SACRAMENTO, CA – March 16, 2010 – Quick Quack Car Wash, a local chain of exterior-only, express car washes, has announced that it will be offering free car washes at all five Sacramento area locations on Tuesday, March 23rd from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm to thank customers and to encourage donations to support Haitian Roots, a non-profit organization focused on assisting and educating children in Haiti. In addition to donations from customers, Quick Quack also will donate to Haitian Roots an additional $1.00 for every customer who upgrades from the free basic wash package to the Best Wash package. All wash packages take only three minutes and self serve vacuums are available and always free for c

        Valentine's Day can be challenging for everyone out there, whether you've got a special someone to impress or not. The choices are limitless, and it can be hard to set something up that everyone will enjoy. This year, why not please the whole crowd with a just-before-Valentine's Day show starring local indie pop songstress Autumn Sky and up-and-comer Tre Burt?     Miss Sky, who recently won the Sac Show award for best Acoustic Show, holds a Valentine's Day show each year. 2009's show at Luna's Cafe drew a huge crowd, where patrons and audience members alike sat on floors and laps to fit in the tiny room. This year will prove to be no less of a good time, especially considering

STC Presents a special staged reading of  one of the country's most cherished playwrights. Battling themes of immigration and discrimination while in search for a lasting and true identity, the characters of "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" cross paths at a Pittsburgh boarding house where their journies are exposed and questioned as they embrace their deeper ancestral connections and work to transcend the trials of slavery and exploitation in an evolving America. "Set in 1911, and the second in the series of Mr. Wilson’s 10-play cycle of the African-American journey through the 20th century, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” is about nothing less than the migration and dispersal of a race and

One of the best kept secrets of the South Sacramento area is a small, private school tucked away in the Lanai Shopping Center on Freeport Boulevard, neighboring the Sacramento Executive Airport, where it has existed in rented space for 21 years. Over the years, most of the shopping center tenants have moved away. Meanwhile, countless hours of parent, teacher and student work have gone into transforming a run-down property into a school with colorful classrooms and playgrounds. It has an understated entrance, but Camellia Waldorf School is an oasis for children. The kindergarten yard is home to Mr. Mountain, a big pile of dirt, and Ms. Sandy, a big pile of sand. There are climbing struct

A greater awareness of danger is called for when the time change brings us early dark days and cold, dark mornings. While everyone needs to pay more attention in the seasonal time change, women especially need to increase their vigilance as predators often use darkness as cover. While spending time out and about shopping women would be more vulnerable to assaults as they are often alone, in unfamiliar settings and distracted by holiday stresses. Join the Robinson's, Sacramento's first name in family martial arts, for a special free clinic in safety awareness and simple self defense. Just keeping personal safety in mind helps increase the odds against any problems. By learning some simple

 Tree clean our air and water, store carbon in their trunks, create habitat for wildlife, reduce air pollution, increase property values, and provide countless other benefits. The Sacramento Tree Foundation works to leverage all of the benefits that trees provide to create healthy and sustainable communities through building the best urban forest in the Sacramento region. A major keystone in building the best urban forest is the Greenprint initiative, a multi-decade regional framework created to meet Sacramento's sustainability and livability goals by expanding urban forests and optimizing the benefits of tree canopies. Greenprint partners, comprised of 22 cities and 6 counties, have agree

Join South Sacramento VISIONS at their annual Family Disaster-Preparedness Day, a family event sponsored in part by Kaiser Permanente and Sacramento County, feautring classes, games, entertainment and more! Kids will enjoy the kids zone with bounce house, all will enjoy entertainment by J. Rene Academy of Dance and Vocalist Sheryl Counter. Saturday, September 26, 10:00am-2:00pm at the Jose Rizal Community Center, 7320 Florin Mall Drive, Sacramento, CA. For more information contact mswhitton@aol.com or 916-391-3107

The vibe at Fremont park was laid-back and friendly during the new Hot Lunch series presented by Hot Italian and The Sacramento Press. Dozens of people sat scattered through the park on blankets and in lawn chairs, bobbing to the live music and chowing down on the food that was delivered from Hot Italian, just across 16th Street. Most people in attendance were on their lunch breaks some were just walking their dogs and got pulled in by the delicious smells and intriguing sounds. Attendee Melissa Olsen said, "I'm here on my lunch hour, and I think this is a good morale booster for all of the state employees in this hard time, to have somewhere near the end of the week to just unwind and l

  Rollin' on the BikeCrawl II The 2nd "bicycle-themed" Grubcrawl is Wed. Aug. 26, promptly at 5:30 starting @ Bikes and Bites, 12th & J st, Downtown Sac..... Grubcrawlusa.com in partnership with Bikes & Bites presents the second of many Bikecrawls, rollin' spot to spot enjoying free appetizers and drink specials all night long! Soooo,....Bring your cycles, trikes, and appetites! Join us @ Brew It Up, Sofia's, Three Fires @ the downtown Marriott, Table 260,...and other Sacramento Hot Spots. See ya there! Rent-A-Bike or bring your own! Bring your tour cycle, beach cruizer, road or mountain bike, or tandem to the starting venue at 5:30 pm, with $25 and your appetite! Or for an additional

EARTHLINGS FREE • LIMITED SEATING • ONE NIGHT ONLY • DON’T MISS IT • FREE www.earthlings.com Where: SACRAMENTO BICYCLE KITCHEN 1915 I Street (between 19th and 20th, along the railroad tracks). NOTE: Seating is limited. Please bring a lawn chair or two if you can. When: FRIDAY, July 17, 2009 Time: 7:00-10:00 PM Director’s featurette at 7:30 EARTHLINGS at 8:00 About the film: EARTHLINGS (95 mins), written and directed by Shaun Monson and narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, is about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment, and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, EARTHLINGS is nicknamed “the Vegan Maker” for its sensitive footage shot at

Ahhh, yes, it's that time of the month again folks. Second Saturday weekend that is! Although there are great things going on all month long throughout Sacramento, many locals will argue that the second weekend of the month in Sacramento is their favorite time to venture out on the town. In addition to the Art Walk on Saturday, this weekend has a plethora of cool things to check out. And for Sactown, mid-July is looking to bring us some relatively mild weather to boot! Take a look to see if any of these events can lure you to venture out...try something different this week! Thursday 7.9 Food & Wine: California Grape & Gourmet -- $50 ($70 day of) Where: Sacramento Convention Center When:

With so many ways to show your patriotism, there will be no excuse to be blue in Sacramento this weekend. Daytime Fun on the Fourth Annual East Sacramento Parade Parade begins: 10 a.m. Route: Walking 41st and 42nd streets at M Street in red, white and blue. Pyrospectacular at Cal Expo What: Independence Day fireworks celebration When: Gates open at 4:30 p.m., fireworks begin around 9:30 p.m. Where: Cal Expo. Guests should use the East Gate, located at the intersection of Exposition Boulevard and Challenge Way, as the main entrance to the event. Enter through the D Lot parking area. Highlights: Largest-scale pyrotechnics display in the area’s history; music and dancing in the Grandstand

The Sacramento News & Review Music Fest and SAMMIES (Sacramento Area Music Awards) Ceremony made its outdoor debut Saturday at Cesar Chavez Park in the sweltering heat but kept music lovers cool with the help of a dunk tank, beer and wine garden and the park's fountain. In the past, the annual event has been held at the Crest Theatre, but this year, organizers of the 19th annual fest chose to celebrate in the sun, with art and fashion vendors and a huge inflatable slide. The mood was celebratory throughout the festival. Children and adults alike splashed in the park’s central fountain as the 14 bands performed on two stages. The beer garden offered shaded areas for the 21 and over to lou

It has never occurred to me that Father's Day weekend always happens at the same time as the summer solstice. Is that by coincidence? The longest, sunniest day of the year falls on the weekend that we celebrate our Dad's. That's kind of cool! At least for those of us who celebrate them. Otherwise, think of it as an extended day for you to be having fun! This weekend is packed with family friendly events for the whole family to enjoy at budget friendly prices. There are a few things I've mentioned that are a little more pricey... but they sound so fun! Whatever your budget is and whomever you'd like to spend your time with, check out what this weekend has in store. Thursday 6.18 Class: Sm

Clive Matson is more than a legendary Beat poet. He's a little bit younger than the Beats, and a lot more honest and raw, which he'll tell you himself. He's a nature lover, a teacher and a father. And on Monday, June 15, he will be teaching a free public workshop entitled "Let the Crazy Child Inside Write" at the Sacramento Poetry Center. Poets Q.R. Hand and H.D. Moe will also be reading at the event, which begins at 6 p.m. Matson plans to read from his heralded 1966 poetry collection Mainline to the Heart, along with some more recent works. When Mainline was published, it was described by one reviewer as "more edgy than the Beats," a critique Matson agrees with. "I'm carried away eith

Spring is almost over and so begins the onslaught of fun, fabulous things to do during the summer months in Sacramento! It's not quite time to break out the bikinis and flip-flops, but I have spotted some sleeveless tops and open-toed shoes lately...my all-time favorite season in Sacramento is almost here! This week, and particularly this week-end, is already jam-packed with music, festivals and outdoor events with the promise of the heat soon to come. I hope you haven't made plans already... Tuesday 4.28 Music: Rev Theory-- $12 at the door Where: Marilyn’s on K When: Doors- 6:30pm, Show- 7:15pm Why: You may get an idea for their music-style by the bands they’ve opened for: the likes of

There were so many events going on this week in Sacramento that I had to break them up into two articles (and still there are so many more!). This is a diverse compilation of things to do under $20 this week. From lectures, concerts & festivals, to health classes and job fairs, you are bound to find something you'll like! Keep an eye out for my next article in which I will feature all of the fundraisers and benefits this week...  Monday 4.20 Lecture: Andrew Sean Greer - Free When: 1pm Where: CSUS- Union Ballroom (Free parking on Lot 10) Why: Andrew Sean Greer is the bestselling author of The Story of a Marriage, a lyrical novel about love and longing, and the political, sexual, and raci

The City of Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services announces: Are you ready to start your garden? Is your yard in need of a make over? Then good news: Neighborhood Services is sponsoring free green gardening classes! They'll take place in April and May and will cover a range of topics, from improving soil to selecting drought-tolerant plants, as well as City landscaping regulations. Call Neighborhood Services at 808-6789 if you have any questions. City of Sacramento, Neighborhood Services Department is proud to present FREE Green Gardening Classes SAVE THE DATES! Saturday, April 18, 2009 9 a.m. - Noon Ethel McLeod Hart Senior Center 915 27th Street Wednesday, April 29, 2009

This week there is no excuse! Despite this 'little' slump we're in, I was able to find a slew of cost efficient ways to entertain yourself throughout the week. There's a little something for everybody... Tues 4.14 Music: Lipstick- $3 (before 10pm) When: 8:00pm Where: Old Ironsides Why: A fusion of indie rock, pop, garage & electronic dance part. It's been going strong for 8 years. 'Nuff said. Sports: Sacramento Rivercats v. Portland Beavers- $10+ When: 7:05pm Where: Raley Field Why: If I am going to go to any Baseball game, it's going to be this one. Who wouldn't want to see which of the water creatures prevails? Wed 4.15 Music: Ari Hest w/ Hana Pestle- $8 When: 8:00pm Where: Marilyns o

Week 13: March 31-April 5 So after a few weeks of experimenting with this Storyline, I’ve decided to tweak things around a bit. Quandary: My initial concept of highlighting an event a day was in response to those flighty and exasperated comments like: “There’s nothing interesting going on in Sacramento” or even more so the: “There’s nothing to do on Mondays (or any other day of the week that doesn’t seem to offer anything new)”. 7 Days, 7 things to do was my attempt to address this boring complaint of the non-creative, unimaginative types. Not to say that I haven’t been there myself! Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t until I started to get out a little bit that I really became aware of the