Sometimes, even when it’s hot and nasty out and the air seems icky and tempers are short, a nice delta breeze kicks in and the clouds puff up, and we get the best evening skies:

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I don’t know about you but I’ve been limiting all my summer travel to day trips–you know, the kind that cost a tank of gas, max, to get there and back. So, in the sprit of day trips, I picked up a (library) copy of Frommer’s California 2008 guidebook and started riffling through it. The pages fell open to Chapter 10, Sacramento, The Gold Country, & The Central Valley. How wonderful that we rank enough these days to be listed by name. It was fun to note we have only one “expensive” restaurant–Biba’s, but even better was the budget dining section. I don’t know if I agree with the selection of spots–I think they might have been hip and cheap 10 years ago, but here they are, as recommended by former Sacramento resident and Frommer’s writer, Matthew Richard Poole, with my reaction in italics afterward:

Best Burger: Willie’s Burgers on 16th Street I haven’t been to Willie’s in awhile, but I wonder why The Squeeze Inn was listed for best burger? Maybe they’re charging more after their foray into fame with the Food Network? Or perhaps the author didn’t go further than Midtown for budget dining…

Best Coffee: Java City at Capitol and 18th Street Hmm, I haven’t really been a big fan of the Java City on 18th–are they still there? I think they got swamped by all the construction in that area in the last 5 years. I’m saddened that The Naked Lounge wasn’t listed–maybe Java City is cheaper and better, but I don’t have reason to believe it.

Best Mexican: Taco Loco Taqueria at 24th and J Street I’ve walked by Taco Loco on occasion and maybe I’ll try it. I can tell you that I know why Vallejo’s isn’t and shouldn’t be listed as a “best”. But that’s for another post.

Best Breakfast: Cornerstone Restaurant at 24th and J Street I just want to know if Matthew Richard Poole ever worked for the Sacramento News and Review. They seem to love the Cornerstone with a passion not unlike Paula Deen’s passion for butter.

Best Brewery: Rubicon Brewing Company at 20th and Capitol Oooh, pretty lights at the Rubicon. But other than that, I don’t drink (even if my posts ramble as though I do), so I haven’t had the occasion to sample their brew-bicon.

I did enjoy paging through the Sac section of the guidebook, but isn’t there anything outside of downtown/midtown worth visiting? Or do we just look like any other California city once you get past the grid? What’s your best budget dining spot? Surely there’s something outside the grid worth hopping on the light rail or biking towards?

UPDATE: I did overlook a mention of Funderland, The Sacramento Zoo, and Fairytale Town, as well as a quick blurb about where to rent a river raft (in Rancho Cordova), so I guess we did briefly saunter outside the grid and into the “suburban sprawl” as Poole terms everything outside of said grid.

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I was riding my little thigh-powered scooter into work along 20th Street the other day, and heard the ominous sound of the railroad crossing arms.  As any Sacramentan knows, the appropriate action to take at this point is to slam on the gas, and hope that you can perhaps beat the train to the C Street crossing.

Alas!  On this day, I had no horses, so I was forced to wait at L Street while the four engine behemoth chugged by.  Up pulled a ponytailed hipsterchik on a black cruiser.  And a business suit on a vintage Schwinn.  And a messenger on a fixie.  And a server, avec apron, on a yellow fat tire.  And a beat-up greybeard on a beat-up grey bike.  And by the time the train was done with us, there were eight bicycles waiting to get through the intersection.

Yay, alternatrans!

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There’s something really cool about a man in uniform–even better than that is a man in uniform, riding a horse, wearing cool CHP boots. Yes, Erik Estrada did not gain his fame by playing a homeless bum on TV.

You too can see our sexy (mostly) CHP riding on horseback around Capitol Park. They are out in full force lately, thanks to the Guv’s recent executive order and the ensuing rallies on the steps for state employees. Someone’s gotta keep the peace. So why not let the CHP do it, when they are on the “exempt” list, and they know for certain their salaries are secure? I’m not sure if the governor’s plan to cut wages backfired or not. Certainly placing more CHP in the public eye means more CHP getting paid. No salary savings there.

I really don’t mind watching the parades of men in uniform. However, had there been no executive order, there would be no great need to put the Capitol on lockdown. Had there been a budget, there would have been no need for an executive order. Had you voted last go around, there may have been a few good legislators in office, willing to compromise to keep the state moving and grooving as the happening place that it is and should continue to be. But then again, I’m counting the “shoulds” and “coulds” and not the reality of the grand BS that is the annual state budget.

What does it all mean? If you’d like to see your tax dollars at work, come for a stroll around the Capitol on a weekday. You’ll see an ocean of people, dotted by CHP, surging along in a sea of disillusion.

I can’t help but wonder if the extra brown shirts on patrol remind the governor of his childhood European home. Definitely a disturbing thought.

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Sacramento was hit by three power failures Tuesday afternoon that disrupted electrical service for nearly 3,800 customers.–Sacbee.com

Yes, the lights went out all over town. I would also like to note that the Bee overlooked the Richmond Grove area of downtown, which also lost power today.

Have you ever noticed how quiet it becomes when there’s no HVAC buzz, no neon lights, no (gasp) PCs humming? It was as if we could hear a pin drop over on S Street. But actually, our enjoyment of the silence was interrupted by Light Rail. Apparently they had all the power this afternoon, but they weren’t sharing!

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We’re sitting in the car at Q and 15th, waiting for the light to change. There’s a coffee shop on the corner, with outdoor tables and a neon sign in the window.

“Mama, why do they call that place ‘The Naked Lounge?’ What is it?”
“Oh, it’s a good coffee shop—best lattes in town—“
“Why do they call it, uh—naked–?”
“I don’t really know—to get your attention maybe? There’s nothing naked going in there that I know of—”
The light changed to green , thank goodness, as both my daughters peered into the dark cafe to see what exactly might be happening in the Lounge.
We then turn left onto 16th Street, and the corner ad there proclaims “Hot Italian” alongside a sexy black and white enlarged photo of Sophia Loren. My husband gives me that look, the out-of-the-corner-of-the-eye look, and we both laugh.

Which comes first–a naked lounge, or a hot Italian? Whatever–I’ll take mine hot, and to go, please. Keep the change.

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Athletes say offensive things all the time. But this kinda takes the cake:

It began when Yao was speaking to the Houston Chronicle in Nanjing, China, where his Team China is in the FIBA Diamond Ball Tournament, which leads up to the start of Olympic play Aug. 10 against Team USA. Yao expressed concerns over team chemistry with Artest and repeatedly referenced the infamous Detroit brawl in 2004 of which Artest was a huge part.

“Hopefully, he’s not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands,” Yao said.

Reached by phone a few hours later, Artest – who had spoken with Rockets shooting guard Tracy McGrady but not Yao since the news of the agreed-upon trade broke – said Yao is merely the latest person to believe “all the propaganda.”

“I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto,” said Artest, who will earn $7.4 million next season and be a free agent next summer. “That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about.

“If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.”

Really? I mean, really? So, being a violent thug, that’s a cultural thing we’re supposed to ascribe to, what, all African Americans? All urban residents?  Seriously, Ron, exactly which demographic would you have us believe owns a cultural right to be a jerk? And I’m guessing whichever group you specifically mean will probably have a fairly massive problem with your characterization.

Godspeed, Artest, I hope you’re Texas’s trouble now.

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Sacramento area skeptics, critical-thinkers and like-minded fellow travelers have something to look forward to on Friday, Aug. 1st: The first meeting of the Sacramento Drinking Skeptically event.

Sponsored by American River Skeptics, the event starts at 6:60 PM at Sacramento Brewing Co. (2713 El Paseo Ln.) According to the events organizer the focus of the first meeting will be meeting everyone, discussing future events, and how everyone came to the skeptic movement. I’m sure we’ll manage to fit a drink or two in there as well.

I’ll be there, anyone else?

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Sacramento staple and Best Market Ever Corti Bros. is being forced out of its East Sacramento home so that the space can house “Good Eats, a gourmet bistro-market planned by a partnership that includes Michael Teel, former chief executive of West Sacramento-based Raley’s Stores.”  Okay, so maybe it isn’t Raley’s fault, but I won’t shop at this new place. 

All that local grocery history, scrubbed out - the retro signage, the old-school feel, the miraculous, all-knowing wine department and deli counter employees GONE.

So where will they go? What will we do in the meantime?  Sometimes, I really hate change.

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If Metblogs is a city, hub.metblogs is the playground. We kept hearing from people that one of their favorite parts of Metblogs was meeting and interacting with readers and writers from other parts of the world, as well as getting requests for more ways that readers could be involved besides just posting comments. We thought about this for a while and decided that with a network like this, a giant community area where folks from all over the world could hang out, post photos and videos, talk with each other, form groups, play games, send messages, and do about a million other things was probably a pretty fun idea. The Hub is that.

If you have any tech ideas or suggestions join this group and speak up. See you on hub.metblogs!

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There’s really not much else to say, is there? Enjoy. (Responsibly.)

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So, a long while back, grid traffic was streamlined. The city implemented one-way streets to ease traffic into and out of town.  It was safer, faster, more efficient.

But, times change.

We received a post card in the mail the other day telling us that following the City Council’s 2007 approval of “the Central City Two Way Converstion Project” traffic on N Street between 28th and 21st will soon be converted from one-way (eastbound) to two-ways (east and west).  There will still be bike lanes and parking in each direction.

Poor 21st Street - it already sucks in the morning and now more will be forced on at N Street. And I’m guessing the currently sleepy 22nd and 23rd Streets will awaken with drivers avoiding N and 21st. 

The postcard says the plan’s purpose is to increase neighborhood liveability, reduce traffic speed and volume, and improve local access.  Though N can be quite a fast street at peak travel times, it’s relatively quiet outside of morning and afternoon commute hours. I guess I’m a bit ambivalent on this. But I would be ragingly against it if it led to “traffic calming” being inserted onto my area of the grid like what’s in Boulevard Park.

Other upcoming conversions seem to include: two-way traffic on 9th and 10th Street (really? the whole length?) and converting 3d Street between I and J Streets.

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According to this article from the Bee, there’s quite a tempest brewing about library director Anne Marie Gold. A sixth month grand jury investigation found

• “Low morale and a high rate of turnover among employees, especially key management personnel.
• “Lax oversight that led to felony charges being issued against two library officials accused in an overbilling scheme involving maintenance work at library branches.
• “A ‘major problem with uncollected fines’ totaling $2.5 million. Since the report’s release in May, the library has concluded it gave incorrect information to the grand jury and that that actual total of unpaid fines and value of unreturned materials is $4.6 million”

In addition the grand jury recommended that Gold be fired. The library board is meeting today to determine how to respond. They’ve also already spent $300,000 on their own”performance  audit”.

As a devoted reader and regular patron of the library, I’m not at all happy about all of this. Not only at the apparent waste that’s been taking place, but also at the extra money that’s being proposed to investigate it further.

Regardless, I suggest you visit your local library soon.

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Among the comments related to our 20th-most walkable city post, commenter wburg included a handy link to a really, really long list of Sacramento neighborhood associations. It’s so handy, in fact, that it seemed worth giving a public hat-tip to wburg and giving y’all the link right up-front: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/ns/nadb/alpha.cfm.

I’ll admit I’m torn over neighborhood associations in general: nightmares of NIMBY-ism run rampant balanced against local residents coming together to beautify a park, etc.  Anyone with comments on the relative strengths or weaknesses of a particular association is invited to comment.  Are these local orgs effective? Off-putting?  Did you even know you had one in your area?

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No, this is not some late-night Cinemax B-movie take-off of The Great Gatsby.

While zipping along K Street the other day, I noticed a slight but almost cataclysmic change: the True Love Coffeehouse had moved! The sign was still there, but there was another sign on that old white building: Sanad’s Mediterranean Deli. I was, of course, intrigued, since I’ve had to visit the wilds of the Crest Café in order to get my Med on. I added it to my agenda.

Last week, I got the chance to visit. I rolled by 2315 K Street on a Tuesday, exactly one week after they had opened. The inside is clean and spare, although the owner claims that they will be hosting some Second Saturday events and that there will be more artwork on the walls. There is a little bowl of kalamata olives and pickles for appetizers, which was a new one for me. The deli case is full of side orders for you to drool over while you wait for your main plate to be prepared, so watch out.

I struck up a conversation with the chef, who turned out to be the owner, Sanad, a recent arrival from Jordan. The recipes are his, and he prepares most of the food himself. The opening weekend had coincided with Second Saturday in July: “We served 222 people. And we ran out of food on Sunday!”

After eating there, I am not surprised…

Read more

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