…sailor make hay? Sailor go play? I don’t know the next line in that one, but I do know we’re seeing the strange red sky of smoke-congested air. It smells like a firepit, looks like an ash pit, and sits solid in your nose like nobody’s business.
Even the HVAC-circulated air in my office reeked of cinders.
After all this, I’m asking you, dear reader, to pray for rain. Or chant. Or sing. Or do whatever it is you do. I’m hoping for rain, ASAP.
The Russians are coming…oh wait, they’re here. I just love saying that. Saturday, May 17 from 10 AM to 8 PM, there will be a YARMARKA (fair or festival) at Southside Park downtown. The park is just off Hwy 50 at 6th and W Streets. Free admission.
I’m told the event is kid friendly with food, performances, and souvenirs. There will be several music performers, including at least one Christian rock group. Oh yes, and a Ukrainian female rapper “Verka” should be there as well—it looks like she raps in English—non-religious, as far as I can tell.
If you want more info, here’s a mini-video of last year’s event. Caution: it’s all in Russian, but can give you an idea of what went on last year. I particularly like the “Russian Biker Club” segment where one guy wears a leather jacket in the video that says “Russian by Birth, U.S. Marine by Choice.”
Hoo-Rah!
Yesterday, in a rush to find something not fast, not expensive, and hopefully at least passingly healthy, I ducked into Ambrosia Cafe, right across from the Capitol at 11th and K Streets. If you work downtown, this isn’t the place to go if you DON’T want to see people you know during lunch. If the weather’s nice, though, it’s a great see-and-be-seen sort of place that doesn’t require a lot of time or money.
Ambrosia isn’t new and there’s long been a cafe there, by several names. Yet I find I forget about it frequently. Each time I have lunch there, though, I can’t figure out why it doesn’t stay on my mind longer. They provide a casual walk-up-and-order atmosphere, a truly tempting looking deli case stocked with salads and sweets, and a varied, interesting sandwich menu (something I especially appreciate). My two favorites are the BLT (it’s all about the quality of the B) and a well-flavored tuna salad. Technically, the menu offers a tuna melt, but I’ve never been a fan of frying something already good by virtue of all the mayo. I have no idea what the calorie count is, but it doesn’t taste heavy, so we’ll just leave it at that.
If I ever make it out of the house early enough, I’m going to try their Creme Brulee French Toast because . . . hell, do you need it explained. Creme Brulee. Breakfast. Sold! The description implies it could give Cafe Bernardo’s Amaretto French Toast a run for its money, but we’ll see.
CD’s reminder post about the I-5 Boat Section Repair reminded me that I came across a great informational site yesterday. Caltrans has put up a site called FixI5.com and it will have the latest news and updates regarding getting around the impacted area. Oh, and it will have live traffic cams for the truly curious.
One of the cool features on the site is a photo of the section of I-5 that flooded in 1980. It is a surreal glimpse of history. In 1996 I recall a (joking?) conversation with family that the I-5 would stop the Sacramento river from flooding downtown if it breached its banks. You can see it in action for yourself on the website.
Meanwhile, Bike Commute month is coming up, and that’s always a good commute option–as long as you don’t have to ride on Freeport Boulevard and take your life in your hands.
Ever wonder where all those high school flag and rifle twirlers go when school is over? Well, I think I do. They become sign-twirlers. A neon yellow-mohawked guy was twirling a sign on I Street yesterday, about 5 PM. He was doing an incredible twirl-job, around and over and up again.
If I didn’t have a place I had to be, I would have pulled over just to watch this guy twirl. He was that good. As it was I had one eye on the road, the other on the performance. There is life after graduation.
If you’re at home tonight at 6:30 PM and you want to watch the local news…you’ll get a healthy dose of Crystal Darkness instead. All local channels will be broadcasting with focus on our area and the “Meth Epidemic.” While I am cynical as to whether it is “just now” an epidemic, or if it has been an ongoing problem, I guess it is just a question of semantics.
Meth is here in Sacramento and the outlying cities, and if you don’t know what it looks like or how to spot the symptoms of someone using it, you might be caught unawares. Meth is involved in a lot of horror stories–and that lady with no teeth outside the Alhambra Safeway? I think she’s taking meth, or was–if she isn’t already dead.
If you live in Lavender Heights (part of Midtown), you should also watch the program…I learned something new today. Evidently meth is a popular choice in the Gay community. I wasn’t aware of that, but if you live in certain areas, your neighbor might be using. Or if you rent, you might want to check out who might have been living in the Victorian walkup before you–they may have left a gift that keeps on giving behind.
Seriously, if you can’t catch the program tonight, TiVo it. Or check out the website. Education, education, education. Education, prevention/treatment, law enforcement.
A poll on the KCRA website shows most people think law enforcement is the best way to handle the meth problem. Look around, people…we’re facing budget cuts and guess who gets hit first? Law enforcement, firefighters, schools.
Besides, if you don’t know what to look for, what it does, how to get help if needed–then when does law enforcement come in? It comes in when things are already out of hand. Law enforcement gets involved when there’s already a serious problem. Law enforcement gets involved when the user is on his/her way to prison or the morgue.
I am not usually out on the freeway after dark. No, I am not a day vampire, just a parent whose kids have an early bedtime. However, I do have a class one evening a week, and am traveling south on I-5 after 9 PM those nights.
If you haven’t seen the night work on the stretch between Downtown and Elk Grove, you are missing out. I am amazed at the complexity of shutting down a lane and setting up spotlights to work alongside the madness that is the late-PM driver. The spotlights and heavy machinery always remind me of some sort of space station–Houston, we HAVE landed. …They’re here….
Last night, the CHP was investigating an accident Southbound that happened inside the lane closure. Flashing red lights, blue lights, and white lights. Several vehicles were involved, and of course, everyone had to slow down for the cones, as well as to see what all the cops were doing.
Somebody lost their entire front end. Maybe next time they’ll “slow for the cone zone”.
I went to Crest Theater last night, to watch the Orphanage, and as I sat down I was asked, “Do they have screenings here?” I didn’t quite understand the question, looked puzzled, and thankfully the question was rephrased; “Do they do other events here? That’s a big stage.” Aha! I understood and rambled off the number of events they house in the theater: film festivals, concerts, lectures, and standup comedy performances.
While listing the events, it occurred to me the diversity the Crest offers up. In order to survive, and creep towards profitability, the Crest has adapted. I suddenly was impressed with the Crest. I was also, suddenly, and equally, disappointed with the Tower Theater. The Tower seems to consistently bemoan it’s inability to compete with the new movieplexs (Oh no! Not the big bad Cine Arts complex on K Street!).
Tower seems focused on their value as a landmark; they foolishly bank on their history as their meal ticket. Meanwhile, the insides are dilapidated, and I don’t blame anyone for fleeing to another theater. “Wait,” they cry, “it’s not our fault! We don’t have the money to spruce the place up!” Well, Tower, I’d suggest you figure out a way to augment that meager art film income. Crest looks for other income streams, why shouldn’t you?
In fact - call me a bastard if you want - if those who run the Tower are to stupid to try something new, I hope the place does get torn down.
Cool, the California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts (because you know women and art aren’t very historical) will be hosting an OPEN HOUSE Saturday evening which includes FREE admission to the museum, and free parking. The primary purpose is to show would-be researchers a glimpse at the archives.
It’s 4-8 PM on Saturday evening, October 6th, and there’ll be refreshments. But I don’t think it’ll be much more than clear kool-aid (so as not to stain the documents) and maybe a few Costco cookies. (Have you ever noticed how cheap those cookies are?)
Oh yeah, the museum is at 10th and O streets, in the heart of downtown, a mere few steps away from our own beloved white house, the State Capitol building.
Flat bumps in the road: what’s with the new ‘flat’ bumps (aka ’speed tables’) on 24th Street? They’re not nearly as fun as the old speed bumps. Not only that, but it seems like they’re not slowing any of the SUVs down–just the smaller car drivers, who were probably not speeding on that street, anyway.
Burger Watch: They’ve finally started the construction work over at the future home of Suzie Burger. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to salivate already.
Traffic girth control: Both 19th and 21st Street are going to be downsized into two-laners with room for bikes. Find another route home, if you dare. Or maybe dust off that Trek and use your own fuel.
Shopping cart man: were BOTH those bikes on your cart yours? How can you ride two bikes, one pink, one yellow, when you’re pushing a full shopping cart? Is anyone out there missing a putrid yellow bike or a shocking fuchsia one? I may have seen them floating down Q Street on the back of a rust-dusted shopping cart.
Oto’s on Freeport:
New incarnation of the Japanese-food-focused grocery store is now open, in a highly visible spot. If you want tiny one-human desserts or to make your own sushi, this is the place to go.
