Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "social"

Reunion Tour comes back and wins the Indoor Kickball Championship

2011-12-06T16:07:41Z

In the Xoso Sport & Social League final Indoor Kickball season of the year, and a championship game that featured the regular season's top two teams, #2 Reunion Tour pulled away from #1 Turn Your Head and Cough to win the 2011 Late Fall Indoor Kickball title 18-9.

Playoff night (last night) kicked off with the play-in matchup of #4 Balls to the Wall versus #5 The A-Team. Balls to the Wall (4-4) built a 19-6 lead after four innings but The A-Team (3-5) rallied with three runs in the fifth and eight more in the sixth before coming up short 19-17.

#4 Balls to the Wall advanced to the first semifinal where they faced #1 Turn Your Head and Cough (6-2). After holding Balls to the Wall scoreless for the first three innings, Turn Your Head and Cough steadily built a 16-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Balls to the Wall was able to put six runs on the board before being shut down for a final score of 16-7.

The other playoff semifinal pitted #2 Reunion Tour (6-2) against #3 Gryffindor (5-3). Reunion Tour jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning before running away with the game 18-4 to set up a title showdown with #1 Turn Your Head and Cough.

This season's final presented an opportunity for Turn Your Head and Cough to avenge their only two losses of the season, both at the hands of Reunion Tour, 10-9 and 21-12. With excellent defense played by both sides and a scoreless tie after two innings, the game seemed headed for a low scoring finish. The Reunion Tour offense woke up with four runs in the third inning and tacked on eight more in the fourth with the help of "double damage" to lead 12-5 after four innings. Reunion Tour pushed the score to 18-6 in the top half of the sixth inning before putting away Turn Your Head and Cough by the final score of 18-9.

Cheers to the 2011 Late Fall Champions, Reunion Tour, and to all the teams for a great season! Many of the teams will now be moving over to coed dodgeball or volleyball during the winter months, so we'll see who comes out on top next time...

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

Gym, Tan, Dodgeball win first title, and Team AP completes first 3-peat!

2011-11-05T00:00:32Z

Last night featured 150 local young professionals, competing for the right to claim Xoso Dodgeball Champion on their athletic resumes. Another 100 playoff hopefuls had already had their dreams of dodgeball glory fade into the distance. The Xoso Sport & Social League offers two divisions on Thursday evenings, separating veteran "A" league teams from newer "B" league teams.

On the B League side of the gym last night, Gym Tan Dodgeball proved that it doesn't always matter where you're seeded.

The Fall Season of Xoso dodgeball wrapped up last night with an epic night of playoffs and championship matchups. Coming into the night Drinkin' Team (6-2) and Titsburg Feelers (6-2) arrived with the top 2 seeds, while Gym Tan Dodgeball (5-3) and Hookers and Bacon (4-4) had earned the lowest seeds - 5th and 6th respectively.

In the opening round the first matchup contained little drama as Sexual Chocolate and Gym Tan Dodgeball(GTD) were set to square off in a battle of 4-seed vs 5-seed. Sexual Chocolate unfortunately didn't have the minimum number of players and so GTD was awarded a victory by forfeit and advanced to the semifinal round. The other quarterfinal matchup was a different story as the 3-seed, Ball Thugs & Harmony, went to battle against the 6-seed Hookers & Bacon. It was a close fight the entire game as the game progressed: 1-1, 2-1, and finally 3-1 with Hookers & Bacon finally able to distance themselves from Ball Thugs. Ball Thugs were not done however, as they whittled their competition down in the next game. This 5th and deciding game determined the match as time ran out on Ball Thugs, even though they had more players left as time expired, this additional point brought them a 3-2 loss and allowed Hookers & Bacon to complete the upset and move on to face Titsburg Feelers in the semifinals.

The Titsburg Feelers took advantage of their 1st round bye and used their rested arms to welcome Hookers & Bacon to the semifinal round. Hookers & Bacon put up a tough fight by winning 3 games, however the #2 seed proved to be too much and won convincingly 6-3. With their victory Titsburg earned a spot in the Championship game versus the winner of #5-seed Gym Tan and #1-seed Drinking Team. In this other semifinal match the top-seeded Drinking Team had a strong advantage as they battled GTD late into the match with a 3-2 lead, and time winding down at approximately the 4 minute mark. Gym Tan would not give up. GTD successfully tied the match up at 3-3 with just over 2 minutes remaining. With little time on the clock these two teams battled in one final game to determine who would move onto the Championship match. In an exciting and heated contest Gym Tan gutted it out and was able to secure a win in the final game for a 4-3 match victory.

The intensity and stakes only got higher as the Championship Match featured Gym Tan Dodgeball squaring off against the second-seeded Titsburg Feelers. The games in this final match were long and extremely hard-fought as each side knew what was at stake. They battled toe-to-toe for four exhausting matches and in the end were tied at 2-2, due to the Titsburg Feelers having more players on the court as time expired and Gym Tan missing a half-court basket as the whistle blew. The Championship was settled with one final sudden death game. The score was finally settled when the team that seemed to have the most fight in them, Gym Tan Dodgeball, was able to oust the final Titsburg Feeler and claim Xoso Dodgeball Championship status. Gym Tan was able to knock off the #1 AND #2 seeds to truly prove that, in the playoffs, it's anyones game.

Congrats to Gym Tan Dodgeball on their first championship!

On the "A" league side, Team AP survived to win their 3rd straight A League title.

In one of the most tightly contested dodgeball playoffs in recent memory, Team AP was able to secure their 3rd consecutive Thursday dodgeball crown. Usually seeded 1st or 2nd, AP (6-2) finished the regular season in 3rd place and faced the unusual challenge of not having a 1st round playoff bye and instead having to win three matches to clinch the championship. In round 1, AP struggled early against 6th seeded Bat S*** Crazy (2-1-5) before pulling away late to win 5-2. The other round 1 matchup saw 4th seed (o)(o) (4-4) knock off 5th seed Dirty Smurfs (4-4) also by the score of 5-2 to advance.

In the evening's first semifinal, top-seeded and undefeated D3: The Mighty Drunks (8-0) battled (o)(o) in a closer than anticipated match but emerged a 4-2 winner. Semifinal #2 was a tense affair that saw Team AP jump out to a 3-1 lead on a 2nd seeded Kendall's Bridesmaids (7-1) before Kendall's Bridemaids closed the gap to 3-2 and then evened the match at 3-3 by winning a 3-on-3 sudden death round after regulation time had expired. The squads then faced off in an untimed, winner-take-all 8-on-8 game won by AP to set up a championship showdown with longtime rivals D3.

This season's title match between AP and D3 marked the 4th time these rivals have squared off in the playoffs over the last few seasons. A determined D3 played hard to end AP's post-season dominance but was unable to slow down AP as they established a 4-1 lead in the first 20 minutes of the match. Energized by their earlier round scares, AP was in classic form for the championship round marked by their athleticism and unmatched throwing ability. D3 clawed back late to narrow the lead to 4-2 but ran out of time as AP closed out the match 5-2 and celebrated the first three-peat in Xoso history.

Congrats to Team AP!

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

"Chocolate Salty Balls" Come Out of Nowhere to Win Recess Championship

2011-10-31T18:39:08Z

In a surprising turn of events, Chocolate Salty Balls emerged as Xoso Sport & Social League's Fall 2011 Recess League champions with a tense 2-1 volleyball victory over previously undefeated Green Dogs and Spam. CSB entered week 8 of the regular season in 4th place but was able to leapfrog over UR FIRED and Drexel Dragons into 2nd place by winning their final week matchup while the other playoff contenders lost.

For the two team playoff, CSB (3-3-2) chose to square off against #1 seed Green Dogs and Spam (8-0) in volleyball as opposed to the other Recess sports (Indoor Kickball and Dodgeball). Despite volleyball being CSB's strength and Green Dogs' weakness, it was Green Dogs that seized game one 21-17. On the verge of elimination, CSB came out strong in game two, winning handily 21-9, and set the stage for winner take all game three. CSB rode their game two momentum to a 15-10 lead and seemed in complete control before Green Dogs rallied to narrow the score to 16-14. Their efforts fell short, however, as CSB was able to rely on great serving to win points late to clinch the championship with a 21-17 game three win.

Disclosure: Written by a member of Xoso Sport & Social League

The Honey Badgers win Xoso's First Softball Championship!

2011-10-28T18:38:07Z

On Sunday, Xoso Sport & Social League concluded the inaugural season of Xoso Coed Softball.

As we've all heard when it comes to the playoffs... anything can happen. On Sunday, "anything" did.

The #1 seeded "We Got The Runs" had rolled through the regular season schedule, ending with an undefeated 8-0 record. In game one, they matched up against the #4 seeded, "Foul Balls and Dirty Bunts" who came in with a 3-5 record. FBaDB were playing shorthanded, but managed to hang in there against a full #1 team. "We Got the Runs" put up the maximum number of runs in the first inning, and lead 9-2 after one. FBaDB managed to get within five runs at the end of the second inning, and battled back to close to within six at games end.

In the other semi-final matchup, #2 "Just the Tip" (6-1-1) faced off against #3 "Honey Badgers" (5-3). The Honey Badgers put up two runs in the first, another four in both the 2nd and 3rd, and added two more in the fourth, to take a 12-4 lead into the final two inning. "Just the Tip" tried to rally back, but ended up falling, 12-6.

The Honey Badgers picked up where they left off in the championship game, putting up seven runs in the first inning. "We Got the Runs" rallied back, and trailed 14-8 after four innings but they just couldn't make up for the first inning outburst. The Honey Badgers came away with the first Xoso Softball Championship with a final score of 14-11.

Disclosure: Nick Berruezo is the founder of Xoso Sport & Social League

The Rise of Sactown's Social Athletes

2011-08-08T03:47:28Z

The Fall season officially begins this week for Sacramento’s very own sport and social club. Appropriately named the Sacramento Sport and Social Club (SSSC), this unique adult sports experience has something in store for all types of social rec athletes in the Sacramento area.

The idea first arose in 2008 when SSSC founder Brad Satterwhite (“the Commissioner”) and a co-worker of his wanted to get a group of their colleagues together for some good-natured out-of-office fun. They decided on bowling, but when the crew couldn’t find a local league that fit their needs, Satterwhite stepped into the role of league organizer. This league of work colleagues started with 12 teams in what later became known as the Planning, Policy, Urban Development Bowling League (or ‘PUDL for short, named after their career field). Three years later, PUDL is back for the Fall season and more popular than ever before. Longtime PUDL member Jim Clark says:

“PUDL gives you that chance to have a really great time with really great people. You will not find a bowling league that has as much fun both in the alley and out than we at PUDL do.”

But even this is just the tip of the sport and social iceberg... Last year league members started asking about other sports and activities. Recognizing the potential, Satterwhite has since set up leagues that appeal to the socially inclined, coed crowd, adding Cornhole (bean bag toss), Team Trivia, and Indoor Soccer to the mix.

The Club also offers bike and pub crawls, parties, and philanthropic opportunities. The Commissioner also emphasizes rewards and prize opportunities for SSSC participants. Thus, SSSC is creating a niche for itself as THE social league in greater Sacramento. You can almost think of it as a well-organized, never-ending carnival for adults.

If you’re interested in trying something new and fun, now is the time to register for one of SSSC’s upcoming leagues or tournaments.

UPCOMING LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS

All of our leagues include two games a night, weekly raffle prizes, awards to season winners, and more. Everyone makes the playoffs. Teams can be male, female, or coed. There is no need to be experienced as our leagues use a handicap-scoring format.

Monday Night Bowling League                       Thursday Night Bowling League
10 week season                                                  8 week season
Teams of 4 (6 on roster)                                    Teams of 4 (6 on roster)
League starts: Sept 19                                       League starts: Sept 8
Registration ends: Sept 12                                Registration ends: Sept 1

These two leagues also include discounted bowling on non-league nights, discounted shoe rental, and discounts at Frank’s Pro Shop.

Cornhole (Bean Bag Toss) League (Sunday Nights)
8 week season
Teams of 2 (4 on roster)
League starts: Sept 11
Registration ends: Sept 8

Indoor Soccer Tournament                 Bowling Tournament
Nov 12th @ South Natomas Arena     Oct 22nd @ Capitol Bowl
Men’s 21 and up                                     Teams of 2, coed, handicap format
Includes 3 games min., medals for Includes 3 games min., pitcher of
top 2 teams, MVP, and best goalie,     beer and pizza, prizes and medals
and free round of beer to winners.       to the top 2 teams.

Visit SSSC online at www.SacSportandSocial.com for registration and more information.

Be sure to “like” Sacramento Sport and Social Club’s Facebook Page!

Disclosure: Erin is an active SSSC league participant.

Capitol Garage shooting

2011-05-21T23:52:00Z

Sacramento, CA | Friends were saying good-bye for the evening downtown when shots rang out and two people were injured.

As friends were enjoying the wonderful evening air outside Capitol Garage early Saturday morning and getting ready to part ways, a black male wearing a hoody walked by and shot into the crowed, per Sargent Wendy Brown of the Sacramento Police Department.

Brown stated that two women were struck by the shooters bullets. One sustained a significant gunshot wound to the leg while the other woman was grazed in the leg. They were transported to the hospital via paramedics.

“We are assuming the women were not the intended targets. There were no problems going on at the club,” Brown stated.

Officers discovered one slug that had lodged in the trunk of a tree.

The shooter remains at large on got away in a maroon, four door Dodge Intrepid with chrome rims.

Hear from Sargent Brown and visit the scene [video]

Visit us at Maverick Photography

Your Sacramento Action News Source working in collaboration with Sacramento Press

Man on the Street: Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents?

2011-04-11T21:37:32Z

We all have parents. But while many may love and appreciate their mothers and fathers, there are just some things not meant to be shared between parents and children.

The Sacramento Press recently posed the question, “Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents,” to individuals at Westfield Downtown Plaza. After speaking to some fellow Sacramentans, the most common response was nightlife activities.

Kevin Watson, 29, lives downtown and works as a graphic designer. He said he thought taking his dad to a club could get pretty weird. “I wouldn’t want to take my dad to Faces (Nightclub). That place is pretty crazy, and it would just be really awkward if he got hit on while I was there.”

A number of people felt a club was a good place not to take their parents. A couple of individuals even specified strip clubs. Joe Morales, 21, who works as a gold buyer for Gold Rush at the mall, said, “I would never take my parents to a strip club. That’s just uncomfortable and real awkward!”

Whitney Phillips, 23, head cashier at Forever 21 who lives in Sacramento, also said she wouldn’t want to take her mom to a club, adding “She’s just kinda old and it would be embarrassing.”

Malwina Wnorowska, 23, a third-year student majoring in managerial economics at UC Davis, had a very specific answer.

“I would never want to take my parents to Cal Expo during Halloween. They host the Exotic Erotic Zone Ball. I don’t think my parents would want to see that, and I don’t want to give them a heart attack. But then again, maybe they’d like it...”

Despite a number of responses keeping parents away from potentially risque scenes or just away from their social lives in general, a few people noted they don’t go anywhere they wouldn’t take their parents.

Actress Bridggett Bess, who lives Midtown, said, “My parents are pretty open-minded. I think I could take them anywhere and be OK.”

Tell us where in Sacramento you would never take your parents in the comment section below.

Chuggernauts win Xoso's Dodgeball Championship!

2011-03-29T00:13:26Z

Sacramento, CA - Last Thursday was the Xoso Sport & Social League's largest playoff race yet, with two leagues (A/B) and 12 teams total gunning for the title. The matches didn't disappoint!

In the dodgeball "B" League, the 4th seeded Chuggernauts faced 5th seed "Ball Thugs & Harmony" in the first round. Not expecting to go deep into the playoffs, it seems even they were surprised to pull out the win, 5-4. The other first round game was between the 3rd seeded Caltronics team and the 6th seeded "Try Catching Our Balls". Again, this game was a nail biter, and Caltronics won, 5-4.

In the 2nd round of games, Chuggernauts faced an even bigger test, the #1 seed, "Ball & Oates", who rolled through the regular season to a 7-1 record. In the playoffs, they were no match for the mighty Chuggernauts! Chuggernauts won, 6-2. Caltronics ran up against the #2 seed, "Off in the Shower", and unfortunately for them, they did not beat "Off in the Shower". They lost 8-2.

The "B" League championship was set, with the Chuggernauts taking on "Off in the Shower". Could Chuggernaut Tracy Fox win her first championship on her birthday? Would they be able to overcome their seed, and shake the ache out of their arms? Yes! They beat "Off in the Shower" 7-2 to win their first ever dodgeball title!

[img_assist|nid=7935|title=D3, "A" League Dodgeball Champs: Winter 2011|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=300|height=225]In the "A" dodgeball league, there were another six teams vying for a championship. "Team America", the #4 seed and perennial title contender, had to face "Hit Harder, Drink Harder" in the first round, and came away with the win, 6-3. The #3 seed, Hammer Time, matched up with the #6 team, "Shocker and Awe" who played most of the match shorthanded. "Shocker and Awe" put up a great fight, and it came down to the wire, with "Hammer Time" pulling it out for an 8-6 win.

The 2nd round proved to be an epic battle between "Team America" and "Team AP". These two teams are actually led by captains who live together. Can you imagine the bragging rights on the line? The #1 seeded "Team AP", also defending champions, had steamrolled through the regular season to an undefeated record and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn't have picked their team to win it all again. This time, they didn't even make the title match; they lost to "Team America in a close one, 4-3.

"D3:The Mighty Drunks" also faced a tough matchup against long time dodgeballers, "Hammer Time". In the end, they prevailed 3-2 to face off with "Team America".

In the final match, each game went back and forth. The 2nd game of the match featured an Ollie Shot from both teams, changing the tide and bringing in teammates who had been knocked out. The match was tied 2-2 as they headed into the final game. D3 appeared to be in control, and had 7 players on the court against the final player for Team America. Team America couldn't get an Ollie Shot to fall, and D3 wound up winning the game for a 3-2 win, securing the "A" League dodgeball championship.

Kicks and Giggles win the Xoso Sport & Social League Winter Indoor Kickball league!

2011-03-14T23:43:22Z

After finishing the regular season at 7-1, "Kicks and Giggles" were one of the favorites to win it all this season in Xoso's Winter Indoor Kickball league. They figured to have to match up against "Just the Tip", the other 7-1 team whom they had beaten by only three runs during the regular season. They didn't get the chance for an epic showdown.

In the first round, they faced off against the #4 seeded "I'd Hit That". The first inning was the double damage inning, where every run counts for 2. IHT scored once in the top of the inning, and then quickly got two outs in the bottom half. Needing one more out to hold KnG scoreless in the important double damage inning, they watched KnG rally for 7 runs, to take a 14-2 lead. That proved to be the difference for most of the game. IHt got as close as 17-10 before falling to KnG 22-12.

In the second semi-final game, "Just the Tip" squared off with "thebomb.com". In the regular season, "Just the Tip" won both matchups, by 6 runs in the first game, and by 9 runs in the second. This time, "thebomb.com" had their number. It was 5-2 in favor of thebomb.com after three innings, but then they opened it up in the double damage inning, taking a 17-7 lead and going on to win 20-6.

The championship matchup gave KnG a chance to redeem themselves for their only regular season loss, against thebomb.com. This game proved to be a defensive battle for the two high scoring teams. After scoring three runs in the first inning, KnG lead 3-0. Then both teams added two runs in the 2nd inning. After the 3rd inning it was 8-3, and it was still 8-3 heading into the final inning before KnG added four more runs. Final score: 12-3 in favor of Kicks and Giggles.

Congratulations to Kicks and Giggles on their championship season!

Santa Claus is hitting the town

2010-12-20T02:52:55Z

Drivers and passersby heading down I Street Saturday afternoon got a quick glimpse of Christmas frivolity as about 30 adult men and women dressed in Santa Claus attire met up outside the Sacramento County Jail to kick off the city’s sixth annual SantaCon.

SantaCon, an event that originated in 1994 in San Francisco as a big holiday prank, has now become an international tradition, taking place in many of the world’s major cities, including New York, London and Tokyo. Adults come together dressed in beards, wigs, long stockings and, of course, the classic red Santa suit, and hit the streets and the bars to revel in each other’s shenanigans and company.

“In the literal sense, it’s a pub crawl,” said Terry Sellers, 34, who participated in his first SantaCon last year in San Francisco. “You get some of your friends together, you put together a crazy costume and you parade around town. It works out perfectly because we love to drink, and other people love to see a hundred Santas walking down J Street.”

Protecting themselves from the rain by huddling under awnings and umbrellas, the Santas mingled and compared costumes as they waited for other partakers to arrive. One Santa had a megaphone, while another had a radio playing loops of Christmas Carols. These were a few props that kept them busy and entertained as the rest of the Santas trickled in.

With the dark skies and rainy weather, this year’s SantaCon group started out relatively small but exuberant. As the troop made their way on foot to Old Sac to hit the first bar, they cracked jokes and told old stories. Many of them had already known each other, as a big part of the group included members of the Sacramento Cacophony Society and longtime SantaCon participants.

The itinerary of SantaCon was completely open and relaxed. With no bars or times scheduled, the Santas were free to go where they wanted and stay for as long as they pleased.

“Santas come and go throughout the day -- we’re not really expecting to stay together,” said one man who has attended every Sacramento SantaCon, who would only identify himself as “Santa Libre.” In fact, many of the Santas would only identify themselves as just that, or some slight, playful variation of the name.

“Santa does what Santa does,” he said.

The enjoyment of SantaCon didn’t end with those in costumes, either. As the celebrators continued their trek, Midtown drivers and pedestrians honked and hollered in excitement, which would often be returned with a hardy, rowdy “ho ho ho!”

Cynthia Wetzel, 33, dressed in a bright green wig and Mrs. Claus skirt, celebrated her first SantaCon in Sacramento this year, hot off the heels of New York City’s, in which she flew east to attend.

“I love seeing everyone’s reaction. I mean it’s just a blast,” she said. “It’s just about celebrating Christmas, having a good time, singing carols, drinking some beer, and enjoying making new friends.”

XOSO: play sports, drink and be merry!

2010-12-17T06:42:36Z

For many of us, winter spells hibernation. A lot of staying under the covers, accompanied by wine and movies.

Sure we get some stretching in while reaching for the snooze button, or maybe a little cardio jumping over that puddle.

Most of us enjoy doing a little activity each day, but, unfortunately, will be faced with rain clouds, brisk winds and short days during the next couple of months. Strolling the park outdoors, walking to the store, or even walking to work, aren’t ideal options in the freezing temperatures and wet streets.

One solution to the winter funk can be found right here in Sacramento, with XOSO Co-Ed Sport and Social League – a league that includes outdoor and indoor kickball, dodgeball, volleyball, bowling, and “recess,” a rotating combination of all the sports.

“We’re trying to keep it fun and more recreational, trying to stay away from more contact sports and the games that can usually cause people to get angry. It’s really about having fun,” said Nick Berruezo, 31, the founder of XOSO.

XOSO, pronounced “zo-so,” like the Led Zeppelin album although not necessarily named after it, goes year-round and has seasons that typically last anywhere from eight to 10 weeks, and will sometimes even include a mini-championship.

Founded in May 2008, XOSO is different than some of the other recreational leagues in the area, as it provides its players with an outlet to keep physically active, while also focusing on the more gregarious aspects of daily life – eating, drinking, and shooting the breeze.

The keys to this combination are the local bars that work with XOSO to sponsor the different leagues. The teams meet once a week to play, and then take it back to their sports bar, where they enjoy discounted pitchers, well drinks and appetizers, as well as drinking games such as beer pong, flip cup, darts and pool.

The teams enjoy some other festive perks: XOSO puts on themed quarterly pub crawls and has just introduced a new VIP discount card, which can be used year-round at different XOSO-affiliated businesses, such as Blue Cue, Brew it Up!, Capitol Bowl, ~~On the Y~~, and others.

“It’s about going out and socializing afterwards, that’s the catch,” said Jason Marks, 27, who has played multiple sports with XOSO for all but its first season. “It’s not so much about winning the games.”

While XOSO may not emphasize competitiveness, it is still a very athletic league. Many of its players have been lifelong athletes who are looking to enjoy a nice balance.

Marissa Francis, 28, a veterinarian medicine student at University of California, Davis has played with XOSO since March 2009.

“I competed in high school,” she said. “I played basketball, volleyball, I threw shot-put and discus, and I did softball and swimming for a semester, but I like the recreational feel.”

Another way to amp up the exercise is by competing in more than one league at a time. Since each sport only meets once a week, it opens the doors for many of the players to be on multiple teams per season.

“I work at an office, staring at a computer all day, so it’s nice to know I’m exercising two or three times a week,” Marks said. “Being on teams is a really good motivation.”

Berruezo brought the idea of a sport and social league with him from San Diego after playing on a kickball team for a few years. In the summer of 2008, XOSO consisted of one league – outdoor kickball – and 50 players. It is now upwards of 3,000 players and will introduce bowling as its sixth sport next month, as well as a boot camp closer to spring.

“Most major cities in the country have a sport and social league,” he said. “It gives people the chance to mingle, meet new people, expand their social setting. That’s what sets them apart from mainstream leagues.”

This is just one of the aspects that gets rookies interested and keeps veterans coming back for more, season after season.

“I’m planning on staying in the Sacramento area after I graduate, and a big reason why is because of all the friends I’ve made through XOSO,” said Francis, a native of Southern California. “It’s my mental health, it’s not talking about medicine once in a while. I love getting out there and enjoying the interaction.”

Upcoming XOSO registration information
(Note: Online registration is available for individuals and small groups. Full teams must register by mail. Registration covers league fees, equipment, and XOSO T-shirt)

For more information, visit www.xososports.com

Bowling
Thursday nights at Capitol Bowl, 900 West Capitol Ave., West Sacramento.
Registration ends: Jan. 6
Season begins: Jan. 20
Sponsor bar: Drink While You Play! Capitol Bowling Bar
$85 each, or $500 for a team of 8 people

Dodgeball
Wednesday and Thursday nights (depending on division), Boys and Girls Club of America, 1117 G Street.
Registration ends: Dec. 22
Season begins: Jan. 5 and Jan. 6
Sponsor bars: Wednesday – Bulls, 1330 H Street ~~Streets of London, 1804 J street~~. Thursday – Blue Cue, 1004 28th Street.
$65 each, or $700 for a team of 13 players

Indoor Kickball
Monday nights, Boys and Girls Club of America, 1117 G Street.
Registration ends: Dec. 20
Season begins: Jan. 10
Sponsor bar: Streets of London, 1804 J Street ~~Bulls, 1330 H Street.~~
$65 each, or $700 for a team of 13 people

Volleyball
Tuesday nights, Boys and Girls Club of America, 1117 G Street.
Registration ends: Dec. 21
Season begins: Jan. 4
Sponsor bar: Blue Cue, 1004 28th Street. ~~Hangar 17, 1630 S street.~~
$70 each, or $600 for a team of 10 people

Recess
Sundays nights, Boys and Girls Club of America, 1117 G Street.
Registration ends: Dec. 19
Season begins: Jan. 9
Sponsor bar: Zebra Club, 1900 P Street ~~Blue Cue, 1004 28th street~~
$65 each, or $700 for a team of 13 people

Photos courtesy of www.xososports.com

Editorial note: Corrections have been made to this story after it was published.

The GrubCrawl gets going with Groupon

2010-12-13T09:23:50Z

AS THE HOLIDAYS DRAW EVER CLOSER, I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE TRYING TO STRETCH A BUCK AS FAR AS IT WILL GO,...

That's why GrubCrawlUSA.com is Ho, Ho, Happy to announce their partnership with Groupon.com and over 15 area restaurants for four (4) upcoming events in the Sacramento region. With today's deal you get 1 ticket to a social dining event with GrubCrawl Sacramento for half off. As crawlers hop from restaurant to restaurant over the course of a night, either on foot or by pedicab (for a small extra fee), their tummies fill with free food and discount drinks from eateries and bars like Tamaya Sushi, TexMex, Aura, Morgans Bistro @ the Sheraton Grand, Vive, Shenanigans, Table 260, Pyramid, The Limelight, and Blue Cue, inflating to a greater and greater size until the crawl becomes more like a waddle. Luckily, the new friends they've made during the crawl, which brings together epicureans from around the Sacramento area, can help them roll home in time for sunup. With today's deal, choose from four belly-busting events:

•The Third Annual Christmas Crawl beginning at 5 pm on Saturday, December 18th, 2010
•Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday GrubMarch beginning at 1 pm on Monday, January 17th, 2011
•Pre-Valentines Sexy Saturday Singles Mingle beginning at 5 pm on Saturday, February 12th, 2011
•Sensual Sunday's Couples Crawl beginning at 4 pm on Sunday, February 13th, 2011

Save a bundle & spread some cheer while you support local businesses this Holiday Season,...and remember,..you know you got enough to eat and drink if you're "Crawling"!

Written by Cline Moore

GrubCrawl Founder

Team AP finally makes and wins the Sacramento Dodgeball Championship!

2010-10-21T19:08:47Z

After a fun filled Xoso season, six teams took the court last night to put it all on the line, trying to win it all.

Team AP came in with the top record (6-1-1) and earned a first round playoff "bye", along with D3: The Mighty Drunks (6-2).

The Bitchcakes had a rematch from the week before against "$". In last week's match, Askia sank shot after shot and kept "$" in the game until the end when the Bitchcakes prevailed 4-3. This time, the Bitchcakes went after him early and often, removing him from the game before he had a chance to sink the Ollie shot and release his team from the out queue. Bitchcakes won it, 6-3.

In the other early round matchup, Rice Crackers vs. Out Like a Fat Kid, the Rice Crackers avenged their regular season loss by winning 3-1.

In the semi-finals, the Bitchcakes went up against D3:The Mighty Drunks. Mario Perez was often the last man on the court, as he was in the first round. He sank yet another shot but it wasn't enough to bring the Bitchcakes the win, and D3 won 4-1.

The Rice Crackers and Team AP had a contentious round 2, in a slow paced game that went into the final game with the score tied 2-2. Team AP clinched the final game and their first spot in the finals.

In the championship match, D3 was looking to redeem themselves for their loss at Team AP's hands (5-3 in the 2nd week). Team AP came in fired up, and time again got D3 down to one player, usually Matt Decker. Decker is usually a good guy to have as the last player, and has made more than a couple Ollie shots. Team AP had a strategy (named Jeremy) for anyone shooting Ollie shots. Every shot Decker and D3 took, Jeremy soared along the baseline and above the rim to tip, block, and then catch the shot and therefore end the game.

Even still, D3 hung in there and, inspired by the San Francisco Giants rallying to beat the Phillies in the bottom of the 9th inning (a cheer from the players and spectators went up when it was announced), they rallied from down 4-3 to win the final game and force an extra game to decide the season.

Sure enough, in the extra game, it came down to Decker's Ollie shot. Unfortunately for him and D3, Jeremy of Team AP had enough left in the tank to jump and catch one last shot and clinch the Wednesday night dodgeball championship for Team AP!

Congratulations Team AP, D3, and the rest of the Wednesday night crew for a great, fun season!

We Kick Balls get monkey off their back!

2010-10-19T17:47:32Z

Apparently, the 4th time is the real charm. We Kick Balls, has a record 25-5-2 over the past four seasons of Xoso Indoor Kickball, and has finished 2nd or first in the regular season in each of those seasons. They had failed to win the championship until knocking the monkey off their back last night!

This season they ended with a 7-1 record and faced off against the #4 Trailer Park Kids in the first game of the playoffs. They took an early three run lead in the first inning and extended it to a 7-0 lead in the 2nd. In the 4th inning, TPK rallied and closed within 8-3 and it looked like the momentum was turning. Unfortunately for the Trailer Park Kids, We Kick Balls bounced back with two runs in the double damage inning and cruised on to a 13-5 win.

In a rematch of last season's championship game, Kickin' it Old Skool matched up with the #2 Rippin' and Tearin' (formerly Kicks n Giggles). This game was a nail biter and pitching duel all the way through. Rippin' and Tearin' scored a run in the first inning and Kickin' it Old Skool answered in the bottom of the 2nd inning to tie it at one apiece. In the double damage third inning, they added two more runs to increase their lead to 5-1, but Rippin' and Tearin' added one run in the 4th and three more in the 5th to tie the game at 5-5 going into the final inning. To avoid extra innings, They added one more in the top of the 6th to take a 6-5 lead and put the pressure on Kickin' it Old Skool who did not want to blow a 5-1 lead and lose the game. Luckily for them, they ended the game with a walk off kick and won 7-6.

In the championship between the #1 We Kick Balls and the #3 Kickin' it Old Skool, the #1 seed proved why they were #1. They took a 7-0 lead heading into the 3rd inning before Kickin' It Old Skool got on the board with 6 runs. Then We Kick Balls added more in the bottom of the third, more in the double damage 4th inning, and three more in the bottom of the 5th to take a 20-6 lead into the last inning. Kickin' it Old Skool got a couple runners on base and scored one run before We Kick Balls got the third and final out to seal their first Xoso Indoor Kickball championship.

Congratulations to We Kick Balls, Kickin' It Old Skool, and the rest of the great teams and players who made this another successful Xoso kickball season in Sacramento!

Notorious D.I.G. and Fong Nation are Xoso Volleyball Champions!

2010-10-19T17:44:06Z

Last Tuesday night, Fong Nation emerged victorious over the Flaming Balls in the Xoso Sport & Social League Bumper league showdown of the top two teams. It came down to the final week of the season to determine who would match up in the finals, with both the Drunk Sets and Sac Attack failing to advance despite finishing with 5-3 season records.

In the finals, Fong Nation prevailed, avenging their regular season loss to the Flaming Balls. After losing 2-1 in the regular season, they took control of the 2nd game early and went on to win the first two games of the best of 3 match.

In the Spiker League, the #1 seeded Barbie All-Stars matched up against the #4 Birthday Sets. Just two weeks earlier, the Birthday Sets were one point away from securing a game 3 victory to win the match with a score of 20-14. The Barbie All-Stars had a furious rally to win the next 8 points and snatch the match by winning the game 22-20. Unfortunately for them, the Birthday Sets were ready and easily defeated the Barbie All-Stars this time in two games.

The other first round game was between the #2 Tuchy Kara n Mi Kasa vs #3 Notorious D.I.G. Tuchy Kara's only regular season loss was against Notorious D.I.G. and they had every reason to think (after a 7-1 season) that they could prevail this time around and advance to the championship. Notorious D.I.G. had other plans, and knocked off the #2 team in two games to meet the Birthday Sets in the championship.

The Birthday Sets won game one, but Notorious D.I.G evened the score with a game two victory, forcing the deciding game three of the match. Despite many back and forth rallies and furious kills by Kenton Naulu of the Birthday Sets, Notorious D.I.G. won the final game and won the Spiker league Fall 2010 Volleyball Championship.

Congratulations to Notorious D.I.G. and Fong Nation on their championships, and to all the other players for making this another fantastic Xoso volleyball season!

GrubCrawl Midtown

2010-10-01T22:11:29Z

Ahhh! The heat of summer is losing its bite....But the GrubCrawl still heats up the night on Saturday October 2nd...Starting at Chicago Fire Pizza in Midtown Sac @ 4:00 pm for some of the best comfort food a deep-dish pizza pan can offer. Next, we'll enjoy the exquisite fare at the Golden Bear...Yes! The Bear now features fine dining under the direction of their master chef, seamlessly complementing the liquid libations the Bear is renown for. Then, we "roll" to Tamaya Sushi to sample the tightly wrapped flavor firecrackers, freshly formulated to delight our palate as these epic exotic eats explode on our tongues. Duck and cover...cuz’ it's raining....Sake Bombs! And, as if on cue, up next is Blue Cue, Sac's cool pool venue. Sure, you've been to Taco Tuesdays, but now sample several selections from the full menu, paired with your choice of spirits from the full bar. Go to GrubCrawlUSA.com to sign up!

BREAKING NEWS ALERT!!! Who likes Thai food? Who likes FREE Thai food??? GrubCrawlUSA.com just added LEVEL UP LOUNGE featuring tasty appetizers from the fabulous THAI BASIL @ 24th & J St. to the menu this Sat. Oct 2nd. That's five of your faves for the most flavorful fun you can find! Go to Grubcrawlusa.com to register now or email info@GrubCrawlUSA.com for tix purchase/pickup. Invite a friend and receive a BONUS DISCOUNT before Friday! (limit 60 ppl.)
See ya Saturday!

Cline Moore

Sacramento GrubCrawl Founder

Sunday Funday GrubCrawl

2010-07-29T07:25:34Z

Rollin' on the BikeCrawl
The latest "bicycle-themed" Grubcrawl is Sunday. Aug. 1st, promptly at 4:30 starting @ Bikes and Bites, 12th & J st, Downtown Sac..... Grubcrawlusa.com in partnership with Bikes & Bites presents one of many Bikecrawls, rollin' spot to spot enjoying free appetizers and drink specials all night long! Soooo,....Bring your cycles, trikes, and appetites! Join us @ Pyramid, Brew It Up, Table 260,...and other Sacramento Hot Spots. See ya there!

Rent-A-Bike or bring your own!
Bring your tour cycle, beach cruizer, road or mountain bike, or tandem to the starting venue at 4:30 pm, your reservation and your appetite!

Or for a small additional sum, rent a ride from the fleet of rental bikes: which includes both men’s and women’s classic single speed beach cruiser style bikes, a combination lock, front and rear light set, an optional helmet, and a front-mounted basket. Call to reserve: (916) 705-0452 or visit 1013 12th st. @ Bikes & Bites.

Jump in our Pedicab!
Don't wanna ride onder your own power? Why use your OWN legs when there are plenty of young, energetic pairs of other peoples pedal pumpers to propel you and your friends around the Grubcrawl route. Dial-a-Bike Pedicab provides free, door-to-door transpo between restaurants and back to your car at the end of the night! Ride in style with Jake (pedicab guru) a fit, fun, upbeat, & young driver,...just be sure to tip him for his prompt and professional service!

Join the Leisurely Cyclist and the Avid Biker alike as we embark on this "Riders Romp" to the best eats & drinks Sac has to offer! We pedal "en-masse" to 5 of your favorites; for FREE APPETIZERS, DRINK SPECIALS, PRIZES, and other GIVEAWAYS,... spending about an hour at each location. REGISTER NOW!

See what Sac Media Moguls have to say about the previous BikeCrawl:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/11162/Tour_de_Sac_ends_with_Pub_Crawl

Wheeeew! Thank Gawd! It will cool off for the Bikecrawl this Sunday. Not only are we starting in the shade of the city after the heat breaks, the Delta breeze off the river makes this Crawl the coolest place to be in Sac! As we slide from one air-conditioned venue to another, cooling the engines with refreshing drinks and recharging the system with tasty appetizers,... The outside temp. will steadily drop... while the fun and excitement inside grows and builds, with prizes and givaways, meeting and eating with the popular party crowd. Have to work Monday??? Don't worry!!! We pull up to our last destination, 9:00 or so, for scrumptious snacks and a nightcap. If you gotto go then, in order to get to work in the morning,..say goodnite and be home before 10:00pm!! For those who can stay out past curfew, Grubcrawl is taking it till last call and you can party with us all night! Reg. now @ Grubcrawlusa.com or call (916) 730-0977.

Written & Posted by

Cline Moore, GrubCrawl Founder

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIETY LAUNCH PARTY 3-23-2010 AT MIX DOWNTOWN IN SACRAMENTO

2010-03-29T22:47:36Z

The Northern California Social Media Society is a new organization that aims to provide its members “access to a broad ecosystem of support to help you grow your business, enhance your leadership, and expand your impact as a socially responsible business leader.”

Its launch party was held last Tuesday at Mix Downtown’s rooftop location at 16th and L streets. It was a sunny, comfortable setting for the introduction of the media society as well as good conversation among the enthusiastic attendees, who enjoyed light refreshments and raffle prizes donated by the leadership team and fans.

The team includes Nicole France of Buzz Sense Media, Beth Diebels of A Social Media Group, Peri R. Re of Re-Invent Marketing, Joseph Yocca of Capitol Venture LLC, and Bryan Srabian, social media consultant for the San Francisco Giants.

France described the organization as an educational and networking resource that provides practical information to help businesses use social media. The organization plans to serve all of Northern California.

Standard membership is $99.95 per year, with a limited number of discount memberships for those who sign up at http://norcalsocialmediasociety.org and use discount code XBRMKFZJ.

Membership includes unlimited access to the Members Only section of NCSMC’s web site, members-only forum discussions, an online member directory, a members-only edition of the quarterly newsletter, a monthly e-newsletter, a research lab, seminar and conference opportunities, invitations to local gatherings and partner events, educational discounts, teleseminars and webinars. The group also plans an expo and convention.

Monthly meetings will be held at The L Wine Lounge, 1801 L St., sponsor of NCSMC.

Disclosure: The author of this story is a member of the Social Media Society but does not benefit financially from any funds raised.

The Kick Backs win it!

2010-03-24T15:59:07Z

On Monday night, the XOSO Sport & Social League winter indoor kickball season came to an end with a hard fought playoff tournament.

In the first game of the night, Roundhouse Kick to the Balls defeated Red Ball & Vodka, who were selected (by virtue of their 7th place finish) to move into playoff position when I Love Kelly Kaballski had to drop out of the running.

The 2nd game was a rematch of the regular season, between Just the Tip and the Ballers. In the previous game, Just the Tip came out strong and won easily, but this time the Ballers had their number, and won 11-3 to move on.

Waiting for Roundhouse Kick to the Balls was We Kick Balls. We Kick Balls was missing three star players, but played a great game to win it 18-9 to move on to the Championship Game.

After the Ballers got through with Just the Tip, they had to face off against the #1 team, the Kick Backs. In a game that literally came down to the wire, it went back and forth each inning. The Ballers took a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning, fell behind 3-2 in the 2nd, went up 4-3 in the top of the 3rd, fell behind 8-4 in the bottom of the 3rd, closed the gap to 8-6 in the 4th, tied it at 8-8 in the top of the 6th... and then saw their rally fall short when the Kick Backs sealed the deal in the bottom of the 6th, scoring the run that won the game and sent them to the title game.

The Championship Game between the Kick Backs and We Kick Balls started close and then the Kick Backs pulled away. We Kick Balls, tried to rally, but didn't have enough to overcome the Kick Backs, falling 23-12.

www.xososports.com

Eating in Sacramento on New Year's Eve

2009-12-30T08:01:07Z

New Year's Eve is fast approaching, and Sacramento is full of places to eat and celebrate the coming of 2010 in a romantic setting or among friends. Several restaurants in the area have specials to entice your palate on New Year's Eve.

Brew It Up, 801 14th St., is offering a four-course pre-fixed menu for only $30. This includes your choice of appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert. The menu includes some regular favorites as well as new items to satisfy your hunger. Mulligatawny is an excellent soup that warms you from the inside. A live band, Dane Drewis, will perform at 9 p.m. There is a $10 cover past 9 p.m., so be sure to be there early.

58 Degrees and Holding Company, 1217 18th St., is also offering a special New Year's Eve pre-fixed menu consisting of four courses for $49. Diners have the opportunity to add wine pairings to their menus for $15 extra. The first course is a sweet potato soup with pecan tuile and cinnamon creme fraiche. Tables of two or more with the added wine pairings are given a half-bottle of champagne to open at the table or to be tucked away until later in the night. From 10:30 p.m. on, wine specials will help you ring in the new year. Dinner reservations are required. There is no additional cover charge.

The Cosmopolitan and Social Nightclub, 1000 K St., are hosting "the biggest party of 2010" complete with a special pre-fixed menu that comes with complimentary all-access party passes. The $99 pre-fixed menu comes with your choice of appetizer, main entree and dessert. The entrees include Sonoma duck breast, Alaska king salmon, oven-roasted beef fillet and a butternut squash and chantrelle mushroom lasagna. Dinner includes passes for the upstairs party to help you ring in the new year with the Spazzmatics. Reservations are encouraged, and the event is only open to 18+.

Mason's Restaurant, 1116 15th St., is offering a five-course pre-fixed menu. The meal starts with an amuse bouche of your choosing and continues through a first, second, entree and dessert. Executive chef John Gurnee is guaranteed to please any palate with complex flavor profiles and meals prepared using only the freshest ingredients. There are two seatings, at 5:30 p.m. for $50 and 7 p.m. for $75. An additional $25 is required to enter the Ultra Lounge to party the night away with DJ Gabe Xavier. Reservations are required, and the event is only open to 21+.

No matter where you decide to dine on New Year's Eve, Sacramento is full of places to satisfy any taste.

Niche TweetUps—There’s One For Every Interest

2009-11-24T06:58:41Z

Have you been to a TweetUp? They come in every size and shape and there is nearly one for every interest! A TweetUp is a social event that is promoted and organized on Twitter.

“It's basically a place to meet and network with people in the Sacramento area who use Twitter,” said Alejandro Reyes, co-organizer of #SacTweetUp, a monthly networking mixer that regularly attracts over 100 attendees. “We wanted to create an atmosphere where people using Twitter could connect on a much deeper level, build new relationships, and have a lot of fun.”

#SacTweetUps usually occur in the evening at a downtown or midtown hot spot; but what if big crowds or night life venues aren’t your thing? For those who prefer smaller groups or a different venue or focus, the Sacramento region has much to offer.

“Niche TweetUps, like the #ZooTweetUp we had in October and our upcoming #HikeTweetUp, are a great way to bring folks with similar interests together in a fun setting,” commented Jim Hoglund, co-organizer of the upcoming #HikeTweetUp. “I've always found that meeting an online friend in person has made for a richer connection online and often times a friendship beyond that of the digital realm.”

Outdoor TweetUps: Next Saturday, November 28, the first #HikeTweetUp is happening at Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn. This TweetUp features a leisurely 3 mile round trip hike to Hidden Falls followed by a late lunch at Awful Annies. The group is meeting in the parking lot at Hidden Falls at 11:00 a.m. For more details or to register to attend, check out the event on Facebook.

Holiday TweetUps: On Thursday, December 17, Sacramento “tweeps” will gather for the first annual #HoliTweetUp at The Park Ultra Lounge in downtown from 6 pm to 9 pm. This festive TweetUp is co-hosted by SacTweetUp and the Social Media Club Sacramento. Attendees will eat drink and be merry and all will be entered into a raffle for prizes supplied by the hosting organizations and their sponsors. Register to attend this free event at holitweetup.eventbrite.com.

Family Friendly TweetUps: In October, The Sacramento Zoo hosted its second #ZooTweetUp (the first was in June). Attracting about 25 participants, this event featured half-price admission to the Zoo. The event kicked off with complementary refreshments and Zoo Crafts for the kids at a private party in the Discovery Room. Attendees enjoyed a free ride on the Conservation Carousel, an Animal Encounter in the Amphitheater, and animal enrichment talks with the Ring-tailed Lemurs, Ground Hornbills and the Spotted Hyena. As a special treat, attendees were invited to check out the new Giraffe Observation Deck, which is scheduled to open on President's Day weekend next year as part of the newly renovated exhibit.

"#ZooTweetUps are a fun and casual way to meet animal lovers and Zoo supporters, explained Jamie Wilson, Web Development Coordinator and official Tweeter for the Sacramento Zoo. “We talked about social media & Twitter app--I always learn something new! The Zoo Tweetup brought out lots of families, but even more adults without kids. Even though we are a family-friendly venue, the TweetUp reminded people the Zoo really is fun for all ages."

Generation Specific TweetUps: On November 12, the first ever #GeezerTweetUp happened at Scarlet’s Saloon in Folsom. The term “Geezer” was used tongue in cheek—this event was for anyone born before 1970. The group considers itself “tech geezers” because most of them graduated from High School before personal computers were invented. About 30 people who remember the 70s because they lived through them—not because they saw “That 70s Show” --gathered to enjoy a drink and to meet interesting people with shared life experiences.

“The #GeezerTweetUp is a great example for the social part of social media--groups of people who connect on-line are able to meet in person and develop stronger relationships,” commented Jim Pelley, Creative Director at Laughter Works Seminars and co-organizer. “It's also good for local business; Scarlet's offered to host the event, and in the process found some new customers.”

all Photos of #VinoTweetUp by John Onate

Wine Tweet Ups: In July, three wineries came together at the L Wine Lounge in midtown to host a #VinoTweetUp. For a nominal charge, attendees enjoyed appetizers and were able to sample wines from James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine.

“Not only have I developed relationships and exposure from participating in TweetUps, but have really had a great time at each and everyone,” said David Cole, Proprietor at James David Cellars. “At the #VinoTweetUp I meet Sarah Campbell of Twinsoup.com and have now worked with her and her sister Rachel on their Stiletto Crawl events around Sacramento and Roseville, each of which sold out and were a ton of fun to do!”

Arts & Entertainment Patron TweetUps: In May, The Sacramento Press, in conjunction with Social Media Club Sacramento and Capsity Offices, hosted a TweetUp that featured belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento Opera, and music from DJ Reason.

“We wanted to host a TweetUp to meet our Twitter followers. It became an ‘Arts TweetUp’ when we noticed how many people in our Twittersphere are artistically amazing! A definite highlight was when the Capitol Roots dancers managed to get our Managing Editor, David Watts Barton, to join them and show off his dance moves,” reports Mona Romero, Social Media Lead at the Sacramento Press

Other TweetUps: In addition to the monthly #SacTweetUp, other organizations have also hosted more generally focused networking mixer TweetUps. In February, the first ever Sacramento TweetUp was organized by Ricardo Robles of Capsity Offices and Andy Arnott of AdCause and hosted by Pangaea Café. About 30 people, including me, attended this inaugural event which set the stage for future Sacramento TweetUps. “It is an event that businesses can participate in as well as regular people to network and meet in person,” said Robles. In August, The Urban Hive in partnership with Sacramento365, hosted an #Only2DegreesTweetUp which featured wine tasting by James David Cellars and a presentation on social media by @Only2Degrees. While most of these TweetUps have happened in Sacramento, in March #SacTweetUp hosted an event at The Boxing Donkey in Roseville.

Have you organized or participated in a TweetUp in the Sacramento region that is not listed above? Let us know about it in the article conversation section below. Not finding a TweetUp that fits your niche? Organize one! All you need is a Twitter account to spread the word. It’s a great way to make new friends with shared interest.

Twitter tip: The # designation--called a hashtag-- is a Twiitter practice that helps people to categorize tweets about certain topics. For example #sactweeup, #holitweetup and #hiketweetup are tags the organizers and attendees use in their tweets about the event.

Making It Purple Reign Goes For Repeat In Xoso Dodgeball Championships

2009-11-11T22:27:30Z

A second consecutive perefect season slipped through Purple Reign's fingers in their second to last game of the season. The defending champion's seventeen game winning streak was snapped on October 28, falling 4-3 to Midtown Division champions, Beans and White Rice. These strong and well tested teams join undefeated top seed and Old Sacramento Division champions, Out Like a Fat Kid as the favorites entering tonight's season ending tournament.

Out Like A Fat Kid's only loss in their last seventeen games came in the Semi-Finals of the summer dodgeball season, losing in overtime to Balls Deep in a hard fought game. The Fat Kids' perfect season leaves some questioning how prepared they enter the playoffs. Playing in a division without the highest profile competition has left critics wondering if the Fat Kids are ready to step it up in the playoffs. Captain, Josh Meisner assures us, that they are ready to go. The Fat Kids draw the eighth seed Ball Gobblers in round one, their first meeting of the season.

Beans and White Rice edged Purple Reign on their way to an undefeated season. Their only blemish was a tie with 8 Inches of Rubber in week two. Star player Giovanni Crotti returned after missing the summer season and brought the team into the top tier. Crotti' impressive hops, sticky hands and throwing arm making any team he's on a formidable force. His impressive talents, though, have produced Jim Kelly-esque results. Team America is their first round draw as Crotti attempts to lead his team to his first title. When asked if they could beat their heavily favored opponents, Team America responded in unison, "F*** Yeah!"

Purple Reign draws up and coming (and jokingly named) Ho No Mo in the first round. Having shed their former captain, Ho Jang, Ho No Mo has risen from going winless two seasons ago under the name Team F. The embattled dodgeballers managed to make their first playoff as the sixth seed. They will face a tough test in the first round against the defending champions but should be well prepared, having overcome the odds all season.

Not In My Face and More Balls than Brains round out the playoffs in their evenly matched opening round game. More Balls than Brains seeks to avenge their week two loss. They finish the season 6-2 with their only other blemish a tight loss in the final week to Out Like A Fat Kid. Not In My Face brings a 6-1-1 record, having lost a close game to the Fat Kids and tying Bears In Heat.

Will Purple Reign continue their dominance? Will the Fat Kids find a perfect ending to a perfect season? Can Beans and White race overcome a tough first round opponent to end Crotti's frustration and finally bring a championship to one of the game's greats? Will a contender emerge from the rest of the pack?

These questions will be answered on the courts tonight at the Boys and Girls Club at 12th and G. The first round kicks off at 6:45, with the finals scheduled for 9:25.

XOSO is a sport and social league that serves the greater Sacramento area, creating coed sports leagues for adults. XOSO's athletes compete in dodgeball, kickball, volleyball and capture the flag with more sports to come. Signups for the Winter season are underway.

Monarchs BasketballCrawl

2009-09-03T02:54:18Z

The GrubCrawl and the Sacramento Monarchs

- together at last-

Collaborate to Present the Monarchs Basketball Crawl

@ Arco Arena Sunday September 13th @ 3:00 pm

Register now at Grubcrawlusa.com - and for only $30 - receive admission to the Monarchs GrubCrawl at the regular ticket price + the last game of the season:The Monarchs vs. the Minnesota Lynx - included at no extra charge!

Plan to come hungry!

For 3 hours, we rotate through appetizer stations at three of Natomas area's premire restaraunts, sampling a symphony of Sac’s scrumptious snacks and tasty tidbits!

Get off of the couch or come directly from church, the mall, the golf course....whatever you do on a Sunday, and get your Grub on!!!

Simply park in the spacious lot near Logans Roadhouse, (NO NEED to PAY $10.00 at ArcoArena for PARKING!) Get there three hours prior to the 6:00 pm game time and follow along as we "Tip off" @ Logans Roadhouse, then "travel" cross the lot to Chris Webber's CenterCourt, and next "Slam Dunk" at Carino's Italian Restaurante on our "Three-point" Crawl featuring Delicious Free Appetizers, Fabulous Drink Specials, Prizes and Givaways at each spot. Then board our Luxurious DeLux LimoBus for VIP transport to/from Arco Arena to watch the Sacramento Monarchs take on the Minnesota Lynx in this exciting season finale. Come down onto the court after the game for a "Meet & Greet" and special player appearences by our hometown favorites. Finally, jump back on the limo, where you will be chauffered back to Webber's Center Court Restaurant for the "Un-Official" Afterparty .

All the Food, Fun, and Fan Appreciation for only $30 (this includes the GrubCrawl, admission and Limo transpo to & from the Game, Plus [for those who can hang] entrance to the VIP Afterspot!) Register Now!

Call for your Reserve Tickets @ (916) 730-0977 or visit GrubCrawlusa.com Now!

Editor's Note: Cline Moore is the founder of Sacramento's GrubCrawl

BikeCrawl II

2009-08-20T23:19:57Z

Rollin' on the BikeCrawl II
The 2nd "bicycle-themed" Grubcrawl is Wed. Aug. 26, promptly at 5:30 starting @ Bikes and Bites, 12th & J st, Downtown Sac..... Grubcrawlusa.com in partnership with Bikes & Bites presents the second of many Bikecrawls, rollin' spot to spot enjoying free appetizers and drink specials all night long! Soooo,....Bring your cycles, trikes, and appetites! Join us @ Brew It Up, Sofia's, Three Fires @ the downtown Marriott, Table 260,...and other Sacramento Hot Spots. See ya there!

Rent-A-Bike or bring your own!
Bring your tour cycle, beach cruizer, road or mountain bike, or tandem to the starting venue at 5:30 pm, with $25 and your appetite!

Or for an additional $15.00 borrow a ride from the fleet of rental bikes: which includes both men’s and women’s classic single speed beach cruiser style bikes, a combination lock, front and rear light set, an optional helmet, and a front-mounted basket. Call to reserve: (916) 448-1799 or visit 1013 12th st. @ Bikes & Bites.

Jump in our Pedicab!
Don't wanna ride onder your own power? Why use your OWN legs when there are plenty of young, energetic pairs of other peoples pedal pumpers to propel you and your friends around the Grubcrawl route. Dial-a-Bike Pedicab provides free, door-to-door transpo between restaurants and back to your car at the end of the night! Ride in style with Harmon (the owner and pedicab guru) and his crew of fit, fun, upbeat, & young drivers,...just be sure to tip them for their prompt and professional service!

See what Sac Media Moguls have to say about the previous BikeCrawl: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/11162/Tour_de_Sac_ends_with_Pub_Crawl

Wheeeew! Thank Gawd! It will cool off for the Bikecrawl this Wed. Not only are we starting in the shady of the city after the heat breaks, the Delta breeze off the river makes this Crawl the coolest place to be in Sac! As we slide from one air-conditioned venue to another, cooling the engines with refreshing drinks and recharging the system with tasty appetizers,... The outside temp. will steadily drop... while the fun and excitement inside grows and builds, with prizes and givaways meeting and eating with the popular party crowd. Have to work Thursday??? Don't worry!!! We pull up to our last destination, 9:30 or so, for scrumptious snacks and a nightcap. If you gotto go then, in order to get to work in the morning,..say goodnite and be home by 10:00pm!! For those who can stay out past curfew, Grubcrawl is taking it till last call and you can party with us all night! Reg. now @ Grubcrawlusa.com or call (916) 730-0977.

XOSO Sports Crowns Its Summer Dodgeball Champion

2009-08-07T22:54:18Z

Megatron's Jock Strap finished off a perfect season on Wednesday night, the second perfect season in XOSO history. Despite being short handed all night, MJS defeated Beans and Rice in the opening round, in a harrowing victory that took the favorites to the bring of elimination in overtime before they were able to finish strong and secure the victory. In the second round MJS had an easier time with Ball Sac who had dispatched Team America in their opening round match.

On the other side of the bracket, top seeded Out Like a Fat Kid cruised past Your Mom in the first round before running into division rivals, Balls Deep. In the hardest fought game this dodgeballer (and Fat Kid) has ever played, BD prevailed in overtime, a grueling 4 games to 3. The turning point of the match occurred when the last remaining BDer, Angela Grandinetti, hit a half court shot to bring her teammates back in, swinging the momentum and ultimately sending the match into overtime. Balls Deep avenged their regular season loss to More Balls Than Brains.

Unrested, but undaunted, the short handed MJS squad, led by captain Andres Perez managed to take an early lead and just barely hang on to it, seeing their lead slip to one as the clock slipped to zero.

eWomenNetwork to hold accelerated networking dinner

2009-03-06T08:34:48Z

Social connections are more important than ever in business, especially in todays fast paced environment with increasingly large social networking options. That's exactly why on Tuesday, March 10, eWomenNetwork will be hosting an Accelerated Networking dinner.

eWomenNetwork recently held an event called Real Woman, Real Fashion on Feb. 26, where approximately 200 businesswomen and men (including Mayor Johnson) viewed the works of local fashion designers and raised money through a silent auction for nonprofits in town. "We had [local businesswomen displaying] 20 custom looks - 10 were professional and 10 were evening, and it was just a really good time", said Suzi Sherman, Managing Director of eWomenNetwork's Sacramento Chapter.

The group, which meets every Tuesday of the month, usually consists of between 70-90 people, but has been growing recently, and Sherman hopes to raise the number of people to 120 to help improve the quality and quantity of businesses in Sacramento.

For the month of March, the eWomenNetwork meeting will be held March 10, at the Sterling Hotel at 1300 H Street. Sue Malone, the President of Strategies for Small Business, and the number one provider of the SBA Community Express Loan Program, will be speaking at the event.

"I have to say it is one of my favorite organizations. At least two times during the event we break into small groups and it's kind of like speed dating for business. So we get to know each other and the organization attracts some high quality professional women," said business owner, author, and Sacramento area resident, Stephanie Chandler.

Jennifer Novak Landers, who is an artist, and life coach in Sacramento, has benefitted from the eWomenNetwork events. "My involvement gives me an opportunity to share myself and my business in an authentic way, which ultimately has brought me an abundance of clients that I am very grateful for and so excited to work with," she said.

eWomenNetwork consists of mostly women business owners, female executives within the corporate world and entrepreneurs but they also have male business owners and businessmen as members.

"There is always a ton of networking and everybody gets heard, which makes it a very comforting and welcoming vibe," Sherman said. "In unsteady times people definitely do need to cultivate their relationships. [People who network] are the ones who find opportunities to move businesses."

Mayor's inaugural party

2008-11-26T22:02:30Z

While watching Mayor Kevin Johnson speak in clear but emotive language on television, it is clear he is ready to start his new position with a full head of steam.

With the American flag draped behind him he said, "We did it, I'm ready and I know you are too, and that's what it's going to need to take place. Incredible public will amongst the citizens, needs to occur for us to make real change in Sacramento."

After the confetti fell and the people left Memorial Auditorium, Kevin Johnson's personal inaugural party was held at Randy Parygary's new K street venture, Cosmo and Social. I spoke with Parygary and asked how excited he was to have the new mayors inaugural party at his location.

"It's definitely more exciting to have the change of leadership than opening a new place," Parygary said.

When asked if the Johnson administration believes in pumping life back into K street, Parygary responded, "I know Kevin does, there is a lot of excitement about Kevin's election and his energy and what he is bringing to Sacramento and K street is a big part of it."

I went up stairs to Social and enjoyed the food and drinks and watched the crowd swarm our new mayor with hugs, tears and congratulations.

The mood was very upbeat and there was a great deal of optimism both in the crowd and in the candidate. The candidate is facing a tough situation coming into office, hopefully his powerful optimism will translate into bold leadership.

To see more photos from the Inauguration Click Here or click on the green storyline tab on the right.

What's it like to present at Pecha Kucha Night?

2008-11-01T00:37:51Z

Dennis Dong is a seasoned presenter at Pecha Kucha Night in Sacramento. Here he shares his experiences in an interview, as told by Colleen Belcher. This text is taken from an interview, it is in first person, however, it has been constructed in writing below by Colleen Belcher.

I first heard about Pecha Kucha Night by reading about it in various magazines architectural magazines and it sounded like a real neat thing.

I saw a little clip that they were starting an organization in Sacramento and I sent Claire Obenson, the Sacramento chapter's organizer, an e-mail asking her what's required and what's needed to be able to sign up for a presentation.

She e-mailed me back and said "Well, Pecha Kucha is basically for the young and the brave."

My response was "Well, I'm really not that young."

Claire wrote back: "Oh - well that's just young at heart you're more than welcome to present."

I attended the first Pecha Kucha Night. I was a little bit nervous because you don't know who's going to be there and you don't know if anyone is really interested in what you have to present.

I practiced a couple times just because I didn't want to overly embarrass myself. It was a lot of fun, I think there were five presenters that first night and all on various subjects.

I've presented three times all together.

The first couple times it was at Hina's Tea House and it was kind of strange because it stayed open for regular business while we were giving presentations so some of the regular customers were kind of a little bit taken by surprise. But I think they had a good time also.

What I like best about Pecha Kucha Night is the peer presentation — you just get up and you have a very definite timeframe. You are able to get across your subject in a short period of time. It puts pressure on you but it's just very refreshing and very challenging.

There are some instances where 20 seconds is certainly not enough time to talk about one particular slide and there are some times where in 20 seconds you run out of things to say and it seems like it's an eternity. There's just this dead silence and you're thinking, "C'mon. Next slide. C'mon."

My presentations have been on 'Anonymous Architecture' - that's what I call them.

The first one was on maintenance buildings. The second one was on fire stations and the third one was just everything in between.

And what I did for instance like on the maintenance buildings - I took a number of projects and tried to highlight the projects as to what some of the design elements of the projects were.

These are buildings that most people don't see or don't see beyond the front wall, they don't really have the opportunity to go into the building or through the building so I try to basically focus my presentations on giving the viewer a chance to look behind the doors and see what goes on in the building.

It's the same with the fire stations, - a lot of people will see the fire stations from the outside, but very few people will have the opportunity or need to go into a fire station.

Everyone who has presented has always gotten a lot of applause and appreciation for just getting up there and doing the presentation.

Sometimes if a presenter runs out of things to say someone in the audience will recognize that they're stuck and they'll come and ask a question - you know that's just good showmanship.

Dennis Dong is an architect with Calpo Hom & Dong Architects.

The photos above are slides from previous presentations by Dennis Dong at PK Night.

Did this interview answer all of your questions about Pecha Kucha Night? Do you plan on attending the event on November 6th? What kind of presenters do you think would be especially interesting to see at PK Night? Do you think Dennis Dong should write more about his experiences at PK Night or other areas of interest? Please comment below.