Sunday was the Lunar New Year for several Asian cultures, including the Vietnamese. The Vietnamese New Year celebration, Tết, began Saturday morning in a parking lot on the corner of Stockton Boulevard and Fowler Avenue. It started with the City of Sacramento's ribbon cutting ceremony for Little Saigon. This was followed by a New Year parade proceeding south down Stockton Boulevard to Florin Road, where participants viewed the County of Sacramento's ribbon cutting ceremony and participated in the Tết Festival. The following is a photo journal of the weekend's events and festivities. For more photographs and information, please read this article on the festival and celebration. Councilma

A new year starts. And local entrepreneurs are dreaming about businesses on their wish lists. Whether it's a rooftop sushi bar or a celebrity look-alike chauffeur service, most business owners have at least one idea simmering close to their hearts. Several talked recently about other businesses they would love to open if the circumstances were right. Sacramento's fright goddess Deborah Chaussé is really into Halloween. So much so that she would like to turn the home of Evangeline's Costume Mansion into a haunted house each October. That's not a total stretch, considering the fantasy shop is located in two of the city's oldest buildings: the Howard House, built in 1859, and the Lady Adams

Looking for a place to go for New Year's Eve? The Sacramento Press would like to break down the most appealing dance parties for those who like to get their groove on. Paragary Restaurant Group, who put on the ball drop last year, will be hosting what they bill as the "largest party of 2010." What: Dinner at Cosmo Café. The Spazzmatics playing 1980s hits at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret and DJ Pat Allen spinning dance hits at Social Nightclub. The cafe and cabaret are all-ages and Social Nightclub is 21-and-over. Where: The Cosmopolitan Building, 1000 K St. When: Dinner from 5 - 11 p.m., dancing from 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Cost: $50 for access to Social Nightclub and the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Pu

Thanksgiving Day usually means eating turkey. But for thousands of local Hmong, it means eating Hmong sausage, grilled pork and sticky rice while attending the Sacramento Hmong New Year celebration at Cal Expo. More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the four-day celebration which begins Thursday and ends Sunday, said John Thao, Hmong New Year Committee board member. The board formed six years ago and consists of one representative from each of the 18 Hmong clans which make up Sacramento's community of approximately 26,000 to 28,000 Hmong. Hmong come from the mountainous regions of China and other countries Southeast Asia. Nov. 14 and 15, Hmong already celebrated the new year at h

Gathered in an empty parking lot, members of Sacramento's Vietnamese community celebrated the Tết Festival giving life to an otherwise meaningless location. Several hundred people crowded together in the parking lot on the corner of Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard to watch musical acts, kung fu demonstrations by the Sacramento Kung Fu Academy, and to purchase food and clothing. Fireworks rang in the new year with a bang, and under a large tent sat a diverse crowd of Vietnamese families watching a variety of entertainers on the main stage. Around the large tent stood smaller exposition booths run by Vietnamese community members, where some were socializing while viewing items such as c

Monday, Jan. 26th is Lunar New Year's Day, so whether you are following the Lunar Calendar or just would like to celebrate, here is a list of events in the area that you can attend, as well as some additional information about the first day of the Year of the Ox. Here are some random facts. The Chinese Calendar is actually Lunisolar, which means it is calculated based on the positions of both the sun and the moon. Those born in the Year of the Ox are people who were born in: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997. According to the Chinese zodiac, Oxen tend to be persistently hard workers, and are most compatible with Rats. Famous Oxen include Bach, Handel, Van Gogh, Dvorak, Walt Disney,

This New Year is undoubtedly the most important New Year of my life, on account of growth in areas including politics, relationships and spirituality.  The ball drop was amazing.  It proved to this town, this country, EVEN THIS WORLD, that Sacramento can be happy and show solidarity if only given an outlet.  More importantly, we proved it to ourselves. We have a new President, may God help him keep his promises. We have a new Mayor, and as with Mr. Obama, may youth and charisma be proven tools for changes that are greatly needed.  I have a reinvigorated  love and respect for my family.  May fortune continue to shine upon them, for they are truly brave. May you and yours be as lucky an