River City Brewing Company, located in Westfield Downtown Plaza, is gearing up for spring with two seasonal beers debuting May 1 and the barbecue on the patio set to return April 14, weather permitting. “Our head chef will be out there barbecuing oysters on the half shell, chicken and shrimp, and sometimes artichokes,” said General Manager and co-owner Beth Ayres, 35. The patio barbecues have been held on the patio for about 10 years, and Ayres said Head Chef Ignacio “Nacho” Sanchez enjoys taking the time to socialize with the customers, barbecue and share a beer. Held from 5:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. on Friday nights, the barbecues are popular with the after-work crowd, Ayres said. “

The downtown post office is set to move from its current location at 801 I St. to Westfield Downtown Plaza by mid-May, postal officials said Friday. In the new location, customers will have access to the lobby from 5 a.m. - 9 p.m. seven days per week. There will be no security checkpoint, and those with post office boxes will have access to them every day, said Augustine Ruiz, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service’s Sacramento district. “It’s going to be 4,000 square feet, and we’re going to be leasing the location,” he said. “One of the added conveniences is better parking.” Postal officials previously told The Sacramento Press that there is no need to expand the post office, but they

The downtown 24 Hour Fitness location reopened Friday after a remodel that added approximately 31,000 square feet of floor space, a basketball court and new exercise machines. “(We have) brand-new cardio (machines), strength training machines and free weights,” said downtown Club Manager Ben Ragsac. He added that  full-size basketball court and expanded kids’ club have been added, and a raquetball court is coming, which will be open by October. The gym was closed from 8 p.m., June 17 until Friday at 6 a.m., when the second floor reopened. The full gym, including a lap pool, steam room, sauna, cycle room and other amenities will reopen around October, and more than 200 strength training

Will Westfield Downtown Plaza be put up for sale? According to the Wall Street Journal, Westfield is testing the market for a buyer for the mall, which has been plagued by empty storefronts. In August, when the mall underwent a remodel, General Manager Russell Dougherty said it was only 65 percent occupied. Westfield officials did not return phone calls for comment on their plans for the mall this week. “The Mayor remains committed to working with Westfield and finding ways to make the plaza a viable entity in Sacramento,” said Joaquin McPeek, press secretary for Mayor Kevin Johnson. “At the end of the day, this is such a critical piece of downtown and we’ve all got to work together to

Spring is here, which means the kids have been hibernating all winter and are ready for some outdoor fun. The Sacramento Press recently posed the question, “Where is the best place to take kids to have fun for less than $20,” to people at Westfield Downtown Plaza. Joseph Enriquez, 22, of Elk Grove is a personal trainer. “(I would take them to) Funderland,” he said. Funderland is a small, outdoor amusement park at 1350 17th Ave. for children ages 2 to 12. There are nine child-sized rides. Admission to Funderland is free and each ride requires one ticket. Funderland offers single tickets for $1.75 on weekdays and $1.95 on weekends and has ticket books, wristbands and season passes. For

Local musician Bryan Nichols, of the reggae band ZuhG, opened an independent music store in the Westfield Downtown Plaza on Nov. 13. The store only stocks local musicians’ albums, the work of other local artists and apparel. Apparel includes styles by 215Grass, Calibis Clothes, Hippy Tree, Dome Apparel and independent craftspeople on consignment. In The back of the store, which is named ZuhG Life after the band, serves as a space for music lessons. “It just kind of happened” Nichols said. He had been booking live music for the mall when management offered him a space to open a music store. “We’re Sacramento’s local music shop” said Aaron Hoberman, a roadie who also operates the store

The former Doubleday bookstore in Downtown Plaza has a new tenant in time for the holiday shopping season – JZ Toys & Gifts, which opened Nov. 12. “We sell toys for kids ages 2 to 3 and everything up to decorative knives and swords,” said Ali Mohammad, who helps his friend, store owner Zeba Alemi, by managing it. Mohammad said this is the first business venture for them, and he hopes it succeeds. In addition to toys and decorative reproduction edged weapons, the store also sells an assortment of ball caps, lamps, dishes and collectible dolls. About one quarter of the store is devoted to handmade Oriental rugs from Pakistan. “A family of two to three people will spend eight or nine mon

Today we are all Rosevillians. Yeah, I know that sounds goofy –  and it's said half in jest. But only half. Surely, the day after the horrific arson fire that shuttered the Roseville Galleria – on the eve of the holiday shopping season – even the most dismissive Midtown hipster can feel for our suburban neighbors. During the last decade, we've come to think about each other as something other than neighbors or fellow citizens – we've become competitors. And the divide has come to have a cultural flavor. Suburbanites dismiss the central city for its liberalism, for its "attitude," for our homeless, for the need to walk a couple of blocks from parking spot to destination, or for being wh

Fashion was the name of the game for this month's Third Saturday event held at the Westfield Galleria at the Downtown Plaza in Sacramento. Sacramento News and Review presented the event with Tais serving as emcee. Tais was there without his shadow Adam Saake but was there with his much lovelier fiancé. Instagon was the only musical guess during the time I was at the event. Fans of their music were able to enjoy an extra long set of their performance. A couple of the same vendors from previous months came back this month to sell their merchandise. Many new vendors occupied spots in the courtyard in front of Macy's. Corey de Roo owner of the French Cuff Consignment was on hand to introdu

Those who have been avoiding Westfield Downtown Plaza might want to take another look. After kicking off a multimillion-dollar remodeling project last October, the shopping center has a new look and upgraded security. New planters, improved lighting and a more open feel mark a noticeable change to the mall. “We are going to continue to make as many positive features to this property as we can,” said General Manager Russell Dougherty, adding that there is no set timeline for when the mall will be “done.” “We think of it as a bunch of small projects,” Dougherty said. “We want to keep it fresh so shoppers will keep coming back.” Much of the remodel work has focused on making the shopping

"Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs," said Kunal Merchant, Mayor Kevin Johnson's chief of staff. "One issue everyone is focused on is jobs." Merchant, speaking to the group of 20 at the new Valley Hi - North Laguna Library Wednesday night, gave an update on the mayor's top four priorities, which included central city revitalization, specifically on K Street; the city's new green initiative; a new sports arena and charter reform of City Hall. Each priority comes with the intention of creating jobs and creating a stronger city, Merchant said. He spoke of the need to make the downtown mall stronger to attract and retain business and help local businesses on K Street thrive. He also explained the holdup

Today's Conservation of Public Art Walkabout showed art in public places that have deteriorated via nature and the elements, as well as actions by humans, over time. Sharon Kilgore, a volunteer with the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, described how the ceramic tiles on a wall art by Peter Vandenberge displayed at  the Downtown Plaza-Westfield Shoppping Mall-shows signs of degradation; cracks, grount missing and colors changing. The untitled art wall of glazed tiles was installed in 1977.   The Clock Tower created by R.M. Fischer from New York was installed in 1993. This towering art piece is a mixed media high-voltage tower adorned with floating planets, a clock forever frozen

 I was expecting chaos, crowds of procrastinating shoppers rushing about in a total frenzy. Instead, it seemed like an ordinary day at the Downtown Plaza, except with fewer stores than I remembered. With lower anxiety than anticipated, I imagined all sorts of people would be willing to let me in on their last-minute shopping adventures. Most of the people I asked were not Christmas shopping, or at least that's what they told me. With that said, I did manage to talk to a few interesting shoppers. The first people willing to share was an engaged couple, relaxing on a luxurious green velvet couch in the furniture department in Macy's. They were shopping for their parents. His dad is getting

Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday he will start searching for buyers for Downtown Plaza within weeks, after Westfield Group announced its willingness to sell the struggling plaza. After the holidays, Johnson will start talking to "big developers" and investment groups who understand the plaza's role in revitalizing downtown. Potential buyers could include people interested in developing a new downtown arena at that site, he said. "Westfield has agreed to step aside, and, if necessary, sell its interests in Downtown Plaza," Johnson said during his weekly press conference Tuesday morning. "That could be very monumental for the downtown corridor. The big news is Westfield is no longer willin

Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday he will start searching for buyers for Downtown Plaza within weeks, after Westfield Group announced its willingness to sell the struggling plaza. After the holidays, Johnson will start talking to "big developers" and investment groups who understand the plaza's role in revitalizing downtown. Potential buyers could include people interested in developing a new downtown arena at that site, he said. "Westfield has agreed to step aside, and, if necessary, sell its interests in Downtown Plaza," Johnson said during his weekly press conference Tuesday morning. "That could be very monumental for the downtown corridor. The big news is Westfield is no longer willin

Westfield Group has agreed to sell Downtown Plaza, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Tuesday morning. The city has been pressing Westfield to invest in the plaza for nearly 12 years. Since August, Johnson has been pushing the shopping mall owner to make good on its promise to invest at least $120 million in the under-performing plaza. The alternative, he said at the time, was for Westfield to sell the plaza. Unwilling to invest that much, Westfield decided to sell, Johnson said. But the mayor and city staff must now find a buyer who can agree on a price with Westfield. "Westfield has agreed to step aside, and, if necessary, sell its interests in Downtown Plaza," Johnson said during his week

Are you ready to experience true fear? The Downtown Plaza will be hosting Fear Overload, a haunted house that has replaced Gyros and will now be terrorizing the mall for the first time. "We have had people come out who have wet their pants and run into walls," said David Polanco, owner of the haunted house. "It's crazy what people will do when they are scared." The haunt features dozens of rooms that brave attendees can wander through unguided, for maximum scare, in groups of one to four. "A tour guide in a haunted house is not very scary," Polanco said. Polanco promises that no one is safe, even if you're in the middle of the group, in the haunt, with inmates, psychotic serial killer

Avanni Briggs, 20 Starbucks employee Choreographer, dancer, singer South Sacramento resident When he's not dancing, Avanni Briggs shows his rebel style. This Sacramento dancer was recently in New York for a taping of BET's Wild Out Wednesday, a talent show for young people. "I don't like to look like anybody else," he said when asked where he gets his style. "I use my own imagination," he added. Briggs shops at Getta Clue in Downtown Plaza. "I get the clippers and get to work. Doing your own hair takes hours," he said of his unique hairstyle, which has an artistic design etched into each side. Briggs accessorizes himself in a white tank top, red-and-brown-embroidered Christian Dior b

By Tony Sheppard Capitol Weekly The Judges judge and the waiting line waits! A little Hollywood-style excitement came to the Downtown Plaza on Saturday, April 4th. The event was an open casting call for the planned late night show “Up All Nite” from Deon Taylor Enterprises. Deon is a champion of local indie production, with a studio facility and multiple feature films and shows about to be released and productions that have remained in Sacramento despite the siren call of multiple, cumulative production incentives from other states and cities. I asked Deon a few questions in a quiet moment:   CW: Could you tell me a little about the concept behind “Up All Nite?” DT: Basically the conce

While it was Black Friday to everyone else, I was working in the best location for the occasion, the Downtown Plaza. Even around noon people were still heavily gathered in their favorite stores to get the best deals on electronics, home-wear, clothing and more. Everyone, including the jolly decoration at the mall, was in the Christmas spirit. I was in a Sac Press spirit, and decided to shower the community with gifts from SacPress. I managed to cover all areas of the mall with copious amounts of buttons, stickers, fliers, etc., all with the Sac Press logo on them. Maybe now the people of Sacramento will be in the spirit of both Christmas and The Sacramento Press. I am personally hoping