Following a controversial debate between Thai Basil and Level Up Lounge owner Suleka Sun-Lindley and her supporters, and members of the community concerned about noise levels and trash issues, in an 8-1 vote the Planning Commission granted the businesswoman approval to build a second floor-patio off of her lounge. The Thai Basil restaurant opened in May 2002, while the second-floor Level Up Lounge was added in 2007. They are located at 2431 J St. Despite Thai Basil being voted Best Thai food of Sacramento by Sacramento Magazine and Sacramento News & Review for the past 10 years, Sun-Lindley said that the economy has forced her to rethink ways to get customers and to keep them inside.

A Midtown business owner is looking to add a second-floor patio area to her combination restaurant and lounge, but as the plans go to the Planning Commission for review Thursday, some neighbors say it will present a noise problem. Suleka Sun-Lindley owns Thai Basil and Level Up Lounge at 2431 J St., and with the lounge – which opened in 2007 – not making money, she said she hopes the addition of an open-air balcony will help it become profitable. “Thai Basil is doing well, but Level Up has been costing us money,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m hoping that adding an area where people can go outside and smoke will make more people want to come.” The Thai restaurant, which opened in May

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 nex

  Used to be, when I thought of Vietnam, I would think first of the war, and my stepfather Pieter, who spent two tours of duty in the Vietnam War in the Marine Corps special forces.  Actually, Vietnam conjured up visions  of a parade of Vietnam vets who came through my house and my life while I was growing up in Menlo Park.               My father specialized in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it seemed that in the 80's and 90's,  Vietnam vets had cornered that market.  We had a guest room out back where many a traumatized vet stayed while under my fathers tutelage. I had a lot of questionable male role models stay in "the study" for varying amounts of time, every one of who

  It had been one of those mornings.  The sky was an angry sort of grey and the rain pounded down on the roof, mercilessly.  I'd had trouble sleeping the night before and my significant other had an early appointment at a government office.  It doesn't matter which one, just that she was facing up to a couple of hours of dealing with bureaucrats who were trying to separate her from her money.  With the little lady already on edge, I'd gone and absentmindedly wiped avocado on the kitchen hand towels that aren't really for wiping your hands on, you know the ones.  To make matters worse, I then half-heartedly tossed the "decorative pillows" on the bed in a manner that could easily be (mis?)co