This weekend, Fairytale Town was transformed into a menagerie of creative writing and reading. Fairytale Town hosted the 11th Annual ScholarShare Children's Book Festival this past Saturday and Sunday. Arts and literacy organizations were on hand, most of them providing information to parents and interesting literacy activities for children. Mother Goose Stage was the centerpiece of the day. Authors and presenters sat in a giant and rather royal-looking throne at the center of the stage and the children crowded around. The weekend’s events included readings by eleven different authors including Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. Trevor Wyatt was the MC and resident magici

This weekend, Fairytale Town will host the 11th Annual ScholarShare Children's Book Festival. The festival will include hands-on literacy activities for children, dramatic performances and readings and presentations by numerous authors and illustrators. The event will feature a special appearance by Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi will read her first book, "Dream Big, Little Pig!" on Saturday on the Mother Goose Stage at 3:00 p.m. The 2011 release by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List. "Dream Big, Little Pig!" was illustrated by Tim Bowers. Fairytale Town will host the book festival this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 25. O

A harem of attractive girls with their midriffs showing and about five men — two wearing eyeliner, one dressed as a taco and the rest disguised as Aladdin — showed up to Fairytale Town’s Moonlight Costume Ball: Arabian Nights. Fairytale Town is a park usually enjoyed by kids. It’s a place where they are able to run around, pet farm animals in paddocks and play on fairytale-themed objects like oversized cement blocks of Swiss cheese and slides shaped like shoes, but, on Saturday night, only those aged 18 and over were allowed entrance. Alcohol was served at two different tents. There were food trucks, a psychic, belly dancers and a raffle. Sacramento band Hero’s Last Mission performed,

The Sacramento City Council was asked to accept a feasibility study on new river crossings Tuesday night, but council members put off taking any action until they get an acceptable definition of a “neighborhood-friendly bridge.” The nine-month study was a collaborative effort between the city of Sacramento and city of West Sacramento that reviewed alternatives for new river crossings to improve connectivity between the two cities. But the study did not specify a particular design for the proposed bridges, and council members – and residents who came to the meeting to voice their opinions – were concerned that the end result would be a “commuter bridge” that floods residential neighborhoo

Wednesday evening, the Department of Parks and Recreation presented plans to expand Old Sacramento’s excursion train and further explore the underground ruins to provide visitors a more exciting learning experience of the Gold Rush, commerce and river transportation. The preliminary general plan for Old Sacramento State Historic Park would span 20 years. The project is currently set to develop the Front Street area between J and I streets. Capital District Superintendent of Capital District State Museums and Historic Parks Catherine Taylor explained that the project will educate visitors on the Gold Rush era. The underground ruins will feature active archaeological digs and exhibits and

Residents will get a chance to see the design of a planned pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the railroad between Curtis Park and Land Park Wednesday night. The city’s project team will give a construction update at the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community, 2791 24th St., at 6 p.m. 6:30 p.m . Wednesday The bridge is designed to give pedestrians and cyclists safe access over the railroad tracks from the light rail stop at Sacramento City College near the intersection of 24th Street and Sutterville Road. “Currently, pedestrians and bicyclists must use Sutterville Road to travel between Curtis Park and the light rail station,” according to a Department of Transportation newsletter.

Land Park Salon, somewhat of a landmark in Sacramento's beauty world, has switched locations to make way for a new grocery store tenant. The building near South Land Park Drive and Sutterville Road has always been anchored by a grocery store since its construction in the early 1950s – from Cardinal and Lucky Stores to Compton's Market and Wilco. But the 21,000-square-foot, ground-floor space has been empty since a Prime Market left about two and a half years ago. No lease had been signed as of late last week. But officials from the Sunflower Farmers Market chain based in Colorado and Arizona toured the property at 4400 Del Rio Road about a month ago, salon owner Kathy Straw said. "They

A city staff proposal to eventually stop loose-in-the-street green waste pickup and move to container pickup will not work for all city residents, Interim City Manager Gus Vina said in an interview Thursday. In tree-laden areas such as Midtown, a container is not adequate to hold all of the fallen leaves, Vina said, explaining why he pulled the green waste issue from the City Council’s agenda on Tuesday. “I want to make sure I’ve challenged staff enough on creativity and the solutions that are possible,” Vina said. The plan that Vina delayed would have encouraged moving away from loose-in-the street pickup and raised rates for residents who continue that method of pickup. Assistant City

Sutter’s Landing will not be the future site for the Sacramento Zoo. That determination was made during a City Council workshop Tuesday afternoon. The workshop was called so the council members could be brought up to date on the current status of the zoo – currently located on 14 acres in Land Park – and where it will be in the next 40 years.  The workshop was called by Councilman Rob Fong following a feasibility study released last July. For now, the council has decided to keep the zoo in Land Park. “I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re not going to be looking at putting the zoo anywhere else in the short term,” Fong said, adding that the “short term” means anywhere in the next 20 y

This spring-like day I found myself wandering around looking for life outdoors. I found it at Land Park. It involved bicyles and college students from around California universities pedaling fast in a big circle. Here's some photos I shot:   Today's event was hosted by Cal Aggie Cycling For info on the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference, click HERE>>> SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Someone was up on the housetop Wednesday. The merry blue eyes belonged not to Santa Claus, but a pair of chimney sweeps hard at work. Clay Thompson and Bryce Cheshire stood on the roof of the Land Park home, where they worked together to replace a cracked chimney flue. The two are certified, full-time chimney sweeps employed with Ryan Brothers Chimney Sweeping, one of the area's oldest chimney and fireplace service businesses. "I think a lot of people are surprised there are chimney sweeps around," said Thompson, 34, of Natomas. "I meet people and I say, 'I'm a chimney sweep,' and they say, 'Really?' " Many people have never seen chimney sweeps in action. They might not recognize Thomps

A bold new magazine has launched in Sacramento. California Northern has been kickstarted here by two brothers and a friend. Former reporter Casey Mills, English professor Richard Mills and graphic designer Paul Barrett plan to fill the twice-yearly, glossy-print magazine with in-depth literary journalism, literature, poetry, essays and photography focused on the culture, history and environments that create the region's unique identity. The trio hopes to produce a magazine that hasn't been done here before. "We're trying to be sort of a New Yorker or a Harper's for the West Coast," said Casey Mills, publisher and editor in chief. "I think a lot of the high-level, long-form journalism an

Taylor Market butcher Danny Johnson confidently surveyed half of a 160-pound pig as it was laid out before him and some 30 participants at the market’s “Butchering - 101” class. “Here’s Wilbur,” Johnson said jokingly, as he realigned the edges on his 10-inch knife. Johnson clarified that when steeling a blade, you aren’t actually sharpening it, but rather bringing the tiny bent edges upright — little facts like this kept participants’ heads nodding and eyebrows raised. Each participant received a diagram displaying common retail cuts of pork with lines pointing to their origins on the pig in its undivided form. People perused the sheet, easily identifying most of the cuts. Meanwhile, J

There are few people in this town who have consistently done as much to promote film, music, arts and Downtown Sacramento as Sid Heberger, managing partner of the Crest Theatre.  Now, after years producing, hosting and promoting multiple film festivals, she is receiving the 4th Annual Film Arts Service Award during the opening ceremonies for the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival.  From the Festival Program: Sid grew up in Sutter Creek developing an early love for film and historic architecture. She moved to Sacramento to attend college and in 1986 became involved in the re-opening of the historic Crest Theatre, leading to a management position two years later. Now CEO of the C

This Tuesday the City Council will look over a two year study by the Community Development Department Zoo feasibility study. The Sacramento Zoological Society Long Range Planning Committee had identified Sutter's Landing Regional Park as their preferred site for a modest expansion of the zoo, but alternative sites have also been located for a future zoo. Cost Premium of Construction on former landfill: Construction costs will be significantly higher (to account for ground settling and special drainage treatment); thus, it is expected that construction of a zoo on this site would cost $625K/acre ($30 million total for a 50 acre zoo) above the "normal" costs of constructing a zoo on a site

The Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour will provide architectural and design enthusiasts an opportunity to discover what it’s like to live, work and play in more than 15 quintessentially Californian residential and commercial structures built between 1945 and 1970. Participants are invited to tour the interior spaces of buildings designed by renowned architects, Jones + Emmons, and a host of local prominent architects and designers including, Carter Sparks, Leonard F. Starks, Sooky Lee, George Muraki, and Rickey + Brooks. An estimated 500 visitors will see Sacramento from a different perspective as we open the doors to our past, present, and future. MCM architecture (also referred to

A group of 90 residents who are afraid of further budget cuts to city parks gathered Saturday at Land Park to take maintenance chores into their own hands. Neighborhood activists recently formed the Land Park Volunteer Corps, which met at the park to trim bushes and beautify the grounds, according to Craig Powell, coordinator of the group. “We’re doing our part in the community,” Powell said. “We’re responding with what we can do.” The city is struggling with a $43 million budget gap for its 2010/2011 fiscal year. Powell said he is concerned that city parks may face a third consecutive year of extensive budget cuts. Parks were hit with $8.3 million in cuts during the 2009/2010 budget p

Residents gathered Wednesday evening at the Hart Senior Center to find a new home for the Sacramento Zoo. After 83 years, the zoo is looking to ditch its current Land Park location in order to gain more space. The two most probable locations are Sutter’s Landing and the Natomas area. Merely 14 acres in size, the current zoo doesn’t allow for expansion. Many of the animals—including elephants, rhinos, polar bears and cheetahs—had to be relocated to different zoos because of the small size of the enclosures in Sacramento. In order to keep their accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the zoo has to keep up with the changing standards of the association by continuously upda

Sacramentans participated on Wednesday to discuss the Sacramento Zoo's plans: Should it relocate or find a way to improve its current location? The meeting was held at the Belle Cooledge Center in Land Park, and hosted by the Sacramento Zoological Society, the Community Development Department, and the Parks & Recreation Department. The meeting was the first in a series intended to obtain feedback. The main topic was the Sutter's Landing Feasibility Study, a proposed relocation of the zoo to Midtown. The majority of Sutter's Landing, which is only accessible from the 28th Street entrance, is owned by the city of Sacramento. Other parts of Sutter's Landing are occupied by the Blue Diamond C

City Councilman Rob Fong said there will be continued development on Broadway during his 2010 State of the District Report Monday evening. Fong, who represents District 4, gave his report at the Area One Neighborhood Advisory Group meeting. "I'm not up for reelection this year," he said. "So you will have the truth tonight." Fong said that west Broadway Street will see some development in the next few years, and the focus will be on housing and retail. Fong also said he is trying to get a community center to be built in that neighborhood. Most of the plans for District 4 are centered around the Broadway corridor, according to Fong. "We're trying to re-imagine what Broadway can be," Fon