Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Taylor Miles

Doughbot invasion

2011-09-07T05:12:34Z

Doughbot Donuts, a business originally run from home, provides both innovative donut recipes and healthy vegan options. Bryan Widener, 25, and wife Dannah O’Donnell, 26, had their grand opening in their new building at 5 a.m. on Sept. 3 located in midtown at 2226 10th St., selling 700 donuts opening day, and 1,000 the next.

“People were waiting here at 5 a.m., and there was no downtime until probably like 8 a.m.,” O'Donnell said. “We sold out.”

Opening in a hip small shop downtown has been quite the life change for Widener and O'Donnell, who made most of their donuts solely for family and friends from their home since May 2010. To see how it all got started click here.

“Right now, I can’t think of a reason why anyone would want to do this. It is the most exhausting job I’ve ever had and we’ve had to completely change our sleep schedules. Between selling out within like three to five hours and trying to make enough donuts to fill demand with just the two of us, it is just really hard,” O’Donnell said.

According to O'Donnell, their new building used to be a sushi restaurant, and the dumpster outside was completely full of stuff they removed from the inside as they were renovating it for opening day. The couple said they gave up their other jobs and are completely dedicated to donut making now.

“So far, just getting open and making it this far makes all the lack of sleep and everything else worth it,” Widener said.

According to Widener, most of their customer base found them on Facebook and by word of mouth.

“As much as I like donuts, I often feel like I ate something insubstantial and there was no point. I ate a Doughbot donut and had a cup of coffee and it felt like breakfast, even though it was technically a treat,” customer and Facebook fan Ally Krumm, 26, said. “It’s because I know they are made from quality ingredients.”

Widener prepares most of the donuts himself, but O'Donnell has recently been contributing more in that area too. In the past O’Donnell had been a part of every aspect except the actual baking, which was more of Widener’s responsibility because he graduated from the Institute of Technology’s culinary school.

“We basically have all the same type of equipment that we’ve always had: a deep fryer that is both shallow and wide, a proofing box that provides a humid environment for the dough to rise in and a giant mixer,” O'Donnell said.

Three of Doughbot Donuts’ crowd-pleasers are the bacon maple donut,“The Dude,” which is a heavy white Russian Bavarian cream-filled donut with a vodka Kahlua glaze and the Meyer lemon creme filled donut.

“Right now I'm sick of our doughnuts, but I'm sure as things slow down a bit I'll be stuffing my face again,” O'Donnell said. “One of our best ones I'd have to say would be our bacon apple fritter because it has both apple pie spices and bacon – I mean, what's better than that?”

Some of their other regular donuts still include vanilla bean glazed, red raspberry, spicy cinnamon chocolate glazed, a variety of fritters and a new chai glaze donut. Most of their donuts also come in a vegan option and are made with almond milk and egg replacer and are completely made from scratch (besides the chocolate and bacon).

“We started making vegan donuts because when Bryan worked at Magpie (Cafe), he would bring donuts we'd made to work, and all his vegan coworkers would ask for it,” O'Donnell said.

Many of their ideas come from suggestions from fans on Facebook. For instance, someone posted an idea for a sriracha and peanut butter donut recently that they are planning on trying to make in the future.

“Everything we do is a team effort. We think of new things all the time too, like we have a peanut butter and jelly donut and a s’mores donut in the works right now,” O'Donnell said. “I'll come to him with a new idea a lot of times, and he'll be thinking about doing the same exact thing. It's weird.”

Doughbot Donuts’ hours will be from 5 a.m. - 2 p.m. or until they run out of donuts every day except Tuesday, but are subject to change. Their prices range from $1.50 to $2 each.

“Our future goals would probably include, first off, getting a bathroom for our customers, and then eventually expanding so that we can stay open 24 hours,” Widener said.

Presently, there is little seating inside the shop but there is a small drawing area for children.

“Not only are they bringing a really high quality product to the region, they're providing a colorful storefront to our landscape of midtown and I will do whatever I can to support them,” Krumm said.

For current updates and news visit Doughbot Donuts’ Facebook.

This story was edited to reflect the actual name of the business. We originally had it as simply Doughbot's.

Artober celebrates Sacramento artists

2011-09-03T02:21:20Z

October was officially declared as National Arts and Humanities Month by President Obama back in 2009. Artober is a month-long event starting Oct. 1 that highlights the talents and art resources in Sacramento and celebrates the meaning of the month. It will include local artists, businesses, art walks, festivals, workshops and other special events in Old Sacramento and the downtown area.

Last year, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced that the For Arts’ Sake Coalition would be introducing a new action plan for the Sacramento area. A team of 20 artists and art enthusiasts worked to bring resources together such as getting organizations and businesses involved in the process of making the public aware of the power of the arts. Last year, “Arts Open October” was held, which was a test run and smaller idea of what will be going on this year.

“This is our first year doing it quite like this (bigger than ‘Arts Open October’), and we are trying to rally everyone together, from individual artists to big names like the Mondavi Center,” Artober spokeswoman Veronica Delgado said.

According to Veronica, Sacramento alone holds about 30 museums, a professional ballet company and opera company, music groups and more than 125 theater companies.

“We have different stages of how people are involved,” Delgado said. “We've been sending out letters and making phone calls because we want small and big event supporters. We've also been offering businesses the option of doing an Artober indulge product such as a signature drink or meal.”

The businesses that agree to this will be donating 50 percent of the proceeds to the art organization of their choice, or giving a $200 minimum to it.

“We got enough positive feedback and support to come back and do it again,” Delgado said. “We started with two pages of scheduled events, and now we have almost seven full pages – it's really great that so many people want to jump in and help.”

Some big names that are sponsoring and involved are the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, For Arts’ Sake, Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, Sacramento365, Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Midtown Business Association, the city’s Department of Convention, Culture and Leisure, The Sacramento Bee and the Sacramento News & Review.

“We want individuals to get active also, and we are giving them the option of doing artist 'hot spots.' They can team up with their biggest collector and have an in-home art show. The same goes for musicians. It doesn't have to be big, but if two people bring 10 friends and host it in their backyard, that is giving them a great opportunity to market themselves,” Delgado said.

There is a variety of ways to get involved, and every style of art is included. Fashion designers, singer/songwriters and private dance or theater companies are all welcome.

Clemon Charles, 47, is a local artist who moved from Barbados 20 years ago and has been performing in the United States ever since.

“I'm a very busy singer/songwriter, and I also play guitar,” Charles said.

Charles will be in the global village set up in Old Sacramento on the “Storytellers Stage” (set-up location not yet announced) doing Caribbean-style storytelling for children on Oct. 1 (he does not know his official time yet).

“Children are my favorite (audience), but everybody is welcome,” Charles said. “I do a lot of folk songs with Jamaican and Indian dialects that people won’t understand, so I tell them what I am singing about.”

The World Music and Dance Festival in Old Sacramento will be kicking the month off for the first two days of October.

On Oct. 9, there will be the Arts Open House, which is an entire afternoon of theater performances at the Community Center Theatre that will also include an art fair.

On Oct. 26, Synthia St. James will be the guest artist at the For Arts’ Sake Coalition Meeting at the Guild Theatre located on 2828 35th St. It will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the For Arts’ Sake implementation and hear what’s going on around the region with Artober activities.

The Artober calendar will be finalized in the coming weeks.

“We are not only raising awareness for art, but we are helping local (forms of the) arts build up their potential customer base and giving them the ability to take action into their own hands and make new opportunities for themselves,” Delgado said.

For more information, visit Artober's website or Facebook page.

Brunch Round-up

2011-08-27T04:38:20Z

Looking for an excuse to go out with the girls, or a new spin on a date? Check out these unique brunch specials in Sacramento that are sure to make your mouth water.

Tower Cafe
Located on 1518 Broadway.
Brunch hours are from 8 -11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 – 11 a.m. Friday and 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Tower Cafe takes pride in its “Madame Cristo.” It is a new version of French toast, loaded with swiss cheese and ham.

“French toast is our most popular dish, and people love it so much that our chef decided to make another version,” Manager Ruben Reveles said.

Breakfast cocktails are also served during brunch hours. “La Frida” is Tower Cafe's version of a Mimosa, which is mixed with a pomegranate blood orange nectar and pineapple juice. “Lychee Lei” is a drink made with Pinnacle Vodka, lychee puree, coconut water and a squeeze of lime. The ever-famous Bloody Mary is also on the menu.

“The 'Lychee Lei' is one of our new drinks, and I must say it's pretty good. We just recently received our liquor license a few months ago, so we have a new series of drinks we make now with all sorts of names,” Reveles said.

For more information, visit Tower Cafe's Facebook.

Cafe Bernardo
Located in Midtown at 2726 Capitol Ave.
Brunch hours are from 7 - 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday (lunch items can also be ordered starting at 11 a.m.), and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sunday (lunch items can also be ordered at 11 a.m.).

Cafe Bernardo has a signature dish called “Eggs Bernardo,” which is a basic Hollandaise sauce on toasted rosemary bread with two poached eggs on top with ham or bacon and herb potatoes.

“It's our twist on something traditional. We use our own Hollandaise sauce, which is made from scratch, and we get our eggs from local farms, and then of course the rosemary bread is something you don't usually see on something like this,” Head Chef Shannan Berg said.

“Anyone can throw out some bacon and French toast, but we make everything from scratch because we are conscious of our footprint, and our ingredients are fresh and seasonal,” she added.

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys and “Absolut Bloody Marys” made with peppar, and citron upon request, on Sundays (only $6 during brunch hours). They also serve bottomless Mimosas on Saturday until 1 p.m. and Sunday until 2 p.m.

For more information, visit Cafe Bernardo's Facebook.

Pizza Rock
Located on 1020 K St.
Brunch hours are from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on weekends.

Pizza Rock’s highlighted brunch items are breakfast pizzas.

“We have six different breakfast pizzas, something that not a lot of restaurants offer. We have standard ones like egg and sausage, but we also have some crazy ones that are really yummy like 'Triple Berry' and 'Hazelnut Kiwi,' ” General Manager Koreena Schultz said.

Brunch cocktails include a bottomless special, which is anything off the brunch menu for $8 unlimited. This pertains to Mimosas made with blood orange, mango or strawberry and sangria.

Earlier this month, Pizza Rock added a new feature during brunch hours: local acoustic bands playing at the restaurant in an open-mic style.

For more information, visit Pizza Rock's Facebook.

Kupro's Bistro
Located at 1217 21st St.
Brunch hours are 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Kupro’s Bistro has a special steak and eggs and huevos rancheros made with authentic New Mexican sauce.

“We make everything with a twist, that's for sure,” Head Chef Matthew Robinson said. “Like most places would have just normal eggs Benedict, but we have 'Benediction,' which is extremely popular. It is similar to poached eggs, except we use a German pancake instead of an English muffin and add flavor with things like arugula.”

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys and house bottomless Mimosas for $10 with the purchase of an entrée.

For more information, visit Kupro's Bistro's Facebook.

Red Lotus
Located on 2718 J St.
Brunch hours are on weekends only from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Red Lotus’ brunch changes weekly. It is a collection of eight to 10 courses of the chef's choice.

“It's unique because you can come in each week and look forward to different meats and seafoods and we incorporate a lot of our regular menu for just $15 a person. Last week, we had an oxtail sweet and sour soup and a tofu mushroom bamboo shoot, along with things like chow mien and fried rice,” Bartender Kate Lynch said.

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys that incorporate Japanese horseradish and soy sauce with sriracha hot sauce upon request. There are also bottomless Mimosas for $10 and a full cocktail menu.

For more information, visit Red Lotus' Facebook.

Ink Eats & Drinks
Located on 2730 N St.
Brunch hours are on weekends 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Ink Eats & Drinks offers some original breakfast sliders.

“We have a lot of standard ones, but they’ll have things on them like eggs, caramelized onions and your choice of meat, which could be like sausage or bacon. They are tiny breakfast sandwiches, and they are so good I seriously eat them all the time,” Promotions Manager Jocelyn McGregor said.

Brunch cocktails are customized, offering people the option to build their own Bloody Marys at the bar.

“People are very subjective about what they like. Some people want them spicy, mustardy or horseradishy. We can offer that along with our house mix: tomato juice, pickled green beans, pepperoncinis, stuffed olives, lemon pepper sriracha and hot sauces,” McGregor said. “We also offer a $2 Screwdriver and endless Mimosas with a variety of fruit juices, and nothing we have is premade. It's all made individually when you order, so it has good bubbles.”

For more information, visit Ink Eats & Drinks' Facebook.

De Vere's Irish Pub
Located on 1521 L St.
Brunch hours are on weekends from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

De Vere’s Irish Pub adds Irish flair to everything on the menu.

“We do this Irish breakfast with house-made black and white pudding (sausage) with blood in it, and make a killer eggs Benedict in-house. Not to mention our French toast is like French toast meets a doughnut, deep-fried,” co-owner Henry de Vere White said.

Brunch cocktails include $9 bottomless Mimosas with orange juice. Also offered is a house-made Bloody Mary for $5, and happy hour goes all day long on Sunday.

For more information, visit de Vere's Facebook.

Tuli Bistro
Located on 2031 S St.
Brunch hours are 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tuli Bistro always has a feature Sunday brunch item, which is constantly changing. Ingredients are always fresh and seasonal produce is used.

“Lately we've been serving this breakfast burger on a giant biscuit. Lots of places have breakfast sandwiches, but I don't know of anywhere else that has a burger like us,” Server and Sunday Manager Ryan Pelican said.

Brunch cocktails include $9 bottomless Mimosas. A full bar is not offered but beer and red and white wines are served.

For more information, visit Tuli Bistro's Facebook.

La Familia presents the "Dream Act Symposium"

2011-08-25T06:37:34Z

It’s getting harder and harder for students to find, apply for and pay for good education. One student named Irvis Orozco, 23, is attending his final year at UC Davis and is currently involved in many community outreach programs such as interning for the UCLA Labor Center at Asian Resources, the Building Healthy Communities Project and Dream Act Advocacy at the Capitol and in the Sacramento region with 100 other students throughout the nation.

Being completely integrated into his community, one would never guess he was not born in the United States as a citizen but came when he was seven months old. Undocumented students like Orozco are hopeful that more educational doors will be opened for them through the Dream Act.

The Dream Act, (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) if passed, would provide conditional permanent residency to certain undocumented students who have graduated from United States high schools, lived in the country for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment or arrived in the United States illegally as minors. Also, if the students complete two to four years of higher education or two years in the military, the students can obtain temporary residency for six years.

The Youth Voice Program at La Familia Counseling Center will be hosting the first Dream Act Symposium, in an effort to bring people together to address issues and struggles that undocumented students go through. It will be held from 4 - 7 p.m. on Friday, at the La Familia Counseling Center located on 5523 34th St.

“These 'Dreamers' (undocumented students) represent an investment in our nations’ future, and all the knowledge and skills that this huge population of young men and women have attained will be wasted if we cannot reform our broken immigration system and allow them to become full functional members of our society,” said Vidal Gonzalez, universal youth specialist at La Familia Counseling Center where he assists 16 to 21-year-old students in employment, higher education and career development.

This event is open to undocumented and interested students, teachers, counselors and the community. There will be information about undocumented students support services and a resource packet that explains bills and scholarships. Play care for children will be available, and both Spanish and Hmong interpreters will be present.

“We want to give information to students about awareness and rights,” said Orozco.

Attendees will also get to hear from Orozco and Maria Luna, who have been involved in this project, making appearances and giving testimonies at the Capitol. Both are undocumented students finishing college themselves.

The Dream summer program also opened doors for 100 students from all over the nation who came to work in internships with different organizations (nonprofits, labor unions, civic centers, advocacy networks and university programs) to help pass the national and state Dream Acts. The students were able to spend time working together and met Senator Gilbert Cedillo, Thomas Saenz, who is the president of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), and Reverend James Lawson, who was one of the main organizers during the Civil Rights Movement and worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr.

“Irvis and Maria are an inspiration to me, knowing how hard they struggled to get an education that many of us take for granted, the risks they face being spokespeople for undocumented youth and the personal sacrifices they have made to inspire and assist other 'Dreamers,' ” Gonzalez said.

On May 5, the California State Assembly voted 51-21 to pass AB 130, which is the bill that constitutes half of the California Dream Act. The second half of the Dream Act is AB 131 which is still in the process of getting passed.

“AB 131 passed (the) Assembly, but Maria and I are going back again and giving our testimonies at the Capitol to try to get it completely passed,” Orozco said.

The Dream Act will effect all students, not just undocumented students.

“I think the Dream Act is fair because in the United States everyone deserves a chance at education no matter what their background is. Undocumented students should have the same rights as long as they don’t take advantage of it,” Will Kukis said, a 20-year-old journalism major at Sacramento City College.

“I don’t think the Dream Act getting passed is cool. All of our money is going toward giving undocumented students free stuff then because if they aren’t citizens they don’t pay taxes. Maybe if they had visas, but I just don’t think it’s right,” Nicole Head said, a 23-year-old cosmetology major at Sacramento City College.

According to Orozco, if the Dream Act gets to President Obama’s desk, he has already promised to sign it.

“I believe that the United States is a nation of immigrants and that our success as a nation is directly attributed to our ability to attract the most innovated, ambitious and talented members of humanity,” Gonzalez said. “The majority of these young men and women were brought here as children, and it is unfair to punish them for something that was beyond their control.”

For more information, visit La Familia online or visit the Sacramento Dreamers facebook.

Beatnik presents "For Love Of Woman"

2011-08-23T04:02:13Z

The Sacramento area is constantly unveiling local art and talent and Beatnik Studios is one of its largest event spaces that is dedicated to bringing that talent to light.

“For Love Of Woman,” will be local 60-year-old artist Robert Sanders’ first show in his career. Doors open at 7 p.m. on Friday (and art will stay on display through Sept. 28) at Beatnik Studios, which is located at 2421 17th St.

“I truly believe that from women all things appear, and I hold them in my highest esteem and appreciation,” Sandars said.

His show includes 36 pieces spotlighting the beauty and inspiring stories of modern women. The proceeds from the reception and auction will go to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition because it will be shown through September, which is National Ovarian Cancer awareness month.

“Anytime we do a benefit like this, we always have a more successful show. It's a win-win situation, because people feel like they can purchase the art because it is for a good cause,” said Greg Pond, a 32-year-old who has managed Beatnik Studios for the past two years.

Beatnik Studios has been around for three years and is about 6,000 square feet complete with a kitchen and stage, which is used during the events hosted there that range from weddings to concerts to birthday parties.

“Generally an artist will contact me and show me their portfolio, and then I’ll decide who I'm going to actually show. In Roberts’ case, he entered a contest where the first-, second- and third-place winners got to have their own show in the gallery, and Robert won,” Pond said.

According to Sanders, “Home” was the theme of the contest, and the proceeds went toward finding children homes through adoption and foster care.

“Our criteria was, does it match the theme, how much skill does this person have, and does the body of work have what it takes to do a solo show, and Robert was a very established artist/photographer,” Pond said.

Sanders' winning piece is called “Foreclosure Nightmare” and is a photograph of a woman completely bound in ropes lying under a palm tree with a stilted house in the background ready to fall apart.

Sanders has shot commercially with Tony Hawk, Harley Davidson, Taylor Guitar, Ford Motocross, Rip Curl and many others.

“I do portraiture work, commercial artwork and have been shooting for a really long time. I was actually nominated for an Emmy for my animation work on a piece called “Eruption of Mount St. Helens” back in the early ‘80s and really started honing in on my photography skills in the early ‘90s more than anything else,” Sandars said.

The models used in Sanders’ show range in age from 24 to 42, depicting women in different shapes and sizes, but mainly highlight the younger women.

“My favorite piece is probably ‘Rosebud.’ It’s the first piece people will see when they walk through the door and is inspired by the movie 'Citizen Kane' and an exchange between Orson Welles, William Randolph Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies,” Sanders said.

According to Pond, the name Beatnik comes from the beat generation. It was originally used as a derogatory term for hippies, but ended up becoming a badge of honor.

“To us, it means living outside the box. We are doing something different with art trying and to make it a business. When you come here we aren't in suits and ties, just normal clothes and treating people like they are human,” Pond said.

On Friday Sanders will be the featured artist, but Beatnik Studios hosts a gallery event every last Friday of the month from 5 - 9 p.m. called Final Friday. A full bar is provided with eats and drinks and live music from local musicians after 9 p.m. The event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5 to $10 to help pay the musicians for their time.

“Beatnik is a community. No one really gets paid: The work is all volunteer or friends; we also have a lot of interns from Sacramento State University,” Pond said. “It's always fun and exciting here because we just love photography, and we love Beatnik. It's not about rolling in the dough.”

Sanders' show does contain nudity and might not be suitable for children.

“I think my greatest transformation as an artist has been how I perceive my work, a place of coming to terms with myself,” Sandars said. “I'm very proud, but this whole process has also been so humbling.”

For more information visit Beatnik Studios online or take a look at Robert Sandars site.

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

Sacramento Steps Forward hires first executive director

2011-08-17T04:38:47Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson introduced Ben Burton, the first executive director of Sacramento Steps Forward, Tuesday at the weekly press conference held at City Hall. Burton and Johnson spoke about future plans for Sacramento Steps Forward, which is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to ending homelessness and building a supportive community.

According to Johnson, Sacramento Steps Forward was launched in 2009 as a response to the Oprah Winfrey show that highlighted issues in Sacramento.

“We wanted to lay out 2,400 permanent housing units in a three-year period, and we are well on our way to achieve that goal,” Johnson said.

According to Johnson, Sacramento Steps Forward was officially created in February with a vision that it would be a national model for ending homelessness by providing resources to people in need.

With Johnson and Burton at the meeting were local business, political and religious leaders.

“After a lot of debate and time and effort, we think that we have selected the person who is right for this particular job at this time and who is going to do tremendous work in moving Sacramento forward,” Sacramento Steps Forward Board Chairman Chet Hewitt said.

According to Hewitt, Burton officially started Aug. 1, and he has had nine years of experience as an executive director working for the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. In the last five years, there has been a 25 percent decrease in homelessness in Miami. He also has 25 years’ experience working in nonprofits and received his bachelor’s degree in biology at Emery University and his master’s of science degree in clinical psychology from Eastern Kentucky University.

“It’s really exciting to be here and to be in a city that is trying to come together and to do something important about a serious issue,” Burton said

According to Hewitt, the selection process in choosing Burton was a national search for about four months including 40 candidates, in which eight were brought to the Sacramento area to be interviewed.

“One of the things that I think Sacramento Steps Forward stands for is really about getting people what they need in the community, and that is world-class services, access to permanent affordable housing (and) making sure there is an advocacy voice in the community.”

According to Johnson, in the last two years, homelessness has been reduced in Sacramento by 15 percent, and chronic homelessness (someone who has been homeless for a year or more or been homeless at least four times in a three year period) has been reduced by 50 percent in the last four years.

Some of the future goals for the organization include trying to be more efficient when it comes to delivering items to people and utilizing funding, whether it is through grants, public or private funding.

“Our success to date is not enough,” Hewitt said. “We believe that the folks here in Sacramento – the citizens as well as those who are facing homelessness – deserve better, and we are positioning ourselves to deliver on that particular promise.”

Johnson also spoke about efforts to continue to move forward on getting a new sports complex by March, 2012. He also spoke briefly about the new partial packages coming out that will allow fans to customize the way they can get their season tickets. For more information go to the Kings website.

Sac World Fest dance auditions

2011-08-08T06:37:54Z

William Land Park’s amphitheater, located at 3800 West Land Park Dr., was filled with cultural dance on Saturday morning as 12 groups auditioned for the opportunity to participate in the fourth annual Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival.

“This is like painting with people, and this festival is like a giant color pallet,” co-producer and local artist Brett Freeman said. “What I try to do is make it as colorful as possible and make sure all those colors are represented.”

The audition process had several judges, including local artist and stage manager Mark Angeles, former Sacramento Ballet dancer Margie Francis and local dance teacher Roxana Reyes.

Flow Crew is from Sacramento and performs Chinese traditional dance, with a wide range of ages in their group.

Also part of Flow Crew was this much younger children's group performing with a Chinese dragon.

“During a recession, funding is really tough,” said Angeles, who has been with the festival since the beginning five years ago. “We've been able to have it every year though.”

Angeles said the festival has become a huge educational program and involves 40 performers and the use of two stages.

Mudra Dancers are from the Folsom area and perform semi-classical Indian dance.

Also part of the Mudra Dancers are these three young ladies.

“Sacramento is the most multicultural and integrated city in America,” Freeman said. “Not only do we have so many different types of people, but we live and work and have children together,” Freeman said.

Chhandam School Kathak, another Sacramento area group, performs a Northern India classical style of dance with both Hindu and Muslim influences.

“Through music and dance we all have something in common,” Angeles said. “That's what unity is.”

Bhasakar Arts Academy is located in Folsom and they performed a Southern India style of dance.

“We are basically trying to develop all cultures in our region,” Freeman said. “We are trying to pull everyone together.”

Freeman said the highlighted instrument this year will be the piano, showing how versatile it can be.

Manasa is another Sacramento group that performed Indian, Asian, Spanish and Middle Eastern styles of belly-dancing.

“We want people to have appreciation for one another, rather then prejudice,” Freeman said.

Last year there was a hip-hop dance-off where the crowd was in charge of judging. Show choir groups were chosen for a “show off” between three or four groups from junior highs, high schools and junior colleges which will be one of the featured presentations this year, Freeman said.

Samoria Lamuse performed her number “Jazzy Bananas,” which she originally wrote for the Banana Festival, taking inspiration from singer and actress Josephine Baker.

The free festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 in Old Sacramento. It will include many different types of music, dance, shows and festivities from cultures around the world.

On Oct. 1, there will be a spotlight performance located on the Delta King from 6 to 9:30 p.m. of music and dance from India, which is this year’s cultural spotlight. Other featured ethnicities include Pacific Islander, Latino, East Asian, Irish, Punjabi, African-America and Native American.

“There is always something new,” Angeles said. “Everyone wants a turn,” Angeles said.”

In fact, next year the festival is already planning to focus on African-style dances.

Roan Press, a labor of love for local writers

2011-07-28T05:29:46Z

Local writers look no further.

Roan Press is a two-year-old, non profit, small Sacramento publisher run by husband and wife Bradley Buchanan and Kate Washington. The couple wants to foster the local literary community so they choose books that would not normally be published by bigger companies.

They publish one to two books per year, so far falling under the categories of poetry, anthology and memoir. They are currently on their fourth paperback book: “Peach Farmer’s Daughter” by Brenda Nakamoto.

“‘Peach Farmer’s Daughter’ appealed to me because Brenda tells a story of growing up on a peach farm in Gridley, and I'm from Chico, just half an hour up the road – my dad is an almond grower, so I'm also a farmer’s daughter,” Washington said. “Her descriptions of summer on a farm in the valley were beautifully crafted and really spoke to me, and I wanted people to know that story.”

“Peach Farmer’s Daughter” is a memoir about Nakamoto's childhood and her experiences as a peach farmer’s daughter living in a rural area in Gridley, California.

“What I especially like about them is they want to represent writers that wouldn’t usually be published, and I really fit into that category (of more personal pieces, rather than big sellers), but they want to help get that writing out there,” Nakamoto said.

“There are things we have to say in this valley that maybe people from New York can't relate to, but there is plenty of learning and sharing we could do.”

Nakamoto learns more about her roots as a “sansei,”a third-generation Japanese-America, and talks about her parents aging. She's been working at UC Davis for more than 20 years and is currently an administrative assistant in the dean’s office; “Peach Farmer’s Daughter” is her first book.

“The hardest part about what we do is sifting through the queries that come in and keeping up with the correspondence,” Buchanan said.

The process of publishing is a lot of sending the manuscript back and forth, editing, revising, adding, rewording and removing. Buchanan and Washington have been switching leadership on each book, and Washington was mostly involved in Nakamoto's book.

Washington's background as a copy editor allowed her to do all the editing with Nakamoto without needing to send the book anywhere else. Joshua Lurie-Terrell came up with the design and template for the book. He also helped Buchanan and Washington with their previous book, “Visions of Joanna Newsom.”

The other three books that have been published are “Visions of Joanna Newsom,” assembled by Buchanan, “Crow Song” by Zoe Keithley and “Swimming the Mirror: Poems for my Daughter” by Buchanan. These books can be easily accessed on Amazon.com.

“Kate and I are both pretty strong editorial minds, we both have high standards for the things we want to see published,” Buchanan said. “The writer may resist a little at first but they come to see that the final product is sometimes better than what they would have even imagined.”

After Nakamoto's collages and photos were put in the book and the nitty-gritty details were worked through – such as last-minute text corrections and positioning of the pages – the book was sent to Dome, a local printer used by Roan Press. There were 500 copies printed and shipped to Buchanan and Washington's home to be sold to local bookstores and on Amazon.com.

The name “Roan” is an anagram of Buchanan’s and Washington's eldest daughter’s name, Nora. Buchanan's manuscript (and first book published by Roan Press) was a lot about Nora and his experience of becoming a parent and watching her grow.

“The most rewarding part has been, for example, when I went to a reading that our author Brenda gave and something like 45 people turned out, it was standing room only,” Washington said.

“It was good for the bookstore. We were thrilled, and Brenda got up there and talked about how happy she is seeing this book that is really personal to her speak to other people in the community, it makes me feel like we've done a good thing.”

“There is a lot of culture and history and interesting people and a lot of potential here – I felt it was right for someone to come along and do something like this,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan and Washington are not only raising their family but have jobs along with running Roan Press. Buchanan, originally from Canada, is an associate professor of English at Sacramento State. He teaches creative writing and British and world literature and has appeared in many periodicals. He also has several of his own poetry books published, “The Miracle Shirker” and his book length study of the fiction of British author Hanif Kureishi. Washington is mainly a food and travel freelance writer and editor for local magazines and newspapers such as Sactown Magazine, Sunset, the San Francisco Chronicle and others.

“Big publishers are trying to make a quick book, because they are just big corporations that have to show profit every quarter,” Buchanan said. “Poetry is especially neglected by mainstream publishers. It's a genre that is really important and a meaningful way of writing, but poetry doesn't sell in big chain stores, just in little ones.”

Buchanan and Washington run Roan Press as a pair with some help from a hand-picked board of directors. There are five of them who meet once a year that only help with the larger direction of Roan Press. In the future, Buchanan and Washington hope to have more involvement from them as they grow and publish more books.

The board members include Buchanan, Washington, Kel Munger who is a local writer and also works at the Sacramento News & Review, James Den Boer who is a poet and Hellen Lee-Keller who is an English professor at Sacramento State.

“We really believe there are a lot of unheard voices from our area and that there is a real thriving literary community, and we would like to bring that to the forefront,” Washington said. “Let voices that may not be heard on a national level be heard by us and directly to consumers here in Northern California.”

Brenda Nakamoto's next appearance will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 4 in Gridley at the Gridley Branch Library.

“Right now, we want to start meeting more writers in the community and finding out what they are working on and seeing where we want to go with the next project,” Washington said.

Their next book is expected to come out in 2012, Buchanan and Washington do not want to disclose any further information about their plans with it at this point.

For more information visit Roan Press on their website.

Age is nothing but a number

2011-07-22T04:40:07Z

Age is nothing but a number. Nine-year-old Claire Elizabeth, “A Place Called Sacramento” film festival script winner, is living proof of that.

The premiere of her film, “The Chozen” will be at 1 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St. There will be a $10 fundraising charge for Access Sacramento the night of the premiere only, and after that, all films will be up on the site where people can view them for free.

“In 2000, Access Sacramento, (a nonprofit company) started training folks on how to use digital equipment because most independent small films were using video production instead of film,” said Access Sacramento Executive Director, Ron Cooper. “The idea was to create a local film festival to feature local original work at the Crest Theatre.”

According to Cooper, the judges were unaware of how young Claire was and chose her script purely because it had well-written dialogue and they felt it worked well in 10 minutes. Her script won on merit, she competed with adults and she won fair and square.

This year is unique for “A Place Called Sacramento,” because it has both its youngest, Claire, and oldest, Burt Wilson, 78, script winners yet.

“When I found out I won, I basically called all my friends screaming,” Claire said. “Since I'm the youngest person, people will make jokes like 'So where were you in ‘85?' It's funny.”

Claire not only wrote the script, but she also stars in her 10-minute film, which she said she hopes to eventually turn into a full-length feature and from there possibly have several sequels.

“Basically it’s about a young girl who moves to Sacramento and a clique of girls in her new class, destroying peoples lives and operating as most cliques do. But the heroine has her own secret,” Cooper said. “It's a good story.”

Some names that will be recognizable in Claire's film are Jeffery Weissman (from George McFly and Back to the Future Part II and III) and Lucinda Chrisman (from Disaster! and several short films).

“She's a busy girl, and she's got drive like you wouldn't believe,” said Claire’s mother, Rachel. “I don't know where she gets that kind of drive. But my husband and I definitely encourage it.”

“People say she's so young, I say she's so old,” Cooper said. “I'm a big believer in you get what you expect. She doesn't see herself as a child, she sees herself as highly competent and an opinionated leader, a person with her own ideas and her own ambitions, and she’s willing to work hard to make that happen.”

“The Chozen” started out as being called “The Slumber Party,” which was about four girls having a sleepover, and some boys were going to come over to pull pranks and scare them.

“Then it evolved into something completely different,” Rachel said.

Claire was only 6 when she started acting after seeing a downtown production of “Annie.” Now, four years later, (she will be 10 in November) she has acted in 17 plays and been involved with various companies such as New Star Children's Theatre, Rocklin Youth Theatre, Sutter Street Theatre and Art and Soul Productions. Claire was also on a TV show called “Kids Corporation,” and now has two agents, one in San Francisco and another in Los Angeles.

“If I make a commitment, I stick with it. The only time I've ever broken a commitment was like if I was vomiting because I don't give up on stuff,” Claire said. “I've never in a million years heard my mom try to push me into doing something. I do it because I wanna do it.”

The other nine winners include Patrick Ardell, Danna Wilberg, Gerald Martin Davenport and Rob Tillitz, Burt Wilson, Erica Ruiz and Dwight Taylor, Judith Plank, Nathan Reedy, Joyce Bezazian and Raghni Reddy.

“ ‘A Place Called Sacramento’ is not just about movies and movie-making. If you are new to Sacramento and you are asking questions about what kind of place it is – I would take you and find you a seat in middle of the Crest Theatre and tell you to just watch on Oct. 2,” Cooper said. “Those 10 films will tell so much, and you would see why people like to live in Sacramento.”

Claire is already working on her next projects. In August, she is going to the premiere of “Daddy’s Little Girl,” a 48-hour film she was in that placed in the Las Vegas Film Festival. In Old Sacramento, she is also currently playing the role of Lotta Crabtree who is a 1800s singer/actress.

“I'd like to say for all the kids out there, if you have a dream, I really think that you should follow it because doors open and doors close, but you should go for what you think is right, and if people make fun of you, just keep doing what you wanna do,” Claire said.

Check out these links: Kickstarter for "The Chozen," Access Sacramento, "The Chozen" website, "The Chozen" Facebook fan page, Claire's Facebook fan page, Claire's photographer.

NAG continues

2011-07-20T05:27:33Z

Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) isn’t going anywhere, just moving to a new location.

The Hart Senior Center, where NAG has been meeting regularly, began charging an hourly fee of $50 to rent rooms after 5 p.m. which caused some NAG members to wonder if this would be their last meeting altogether.

“NAG is not a city group, they enjoy their independence. They do, however, like the city to work with them,” said Derrick Lim, manager of the city’s Neighborhood Services Department and special events. “The items and agenda is all decided by NAG, they take their own positions.”

Monday’s meeting was held at the Hart Senior Center, 915 27th St., and the Aug. 15 meeting will be held there, too, but after August the meeting will be moved elsewhere.

About 40 people from the community attended the meeting, including three City Council members and Sacramento Interim City Manager Bill Edgar.

“NAG is too important for anything to be ending anytime soon,” said Gerald Celestine, meeting facilitator.

Edgar outlined the city’s grave budget situation in light of the economy’s negative effect on the jobs in the area. NAG members invite him to attend meetings regularly.

“We've gone through some very difficult budget hearings in the last several months,” Edgar said. “When you are on a budget of this size, there are simply things that just cannot be done.”

Edgar spoke about the 141 people that had to leave city service, 92 of them from the police force.

“We don't like laying off anybody,” said Edgar. “These are tough decisions and areas, and that's where we are at for the next five years.”

“The economy has hit Sacramento harder than it has hit other cities,” said City Councilman Steve Cohn. “Unemployment in Sacramento is among the highest in the nation.”

According to the Employment Development Department (EDD), as of April the unemployment rate had finally decreased down to 12 percent in California.

“Hopefully we can call on volunteers again to keep things running,” said Dale Kooyman, a longtime neighborhood activist.

“You can just see the difference,” said Susan Bush, a board member of the Southside Park Neighborhood Association. “The last time I was here was probably six months ago, and there used to be much more chairs lined up.”

“The city used to provide us with pizza and soft drinks, but with the way things are now they don't do that anymore,” Bush said.

Police Captain Dana Matthes gave the local Police Department activity report.

“Our crime numbers were looking good until about two weeks ago,” Matthes said. There was a recent increase in robberies around the light rail and bars and some auto burglaries. Matthes reminded everyone to lock their car doors and to not keep their valuables in their cars.

“We are working hard to make sure number one, that we are staffed enough to answer the phones immediately when people call in for an emergency and number two, that we have a fast response time,” Matthes said.

Matthes talked about how they are also putting “hot spot policing” into practice, which is where an officer will stay stationed at a particular place for approximately 10 to 15 minutes up to five times a day in order to keep an eye on the area. The department will fall back on their usual problem-oriented policing if that does not work, she said.

The hope is that volunteer police will keep up their good work on things like Second Saturday Art Walks, directing traffic, clerical work and other duties with all the recent cuts, she added.

Matthes reported that in the most recent DUI checkpoint there were six or seven arrests for DUIs and that there were also 19 DUI arrests in the last four weeks.

“This is a high number for our area,” Matthes said.

“I was only drunk probably two times in my whole life,” Celestine said. “I don't get it. People walk around totally sloshed and just continue to drink. We need the rules to be enforced.”

After announcements from the community members they gave updates on things happening around the area such as stopping some big trees from being removed on the sidewalk on 920 K St.

“Bill Edgar being here was a big deal because he took time out of his day to be here, along with the other City Council (members),” said Bill Burgua, agenda committee member. “NAG is still in good shape, all our seats are still full.”

The next NAG meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 and at the Hart Senior Center.

Man on the street: Best place to watch a sunset in Sacramento

2011-07-13T21:40:49Z

Residents know all about the perks of living in the capital city: easy access to the river, a lively downtown nightlife and great family-friendly attractions. They can also tell you the best place to watch a sunset.

The Sacramento Press asked people where the best place to watch a sunset is in the Sacramento area and this is what they said.

Ike Johnson, 59, Elk Grove resident and Hewlett Packard employee, said, “The best place to watch a sunset is overlooking the river. Right off Freeport Boulevard you can just drive down there and there is a good area where you can watch the boats pass by and then watch the sunset.”

Chalena Alston, 22, a caregiver and recent college graduate living in Sacramento said, “I don't know a lot of good places because I just got back from the Bay area, but I really like the parks around here. The weather is so nice in Sacramento, you don't even need a jacket at night. I think really any park in Sacramento would be a great place to watch the sunset at.”

Philip Carras, 26, a bartender and financial adviser in the Sacramento area, said, “There's this water plant right off of I-5 right near the river where you can just look out and see everything.”

Alex Reynolds, 24, a Sacramento resident who works at Blockbuster, said he had the good fortune of seeing some of his best sunsets in his own back yard.

“My patio at my old apartment off of Bruceville Road was the best place to watch a sunset. I lived on the third story, so there was nothing to obstruct my view – it was great,” Reynolds said.

Chris Coppage, 23, who works at Capital Nursery in Elk Grove, said, “Old Sacramento by the river is a really good place to go. If you go down the little hill and just sit there you can see everything really well.”

How would you answer the question, “Where do you think the best place is to watch a sunset in Sacramento?” Let us know in the conversation below.

Riding Concrete: Skateboarding In California

2011-06-29T02:48:02Z

Walking through a museum there is an expectation of seeing art, ancient artifacts and other historical memorabilia. The California Museum is switching up the idea of what a typical museum holds by introducing California to an important part of its history with a story that is not often told.

Behold the colors, wheels, art, big names, shapes and sizes. Riding Concrete: Skateboarding In California, is the new exhibit showing from July 2 through March 24, giving an up-close look at the California-created sport.

Located on 1020 O St. downtown, the exhibit is curated by the legendary skateboarder and surfer Nathan Pratt, who also co-stared in the “Dogtown and Z-Boys” documentary back in 2002.

“This is the first exhibit about skateboarding here at the museum, and the first one of a California-created sport that we are paying tribute to,” said Brenna Hamilton, communications director for the museum. “We try to tell stories that are not often told by other museums or even in history books.”

The exhibit is like a living timeline dating back to the 1950s with the wood plank and metal roller skate wheel models to the modern boards used today.

Who knew back in 1971 that 14-year-old Nathan Pratt working as a clean up boy in a Santa Monica Zephyr surf shop would one day change skateboarding forever – he and the other Z-Boys who came up with their own innovative and radical style.

“It's funny because there is a whole section of people in my life that know nothing about my skateboarding past. Then one day out of the blue they'll come up to me and be like 'I know a Z-Boy. My kid saw the whole documentary and were like 'Oh my god you know Nathan Pratt? He's a god, he's a legend,'” Pratt said.

According to Pratt the name 'Z-Boys' actually came from the “Zephyr Competition Team,” when the group of Z-Boys at the time were in a contest and the announcer kept having to say the full name over and over. They finally just got fed up and shortened it and its been the same ever since.

“This is the second showing of the exhibit. I did this exhibit down in Santa Monica at the California Heritage Museum about a year and a half ago, and that was the first time anything like that had ever been put together where something really encompasses every era of skateboard from the beginning to current,” said Pratt, 53, as he unloaded some final boards out of boxes.

More than 200 items lent from The Sidewalk Shop, Skatelab, Z-Boy Archive collections and other passionate collectors are on display.

“This (display) is going to appeal to a wide audience” said Amanda Meeker, deputy director of exhibits and programming for the California Museum.

“I think anybody who grew up in California in the last 50 years can come see this and see something that they can identify with,” Hamilton said. “There's a bit of nostalgia even for myself.”

Some highlights include Tony Hawk's autographed personal board, a rare Willie Mays board, the first pro model skateboard and the first board with urethane wheels.

The first Zephyr board and a collection of the first boards made and sold in 1962 by Val Surf the California surf shop (the first known retailer of skateboards), are on display as well. There is also a 1963 Makaha Phil Edwards board (the first pro model skateboard produced), highly collectible 1980s boards made by Sims, Dogtown & Powell Peralta and, of course much, much more.

“The first board I had as a kid was this Bun Buster back here, and I can still remember that from when I was 10 years old,” Pratt said while walking the dimly lit room lined with big glass display cases.

Pratt also said that the kids are his favorite part of what he does because they are so enthusiastic and want to try out the Z-Boys style of skateboarding. This exhibit will not only be enjoyable to those who are into skateboarding, but will really bring people together, he said.

“Kids obviously know about skateboarding, but they may not know about people in the ’60s, like, 'Gosh I may be more like my dad then I realized,'” Meeker said.

“I think the people that made skateboarding into the worldwide cultural phenomenon that it has become have never really been given credibility in history as a significant culture that changed the world,” Hamilton said, “because (skateboarding) grew into a huge movement.”

There will also be photography featured by Craig Stecyk, the photojournalist who launched the Z-Boys and created the "Pig and Crossbones" graffiti and Dogtown cross. Not to mention there will be several different multimedia presentations that will feature some ground-breaking manufacturers, riders and artists.

“I want people to appreciate it, and I think that they do. It's just great to get to see an entire timeline of history and skateboards in one place and hopefully somewhere within that 50-year timeline they can find something that really resonates for them,” Pratt said.

For more information about the California Museum visit their site.

Man on the street: Where did you receive the best or worst service in Sacramento?

2011-06-24T19:13:27Z

Everyone has had encounters with either really great or really awful service no matter where they live, and the people of Sacramento are no exception. The Sacramento Press hit the streets recently and asked people where they had received the best or worst service in the area.

Quoc Nguyen, 27, a store manager living in downtown Sacramento, gave examples of two places he'd received the worst and best service.

“The best service I've had was at a coffee shop called Chocolate Fish, because they are very knowledgeable about their products and I like the 'Great White',” Nguyen said.

“I'm Vietnamese, so I can say this: I receive the worst service at Vietnamese restaurants. I don't usually tip well after.”

Mohammed Omer, a 50-year-old from Elk Grove who serves in the military, said he gets really good service in the Sacramento area but that Starbucks is his favorite hangout.

“We come in day and night, twice a day,” Omer said. “They are always nice.”

Zaki Aziz, 48, regularly comes to Starbucks with Omer. Aziz, who is currently unemployed and is also from Elk Grove, agreed.

“Good service and fun people, that's why we are here,” Aziz said.

Hillary Martinez, a 31-year-old from Elk Grove who is currently studying to be a teacher, had a story to tell about the worst service she has received in the area.

“The worst place I ever had service was at Mimi's Cafe. It was me, my mom and my 17-month-old. It was about 1 p.m., we went in, (and) it took about 15 minutes to get seated, which was fine. But when we got to our table it took the waitress like 20 minutes just to greet us.

“She got water for me and my mom, and then my mom asked for some crackers for my baby, which we never got. The waitress kept looking at us but never came by, and finally someone else came and helped us. So yeah, it took about an hour to get our food. Not cool.”

Caleb Jue, a 24-year-old cashier living in Wilton, was not impressed by the service he'd received in Sacramento, though only one negative experience came to mind.

“The worst service I ever had was at Walmart. Nobody was helpful, at all. They acted very unpleasant, like they hated their jobs,” Jue said.

Jonathan Barros, a 19-year-old student living in Elk Grove, said the worst service he received was at a shoe store.

“I couldn't find a particular shoe, and no one asked me if I needed help,” Barros said. “I usually get really good service in Sac, though.”

How would you answer the question, “Where did you receive the best or worst service in Sacramento”? Let us know in the conversation below.

River Cats beat Grizzlies in bottom of the ninth

2011-06-18T15:45:51Z

The River Cats made the first and last run at Friday's game against the Fresno Grizzlies, giving them a close win (6-5) in the first game of the four-game homestand.

The smell of hot dogs, beer and popcorn filled the air. What better way to spend a Friday night than in the summer sun cheering on your favorite baseball team?

This was the first time the River Cats have hosted the Grizzlies this season at Raley Field, and 12,211 fans were present. Having recently lost 5-1 to the Grizzlies, made this win that much sweeter.

The River Cats got the ball rolling with center fielder Jai Miller's home run, the first score of the game.

However, in the fourth inning, the Grizzlies took the lead in the game, scoring three runs.

The game was delayed for about 10 minutes due to an umpire being hit in the face by a pass ball in the third inning and finally starting to feel the effects of it in the bottom of the fifth.

Even so, the sixth inning went by quickly with three up and three down for both teams and the score remaining 4-1 with Fresno in the lead.

Finally, in the eighth inning things began to heat up when left fielder Chris Carter made a double, hitting a fly ball to right field.

Center fielder Matt Carson hit a double to right field and catcher Anthony Recker hit a line drive down third baseline bringing in Carson and tying the game at 5-5.

The River Cats made three runs in the bottom of the eighth and fans roared with excitement.

Breaking the tie game, in the ninth inning, short stop Eric Sogard made a base hit, line drive over the Grizzlies’ short stop's head. Sogard then stole second base and moved up to third base on a wild pitch by Grizzlies' Marc Kroon who had just been put on the mound.

Sogard would soon become the winning run.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche was walked to make it to first and made it to third thanks to Carter, who hit a short infield ball and was safe at first. Sogard then ran in home, giving the River Cats the win of the evening.

Dinger, the River Cats’ mascot, entertained the crowd with intense footwork and kept the crowd cheering even through the highs and lows of the game.

The River Cats face the Grizzlies again Saturday at Raley Field. The game starts at 7:05 p.m.

Jack's Mannequin, Ace of Spades

2011-06-17T05:05:43Z

“One more song! One more song!” chanted Jack's Mannequin fans at Ace of Spades on Wednesday night, that quickly turned into “Three more songs! Three more songs!”

Talk about an encore. Talk about a show.

“You feelin' sexy Sacramento?” yelled Andrew McMahon, 28, lead vocalist and pianist of Jack's Mannequin. He may be a security guard’s nightmare with all his crowd surfing and climbing on equipment such as, speakers and his piano; but he is also a ticket-buyer’s dream because he is quite the entertainer.

The show started at 7 p.m. with more than 800 people in attendance. Lady Danville, an indie pop band from the Bay Area was up first, and Steel Train, an indie rock band from New Jersey, followed. Lady Danville’s singers had a very smooth and crisp sound to their voices with great harmonization, while Steel Train had a more rebellious, energetic and cutting-edge sound.

The lighting and sound were not over done, a little color with spotlights and the speakers were not blasting at an ear-bleeding level. Allowing the focus to be on the pure and organic sounds of the voices and instruments.

Tickets were $30.95, and judging by the smiles flooding the room even after the first two performers, people were satisfied with what they were getting.

However, the crowd was only swaying some and clapping when encouraged, having a medium energy level up until Jack's Mannequin played the hit, “The Mixed Tape,” from the CD, “Everything In Transit.” Everyone went wild, jumping a bit and singing along loudly. Which continued as most of what was played was from that album.

McMahon was originally from Orange County and part of a band called Something Corporate. Now he is a part of Jack's Mannequin, an alternative punk rock band with three other members: Bobby "Raw" Anderson on guitar and backup vocals, Jay McMillan on drums and new bass player Mikey “The Kid” Wagner.

“I've been listening to them for a while,” said concert attendee Tracey Huey, 22. “They have really good melodies.”

The musicians also got praise for several other areas that fans feel they have much expertise in.

“I really like the lyrics,” said concert attendee Elisia Hoffman, 18, as she turned to her friend, Lisa Monagle, also 18, who said, “(McMahon) incorporates the piano with a 'normal band' sound, and I like that.”

Most audience members were between the ages of 18 and 30 and excited that Jack's Mannequin is now finally back on tour.

In June 2005, McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cancer of the white blood cells) and somehow managed to make a full recovery. He is also now currently involved in many fundraising opportunities related to cancer and provides support to patients and families.

“His back story is cool, how he had leukemia and everything. It's so inspirational,” Huey said.

By McMahon's performance, it is obvious to see that he is living every moment to the fullest now.

Ace of Spades, the old location of both Empire Night Club and Venue, didn't change much of its look and feel, and yet it appears to be the upcoming place to be and to get booked at in Sacramento. The place was packed and the atmosphere very casual and modern, despite the dim lights and boxy shape, it did not feel overcrowded.

The only downfalls to the venue is that there is very limited seating and that the servers had to walk out from a back room with food and drinks all the way around everyone, pushing through a sea of bodies to get to the 21-and-over section where they were serving it.

The service was very polite, though, and they even had some free samples of drinks they were serving to people in the audience, like red bull mixed with raspberry and cheery syrups.

Ace of Spades will no doubt be packed all summer if it stays booked up with performers like Lady Danville, Steel Train and Jack's Mannequin.

Good lyrics, melodies, crazy talent on the piano and an inspirational story to boot – what's not to like?

To get in on all the action and for more information about upcoming shows visit Ace of Spades online.

Or find everyone on Facebook:
Ace of Spades
Jack's Mannequin
Lady Danville
Steel Train

B Street Theatre's 'Collapse' hits all the emotions

2011-06-14T05:14:29Z

If you are thinking about seeing B Street Theatre’s “Collapse” this summer, have high expectations. Within the first 10 minutes on opening night Sunday, the audience was already in an uproar of laughter.

The play takes place around February 2009 and opens with an extremely comical scene between Hannah and David, a married couple trying to have their first child. Though Hannah is the one who is lying over her husband’s lap about to have a hormone shot injected into her left butt cheek, she is the one pep-talking an uneasy and uptight David.

Their relationship becomes more and more strained and hilarious as Hannah's off-the-wall sister, Susan, unexpectedly stops in for a long-term stay without permission. There are all sorts of side stories inside the main plot as well. For example, insecure and passionate David suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was in the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse a year and a half before the play’s start, and he hasn't been to work in a month. He also suffers from ulcers, but still attempts to be an alcoholic, dumping many of his beers into the living room plant, unbeknownst to his wife.

Then, of course, there is Susan, the loose cannon with great one-liners, losing her job and apartment and agreeing to deliver an unmarked package from her psychic to some character named “Bulldog” in exchange for a plane ticket to Minneapolis, Minnesota to her sister’s house.

Hannah is a classic control freak, though she is extremely lovable. She spends the whole play taking care of everyone else and does not realize until the end how to let things go. She is also still recovering from a miscarriage that had happened a week after the bridge collapse, and she has a deep, burning desire to start a family.

In her search for some peace in her chaotic life she meets Ted, a charming sex addict, while standing outside of what she thinks is an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that she hopes her husband will attend. She soon finds out it is actually a Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting.

Though her intentions are pure, she soon succumbs to Ted's efforts and kisses him in a coffee shop after a long heart-to-heart conversation full of sexual innuendos and awkward moments.

The ironic twist is that Ted is impotent. David and Hannah have the audience in tears in their last scene as they realize their strong love for each other.

There is a lot going on, the play is fast-paced and energetic. There is never a dull moment, and yet the plot is well-defined.

Founded in 1986, B Street Theatre, located at 2711 B St., has been bringing undeniable talent to people of all ages ever since, and “Collapse” is no exception.

Opening night was Sunday, and 170 people crowded into the darkly lit stage room for the 7 p.m. showing. The play runs through July 24 and is directed toward a more adult audience.

Don't let this two-act, 90-minute play (with no intermission) fool you. It was a Global Age Project 2010 finalist, and playwright Allison Moore created a beautiful piece filled with just about every emotion and struggle on the map, and still it manages to leave the audience feeling lighthearted and carefree at the end.

“I like that it was funny and real,” said audience member Melissa Hightower, “because it was based on a real event that the writer experienced.”

Much praise is also due to directors Buck Busfield and Laura Baker for their obvious and widely successful efforts.

Vicki Reece has been ushering at the B Street Theatre for a year now, recruited by an old college roommate, said she is a strong believer that every play at B Street is wonderful.

“(Co-director and Producer) Buck (Busfield) picks plays that are just universally good,” Reece said. “I have enjoyed 100 percent of the plays at B Street Theatre.”

She's right, judging by “Collapse.” Plan on laughing, crying and being constantly surprised.

“It was funny and powerful,” said audience member Ali Lippman. “What was most powerful about it was (the actors’) interactions with each other.”

The chemistry between the actors was evident, and rightly so, as they each have quite a bit of experience under their belts.

Jason Kuykendall, who plays David, may seem familiar because he has also been in “Searching for Eden,” “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” and other productions. Not to mention, he's had television roles on “General Hospital” and “State of Grace.”

Elisabeth Nunziato, playing Hannah, has been acting with B Street since it was founded and been in numerous plays, such as “The Wishing Well” and “Circle Mirror Transformation.”

Amy Resnick, in the role of Susan, has also been in many productions and originated the role of Susan at the Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley at the world premiere of “Collapse.” She has also toured the United States during her career, and she's had roles on many popular TV shows such as “Law & Order.”

Adrian Roberts, who plays Ted, graduated from the American Conservatory Theater's master of fine arts program. He spent two seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and has been in several other theaters. He has also appeared on TV in shows such as “Scrubs” and “Criminal Minds.”

The schedule is fairly flexible, with show times of 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets range from $18 to $30.

“At B Street, you know you are going to get something different,” Hightower said.

A four-man play that blows your mind? Yes, that is brilliantly different.

For more information visit B Steet Theatre online.

Hot Lunch concert series under way

2011-06-04T02:34:23Z

What’s better than a summer afternoon filled with sunshine, great music, and tons of Italian food? Mama mia, it’s Hot Lunch Concert Series in the park.

The Hot Lunch Concert Series is back for its third year serving Tuscan-inspired pizzas every Thursday from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. from now until Sept. 1 at Fremont Park, 16th and P streets.

A brilliant collaboration of free music and lunch, which includes a pizza and drink for just $10 (including tax) from Hot Italian, located on 16th and Q streets in Midtown.

“Hot Lunch is a standout event because it showcases musicians in the city that really have a presence,” said Roshaun Davis, spokesman for Unseen Heroes, a promotion company working with event organizers. “But it also allows people to see them for free in a relaxing environment.”

“The unique thing about this event is that it is just one band playing at a time for a full 90 minutes,” Jerry Perry, music coordinator, said. “It is catering to a different audience, too, because it's during the day.”

Returning band and crowd favorite Musical Charis started off the summer, Thursday with its fresh indie folk sound. About 60 people sat on blankets and stood around the stage enjoying the performance. The crowd mainly consisted of students, local workers on their lunch breaks and parents with young children.

Some of the main genres of music are indie folk, R&B, jazz, singer/songwriters, rock and roll, and acoustic. Like Musical Charis, most of the bands that come to play are local. Thursday, The Bell Boys will be playing, and 13 other bands will also play as the summer progresses.

“Charis means gifted in Greek. We chose it because we all play several instruments and even switch them with each other,” said Musical Charis bass player and singer, Isabel Solomon, 23. The band recently got back from a two-month U.S. tour through 22 states.

“It’s a great time to relax before hittin’ the daily grind,” said Skylar Mundy, who attended the event Thursday. She said she works two jobs, so the lunchtime concert is perfect for her schedule, and she is a big Musical Charis fan.

“And right after this, I’m going to go get some pizza,” Mundy added.

There are 20 different pizza flavors Hot Italian has to offer, and some can be made into paninis or calzones.

“We make everything with authentic Italian ingredients along with ingredients from local vendors,” co-owner Andrea Lepore said.

“Hot Italian is just right across the street from the park, so it is really convenient for people to get their pizza and drink for only 10 bucks,” Perry said. “People can call in orders, and they provide ready-made lunches.”

“Most people just sit in their office for lunch. Hot Italian is replacing that idea with an option of something different and fun,” Davis said.
The weather is heating up, and the word is spreading.

“It is fun for us because we get to help Hot Italian out and get to help the music community at the same time by providing outlets for them to display their talents,” Davis said.

For more information, visit Hot Lunch Concert Series on Facebook or Hot Italian’s website.

A New Kind Of Touchstone.

2011-01-14T23:42:14Z

Do you ever feel like you don't belong? Maybe you feel you have gifts and talents that have not been used yet; or are interested in making new friends and being a part of a family.

Touchstone Christian Fellowship is a new church located in Carmichael, off Auburn Boulevard, a few exits past the Arden Fair Mall. Just six years into their journey, and they have already made a huge impact on the community. From their Sunday morning family services, to kids puppet shows at the California State Fair, and new Saturday night college student-focused worship services; they are reaching the Sacramento area in a whole new way.

Last Thursday, Touchstone had one of their smaller board meetings involving some of the leaders in the church: Jeff Miles; Head Pastor, Steve Bunnell; Youth Pastor, Sharon Miles; Womens Ministry Coordinator and Shirley Bunnell; Worship Leader. The church holds large board meetings that include seven members, four times a year. They also hold smaller board meetings that are weekly to help organize, facilitate and run things during the time in between. These members have been extensively prayed over, have high career expertise, good people skills, and represent the church family as a whole said Steve Bunnell.

One of the main focuses of the most recent meeting held, was how to get people invited to the new service on Saturday nights. The group discussed media for displaying the songs, fliers and how to portray a more laid back atmosphere.

“The goal is not to win people over, its to show people love. Its that plain and simple, and its easy to lose sight of that in all the planning and stress sometimes” said Sharon Miles, as they discussed the upcoming event.

“We want this service focused mainly on a younger crowd, but we don't want anyone to feel unwelcome either,” said Jeff Miles regarding their efforts to make the night more focused on college-age students.

Shirley Bunnell also said that because of the more contemporary sounding music, that will be played much louder then usual, will bring in a younger crowd on its own. Many of their meetings are spent this way, figuring out how to make people excited about new ideas.

Another issue talked about, was getting together more craft tender volunteers for the next puppet show that Touchstone Tales Theater will be having at Gibbins Park.

“I think both the adults and the kids get a good laugh at the shows you know? The people watching enjoy it, and the people working it enjoy it too,” said Steve Bunnell.

The point of these meetings are to discuss areas that need to be worked on, where teamwork needs to be highlighted more and to really figure out what it is that will touch the community most effectively, according to Jeff Miles.

Currently, the two main services offered by the church are Sunday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. They try to have a focus age group and different overall vibe for each one. There are also extra volunteer opportunities or fun activities, such as: camps, movie nights, book studies, bike rides and picnic days that the church plans frequently.

As the meeting came to a close in prayer Sharon Miles said, “I just hope that when people arrive on Saturday or whatever thing we are doing, they see how much we care about our jobs, but that even more then that, we just care about them.”

More info @ touchstonecf.org

Disclosure: Taylor Miles is daughter of Head Pastor, Jeff Miles & Womens Ministry Coordinator, Sharon Miles and a worship leader at Touchstone Christian Fellowship

Starbucks Mania

2010-11-23T00:01:02Z

The holiday season is full of tons of sales, tons more traffic, heavy amounts of stress, unending joy and most importantly, coffee. The greatest thing about coffee is that you can buy it as a gift, you can buy it in between buying gifts, you can buy it while you are talking about buying gifts and you can buy it when you are finally finished buying gifts.

Shoppers everywhere thank Starbucks in particular for their availability, popularity and new product choices every year, especially around this time. Starbucks has become a culture all on its own from the ordering lingo, to the quality of service, down to the family friendly vibe.

“I don't even like coffee, but I like the atmosphere here and how nice they are. Plus they have tea and fraps so I get those,” says Gabby Munoz, a local Starbucks customer.

What is truly fascinating is the constant popularity that has not wavered even in this economy.

“People complain about raising prices, but they weren't the only person effected by the recession, Starbucks as a company has to survive too,” says Hillary Martinez, a local Starbucks shift manager. “It must not bother them too much anyways, because they always come back for that triple shot.”

Through the years Starbucks has managed to stand their own, keeping the customers coming, and the ideas flowing.

“People go crazy for those plastic cups. We get them in and within hours they are gone the same day,” says Kaley Wassall, a local Starbucks barista. “Seriously though, any kind of sale we have, or even the store next to us has, we have lines out the door.”

Most people in Sacramento know this to be common sense. There is a packed Starbucks on almost every corner, and there is rarely a person who has not heard of a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Peppermint Mocha or Caramel Apple Spice.

“I thought the holidays this year would not be as busy because of the way things have been, but I think people are just tired of not spending money,” says Quoc Nguyen, a local Starbucks store manager. “They just want to enjoy themselves and have a good holiday I guess.”

For some people Starbucks culture may be all about the brand name, but for others its about coming together and having some hot chocolates on a rainy day; and that is what the holidays are all about.