Ghost World," Terry Zwigoff's 2001 cult-classic film based on a graphic novel of the same name. It follows social outsiders Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) through their first summer after graduating from high school.

The series' final installment, Vincent Parannaud and Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" (2007), will be screened on April 19. Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, "Persepolis" is based on Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name and tells the story of her experience of the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

All screenings are held at 6 p.m. at the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

For more information, visit the Mondavi Center's Focus on Films website.

Songs of Hope

2010-01-25T09:04:43Z

Saturday night marked the opening of the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra’s Second Annual Songs of Hope concert, part of the orchestra’s Great Works concert series.

According to it's organizers, the project is designed to foster dialogue between people through musical exchange.

Songs of Hope began in 2008 and has evolved into a partnership in musical exchange led by Sacramento Philharmonic director Michael Morgan and Egyptian maestro Nader Abbassi.

Abbassi directs the Orchestra For Peace, which features Israeli and Arab musicians, and promotes dialogue and engagement.

Morgan warmly welcomed Abbassi and concert goers Saturday, chronicling the evolution of Songs of Hope and extending a hopeful message:

“Everyone should be doing what they can to promote peace in this world … Music does help bring people together. If everyone works at it, we can turn this thing around.”

Senator Darrell Steinberg introduced the guest performers and shared a similar sentiment:

“We’re building bridges in symphonies to bridges in people. And there’s no better place to hold this event than in Sacramento, the most integrated and diverse community in the United States.”

“Music can’t make up for all of the sadness of the world,” he continued, “but it can act as a powerful symbol of how the world can be.”

The program included Wolfgang Mozart’s "Piano Concerto in D Minor," Iranian composer Reza Vali’s "Toward That Endless Plain," Abbassi’s "Nile Bride" and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Arabian Nights-inspired "Scheherazade."

Renowned Israeli pianist Shai Wosner played the concerto expressively, and received a standing ovation.

Each movement played by the Sacramento Philharmonic achieved a distinct and singular effect, evoking experiences as disparate as the courts of Versailles and the time of Pharaohs.

Vali’s composition was inspired by a poem written by 20th century Persian mystic poet Sohrab Sepehri, which Vali read aloud.

Khosrow Soltani, a master of wind instruments, led the concerto with the Persian ney, a wood flute played with such a mournful effect that it seemed at times to stand alone. Juxtaposed with aggressive percussion evoking chaos and mania, the ney provided relief and tranquility.

Abbassi’s "Nile Bride" evoked the time of the Pharaohs. It tells the story of a young virgin who sacrificed herself to save the city of Thebes by marrying the Nile. A plaintive oboe melody, representing the young girl, was gradually consumed by building rhythms echoing the power of the Nile. Abbassi was captivating to watch, his whole body seemingly holding the tension of the composition, released only by the final note.

The final piece, "Scheherazade," was stunning. Its colorful recall of the Arabian Nights kept the audience's interest and ended with a standing ovation.

The Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra’s program continues next month with the series “Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”

Living Library

2010-01-19T05:32:50Z

Would people show up for a cultural history event on a rainy Sunday night? I was skeptical.

At 6 p.m., a few dozen grey heads mingled around Time Tested Books, chatting up acquaintances or scouring the science fiction section. But by 7 p.m., my skepticism had melted; the Midtown bookstore was full of Sacramentans of all ages. Clusters of people blocked the “Mystery 1st Editions” and “U.S. History” aisles to witness the first Sacramento Living Library series, hosted by Time Tested Books’ Peter Keat.

The bookstore has been hosting literary events for some time, including a regular poetry series. The Living Library series is the staff's latest brainstorm.

Keat described the new installation as “a way of drawing attention to what Sacramento has to offer.”

On the third Sunday of every month, starting this month, Time Tested Books will host dialogues with influential Sacramento speakers free to the public.

Living Library guests will include Ginger Rutland, associate editor at The Sacramento Bee and a commentator on Capital Public Radio; Darrell Corti, president of Corti Brothers, a gourmet Italian grocery store: architect and environmentalist David Mogavero; former mayors Burnett Miller, Phil Isenberg, Anne Rudin and Heather Fargo; and journalist Peter Schrag.

Kate Towson is a college graduate who recently moved to Sacramento from Philadelphia for an AmeriCorps VISTA position with the Sacramento Steps Forward campaign to end homelessness.

Towson read about Living Library on a Sacramento literary event blog and decided to attend to “get to know the town and meet people.”

“I already love this bookstore and the coffee shops around Midtown”, she said, “and it’s good for my brain to get out and do these things.”

On Sunday, the founder of Tower Records and R-5, Russ Solomon, spoke with SacramentoPress.com editor David Watts Barton about his life in the music industry.

“We came up with a list of people we’d be interested in having speak and Russ Solomon was at the top of our list,” said Keat.

The publisher of Midtown Monthly, Tim Foster, welcomed the crowd to the bookstore and Sacramento Living Library’s first installment.

He introduced Solomon as “the man who put Sacramento on the map, culturally.”

Barton is an ex-employee of Tower Records. He asked how many others had worked there and more than a dozen hands went up. One belonged to Rick Hernandez, who was hired in 1952 and was Solomon’s first employee.

Solomon and Barton spoke easily, their dialogue peppered with Solomon’s self-deprecating jokes and anecdotes.

At Barton's urging, Solomon chronicled his entry into the record industry in 1941, when his entrepreneurial father began selling used 78’s out of his drugstore on 16th and Broadway.

World War II broke out in the United States later that year and Solomon enlisted in the Army.

“In spite of this, we won the war.” he said.

When Solomon returned to Sacramento, he found that his father had expanded the record-selling franchise from the small drugstore to the space that still stands at the café on 16th and Broadway.

By 1946, Solomon was selling Big Band titles of musicians such as Freddy Martin, Glenn Miller and the Dorsey Brothers.

“All those Big Band titles I love today and nobody knows,” he said.

Solomon said he witnessed the evolution of rock 'n’ roll through the 1940s and '50s.

“Then Elvis broke out in the 50s, and the world changed.”

During this time, Solomon worked to expand the Tower franchise while joining a sideline business of promoting concerts, bringing rock 'n’ rollers such as Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys to Sacramento.

“As a promoter, I got to see how people reacted to music, what music was important to them,” he said.

In the 1960s, the Tower Records that people speak of today opened. The franchise grew to more than 90 stores in the United States, and about 170 total, including in England, Japan and South America.

According to Solomon, the record industry continued to grow until it peaked in 1999 or 2000. Pressed by changing technologies in the music industry, competition from Best Buy and Walmart, and economic constraints, the Tower Records franchise became unsustainable, eventually closing.

“Tower, even in today’s world, should not have gone out of business,” Solomon said, “but we, I, made mistakes.”

Barton asked Solomon what inspired his return to the record-selling business with the establishment of R5 Records.

“Firstly, it’s the challenge. Secondly, it’s like a painter who gets to retirement age but doesn’t retire. You do what you do because it’s interesting and you’re part of it,” he answered.

This perspective speaks to audience members such as local business owners Sally and Tom Myers.

Their niece met her husband while working at Tower Records and their son has sold pieces of fine art to Solomon. But these aren’t the only reasons the Myers braved the rain to hear Solomon speak.

Photographer Tom Myers has a newly published book, The Postcard History of Sacramento, in stock at Time Tested Books.

“Owning a photography business, we’re always interested in how different local businesses are dealing with difficult times.” Sally Myers said.

For Solomon, the challenge is getting creative. He said he believes it's possible to integrate retail record buying in a market that has changed dramatically due to music downloading. Of the old model, Solomon said:

“Whether I’m believing in something that’s dripping away, that won’t exist in our future, I don’t know. But the eternal optimist in me believes there is an intrinsic desire to collect and hold a tangible possession in your hands. I’m sensitive to that. A download is nice, but it’s empty.”

Solomon nostalgically described poring over every inch of a newly purchased album as audience members nodded in agreement.

“You can buy a track on Amazon but it's not the same,” Solomon continued. “It’s a missing cultural thing. People like to buy in stores. For a collector, a CD isn’t enough. In an artistic sense, LPs are more fun to have and hold.”

When Barton asked Solomon about his legacy as a Sacramento icon, Solomon dodged the compliment, responding simply: “I just want to be involved and active and make a little art or be involved with people who do. That’s fun! That’s what makes my life worthwhile.”

During a Q & A session, an ex-employee thanked Solomon for what he gave her and “thousands of others.”

“Your Tower family is your legacy”, she insisted, as Solomon received a standing ovation.

Composting Resources

2010-01-14T03:52:34Z

Backyard composting is easier than you might think. Compost acts as a multivitamin for your garden, reacting with soil to release plant nutrients. You cut down on the amount of trash you bag and throw away, and your yard waste is recycled instead of picked up by a stranger for transporting, processing and dumping.

Interest in composting has ballooned in the last few years, as more and more online and community resources are made available for people interested in cutting costs and environmental footprints.

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities hosts Free Backyard Composting Seminars. The next one is March 13 at the Southside Community Garden.

In the meantime, here is an assemblage of resources for readers interested in getting started on a batch of winter compost to maximize spring gardening:

The Department of Utilities offers a free, very readable composting guide on its website. A PDF link provides a 20-page booklet covering composting basics, what to compost, techniques, troubleshooting, vermicomposting (composting with worms) resources and more.

Study up! Next step, acquire a compost bin.

Compost bins can be purchased at a number of places; check Capital Nursery Company or Target. Retail bins usually range from $100 to $150, but the utilities department offers city residents a discount. Complete an online composting quiz and submit it to Sacramento's Solid Waste Services with proof of city residency, and you're qualified for a discounted bin at $65.

For the creative and the frugal, there are all sorts of online resources available to guide you through building your own compost bin for as little as $10 to $15. Blue Grass Gardens provides plans for several sets of bins, including a wood and wire compost bin, wood pallet compost bin and more elaborate compost tumbler.

Plans for wood pallet composting bins seem to be the most popular, as pallets are ubiquitous, easy to work with and often free. If you're interested in building your own wood pallet composting bin, check out Sacramento Craigslist's free listings. Paint and hardware stores often post discarded pallets available for pick-up. (Tip: Sacramento Craigslist often features posts advertising used bins, earth worms and compost. You can also get lucky and find people in the area, usually from ranches in the foothills, offering free compost for pick-up.)

Once you've got your pallets, its time to get to work. Most wood pallet plans involve some combination of wiring and nailing four pallets together, plus a fifth pallet and latches if you're constructing a lid or door. For comprehensive guides including step-by-step instructions with photographs, check out plans provided by Do It Yourself, How To Do Things or Instructables websites.

One day of basic building, and you should have a standing bin ready for composting.

In the bin, combine carbon materials (like fallen leaves and grass clippings) with nitrogen materials (the coffee grinds, old flowers, eggshells and fruits and vegetable scraps you would ormally throw away) in about a 3-to-1 ratio. Composting is a natural process. Decomposing organisms break down your waste, producing a rich batch of garden compost in three to six months.

You can help the decomposition along by providing your pile with the basics: water and air. Your compost pile should be periodically watered (keep it moist, not wet) and aerated (turn and mix with a pitchfork or shovel) for best results.

Information and fellow composters are everywhere. Speak to your neighbors and local garden centers.

Begin familiarizing yourself with composting resources today and enjoy the fruits of your labor in your backyard this spring!

Indy Euphoria

2010-01-11T21:12:30Z

Hot Zombie Chicks, kids, crocheters, neck tattoos, furry monsters, autobiographical comic books, and customized handcrafts were assembled under one roof at the Scottish Rite Center Saturday and Sunday.

One story is being retold in different words at the "Vinyl Toy, Indy Comix and D.I.Y." show and it transcends all mediums at Indy Euphoria. People are discovering they have the capacity to create the things they want to see realized.

Indy Euphoria shows there is a market for those creations. Hundreds of vendors displayed theirs at the event.

Nora Kniveton from Transient Treasures was approached by Indy Euphoria creator Anthony Leano to table at a comic convention for the first time. Kniveton sells vintage relics and handcrafted accessories from parts found at estate sales, auctions and thrift stores at Sacramento’s Third Saturday Design each month. As a child, Kniveton joined her grandmother on thrift shopping expeditions and has always had a passion for vintage. Every piece of her collection tells a story. Running her hands over nostalgia-inducing keys and broaches, she selects a turn-of-the-century key carrier and demonstrates its extension.

"It's unusual to find them intact," she explains.

At a nearby table, Nicole Zimmerman, creator of Frisky Flowers, packages a buyer’s selection in a ghoulish Halloween goodie-bag. Her table is covered in floral hair accessories adorned with glittering jewels, beads and skeleton hands. Zimmerman explains that her business was born out of the frustration of losing a $17 hair accessory one day after purchasing it.

"I pulled out my glue-gun and said enough is enough," she says.

Zimmerman accepts custom-design orders. She maintains that fashion should be affordable and for her accessories -- pretty pieces of bows and petals in every color, beads and real feathers -- Zimmerman charges only the expense of the materials involved. Each handcrafted piece is totally unique.

Zimmerman’s most interesting pieces pair pretty feathers and bows with skulls and skeleton fingers. She said her style is influenced by rockabilly and punk subcultures.

"People into rockabilly and vintage know how to stretch their dollar, recycle and reuse," she says. "The Rockabilly and comic scenes pair because they attract the same creative, do-it-yourself crowd," she says.

Chartruz Lovelace describes a similarly self-motivated entrance into the market in her specialized line of Cuddlemonster toys, fuzzy and fleece monsters with large distorted eyes and pointed teeth. After the birth of her son, Lovelace became interested in creating alternative, one-of-a-kind toys. Eventually she began to sell her products alongside artist and boyfriend Dan Brereton's table to see how her creepy cuddlers would be received.

"Low and behold people showed interest and wanted to take them into their homes too! That was the beginning of what has become the Cuddlemonster family. Now there’s a book, apparel, bags, aprons and pretty much anything people want to commission me to do!" she says.

Comic writer and graphic novelist Nate Powell described a do-it-yourself relationship to the comic world that parallels the stories of hand-craft vendors. His passion was born out of resourcefulness.

Powell's comic career started at 11 in his hometown of Littlerock, Ark. when he became aware that he was capable of creating his own black and white line art.

At 14, Powell undertook self-publishing. The first step was identifying available resources. Powell’s first comics were proliferated by use of the photocopier in his dad's office.

Powells characterizes much of his work as "half-fiction," transposing and distorting true autobiographical experiences and characters.

In 2006, Top Shelf publications released Powell's "Please Release" and, in 2008, "Swallow Me Whole." The following year, "Swallow Me Whole," a dark, stunning book, won the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel.

"The Eisner Award is like the Grammy of the comic world," explains Indy Euphoria founder and director, Anthony Leano.

While in Sacramento, Powell is crashing with some of Indy Euphoria's coordinators, whom he describes as a tight-knit crew. When asked about the fraternity of comic artists in Sacramento, Powell replied:

"It’s definitely dude-friendly ... but there are women involved in this too. I wouldn't call it a fraternity -- its more like a family. I think that tight-knit nature is a byproduct of the fact that at an indie comic convention, you know every person there has paid at least one full paycheck to be there. Essentially, everyone has to support one another," he said.

For all the preconceived notions that the term "comic convention" conjures, Indy Euphoria looks pretty subdued. The people are friendly and level and normal-looking.

And then there are the Hot Zombie Chicks.

They’re beautiful. They are also covered in chunky blood and open-wound makeup.

Comic book writer and tattoo veteran Brandon Bracamonte contacted Hot Zombie models "Victoria Gore," "Roxy Rotten" and "Dready Page" about appearing in a live drawing session for Indy Euphoria’s artists. Last October, the models placed in the Sacramento Horror Film Festival’s third annual Zombie Beauty Contest.

Winners earned gift certificates to Fallen Angel Tattoo and ultimate immortality: roles in the next issue of Mike Hampton’s "Hot Zombie Chicks" comic.

As it grows dark outside the Scottish Rite Center, artists and convention attendees convene in a warm, well-lit event room for a "Live Undead Drawing Session" featuring the Hot Zombie Chicks. Somehow, they maintain sexy snarls while accentuating brutal, gouged-eye makeup.

Meanwhile, in the vendor space, Leano continues to make the rounds, ensuring everyone is taken care of. Leano has been doing the convention circuit since his teens and has experienced these shows as a vendor, talent booker and speaker. Today, he is running the show.

Inspiration for creating his own show was a product of trial and error. After working with Dan Houck, owner of Sacramento’s Comic, Toy and Anime Show (Sac-Con), for a number of years, Leano bought an existing convention.

"It failed miserably," he said. "That was the learning curve. It scared me into putting together my own show. Dan took me under his shoulder and taught me how to promote."

Leano describes the vendors around him as members of his extended family.

"My goal is to try to keep us all under one umbrella by supporting each other and cross-promoting," he says. "It makes this more fun. This isn’t just a job. If we weren’t part of [the show], we’d be attending it. We love this medium. We’re our biggest customers and biggest fans."

American Honey Producers Assoc. National Convention

2010-01-09T01:35:43Z

Kenneth Haff, President of the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) sweeps a glance around the full event room at Hilton Sacramento Arden West and smiles. He is pleased with the turnout for AHPA’s 41st Annual National Convention, a three-day event hosting speakers and vendors from all across the country.

This is the second year Sacramento has served as the convention’s host city. Haff estimated that around 600 people registered for the convention, and about 37 vendors. Seminars included “The Honey Revolution – Restoring the Health of Future Generations” with Dr. Ron Fessenden of Colorado and The Sierra Club’s “Working to Protect Pollinators” with Dr. Neil Carman of Texas, to name just a few.

“We’ve got hobbyists in attendance as well as vendors representing all the major sellers in the beekeeping industry. We’ve got labs from Washington and Arizona as well as UC Davis entomologists speaking on breakthroughs regarding bee diseases and new technologies in the industry,” he said.

Haff has been beekeeping for 32 years. He began as a hobbyist with 50 colonies and has graduated to 2,000 full-time colonies, which he brings to California from North Dakota for pollination.

“A lot of people come to the convention to learn about pollination," he said. "It’s important for people involved in agriculture, especially in the almond industry.”

Haff was most excited to see three members of the National Guard’s Oklahoma Agricultural Development Team (ADT) attend: Warren Higginbotham, Crystal Sims, and Chris Shoffner. The three are part of a team of about 60 Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen who will take the agricultural skills and resources they’ve amassed to Afghanistan for 10 months of teaching and training outreach programs.

“After every war there is need for an economic development program. That’s where our Agriculture and Development teams and Provincial Reconstruction teams come in. We’re focusing on implementing an infrastructure with agriculture,” Higginbotham said.

U.S. Senator Kit Bond has been promoting the development of an ADT presence in Afghanistan since visiting the country in 2006. Since about 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population is linked to the agricultural sector, Bond contends that supporting sustainable agriculture has the potential to not only improve the lives of Afghani people, but also supplant the narcotics industry.

“These citizen-soldiers are literally sowing the seeds of peace in Afghanistan,” Bond said.

Higginbotham, Sims and Shoffner are part of the second agricultural team to be deployed from Oklahoma. They are taking the reigns from a Tennessee team in Paktia Province near Gardez in part of a rotating deployment.

“We’re recapping the tire,” Higginbotham said. “Before this convention, we were in contact with our agricultural counterparts in Afghanistan, narrowing in on what information we need to be collecting here.”

The main focus for Oklahoma National Guard's ADT is fostering growth in beekeeping, fisheries and hatcheries, and orchards in Afghanistan.

“What we’re learning is that beekeeping processes are generally similar everywhere. Crop spray drift introduces pesticides, affecting the health of bees. The same diseases seem to affect bees in Afghanistan, but by a much smaller scope. We may find that the Afghani beekeepers have found a way to take care of common bee diseases in their colonies. We may be learning from them!” says Higginbotham.

When the ADT members learned about Sacramento's AHPA convention, they took the opportunity to sit in on the seminars in order to expand their knowledge of the specialized intricacies of beekeeping. Their hope is to implement the skills and resources they've acquired in the U.S. with educational programs in Paktia Province that inspire new agricultural practices and stimulate the region's economy.

A structural basis has been implemented in Afghanistan, including a beekeeping association and classes offering attendees two hives of their own. Shoffner notes that he was surprised to learn that in Afghanistan, women most frequently undertake beekeeping, whereas he understands it to be a more male-dominated practice in the U.S.

“For the past 30 years, these people have lived in a war-torn environment. Now we’re coming in with construction teams and building communities back up. We’re not going in saying we have all the answers. We just want to help build a better standard of daily life,” continued Shoffner.

The AHPA convention offers the team a comprehensive educational resource. The trio cite information sharing and relationship building as key to their undertaking. At this convention, they’ve connected with three suppliers who have sent equipment to Afghanistan.

“These events build networks. We’ve gotten to know pollinators, suppliers, and labs. It’s a great way to get answers to all our questions. These folks have been very friendly, very helpful. They’re making our job a lot easier,” said Higginbotham.

Shen Yun Performing Arts

2010-01-08T08:23:08Z

New York’s Radio City Music Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, Paris’ Le Palais Congrès, next stop: Sacramento Convention Center. Shen Yun has traveled the world in an extensive tour and is now stopping in Sacramento for two days. Shen Yun Performing Arts company is composed of an ensemble of choreographers, dancers and professional musicians whose material evolves from year to year.

According to its mission statement, Shen Yun Performing Arts came into being in 2006 "with a vision of cultural renewal."

A non-profit organization disassociated from China's communist regime, the company's mission is "to revive the true, five-millennia-old artistic tradition of China...and breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture while providing audiences everywhere with an experience of sublime beauty."

Shen Yun performers are accompanied by a live orchestra and rich and colorful costumes inspired by traditional Chinese culture. The company's website list influences ranging from ancient legends and heroes to Falun Dafa, a self-cultivation method of "calm expressiveness."

The show will feature several styles of dancing, including classical Chinese, ethnic and folk, as well as story-inspired. Costumes are handmade, and the backdrops are designed to inspire a sense of grandeur.

The company's principal dancers include Seongho Cha, a gold medal-winner of the National Ballet Competition of Korea, as well as Jennifer Su and Cindy Liu, co-winners of NTDTV’s International Chinese Classical Dance Competition in 2009.

There are eight lead and principal dancers in Shen Yung's dance company, a live orchestra, and several solo musicians.

Company orchestra conductor Rutang Chen has, over the course of three decades of orchestra work, received the status of “National First-Class Performer" in China.

The company has achieved international acclaim for its colorful visuals, first-class musical talent, and stunning dancing.

Shen Yun Performing Arts will be appearing on Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Convention Center.

Tickets to this event range from $40 to $90 and are available for purchase by phone: (916) 808-5181 or online.

Indy Euphoria

2010-01-07T05:50:01Z

This Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., Sacramento's Scottish Rite Center will open its doors for Indy Euphoria, "Sacramento's Vinyl Toy, D.I.Y. & Indy Comix Show."

The event will feature live art, a charity auction, film screenings, hundreds of vendors, celebrated comic book guests, seminars and workshops.

"Indy Comix" is an umbrella term for projects that fall outside the realm of mainstream superhero comics. According to Indy Euphoria founder, Anthony Leano, it encompasses comics that are "alternative, underground, independents or small press, self-published, new brow, and low brow." The art represented by Indy Euphoria steps away from the mass-produced and toward that of a singular, handmade, self-taught and do-it-yourself culture.

Sacramentan Leano has been working at comic conventions and shows since he was a young teen and has witnessed the evolution of the Sacramento comic scene.

"It is quite a thriving scene these days," he said. "There is a local Drink & Draw meeting every third Thursday around 8 p.m. at The Fox & Goose downtown where several comic creators meet and get inspired."

Leano co-writes the comic book "Brains" about the town of Creepsville and its mad inhabitants. In extension, Leano founded From The Land Beyond publications to unite horror and science fiction-inspired minds in celebration of the genres' representations in films, novels, magazines and comics.

"I have a deep love for these mediums and want to share it with my community," Leano said.

Indy Euphoria's guest speakers include several winners of the Ignatz Award, a significant recognition of achievement in the comics and cartooning world. Many Sacramento area creators will be in attendance, including Mike Hampton and Dan Brereton, who will be hosting a "Hot Zombie Chicks/Homicide Girls" drawing session with live undead zombie models on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

"I'm excited to see all of the workshops!," Leano said. "Most of the guests are either friends or extended family. I am just happy to see them all under the same roof."

Creative displays will range from film to plush monster-inspired childrens' accessories. There will be over a hundred booths at Indy Euphoria, with showcases from local vendors and those who made the trip from Portland and Los Angeles.

Local talent and creator of Top Shelf webcomic "The Blue Kid," Jed Alexander, is one of the guests showcasing prints and mini-comics this weekend.

"Indy Euphoria has its share of Sacramento area artists like Dan Brereton, but Jim Woodring and Jeffrey Brown are well known in the alternative press, and Nate Powell is an up-and-comer," Alexander said. "It looks like Indy Euphoria is making a serious bid to take a more prominent role in the national alternative comics scene. We're particularly fortunate to have Jim Woodring, who is among that small group of cartoonists who came on the scene in the late '80s and early '90s who were great inspirations to my generation of cartoonists. Jim's amazing."

Event workshops include "How to Silkscreen Your Own T-Shirt" (participants are encouraged to bring their own), vinyl toy customization and painting techniques, and "Design Your Own Comic or Mini-Zine," with more panels to be announced. There will be film screenings of artist and DIY culture documentaries as well as film adaptions of independent comics. A charity auction in support of Save Our Water Sacramento begins Saturday at 3 p.m. with art pieces up for bid.

Webcomic artist and creator of Pocket Kitten Comics, M.Niels, got involved in the scene after attending local comic artist events posted on Empire's Comic Vault's website.

"I decided to involve myself with the local art scene," Neils said. "When I went to the Sacramento Comic Con in December, a few artists told me I should get a table at Indy Euphoria. So I said 'Why not?'

To potential attendees, Leano had this to say:

"Take your time and enjoy the show to its fullest," he said. "There are hidden gems at each booth that are easy to miss. Take the time and appreciate the guests by checking out their artistic flare. Oh, and wear deodorant."

Indy Euphoria costs $6 for one day or $10 for the weekend pass. For more information, visit Indy Euphoria's website and Facebook.

California State Home & Garden Show

2010-01-06T23:38:02Z

All green thumbs, take note. This weekend at the Sacramento Convention Center, KOVR is sponsoring the California State Home & Garden show. The event will feature free seminars, guest speakers and workshops for those interested in home and garden improvement.

The show opens Friday at noon and runs through Sunday evening, providing a wide range of resources and something for everyone.

For composting enthusiasts, Lora Laskay of Magic Earth will be hosting "Composting for Kids" and "Urban Composting" seminars. "Urban Composting" will teach city dwellers how to adopt composting into their lives despite time and space constraints.

Do-It-Yourself-ers should check out Erika Wallin, of Rocklin Windows, demonstrate a how-to guide to home molding installation. Wallin's DIY clinic, "The Transformative Power of Trimwork" will feature design ideas, material and tools needed, and a demonstration of installing decorative door header moldings.

"This simple step by step process will add architectural character to the home," says Wallin.

And for those looking for inspiration, specialists will be on-hand to speak on subjects ranging from kitchen design to retirement. Dennis Goehring of Stockton's New York Life insurance will host a seminar each day entitled "The New Paradigm of Retirement Thinking - Wants, Needs And Your Retirement."

Other show highlights include a seminar with special guest Gary Gragg, host of HGTV "Superscapes," who specializes in landscaping with exotic plants and whose designs can be observed at the Oakland Zoo and throughout Northern California.

Show coordinator Paulette Bruce is especially looking forward to seeing popular radio and television guests "The Duct Tape Guys," Tim Nyberg and Jim Berg, who utilize prop comedy to promote duct tape in all its versatile glory. The two have released seven books, have appeared on a host of radio shows and cable networks, and were hailed on the History Channel's tribute to duct tape as "The Clown Princes of Hardware."

Bruce describes the duo as "absolutely hysterical."

Bruce is excited about connecting attendees with local vendors, who will be showcasing their products as well as offering tips and inspiration for low-cost improvements for the home and garden.

On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., there will be a Charity Chili Cook-off, with all proceeds donated to the community organizations and charities involved. WEAVE Inc., Sacramento's primary resource for domestic abuse counseling, will be sponsoring at least one charity cooking team. Jr. Chef Central will compete with two teams composed of 10 to 15-year-old graduates of the program's Jr. Chef Cooking Camp, which offers children an inclusive and professional grade space to practice chef training and learn about nutrition, discipline, and shopping on a budget. Jr. Chef alumni, Chef Tyler Stone, will also compete on behalf of the Ronald McDonald House charities. Stone, who has been cooking professionally since 13, will also be autographing cookbooks.

For $3 or 2 for $5, the public may participate in the Chili Cook-off tasting, with all proceeds going back to the community organizations involved. Show organizer, Sherry Larsen, suggests arriving early to taste, as the number of Peoples Choice tasting votes will be limited. Results of the cook-off will be available by 4 p.m. and announced by a panel of judges.

"The Duct Tape Guys have been lobbying me extremely heavily to be judges!" said Larsen.

Raffle prizes, including two 6-month Family Memberships to California Family Fitness and two high-end grills provided by Warped Radio, will also be available to win, with proceeds going to local community organizations.

For parking information and a list of exhibitors, visit the event website.

Abstract Rude Pre NYE Show

2009-12-31T03:29:24Z

Sacramento hip-hop artists and followers braved the Tuesday night rain to see Abstract Rude, Los Angeles rapper and co-founder of hip-hop collective Project Blowed, perform at East Sacramento’s Blue Lamp. The show, sponsored by Midtown’s My BBQ Spot, was opened by local hip-hop talents DJ Oasis, Prozac Morris, Illecism, Random Abiladeze and DJ Nocturnal.

Sacramento-native Prozac Morris was the first act to successfully engage the crowd. His energy switched something on in his audience, who began to press in. It wasn’t until the crowd began to swell and connect with Prozac Morris that the space finally began to feel like a hip-hop show.

Local MC Illecism kept the momentum, rapping about the difficulties of pedestrian day jobs and high-maintenance Citrus Heights girls, all the while dropping Ricky Bobby one-liners. Illecism has established a following in Sacramento, appearing last June in the Sacramento Area Music Awards Showcase as a nominee.

In the end, the 2009 Outstanding MC Sammie went to Random Abiladeze, who opened for Abstract Rude, and whose poetic lyricism paralleled the act to come and set the right mood.

Abstract Rude is low-key. Pairing argyle with Nikes, he was an unassuming presence onstage. So when he began to tear into the microphone with eloquence and articulation, everyone shut up and paid attention. In his opening spit, Rude tore into overuse of prescription drugs and rejection of natural remedies, his comical wordplay achieving something grim.

DJ Artistic introduced Abstract Rude as the "scorpion with the deadliest sting."

While there is no doubt Rude’s mind and wordplay are sharp as teeth, his stage presence is inclusive and light. Sipping Newcastle, Rude dropped a Sublime tribute, references to Oakland Raiders, respect and peace to his hip-hop family Haiku D'Etat (composed of Rude, Aceyalone and Myka 9), and positive chants like “Life is not like a TV show!” and “I think I can, I know I can.”

Drea from San Diego, who ran merchandise for Abstract Rude and DJ Artistic at the Blue Lamp show, said she has been listening to Abstract Rude for years and got to know him as “part of the same underground collective, underground family."

Drea remarked at Rude’s ability to connect with audiences.

“He can hype Oakland fans with their Raiders as well as he can San Diego with their Chargers," she said. Of Haiku D’Etat, she noted a balance struck between Aceyalone and Abstract Rude, whom she described as “more raw, more rasta, more rooty.”

Prozac Morris described a similar sound.

“They’re two completely different characters. "Rude is more post-modern, urban poet, more beneath the surface.”, he described.

After Rude’s set, C-Plus and Matt Cali livened things up on stage by throwing out lots of witty, hyped flows, free CDs and a giant furry Russian hat for tipsy girls to dance in. Despite the mellow, happy haze after Rude’s performance, and despite the apparent fact that Tuesday night was C-Plus’ last night before an early morning at a new state job, C-Plus and Matt Cali were somehow successful at bringing the Blue Lamp totally to life.

Watching the set, when asked how to describe his experience in Sacramento, Rude smiled big and said, “Full of cowboys and gangsters!”

To listen to Abstract Rude’s 2009 album, "Rejuvenation," visit his site or MySpace.

Lucky Lefty's

2009-12-30T04:11:17Z

Midtown's Lucky Lefty’s recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Despite the skepticism of nay-saying college career counselors, who called the venture a "stupid idea," and the uncertainty of Californian economic prospects, the clothing shop is thriving.

Co-owner Brennan Williams says, growing up, he and his friends’ interest in clothing brands stemmed from a fascination with the subcultures they represented. Williams noticed that other young people who shared his interest tended to resort to travel or the Internet to explore emergent brands, instead of investing in Sacramento’s own scene.

Inspired by skate stores like FTC Sacramento and PLA Folsom, Williams and his friends -now partners- Corbin Dahl, Derek Hironaka and Ryan Matsuura, began to consider the logistics of investing their passion into a shop in the center of their hometown. Just over a year ago, they dove head-first into the project.

Williams describes the process of opening a business as hectic and fast-paced. After deciding on a location in August 2008, Williams quickly found himself signing a lease. This was followed by one and a half months of tearing apart the space and constructing a shop interior from scratch. To save money, the founders took the construction upon themselves. The doors of Lucky Lefty's opened for business as Williams graduated from UC Davis.

Lucky Lefty's blog categorizes its genre of clothing as "streetwear," but it's more like an eclectic collection of personal tastes.

"There are skate, cycling, hardcore, psychobilly, sports and hip-hop influences from S.F., N.Y., Seattle, L.A., S.D. and Honolulu...," Williams says. "And then there are refined items like APC denim from France, and Porter wallets from Japan. Also, we have produced several of our own items that have sold out, and we plan on delving further into that this coming year." he continues.

Based on turnouts to events and sales hosted by Lucky Lefty's this year, Sacramento seems to have embraced the venture. Williams attributes part of the shop’s success to the fact that he and his partners are “only a year from being in the position of the consumer... We can relate to them well.” Lucky Lefty's has already achieved a loyal following in Sacramento and, today, Williams considers many of those composing his clientele as friends.

“We want people to be proud of Lucky Lefty’s like we are, and I think we’re getting there."

Lucky Lefty's reputation has extended overseas. Currently, about a third of Lucky Lefty’s blog hits originate in Asia and Western Europe. Williams aspires to develop the shop as a representative of what Sacramento has to offer with the creation of a “Sacramento-inspired product.” Lucky Lefty’s is also interested in facilitating cultural exchange in Sacramento, and works with people in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and several places across America to maintain a diverse and growing brand selection. Lucky Lefty's blog is updated almost daily, providing views and descriptions of new products. In addition to product updates, the blog's content ranges from designer profiles, film and music reviews, local photography, to "a look into the dumb shit we do."

Lucky Lefty’s has hosted several events to promote local artists and musicians, including hip-hop shows with Illecism and C-Plus, photography exhibitions with Neek and Colby Elrick, and a screening of "Macaframa" at the Crest Theater last January. Williams is optimistic about the possibilities of the upcoming year.

“I think the silver lining of this recession is that it has affected creativity and do-it-yourself culture in an interesting way," he says. "People can't just throw money at something anymore, so hopefully 2010 is full of good things."

For more information on collaborative projects and events in the works at Lucky Lefty’s, visit their website or Twitter.

Lucky Lefty's is located at 1924 16th St. and is available at (916) 706-0505.

Matsiko Children's Choir in Sacramento

2009-12-21T04:11:56Z

Looking into the eyes of 12-year old Camela, one would never know that she was an “AIDS orphan” from Uganda. Her eyes and her stories mirror not the tragedies of the past, but the promise and hope of the future, and the happiness and sense of community provided by the Matsiko Children’s Choir, currently touring California. On Dec. 19, the choir performed at a sold-out show at the West Sacramento-based Center for Spiritual Awareness. Matsiko, which means “hope” in Swahili, provides just that to the 29 at-risk children in the choir.

The children, dressed in bold yellows, oranges and reds, delivered a performance full of infectious energy, continually engaging their audience with hugs, handshakes, personal testimonials, and stories. Their songs alternated between English and Swahili, familiar hits like “Joyful, Joyful” and somber tributes to the power of education and the beauty of Uganda. Hands and ankles kept the beat on huge wooden drums and small percussion instruments. The children in Matsiko are energetic, motivated and very bright. The choir has been touring the United States for seven months and, in that time, many of the children have learned English. Before the performance, Camela explained that, with the support of her sponsors at International Children's Network, she intends to attend a university. The seventh-grader said she considers her choirmates brothers and sisters, "except we don't fight!" She cited the highlights of the tour: swimming in pools in Idaho, seeing the mountains in Montana and eating french fries. Camela said she's looking forward to visiting Oregon next week, a state roughly the size of Uganda.

Camela and the other children speak with confidence and ease about their experiences with Matsiko. Don Windham, who founded ICN in 2001, attributes this to the pride the children take in representing a “glimmering future” or inspiration for “what can be” to orphans and at-risk children all over the world. The numbers of these children is estimated at 600 million, and they gain a face through the Matsiko Children's Choir. Windham called the choir “something like the Mouseketeers of Uganda,” bringing in sponsorships so at-risk youngsters can enroll in school, all the way through university. Windham assures that 98 cents of every dollar contributed to ICN sponsorship goes to its intended purpose -- futures for the children. “We see that they can become doctors or lawyers, and go back to their villages and make a difference …and this is possible because it's beyond politics, its just working together,” Windham said.

The choir's message of hope was warmly received by the audience at the Center for Spiritual Awareness. The Rev. Georgia Prescott, with the center, organized the event and said she hoped it would be “the first of many multicultural events, because they reflect the diversity of our church.” The center invites the public to its observation of Kwanzaa on Dec. 27.
For more information on the Center for Spiritual Awareness, go to www.csasacramento.org.
For more information about International Children’s Network, go to www.icnchildren.net.
For more information about Matsiko Children’s Choir, visit www.myspace.com/icnchoir.

Photos curtesy of Julie Jenkins Sathe