Sacramentans are gearing up to go hairless next week as this year’s St. Baldrick’s Day events aim to add to the $4 million raised locally in the past decade to fund research for childhood cancer. “The event itself is something to be witnessed,” said Henry de Vere White, co-owner of de Vere’s Irish Pub, located at 1521 L St. “We’ve had women do it because their kid has cancer, we’ve had siblings do it and we’ve had Little League teams show up and shave their heads in honor of their teammates who had cancer.” De Vere White said Friday that shaving heads began in pubs on the east coast when some lawyers decided to try to raise $17,000 on March 17. Since then, it has snowballed to the point

The Midtown Business Association is inviting businesses to light up Midtown by transforming their store windows into a winter wonderland this season with an opportunity to win a $1,000 advertising grant from the MBA. This is the second year the MBA has hosted “Light Up Midtown” in the hope of opening the doors of local businesses to more customers this holiday season. “We wanted to find a way to dress up the district and be festive and let people feel very involved in it,” said Heather Philpott, MBA communications and events coordinator. “Businesses can take ownership of the project and get an opportunity to be a part of making the district look great,” Philpott said Wednesday, “and bes

The first time Steve Bash put fuel made from vegetable oil in a truck, he was surprised to see that the truck started right up, the motor ran quietly and the smell of french fries permeated the air. The revelation that a diesel engine can run on vegetable oil-based fuel was a revelation which led Bash in a whole new direction. From that point Bash spent the next ten years establishing and building the Sacramento Biofuels Network (SBN)-- an organization that provides local access to commercial quality biodiesel. The SBN was formed-out of a group of individuals who wanted to make access to ASTM quality fuel that’s third party tested and reassured, more local, Bash said. More recently, Ba

If you’re a fan of Hula-Hoops and a variety of local food, wine and beer, then the Sacramento Zoo’s 10th annual King of Feasts Wine and Food Luau – which will be held Saturday at the zoo – is for you. “The luau is held all over the zoo,” Tonja Swank, public relations coordinator for the Sacramento Zoo, said of the 21-and-over event. “We line the different restaurants, wineries and breweries along different areas of the zoo. Some will be lined along Big Cat Row where the hyenas, snow leopard and where the larger cats are.” Participating restaurants include local favorites such as Zocalo, Taylor’s Kitchen, Kru and Chops Steakhouse. Swank said attendees can expect to find sample-serving siz

A Grand Opening for T2 Performance Solutions was held this Friday at the Urban Hive on H and 20th Street. This Launch Celebration included music by Clemon Charles and Michael Wilson. Featured artist was Raphael Delgado. Delicious food was provided by Mulvaney’s B&L and Perry Creek Winery provided several fine wine selections. The Urban Hive began to fill up early with many guests, artists and friends providing a great social setting. Veronica Delgado, Vera Icon PR, was on hand and introduced me to her mom and brother and also to Tracy and Tim Saville Tracy Saville went up to the microphone to welcome guests, friends and students thanking them for coming to the Launch Celebration. She was

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Crocker Art Museum held a Tour, Taste and Talk on “The Art of Tea.” Four-year docent Paul Lee was an informative guide on the museum’s teaware collections and the history of tea culture worldwide. Beginning in the Asian ceramics collection, Lee educated the visitors on the history of tea in China. “In China, tea was a drink enjoyed by scholars or drank when discussing philosophy,” he said. The tea culture took on a more religious connection when it was introduced into Korean and Japanese cultures. In Japan, it was associated with Buddhism and the wealthy-class. “Monks would drink tea in meditation to keep them awake,” Lee said. Once tea was introduce

What's your favorite place to go get a drink? How do you like your cocktails made? When you order, are you really specific? There is a ridiculous amount of culinary talent in Sacramento, and it doesn't stop on the kitchen line. It makes its way to the speedrack and is being showcased all over downtown. In the next couple of weeks I want to give all those great drinksmiths their due, and highlight them in a series I’ve called: All-Star Bartenders in Sacramento. Check out the talent –you might be surprised the treasures that are right around the corner from you. The first in the series is a bartender that has a special place in my heart. He's a solid bartender who cares about his custome

Soil Born Farms and Mulvaney's B & L are among those being honored Friday when the Sacramento Area Council of Governments hosts a regional forum as the next step in the region's smart-growth plan. SACOG is hosting the Rural-Urban Connection Strategy to provide an update on best practices they've uncovered here and elsewhere for containing urban sprawl and protecting farmlands from being lost, partly through expanding local markets for local produce. This year, SACOG's Salutes! Awards have a rural focus after being incorporated into the forum. SACOG will present awards to 10 organizations, people and projects. More than 500 people are registered for the forum, set for 7:30 a.m. Friday at

Local chefs will give thanks Thursday if they get a break from cooking. But this week, a handful of them were more than happy to share ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes. They range from Cajun cornbread stuffing and stuffed roasted vegetables to sweet potato gratin and a Swiss dish called chnoepfli – some easy, some family traditions and others just new twists on classic companions to turkey. Just before lunch Wednesday, chef Chris Nestor presided over the kitchen at his newest restaurant, House Kitchen & Bar, 555 Capitol Mall. Working from memory, he jotted down the recipe for Cajun cornbread stuffing, a dish he created two years ago at his other restaurant, INK. "We had jambalaya on

Patrick Mulvaney has become one of the leading proponents and practitioners in the farm-to-table and slow food movements in Sacramento. His Mulvaney’s B&L – along with his catering and banquet hall – has won rave reviews from food critics and a large following of diners looking for great, inventive and extremely fresh food. Along with his reputation for creating great food is his generosity toward other chefs he has worked with or highly respects. This is borne out in what Mulvaney calls his " Family" “Family Dinners” events. He invites chefs and their staff to come in and use his kitchen to prepare a multi-course meal. The meal is served by Mulvaney’s staff in his “Next Door to the B&L”

The New Crocker will have something for just about every art lover in all of us. And you'll get to see it all October 10 at 10am when the Crocker Art Museum reopens. Due to a major expansion and getting things ready for 10/10/10 at 10am, the Crocker has been closed for several months getting itself ready to present its new self. There are grand works of art for your eyes and great food to keep your inner artist nourished while visiting. The museum has chosen Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney, Mulvaney's B & L American Restaurant of Sacramento, to operate the Crocker Cafe. Along with the new cafe, the 125,000-square-feet addition has given the Crocker: •  12,000 sq ft of temporary exhibitio

Pedestrian traffic may have appeared somewhat peculiar in Midtown on Saturday. Merry crowds of golfers, and a pirate or two, took to the streets in droves for the first annual Albie Puttin’ Pub and Putt Crawl presented by Go-Girl Energy Drink. Tickets were $25 for walk-ups and $20 for those who preregistered. All proceeds from the event went straight to Albie Aware Inc., a foundation dedicated to supporting women struggling with breast cancer. Executive Director Cindy Love, was a close friend to Albie Carson. The foundation was formed after Carson died of breast cancer in 2002. “We started the foundation because she was not given the proper testing after she was diagnosed, and we would

Golf, pub crawl and breast cancer are usually not three topics you see together. But then again, Albie Puttin’ is not your typical pub crawl. Saturday, Sacramentans can play a nine-hole game of miniature golf and enjoy drink specials all while helping breast cancer patients. All ticket sales will benefit the Albie Aware organization — founded to help provide resources such as paying medical fees to breast cancer patients. This is the first pub crawl event fundraiser that Albie Aware is holding, sponsored by Go-Girl Energy Drink. The crawl will begin with at noon Saturday at deVere’s Irish Pub. Each restaurant or bar has made its own themed hole and will feature drink and food specials,

At 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening a champagne cork popped that sent more than 40 waiters and waitresses on a footrace in the inaugural Sacramento Bastille Day Waiters' Race. Each of the runners had to carry a server tray holding two glasses and a bottle of wine from the alley between Le Petit Paris and Mulvaney's B&L, around the 1800 block between L Street and Capitol Avenue, and into the courtyard behind the L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen. "They celebrate the fall of the Bastille in Paris by running through the streets with wine, and wouldn't that be fun to do in Sacramento?" said Patrick Mulvaney, owner of Mulvaney's B&L. Mulvaney decided to organize the race per the suggestion of Sacto

Slow Food Sacramento presents its third annual Fall Harvest Dinner on Monday.  Chef Patrick Mulvaney, of Mulvaney's B&L restaurant, has created a special fall foods menu.  All of the food is grown and cultivated locally. About 120 people are expected to attend, and the previous two years sold out, said Melinda Beer, Slow Food event coordinator. "It will be held in a brick building next to Mulvaney's restaurant," she said. "The space is urban looking, with concrete floors, long tables and brick.  The front also opens up, which is European-style." The event is hosted by Slow Food Sacramento.  Slow Food, a nonprofit that was created in 1989, has members all over the world.  It was founded

Saturday morning I contemplated whether or not I should eat breakfast. My stomach was inexperienced with grub crawls, the Eat Your Art Out Crawl would be my very first. I settled on eating something small. Luckily I lived close enough to walk to the captain meeting place and by the time I had gathered my team's bags and badges, my stomach was growling. Of the 18 restaurants and dining establishments in the Crawl, I had eaten at all of them but five.  My team, Team Snuffleupagus, started at Brew It Up! where a fruit platter and blue cheese kettle chips awaited. This was a good warmup for the digestive system, not too heavy, and easy to eat. Lucca was one of the restaurants I hadn't tri

One of Sacramento's best culinary creators is off the market. Patrick Mulvaney, a native New Yorker, is one of Sacramento’s restaurant leaders and will be married this Sunday. But before that happens, he whooped it up with some close friends. After some libations at the classic Club 2 Me, the culinary hooligans rolled to the hot-as-hell Tuli Bistro and were hosted by Chef/Owner Adam Pechal. The humble Mulvaney dined on a bountiful buffet of food treasures with colleagues and friends. With no shortage of beverage pairings, faces started to melt on the lovely patio. In attendance were some of Sacramento’s service industry elite to celebrate the event including Derrell Roberts, Kevin Reikes