Christmas is a time of giving and receiving, but the former may prove challenging – especially when you need financially friendly ideas. Even when it’s the thought that counts behind a gift, you still need to look like you’ve thought about it, and socks don’t always leave that impression. To make this Christmas challenge a bit easier, The Sacramento Press looked at local stores in Midtown that have some fun options, each of them under $20. The Beat Location: 1700 J St. Store hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. The Beat is an independent music store that sells all genres, new and old. Here, a unique gift can be bou

When Rosie Carollo was hospitalized at the Sutter Children’s Center, Sacramento due to a rare form of childhood epilepsy at just 6 months old, she took great delight in the toys, movies and activities in the hospital’s Child Life Program. After Rosie’s passing in 2004, just shy of her second birthday, her parents, Nicole and George Carollo, were determined to keep her memory alive by giving back to the Sutter Children’s Center – a children’s hospital located inside Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento – after they provided such great care for their young daughter. “Rosie was our first child and the light of our lives,” said Nicole Carollo. “When she passed I was almost desperate t

Sacramento residents can impress their loved ones this holiday season with unique gifts from Dragatomi. Dragatomi, a toy store located at 2317 J St., showcases limited-edition vinyl toys, and even commissioned custom toys upon request to artists who were featured in the store. "Our products are anywhere from the cute to the dark," co-owner Joanne Suavillo, 33, said. "I feel that we have something for everybody in here – some are custom, and some are production items." Suavillo described the toys in the store as "made for the older child." "We have customers who start collecting at 7 years old and grannies who buy for themselves," Suavillo said. "Even though it's a small store, it's

Spring is nearly a month in, and as April turns into May, the forecast promises warmer weather and plenty of outdoor activities, especially this weekend, as Easter is Sunday. There are plenty of ways to celebrate Easter, whether you’re looking for a traditional egg hunt or a nice place to eat Sunday Brunch. What: Southside Park Spring Egg Hunt When: Saturday, 11 a.m. - noon Where: Southside Park, 2107 Sixth St. Cost: Free With help from the Southside Park Neighborhood Association and St. John’s Baptist Church, Vineyard Church, the city of Sacramento will host the Southside Park Spring Egg Hunt, which will have a plethora of activities for the kids, including an egg hunt, face paintin

In preparation for the Toy Give-Away by the Oak Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA), the community is invited to the Gift Wrapping and Pot Luck dinner on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services at 3333 3rd Avenue. All are invited to join the festivities, bring some food, maybe a gift and or wrapping and get into the season of sharing. Or just show up and eat some food, meet some new friends, and help with the wrapping. OPNA is collecting and will distribute gifts to Oak Park children for the 5th year. Each year, hundreds of children receive gifts and this year the number is likely to be even greater than previous years. The goal is t

If you miss the childlike innocence of Christmas, your chance to be a kid again will begin Friday. The California Railroad Museum’s "Some Assembly Required" exhibit begins Nov. 17 and runs until Feb. 20, 2010. The event will showcase a variety of toys in its main lobby room. “It’s not like our past exhibits because it doesn’t just focus on trains,” said museum librarian Cara Randall, who also researched the history of the toys on display. Most of the toys are from the 1950s, with a few from the early 1960s and the oldest from the 1870s. “Our oldest toy is a puzzle set that a shoe company gave away to customers as a promotional deal when they bought a pair of $3 shoes,” Randall said. “I