Up till now the summer movie season has been utterly devoid of any good comedies. I mean I don’t actually know anyone who saw That’s My Boy and The Dictator seemed to fade as quickly as it appeared. But now we have Ted, the first live action film from writer and director Seth MacFarlane; and I must say fellow nerds, the man behind Family Guy and American Dad delivers! Ted begins with an extended prologue, narrated by Starfleet’s own Sir Patrick Stewart, that explains the titular teddy bear’s magical origin. After little John Bennett (played as an adult by Mark Wahlberg) wishes for a friend on Christmas, his wish is granted in the form of a walking, talking teddy bear named Ted (voiced by

As I sat in the Sacramento Kings media room at Power Balance Pavilion on Thursday afternoon, my heart sank when the Charlotte Bobcats took Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the second overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft. A small forward that can score at the rim is a burning need for the team and I was really looking forward to watching this kid’s defensive and rebounding skills along with the motor he brings to the table. Guys like him don’t lower their level of play — they make the other players on the team raise their collective enthusiasm and desire for the game. But when Dion Waiters, a shooting guard out of Syracuse, was picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the fourth overall pick in th

From hot dog stand to brick-and-mortar location, Good Dogs owners Michael Floyd, 23, and Tyrone Norman, 42, live the American dream at 8166 14th Ave. “It was of course a dream,” Norman said. “The thought was there, but could it happen? We stumbled on it by pure faith.” Good Dogs, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., celebrated their grand opening on June 11. They join a community of hot dog restaurants in Sacramento, which include Capitol Dawgs, The Weinery, Weiner Works and Top Dog. Norman said their hot dog stand can draw a crowd of around 100 people at peak late night hours. Customer favorites include polish, chili, atomic and bacon cheddar jalapeño (BCJ) dogs. The ato

Sacramento Shakespeare Festival 2012 presents King Arthur and A Comedy of Errors For its 27th season in William Land Park, the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival 2012 presents King Arthur and A Comedy of Errors. King Arthur is written and directed by Luther Hanson. It is written in the style of William Shakespeare. With Merlin’s guidance, noble King Arthur and the glamorous Guinevere rule Camelot in happiness and prosperity. But peace in the kingdom is soon threatened by a secret affair with Lancelot, the bold claims of Arthur’s nephew Mordred, and the machinations of Arthur’s sister Morgan. The conflict grows until all is in danger of destruction and Arthur must rise to victory. With exciti

On Saturday evening, Old Ironsides hosted a lineup that included Lauren Wakefield, who also plays with The Solicitors, and multi-SAMMIE award winner Crazy Ballhead, but it was The Tipsy Hustlers’ debut that I had come to see and, even though this was their first public performance since forming less than four months ago, they rocked the house with their unique blend of rock, soul, funk and a little bit of rap. They shook out any nerves they may have had with their first number, “Remember The Good Times,” lead singer and songwriter Ken Rudulph’s look back at his first big band, Mama’s Gravy, and the times they had in local places like Old Ironsides. The song had a sweet rockin’ rhythm and

With all the pitching changes on the Oakland A’s staff that have already occurred this season, you don’t really know who may be called up from one level for good or get a one-time start on the roster. So when Dan Straily took the mound on Thursday evening to throw his first pitches against hitters at the Triple-A level, even though he had an incredible strikeout-hit ratio, no one, not even Straily, knew quite what to expect. Straily admitted that maybe he had to shake off a little case of the jitters early in the game. “I was a little nervous there early on,” said Straily. “It was nice I was able to watch a couple of games, and settled in that way. But going out there and towing the rub

They were loud. They were big. There were many. Over 40 of the massive beasts in all. Rumbling through the blocked off streets around the Capitol on Thursday afternoon were the haulers that carry the cars and supplies of the men of NASCAR’s top division, the Sprint Cup drivers. The Save Mart 350 is on Sunday at Race Sonoma (formerly Infineon Raceway) located between Sonoma and Vallejo off of Highway 37 and the big wigs at the racetrack were happy to let the drivers of those big rigs take a short detour before heading to the racetrack. The haulers drove down Capitol Mall, turned right on 9th Street, left on N Street, left on 16th Street and then left on L Street - all with police escort

For the Collie family, it never was about how big you were, how tall you were or how fast you could run. In their collective eyes, it’s about effort, the proper training and learning the mental game of football that gives you the edge you need to become successful in the game of football and the game of life. From June 19-21, Austin Collie, wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, is in town, along with his father, one of his brothers and a few others, holding a wide receiver camp for young men (ages 7-14) at Luther Burbank High School. The camp is called ReceiverTech and over the course of three days, the Collie gang takes you through everything from player interviews and evaluation o

When I ran into Tyreke Evans and his brothers, Doc and Reggie last week, the burning question I had was whether ‘Reke was going to start the season at the one or the three position. More importantly, would "Team Tyreke," the group of family members and friends that watch over him and his career, be happy if the guy who fell in love with the way Derrick Rose handled the rock had to start the season at the small forward spot? “Do I think that it’s his natural position? No,” Doc Evans said. “Do I think that’s a position that he could play as a relief? Yes. But I prefer him to be at the one and sometimes the two, because with the ball in his hands, it creates a mismatch for smaller guards.”

Team Tyreke. No, this is not a basketball rec league you can join or Evans’ fantasy league team either. It’s the ultimate story of “it takes a village to raise a child.” It’s a group of mainly family members that put everything they have to offer into helping a young man focus solely on basketball and charity in a world that demands attention at every turn. Team Tyreke seems to have covered the bases and consists of several important folks. Reggie Evans, 40, who already had a successful career with Communication Test Design Inc., was the first one to bring up the idea of the family taking charge of their little brother’s career. He handles most of the managerial aspects of Tyreke’s lif

Photography has always been an ugly stepchild in the art community due, in part, to the ease of tool usage. Opening this Saturday, June 16, is a survey of the Crocker Art Museum’s photography collection that weaves the histories of photography and art together in less than 50 images. The survey traces the history of photography from daguerreotypes taken in the 1800s to silver gelatin to Polaroid and beyond. Along the way, a variety of other alternative processes are also explored. In this 49-image exhibition opening Saturday, movers and shakers in the art community are also on display. Most recognize the paintings of Pablo Picasso, murals of Diego Rivera and photographs of Ansel Adams. H

Not all the Kings players are out of town. Not only is Tyreke Evans in town, but he’s here doing two of his favorite things — working out and working with kids. On Thursday, June 14, Evans teamed up with VSP Vision Care at the Dr. Ephraim Williams Family Life Center in the Oak Park section of Sacramento for his second annual free basketball camp for students in need. The kids were selected by the Family Life Center as well as by VSP partners Asian Resources and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. About 100 kids were able to shoot hoops, participate in a Q-and-A session and even get some classroom training alongside Evans and mentors from the Positive Coaching Alliance. Tomorr

Doctors, teachers and neighbors gathered Wednesday to discuss a looming concern in the Oak Park community that will soon be discussed at the Sacramento City Council – a proposed McDonald’s restaurant with drive-thru between Second Avenue and Stockton Boulevard. “We just want communities that are safe for ourselves and communities that are safe for my patients,” family physician and Second Avenue resident Charlene Hauser said. “Drive-thru fast food is completely unsafe.” The proposed site location, currently a vacant lot, is across the street from the UC Davis Medical Center, which includes a cancer center and pediatric obesity clinic. On Tuesday, the Sacramento City Council will discuss

You do not need a passport to France to experience a taste of French culture this summer. The Sacramento French Culture Society will host the 11th annual Sacramento French Film Festival from June 15 to June 24 at the Crest Theatre. “Hôtel du Nord” is one of two classic French films shown this year. Produced in 1938, viewers watch a couple experience love, crime and tragedy at the Hôtel du Nord in Paris. Screenwriter, Jean-Louis Milesi, will present his social drama “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” on opening night. Jean-Pierre Darroussin plays a recently laid off social worker who heads off to Mount Kilimanjaro with his family and friends. Upon their return, they are robbed and his connection

Graham Godfrey is killing it in Triple-A. If he keeps up the numbers like he has so far at this level, he’ll easily be a pitcher of the year candidate. Problem is, that's a minor league award and Godfrey is determined to get back to the A’s and stay there. On Thursday evening, Godfrey did his part to increase his chances of being recalled and in hilding down the Fresno Grizzlies offense by only allowing one earned run in eight strong innings of work. This time, the bullpen let him down, as the usually reliable Fautino De Los Santos gave up three hits – all singles in the bottom of the ninth – as the Grizz knocked off the Sacramento River Cats 2-1 at Raley Field in front of 9,431 fans.

More than 30 of Sacramento's top restaurants will participate in this year's culinary week, showcasing three- to four-course dinners with wine pairings for a fraction of the normal price. Work up your appetite for the fourth annual Sacramento Wine and Dine Week, which runs from now until June 10. Mulvaney’s B&L and Ella Dining Room & Bar are three of the 35 participating restaurants this year, which are located in Midtown, downtown and the greater Sacramento area, and range in price from $35 to $50 per person. Pricing is based on the quality of the foods and wines served. A full list is on the event website. Educating locals on the restaurant scene while encouraging them to support local

Kimberly Morales’ co-workers used to wonder how it was possible. How could she whip up home cooked meals like creamy wild rice and broccoli soup while spending just a $1.05, when their pre-packaged lunches fell flat? The answers started to come in August of 2008 when Morales founded her food blog, Poor Girl Eats Well, which is appropriately subtitled, “How to eat ridiculously well on a miniscule budget.” The site drew a following, accumulating more than 10,000 email newsletter subscribers, 15,000 Facebook likes and 3,500 Twitter followers. Now, after she received funding via Kickstarter on May 12, the popular blog is about to become a book. Morales, 35, will write a three-part book tha

Everyone knows that when your pet is sick, you take it to see the veterinarian, but at the Sacramento Zoo on Saturday, children and their families brought stuffed animals needing a patch up to the second annual Stuffed Animal Vet Clinic. Produced by Sacramento's chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers, this year’s vet clinic treated over 160 stuffed animal patients, twice as many as last year. Checkups cost $3 per animal. Children and families who did not have an animal friend of their own had the opportunity to adopt one lightly used pet for $1. The event raised $600, which will be donated to the Sacramento Police Canine Association, in order to assist the police dog, Bodie,

For most people Memorial Day weekend means a three-day holiday and a time to remember those who have given service to our country. It is also time to spend with family. One creative way of spending time with the family is to go to the Discovery Museum from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. to see the top 20 images from the Nikon Small World competition. The winning works of 20 photographers from the Nikon Small World photomicrography competition are on a nation tour, and they will be on display at the Discovery Museum until July 15. Celebrating its 37th year, Nikon Small World is the oldest and most respected competition that uses a light microscope to create images. While this is the only exhibi

Does your teddy bear need fixing? Maybe your animal friend isn't feeling so well. A stuffed animal veterinarian will be available to help at the Sacramento Zoo's Second Annual Stuffed Animal Veterinary Clinic on May 26. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., children and their families may bring in their stuffed animals for an exam by zoo veterinarians or zookeepers to the Veterinary Hospital Lawn inside. Exams are $3 per stuffed animal. There will be six different stations and a reception area, according to Zoo Education Specialist Brooke Coe. Four of the stations are vet stations, where the stuffed animal will have its physical and check-up. A surgery center will be available for repairing injure