Inside downtown apr 2016 by Inside Publications

INSIDE

I N S I D E

G E T

P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

I N T O

3 1 0 4

T H E

DOWNTOWN THE GRID MIDTOWN R STREET CORRIDOR LAND PARK

S T R E E T

S A C R A M E N T O

APR 2016

C A

9 5 8 1 6

N E I G H B O R H O O D

pending

SOUTH LAND PARK TERRACE Conveniently located on a corner lot in a wonderful South Land Park neighborhood. 3 bedrooms 2 baths, 1453 square feet with open Àoor plan, living room ¿replace and dual pane windows. 2-car garage, bonus room and RV access. $410,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

DUTRA BEND Ready for you to enjoy! This 4 bedroom 3 bath two-story home features newer paint, carpet and re¿nished hardwood Àoors. The great open Àoor plan is just what you are looking for! Open and spacious, there is plenty of room for everyone $449,000 PAULA SWAYNE 925-9715

pending

RETREAT AT VALLEY HI On the 15th fairway with spectacular views, single story 2 or 3 bedroom 2½ bath home is your own private resort! High ceilings, big windows and light-¿lled spaces. Outside access from every room to courtyard or pool. Gourmet kitchen, 3-car garage. $648,000 JAY FEAGLES 204-7756

sold

AMAZING TALLAC VILLAGE This IS THE ONE !!! So perfect is SO many ways both inside and out. It is cozy and open, re¿ned and stylish and brimming with character. Attention to detail plus quality updates. 3 bedrooms 2 baths plus family room. $349,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

sold

UPDATED TAHOE PARK Completely updated 2 bedroom that’s move in ready! Newer roof, siding, CH&A, wiring/electrical panel, kitchen, SS appliances, bathroom, dual pane windows, blinds, bamboo & tile Àooring. Big back yard with raised beds. $239,900 NATHAN SHERMAN 969-7379

INVESTOR SPECIAL Remodeled 2 bedroom, 2 bath halfplex with tenant in place … and this tenant would like to stay! Newer tile in interior. New roof and gutters in 2012. Seller would prefer an investor buyer who will allow tenant to stay in place. $132,500 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

DUNNIGANREALTORS.COM 916.484.2030 916.454.5753 Dunnigan is a different kind of Realtor.

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

GOLF COURSE TERRACE Beautifully updated four bedroom home located in a nice neighborhood. Re¿nished real hardwood Àoors, painted kitchen cabinets, updated bathrooms and more. Great open Àoor plan. Private yard with patio. Near Bing Maloney Golf Course, downtown, and shopping. $260,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

sold

GOLF COURSE TERRACE HOME Wonderfully cared for and updated! This lovely spacious 4 bedroom 2½ bath home has beautiful laminate Àooring, updated kitchen, living room ¿replace, central heat and air conditioning, covered patio, and more. Don’t miss this! $285,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

pending

for current home listings, please visit:

pending

FOULKS RANCH ELK GROVE Better look at this! Open and bright 3 bedroom 2 bath home that has a big backyard. Pretty laminate Àooring and a newer roof plus... easy walk to Foulks Ranch Elementary School. So close to shopping, parks, greenbelts, freeways and public transportation. Call today! $299,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

Termites multiply in warm damp weather. Look for these signs: ,QVHFWV WKDW ORRN OLNH 트\LQJ

+ROORZ VRXQG DQG 트H[LELOLW\

DQWV LQ \RXU KRPH

LQ \RXU 트RRU RU ZDOO

8QH[SODLQHG SLOHV RI GXVW

6DJJLQJ LQ \RXU FHLOLQJ

6RPH PD\ EH IRUPHG LQ D GRQXW VKDSH

&DOO IRU D IDVW DQG DFFXUDWH LQVSHFWLRQ

916.381.5793 PinnaclePest.com

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

INSIDE

EAST SACRAMENTO McKINLEY PARK RIVER PARK ELMHURST TAHOE PARK CAMPUS COMMONS

INSIDE

APR 2016

LAND PARK CURTIS PARK SOUTH LAND PARK HOLLYWOOD PARK MIDTOWN DOWNTOWN

APR 2016

INSIDE

ARDEN ARCADE SIERRA OAKS WILHAGGIN DEL PASO MANOR CARMICHAEL

APR 2016

INSIDE

POCKET GREENHAVEN SOUTH POCKET LITTLE POCKET

APR 2016

COVER ARTIST Kathrine Lemke Waste Painter Kathrine Lemke Waste is a Sacramento artist with a national presence. She was elected to Master Signature Membership of American Women Artists, and serves as president for its board of directors. She is represented by the Elliott Fouts Gallery.

Visit her latest work on Instagram or lemkewaste.com I N S I D E

G E T

P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

I N T O

3 1 0 4

T H E

S T R E E T

S A C R A M E N T O

C A

9 5 8 1 6

N E I G H B O R H O O D

I N S I D E

G E T

P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

I N T O

3 1 0 4

T H E

S T R E E T

S A C R A M E N T O

C A

9 5 8 1 6

N E I G H B O R H O O D

I N S I D E

G E T

P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

I N T O

3 1 0 4

T H E

S T R E E T

S A C R A M E N T O

C A

9 5 8 1 6

N E I G H B O R H O O D

I N S I D E

G E T

P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

I N T O

3 1 0 4

T H E

S T R E E T

S A C R A M E N T O

C A

9 5 8 1 6

N E I G H B O R H O O D

LOCAL APRIL 16

PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings publisher@insidepublications.com 3104 O St. #120, Sac. CA 95816 (Mail Only) EDITOR PRODUCTION DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY AD COORDINATOR DISTRIBUTION ACCOUNTING EDITORIAL POLICY

VOL. 1 • ISSUE 3

Marybeth Bizjak mbbizjak@aol.com M.J. McFarland Cindy Fuller Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster Lauren Hastings Jim Hastings, Daniel Nardinelli, Adrienne Kerins 916-443-5087 Commentary reflects the views of the writers and does not necessarily reflect those of Inside Publications. Inside Publications is delivered for free to more than 65,000 households in Sacramento. Printing and distribution costs are paid entirely by advertising revenue. We spotlight selected advertisers, but all other stories are determined solely by our editorial staff and are not influenced by advertising. No portion may be reproduced mechanically or electronically without written permission of the publisher. All ad designs & editorial—©

7 8 10 12 14 16 18 24 26 28 30 34 36 44 46 48

Publisher's Desk The Mayor's Race Inside City Hall Inside Downtown Volunteer Profile City Beat Life In The City Building Our Future Local Heroes Garden Jabber Home Insight Getting There River City Previews Spirit Matters Artist Spotlight Restaurant Insider

SUBMISSIONS Submit cover art to publisher@insidepublications.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Submit editorial contributions to mbbizjak@aol.com Subscriptions at $25 per year guarantees 3rd class mailing. Pay online at insidepublications.com or send check with name & address of recipient and specify publication edition.

VISIT INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM CONTACT OUR ADVERTISING TEAM Ad deadline is the 10th of the month.

Jessica Laskey NEW ACCOUNTS

(646) 477-8560 JL@insidepublications.com

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Duffy Kelly 224-1604 dk@insidepublications.com

Ann Tracy 798-2136 at@insidepublications.com

Set your life back in motion. You shouldn’t have to live with back and neck pain. The Dignity Health Neurological Institute of Northern California can set you in motion using the latest in technology and treatment— including minimally invasive and nonsurgical options. Attend a Dignity Health informational seminar to meet our spine specialists, ﬁnd out what’s causing your pain, and learn how we can treat it—to get you back to living pain-free. Tuesday, May 10 Hampton Inn and Suites Folsom 155 Placerville Road Folsom

Thursday, May 19 Hilton Sacramento Arden West 2200 Harvard Street Sacramento

Both events are from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Healthy appetizers and beverages will be served. Register online at DignityHealth.org/SacramentoSpine or call 916.851.2511.

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Another reason to have the right living trust: Your daughter-in-law, Lucy • She has at least three personal shoppers on speed dial. • Her poodle owns more designer clothing than you do. • She suggests “upgrades” to your home each time she visits. • She thinks you can buy happiness – and she measures it in karats. • She likes to be seen at the trendiest night clubs in town; your son prefers to stay home with the kids. What if your estate ended up in her control? Call me for a free consultation and learn how you can plan for the “Lucy” in your life. Or visit www.wyattlegal.com.

law office of brian d.wyatt ,PC

trusts & estates probate special needs planning

3406 American River Drive Suite B Sacramento, CA 95864 273-9040

Announcing: New Montessori Program for Infants and Toddlers Designed especially for working parents, our Montessori program starts for children as young as 3 months. Our AMI credentialed teacher is an expert in infant development and has created a safe, nurturing and stimulating classroom environment for your child to learn and grow. The result is a once-in-a lifetime experience for your child – and peace of mind for you.

Trust Our Experience

Learn more by visiting

For 40 years, we have partnered with families to provide a world class early education for their children. We would love to partner with your family as well! Contact us today to schedule a visit.

BergamoSchools.com/Infant

B E RG A M O M O N T E S S O R I S C H O O L S Celebrating 40 Years - 1975 to 2015

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

or call

916.865.5380

Sac / Elk Grove / Davis / Woodland

BergamoSchools.com

Powering on for Science INSPIRING NEW CENTER COULD BE BUILT OUT BY END OF THE DECADE

local architectural firm Dreyfuss & Blackford designed the project. Powerhouse Science Center will replace The Discovery Museum, a science and space center on Auburn Boulevard. The plan is for the old museum to close a few months before the new center opens. The staff will move over to run the new center.

BY CECILY HASTINGS

The center is designed not just for schoolchildren but for learners of all ages

PUBLISHER’S DESK

arry Laswell is a man on a mission. As the recently appointed executive director of Powerhouse Science Center, he has the tall task of raising $5 million by the end of the summer. This is the last bit of funding needed to start construction on the $40 million center this fall. “The science center is the only new project in town—not under construction now—that can be open by the end of the decade,” said Laswell in a recent interview. A retired venture capitalist, Laswell headed up a recruitment effort to find a new director for the center last year. The board concluded he was the perfect man for the job. “I obviously enjoy a challenge,” he said. “This immediate effort will finally set into motion the process to get built what has been in the planning stages for more than a decade.” The 50,000-square-foot facility will be built on the site of the historic PG&E power station off I-5 and Richards Boulevard, adjacent to the contemporary water intake structure projecting out onto the Sacramento

The Discovery Museum receives 80,000 visitors a year, most of them schoolchildren. Laswell expects 250,000 people to visit Powerhouse annually. At Powerhouse, exhibits, galleries and demonstrations will focus on PUBLISHER page 9

Harry Laswell at the future site for the Powerhouse Science Center

River near its confluence with the American. The first phase of the project will give the historic building a new entrance pavilion. It could be completed in late 2017. The second phase involves constructing a new parking structure. In the third phase, the Earth & Space Science Center will be built. The

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

The Mayor’s Race HOW STEINBERG AND ASHBY DECIDED TO RUN

BY R.E. GRASWICH

ngelique Ashby and Darrell Steinberg each want to be the next mayor of Sacramento. Both candidates promise to extend downtown’s economic revitalization and build upon public investment in the new arena. Both vow to promote pubic safety and fiscal responsibility. All that sounds good. But what will the winner really do once he or she walks through the double doors on the fifth floor at City Hall and claims Kevin Johnson’s office? Will they lead or divide? Will they push bold initiatives or work quietly behind the scenes on business as usual? There are other people campaigning for mayor, notably Tony Lopez, a charismatic former world champion boxer. Lopez earns his living as a bail bondsman. He hasn’t received any respect from the community elites who bestowed political endorsements on Steinberg and Ashby and are financing their campaigns. But Lopez is worth watching. He’s an outsider in a time when outsiders upend established candidates. He has name recognition and a compelling narrative, elements essential to successful campaigns. If nothing else, Lopez may draw enough votes to hold Ashby and

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Angelique Ashby

Steinberg below 50.1 percent in the June primary, forcing a November runoff. How that would play out is anyone’s guess. Given the campaign’s awkward start, an indecisive June would not be surprising. Steinberg, a career politician with deep credibility and respect among his peers, was looking for a soft landing spot after being termed out as Sacramento’s state senator. For six previous years, he served as leader of the Senate, a job that placed him alongside California’s most powerful officials. He enjoyed ornate offices in the Capitol, recast in 19th-century splendor. He controlled

Darrell Steinberg

hundreds of jobs. Legislation couldn’t move and the state budget couldn’t pass without his nod. That power disappeared on Oct. 15, 2014, when Steinberg left the Senate. Sacramento is a cruel place for a former elected official, which is why many scramble for peripheral jobs. An instant has-been, even a former Senate president has zero value to people who do business at the Capitol—people whose only interest is whether you can get bills passed or killed. When you can do neither, you are irrelevant. Such has become Steinberg’s fate at age 56. After 20 years in office,

climbing from the Sacramento city council to the Assembly and Senate, mastering the political netherworld, there was nowhere to go. He took a job at a law firm, but grinding away as an attorney never motivated Steinberg. He was mentioned as a possible nominee for the State Supreme Court and floated as a potential replacement for Attorney General Kamala Harris, who will abandon her state job if elected to the U.S. Senate. He thought about running for lieutenant governor. And there was always mayor, a resolutely provincial stop for a politician with a statewide

portfolio, but appealing from a legacy perspective. “I have options and choices, and that’s a good thing,” Steinberg says. “The court and attorney general, those would be appointments by the governor. We have a good relationship, but those are his choices. I have options, and running for mayor is what I’ve chosen to do. And I’m running hard.” While the mayor’s job would seem a comedown for someone accustomed to the pinnacles of power, even that decision had complications. Steinberg wasn’t looking for a competitive race—or a race against Johnson. And Johnson dithered about a third term. Last summer, Johnson told friends he wasn’t running. But a scandal from his past was revived by the website Deadspin: a scandal over Johnson’s relationship with a 16-year-old girl during his Phoenix Suns days. Johnson’s competitive fires stirred. He moved toward a third campaign but backed away in October. With no incumbent, Steinberg was game. He drew support from almost every elected official in town. Seven city councilmembers endorsed him. But the eighth city councilmember had plans of her own. Angelique Ashby, 41, a brash outsider elected to her second term from North Natomas in 2014, had been dreaming about the mayor’s job for years. Like Steinberg, Ashby didn’t want to run against Johnson. But the mayor’s office was an obvious step for her ambitions. Tired of waiting for Johnson, Ashby jumped. She plotted her announcement while Johnson stalled. Finally and coincidentally, on the same day Ashby declared she was running, Johnson announced he was finished. “I wanted to make my plans clear,” Ashby says. “My decision to run had nothing to do with what other people might be planning. That’s not me. I’m running because I love this city and plan to be a great mayor.” One experienced political pro. One striver hungry for new challenges. And a boxer. The field was set for a mayor’s race with distinct choices. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

PUBLISHER FROM page 7 the themes of nature discovery, water as life, sustainable building and energizing our future. There will be room for traveling exhibits. The center is designed not just for schoolchildren but for learners of all ages. There are plans for a planetarium and a high-tech Challenger Learning Center. Archeology programming will be offered, along with movies, laser shows and astronomy programs. There will be a cafe with outdoor seating. “Our core mission is to light the spark with children in STEM: science, technology, engineering and math,” said Laswell. “With 20 percent of all new job offerings STEM-related, this experience is critical to the education of our future workforces. Most of those who study science in college report their interest began with an experience as a child. “Many of our huge civic discussions and decisions involve complex science issues. Consider the Delta tunnels, GMOs and NASA and it is easy to see why we must help educate the public in science.”

The center will employ 50 people, making it a serious economic generator. His personal experiences with science as a child still drive Laswell. “I was lucky to have the spark set off in me as child when a new science museum opened in my hometown,” he said. “It positively affected my entire career. This is my way to help give a future to the next generation of young scientists.” The center will employ 50 people, making it a serious economic generator. Laswell explained the numerous other benefits to Sacramento if the center gets built according to plan. “This center will be of the caliber of experience that the Crocker

140th Anniversary Sacramento Valley

SCOTTISH GAMES & FESTIVAL April 23-24, 2016

Yolo County Fairgrounds • Woodland, CA More details or discount tickets at

www.SacramentoScotGames.org Museum and the California State Railroad Museum provide,” he said. “It will also be a beautiful special-event venue. And it will be another wonderful attraction to help market Sacramento to visitors and conventions and round out the tourism experience.” Come on, Sacramento. Let’s get this exciting project finally done! People who are interested in donating to Powerhouse Science Center or serving on the board can contact Harry Laswell at 8083942. For more information, go to powerhousesciencecenter.org.

MORE ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER My column last month presented incorrect information on the recommendations of the mayor’s task force on the future of the Community Center Theater. We regret the error. The following information correctly describes the situation.

The task force recommended that the city build a new theater. But funding sources still remain an enormous hurdle under this plan. The group also rejected a plan to refurbish rather than replace. The task force also rejected numerous alternate sites, citing the “ideal” location of the existing theater. The refurbishment plan, supported by some committee members, calls for dramatically upgrading the building’s exterior, expanding the lobby and adding dozens of restrooms. New seating would be installed, and the venue’s acoustics would be significantly overhauled, employing state-of-the-art technology. The backstage area would be revamped with the addition of more dressing rooms, and technical capabilities upgraded to accommodate production demands into the future. Despite the committee’s recommendation, it now appears that city staff, under the direction of the Mayor Kevin Johnson, is turning its PUBLISHER page 11

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

RT on the Rocks FIGHT OVER FARE HIKES SPLITS TRANSIT BOARD

BY CRAIG POWELL

INSIDE CITY HALL

o get a sense of how broke Regional Transit is, consider this analogy. Let’s say you’re part of a Sacramento family. You have a fairly well-off, middle-class lifestyle, but in the last couple of years you’ve really splurged, buying yourself a big, new Mercedes and a big, pricey cabin up at Lake Tahoe, all financed to the hilt. Meanwhile, the small business you run, RT Clothing, has never regained the boatload of customers you lost when you decided to jack up your prices by 20 percent in the middle of the last recession (oops), leaving you with a flat income for years. Fortunately, your wife, a retiree who collects both a military pension from the federal government and a healthy state government pension, has been collecting costof-living increases for years. She brings home close to 80 percent of the family income these days, bless her. Together, you have a family income of close to $150,000 per year. The charming new home you bought 30 years ago in Light Rail Estates is showing serious signs of age and, let’s be honest, neglect. Your roof is shot, the paint’s badly peeling, you may need a new furnace and your backyard pool has algae

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

stains and a rather unpleasant odor. Lately, some of the sketchier kids in your neighborhood have been jumping over the fence when you’re not home, swimming in your pool, hanging around for hours on end and leaving their trash everywhere. It’s gotten so bad that many of your longtime

friends no longer accept invitations to your summer pool parties. You’ve spotted some of them going into Bob and Nancy Uber’s backyard down the street. The Ubers put in a nice, new pool last year and they let their friends drop in to swim whenever they want.

Things are going so-so until one day you decide to open up your bank and credit card statements for the first time in six months. You’re stunned (stunned!) to see all of the savings you thought you were socking away each month have somehow evaporated. Not only that, you owe a whopping $18,000 on your Visa bill. (How did that happen?) In a panic, you check the balance in your checking account and your heart sinks further. You have just $3,000 in cash and, at the rate your family burns money, it will be long gone in three months’ time. What do you do? Do you raise your prices 20 percent again on the (remaining) customers of RT Clothing (since it worked out so well for you when you raised prices 20 percent last time), or do you and your wife have a heart-to-heart talk and start seriously cutting back on your family’s expenses and upscale lifestyle? And that, folks, is pretty much the sad and increasingly tragic story of RT. Just add three zeros to all of the numbers. RT began impoverishing itself by issuing $87 million in revenue bonds in 2012 to help pay for the extension of light rail from Meadowview to Consumes Community College. (The rest of the $250 million cost of the project was funded with federal grants.) The rushed and highly political decision to build the extension, completed just last summer, foisted $10 million of new costs on RT each year ($4 million in bond payments and a further $6 million in operating costs). It’s a cost that RT cannot afford.

Sacramento’s

Premiere Memory Care Community Discover our signature interactive Call memory program Now F or featuring music and Comp limen memory, art reflections, tary T o fresh and healthy urs fare, weekly support group meetings, Day Club Program with transportation available, Genesis Rehab Center, and our newly remodeled cottages.

RSVP:

RT made a similar but less costly error (at $45 million) in prematurely constructing the first 1.1 mile of a proposed light rail line (dubbed the Green Line) to Sacramento International Airport. Frankly, I don’t know too many people who’d have the patience to take a light rail train from downtown to the airport that makes 13 stops along the way, as envisioned by RT. The estimated cost of completing the Green Line to the airport is a cool $1 billion. No one has a clue how to finance it. How is RT using the 1.1-mile initial segment of the Green Line? (RT staffers actually call it the “minimum operable segment,” a refreshingly forthright description, don’t you think?) The line runs from downtown to Richards Boulevard (now dubbed Township 9) and back, capturing just 300 riders a day at an annual cost of nearly $1 million. Eye on Sacramento (the civic watchdog group that I head) has estimated that it would be cheaper for RT to pay its current Green Line passengers to take Uber or Yellow Cab to make the trip. With RT

financially on the rocks, the Green Line minimum operable segment should probably be mothballed until population density in the area justifies its operation or the developers active in Township 9, whose projects benefit from the line, agree to pick up RT’s costs of operating it. State law requires that RT collect at least 24 percent of its total operating budget from passenger fares. The rest of its costs are subsidized by federal and state governments and a slice of the local half-percent transportation sales taxes (Measure A). But RT has struggled to comply with this “fare box ratio” requirement because its ridership has fallen so much. In 2008 and then again in 2009, RT approved back-to-back 25-cent fare hikes, raising the fare from $2 to $2.50. The 25 percent overall fare hike, along with cuts to RT service levels, caused ridership to plunge, and it’s never recovered. In January, RT staff started pressing the RT board to approve another 50-cent fare hike. CITY page 13

PUBLISHER FROM page 9 attention to renovation plans in the coming months. The shift has been a bitter disappointment for arts groups that have had their sights set on a sparkling performing arts palace to host Broadway plays, the symphony, opera and ballet. Task force member Rob Turner agreed with the committee’s recommendation. This month, we asked task force member Dennis Mangers to present his view on the future of the theater.

REFURBISHMENT IS BEST OPTION Like Rob Turner, I served on the mayor’s task force exploring the possibility of building a new performance arts theater. Unlike Mr. Turner, I served on the financial committee. By the end of the yearlong process, we could find no path to raising the money to build a new facility. A number of us came to see the proposed new sites as deeply

flawed, so I turned my attention to transforming the existing Community Center Theater. Phoenix has a performing arts theater designed by the same architect as ours. The two buildings look like twins. Phoenix renovated its facility and attached it elegantly to its neighboring convention center. Now Phoenix plans to retrofit its theater with the latest acoustic technology. Architects and contractors told the city that its theater had “good bones” and did not have to be abandoned to achieve a dramatically different interior and exterior. The same is true of our theater. We have the potential for a similar transformation at less than one-third of the cost of a new theater. Let’s move to reimagine an old friend into an iconic structure in a signature location and avoid the mounting costs of continued delay. Dennis Mangers is a former assemblymember and longtime arts advocate. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com n

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Stories Unearthed HISTORY COMES TO LIFE (AND DEATH) AT THE OLD CITY CEMETERY

BY SCOT CROCKER

INSIDE DOWNTOWN

t some point, tourists and new arrivals to Sacramento walk the streets of Old Sacramento and enjoy the quaint shops, woodplank sidewalks and exhibits, buildings and museums that pay homage to the Old West and the Gold Rush. Underneath that nostalgic façade, however, is the reality that Sacramento was birthed by a band of tough, ruthless, hard-nosed, pennypinching, abrasive men and women. Their stories come to life—or death—at Sacramento’s Old City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway. Famous people are buried there. Ancestors of local families are there. Plain folks and families rest in the cemetery’s 31-plus acres of plots, crypts, gardens and mausoleums. And under every tombstone is a story. Thanks to the more than 140 volunteers of the Old City Cemetery Committee who keep digging up new dirt, those stories don’t fade away. They actually continue to grow. Sacramento wasn’t an easy place after gold was found in 1848. Every kind of person imaginable descended on Sacramento, from gamblers and prostitutes to pastors and shopkeepers. They set up home wherever they could, headed to the

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Volunteers Jane Howell and Jean Robinson

gold fields and often came back to Sacramento empty-handed. There was no city then, no real government and no real law. John Sutter Sr. started his New Helvetia colony with the approval of the Mexican government. He planned to start a city called Sutterville before gold was discovered.

Gold changed everything. Sutter made a fortune. People flooded in. Sutter Sr. asked his son, John A. Sutter Jr., to form a city called Sacramento where Sutterville was going to go. John A. Sutter Jr. is buried in the old cemetery. But he didn’t die here. After setting up the city in the

gridlike configuration that we know today, Sutter Jr. fought with his father. Junior left for Acapulco, where he died. He was brought back to Sacramento for his final resting spot. In 1849, Sutter Sr. gave 10 acres of land to the city for a cemetery. It was built south of downtown on the highest ground in the city. It’s actually a large hill. Other land was later donated. Over the decades, the cemetery fell into disrepair from vandalism and age. Other cemeteries opened, making the city cemetery obsolete. Monuments were marred. Headstones toppled. In 1987, citizens worked with city officials and the County Sheriff’s work release program to refurbish the grounds with plants, flowers, bushes and gardens. “There are still a few open plots out here, and we still have burials even though the oldest burial is from 1849,” said Jean Robins, one of the cemetery volunteers. “There is one mausoleum that was passed down through the years to its current owner. He’s been trying to sell it for years.” There are some notable characteristics to the back stories of the people laid to rest in the cemetery. Almost everyone was an immigrant or from an immigrant family. The Gold Rush brought people of every nationality, religion and color to Sacramento. The city cemetery is uniquely integrated. “There is little segregation in the cemetery,” said Jane Howell, a longtime volunteer and docent. “There are some areas

DOWNTOWN page 15

CITY FROM page 10 RT is starting to lose some customers to innovative ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, which offer highly responsive, on-demand customer service for pretty modest prices. Meanwhile, the quality of RT’s light rail and bus service has been deteriorating, drawing passenger complaints about dirty, odorous vehicles, scary and intimidating passengers, misconduct and chronic fare jumping on light rail. Two recent murders on light rail trains have added to the public’s negative view of light rail. Meanwhile, the owners of the Kings and prominent members of the downtown business community, supported by county supervisor Phil Serna, have been leaning very hard on RT management to clean up its trains and refurbish its downtown stations before the fall opening of the Golden 1 Center, when an uncertain number of Kings fans will try out light rail for the first time. Instead of RT’s paying for such work out of its almost nonexistent cash reserves or its nonexistent positive cash flow or, God forbid, pressing the billionaire owners of the Kings to bear some major portion of the work’s cost, RT responded by borrowing $6.2 million (by drawing down bond proceeds) to upgrade and generally spruce up its downtown stations and make other cosmetic improvements. It was, once again, an RT decision to rush into a project without thinking through the financial consequences of its decision. Does it make any sense for RT to borrow money and incur interest costs to fix up stations for arena patrons at a time when it is experiencing chronic budget deficits and seeking to close them with major fare hikes on its riders? Is it fair to its many low-income riders? Shouldn’t the owners of the Kings, whose NBA franchise has doubled in value to $1 billion since they bought the team, be compelled to pony up to pay for such improvements, particularly since they’ll financially benefit from the work? In June, the RT board approved a budget that projected that RT

would enjoy a surplus this year. Seven months later, RT management announced that it is now facing a $2.7 million deficit this year and needed an immediate 20 percent fare hike, from $2.50 to $3, or it would run out of cash within a year. (RT has been dipping into its reserves to cover budget deficits for the past two years.) A month later, RT management announced that it had also overestimated the funds it would collect from the state this year, adding another $1 million to its current budget deficit.

RT is starting to lose some customers to innovative ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. How could RT go from a projected surplus to a deficit in just seven months? RT management offered no explanation for the apparent dramatic reversal in RT’s finances, despite numerous public calls for it to do so. It’s not yet clear whether RT is actually experiencing a serious reversal this year or whether the budget approved in July was shot full of rosy scenarios that withered as actual results started pouring in. A fare increase to $3 would make RT’s fare the highest in the nation, tied only with high-cost New York City. By what logic could relatively low-cost Sacramento possibly end up with the highest transit fare in the nation? No one on the RT board bothered to ask that question (at least not publicly), and no one on the RT management team bothered to answer it. In any event, the proposal to hike fares by 20 percent on July 1 met with strong resistance from both RT board members and the public at a Jan. 25 board meeting. In response, staff tweaked the proposal. It still asked

for a 20 percent rate hike but broken into two steps: a 10 percent hike on July 1 and another 10 percent hike in July 2017. At the RT board meeting on March 14, an overflow crowd of RT customers and representatives of several groups spent hours imploring the RT board not to impose any fare hike. They pointed out that a hike would fall most heavily on RT’s many low-income and fixed-income customers who are dependent on RT for their mobility. Their effort had no observable impact on the board. In an 8-3 split, the RT board approved a 10 percent fare hike effective July 1 but rejected staff’s proposal for an additional 10 percent hike in 2017. It also scaled back proposed hikes in the prices of passes and fares for students and the disabled. County supervisors Phil Serna and Don Nottoli opposed the fare hike, while all four of the Sacramento councilmembers on the board (Steve Hansen, Jeff Harris, RT chair Jay Schenirer and Rick Jennings) voted to approve the hike. Eye on Sacramento presented the RT board with a report prepared by Professor Emeritus Greg Thompson of Florida State University, a transit expert who chairs EOS’s transportation committee. The EOS report warned of the risk that a major fare hike would raise little money (given how fares contribute relatively little to RT’s total budget) but would further depress RT’s already anemic ridership and risk pushing RT into a transit death spiral, where fare hikes lead to ridership declines and service cuts, which, in turn, lead to further fare hikes and so on. The EOS report urged RT to focus like a laser beam on cutting costs. It identified more than a dozen ways RT could reduce costs, including outsourcing RT functions, eliminating union work rules that drive up costs, canceling proposed raises, hiring an outside law firm to negotiate union contracts, mothballing the one-stop Green Line for now, halting plans to build a circulating streetcar downtown that would load an estimated $5 million to $8 million in new costs on RT each year (an

estimated $180 million over 30 years), and halting planning work on the Green Line to the airport for now. The report also urged the local governments that have representatives on the RT board to start appointing to the board business professionals who have experience in overseeing large organizations instead of elected officials, who are too often overextended by serving on as many as a dozen boards and commissions. Meanwhile, Hansen, who also chairs the Sacramento Transportation Authority, has been pressing to have STA place a measure on the November ballot that would ask voters countywide to approve a doubling of the Measure A halfpercent transportation sales tax, a portion of which would be allocated to RT. Such a measure would face long odds. First, county voters tend to be much more conservative and far less receptive to the notion of doubling a tax than more liberal voters in the city of Sacramento. Second, the local economy is still quite weak. Real median household income in Sacramento County dropped 12 percent between 2007 and 2013, which can’t help but dampen voter appetite for doubling the tax. Third, an increase in the transportation sales tax rate would be a “special tax” requiring two-thirds-majority approval rather than a simple majority. Finally, voters will likely have little interest in doubling the subsidy they pay to RT if the RT board and management fail to respond to its current crisis with a real commitment to cutting its operating costs and adopting badly needed governance reforms. To read EOS’s report, “Avoiding Both Bankruptcy and a Transit Death Spiral,” go to eyeonsacramento.org. Craig Powell is a local attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He can be reached at craig@ eyeonsacramento.org or 718-3030. n

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Anita Clevenger IN RETIREMENT, THIS GARDENER BLOSSOMED

BY JESSICA LASKEY VOLUNTEER PROFILE

hakespeare said that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Anita Clevenger can tell you the name of that rose, where it came from, how to care for it and when it will bloom. That’s what happens when you’re a Lifetime UC Master Gardener and the curator of the Old City Cemetery’s awardwinning Historic Rose Garden. The Ohio native and longtime East Sacramento resident didn’t always know so much about roses. After taking early retirement from her job as a manager at McClellan Air Force Base, Clevenger realized that she needed something else to do. “My son, Kurt, was tired of having so much mother around,” she says with an easy laugh. When a neighbor introduced her to the beauty of old roses, she decided to check out the storied Sacramento Historic Rose Garden, which has more than 500 old garden roses from the 19th and 20th centuries.

T plants were recovered from The n neglected and abandoned sites like p pioneer cemeteries, old homesteads a mining camps and replanted in and t cemetery to preserve California’s the h horticultural heritage. “I was always saying that someday I would volunteer for the garden,” s says Clevenger, an avid gardener a author of Inside Publications’ and m monthly Garden Jabber column. “But after taking a pruning class t there, I realized that ‘someday’ is n now. I told my husband I was going t help out during the pruning to s season of 2003, and I never stopped. T There’s just so much to learn.” Eventually, Clevenger took over a curator of the garden. Now, she as m manages the collection, oversees v volunteers, leads tours, works in t garden at least three mornings the a week, writes for international p publications and gives talks all over t world. the “We’re trying to put Sacramento a the rose garden on the map, and a least within the rose world,” at VOLUNTEER page 17

Expect MORE from your Realtor Character. Competence. Commitment. Community.

“We needed a versatile Realtor who could help us find a much larger home in the outlying areas to meet our needs and to sell our vintage home quickly for top dollar. Steffan guided us through the whole process of buying and selling with ease. We couldn’t be happier!”

—Mike and Sara Redfern Steffan Brown ł 717-7217 ł SteffanBrown.com

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

CaBRE #01882787

DOWNTOWN FROM page 12 in the cemetery that split a little by religion or race, but you’ll find a mix throughout the cemetery.” Early Sacramentans were aligned by community groups and associations. Parts of the cemetery are designated for members of the Masons, Odd Fellows and Sacramento Pioneer Association. Volunteer firefighters are interred in one area, California state leaders in another. Survivors of the Donner Party are buried here, and there are memorials to Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. There are plots for notable families like the Crockers and McClatchys. Also buried at the old cemetery are early community leaders who tried to tame a rough-and-tumble town of beer bars, gambling halls, houses of prostitution and other businesses serving the prospectors on their way to the gold fields. “Sacramento was home to fights, floods, fires, disease and a chance to get rich,” said Robins. “We even have early leaders who were severely injured or killed in battles in the streets of Sacramento, including a mayor and sheriff.” Other cemetery residents left their mark on Sacramento by building successful businesses. Their names are on streets, buildings and communities we know today. There’s the Curtis family. William Curtis Sr. and his wife Susan arrived in Sacramento in 1852 from Massachusetts. Within two years, they had a homestead and acquired land that Curtis Sr. eventually donated to the city for Curtis Park. His youngest daughter, who was considered extremely beautiful and ambitious, died unexpectedly at the age of 25. Why or how she died is still a mystery. Then there’s the Clunie family, which had a hotel on K Street. Florence Turton Clunie donated money to build a community center and pool at McKinley Park in the 1930s. There are legendary brewers Adolph Heilbron and Capt. Frank J. Ruhstaller. In 1888, Heilbron founded

Buffalo Brewing Company, which became the largest brewery west of the Mississippi. Ruhstaller owned Ruhstaller brewery and was president of the Fort Sutter national bank and chief stockholder in Capital Hotel. Another famous person buried at the cemetery is railroad tycoon Mark Hopkins, one the legendary “Big Four.” He’s entombed in a 350-ton granite structure from the Rockies that cost more than $80,000—a small fortune at the time. “I’d have to say he wouldn’t have been too happy about his wife putting out that big of an expense,” said Robins. “He was considered cheap. He had a nice home in Sacramento, grew fruits and vegetables but didn’t give them away to neighbors. He sold them.” Alexander Hamilton’s youngest son, William Stephen Hamilton, was buried in the cemetery in 1850. “Not sure what he was doing in Sacramento when he died,” said Howell. “But since he’s been here, he’s moved around a lot.” According to cemetery records, he was exhumed twice in the 1800s and buried three times in three different locations. The stories go on and on. There’s the infamous daughter of Judge Edwin B. Crocker and his second wife, Margaret, of Crocker Art Museum fame. Before she died, Aimee Crocker made quite a stir as an American heiress, princess, bohemian, world traveler, mystic and author. She’s known for her adventures in the Far East, her extravagant parties in San Francisco, New York and Paris, and her collection of young husbands and lovers. If you’re interested in learning more about Sacramento’s colorful history, visit the Old City Cemetery, which is open daily. Better yet, don’t let these stories fade away. The Old City Cemetery Committee accepts donations to keep the stories and the cemetery itself living on for everyone to enjoy. For more information, go to OldCityCemetery.com.

SIERRA CURTIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

Scot Crocker can be reached at scot@crockercrocker.com n

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Roses, R.I.P. CITY DIRECTIVE SOUNDS DEATH KNELL FOR CEMETERY ROSE GARDEN

trying to strike a balance, because some of the roses are beautiful. But they are newer plantings, and this is a historic cemetery.”

“People in the 19th century didn’t have parks like we do today, so they turned their cemeteries into parks.”

BY R.E. GRASWICH CITY BEAT

esidents of Sacramento’s Old City Cemetery don’t vote or pay taxes. They don’t complain to

city councilmembers. And they don’t The Old City Cemetery has been

speak to the media.

around since Sacramento’s founding

But it’s not hard to imagine that if they did break their eternal silence,

in 1849, but the Historic Rose Garden

our dearly departed pioneers at 1000

is a relatively young shrub. The

Broadway might say this: Please don’t

garden was created in 1992 with the

kill our climbing roses.

support of Jim Henley, the legendary city historian who died in 2014.

That’s exactly what the city

When Henley directed his attention

of Sacramento is proposing to do between now and December: rip

to 1000 Broadway, the Old City

down, replant, propagate or otherwise

Cemetery was a civic embarrassment.

remove about 50 living legacies that

Historic monuments had tumbled into

have honored the city’s earliest residents and gained international

disrepair. The gardens—a source of Anita Clevenger volunteers at the cemetery’s Historic Rose Garden

and citizens out for a pleasant stroll in

recognition for decades. For living souls who love roses and donate time and energy to keep the Old City Cemetery alive with splashes of climbing color, the rose eviction is heartbreaking. “It feels like the old saying ‘We have to destroy the village in order to save it,’” says Anita Clevenger, a Master Gardener who has volunteered at the cemetery’s Historic Rose Garden for 13 years. “The best outcome is for us to work together

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

pride and beauty for grieving families

with the city and find a solution. But

missed the photo opportunity by 40

the 1800s—suffered from decades of

that’s not what we’re hearing from

years.

abuse and neglect.

the city. We have a directive that the

The condemned flowers have drawn

No archives exist to document

climbing roses have to be taken down

awards and attention from rosarians

precisely how the original gardens

by the first of December.”

around the world. And while the

were arranged. But one day around

unbending guidelines are a thorn deep

1990, Henley discovered a photograph

city document called Guidelines for

in the side of volunteers, the city says

from the 1860s in a Library of

Pruning, Trimming and Planting in

the cemetery’s legacy as a burial plot

Congress collection.

the Historic Old City Cemetery. The

surpasses its status as a rose garden.

The directive is a newly adopted

guidelines, adopted in February, set

“Our goal is to preserve and respect

The photograph showed roses climbing to the heavens at the Old

the vegetation clock at 1953, based

the historical significance of the

City Cemetery. Armed with the

on an aerial photo from that year.

cemetery,” says Roberta Deering, the

photo, Henley encouraged volunteers

The climbing roses and their trellises

city’s preservation director. “We’re

• Drought Tolerant Landscapes • Consultations • Sprinklers & Drainage

• • • •

Exterior Lighting Pruning Plantings & Sod Full Landscaping

916-648-8455 Cont. Lic. #874165

Neighborhood References • Since 1984

to plant climbing roses, and he had

given any evidence that the climbing

arbors and trellises built. The garden

roses have damaged anything. And

blossomed anew.

the historic garden is such a beautiful,

“People in the 19th century didn’t

romantic place.”

have parks like we do today, so they

For now, the city isn’t budging.

turned their cemeteries into parks,”

Says Deering, “There are members of

Clevenger says. “They planted

the volunteer community who would

flowers in between the monuments

like to do whatever they want. But

and behind them. Roses were

this is a cemetery.”

especially prominent. You can see them represented on markers, with a broken rose for a child who died, or a

R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

full rose for a full and complete life.” The city admits roses have a timeless presence at the cemetery. But Deering says, “They were a little

VOLUNTEER FROM page 14

more structured in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It wasn’t as rambling

Clevenger says. “We’re letting

as the newer plantings.”

people know about what we’re

Several months ago, garden

doing here. It’s really rewarding.

volunteers began hearing from city

I’d always wanted to know people

staff that the climbing roses were

internationally. Now I have friends

a problem. The volunteers asked

all over the world through the rose

why. Answers were vague. Someone from the parks department, which maintains the cemetery grounds, mentioned “security,” suggesting criminals might hide behind the roses. Volunteers scoffed at the idea that the garden poses a special threat for drug or other criminal behavior. City staff suggested relocating the climbing roses alongside the cemetery’s Broadway, Riverside or

garden.” The garden has received accolades from such prestigious organizations as the Great Rosarians of the World (Clevenger traveled to New York to accept the Garden Hall of Fame award) and the World Federation of Rose Societies (for which she traveled to Lyon, France). Not bad for someone who was looking for something to do in retirement. “You measure your days by how

Muir Way fences. Clevenger doesn’t

you’ve filled them,” Clevenger says.

think that will work, given vehicle

“Now my days are so rich. It’s like a

traffic and environmental issues. And

whole new life.”

propagating quarter-century-old roses

The Sacramento Historic Rose

isn’t a simple job. The process can

Garden is at 1000 Broadway. It

take two years, well beyond the city’s

gives weekly tours and will hold

Dec. 1 deadline.

an open garden event on Saturday,

“This isn’t a fight any of us want to have,” Clevenger says. “We keep all the roses pruned. We’ve never been

April 9. For more information, go to cemeteryrose.org. n

ARE

VOLVO OWNERS LUCKY?

A wise man once said, “The Luck Store is at the corner of Hard Work and Opportunity streets.” For over 35 years, SVS has relied on more than luck to successfully serve you. Our goal has been to harness the skill and dedication of our team to keep your investment going, long past the warranty. SVS: We’re in it for the life of your ride. “I have taken various Volvos to SVS for over 30 years and have always been beyond pleased. - Sherry G, Sacramento “Sacramento’s Volvo Service” 2009 Fulton Ave. Sacramento (916) 971-1382 svsauto.com

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Party for the Planet A FLOCK OF EVENTS AT SACRAMENTO ZOO’S EARTH FEST ON APRIL 2

BY JESSICA LASKEY

LIFE IN THE CITY

pring has sprung at the Sacramento Zoo, so bask in the beautiful weather by taking a stroll around the zoo, enjoy some enticing events and admire the menagerie right in your own backyard. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, boogie down at the zoo’s annual party for the planet, Earth Fest. You will learn how to protect and preserve the Earth with help from environmental, wildlife and conservation organizations, explore animal bio-artifacts at the EdZOOcation Stations around the grounds, get up close and personal with the outreach animals, and watch a variety of cultural performances throughout the day. Looking for some buried treasure? Stop by the zoo’s last annual Recycle Rummage Sale and see what goodies you can find. (You know what they say about one person’s trash …) Proceeds from the sale benefit the zoo’s conservation programs locally and around the world. Ready to get a move-on? The 36th Annual Zoo Zoom will take off on Sunday, April 17, starting at 8 a.m. Join the herd as thousands of runners raise funds to benefit the

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

The 36th Annual Zoo Zoom takes place on Sunday, April 17

Sacramento Zoological Society and have fun strutting their stuff at the 5K, 10K and children’s fun run. The flat, scenic course winds through stunning William Land Park along tree-lined streets that are sure to have you feeling like you’re prowling the savannah. Race fees also include admission to the zoo, so stop by once you’re done sweating to get a gander at the animals. For race fees and information, contact Fleet Feet Sports at 441-1751 or go to sacramentozoozoom.com. Are you a diehard “Star Wars” fan? Then don’t miss Star Wars Day: May the Forest Be With You from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. Bring your camera and pose for free photos with costumed characters (members of the 501st Legion, Central California Garrison, a group of “Star Wars” fans who contribute to the local community through costumed

charity and volunteer work) from noon to 2 p.m. and learn how animal adaptations and behaviors in our galaxy relate to the creatures from the “Star Wars” universe through stage shows, crafts and other activities. Do you have an energetic youngster on your hands? Let them loose from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, for Nature Explorers, a new program designed for young nature explorers and their grownups to investigate the wilderness in their own backyard thanks to a grant from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. On the last Saturday of every month, join the zoo and the Sacramento Library to read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world with a new topic each month (April’s topic is weather). Activities are free with paid admission to the zoo. Got a Girl Scout in your house? Bring your Junior Scout, Brownie or

Daisy to the zoo’s Girl Scout Badge Earning Days from 9 a.m. to noon on April 3, 10 and 24. Interact with some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors while enjoying fun-filled presentations and activities. The cost is $13 per Girl Scout and $10 per adult chaperone (zoo admission is included with the program fee). Spaces fill up fast, so register now! On a more serious note, many of you may be aware of the tragic death of Baha, one of the zoo’s beloved Sumatran tigers, in February. Baha, a 15-year-old female Sumatran Tiger, died due to trauma received from the zoo’s male tiger, Mohan, during a physical introduction on the morning of Feb. 10. According to the zoo press release following the incident, staff who had been monitoring the introduction from the outside of the enclosure quickly sprang into action to separate the two tigers when Mohan became aggressive. As soon as staff were able to get the male tiger into a secure location, veterinarians rushed to care for Baha, but unfortunately she had already died— veterinary staff tried to resuscitate her but were unsuccessful. “We are truly devastated at the passing of Baha,” Matt McKim, animal collection director, says. “Not only was she a wonderful ambassador and a truly attentive mother, she was also a one-of-a-kind tiger that inspired many.” As with any incident of this kind, many questions arose that the zoo’s director and CEO, Kyle Burks, addressed in an informative and straightforward email, some of which I’ve shared here.

it High School Jesu est. 1963

ACADEMICS PLUS BOYS | GRADES 5-8

SUMMER SCHOOL BOYS & GIRLS | GRADES 9-12

SPORTS CAMPS BOYS & GIRLS | GRADES 1-12

Learn more and register now at jesuithighschool.org/summer What preparation was made before the introduction? “Much planning and preparation occurred before the physical introduction. First was considering the personal histories of both tigers. Both Baha and Mohan had successful histories of being paired with other tigers. Baha’s previous pairings resulted in three litters of cubs. “In December 2015, Mohan and Baha began introductions with contact through mesh. They were able to see each other daily, smell each other, rub up against each other through the mesh and interact through the protection of the mesh. They were both alternated in the same space over time as well, allowing for extreme familiarity with scents. “With both tigers showing positive behaviors toward each other, and based on their histories, combined with decades of big cat introduction experience at the Sacramento Zoo, the decision was made to physically introduce them.” “During the protected contact period, staff met several times to work out a plan for the physical

introduction, including equipment needs, staffing and working through different scenarios. The team also developed protocols to be used during, before and after the introduction. The morning of the introduction all planned preparations were put into place, additional staff were present at the tiger facility and additional staff were on alert at the zoo.” What did you do to try and separate the tigers during the incident? “Part of the planning, prior to the physical introduction, included preparing for the need to separate the two tigers. Zoo staff had multiple tools at the ready to distract the tigers and attempt to change their focus if needed. Tools included a fire hose with a powerful water stream, a regular hose, a CO2 fire extinguisher, a starter pistol with blanks, air horns, flares and shovels. “During the short, aggressive interaction, Mohan was also being called inside, something he is trained to do. After the aggression began, a zookeeper rushed onto the roof of the exhibit to throw items down to try

and distract Mohan away from Baha. The Sacramento Zoo’s veterinary team was at the ready onsite. An unsuccessful tranquilization of Mohan occurred during the separation attempt. Tigers are wild and potentially dangerous animals. At no time do we work with these animals without a mesh protective barrier. It was never an option for staff to go in and intervene in person.” What will happen to Mohan? “Mohan will be off-exhibit until further notice while our staff continues to provide excellent care for him and the remaining collection at the zoo. We are currently in discussions with the Memphis Zoo and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan coordinator to investigate what may be any next housing step for Mohan.” How often does this happen in zoos/the wild? “This was a rare incident for zoos, including the Sacramento Zoo. The Sacramento Zoo has a history of managing first-time

tiger introductions. This is the only time that an incident like this has occurred with large cat species at the zoo during a first-time physical introduction. The zoo’s records that date back to 1968 document 18 first-time introductions with big cats and over a hundred subsequent reintroductions with no incident.” What happens now? “We at the Sacramento Zoo are continually evaluating and learning from experiences. As with any animal introduction, we always review what was done to continually improve our practices. We have already begun evaluating the incident, as well as our protocols and procedures in efforts to improve animal care at the Sacramento Zoo and at other zoos around the world. We will continue to work with AZA while evaluating the situation and learning from it.” For more information on all zoo events, call 808-5888 or go to saczoo. org.

LIFE IN THE CITY page 20

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

refreshments, workshops, materials and lunch. Space is limited; to register and for more information, call the Hart Senior Center at 808-5462, email hartcrcwritersconference@yahoo.com or go to hart-crcwritersconference. org. Cosumnes River College is at 8401 Center Parkway.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

City of Sacramento’s Older Adult Services department presents two events this month for active seniors

LIFE IN THE CITY FROM page 19 The Sacramento Zoo is at 3930 W. Land Park Drive.

SING FOR JOY Are you “of a certain age” but still full of vim and vigor? Don’t miss two events presented this month by the city of Sacramento’s Older Adult Services department. Sing for joy at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, at the concert of the same name at the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community. Presented by the Ethel MacLeod Hart Senior Center and the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, the Sing for Joy: Spring Choral Concert will showcase the singing talents of Singers with Hart, a choral group composed of 40 singers ages 50-plus, as a culmination of a 14-week session held at the Hart Senior Center. The two-hour concert, which is free and open to the public, will feature

traditional American and world folk music, classical and popular songs, along with contemporary choral favorites. Not only is the chorus a fun activity for all involved, singing in a group can help older adults maintain an active mind by focusing on the music and learning new songs. Overall, the sense of belonging, camaraderie and the thrill of performing contribute to a happier and more joyful outlook on life. “When we sing together, we synchronize our breathing and, in doing so, synchronize our hearts,” says music director Christiana QuickCleveland. This is a ticketed event, so pick up your free concert ticket by visiting the Hart Senior Center reception desk at 915 27th St. For more information, call 808-5462 or go to cityofsacramento.org/hartcenter. The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community is at 2791 24th St.

Do you have a story to tell? Don’t miss the ninth annual Our Life Stories writers conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, at Cosumnes River College. The all-day conference will focus on memoir writing (particularly family stories) through genealogy, as well as topics that include tips on doing basic genealogical research, writing creative nonfiction, using poetry to re-create memories, telling your family story through a blog, and using interviewing techniques to unlock the stories of someone’s life.

Singing in a group can help older adults maintain an active mind by focusing on the music and learning new songs. Ginger Rutland—journalist, commentator and playwright—will impart her career-long wisdom as the keynote speaker. Other presenters will include celebrated authors Jacqueline Doyle, Dale Flynn, Gerald Haslam, Jeff Knorr and Ginny McReynolds, as well as genealogy expert Beth Daugherty from the Sacramento Public Library. The conference fee is $35 ($40 after April 8) and covers morning

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

The sun is shining and the air is fresh with April flowers, so why not take some time out of doors and let the little ones run around at Fairytale Town while you enjoy the weather? At 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, treat the tykes to a performance of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a zany version of the classic tale by Puppet Art Theater Company. When a boy grows bored watching his lamb and decides to make things more exciting by turning on his dad’s wolf alarm, the Wolf Alert 3000, it’s all fun and games until a real wolf shows up. Will the audience help the boy escape? Tickets are $2 for non-members in addition to park admission, and $1 for members. For another fairytale turned on its head, check out the Fairytale Town Troupers’ production of “Sleeping Beauty in Space” at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 16, 17, 23 and 24. This reimagined tale takes Sleeping Beauty on an epic space adventure in a galaxy far, far away. After a benevolent group of star fairies discovers a very special child adrift in deep space and decide to raise her as one of their own, their beloved Princess Deja becomes a master of mind control and an expert with a star-sword. But she is plagued by mysterious dreams—dreams that link her to a handsome young astronaut on a faraway planet called Earth. The two star-crossed lovers are finally united, but galactic turmoil ensues. Princess Deja must face her destiny and vanquish the dark forces before she and her prince can live LIFE IN THE CITY page 22

Get in your garage Every Time. Opens and closes your door...even when the power is out! U The Battery Backup System ensures your garage door opener continues to work.

WORKS EVEN WHEN THE POWER IS OUT.

Model 8550 Includes:Smart Control Panel 3-Button Premium Remote Control

U Powerful DC motor belt drive system is durable, ultra-quiet and maintenance-free. MyQÂŽ technology enables you to close your garage door or turn the lights on or off using a smart phone or computer from anywhere U Lifetime motor and belt warranty

916-387-8664

Eudy Door Co. Garage Doors & Openers Ë&#x153;

6929 Power Inn Road Sacramento, CA 95828 eudydoor.com Mention this ad & receive a free remote w/installation of a garage door opener.

Your Carriage House Door Professionals

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

LIFE IN THE CITY FROM page 20 happily ever after. Tickets are $2 for non-members in addition to park admission, and $1 for members. Celebrate active and healthy living at the Sutter Children’s Center Wellness Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. Enjoy free play, games, healthy fun and more. Sutter’s medical personnel will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on healthy child development, plus local health organizations will be offering activities, games and information on healthy lifestyles. Admission is free thanks to a generous grant from Sutter Children’s Center, Sacramento. For more information on all Fairytale Town events, call 808-7462 or go to fairytaletown.org. Fairytale Town is at 3901 Land Park Drive.

MUSICAL MEAL Casa Garden Restaurant has that X factor, in more ways than one. On Tuesday, April 26, enjoy lunch and music by Jerry Lopes, a finalist on the TV talent show “X Factor.” Seatings are at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. and include entrée choices of penne pasta with garlic chicken, or grilled Romaine with shrimp, followed by Heath Bar ice cream pie. Lunch is $24 per person (including tax and gratuity) and proceeds benefit the Sacramento Children’s Home. Reservations are first-come, firstserved. To save your seat, call 4522809. Casa Garden Restaurant is at 2760 Sutterville Road.

Garden of Excellence award at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 2. The dedication will be followed by a brief tour of the rose garden, overseen by curator Anita Clevenger, our Volunteer Profile for April and a writer for this very paper, and a reception.

The Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery has won international awards.

sure to make you swoon. Docent-led tours will lead you through the rows of roses and costumed characters will tell you tales of old. There is a $10 donation requested and the event is limited to 50 tickets. If you really want to get down and dirty, don’t miss the Old Garden Roses class at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26. Learn what it takes to tend to this magnificent garden and take some tips home to use on your own beds and bushes. For more information, go to cemeteryrose.org. The Historic Rose Garden is at the Old City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway.

DIG IN Interested in taking a wander through the blooms? The Open Garden event featuring all of the gardens in the cemetery will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, and will include a sale of some of the garden’s rare and historic roses and informational tours. The third annual Romance & Roses tour at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, is

It’s the seventh season of the Land Park Volunteer Corps, so what are you waiting for to get involved in this fun-loving and hard-working group that makes sure William Land Park looks its best all year long? Starting at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month (April 2, in this case), meet at Base Camp behind Fairytale Town and join your

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

OPEN HOUSES If you’ve ever wanted to sneak a peek inside some of the beautiful historic homes in Curtis Park, now’s your chance: The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association’s annual Home and Garden Tour returns on Saturday, April 30. As one of the SCNA’s largest fundraisers of the year, the tour features houses that exemplify the neighborhood’s pre-war-built style, including bungalow, Spanish revival, Tudor and storybook-style homes. For tickets and more information, go to sierra2.org.

NEIGHBORHOOD NOSH Hungry? You don’t need to wander too far from home to get some good grub when Food Truck Mania touches down from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 17, presented by the Land Park Community Association. Meet your friends and neighbors at the corner of Freeport Boulevard and Sutterville Road for gourmet food trucks, great music and kid-friendly entertainment. We can’t think of a better way to spend an evening outside surrounded by friends and family—and food! For more information, go to landpark.org.

A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE Did you know that the Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery has won international awards for its beauty and dedication to maintaining its collection of historic roses that date back to the 19th and 20th centuries? Now you do, so come help the garden celebrate the installation of the plaque for the World Federation of Rose Societies’

fellow neighbors to help trim, clean, weed, mulch and otherwise spiff up Land Park as the spring growing season begins in earnest. Enjoy coffee courtesy of Espresso Metro, tasty pastries from Freeport Bakery and delicious donuts from Marie’s Donuts to get your energy going to tackle the record dozen team projects for this year, all under the supervision of experienced corps captains. For more information, contact lead coordinator Craig Powell at 718-3030 or via email at ckpinsacto@aol.com. Donations are always welcome and can be sent to: Land Park Volunteer Corps, 3053 Freeport Boulevard No. 231, Sacramento, CA 95818. Base Camp is behind Fairytale Town at 3901 Land Park Drive.

Historic Rose Garden at the Old City Cemetery plays host to several events this month

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

FREE GMAT PREP COURSE April 30th - May 1st UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC’S GMAT PREP COURSE. Not all test prep is created equal. Whether you're planning to take the GMAT for the first time or looking to improve upon your previous score, proper preparation is the key to success. University of the Pacific’s two-day GMAT Prep Course will not only prepare you for the exam, but also equip with you the verbal and quantitative know-how you will need to face challenges in your academic and professional careers. Join us on April 30th through May 1st. This resource is open to all Pacific graduate program applicants. Seats are limited, so register today at go.Pacific.edu/GMAT.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, SACRAMENTO CAMPUS University of the Pacific has a rich tradition of providing innovative and forward-thinking higher education opportunities to the Sacramento region and beyond. With eleven Sacramento-based graduate and professional programs, we’re serving the dynamic regional needs in business, law, healthcare, policy and education.

pacific.edu/sacmba 916.733.2817

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

A New Neighborhood WILL MCKINLEY VILLAGE BE LIKE EAST SAC?

BY JORDAN VENEMA BUILDING OUR FUTURE

ust north of East Sacramento, wedged between I-80 and the Union Pacific Railroad, lies a large, leaf-shaped plot of land. The property has been a visible landscape to thousands of daily commuters, but the heretofore-empty lot has gone mostly unnoticed, despite construction that is transforming the site into Sacramento’s next neighborhood. New housing development McKinley Village is a project by Riverview Capital Investments and The New Home Company. The project has been in the works since 2007, but due to the sluggish housing economy, construction didn’t begin until June 2014. Now that ground has been broken, developer Phil Angelides hopes McKinley Village will join Sacramento’s list of iconic neighborhoods. “Sacramento is known for its wonderful neighborhoods, whether it’s Land Park, where my family lives, or McKinley Park, or East Sacramento,” says Angelides, president of Riverview Capital Investments. “Our goal here is to create a neighborhood, not a subdivision.” But it might be an uphill battle convincing some East Sacramento residents, who fear the 336-home project will increase traffic and congestion. Angelides says McKinley Village will fill a need for housing in the downtown Sacramento area. The development’s homes will fall into one of five categories, or “villages.” “The intent of having the villages with the different housing types is to meet different demographic

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Kevin S. Carson, Northern California President of The New Home Company, with developer Phil Angelides amid the construction at McKinley Village

profiles,” says Kevin Carson, president of The New Home Company for Northern California. “Because we really want McKinley Village to be attractive to all groups.” From stacked flats—two-story buildings with upstairs and downstairs units—to courtyard houses and traditional single-family homes, the homes will range in size from 1,295 to 3,100 square feet, says Angelides. “While there are five model complexes, there are actually 61 different elevations,” he says. “And when you take into account colors and materials, no two homes will look the same. We’re really trying to build on the architectural diversity

with a community room, gym, pool and outdoor area that can be used for weddings and family events. Aesthetically, the recreation center will be unique to McKinley Village but will contain visual references to East Sac’s Clunie Community Center and Shepard Garden and Arts Center. Sacramentans will get the opportunity to see McKinley Village after Labor Day, says Angelides. “When people come, they’ll see the five completed model home complexes,” he says, as well as the recreation center and the first completed city park. Until the first families begin moving into McKinley Village later this year, Sacramento won’t really know what kind of impact the development will have on other neighborhoods. And it will be years, perhaps even decades, before McKinley Village proves it can join the family of Sacramento neighborhoods.

Construction at McKinley Village is in full swing

Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com n

and history of both Midtown and East Sacramento.” According to Carson, project architect Mike Woodley spent hours walking through East Sacramento to capture the atmosphere and architectural nuances of the neighborhood. The idea was to create architectural consistency between East Sac and McKinley Village. “It’s going to feel a little more eclectic,” says Carson. “From Spanish to Monterey to Craftsman, Colonial, European cottage and farmhouse, there’s going to be a number of different styles.” Prices will probably range from $400,000 to $800,000. The developers

say they will assess market prices at the end of year, when the first McKinley Village homes go on sale. Still, they believe the price for a McKinley Village home will be more affordable than comparable homes in East Sacramento. Though McKinley Village won’t have restaurants or retail stores, Angelides says the development is the antithesis of a gated community and will draw people from other neighborhoods. “We’re connected to East Sacramento, connected to midtown,” he says. “It’s an urban neighborhood that’s very walkable.”

The developers worked closely with Shelly Willis, executive director of Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, to select eight local artists to provide art for McKinley Village. “There will be various sculpture and art pieces throughout the neighborhood,” explains Angelides, as well as streets named after contemporary artists. The intent, he says, is to pay homage to Sacramento’s art community. McKinley Village also incorporates parks into its plan, with three major parks and more than 10 pocket parks and greens. The central park features a recreation center designed by local architect David Mogavero,

Real Estate Services that Exceed Your Needs

Carol Crestelo 916-203-8998 BRE #01317443

CarolSellsSacramentoHomes.com

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Child Care STANFORD YOUTH SOLUTIONS HELPS KIDS IN CRISIS

BY TERRY KAUFMAN LOCAL HEROES

n 1900, Jane Lathrop Stanford donated a mansion and some stock to create a place for homeless and disenfranchised children in Sacramento. The Sisters of Mercy built a school called Stanford Lathrop Memorial Home for Friendless Children, which later became Stanford Home for Children.

Data collected in the 1990s showed abysmal outcomes for children in group homes. Today, the group is known as Stanford Youth Solutions. “Our mission is all about stabilizing families,” says Carrie Johnson, director of development and marketing. “If families are stable, if they have adequate housing, parenting support, jobs, then everything works out. When the core is strong, families can navigate through tough situations.”

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Stanford Youth Solutions offer services to youth of all ages.

Johnson joined Stanford Youth Solutions about two years ago after telling the person who contacted her about the position—a board member at her last nonprofit—that she had no interest in leaving a job she loved. “She said, ‘As a favor, would you just explore it?’” Johnson recalls. “I thought I knew all the nonprofits, but when I did my due diligence and looked at the leadership, I knew I couldn’t say no.” For Johnson, with almost 15 years’ experience as a nonprofit professional, Stanford Youth Solutions was unique. It has a highly skilled workforce of counselors, therapists and psychologists doing extremely difficult

work for lower pay than in the private sector. But the group’s leaders are invested in the staff and provide leadership training to all, as well as support and respite as needed. “It’s an amazing organization,” Johnson says. “They offer merit-based pay, which is unheard of in the nonprofit world.” Data collected in the 1990s showed abysmal outcomes for children in group homes. So at Stanford Youth Solutions, staffers meet their young clients at parks, schools and fast-food restaurants to provide treatment, including behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and counseling.

The majority of Stanford’s clients are between the ages of 11 and 17. There are interpreters to bridge language barriers. Peer mentors who share similar backgrounds and experiences help the kids navigate their world and empower them to have an active voice in their care. Referrals come from Sacramento County Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health Services, Probation Department and schools. More than 90 percent of the children served are at or below the poverty level. Many have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse. Children who can’t stay with their families live with specially trained

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITH THE AN INNOVATIVE MASTER’S DEGREE McGEORGE MSL DEGREE McGeorge School of Law offers the Master of Science in Law (MSL) to professionals who seek the benefits of advanced training in legal reasoning and analysis but who do not require the JD degree for their career plans.

REAL PEOPLE. REAL FUN. There is a reason we use our residents as our photo models. We want you to see real people at real communities enjoying the life they choose. Whether it’s joining friends in a card game, taking a stroll around the grounds, stepping on the bus for an excursion or getting together to share a meal, our residents ﬁnd everything they need right here. Experience the Eskaton difference. Call or go online now. Professor Jennifer L. Harder Water and Environmental Law

ATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION:

April 20 - 5:15 p.m.

State Capitol - 1315 10th St.

May 18 - 6 p.m.

McGeorge - 3200 Fifth Ave.

McGeorge.edu/MSL and supported foster families. “The outcomes for kids are best when they’re placed in a permanent family, ideally their own family,” says Johnson. “These foster families have huge hearts. They know that they’re a temporary placement. They’re highly trained, opening their doors to the child’s family for visitation.” Stanford offers programs targeted at different needs. The Wraparound program helps young people in institutional settings transition to permanent family or independent living. Johnson calls it “a huge hug around the child.” FIT, short for Flexible Integrated Treatment, addresses behavioral problems that stem from mental health issues. The Juvenile Justice and Crime Prevention program is aimed at preventing recidivism among juvenile offenders by working with the whole family. More than 77 percent of participants do not return to a life of crime. Stanford Youth Solutions has been recognized for its revolutionary approach to youth in crisis by being selected as a model for youth

programs across the country. As a partner of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the organization teaches its model to other youth nonprofits nationwide. Funding comes from a combination of county reimbursement, grants and private donations. Stanford was recently awarded a significant gift by the Kelly Foundation, and Johnson is hopeful that other major donors will provide financial support. “The infrastructure is stellar, but I’d love to be able to build a funding model that supports sustainability,” says Johnson, who would like to increase the family partner staff and recruit more foster families. “Working here gives me purpose,” she says. “I ask myself, ‘What’s the one thing that changes the world?’ It’s what we do. For more information about Stanford Youth Solutions, go to youthsolutions.org.

Real friends share a secret an Eskaton community

eskaton.org Join us for a lifelong learning lecture. Call for dates.

Eskaton Monroe Lodge Independent Living with Services Land Park

916-264-9001

Terry Kaufman can be reached at terry@1greatstory.com n

A leading nonprofit provider of aging services in Northern California since 1968

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Personal Space GETTING THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE

nearby. Hungry? There will be food trucks and a Sweet Stop at the school. Not to be left out, the Land Park Garden Tour, Tea and Fine Arts Festival will be held Sunday, May 15, hosted by Holy Spirit School. You will get to tour gardens in yet another of Sacramento’s favorite neighborhoods and have tea in the park.

BY ANITA CLEVENGER GARDEN JABBER

Open the garden gate and welcome them in.

n Sacramento, nearly every backyard is shielded from view by a high fence. It drives me crazy. I’m from Ohio, where one backyard is open to the next, so I find the privacy of our backyards rather claustrophobic. Without getting a drone to fly overhead, a periscope to peer over fences, or outright trespassing, how do you see what’s behind the fences? Quite a few organizations in the Sacramento area sponsor garden tours in the spring and fall. This April and May, here are few that give you a chance to visit some of these mysterious gardens and see how the other plants live. On Saturday, April 9, California Native Plant Society’s Gardens Gone Native tour will feature approximately 20 Sacramento-area gardens that use at least 50 percent natives, and often more. Native-plant gardens are usually water efficient and wildlife friendly, buzzing with native bees and butterflies. Although the tour is self-guided, you may have an opportunity to talk with the people who garden and live there. The 30th annual Curtis Park Home and Garden tour takes place on Saturday, April 30. A fundraiser

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

for Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, it’s a must-see for people who love the eclectic architecture of this area. You get to tour both backyards and houses in this popular neighborhood. The day also features music, food, and information tables in Curtis Park.

A tradition for 18 years, the East Sacramento Garden Tour is a ritual for many on Mother’s Day weekend, which falls on May 7 and May 8 this year. Benefiting David Lubin Elementary School’s enrichment program, the tour will feature seven gardens in the Fabulous Forties and

Some of the gardens on these neighborhood tours are more about outdoor entertaining and garden decorations than about plants. That suits many people who love outdoor living and don’t want to spend much time digging in the dirt. If you are a hard-core gardener who wants to focus on plants, you can join a plant club with members who share your enthusiasm. The Sacramento Rose Society and Sacramento Perennial Plant Club sponsor tours to members’ home gardens. Once you get to know people in the club, you can invite someone to your garden and ask if you can see theirs, too. Of course, you can also get to know your neighbors and do the same. By visiting other peoples’ gardens, you not only satisfy your idle curiosity; you learn about plant and design possibilities, open opportunities for plant and crop exchanges, and make or deepen friendships. I’ve heard that you don’t really know a person until you have seen their garden.

We’re the best-kept secret in medical imaging

Sahil Sethi, DMD Comprehensive, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry “I believe that the real gift of dentistry is the opportunity to serve my patients through a partnership, giving them options to maintain their oral health in comfort and aesthetic beauty for life."

A good place to ﬁnd great dentists. • Children & Adults • Cosmetic Dentistry • Dental Implants

At University Medical Imaging, not only do we ensure your images are the best quality, we focus on keeping compassion and humanity alive in healthcare. If your doctor recommends an MRI or X-ray, give us a call. You’ll be glad you did!

Always accepting new patients.

44-SMILE or visit us at

www.sutterterracedental.com

3001 P St. Sacramento, CA

3.0T MRI | Digital X-Ray | 500 University Ave | 922-6747 | umimri.com It takes some courage to show another gardener what your own garden looks like. My hat is off to people who offer their homes and gardens for the big tours. Fortunately, our garden is too cramped to accommodate crowds, so I won’t be tempted to volunteer. I also admire people whose gardens always seem to look neat and beautiful. Ours is at its best now, when roses, wisteria, azaleas and poppies explode into bloom, but it’s never as well tended as I’d like. Whenever other gardeners come over,

I try to keep apologies to a minimum, open the garden gate and welcome them in. Anita Clevenger is a Sacramento County UC Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, call 876-5338 or go to ucanr.edu/sites/sacmg/. The Master Gardeners will host an Open Garden at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park on Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. n

Now Enrolling for Fall Call to schedule a tour of our play-based preschool and kindergarten

New location: 7450 Pocket Road (916) 427-5022 camelliawaldorf.org

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Doing It Right THIS CURTIS PARK COUPLE VALUES THEIR HOME’S HISTORY

BY JULIE FOSTER HOME INSIGHT

hen Sharyn Kaplan and Mark Schneider decided to renovate their Curtis Park home, their focus on historical detail translated into two years of research. Previous owners had remodeled the kitchen sometime

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

“We renovated rather than remodeled using appropriate patterns and materials for the time period of the home.”

during the 1970s. Once Kaplan and Schneider began contemplating a renovation, they wanted to do it right. “We renovated rather than remodeled,” Kaplan explains. “This

means using appropriate patterns and materials for the time period of the home.” Kaplan found a book, “Bungalow Kitchens” by Jane Powell, in a Berkeley bookstore. It became their reference guide for the project. They studied each section, gleaning information on why and how certain materials were used.

Their Tudor Revival-style home situated on two large lots is one of seven houses featured on the upcoming Curtis Park Home & Garden Tour. “It gave me a place to start my research,” she says.

Their Tudor Revival-style home situated on two large lots is one of seven houses featured on the upcoming Curtis Park Home & Garden Tour. Built in 1923 for approximately $6,500, the 2,200-square-foot house was designed by the Sacramento architectural firm Dean & Dean. Tudor Revival buildings, popular during the 1920s and ’30s, are known for their steeply pitched gable roofs, half-timbered construction, arched entryways, leaded-glass windows and timber beams. The firm designed many Tudor Revival commercial projects around Sacramento, including The Sutter Club, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Memorial Auditorium and Sierra 2 Center, which was originally built as a school. The firm was also recognized for its numerous residential projects. In 1923, Home Designer magazine wrote of Dean & Dean’s Tudor Revival homes, “One feels the dominance of English architecture … this type being more admired as time passes because of its wonderful adaptability to most any clime HOME page 32

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

HOME FROM page 31 and the fact that with age its air of hominess and permanency is so greatly enhanced.” The couple moved out last March for the duration of the nine-month project. Bringing their home into the 21st century meant taking the kitchen and two bathrooms down to the studs. Though the original diamond-paned leaded-glass windows in the front of the house were retained, the remaining windows in the back were replaced with doublepaned painted wood windows. All plumbing and electrical systems were updated to meet code requirements. A separate heating and cooling system was installed for the second story. In the kitchen, they installed Marmoleum flooring. Made from

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

nontoxic linseed oil, cork dust, wood dust and resin, the flooring is a natural alternative to vinyl tile. With no chemical odor or off-gassing, it is the first floor covering to receive the Asthma & Allergy Friendly certification, according to the Green Building Supply website. Overhead lighting is supplied by schoolhouse-style fixtures with a subtle beige stripe. Staying true to the style of the home, the kitchen cabinets meet historical size dimensions. The “floating” sink cabinets are not connected to the floor and are a 1923-era design. A 6-inch space around the existing chimney was enough to add a spice cabinet. The exhaust fan cover with its artdeco stripe provides a bit of zip and

coordinates with the black stripe in the flooring. Kaplan and Schneider faced a challenge when it came to choosing countertop and backsplash tile for the kitchen. They wanted flat tile in a matte finish. “It took a lot of time to find someone who would do this,” says Kaplan. Flax-colored wool carpeting on the staircase replaced the previous dark green carpeting. Blue-green wallpaper in a soothing damask pattern revived the master bedroom and delightful sitting room. Original elements to watch for on the Curtis Park Home Tour include a stained-glass window next to the fireplace with a California poppy motif, arched beams in the living room, the built-in china case in the

dining room and original light fixtures in the downstairs bathroom and the hallways. I’d like to thank Janice Calpo for her help with this story. The Curtis Park Home & Garden Tour takes place Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $30 and can be purchased online at sierra2.org or in person at Sierra 2 Center, 2791 24th St. For more information, call 452-3005 or go to sierra2.org. If you know of a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com n

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Share My Ride CARPOOLING IN THE AGE OF SMARTPHONES

BY WALT SEIFERT GETTING THERE

hitchhiker thumbing a ride is the ultimate low-tech way of filling a seat in cars already on the road. Such primitive “carpools” connected willing drivers and would-be passengers in a haphazard fashion. Times have changed. Today, computers and smartphones can match thousands of drivers and potential passengers quickly and efficiently. I’m using the term carpool loosely to include any arrangement that ends up in higher vehicle occupancy. More traditionally, carpools refer to an arrangement in which people who live near each other regularly drive in the same car to work (or take kids to school). Cars without passengers have always been an untapped resource. According to Pete Hathaway, a former executive with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, a good way to beat congestion would to be to fill the thousands of empty seats in cars on freeways. Overwhelmingly, people choose to drive alone. Single-occupant vehicles dominate and clog the roads. Yes, there are carpools, but only about 10 percent of people use carpools despite the cost savings

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

and incentives. (And 60 percent of those are “fampools” that consist of a husband and wife or a parent and child.) Carpool lanes, reserved carpool parking at workplaces, and appeals to environmental consciousness all have been employed to boost the numbers. There are problems with carpooling. It requires both effective marketing and large concentrations of residents and jobs to come up with good matches. People have to be matched not only in origin and destination but in working hours. It lacks flexibility. Working late or making side trips on the ride home are no-nos. There are also social issues. Do people want to talk, think or sleep? Who controls the radio and temperature?

New technology can help people looking to share a ride. The Bay Area carpool website 511.org offers a list of “casual carpool” locations and two carpooling apps in addition to traditional ride-matching services.

Cars without passengers have always been an untapped resource. Casual carpooling is an upgrade to hitchhiking. In the Bay Area, solo

drivers pick up total strangers at set locations and drop them off on the other side of the Bay Bridge. Drivers benefit from short lines and reduced fares at toll booths. San Francisco commuters can use mobile apps from two private services: Carma and Scoop. These apps increase the time flexibility of carpooling by delinking morning and afternoon commutes and offering on demand, one-time trips. There are also offshoots of the big, fast-growing “shared economy” transportation companies Uber, Lyft and Sidecar, offering shared ride services called UberPOOL, Lyft Line and Sidecar Shared Rides. As a customer, you can expect a lower fare if you share a ride with

If it’s creative... it’s here! HOUSE, HOME & COMMUNITY

art supplies custom framing decorative papers greeting cards

S I N C E 19 51

HARDWARE

GARDEN

GIFTS

“Proudly partnering with our community.”

D E S I G N E R PA I N T C E N T E R

photo frames ready-made frames classes, workshops demos– and more!

uniquee gifts nery stationery journals aalsls kidstuff uffffff



TWICE MONTHLY CLASSES

Featuring Amy Howard chalk-based paint Have a fun, hands-on learning experience. Visit eastsachardware.com for details.

another passenger headed in the same direction. Half of all Uber and Lyft rides in San Francisco are now through one of these services. Since there is a paid driver, it’s not carpooling in the old sense of “going my way.” The new services appeals to Millennials, especially tech-oriented residents of San Francisco and other cities. No doubt the success of Uber and Lyft has opened more people to the idea of sharing rides with strangers. The new services are not available yet in Sacramento (though UberPool recently expanded to the East Bay). If they are profitable, we’ll see expansions to our region and other markets. Uber is also experimenting with variations on the theme. The UberCOMMUTE pilot program in Chicago allows commuters who aren’t regular Uber drivers to offer up seats in their cars to Uber users. Users get rates even lower than UberPOOL, while drivers get reimbursed for some of their trip costs. Uber gets a cut, of course. In Seattle, UberHOP drivers

M–SAT 8–6 SUN 9–6 916.457.7558

FREE in-home color consultation bby appointment

4 8 0 0 F O L S O M B LV D

“From choosing your paint colors to choosing your licensed paint contractor, we’re here to serve you.” The Hardware Lady

pick up passengers at predetermined locations, similar to casual carpooling. There’s ridesharing for longdistance trips, too. Rideshare boards have long been common on college campuses. Online services modernize the rideshare board and expand its reach. But as with other sharing services, the usual and reassuring group affinity of users—fellow students, fellow employees or neighbors—may not be exist. When you think about it, there truly is a gigantic number of unused seats available on the road. Package and food delivery vehicles and other business-owned cars and trucks are prowling the streets and highways constantly. Would it make sense to offer those spaces to others? Technology and transportation are in a time of yeasty transition. Many new concepts will bubble up and be tried. It’s hard to imagine all the possibilities or outcomes. Walt Seifert is a bicyclist, driver and transportation writer. He can be reached at bikeguy@surewest.net n

UArt Sacramento 2601 J Street 916-443-5721 UniversityArt.com

Coldwell Banker

#1 IN CALIFORNIA

Fine Old Neighborhoods...Fine Old Homes

SOLD

927 33rd Street

27 Vierra Court

Totally unique & inviting 1300+ sqft bungalow loaded w/ vintage charm. Steps to McKinley Park & great restaurants. $459,900.

4 bd/3 ba Pocket home w/ updated 3 bd/1.5 ba East Sac home w/ kitchen, new paint & ﬂooring, 3 car much charm! Hardwoods, FP, garage on a quiet court... 2 car garage.

510 Meister Way

Ready to make a move?

Call us for a FREE Estimate of Value. PALOMA BEGIN

BOB LYSTRUP

628-8561

628-5357

PalomaBegin@gmail.com PalomaBegin.com

blystrup@gmail.com BobLystrup.com

BRE#01254423

BRE#00991041

©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office Is Owned And Operated by NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Pups at Play DOGGY DASH SET TO SCAMPER OFF ON APRIL 9

BY JESSICA LASKEY RIVER CITY PREVIEWS

alk. Stay. Play! Join the Sacramento SPCA for its 23rd Annual Doggy Dash and Bark at the Park Festival at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, at William Land Park. Get your tail wagging for the 2k or 5k walk, then stay for the Bark at the Park Festival, where you can enter your canine pal in the Pup Show, high-flying disc contest or the ever-popular pug races. Watch canine demonstrations, participate in a variety of canine contests, visit with pet-friendly businesses, learn about Sacramento-area animal rescue organizations, or just sit back and enjoy all of the animal action. (Pets are welcome, naturally!) Registration fees start at $30 per person and proceeds from the Doggy Dash will help the Sacramento SPCA care for more than 7,000 homeless animals in 2016. Walk registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the Bark at the Park Festival runs from 9 a.m. until approximately 1 p.m. Walk begins at 10 a.m. For more information or to register, call 5042802, go to sspca.org/dash or email specialevents@sspca.org William Land Park is at 3800 W. Land Park Drive.

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

The Sacramento SPCA 's Doggy Dash and Bark at the Park Festival is on Saturday, April 9

ON THEIR TOES Find out what the School of the Sacramento Ballet is up to when its Pre-Professional Division presents “Dancing and Desserts” at 6 p.m.

on Saturday, April 9, at the ballet’s new home at the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts. It’s the company’s first event in the new space!

The enchanting evening will feature show-stopping desserts and champagne as well as an amazing evening of ballet and contemporary works. For tickets, call School Administrator Marla Quinn at 5525800, ext. 100. The E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts is at 2420 N St. See the students show off their talents yet again at a free performance at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22, at their 2016 Dance Demonstration at Hiram Johnson High School. The performance will include excerpts from “Etudes,” “Coppelia,” “Raymonda,” “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Sylvia,” as well as a partnering demonstration, Regional Dance America pieces choreographed by faculty member Sunchai Muy and company members Julia Feldman and Christopher Nachtrab, and pieces from other dance genres like tap, lyrical and contemporary. Want to see the youngsters, too? The Children’s Division of the School of the Sacramento Ballet will have its annual dance demonstration at Hiram Johnson at 1 and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 24. They will be showing excerpts from classical ballets as well as pieces in tap and lyrical. Hiram Johnson High School is at 6879 14th Ave. For more information, go to sacballet.org

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SYS! Help the Sacramento Youth Symphony celebrate a milestone and the continuing contributions of PREVIEWS page 38

Create Your Dream Garden with a little help from the experts

Design

Installation

200

for a 2 Hour Consultation (drawing and notes included)

Maintenance

We solve problems, renew old gardens or create a garden oasis just for you. We are a father daughter team with 40 years experience in the nursery business and garden design. Our experience makes us uniquely qualified to help your garden thrive.

La dame chante.

Complete designs by quote. Visit TheGardenTutors.com or Call 606-6029

/LF

CĂŠcile McLorin Salvant FRI, APR 29 â&#x20AC;˘ 8PM

The youngest winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition was virtually an unknown when she entered the contest in 2010. Since then, Salvant has been nominated for a Grammy Award for her U.S. debut album, WomanChild.

New York Chamber Soloists Orchestra with Sharon Isbin, guitar

> SAT, APR 2 â&#x20AC;˘ 8PM

globalFEST Live Creole Carnival

> featuring Casuarina, Emeline Michel and Brushy One-String

THU, APR 7 â&#x20AC;˘ 8PM

Tina Packerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Women of Will with Nigel Gore A fierce, playful look at Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most powerful heroines

SAT, APR 9 â&#x20AC;˘ 3PM | SUN, APR 10 â&#x20AC;˘ 2PM |

Aimee Mann & Billy Collins

> An Evening of Poetry, Acoustic Music and Conversation

MON, APR 25 â&#x20AC;˘ 8PM

Black British Writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tour of North America > featuring Roger Robinson, Jay Bernard, Gabriel Gbadamosi, Colin Grant, Johny Pitts, Bernadine Evaristo, Warsan Shire, Kare McCarthy-Woolf, Nick Makoha, Diran Adebayo

TUE, MAY 3 â&#x20AC;˘ 8PM

mondaviarts.org

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

SAVE 20-30% OFF SELECT ITEMS During our Spring Home Furnishings Event! Sale through 4/30

Ask our Design Team about our Designer Price When you “BUY DESIGN” 5601 H Street (@ 56th/Elvas) + 916-448-4100 + www.HausHomeAndGift.com

Study at the First Law School in the Nation to Offer MPA and MPP Degrees

McGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW

- Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Learn more at our online webinars or on-campus information sessions. Register at 916.340.6192 or go.mcgeorge.edu/PublicPolicy. McGeorge School of Law Public Policy

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Public Administration

Gary Dinnen's artwork will be on display at Archival Gallery

PREVIEWS FROM page 36

JUST LIKE HEAVEN

its illustrious artistic director and premier orchestra conductor, Michael Neumann, at the 60th Anniversary Gala from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 29, at the Crocker Art Museum. Enjoy an elegant (black tie optional) evening under the stars filled with fine wine, gourmet food and entertainment provided by SYS musicians and Mumbo Gumbo. A cocktail reception, dinner and entertainment are all included in the $150 ticket price, proceeds from which will help the SYS continue its legacy of instruction and artistic excellence. For tickets and more information, call 731-5777 or go to sacramentoyouthsymphony.org The Crocker Art Museum is at 216 O St.

You’ll positively be in paradise when regional singing group Samantics presents “In Paradisum,” an original requiem written by founder and director Sam Schieber, on April 15-17. A requiem on April 15th? (The “death and taxes” joke is too easy!) But no joke, Samantics will be presenting this ambitious original score that features texts from the traditional Requiem liturgy, the Psalms and the poems of George Herbert. In keeping with the subject matter, the piece will be serious (mostly), but you can count on a few Samantics touches—this is a group that regularly spoofs celebrities complete with ridiculous props, but also brings the big guns with a full choir of 35 tremendously talented voices, plus guest soloists Mark Beams, Brad

( )L[[LY 4H[[YLZZ Naturally ( )L[[LY 4H[[YLZZ

Natural Mattress and Flex Slats Enables Deeper Sleep • Natural and organic mattresses, bedding and pillows • European components offer incomparable comfort, ergonomic support and longevity • Öeko-Tex European testing and certific certification ensures you get a clean and chemically-safe mattress

6606 6 66 06 Folsom Auburn Rd. Folsom, CA. 916-999-1760 Open Mattress Architecture Bong, Kate Campbell, Natasha Collier, Lesley Hamilton, Maureen Mette, Robert Rennicks, Betty Schneider, Lisa Singh and Madeleine Wieland. There will be a celebratory reception following each performance. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at the Vacaville Performing Arts Center (for tickets to this performance, visit vpat.net or call 707-469-4013); at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley; and at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 17, at First United Methodist Church in Sacramento (2100 J St.). For tickets, email tickets@samanticschoir.org

FRIENDS 4EVER What do you get when you put two renowned regional artists, who also happen to have been buddies for more than 40 years, in one room? The dynamo show “Decades: New Works by Gary Dinnen and Jay Weldon” at Archival Gallery all this month, with a special Second Saturday reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 9.

“Decades” celebrates the friendship between these two different (Dinnen does whimsical ceramic animals, Weldon does watercolors) but equally awesome artists that started 40 years ago. This exhibition marks the first time the two popular artists have shown together in 20 years. For more information, call 9236204 or go to archivalgallery.com. Archival Gallery is at 3223 Folsom Blvd.

MAY DVORAK BE WITH YOU You might wonder what “Star Wars” and composer Antonín Dvořák have in common, but if you’re the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, you know: dynamic music that’s as fun to listen to as it is to play. Check out Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony No. 9 at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, performed by Cleveland Institute of Music graduate Joshua Roman, the youngest principle cellist ever appointed to the Seattle Symphony in its history. The evening

sleepdesign.com sle

will include Dvořák’s brooding Cello Concerto under the direction of conductor Edwin Outwater. The force will be with you when the SP&O presents “Salute to John Williams” at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. Let the music of Williams transport you beyond your imagination to new worlds through heart-pounding adventures in a performance of film favorites “Superman,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Harry Potter,” “E.T.” and, of course, “Star Wars.” Both concerts will be held at the Community Center Theater (1301 L St.). For tickets and more information, call 808-2000 or go to sacphilopera.org

PERFORMANCE ART The B Street Theatre lobby will be looking extra festive this month when students from Christian Brothers High School show off their pieces as part of a special workshop presented by encaustic artist Jaya King.

The school invited King to be a featured artist (previous featured artists have included Wayne Thiebaud and Gregory Kondos, so King is in good company) to speak to the art students about a career in the arts and inspire them to create a painting using her techniques. After days in the classroom and a mini studio King set up to teach the aspiring artists about encaustic—the ancient medium that involves painting with hot wax— the students created a piece of their own that is now exhibited and for sale at the B Street. Part of the proceeds will go to the young artists and some will benefit the theater’s youth programs. For more information about King, go to jayasart.com. While you’re admiring the art, why not treat yourself to a performance of the world premiere of Robert Caisley’s “A Masterpiece of Comic … Timing,” through April 17? In the Royal Palms Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., Danny “Nebraska”

PREVIEWS page 40

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

PREVIEWS FROM page 39

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

Jones is set to write the world’s funniest comedy—as soon as he gets over his melancholy, an ex-girlfriend and an anxious producer. Oh, and it’s snowing in the bedroom. Farce, slapstick and pratfalls come together in this hilarious piece that asks, “What could be funnier than a play about trying to write a play and having that play not be funny?” Mayhem and creative differences collide as the characters—Jones, his neurotic producer Jerry Cobb and Cobb’s assistant, among others—duke it out while they try to create the next hit Broadway show. For tickets and more information, call 443-5300 or go to bstreettheatre. org. The B Street Theatre is at 2711 B St.

Spring has sprung at the Crocker Art Museum. Don’t miss out on the classical concert, student self-portrait show and more. Starting on April 7 and running through May 22, check out the “High School Self-Portrait Show,” composed of self-portraits of high school artists within our region done in diverse mediums in collaboration with Chalk it Up! and Christian Brothers High School. Congratulate the young artists in person at the reception from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 17. The Classical Concert featuring the Gold Coast Trio (violin, cello and piano) at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, will make a believer of you yet. The lively performance will feature violinist Rachel Vetter Huang, cellist Susan Lamb Cook and pianist Hao Huang tackling a vibrant program of works by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), a contemporary of Andy Warhol, whose work is now on exhibit. (Warhol documented his meeting with Bernstein in his famous memoir “The Andy Warhol Diaries.”) The concert will also include the jazz-infused classic “Café Music” by Paul Schoenfield, which premiered in 1987, the year of Warhol’s death. The concert is expected to sell out, so call 808-1182 to reserve your tickets now. Want to boogie down like in the good ol’ days? The Crocker and event group Unseen Heroes are teaming up again (after a very successful Sacramento Prom Night) to bring you “Art Mix: Studio 54” from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. Inspired by the ongoing Andy Warhol exhibition, the museum will transform into Studio 54 for one night only: Marvel at celebs, linger in the Rock Candy Romper Room or be blown away by the battle of the blowouts when local salons do their best Farrah Fawcett flip or Shaun Cassidy feather. Prizes will be awarded for the chic-est 1970s attire, so be sure to strut your stuff on the dance floor. Enjoy food and drink discounts during happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. and $5 drink specials all night (this event is for guests age 21 and over.) Catch what’s new in the dance world with “HATCH: Dance

GET MOVING! Need a way to get your kids motivated to move? Why not make workouts such as kickboxing, yoga and Zumba for kids a whole lot of fun with Kids Unplugged, a local youth fitness group founded by Sarah Turtletaub? Turtletaub’s philosophy is to get kids to enjoy exercise, instead of dread it, by making her workouts amped up with great music and full of stress-free, noncompetitive joy. Who wouldn’t love to jump around with their friends for an hour? Classes are hosted at gymnasiums around the city: at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays at Bikram Yoga Natomas (3270 Arena Blvd.; no class on April 17); at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Fitness Rangers (1717 34th St.); and at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Body Lab (4219 Arden Way). For more information, go to kidsucorp.com.

“A Masterpiece of Comic … Timing” is playing at B Street Theatre. Photos courtesy of Rudy Meyers.

to the brain: “Water: More or Less” is available now through the Water Education Foundation and amazon. com. The dynamic duo explore California’s water supply, management, policy and use, and how these are all drastically changing, through stories about real people (including interviews and personal essays by 20 top water leaders) and Taylor’s stunning artwork and photography. To order your copy, call 444-6240 or go to watereducation.org

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING Marvel at artist Michele Fisher’s ability to capture narratives, symbolism, archetypes and mythology in ceramic at her exhibition “Faces and Figures, The Next Level,” at ARTHOUSE on R. Fisher’s otherworldly realism will have you looking twice at these exquisite pieces. Ask her how she did it at the special Second Saturday reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 9. For more information, go to arthouseonr.com. ARTHOUSE on R is at 1021 R St.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE What do you get when water journalist Rita Schmidt Sudman and artist and writer Stephanie Taylor team up? A beautiful book that’s both pleasing to the eye and informative

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Get the kids moving with Kids Unplugged

EAT WITH YOUR EYES Do you love food? Do you love film? Then the Sacramento Food Film Festival is made for you. Check it out on April 7-16 at various local locations. The 10-day festival will showcase award-winning short films, documentaries and family-friendly movies, food by the area’s best chefs (including Randall Selland and Kurt Spataro), drinks by celebrated bartenders (Brad Peters of Hock Farm and others), music, art, VIP experiences and more. Why all the festivities, you ask? Childhood obesity is a leading public health concern that disproportionately affects low-income and minority children (40 percent of Sacramento children are obese). For more information and a complete schedule of events, go to sacfoodfilmfest.com.

LEIPZIG OF FAITH Don’t miss the Crockett-Deane Ballet Company and the Deane Dance Center’s annual spring production of “The Story of Sleeping Beauty"

Works in Progress” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28. Now in its fifth rendition, HATCH will serve up unique dance courses within different environments at the museum in an inspired interplay between the built environment and kinesthetic sensibility. Developed by Lorelei Bayne, vice chair and dance coordinator in the Department of Theater and Dance at Sacramento State, HATCH presents a variety of original performances by both established and emerging choreographers. This year’s program will feature works inspired by the exhibition “Andy Warhol: Portraits,” as well as a Q&A session with the dancers and choreographers postperformance. For tickets and more information on all Crocker events, call 808-1182 or go to crockerartmuseum.org The Crocker Art Museum is at 216 O St.

BEAUTY AWAKENS Eager to revel in the beauty of a classic fairytale told in the sweeping

strokes of ballet? Don’t miss the Crockett-Deane Ballet Company and the Deane Dance Center’s annual spring production, “The Story of Sleeping Beauty,” April 15-17 at the Center at Twenty Three Hundred. Princess Aurora (danced by Sarah Kroll) and Prince Désiré, good and evil fairies and a cast of your favoritee fairytale characters will entertain, while the stunning costumes and sets and music by Pyotr Ilyich y Tchaikovsky will complete the pretty y picture. The traditional choreography h has been done by Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by director Don Schwennesen. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 15 (a special preview of Act III for $5); at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 (there will be a reception following the evening performance); and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 17. For more information, go to deanedancecenter. com. The Center at Twenty Three Hundred is at 2300 Sierra Blvd.

You probably never thought you’d get the chance to hear a repeat of a concert that happened in 1840, but at 2 p.m. on

yan Enright Organist R

Sunday, April 17, arrives your opportunity. Organist Ryan Enright will re-create Felix Mendelssohn’s renowned 1840 organ recital in Leipzig at St. John’s Lutheran Church in midtown. The program will feature the accomplished organ musician

doing what he does best with the work of Mendelssohn and Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as a bit of improvisation. For tickets and more information, go to stjohnslc.org/concert St. John’s Lutheran Church is at 1701 L St.

VISIT NIHONMACHI Take a step back in time to the days before before World War II and learn about what it was like living in Sacramento’s nihonmachi (Japantown) from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, at the Asian Community Center (on the site of the former Merryhill School). Do you remember the “Sumo Tournament” on the 4th of July in Japan Alley, O-bon dancing in the street and attending Lincoln Elementary and Junior High School? April Ikuma Adachi, Alice Takeda Kataoka, Victor Shibata and Marian Uchida do, and they’re back by popular demand with a multimedia presentation about their experiences living in Japan-town. Prior to World War II, there were more than 50 Japan-towns in California. Today, only three exist: in San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles. For the early immigrants, nihonmachi was the gathering place and haven from the racial prejudice of the broader community. People came from near and far to Sacramento’s then-thriving nihonmachi, which included markets, doctors, dentists, hotels, boarding houses, pool halls, restaurants, a soda factory, a pharmacy and more. This event is presented by the Jan Ken Po Cultural Association, whose mission is to honor the Japanese culture and the foundation of the Japanese American experience by providing activities that educate and stimulate an appreciation of this heritage. For more information, call 4228783 or email jkpca21@yahoo.com. The Asian Community Center is at 7334 Park City Drive.

PREVIEWS page 42

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

PREVIEWS FROM page 41

City College. The artists are Laura Carpenter, Jill Estroff, Ed Forrest, SPRING FLING Chris Markel, Christine Nicholson Spring is the time to spruce up your and Stephanie Fry Rallanka. house, so why not decorate with some Varying widely in style from fresh blooms care of Relles Florist’s expressionist landscape to geometric Spring Bouquet DIY class at 10 a.m. abstraction, these paintings are on Saturday, April 9? unified by expressive intensity and a For $35, participants will learn how concentration on surface and gesture. to make a spring bouquet inspired by Don’t miss the opening reception both the Western line and European from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 1. design techniques. Relles will provide For more information, call 400-4281 the flowers, containers and tools; you or go to beatnik-studios.com. bring your own apron. Beatnik Studios is at 723 S St. Register in advance by calling 4411478 or going to rellesflorist.com. GOING NATIVE Relles Florist is at 2400 J St.

HELP IS HERE Are you caring for a loved one who is suffering from dementia? Finding yourself wracked with guilt for feeling frustrated, resentful or just plain exhausted? The Triple-R Adult Day Program is here to help with an informative and emotional seminar from 3 to 4:15 p.m. on Friday, April 8, at the Hart Senior Center’s Cypress Room. For many who are taking care of someone with dementia, there can be a feeling of living for two people, and we can find ourselves shorttempered or resentful and then feel guilty and ashamed. In the midst of caring for others, it’s easy to lose sight of how our lives are affected by daily exposure to those in need. This seminar will explore ways to deal with guilt and self-criticism, as well as find ways to lighten up, laugh and let go through honest dialogue led by Julie Interrante. Free respite is available if arrangements are made in advance. Space is limited, so RSVP to calbers@ cityofsacramento.org or call 808-6475. The Hart Senior Center is at 915 27th St.

SIZZLING SEXTUPLET Beatnik Studios ushers in spring with “Six from City,” on display now through April 22. The exhibition brings together paintings by six members of a longstanding critique group established by Chris Daubert at Sacramento

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Passionate about all things plants? Don’t miss the California Native Plant Society’s two April events that are sure to bring out your green thumb. First up is the 2016 Gardens Gone Native Garden Tour from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 9. Twenty-three California native plant gardens in the Sacramento and Yolo county areas will be open to lookieloos and landscape aficionados to learn from; attendees can even speak with garden hosts and docents about the landscape designs and plants. Registration for the free event is at gardensgonenative.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Colene Rauh at 717-5517 or clrauh1@ gmail.com. Wild about wildflowers? Then Wildflower Wonders from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, at Soil Born Farms is for you. The all-day Wildflower Show and Plant Exhibit will include expert naturalists (who will provide friendly and knowledgeable interpretation at each exhibit), hundreds of fresh-cut native wildflowers, shrubs, trees and grasses on display, as well as stunning photographs of each featured habitat. Activities will include an art table, a scavenger hunt, the Plant Community Food Chain game, a Focus on Flowers table with microscopes available for use, exhibits from the Audubon Society and Soil Born Farms and, last but certainly not least, the Native Plant Sale presented by Elderberry Farms. The event has a suggested donation of $5 but no one will be turned

Laura Carpenter's artwork will be featured at Beatnik Studios

away for lack of funds. For more information, contact Chris Lewis at 812-2876 or cnpschris@gmail.com. Soil Born Farms is at 2140 Chase Drive in Rancho Cordova.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE Is your HVAC system a mystery to you? Demystify your heating and air-conditioning system with the help of SMUD’s informative workshop “HVAC Introduction, Maintenance and Operation” from 9 a.m. to noon. on Saturday, April 9. Learn about the components of your heating, ventilation and airconditioning system and how they work together. In addition, you will learn about the steps you can take to optimize the efficiency of your system, when and how to maintain your system, and when to seek a heating and air-conditioning contractor to

perform maintenance, or replace the system. Interested in solar power but don’t know where to start? Check out the “Solar for Your Home” seminar from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27.This workshop will provide expert advice from SMUD’s solar specialists and answer your questions about potential savings, system size and cost so you can decide if solar is the right choice for you. For more information on all SMUD workshops, go to smud.org/ workshops. Questions? Call 888-742-7683. Workshops are held at the SMUD Customer Service Center’s Rubicon Room at 6301 S St.

RAISE YOUR VOX The next innovative concert project by Sacramento’s esteemed women’s

“Be Stronger Than Your Excuses.”

For Rising 5th - 8th Grade Girls Monday, June 13 - Friday, July 8

8-Week Training Programs for $69! Learn More on Saturday, May 21 at 8am

For Rising 5th - 9th Grade Girls Dates and times available online

Fleet Feet Sports Sacramento, 2311 J Street, Sacramento

www.FleetFeetSacramento.com

We also offer Academic Credit Courses for 9th -12th Grade Girls and Boys. June 13 - July 22

5900 Elvas Avenue Sacramento, CA 95819 www.stfrancishs.org/summer chamber ensemble VOX Musica is coming up April 2-3. “DECEM: Repose, Reflection and Renewal” will be a musical and spiritual journey in recognition of the 10th season of VOX Musica (“DECEM” means “10”) and will focus on the music of medieval prophetic visionary and composer Hildegard Von Bingen—considered to be some of the finest music produced in the Middle Ages. The concert will include chant, poetry and the strains of medieval music scholar Diane Silva on the vielle, a medieval stringed instrument similar to a violin that is rarely heard. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (1017 11th St.) and at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, at Beatnik Studios (723 S St.). For tickets and more information, call 844-2586 or go to voxmusica.net.

Q&A FOR THE VA Are you a veteran wondering how to buy a home using the

Department of Veterans Affairs home loan program? The free workshop presented by Jai Jett and Beth Sherman from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, at the Dunnigan Realtors office on Freeport Boulevard will answer your questions and more. Mortgage Loan Specialist Jai Jett of Pacific National Lending and Realtor Beth Sherman of Dunnigan Realtors will go over the eligibility requirements, process and benefits of using the VA home loan program for veterans, service members and their spouses and discuss the homebuying process. Reference materials will be provided to take home and all questions are welcome. For more information, contact the organizers at jjett@ pacificnationallending.com or beth@ liveinsac.com. The Dunnigan Realtors office is at 4215 Freeport Blvd. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Please email items for consideration by the first of the month, at least one month in advance of the event. n

European Masterworks Franz Joseph Haydn | Harmoniemesse Vaughan Williams | An Oxford Elegy Antonín Dvořák | Psalm 149

Haydn’s ra rely performe d

last major masterpie ce

Sara Duchnovnay, Soprano Malin Fritz, Mezzo Soprano Christopher Bengochea, Tenor Matt Boehler, Bass Narrator: Phillip Ryder

PROJEC T E SUPERTIT D T R A N SL A L E TIONS

SATURDAY, MAY 14 AT 8 PM 7:00 PM Pre-concert talk by Conductor Donald Kendrick Community Center Theater

SCSO

SEASON

Donald Kendrick, Music Director

SACRAMENTOCHORAL.COM

TICKETS CCT Box Office 916.808.5181 or TICKETS.com

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

The Highest Honor BEING AT A DEATHBED ISN’T SAD; IT’S A PRIVILEGE

BY NORRIS BURKES SPIRIT MATTERS

s a part-time hospice chaplain, I often get unnecessary sympathy from friends and acquaintances. They say things like “Your job must be so sad.” Or “I can’t say I envy you.” The irony is that I rarely feel sad. Instead, I am honored to be present in that sacred moment when someone takes his or her final breath on this earth. Take, for example, the family that called me on a dreary day last month requesting that I bring a blessing for their dying mother.

I immediately hopped in my car and set my windshield wipers on delay to wipe away the drizzle of the indecisive rain. A few minutes later, I rang the doorbell in a home not far from mine. A dour woman in her 60s answered the door. She introduced herself as the patient’s daughter and led me to the kitchen, where she’d been discussing funeral plans with the hospice nurse. As we sat down together, the devoted daughter explained how she’d recently quit her job to take care of her mother. “My mother is a lifelong Catholic,” she said, “so she’d appreciate a blessing.” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Sleeping in the master bedroom,” she replied, nodding toward the hallway. “She’s unrousable,” added the nurse. I stood in anticipation they’d join me. “I’m not religious at all,” the daughter said. “You go ahead.”

NELSON DENTAL

We Show. We Tell. You Decide.

Morning & Evening Appointments Ū Single-Visit Crowns Ū Invisalign Ū Cancer Screening

7400 Greenhaven Dr.

www.NelsonDental.com

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

916-427-1101

Feeling dismissed, I walked down the darkened hallway with some confusion in tow. I’m a bit unclear what people want me to do in these solo situations. Am I supposed to arouse the loved one like a nurse who awakes her patient for medication? Or should I whisper a prayer so as not to disturb the patient? I also wondered how I would feel in her position. I might be thinking, “I’ve got my eternal questions answered, so I don’t want a stranger bothering me on my deathbed.”

A gently creased smile edged across her face. Nevertheless, I walked into the master bedroom, filled with the smells of ointments, diapers and the dust of a well-used room. The woman was sleeping peacefully on her back, hands folded across her stomach. I reached out with my index finger to trace the shape of the cross on her forehead. With my touch, she startled awake. I took a step back and smiled. She returned a solemn, unreadable expression. What was she thinking? I was an unescorted stranger in her bedroom. Did she think I was there to do her harm? Was she wondering why she didn’t recognize me? “I’m Chaplain Norris,” I said. “Your daughter asked me to say a prayer with you.” A gently creased smile edged across her face, giving a hint of understanding.

I took a retreating step into the hallway and invited the nurse and the woman’s daughter to join what was likely the patient’s last wakened moment. A minute later, we stood around the bed as the woman blinked in recognition of our intent. We joined hands and I cleared my throat to say the blessing. “May you hear the familiar voice of your loved ones, “May you hear the tender call of God’s invitation, “And may you experience the love of both. “Amen.” With that, our patient shut her eyes. In their closing, I thought I could see traces of the Apostle Paul, who said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” As I drove to see my next patient, I noticed the rain had given up for the day. I thought about my friends who say this job would be too sad for them. Sad is the last word I’d use. It’s not sad. It’s an honor. It’s a calling. Norris Burkes is a chaplain, syndicated columnist, national speaker and author of the book “Hero’s Highway,” about his experiences as a hospital chaplain in Iraq. He can be reached at ask@ TheChaplain.net n

Chaplain Norris Burkes is available to speak at churches, community events and veteran or healthcare organizations. Contact him at norris@thechaplain.net or 243-6260.

THEATRE GUIDE A BIT MORE: ART

April 8 – April 10 Big Idea Theatre 1616 Del Paso Blvd. Sac 960-3036

How much would you pay for a white painting? Would it matter who the painter was? Would it be art? One of Marc’s best friends, Serge, has just bought a very expensive painting. It’s about five feet by four, all white diagonal lines. To Marc, the painting is a joke, but Serge insists Marc doesn’t have the proper standard to judge the work. Lines are drawn and these old friends square off over the canvas, using it as an excuse to relentlessly batter one another over various failures.

NEWSIES

April 12 – April 17 Sacramento Community Center Theater 1301 L St, Sac 808-5181

They delivered the papers, until they made the headlines; direct from Broadway comes Newsies, crowd-pleasing new musical from Disney. Based on true events, Newsies tells the captivating story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York. It’s a rousing tale about fighting for what’s right; and staying true to who you are. Filled with one heart-pounding number after another, it’s a high-energy explosion of song and dance you just don’t want to miss.

THE PRODUCERS

April 13 – April 24 CSUS University Theatre 6000 J St, Sac 278-4323

Max and Leo come up with the great Broadway con -- oversell a sure-fire flop and keep all the money when it fails. But what happens when it becomes a hit? The Producers, by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, comes to Sacramento State’s University Theatre. This production will be directed by Professor Ed Brazo. Note: This performance contains mature themes and language.

TOUR and PERFORMANCE at CROCKER ART MUSEUM By B Street Theatre April 12 Crocker Art Museum 216 O St, Sac 808-1182

In spectacular and often hilarious form, professional actors present a series of short plays written by kids in this special Fantasy Festival production. A great value, this two-for-one program includes a guided museum tour and a theatrical performance by B Street Theatre in the Crocker’s beautiful Setzer Auditorium. (Advanced registration by 5 pm Mon 4/11)

A MASTERPIECE OF COMIC... TIMING Thru April 17 B Street Theatre 2711 B St, Sac 916 443-5300

In the Royal Palms Hotel in Scottsdale Arizona, Danny “Nebraska” Jones is set to write the world’s funniest comedy, as soon as he gets over his melancholy, an ex-girlfriend and an anxious producer. Oh, and it’s snowing in the bedroom. Farce, slapstick, and pratfalls come together in the world premiere of Robert Caisley’s, A Masterpiece of Comic... Timing.

BLACKBERRY WINTER

Thru April 17 Capital Stage 2215 J St, Sac 476-3116

Years of success, meticulous planning, and an eye for detail have in no way prepared Vivienne Avery for her mother’s slide into the grip of dementia. Initially hiding behind insomnia-fueled baking and a polite smile, stories about her mother leave Vivienne’s inner turmoil quietly laid bare on stage. Blackberry Winter juxtaposes these stories, large theatrical gestures, and a childlike Alzheimer’s “creation myth” to recount one woman’s witnessing of the inevitable.

THE SINGING REVOLUTION SPRING CONCERT

MAY 1, 2016 AT 4:00 P.M. Featuring four choirs

Carmichael Seventh Day Adventist Church 4600 Winding Way, Sacramento CONDUCTORS: Lynn Stevens and Melanie Huber

TICKETS $30 Preferred, $17 General, $12 Students

(916) 646-1141

www.sacramentochildrenschorus.org

GOODBYE FREDDY by Elizabeth Diggs April 14 – May 1 Geery Theatre 2130 L St, Sac 214-6255

What happens when secrets go to the grave? Six friends find out it’s not easy keeping things buried, especially your darkest fears. On the night after Freddy’s funeral, long time college friends gather at the home of Kate and Hank to mourn their loss. Hank is beside himself, and their dear friend Nessa knows the real reason why. Her ex-husband Andy tries to stop her incessant need to spill the beans and in the midst of it all, Paul and Alice confront infidelity and mistrust.

ELECTRICIDAD

Thru April 17 California Stage Theatre 2509 R St, Sac 212-9315 This incredible work is adapted from the popular Greek classic, Electra by Euripides. Alfaro’s adaptation takes audiences to “cholo-landia” where the East Los Locos are mourning the death of their leader, “El Auggie.” The powerfully poetic work attacks the violence taking place over generations, between groups who would have more to gain by working together; ill-place loyalties; the passion of revenge being mistaken for an expression of love; the inability to forgive dooming future generations. The tragic results are seen in the pages of every newspaper.

SUBMIT EVENTS TO ANIKO@INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Bird’s-Eye View WATERCOLORIST SOARS WITH AERIAL PERSPECTIVES

BY DEBRA BELT

entry, she earned “signature status” with the society, an honor offered to those who make it into the show three times. This year’s submission is called “Diablo’s Delta,” and it continues her ongoing body of work examining Sacramento from the air. The painting was inspired by an image of the delta near Walnut Grove captured during a recent flight in an Aeronca Champ, a World War II training plane.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

n a studio full of painter’s palettes, color swatches and dozens of watercolor paintings depicting aerial views of Sacramento (the curvaceous river, the lush rice fields, the resplendent delta), Elaine Bowers pulls out a treasure. She lifts a bronze medal from a velvet-lined case and gives it a quick polish before showing it. “It’s kind of like an Academy Award for painting,” she says.

Bowers has been making art since she was “old enough to hold a crayon.”

“It looks like a quilt from the air, and I thought, ‘I have got to paint this.’” The medal is a top honor from the American Watercolor Society, presented to Bowers in 2013 at the society’s 146th annual International Exhibition. After years of submitting paintings to the society and never getting in the show, Bowers regards the medal as a breakthrough and a triumph. “I entered the show so many times, I lost count. Year after year I didn’t get accepted,” she says of the show, which receives some 1,600 annual entries from all over the world. Artists can submit only one piece to the exhibit, and five judges must concur on which 150 pieces get into the show, which opens in New

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Local artist Elaine Bowers in her studio

York and is then shipped around the country to display the finest efforts of contemporary watercolorists. “It’s a huge process,” she says.

As if to illustrate the old adage “when you’re in, you’re in,” Bowers was accepted into the 149th annual International Exhibition, opening April 4 in New York. With this year’s

After painting watercolors for more than 20 years, Bowers zeroed in on aerial perspectives in 2006 when she acted upon her desire to capture the bird’s-eye view. “Flying in and out of Sacramento, I always loved the view,” she says. “It looks like a quilt from the air, and I thought, ‘I have got to paint this.’” She sought out local pilots to take her up and found allies more than willing to venture into the blue yonder. “Pilots love an excuse to fly and they need the hours,” she says. She knew she was on to something when her first show at the nowdefunct 20th Street Art Gallery nearly sold out. A trip in 2013 found her in a 1940s Piper Cub plane, which flew low and slow over the delta out of Clarksburg.

“It was early morning and there were great shadows reflecting in the river,” she recalls. Bowers took more than 500 photos, capturing images that fueled her breakthrough with the American Watercolor Society and also landed her a place in the 2015 Crocker-Kingsley Art Competition. Bowers said she does the aerial views for herself. “It was a chance to get more abstract and impressionistic,” she says. While her carefully rendered pieces are not abstract in a literal sense, her paintings of rice fields and their meandering lines take on abstract patterns. In an interesting twist, Bowers discovered that rice field patterns are changing and the wavy lines once visible from the air have given way to straight lines as rice farmers use laser leveling methods to flood the fields more evenly. Thus, her work has taken on more gridlike perspectives of the fields, to which she adds images of passing clouds. About her chosen medium of watercolor, Bowers acknowledges the bias that often bothers artists working in the medium. “There is the idea that masters use oil paint,” she says. “Or there is the idea that watercolors are not archival, but they are.” It’s frustrating, she admits, but

she needs to summon only one name to give credence to the medium: John Singer Sargent. “His watercolors were among his best paintings,” she says. As her art earns increasing recognition, Bowers says she just tries to “stay focused and paint.” She also works as an art therapist and says painting provides balance and allows her to escape the world. “I use it as a reward,” she says. Bowers has been making art since she was “old enough to hold a crayon,” and she still has a picture she created at age 2. Her early work includes drawings on recycled paper and a portrait of her brother that she drew at age 6. “I still remember him posing for me,” she says. A California native raised in San Jose, Bowers studied graphic art at West Valley College in Saratoga. However, she found graphic arts work boring back in the “paste-up days before computers,” so she went back to school and took every art class she could. In art, she finds value and joy. “When I’m not doing it, I feel a void, so I make it a high priority,” she says. Ultimately, art is her connection to the world around her, to the pilots who take to the sky, to the rice farmers who alter their watering

methods and to the water that runs through the river and into her paintings.

For more information about Elaine Bowers and her art, go to elainebowersart.com n

Do You Have An Elderly Loved One Who Wants to Stay at Home but Needs Help? If so, meet Home Care Assistance. High Caliber Care Partners. We hire only 1 in 75 applicants, and we are the only senior care company with a Home Care University to train and develop care partners. Balanced Care. Our unique Balanced Care Method™ promotes healthy mind, body and spirit, and helps our clients thrive at home. Brain Health Experts. Our proprietary Cognitive Therapeutics Method™ is a non-pharmacological activities program to keep aging minds sharp and engaged. Available 24/7. We are on call for clients and their families, even during nights and weekends. Meet Kathy. Kathy Herrfeldt is the owner of Home Care Assistance of Sacramento and works directly with clients and their families. She is passionate about promoting options that lead to living healthily and independently wherever that may be.

Call today to schedule a free assessment!

916-706-0169

5363 H Street, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95819 www.HomeCareAssistanceSacramento.com

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

New Skool S.F. RESTAURATEURS OPEN A NEW OUTPOST IN SACRAMENTO

BY GREG SABIN

secured to boards with No. 2 pencils.

RESTAURANT INSIDER

And if you squint just the right

way, you might mistake the array of

he restaurant business tends

tables and chairs for a third-grade

to be local. Sure, there are

classroom.

national chains, huge franchise

While Skool’s principals have their

operations and international

tongues planted firmly in their cheeks

conglomerates that run food outlets.

when it comes to design, the food that

And, of course, there’s a handful of

comes out of the kitchen is serious,

nationally known celebrity chefs, with

and seriously excellent.

restaurants in New York, D.C., Las

Each dish arrives at the table

Vegas and a few in their hometowns,

with casual grace, beautifully plated

be it Santa Rosa or Savannah. But

and well portioned. A sampler of

most restaurateurs stick close to

raw preparations ($27) mixes cured

home. So close, in fact, that rarely

ocean trout, amberjack and salmon

does a restaurant owner set up shop

tartare. The trout sits resplendent on

in both Sacramento and the Bay Area.

a thickly grained wood plank, served

That’s why it’s news when a San

with pickled roe, shaved fennel, frisee,

Francisco restaurant opens a branch

tangerine and sliced radish. The

in our humble town.

amberjack gains flavor from eggplant,

I’m talking about Skool on K

pickled mushroom and daikon. The

Street, an offshoot of San Francisco’s

salmon comes potted in a squat mason

Skool restaurant. The new place

jar, mixed with quail egg and ginger

basically has the same menu as

mustard. It’s a decadent little pot.

the original, a heavily Japanese-

A bowl of clams and mussels ($17),

influenced collection of seafood

steamed in sake and served with

dishes. Skool is led by two husband-

lemon grass dashi broth, is one of

and-wife teams: owners/operators

the finest shellfish preparations I’ve

Andy Mirabell and Olia Kedik and

eaten in recent memory. It’s a healthy

executive chef Toshihiro Nagano and

portion of shells without a clunker in

his wife, pastry chef and creative

the batch, and the broth is so lovely

director Hiroko Nagano. Their

you’ll want to soak up every last bit.

experience in running Skool in San

Pan-roasted trout ($25) served

Francisco certainly shows in the new

with broccolini and sunchokes is

Sacramento location. Open only a few Yaki Ika, (grilled squid) from Skool

weeks, the front of the house and the kitchen already run like a well-oiled machine.

doors down, a vegan restaurant next

wooden tables and chairs and a brief

door. Skool is housed in the storefront

smattering of Japanese kitchen

Street just up from 23rd, a fine

previously inhabited by Anatolian

regalia. The name, Skool, is not just

example of the new Midtown. Across

Table.

a clever play on the term for a group

The space sits set back from K

the street are The Golden Bear, Der

The interior of Skool plays on cozy

of fish but also an inspiration for

Biergarten and Sticky Gator BBQ &

minimalism, with black-and-white

classroom design elements. Menus are

Soul Food. There’s a boutique a few

wall art, a gridlike setup of simple

printed on lined notebook paper and

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

beautiful dish. The portion size is spot on for an entrée, and the simple flavors meld beautifully. The kitchen shows amazing restraint in letting the freshwater treat (the only one on the menu) speak for itself without adding much more than a sliced lemon, a spot of chimichurri and an aggressive grind or two of black pepper.

Clever small bites fill nearly half the menu. The mushroom “fries” ($8) feel like a guilty pleasure served with a ridiculous white miso aioli. Deviled eggs ($11) get the Skool treatment when topped with Spanish-style anchovies, flying fish roe and Peruvian chili sauce. Fish ribs, chicken wings and salmon chips round out the small-plates menu and bolster a well-priced and attractive daily happy hour (known at Skool as Detention Hall). Skool is a fine addition to the ever-growing portfolio of Midtown restaurants. Its owners’ experience in the City definitely shows in the quick and nearly flawless opening here in Sacramento. We’re happy to have this midsemester transfer in our classroom here in the valley. Skool is at 2319 K St.; 737-5767; skoolonkstreet.com Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com n The dining room at Skool

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

This Month at the Market

A LOOK AT WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN APRIL

STRAWBERRIES

ENGLISH PEAS

MUSTARD GREENS

This popular fruit, with its fresh aroma, bright red color and sweetness, is a sure sign that spring has arrived in Sacramento. To eat: Eat right out of the basket, or serve with whipped cream or ice cream for dessert.

The pods are not edible, so you must shuck the sweet, tender peas before eating them either raw or cooked. To eat: Steam, boil, blanch or sautĂŠ them. They are delicious in pasta with a light, lemony mascarpone sauce.

The leaves of the mustard plant are highly nutritious and have a peppery flavor. To eat: Add a small amount of raw greens to a salad.

MORELS

FAVA GREENS

LEEKS

This mushroom has a strong, nutty, earthy flavor. Its harvest season is short, but you can find dried morels year-round. To eat: Saute gently in butter with chopped shallots, then add cream for a lovely, light sauce.

This vegetable, which is related to onions and garlic, is sweet and delicately flavored. Trim the tough green leaves and use the white stalk. To eat: Use to add flavor to stocks, soups or stews.

Commonly found in Asian dishes, these greens are mildly sweet and buttery. Early in the season, they are tender enough to eat raw. To eat: Use to wrap fish or seafood before cooking.

DOWNTOWN APR n 16

Simply The Best Martini Hour Downtown Reduced Priced Cocktails & Half Off Selected Appetizers

Monday - Friday 3 - 6 A

A LL

Y IL

S RE

U TA

(ALL APRIL)

L U N C H,DI N N E R,

Frank Fatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

AND HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS

806 L Street Downtown Sacramento 916-442-7092 www.FrankFats.com

1131 K STREET DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO 916.443.3772

est. 1939

imagine...

WWW.ELLA DINING ROOM AND BAR.COM

You've seen us around for years We have the experience your project deserves

a beautiful photo of your business seen by almost every neighbor surrounding your location every month. Remember they can only become your customer if they know about you. (And it is a big mistake to assume they do.) odeling n/build rem ig s e d e ic rv Full se

One stop for all of your Kitchen, Bath, or Whole House remodeling needs backed up by 34 years of experience in Sacramento's oldest neighborhoods.

VISIT insidepublications.com

Our designer is on staff and available for whatever assistance you may need with material selections and functional design.

Call now for a free in home consultation and estimate for your project. NO upfront design fees required to see what your new space will look like and how much your investment will be.

www.djkitchen.com

916-925-2577

DOWNTOWN n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

WE’RE YOUR NEIGHBOR! sold

LINCOLN

Spacious 4 bedroom located in Brookview and in a low traf¿c cul-de-sac location! Formal dining & nook, separate living & family (with ¿replace), 3 car tandem garage, newer appliances and so much more! $369,900 JOLEEN DUNNIGAN 916-717-3559

ANATOLIA

Beautiful single story on a corner lot. 3 beds, 2 bths plus of¿ce, 3 car garage. Great room Àoorplan, spacious kitchen with granite counters, breakfast nook & inside laundry. Low maintenance bkyrd with wood burning ¿re pit. Move in ready! $410,000 MARY LEE 916-425-3749

pending

LOOMIS

Custom 4 year new w/gated entry on 2.4 acres. Gorgeous kitchen with abundance of marble, stone & stainless w/top of the line appliances. Attention to design with no expense spared! $825,000 CAROL CRESTELO 916-203-8998

sold

GATED RIVERLAKE HALF-PLEX

Updated ½ plex in gated Southshore in Riverlake. Kitchen w/ granite counters, gas cooktop & newer appliances, HVAC 3 years, skylights, newer metal roof, professionally landscaped backyard. Access to lake, docks & picnic areas! $429,900 NICK LAPLACA 916-764-7500

Visit bhhsdunnigan.com

ROSEVILLE

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! So much potentional in this 4 bed, 2.5 bth ¿xer! With Àooring, paint and some TLC, this property can shine again. $362,000 BRANDON SHEPARD 916-479-1936

SACRAMENTO

Fantastic 3 bed, 2 bth starter home! Great room concept with wood Àoors, cozy kitchen with granite counters, large master bedroom with walk in closet and full bath, HUGE back yard! $215,000 JOLEEN DUNNIGAN 916-717-3559

pending

SOUTH LAND PARK HILLS

Unique 4 bd, 3 bth, single story home on a wonderful street. Approx. 500sf suite/studio w/full bath & private access. Updated windows/sliders, newer roof & HVAC, dark bottom pool and so much more! $589,500 NICK LAPLACA 916-764-7500

pending

POCKET

Wonderful 3 bed, 2.5 bth single family home with updated kitchen and bath with granite countertops, newer roof and newer exterior stucco. Low maintenance backyard. Just steps from Garcia Bend! $339,900 LYNN LUK LEE 916-628-2843

Good to Know.™

NEW HOMES IN MARYSVILLE

New construction and others are available! Granite counters throughout, ceiling fans, stainless steel appliances. 1504SF to 2110SF. Professional décor selections interior & exterior. Tile roof, front yard landscaping. $242,900-$285,900 JIM DUSA 530-632-4699

916-422-3756

©2015 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.