Can you belive 2011 is practically over? New Year's Eve is this Saturday and if you're still searching for plans, we here at Sacramento365.com have gathered up some activities for you. If you're looking for a great, family friendly New Year's Eve experience, complete with fireworks, be sure to head to Old Sac for the New Year's Eve Sky Spectacular. But, for those of you who are looking for some adult celebrations--no kids allowed--here're a few options to greet 2012 (see even more in our Top 10 & Holiday Event Section). Sacramento nightlife is kickin'! 1. New Year's 2012 Bash with Mickey Avalon: Ace of Spades, 7pm Hailing from Hollywood, Mickey Avalon is known to the world as one of the

The R Street streetscape improvement project that broke ground in 2010 finished in the fall, and several other changes to the R Street corridor signal it as an up-and-coming district heading into 2012, with more improvements on the way. Improvements to R Street between 10th and 13th streets came in at less than the allotted funding, allowing the city to add a few more amenities, including 13 more benches for pedestrians. Other improvements included creating uniform sidewalks, new pavement and new streetlights. Rail lines were left in place in a nod to the area’s history. The construction stayed on schedule, coming to a close in the fall. Completion of the first phase is just one step i

Looking for a way to impress your friends or date with your intelligence? Take them out to a trivia night or pub quiz in Sacramento. The Sacramento Press has your guide to local bars and pubs that will test your knowledge on trivia in a friendly, yet competitive environment. The Depot 2001 K St., Ste. A Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Free De Vere’s Irish Pub 1521 L St. Mondays, 7 - 8 p.m. Free Christopher Scott, the director of Cardio Pulmonary Services at Methodist Hospital, has hosted trivia for eight years. Currently, Scott hosts trivia nights at The Depot and de Vere’s Irish Pub. “The presenting is the most fun – the experience with the people that are playing,” Scott said. “It’s getting tha

Friday, the wedding of the century, between Prince William and Kate Middleton, will be occurring across the pond. If you can’t afford the airfare and are looking to take part in the celebration a little closer to home, you’re in luck. Local family-owned pub the Fox and Goose Pub, located on 10th and R streets, will be staying open late for the occasion. The royal wedding is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. in London, which means it will be happening here on the West Coast at about 3 a.m. With that said, Fox and Goose is currently scheduled to make itself open and available at 2:30 a.m. to serve all interested partygoers. Fox and Goose will be doing a viewing of the

Easter is fast approaching and along with it comes the requisite egg hunts and candy-fests. Before you go snacking on the Snickers, though, you may be interested in having a good old-fashioned Easter brunch with your friends and family. If you’re looking for good food on Easter Sunday in the central city area, here are a few places offering brunch and drink specials on this special day: Tower Cafe 1518 Broadway Brunch: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner: 4:30 to 11 p.m. Tower Cafe’s large brunch menu includes their Famous French Toast, Eggs Tower, the Borracho Burger, and Thai steak salad. Or, try one of their specialties: a chorizo burrito with sauteed onions, garlic and dry chorizo sausage scramb

The R Street improvement project  officially started today at a groundbreaking ceremony in front of the Fox and Goose Public House at 10th and R streets. “This is absolutely wonderful,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “We have a history here – a thriving commercial history.” R Street is getting numerous upgrades from 10th Street to 13th Street as part of the more than $6 million project, including sidewalks, pedestrian-oriented traffic lights, designated parking spots and drainage, according to Sacramento Department of Transportation Director Jerry Way. In a nod to the R Street corridor’s history, rail lines will be preserved in the streetscape. “This project has been long and anxious

After months of delay, the project to improve R Street between 10th and 13th streets will move forward, pending City Council approval Tuesday. Currently, that section of R Street lacks any uniformity in regard to curbs, street lighting and parking, said Tim Mar, supervising engineer for the Sacramento Department of Transportation. The project will rebuild the curves, repave the streets and add defined parking spaces and street lighting. Another facet of the project will be restoring the historical character of the area – which is mixed-use with some industrial, business and residential buildings. The project was originally scheduled to start in spring, but since federal funding is fina

Saturday, local band Be Brave Bold Robot hosted a CD release party at the Fox and Goose. The band released its second full-length album, "Take A Deep Breath." With Beer Week coming to a close, it seemed like everyone in Sacramento went out over the weekend in search of frosty pints, and the Fox and Goose was no exception. The bar's side venue, with its narrow entrance hall, featured patrons packed snugly near the stage, over-stuffed booths, and standing on chairs. The band's friends, family and co-workers all attended the party. About 200 people ended up attending the show. I was able to meet up with some of front man Dean Haakenson's co-workers for the state, who only had flattering wor

Be Brave Bold Robot is hosting the release of their second full length album Saturday at the Fox and Goose. Established for six years now, the band is stronger than ever. Started in the shadows of The 24K Cafe, now The Golden Bear bar, Dean Haakenson (front man) and Jeremy Pagan (guitarist) joined their musical forces to play under the name Double Helix Collective. Since their underground start, the band has grown in maturity, popularity, and contributors. BBBR's internal relationship is what sets them apart from your average band. Although the face of the band has been subject to some changes, there is still a maintained friendship between them. Most breakoffs from BBBR have been promp

Most 20-year-olds don't play over 15 instruments or write three songs per week. Nor have they traveled and lived all over the United States. But Sacramento musician Autumn Sky didn't grow up in a so-called "normal" household. Having played hundreds of shows, the ambitious Sky is on the rise. Sky (she uses her middle name instead of her last name, Hall) was born in Paradise, Calif. She and her family lived out of a Volkswagen Beetle near Puget Sound in Washington and spent time in Oregon and Wisconson before settling in Sacramento. She also recalled living in a log cabin in Mendocino as part of a nudist colony. "There is a whole [photo] album that my parents have and it's all these babi

It was a combination of a songwriting workshop and heartbreak over a girl that jump-started Americana singer Elliot Randall's career. "I think that every songwriter gets into songwriting because of a girl," he said. "Songwriters can write about heartbreak all day long if (they) experience it." Heartbreak or not, Randall has made a name for himself in a relatively short time. Since his debut album, Take the Fall, came out in 2007, he's had the chance to open for some of his childhood heroes: Creedence Clearwater Revisited and the Steve Miller Band. On Friday night, at the Fox and Goose Pub, Randall and his four-piece band will play the first concert of a California tour that he is co-hea

 I first ran into the local two-man show, The Evil Do-Gooders, at an Open Mic event at Fox and Goose. To be a little more accurate, my first encounter with band members Ryan and Ruben happened on my way out the door. Let me explain. If you haven't been yet, Monday nights attract a lively round-up of diverse local musicians playing everything from blues and folk to acoustic rock. On this particular Monday, my crew and I were about ready to call it a night at the wee hour of 10 p.m., until two guys with guitars called out for our attention. After watching reporters from The Sacramento Press talk to virtually everyone who played that night, they didn't want to be forgotten about simply becau

 You wouldn’t know it if you were standing outside and looking at the Fox and Goose Pub on a Monday night, but inside, it’s buzzing with people and music. The action is well-contained within those thick walls, and the second you open the door you’re sure to be overtaken with the warmth of the place and the lively rifts within. The way Fox and Goose is laid out, there are two rooms to choose from. The first room contains all the essentials to Monday Night Open Mic; plenty of great pub beer true to England and Ireland, and an on-going line-up of one quality band of musicians after another. The crowd is usually a diverse one, ranging young to old, family or friends of the musicians and newco

 R Street has been a railroad corridor for almost as long as Sacramento has been a city, but it was once part of our flood protection system. In 1854, engineer Theodore Judah planned the first railroad in California, the Sacramento Valley Railroad (SVRR), using R Street as its main line through town on its way to Folsom. However, in the 1850s, flooding was a regular occurrence in Sacramento, and our complex series of levees and street raisings was only beginning. In order to keep the new railroad line above water, a levee was needed along R Street.   The original map of Sacramento included plans for streets as far south as Y Street (now Broadway), but when the SVRR was built there were f