The 19th Annual Sacramento Arts Festival this November 4, 5, 6 at the Sacramento Convention Center.

Stoneware artists will exhibit their porcelain or raku works, offering clay creations ranging from functional hand-thrown plates, cups, tea sets and vases, to whimsical sculptures and hand-made tile tables.

Woodworkers will exhibit items including candlesticks, salad bowls, jewelry boxes, tables, lamps, and chairs.

Painters, working in watercolors, oils, pastels, and acrylics, will display traditional and modern, landscape and still life, animal and floral, portrait and abstract, whimsical and surrealistic, originals and limited-edition prints.

Sculptors will exhibit works ranging from bronzes that fit on the mantle to giant welded assemblages suitable for the yard.

Jewelers, have items with gold and silver, enamel and fabric, precious and semi-precious gemstones.

Also there will be continuous live Jazz and Blues music on the Main Stage.

Tickets at the Door – $8 Adults, $7 Seniors, Children Under 12 Free.

Hours: Friday & Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm

Sacramento Convention Center
J Street and 14th Street
Sacramento, 9581

November 4, 5, 6

Parking for the Sacramento Convention Center Complex is available at the city-run Memorial Garage at 14th and H Streets and privately owned lots within walking distance of the facilities. Parking rates vary by location and event. On-Street parking meters, requiring quarters or debit cards, are also available and surround the Convention Center.

Public Transit — Online Destination Guide

The Crest Theatre will present master animator Hayao Miyasaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) with showings Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 1:00 pm and 7:30 pm.

Kiki is a young witch striking out on her own and starting her own delivery service. Venturing out, with only her chatty black cat, Kiki flies off for the adventure of a lifetime.

In Japanese, dubbed into English.

Since this movie is being shown on the Saturday before Halloween, all are invited to wear their Halloween costumes, and there will be a showcase on stage before the film.

I have the DVD: however, seeing the film on large screen would be special.

Tickers for 1:00 pm and 7:30 pm shows.

Crest Theatre
1013 K Street
Sacramento, 95814

Parking: Use parking garage at 10th and L streets.  Street parking, where permitted by the City, is free after 6 pm.

Why is it so hard to go to work on Monday? It feels like the longest work day of the week.

Today, I stumbled on this clip of one pretty awesome Nine Inch Nails concert in Sacramento.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glTG-IRB9mg[/youtube]

Loud music, wicked beats help me deal with my Mondays. What about you?

The Sacramento French Film Festival will arrive this Friday night in a bluster of wine and baguettes at the Crest theater. While Opening Night is on the 18th, you can attend a number of les films as the fest will run for deux weekends (deux means two). A single ticket is $10, but the party and all-you-can-watch passes are a bit more.

If you don’t speak the language of love (no not, “charge it!” but French!), no worries. All films have subtitles in English. Et c’est merveilleux!

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.

A Friday night approaches. Do you have anything planned? A night of PBS? Oh for heaven’s sakes, get out of the house. Go watch some improv. Hmmmm, you wonder, where might one do this? Good question. The Sacramento Comedy Spot. Just so happen the Sacramento Comedy Spot offers up some free and funny fare Friday. Flyer to follow:

Last Friday night the Sacramento Comedy Spot performed Aquarium to a sold out audience. The show went so well, The Sacramento Comedy Spot is bringing back Aquarium tonight, and you should go.

Consider me the town crier shouting, “It’s coming! It’s coming!” Why should I shout in a blog? Because, the show is wonderful. Sacramento’s unique group of improvisers has two goals:

1. Make you laugh, for free.
2. Repeat

So what are you doing tonight? You’re going to laugh for free? Good choice!

Sacramento has a wealth of improv talent that is, unfortunately, unknown. Tomorrow night a group of the best Sacramento improvisers are performing Aquarium, and you should be there. It’s free too. Absolutely, positively, comedy without charge.

I admit, I’m in the show, as is fellow blogger Christiana, but that’s not why you should watch. You should watch because,quite simply, it’s the most fun you’ll have tomorrow night, and it’s right here in Sacramento.

If you’re not familiar with improv, just know this: a group of people will create, on the spot, a series of scenes based on your suggestions. Ofcourse, if you’d rather watch we’re not going to force you to make suggestions. You can participate as much,or as little as you want. We just want you to have a good time. And, you will.

This Saturday night, the Sacramento Comedy Spot’s peformance team, the 5 Second Rule will perform its “Best Of” show at the Clarion Hotel on Auburn Blvd at 8pm. From their website:

The 5 Second Rule Best of Show will feature all the best sketches from 5 Second Rule’s 2006 Season including 1-800-Diffuse a Bomb, Helen Keller Ultimate Fighter and The Journey Sketch. 5 Second Rule is the newest sketch comedy group produced by The Sacramento Comedy Spot and directed by Brian F. Crall, the creator of The Free Hooch Comedy Troupe

Get tickets on line for $10 or at the door for $12. It’s a different night out than the same old dinner, drinks, or movie plans you have the rest of the time. Check out some other troupe sketches online here. All the cool kids are doing it.

I missed it when it first ran, but back at the end of December, an apparently troubled and humorless Sac News & Review writer went for Sacramento Comedy Spot’s jugular while reviewing their regular Wednesday night improv show at the Capitol Garage.

I won’t bother to get into exactly how ignorant the reviewer is of comedy styles and the practical reality of just how difficult it is to get up and just make up funny shit on the spot – funny shit based on audience member input a significant amount of the time, by the way (Mr. Reviewer, I’m looking at you) – but I will relay the anecdotal evidence that shows like Who’s Line Is It Anyway? routinely rolls tape for about 2 hours so they can splice together a meager 22 minutes of high quality funny bits for broadcast.

And those guys get paid. Quite well.

But you stand to benefit from this bad review. Sacrament Comedy Spot managing director Brian Crall, in responding to the review in a letter SNR published this week, has offered free entry to anyone who shows up and decrees he or she heard this show is a train wreck. So you can save the regular $5 entry fee and check out the show for yourself. Who knows – it might really turn out to be a train wreck. Or you’ll laugh a lot. Or you’ll laugh at a train wreck. As Crall says, they can’t all be winners – but take your chances anyway.

Of course, if you like it, you should ante up. It’s just $5, you cheapos.

Improv at the Capitol Garage 1500 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 $5.00 (or free) at the Door. Wednesdays at 9:00PM.