East Sacramento’s month-old Juno’s Kitchen & Delicatessen focuses on serving sustainable food out of a small space with a name inspired by a unique dog. “Juno is a very unusual dog,” owner Mark Helms said of the pit bull/bull terrier mix. “She likes to swim underwater; she likes to carry around sticks that are like twice her weight. She’s an extreme athlete.” Helms and his wife, Susan Vasques, opened Juno’s, located at 3617 J St., at the end of October, mere months after selling their restaurant in The Pocket, Ravenous Cafe. They sold the upscale American-style restaurant to be closer to home, Helms said. “I always wanted to have a place where bread was kind of the focus,” Helms said,

For the 37th year, homeowners in the “Fabulous Forties” neighborhood in East Sacramento have opened their homes for the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour. The annual event, which benefits the Sacred Heart Parish School, is a singular opportunity for the public to tour some of the most gorgeous homes in the city and view the efforts of a small army of professional decorators, florists, artists, and garden designers.  Each home has a principal designer who brings together a holiday masterpiece incorporating the history and architectural features of the property and the individual style and taste of the homeowners.  Said Margo Reid Brown, whose lovely home was opened for the tour: “This is such

After seven years on Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento, The French Hen will be shutting its doors. In an e-mail message sent to patrons, Owner Nicole Turner said that her lease is up at the end of the year, and she is moving out her wares. She also wrote that all items – with the exception of consignment items – will be priced at 25- to 50-percent off. The store is located at 3200 Folsom Blvd. Turner’s statement in full: I wanted to let everyone know that I have decided to close The French Hen. It has been an amazing seven years. I have enjoyed being able to explore my creative side and I hope I have been an inspiration. I am going to miss seeing all of the friends I have made but I

If you think a cupcake is a special treat – and that a business selling them might be considered a luxury in tight times – you’d be wrong. Individual cupcake prices at Icing on the Cupcake, 1121 Alhambra Blvd., range from $2.75 to $3, and co-owner Christee Owens characterized them as being “small indulgences that make people smile.” According to Area Manager Kristina Johnson, the store – which has been open for two weeks – has already garnered a loyal following. “We have every-day customers,” she said. “It makes you feel good to see them coming in each day.” The new location is the third one for the chain, which was founded three years ago in Rocklin. Cupcakes are baked fresh each day

The unfinished side of a new sign showing that Incredible Pets is open gets installed at the chain's newest location in East Sac. The pet store offers products for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, and small mammals, a wide selection of healthy tropical fish, birds reptiles and small mammals as well as live and frozen fish food, many varieties of live worms, and three sizes of crickets. They participate in fundraising efforts for local schools and animal welfare organizations such as animal adoption agencies and breed rescue groups. Anesthesia-free teeth vleaning is be done at the Carmichael and Auburn stores once a month. Low cost vaccination and microchipping clinics will be done at sev

            SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento's Italian community is known to produce gourmet food, but there's much more to the community than Biba, Sofia's and Hot Italian. With this weekend's Festa Italian opening Saturday and running through Sunday at The Croatian Culture Center, we take a look back at the role Italian immigrants and their descendants played in Sacramento's history. Italian Americans have a long history in the Sacramento area. Agriculture and food processing are just some of the many successes of Italian Americans who settled in the area in the early 1850s, but their successes are hardly limited to that. Early Italian Americans Many of the earliest Gold Rush settlers who migrated in the "Mother Lode

                                                                                                        This old Dodge truck is like the one used in 1922 when Rex Moore Electrical Contractors did business out of their basement at 616 San Antonio Way in East Sac. The business is now owned/operated by David Moore (grandson) and Brock Littlejohn.                                                                             Kadea Metara and Merlin Ghostwoof, an 11-1/2 year old Siberian Husky made a grand appearance (left) as did Diane Tempest and Hudson on wheels.                                                                   Twins Talullah and Matilda McKinzie waved their flags as the

                         Tom Ford and his daughter Kennedy prepare their front yard anticipating the July 4th parade that goes down their East Sac street. The block party along 41st St. starts at 10am. Ford built a 400 sq. ft stage in front of his front porch which will host the band Q-Balls. Behind the red, white and blue post is a cantina which will serve drinks. Parade begins at 11am.                                       Ford's neighbor Joe Riehl delivers the signs for Tom's cantina. In the bed of the pickup is a ping-pong table for tournaments after the parade. A taco eating contest will take place nearby. Riehl says he and Ford are the "unofficial" co-chairs of the parade.