Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "delta king"

Ringing in the New Year

2011-12-29T16:36:36Z

Looking to celebrate the New Year in style? The Sacramento Press has compiled a list of New Year's Eve events that will start 2012 off with a bang.

Sacramento New Year’s Eve Dinner Gala
Hornblower Yacht
1206 Front Street
Boarding at 6:45 p.m. Cruise is from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
$128 per person. Discounts are available for seniors and children

Get a private viewing of the fireworks on the river aboard the Hornblower Yacht. Hornblower Cruises and Events offers a three-hour cruise that includes a four-course seated dinner, a cocktail bar that includes dinner liqueurs and house champagne. There will be a DJ on board for guests who have their dancing shoes on.

For more information, visit the website or call 446-1185.

Sacramento New Year’s Eve Midnight Cruise
Hornblower Yacht
1206 Front Street
Boarding at 10:45 p.m. Cruise is from 11 p.m. – 1 a.m.
$90 per person. Discounts are available for seniors and children

For those looking to ring in the New Year on the river; there is a later two-hour cruise, which also offers a private viewing of the fireworks. Hors d’oeuvres such as a local artisan cheese display and mini crab cakes with spicy remoulade will be served. There will also be free-flowing house champagne and a DJ on board for dancing into the New Year.

For more information, visit the website or call 446-1185.

Sacramento New Year’s Eve Sky Spectacular
Corner of J and Front streets
6 pm - 12:30 am
Free

Sacramento 365 and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau have come together to sponsor the 12th annual Spy Spectacular. Families are encouraged to visit the tent under Waterfront Park for kid-friendly entertainment from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Radio Disney Rockin' Road Crew and SING Inc., Pop Academy will be playing kid-friendly jams.

There is a break at 9:00 for the first fireworks display, which will be set to children’s music. Then, Too Smooth will be playing R&B and Motown hits through the final fireworks display at 12 a.m. Street entertainment will be provided by Robo Party Band and Live Band Karaoke with Kiss N Tell. from 6 p.m. - 11:55 p.m.

Prepaid parking is available in Old Sacramento, and there are hotel packages available.

For more information, visit the website or call 808-7777.

The Roaring '20’s New Year’s Eve Celebration
Crescent Club Speakeasy
1150 Firehouse Alley
9 p.m. - 2 a.m.
$50 online/ $65 at door
21+

The Crescent Club, an underground Prohibition era Speakeasy, is located in Governor Newton Booth’s Historic Mansion, built in 1848. The event is based on the ‘20’s. and guests are urged to dress in gangster and flapper attire and there will be awards for the best costumes.

Guests who are feeling can play poker with an Al Capone look-alike or spin the roulette wheel. Live jazz music will be played by the Crescent Katz and there will be complimentary champagne and appetizers at 12 a.m. Special pricing will be offered on the Prohibition and Boardwalk Empire cocktail menus. Complimentary valet is available.

For more information, visit the website or call 498-9098.

New Year’s Eve and Day 5k and 10k Walks
Pioneer House
415 P St.
Day: 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. / Eve: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
$3

The Sacramento Walking Sticks organization is walking straight into the New Year with day and evening walks. The walks go through the city streets and by historic landmarks. Participants are urged to bring flashlights for the night walk.

The Sacramento Walking Sticks membership is not mandatory and neither is the $3 fee. However, all participants must sign an Amateur Athletic Waiver and Release of Liability at the beginning of the event and parents or guardians must sign for minors. A start card will be given to participants at registration and they must have it validated at control points and then turn it back in upon completion.

For more information, visit the website or call 961-0937.

Suspects New Year’s Eve
Suspects Murder Mystery Dinner Theater
1000 Front St.
$70/ $99 for Delta King Party Package

Guests are welcomed to dine on New York steak and Scampi style prawns, pan roasted half-chicken, salmon or seared polenta and grilled vegetables while they enjoy a murder/mystery dinner show and then are invited to stay around for the midnight fireworks display in Old Sacramento.

For those who purchase the Delta King Party Package, they can test their luck with Black Jack, Roulette and Craps for prizes or can boogie down on the dance floor to live music. Then it’s time to toast to the New Year with champagne and party favors.

“For more information, visit the website or call 443-3600.

Fox and Goose Public House
1001 R St.
9 p.m. – 12 a.m.
$10
Ages 21+

Fox and Goose Public House is partying with DJ Larry Rodriguez for New Year’s Eve. The live show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are $10 each. While there will not be any drink specials, guests are welcomed to a complimentary glass of champagne.

Bartender Michael Henning said that Fox and Goose has always had a New Year’s Eve celebration since they opened in 1975 and this will be the third consecutive year with DJ Larry Rodriguez.

“Last year was good,” Henning said. “It was busy.”

As for this year, Henning said he is ready to have a good time again.

“I’m looking forward to a fresh start to the new year,” Henning said.

For more information, visit the website or call 443-8825

New Year’s Eve with Utz! and the Shuttlecocks
Harlow’s Restaurant and Nightclub
2708 J St.
10:00 p.m.
$45
Ages 21+

Utz and the Shuttlecocks, a local self-described drunken cover band that has been playing for five years, will be celebrating its last live show on the last day of 2011. Utz will be playing eight new songs but promises to bring the same dance moves and white pants, and an extra fog machine.

For more information, visit the website or call 441-4693.

End of the World Party
Luigi’s Slice and Fungarden
1050 20th St.
8:30 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
$5
All ages

Luigi’s is hosting a New Year’s Eve party with local bands Lite Brite, Musical Charis, Mondo Deco and The Trees. The bands will be playing in the Fungarden, and pizza slices will be served next door.

For more information, visit the website or call 447-1255.

Black and White Purrball
Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary
6001 Folsom Blvd.
12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Free

Happy Tails is holding a Black and White Purrball, where the adoption fees for black and black-and-white cats over 1 year old are waived with a cat food donation.

Happy Tails told The Sacramento Press that these cats are often overlooked, so this gives them special attention. Black and black-and-white cats under a year old can be adopted for $25 at this event.

All felines are tested, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. Cats over 1 year old can be adopted at their adoption center at 6001 Folsom Blvd. from noon - 6 p.m., and kitten adoptions are held at PetSmart at 1738 Watt Ave. from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the website or call 556-1155.

Bows with Booty Jams
Bows and Arrows
1815 19th Street
8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Free

Bows and Arrows, which opened its new location on June 4 of this year, will be blasting jams from the Oh Dang! crew for their New Year’s Eve party. There will be drink specials at the Beer and Wine bar throughout the night.

For more information, visit the website or call 822-5668.

Editorial Note: This article was updated after it was published.

“Superior Donuts” Gets Capital Stage Off To A Great Start At Its New Home

2011-10-28T05:51:56Z

Capital Stage’s move from the Delta King to the heart of Midtown, while a great deal of work, seems to have gone smoothly. The new theater certainly fulfills the part of Capital Stage’s mission about performing “in an intimate, close up setting.”

Capital Stage chose “Superior Donuts” by Tracy Letts to open its seventh season. It is the first in a theater designed by them to produce the type of shows they like to do. Letts is now best known for “August: Osage County” a major Broadway hit bigger than life in every way.

“Superior Donuts” tells the story of Arthur Przybyszewski a classic hippy from the 60s. Arthur now runs the rundown North Chicago donut shop inherited from his Polish emigrant parents. We see two months of his life: December 2009 and January 2010.

Arthur's life is coasting along, slowly but surely down hill. He comes to the namesake donut shop to find the police and the Russian emigrant that owns the store next door. Someone broke in during the night and vandalized the shop and tagged it. The Russian continually pressures Arthur to sell so that he can expand his business as an electronics mega store.

Into Arthur's life comes Franco, who, pulling the help wanted sign from the front window, insists that Arthur is going to hire him. After much persistence on Franco’s part, Arthur gives in. Little does he know how much this young man will change his life in a short period of time.

The wonderful Matt K Miller plays Arthur. It is always a great experience to watch Miller act and “Superior Donuts” is an excellent vehicle for him to work his craft. He is especially good in the soliloquies where the action in the play stops and Arthur reflects on his life.

Franco Wicks, a young black man from the neighborhood with a troubled not too distant past, is played by a terrific Jammy K. Bulaya. He is especially good in the very funny patter that goes on between Franco and Arthur. Franco to Arthur disparaging his hippy ways: “Let me tell you who looks good in a ponytail: girls----and ponies.”

Lady Boyle the alcoholic elderly street person rolls in and out of the donut shop on a daily basis. Capital Stage associate artist Janis Stevens who was so great as Maria Callas in last season’s “Master Class” at Cap Stage plays Lady who is not so drunk that she does’t have wry observations and pertinent comments to make.

Debuting at Cap Stage, Lori Russo plays Officer Randy Osteen who everyone except Arthur knows is stuck on Arthur. She is paired up on the beat with fellow officer James Bailey played by Sacramento actor, stage/film director and playwright Anthony D’Juan. Officer Bailey and his wife have a secret of their own.

The Russian entrepreneur next door Max Tarasov is played by local actor Gary Pannullo with Jeffrey Lloyd Heatherly as his nephew Kiril Ivakin

Barry Hubbard plays the not so nice bookie Luther Flynn with Shane Edward Turner as his nasty enforcer.

Capital Stage artistic director Stephanie Gularte directs. She makes good use of the new theater space to strongly connect the actors and audience.

Producing director Jonathan Williams has created a set design that makes full use of the new space. Williams always creates great, interesting sets. Here audience members can feel like they are sitting at a table back in the corner of a real donut shop. He also co-ordinated the fight scenes.

Capital Stage is off to a great start at its new location. The new space opens up the possibility for an even stronger connection between the performers and the audience. “Superior Donuts” is a good choice for the premier show. It is very funny yet has lots to say to the audience. It is also written by someone who is being recognized as a major contributor to the American stage. The casting from revered veterans such as Matt K. Miller and Janis Stevens to bright new actors like Jammy K. Bulaya is a treat.

"Superior Donuts" Capital Stage through November 13, 2011
More info and tickets

Capital Stage celebrates new location on J Street

2011-10-24T03:48:37Z

Over 100 people came to Capital Stage’s grand opening gala Friday night to celebrate and support the new theater space. Capital Stage, located on the Delta King for the past six years, has now moved into its own space at 2215 J St.

The inside of the new theater is sophisticated and warm. The exterior wall facing J Street is crimson red and a modern metal sign that reads Capital Stage hangs next to the front entrance.

On Oct. 7 Capital Stage received its occupancy permit from the city and its new sign arrived. Five days later they put on their first performance, and Friday was the official grand opening.

Warm pumpkin-colored walls greet theatergoers as they enter the building, and large canvases printed with scenes from previous performances line the hall. The space is rustic and not overly beautified, achieving a sense of poised glamour.

A lounge with a bar and photos of the company’s actors is at the back of the theater, which leads out onto a patio. The patio, dimly lit with twinkle lights overhead, was nothing short of elegant on Friday. It was filled with black bistro tables and servers walking around offering guests a selection of hors d’oeuvres.

Guests were dressed in everything from floor-length red gowns to black suits and ties at Friday’s gala. There was an open bar serving red and white wine, and the Culinary Specialists at the B&L catered the event. The patio and lounge were filled with the sounds of clinking glasses, laughs and talk of the new space.

“What makes Capital Stage so wonderful is their choice of plays, the superb acting and incredible directing,” longtime subscriber Susan English said. “Having their own space in Midtown elevates the entire package. They made the best of the Delta King, but Midtown is where it is happening.”

Guests enjoyed Caesar lettuce cups, roasted corn cakes, California spring rolls and mini meatball sandwiches while sharing their thoughts on Capital Stage’s choice of space and location.

“We are shocked and amazed at how well the space is working out,” marketing director and associate artist Peter Mohrmann said. “Our subscriber base has expanded already since we moved, and we have received such generous support.”

After an hour of guests sipping wine and enjoying conversation and food, Capital Stage board president Arlen Orchard raised a glass to dreams becoming a reality, and the doors opened to the new theater.

The theater seats 125 people and the the rows are only four deep. A thrust stage extends into the audience on three sides, making it easy to see the actors up close.

“People are really right on top of the action,” board member Michael Manley said. “For the kind of theater we do, it is really appropriate for smaller audiences.”

Jammy K. Bulaya and Matt K. Miller performed a scene from “Superior Donuts,” Tracy Letts Pulitzer Prize-winning play that is running through Nov. 12. Smiles spread across the audience’s faces, and with laugh-out-loud acting, the crowd seemed nothing but pleased with the space and the actors.

Katie Ruben also performed a scene from a play she wrote and stars in. Both serious and playful, Ruben captivated the audience with witty and charismatic acting.

I loved the scenes we saw tonight,” recent subscriber Patty Garcia said. “It is no surprise when Capital Stage wows their audience.”

Following the performances, board members, owners and campaign cabinet members were honored and their hard work was celebrated through speeches, applause and standing ovations.

“Their shows are cutting edge,” Midtown Business Association program director Amber Schmaeling said. “This is exactly what Midtown needs.”

The building, originally an armoury, has been renovated over the past months to make it into a 125 seat theater complete with a lounge, box office, bar and patio. The renovations cost $300,000, and $275,000 has been raised so far, said Orchard.

Capital Stage is a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on the contributions of its subscribers and the local community.

The opening night gala was an effort to show loyal subscribers and contributors the new space as well as to continue raising money to cover the renovation costs.

To learn more about Capital Stage visit the website here.

"Or," a Sexy, Hilarious and Fitting Last Show on the Delta King for Capital Stage

2011-06-28T22:53:35Z

The sixties brought a lot of changes. A new government brought hope, yet an ongoing war and its associated costs brought conflict and despair. New careers were opening up for women in nontraditional jobs, and there was a new sexual freedom in the air. It was an era of loving and being sexually attracted to whoever one found attractive while sharing them with whoever also found them attractive.

“Or” celebrates all of this. Liz Duffy Adams’ hilarious play “Or” is the final play of the sixth season of Capital Stage, and their last onboard the Delta King in Old Town Sacramento. This production also brings together Capital Stage’s original founders, Stephanie Gularte, Jonathan Rhys Williams and Peter Mohrmann.

While the description of “Or” evokes thoughts of the flower power, hippie 60’s of San Francisco, It is actually set in London during the years 1666-1670. The repressive Puritan rule of Oliver Cromwell had ended and the monarchy restored with Charles II returning from exile. A controversial and expensive war over trading supremacy continued with Holland.

Adams bases her characters on several historic figures. The central character is Aphra Behn, who spied for King Charles in the Anglo-Dutch wars. Behn now wants to become a playwright, an occupation newly opened to women. Charles II has several mistresses and presses Aphra to be another She agrees to be supported by Charles so she can write her first play but with holds the “final prize” to keep him interested. Aphra soon meets Nell Gwynne, one of London’s most popular actresses, and experiences an attraction to her. To add to all the confusion, double agent William Scott, an acquaintance from Aphra’s past life as Astrea, shows up. Scott has gone a little dodgy while in exile.

Attractive and sexy husband and wife actors Jonathan Rhys Williams and Stephanie Gularte play King Charles II/William Scott and Aphra Behn/Astrea. Williams’ Charles II in a long, curly black wig is witty and funny, but it is his deranged William Scott that is downright hysterical.

Gularte shines as Aphra Behn, the center of the story. There is little doubt why both men and women go crazy over her. Gularte’s Behn is truly affectionate and loving to those she likes but quite able to hold out for what she needs. What she needs most is to fulfill her destiny to be a great playwright.

Jessica Bates making her Capital Stage debut rounds out the trio of actors. Primarily an East coast actress, Bates becomes wilder and crazier with each character she takes on. She starts as the gruff, foul-mouthed jailer at the debtor's prison. Her primary character, Nell Gwynne, makes good use of the character’s androgyny and “modern woman” posing. Nell is quite happy to put the moves on Aphra.

Bates goes on to portray Behn’s over-the-top, cranky, old servant. Later, she plays an older female aristocrat. Bates’ Lady Davenant matches Williams’ William Scott for sheer hilarity.

The third Capital Stage founder, Peter Mohrmann, directs all this with split second timing. Jonathan Williams sometimes seems to instantly morph from one character to the other. Mohrmann has elicited performances from his actors that, in spite of all the craziness, are really very believable.

Stephen C. Jones’ minimal design of the two sets, the debtor's prison and Aphra Behn’s room, works well. Combined with Steve Decker’s lighting design, Gail Russell’s costumes and Michael Coleman’s wigs, a true sense of the characters’ styles are achieved.

Everything comes together - the play, the acting and the staging - to create a fascinating, daring, sexy show that is also hysterically funny. The laughter started immediately and continued throughout the show. There were times that members of the audience were laughing so hard they nearly started choking.

The three founders of Capital Stage and their whole production staff have created a very fitting end of an era and farewell to “The Boat.”

Charity Happy Hour Aboard the Delta King

2011-06-06T19:11:41Z

Join WEAVE and TheGridLife.com on June 9th for a charity happy hour aboard the Delta King! Enjoy your favorite drink in a great atmosphere and meet some of this seasons Sacramento Mountain Lions Cheerleaders! There will be LIVE music by Hans Eberbach. This is going to be a good time for a great cause!

Event Info:
1000 Front Street
Sacramento, CA
Thursday, June 9th 2011
6:00PM-8:30PM

Hosted by: TheGridLife.com
Featuring: Sacramento Mountain Lion Cheerleaders and live music by Hans Eberbach

Watch the video on YouTube

Share the event on Facebook

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

(Speak)Easy skankin

2010-11-23T03:25:12Z

“Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.” ~W.C. Fields

The 18th Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol in the United States, was ratified on Jan. 16, 1919.

As a result, drinking in the United States stopped almost completely. Drunk and disorderly behavior went the way of the dodo, crime rates sunk like a turd in a jug and America became an idyllic utopia full of stolid, sober, upright men and women who had finally been saved from that liquid Mephistopheles which had held them captive for so long.

"Is this Heaven?" people were known to ask one another. "No, it's just government-mandated Prohibition" someone would reply, knowingly.

Yeah, I’ve got jokes.

Of course, what really happened is the 18th Amendment created a hugely profitable and violent black market for alcohol where organized crime ran rampant while corrupt law enforcement agencies looked the other way, and otherwise law-abiding citizens were made into de facto criminals.

The drinking continued, unabated, it just went underground, and the speakeasy was born. Underground drinking clubs were everywhere. For every legitimate saloon that was forced to close, a half dozen clandestine establishments sprang up. By midway through "The Roaring Twenties," there were supposedly 100,000 speakeasies in New York City alone.

At any given time during Prohibition, Sacramento, one of the "wettest cities in the union" had 200-plus operating speakeasies. I know this, because last Saturday night I went on The Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour, offered by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

I arrived at the River City Saloon 20 minutes before the tour’s scheduled 6 p.m. start. It didn't take long to ascertain who would be guiding the tour. If Shawn Peter’s dapper, striped, not-quite-zoot-suited (But not-quite-not-zoot-suited) appearance wasn't enough to give him away as our fearless leader, the clunky off-white lunchbox (construction worker, not preschooler) sized portable speaker to which he was strapped was.

I introduced myself, and he encouraged me to grab a cocktail while we awaited the rest of the group. I decided on an Irish Coffee, ’cause there had been a sign outside that had said "Irish Coffee" on it, and, apparently, I'm a sheep.

It took me a few minutes to gain the bartender’s attention, so I passed the time by eating peanuts that I found at the bar, because that's what I do to peanuts that I see sitting on bars. Thankfully, the young lady to whom the peanuts belonged was very understanding when she returned to her seat to find a pile of shells in front of me and a half-empty basket in front of her.

By the by, peanuts and Irish Coffees are an awful mix. Just terrible.

At a little after 6 p.m., Shawn gathered us up in the back of the saloon, which, though less than 2 years old, is very reminiscent of how a typical 1920s Sacramento speakeasy would have been.

"Sacramento has always been a drinking town. . ." Shawn began, to assorted hoots and hollers from the gathered throng of about 20 or so men and women, just about all of whom were clutching a drink of some sort. "And it wanted nothing to do with Prohibition."

He went on to give us a brief history of Old Sac and the town’s hate/hate relationship with Prohibition and its total refusal to comply with the federal law.

There was a saying in Prohibition-era Sacramento that "if you couldn't find a drink, you were dumber than a halfwit."

After a fascinating and in-depth (Shawn and partner Mike Munson spent years researching 80-plus-year-old city and police records before beginning to offer tours) history lesson, we left River City and headed around the block to the Speakeasy Lounge, Shawn pointing out locations of interest along the way.

The Speakeasy Lounge is underneath Cafe New Orleans and was an operating speakeasy during Prohibition. It was attached to a series of tunnels that, at the time, went from the waterfront all the way to 12th and J.

Unfortunately, owing to a miscommunication, the bar downstairs was closed. If I had been working, I'd have eschewed the tumbleweeds and crickets in the upstairs dining room for a few minutes in order to fix some cocktails for our raucous group of amateur speakeasy enthusiasts downstairs, but that's just me. I guarantee we would have bought more alcohol in 20 minutes downstairs than they sold upstairs all night.

Did I mention that the Speakeasy Lounge was turned into a dance club in the ’70s, so it mixes a 1920s basement speakeasy setup with 1970s sensibilities (complete with a raised, lighted Plexiglas disco dance floor). When and if it ever opens, (Their "website" is a myspace page that says it's "in" hiatus. I'm not holding my breath) it immediately becomes my favorite bar in Sacramento.

Up next on the tour was the Delta King, which was a floating casino/speakeasy/liquor transport during Prohibition. They used to offer passenger fares to San Francisco. The 10-hour trips would rapidly degenerate into wild parties.

In the ’20s, the bar area would be hidden. Today it is in the Pilothouse, where we mingled with a bunch of hotel residents and visitors eagerly anticipating the Delta King Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre. After a couple of drinks on the Delta King (we had to make up for the aborted trip at the last place), we ventured back out into the dark and stormy night, headed for our final destination of the evening, (and our guide's favorite) the Back Door Lounge.

I'll admit it, this is where my recollection gets a tad fuzzy. I can tell you that it was an operating speakeasy in the ’20s, and it was also a Saltine Cracker Factory. Or maybe it was next to (under? in cahoots with?) a Saltine Cracker Factory. I can tell you that they serve a ridiculously strong cocktail at the Back Door Lounge, and apparently they do a mean breakfast as well.

I can also tell you that if you enjoy a little history with your cocktails, (or a lot of cocktails with your history), you will absolutely love The Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour. I may do it again next month. I wanna see that dance floor fully operational.

Bottoms up! Wine Tasting 101

2010-11-15T04:08:25Z

Can I really taste oak and butter in my wine? What is really the point of swirling my wine glass around? Who cares if a glass of wine has legs?

Those questions, among many others, are what I set out to get answered when enrolling in Wine Tasting 101 taught by wine expert G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski. Taught aboard the Delta King, the three-part course aims to make wine drinkers more comfortable and confident when choosing and discussing wine.

It’s probably important to disclose that two weeks ago the extent of my wine knowledge didn’t go much further than knowing that one too many glasses of red seems to inevitably give me a headache, and that nothing melts a stressful day of work away like a glass of cold chardonnay.

This is why, going into class, I was nervous that my low wine IQ would be ousted instantly and I would be scoffed at. But that all melted away within minutes of the first class.

Pucilowski has around 30 years of experience in the wine world and is deemed an official “Certified Wine Expert” by the Society of Wine Educators. He has served as chief judge for the wine competition at the California State Fair and has judged other notable shows like the International Wine Competition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Lodi Wine Awards. He is also the wine editor for Sacramento Magazine.

Most people, including myself, envision “winos” with their noses in the air while they swirl their wine, then submerging their noses in their glasses while claiming to pick up hints of tobacco or pear in their pour. Pucilowski, with his approachable and laid-back demeanor, puts that myth to rest and makes students feel comfortable asking any question they might have.

The courses are spread out over two weeks. There are two two-hour classes, “Tasting Like a Professional” and “Fives Types of Wine Flavor and Identification.” The third “class” is an optional wine-pairing dinner, held on a Thursday evening for this particular class series. While I could not attend the dinner, I snuck a peek at the menu. With menu items such as California goat cheese croquette with Serrano ham and arugula, pinot noir-braised duck, and pumpkin crème brulée, it’s clear that I missed out.

Just like a real college course, we were not only given something that resembled a syllabus, but school began with the quintessential icebreaker exercise where everyone talks a little bit about themselves.

There was a wide-range of professions, ages and reasons why students wanted to bulk up their wine expertise. Among the students were a 20-something who will eventually become a sommelier at his family’s bed and breakfast, a middle-aged woman who investigates food stamp fraud for the U.S. Department of Food & Agriculture and the owner of a chrome-plating shop who hopes to own a wine shop some day.

The setting was picturesque. The dining room’s doors stayed open, allowing the river breeze to blow in. If there’s a better place to learn about wine, I can’t think of one. Platters of cheeses, crackers and fruits welcomed us before being seated at tables covered in white linens and wine glasses.

We each were given a paper cup to spit our wine out after each taste. The idea of a spit cup has always been ridiculous to me. Who in their right mind would spit out a great mouthful of wine? But Pucilowski encouraged us to use the cups in order to take away more from the class.

“Every single ounce of alcohol in your system will diminish your ability to judge wine,” he said.

So I (hesitantly) resisted the urge to swallow in effort to get the most out of class.

While the first class’ purpose was to learn how to sip like a judge, Pucilowski explained that the difference between wine judges and consumers is what we’re looking for when tasting. Judges look for stylistic characteristics such as how a type of wine is supposed to look, smell and taste.

Consumers, on the other hand, are looking for a wine that tastes good to us. We sampled eight wines during each class and analyzed each by color, smell and taste as a group. A common reminder Pucilowski gave us throughout class was that there is no wrong answer to what you’re seeing, smelling or tasting.

“What you like is what you like. What you smell is what you smell,” he said.

Things I learned about analyzing color:

* Remember that everyone has their own spectrum and we all see colors differently.
* The best way to analyze a wine’s color is with a white background. A piece of paper or your white shirt will work.
* Look at the wine with light coming over your shoulder.
* Browning is caused by oxidation and, generally, a darker/browner wine means a wine is older.
* Factors that affect clarity and color include how the glass was washed or stored. For example, being stored in cardboard boxes can lead to bits of cardboard in the bottom and make a glass murky.
* The color of a wine comes from the grape’s skin. This is where “blanc de blanc” (white wine from white grapes) and “blanc de noir” (white wine from red grapes) come from.

Things I learned about analyzing smell:

* Don’t be embarrassed by what you’re smelling. When smelling the same glass of wine, students called out everything from egg to apple to vomit (yes, vomit).
* According to Pucilowski, scientists say we have the ability to smell 13,000 smells.
* The hardest problem we have is trying to describe what we’re smelling since no two people smell things the same way. To explain this difficulty, Pucilowski described trying to describe another person how a strawberry smells.
* Another common problem is “sensory fatigue.” Your brain has had enough. This is what happens when you can’t smell your perfume at the end of the day and others still can. To combat this, Pucilowski advised us to smell our skin or clothes in between sniffs.

Things I learned when analyzing taste:

* There is no right or wrong when it comes tasting. Just like smells, everyone has different tastes.
* Each taste bud in our mouths has the capacity to taste six tastes. They are sweetness, acidity (“sourness”), bitterness, saltiness, and “umami” (the Japanese word for “savory sensation”).
* According to Pucilowski, it is a wine faux pas to describe a wine as “sour.” Fellow wine drinkers might think you’re off the farm if you do.
* Always taste wine twice. The acidity will shock your taste buds the first time, but the second time is better.
* It’s best to taste in this order: white to red, dry to sweet and young to old.

As the first class ended, we were given the best homework I can ever remember being assigned in the history of my education: drink a bottle of wine. I gladly accepted and almost asked for extra credit.

The confidence gained from just one class was clear when class two opened with a sharing of our homework assignment. The students were clearly excited to incorporate their new vocab picked up from the week prior.

Once again we were given eight wines to sample, and this time champagne, or “sparkling wine,” was added to the mix. Perhaps the best part of the class was that we were given permission to not just taste but drink the delicious nectar that was poured into our glasses.

We learned lots of interesting tidbits including all about the different processes of grape fermentation and why drunk birds (yes, you read that correctly) can be seen flying near vineyards. While juice is busy fermenting inside the blume (the grape’s skin), some birds just can’t resist getting their beaks on it and will peck right through. Who can really blame them though?

To cap off the final evening, Pucilowski taught us all about the different types of bottles and their origins. For example, the “Bordeaux” bottle usually contains Bordeaux varieties from that region in France. This includes merlot, cabernet and cabernet sauvignon, among others. He explained that winemakers aren’t required to bottle wine according to the type, but it is a tradition and so winemakers generally stick to it.

As icing on the cake, we were privy to an exclusive Q&A session with Pucilowski. The only question he wouldn’t answer? His favorite wine.

He put it best when he explained that, when choosing wine, “it depends on who’s buying!”

If I could sum up Wine Tasting 101 in one sentence, it would be the recurring theme of the classes: Everyone is different and all that matters is what tastes good to me.

Dates for 2011 have not been locked in yet, but the next series of classes will begin January 2011. When he’s not traveling the country judging wine, Pucilowski also does house calls for private parties, company retreats and bus tours to local wine regions.

For reservation information and pricing for Wine School 101 visit the Delta King website or University of Wine.

Bottoms up!

A random smattering of myth-busters, tips and facts I gathered from Wine Tasting 101:

* Legs (the tear drops of wine that run down the insides of a glass) don’t tell the quality of wine, as many believe. This just means there is alcohol in the wine.
* If you don’t have a decanter available, you can naturally aerate the wine by pouring a little out, replacing the cork and shaking it all around.
* White wines generally have a higher alcohol content.
* Don’t rinse the glass in between pours when tasting. The residual water will change the taste more than the previous wine will.
* Wines aren’t made to age. A good rule of thumb is a maximum five years for red wines or three years for white from the vintage date on the bottle.
* In order to be “vintage,” at least 95 percent of a wine’s grapes has to be picked during that year.
* Judges will actually look for smells of cat urine to determine a good sauvignon blanc.
* Wine that is too cold can mask the tastes, so wine judges prefer warm wines, both red and white.
* Don’t use cooking wine! By law it has 6 percent residual salt in it so it can be sold in stores without a liquor license.
* When serving champagne, some restaurants or bars will actually scratch the bottom of a champagne flute on purpose. This causes more bubbles to rise from the bottom.
* Champagne bottles hold as much pressure as a car tire (90 lbs. per square in

Photos courtesy of Delta King and University of Wine

“The Lies Begin when we lift the Pen…”

2010-02-20T01:18:43Z

FICTION
by Steven Dietz
at Capital Stage

There’s an old adage in theatre that audiences attend with ‘a willing suspension of disbelief’. That is to say that they willingly set aside the truth and accept the fact that Peter Pan can fly even though the wires holding him up are plainly seen. That applies to theatre, film, and especially literature. But what if we believe every word we read? Can fiction become fact? Is something true simply because we believe it? In 2003 author James Frey wrote a memoir of his struggle with addiction called ‘A Million Little Pieces’. He was lauded as a troubled genius with a brilliant future, and America loved him. When the truth came out that a portion of the book (in fact, only one incident) didn’t really happen, we felt betrayed; so much so that we salivated when Oprah Winfrey ripped him a new one on national TV. The truth hurts, but lies can be devastating.

Linda and Michael Waterman, played by Janis Stevens and Eric Wheeler, are two novelists. He’s a Hollywood success story who considers himself a hack, and she’s a self proclaimed ‘one hit wonder’, having written one successful book followed by a stream of failures. Their marriage thrives in an environment of verbal wordplay and no illusions as to each other’s talents. You could see them forty years from now, strolling along the banks of the Seine in Paris, pleasantly squabbling about their pet topic-the greatest rock-and-role vocal performance of all time. She’s a Janice Joplin fan and he’s a John Lennon supporter. That’s how they meet in act one, and how they SHOULD spend the rest of their lives together-squabbling. But instead, Linda is diagnosed with a brain tumor “the size of a plum” and is given three weeks to live. She wants to spend that time really getting to know her husband, getting down to his core. She wants to read Michael’s journals.

They’ve both kept a series of journals over the course of their 15 years together but neither had any desire to read the other’s before, whether out of respect or fear, but probably a little of both. Michael reluctantly turns over his journals, boxed in an antique captain’s trunk in chronological order with a laminated index under the lid, and leaves her to her reading.

After plodding through Michaels florid verbosity, acted out with comedic vigor by Eric Wheeler, Linda reads about Michaels meeting with Abby Drake, a woman he meets at a writer’s retreat shortly after Linda’s one successful book was published. Abby is a peculiar young woman with an intense stare. Stephanie Gularte plays her with an almost magnetic attraction. You’re not quite sure if she wants to rip his eyes out, or just ask him a question. But the attraction is there, and Linda reads of their affair for the next twelve years.

Janis Stevens (and I’ll say this right up front-I’m a Janice Stevens FAN) is an amazing presence on stage; cool, sophisticated, with a vulnerability seething just below the surface. Her husband’s betrayal strikes a devastating chord, and her attempt to hide her own ‘fiction’ is a tangible weight on her shoulders.

Eric Wheeler as Michael changes flawlessly from the flowery prose of his journal scenes to his devastated reality. He’s a man who’s about to lose his best friend and no matter what he does he can only make it worse. Eric plays a likeable, funny guy who only lies to himself. He also reminds us that this isn’t just a drama. He makes the tragic bearable with his charming presence.

Stephanie Gularte as Abby soars through a very difficult role. She has every beat, every quirk of this woman down to a T. This is important because you have to pay attention to what Abby does to understand and put all the pieces together later. Fortunately, Ms. Gularte makes this easy for us; you can’t help watching her every move.

‘Fiction’ is a complicated and sophisticated piece of theater. It deals with how we see ourselves, and how we wished others saw us. Do we remember what actually happens or do we remember what we wished actually happened? It’s also something of a ‘who-done-it’. It’s a piece where every sentence is a clue and every beat is an ‘A-ha’ moment. At the end of the night you have this adrenalin rush and you can’t just go home; you and whoever is with you HAVE to go get coffee and compare notes.

Fiction plays through February 28 at Capital Stage on the Delta King Riverboat in Old Town Sacramento, 1000 Front Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 http://capstage.org/

Eating for two this Valentine's day

2010-02-10T06:15:21Z

Love is in the air but more importantly, so is butter. Although Valentine's Day is fast approaching, don't worry. There is still time to book a romantic evening. Restaurants all over town have special menus to mark the occasion. Below are menu samplings from several local restaurants:

Paragary's, 1408 28th St., and Cosmo Cafe, 1000 K St., are having a special weekend prix fixe menu in honor of Valentine's Day.

Paragay's menu will include an appetizer, entree and dessert. Entree choices are petrale sole or beef short ribs braised in red wine. Cosmo also will offer three courses, with an entree choice of roasted lamb loin chop or grilled Hawaiian swordfish. After your meal at Cosmo, keep the mood going by bringing your special someone to next door to The Cosmopolitan Cabaret for "My Way," a Frank Sinatra tribute show. Both restaurants will be charging $40 per person.

Mason's, 1116 15th St., is celebrating Valentine's Day with a special menu all weekend.

Their $65 three-course prix fixe menu will include appetizers such as Dungeness crab salad or sweetbread ravioli. Four entree choices will include seared dayboat scallops and pinenut-crusted rack of lamb. Mason's will close Sunday and reopen in about a month with a new concept, menu and decor. The new restaurant will be called Cafeteria 15L. The Park will remain open.

58 Degrees and Holding Co., 1217 18th St., is offering a four-course, wine-paired menu for $75 per person.

Each course will be paired with a wine that complements the meal. Entrees choices will include diver scallops and Niman Ranch grilled filet mignon. The beef entree will be paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa, while the scallops will be paired with a French red wine. Lemon beignets top off the meal, paired with an Italian wine. This prix-fixe menu is available only on Valentine's Day. There are three seatings: 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., reservations required.

Capitol Stage and the Pilothouse Restaurant, Delta King, 1000 Front St., have combined for a special weekend.

All weekend, a special menu can be accompanied by tickets to the play "Fiction." The four-course dinner at THE PILOTHOUSE will include seared ahi tuna or a duck breast. There is a separate menu for a twilight seating from 4 to 5:30 pm. The menu and show are available separately. For a longer stay, the Delta King is a hotel with views of the river. Reservations are recommended. Dinner begins at $49 per person during the twilight seating, $75 after 6 pm.

Photo #1: Paragary's restaurant
Photo #2: Mason's restaurant sign
Photo #3: Mason's restaurant
Photo #4: 58 Degrees and Holding Co.

Photos courtesy of Matthew Ceccato

Riverboat Gambling on the Delta King

2009-06-01T20:14:34Z

On June 5, the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation will host a Riverboat Casino Night on board the Delta King Riverboat, providing a colorful look at the world of the riverboat gambler. This event will feature authentic 1850s games of chance, including Chuck-A-Luck, Faro and Shut the Box, as well as more familiar games like poker and roulette. Also featured are a silent auction, live music and entertainment, and food and drink, all appropriate to the Gold Rush era. Re-enactors in period attire will add to the atmosphere of the event. While period attire is not required for those who attend, it is encouraged. Several stores in Old Sacramento, including Sacramento Dry Goods on Second and I Street, specialize in historic styles of clothing for those wishing to attend in full 19th century finery.

The event is a fundraiser for the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation and the Sacramento History Museum. Last year, the Sacramento History Museum split from the Discovery Museum and became part of the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation. Part of the change involves a dramatic renovation of the museum’s first floor, but part involves raising public awareness of the Museum with events like the Riverboat Casino Night. According to Museum public relations specialist Lindsey Meyers, “In the past our events have not necessarily tied in with Sacramento history, and that is exactly what we are trying to change. We want to focus on Sacramento history and the river is a huge part of how we became a city.” In order to highlight the evening’s focus as an educational event, authenticity and historic accuracy are the number one priority. “Even the food is historically accurate,” said Meyers. If the event proves successful, it could become an annual event on board the Delta King. As Sacramento’s last authentic riverboat, the Delta King provides an ideal site for an evening of Gold Rush era gambling and entertainment.

Riverboat Casino Night takes place on Friday, June 5, and starts at 6:00 PM on the Delta King Riverboat in Old Sacramento. Tickets cost $45 for Historic Old Sacramento Foundation members, $50 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased by calling (916)264-7059 or by visiting the Sacramento History Museum at 101 I Street. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. All proceeds will help support the exhibits and programs at the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation’s Sacramento History Museum.

Sacramento Makes LA Times "Underrated" Vacation Spot List

2009-04-22T17:57:18Z

Singapore. Kailua, Hawaii. And Sacramento?

Yes, our hometown has made the Los Angeles Times' "most underrated places of the world" list.

Compiled by the newspaper's travel staff, the list includes spots around the world as great places to visit that usually don't make the covers of the glossy travel magazines. But why Sacramento?

The Times says it's a great day trip, full of history and beauty. And the newspaper is right:

Here's an excerpt from the Times http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-underrated19-2009apr19:

Why people ignore it: Just 80 miles from the breezy, self-consciously quaint tourist magnet of San Francisco, Sacramento is anything but. Saddled with hot summers, a dysfunctional legislature and, earlier this year, a Depression-style tent camp, California's capital hardly seems like a weekend getaway.

Why you shouldn't: History, history, history. Sacramento is the real deal: a living museum of 19th-century architecture.

Old Sacramento, a 28-acre state park along the riverfront, is said to contain the greatest concentration of historic buildings in California.

Not far away, the Capitol, a splendid 19th-century edifice replete with elaborate mosaics, has been lovingly restored and can be toured for free.

More than a dozen museums, historic parks and memorials dot the city. They include Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, with a reconstruction of John Sutter's 1839 adobe; the incomparable California State Railroad Museum, housing 20 locomotives dating as far back as the 1860s; the eclectic Crocker Art Museum; the old Governor's Mansion; and the new California Hall of Fame.

Fans of vintage riverboats shouldn't miss the Delta King, a restored 1920s stern wheeler that has been converted into a hotel, lounge and restaurant. The King, a twin to the Delta Queen, which recently suspended overnight excursions, is moored along the Sacramento River.

In this manageable city, which has less than 500,000 residents, everything is so close you can see lots on a day trip, flying round trip and walking or taking buses once you arrive. It's a whirlwind, but fun.

This "Pooch" Can Wine Taste!

2009-03-07T00:51:20Z

In Northern California, vineyards, wineries and the wines they produce are a main stay of our economy. One of the elements of creating a successful wine is creating enthusiastic wine tasters who can appreciate all that goes into making wine.

Wine tasting is fast becoming one of the "Great American" past times for those in the world famous California wine producing areas. Whether you live here or are just passing through, taking a day to just get away from everything and visiting a winery or two will do wonders for your five senses and the soul.

Whenever I would go wine tasting I would always feel inadequate next to someone who appeared to be a true wine connoisseur. The holding of the glass, the swirling of the wine, the smelling of the fragrance, the tasting of the wine, the spitting of the sip and the description of the bouquet, always made me think to myself “I don't know what the heck I am doing, I hope nobody is watching". Have you ever felt that way also?

That was all before attending Wednesday night's Delta King Wine School taught by noted Certified Wine Educator, G.M. "Pooch" Pucilowski. Pooch is also the Wine Editor for the Sacramento Magazine and Chief Judge at the California State Fair Wine Competition as well as many other wine judging events.

This wine tasting class was exactly what I needed. Pooch taught this class of about 15 people, from varying backgrounds, from law enforcement people to retired and semi-retired people, all there for different reasons and wanting to know more about wine and the "art" of wine tasting. It appeared that the overall purpose of everyone at this class, was to know what to do, when to do it and what to expect when they are wine tasting.

The class itself was on the beautiful Delta King, in a charming room that was specifically prepared for this wine tasting class which included h'ordeurves. Pooch, in his very casual and comfortable style, presented to us the basics of a few of the varietals, which included what judges look for in the "stylistic characteristics" that generally determine what the varietals "should" possess in terms of how it should look, smell and taste.

One of the most important lessons I learned that night from Pooch was that everyone has different taste buds. He made it clear that no one will taste a wine exactly the same and no matter what any wine judge says, you are ultimately the judge of a good wine. Once you realize that, then wine tasting becomes a personal connection between you and the wine you taste.

These classes are being taught on Wednesday's this month. The next class on the 11th starts at 6:30pm and Pooch will be teaching about the "Five Types of Wine", where we will be able to identify the distinctive differences in the five categories of California wines. We will also learn how bubbles get into a bottle of champagne.
The class is about two hours and very lively. Even after a few tastings you won't want to nod off.

I highly recommend taking these classes to anyone who is interested in learning more about this very enjoyable activity that is sweeping the California country sides. Wine tasting season is rapidly approaching, this year go with confidence. I attended Pooch's class so that I could write a series of articles for Sac Press that will inspire couples to take some fabulous wine country dates. Visiting local Northern California wineries is a great way to start a new relationship or to add a new and romantic taste to an existing relationship.

No matter which way you decide to drive, you are going to find some good wines and enjoy some good times.

For more information on Pooch's classes aboard the Delta King go to www.deltaking.com/wine_school.html