I’ve been volunteering at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) on a regular basis for the better part of a year now. Generally, I’m there twice a week; more if they’re having an event or need a little extra help. The holidays are always a busy time at SFBFS with their Turkey Drive, Run To Feed The Hungry and Adopt-A-Family all happening in quick succession. Despite the immense amount of planning required for these events and the short time frames, these events are always tremendously well organized by the SFBFS staff, so all that we volunteers have to do is show up. I was fortunate enough to help out at the Thanksgiving events this year and thoroughly enjoyed them, thus I was lo

This four-part series features very different itineraries to celebrate 2010 downtown. Whether your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve involves funky beats, bottles of bubbly, a caravan of kids, or haute cuisine, the Central City is the place to be! Downtown is home to some of Sacramento’s coolest bars and clubs, with many venues offering VIP services that can take your night ‘to the next level.’ Part two showcases these hotspots and their VIP amenities like private booths, bottle service, dedicated staff and complimentary champagne.  Part Two: Party like a rock star! Over at 10th and K, Cosmo Café, Cosmopolitan Cabaret and Social Nightclub are partnering to offer something for all ages th

Photos taken between 40th and 43rd Streets and between J Street and Folsom Blvd.       Jay Canter Photography

                          SacPress Photos | Kati Garner      

Tis the season to decorate your house, your tree and many times, your pet. We'd love to see your photos of your pets dressed up in their holiday best. Send your photos to journalism@sacramentopress.com with the name of your pet, your name and where you live, and we'll put together a photo essay of the photos we receive.  

Danny Glover, Bobby Jackson, Mark S. Allen and Deon Taylor spent their Sunday spreading holiday cheer to families at the Country Club Plaza on Watt Avenue. They were among volunteers distributing holiday bags, complete with turkey and stuffing, to 500 single-parent families. Glover is familiar with Sacramento, having grown up in the Bay Area. The actor and activist said his parents always worked two jobs when he was growing up to provide for him and his brothers. "It feels good to hand out the meals," he said as he handed a turkey to another family. Glover has starred in over 40 movies. "More and more families are struggling, living off of credit, hoping for a period of prosperity. This

Danny Glover and Bobby Jackson are teaming up to help feed hungry families. All over our region, families are faced with the possibility of spending the holidays without a holiday meal. This weekend, 500 single-parent families have the opportunity to receive a free holiday meal. On Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Country Club Plaza. Along with Glover and Jackson will be TV personality Mark S. Allen, distributing meals for each family will be able to take home and enjoy. Meals include turkey, green beans, stuffing, and other side dishes. The meals will have to be cooked at a later time by the families who receive them. According to Diana Erwin, representative for Deon Taylor Enterprises, t

  El Dorado Hills, Calif. — December 11, 2009 —A variety of free holiday events will take place at El Dorado Hills Town Center throughout December. The charming European-style shopping center is just 30 minutes from downtown Sacramento and features photos with Santa, a Santa Run Parade, free musical theatre performances and numerous entertainment opportunities at unique restaurants and Regal’s IMAX theatre. On Saturday, Dec. 19 from noon to 3 p.m., there will be photos with Santa, and then every weekend until Christmas, there will be musical performances by El Dorado Musical Theatre. Finally, the holiday season will culminate with the El Dorado Hills Firefighters’ Association’s Santa Ru

The holiday season has arrived – whether you’re ready or not. Brave the cold weather this weekend and get into the holiday spirit. As an added bonus the City of Sacramento is offering free parking at meters Downtown (I through L streets and Front to 29th streets) after 4:30 pm on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. This weekend’s events kick off on Thursday with the State Capitol’s annual tree lighting at 5:30 pm. If it’s lights you love, check out the 700 block of K Street across from the Carnival at St. Rose painted with thousands of LED lights. As a grand finale, experience the Theatre of Lights show in Old Sacramento. The free show illuminates the district Thursday through

"I'm a 30-year-old man applying for a job as an elf," said the man in the gray hooded sweatshirt, looking less than thrilled about his new position. It was Gary Alan Wright, telling the story of his elf alter ego, Crumpet, and the mischief he got into during his time in Santaland, the mall's winter wonderland. The stage looked the part, with a beautiful Christmas tree, toys and Santa's throne. The lone cast member of "Santaland Diaries" kept the people at the Capital Stage aboard the Riverboat Delta King laughing out loud at the play by humorist David Sedaris. Wright transformed into Crumpet on stage, stripping down to his green knickers and candy-cane stockings. He accomplished this whi

A colorful line-up of boats decorated with multi-colored lights toured the Sacramento River, starting from Sacramento Marina,  past Old Sacramento, all the way to the Virgin Sturgeon and back.   SacPress Photos | Kati Garner      

The First Annual Sacramento Parade of Lights began at 17th and Capitol on Saturday evening.  An eclectic group of participants and onlookers crowded the mile-long route. For larger-sized images please visit: anthonybento.com

                                                                                 Old fashioned Christmas The Elk Grove Historical Museum's fourth annual Old fashioned Christmas features rooms lavishly decorated with period displays by local designers.                   Museum Hours: through December 20th on Fridays and Saturdays from 1:00 – 8:00pm Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00pm Santa will be at the Museum: Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 – 5:00pm. Take-home photographs with Santa • $10.00 The museum's address is 9941 East Stockton Blvd., adjacent to the west entrance of Elk Grove Regional Park. From Highway 99 south, take the Elk Grove

Here are some of the concerts and music events happening this weekend and next week in the Sacramento area. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to the www.eMusiConnect.com homepage. Get out and enjoy!! Concerts & Music Events This Week: Through SUN 1/3: St Rose of Lima Park Holiday Carnival includes daily carnival games, rides, food, and live music & entertainment. Admission is $7Gen/$6 Under12. More information on www.Downtownsac.org/carnival. FRI & SAT Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus presents Alleluia at All Saints Episcopal Church on 2076 Sutterville Road in Sacramento. Concert at 8PM $12ADV/$15Door FRI: Sacramento Philharmonic presents A Soldier’s Tale at Gui

HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT BRING HELP AND HOPE   November 25, 2009 – It is the season of decorations, winter, and holiday gifts. This year, the perfect way to honor your friends and family is by ordering gifts that save the day all year long from the very first American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog.  Make a difference this holiday season with gifts that bring help and hope to those at home or help military families at home or abroad. Order holiday gifts that: ·        Prepare a family to be strong when a loved one is deployed ·        Provide Personal Comfort Kits ·        Provide a phone card to help families connect after disaster strikes ·        Send one month of emergency suppli

On Saturday, over 30 Democrats and friends helped build a house for a Sacramento family. When the team arrived, they found an empty lot, with only a concrete foundation and piles of lumber that would soon become the walls of a home. By the end of the day, the structure of a home had replaced the empty lot. Event organizer, James Schwab said, "We helped to build a house but we also built friendships and relationships that will help us build a better Sacramento in the future." The cold, foggy morning did not dampen the volunteers' spirits. After touring a recently completed nearby home, the team received instructions from site supervisor, Terry Hardin and set to work building a new, LEED c

   From the distinct smell of cooking Latkas (potato pancakes), the sound of the spinning dreidal against the hard wood floor, to the timeless visual of the burning of the Menorah candles, Chanukah provides us sensual imaginary that is forever emblazoned in our minds and memory.    Derived from the Hebrew verb "חנך", the literal translation of “Hanukkah” means “to dedicate,” celebrating the Jews regained control of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Temple.    This year, as we commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE, we must also remember our local commitment, our dedication to our local community.   

Rob Kerth has been getting plenty of Zamboni action the last few nights. Midtown Business Association's executive director has been staying up late and going out in the early-morning dark to use the ice groomer to help create an ice-skating rink that opens at 10 a.m. Friday in Midtown. "It's a tremendous amount of work to put up one of these portable rinks," Kerth said Wednesday. "I've been there until 4 in the morning at least five out of the last 10 days." While most business association leaders might not even know how to spell "Zamboni," Kerth not only knows how to drive one, he owns one. And he has the license to drive it. That's because until last year, Kerth owned Ice Unlimited,

Shortage of Holiday Meat for Sacramento Food Closets Sacramento Emergency Foodlink is in need of Holiday Meat for Local Food Closets November 18, 2009 Sacramento, CA – Local Food Closets and Agencies will be visiting Sacramento Emergency Foodlink (Foodlink) this Friday, November 20, 2009 to pick up their holiday meat. Sacramento agencies have submitted over 2,500 requests for holiday meat. Foodlink has enough holiday meat to fulfill 1,000 of these requests, leaving 1,500 recipients with no holiday meat. We need your help! In response to the shortage, Sacramento Emergency Foodlink, the Official Food Bank of Sacramento County, will be collecting holiday meat donations through the end of

If you miss the childlike innocence of Christmas, your chance to be a kid again will begin Friday. The California Railroad Museum’s "Some Assembly Required" exhibit begins Nov. 17 and runs until Feb. 20, 2010. The event will showcase a variety of toys in its main lobby room. “It’s not like our past exhibits because it doesn’t just focus on trains,” said museum librarian Cara Randall, who also researched the history of the toys on display. Most of the toys are from the 1950s, with a few from the early 1960s and the oldest from the 1870s. “Our oldest toy is a puzzle set that a shoe company gave away to customers as a promotional deal when they bought a pair of $3 shoes,” Randall said. “I