Douglas Miller, resident of Carmichael and director of labor relations for Sacramento Regional Transit, spends his weekends working with his hands, sculpting and painting Halloween masks. Miller is owner and founder of Mask Master of California and has been making masks since 1985. Without ever taking one course in sculpting or mask-making, Miller has taught himself the art entirely on his own. “I have made close to 1,000 masks since I first started and have sold most all of them,” Miller said. From dog masks and werewolves to witches and Frankenstein, Miller makes nearly 20 different types of Halloween masks that can be customized to fit customers’ color preferences. “Every mask is c

Heart Clothing Boutique will celebrate its one-month anniversary this weekend. Owner Vanessa Lopez said her new business has exceeded her expectations since its grand opening during October’s Second Saturday Art Walk. “It was a really quick start,” Lopez said. “But it’s been a great first month.” In a small space off Capitol Avenue, Lopez found a location and an opportunity that she said she couldn’t pass up. After signing a lease, she made it a goal to open for Second Saturday, which gave her only a month to decorate, stock and prepare the boutique for business. “My family, my boyfriend and my friends helped a lot,” Lopez said. Lopez has been taking business classes. She went against w

Ignore the dust. Ignore the tractors. In a few more weeks, the alley won't be a complete disaster and soon the whole thing is going to be paved and beautiful. In the meantime, give some love to your favorite local coffee-shop in the warehouse. Old Soul at 1716 L Street is open from 6am to 9pm every day (except Sunday, until 4pm) but the crowd dwindles to a slow trickle after about 3:00, which is unfortunate. Sure, we stop serving lunch after two o'clock, but we still have pastries and quiche and some wicked banana breads. There's free wi-fi and air-conditioning. The coffee, served at all hours, is delectable. Try a french press of your favorite bean. Try a cappuccino. Did I mention the

The year was 1985, the first version of Windows was released, “We are the World” was a pop sensation, the average home cost was $89,330, a gallon of gas cost $1.09, and legwarmers and stonewash jeans were all the rage. And, in Sacramento, a young man named Dale Carlsen opened the first Sleep Train Mattress Center, now the number one bedding specialist on the west coast and number four nationwide. Beginning his career as a salesperson for local mattress manufacturer Lady Americana, Carlsen’s experience inspired him to forego a traditional job path to pursue entrepreneurship and found Sleep Train, the top locally-owned retailer of quality sleep products that emphasizes superior customer ser

Midtown's Lucky Lefty’s recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Despite the skepticism of nay-saying college career counselors, who called the venture a "stupid idea," and the uncertainty of Californian economic prospects, the clothing shop is thriving. Co-owner Brennan Williams says, growing up, he and his friends’ interest in clothing brands stemmed from a fascination with the subcultures they represented. Williams noticed that other young people who shared his interest tended to resort to travel or the Internet to explore emergent brands, instead of investing in Sacramento’s own scene.  Inspired by skate stores like FTC Sacramento and PLA Folsom, Williams and his friends -now pa

The City of Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services announces: City of Sacramento’s Annual Gift to Shoppers Downtown and midtown visitors need not pay parking meters on designated days. Shoppers in downtown and midtown Sacramento will once again enjoy free on-street parking during select days of the holiday season. Designed to encourage holiday shoppers to patronize downtown and midtown businesses, the program will be in effect during the post Thanksgiving weekend: all day Saturday, November 29, and Sunday, November 30. (Thanksgiving Day is always a parking meter holiday.) The program will resume during the holiday period beginning Saturday, December 6, through Thursday, December