Inside east sacramento feb 2015 by Inside Publications

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PRSRT STD US Postage PA I D Permit # 1826 Sacramento CA

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EAST SACRAMENTO McKINLEY PARK RIVER PARK ELMHURST TAHOE PARK CAMPUS COMMONS

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A BYGONE ERA Beautifully renovated from head to toe - The Didion House - Rich wood, ¿ne detailing and spacious rooms. Historical in in both style, heritage and culture. 4 bedrooms 2 full baths and 2 half baths with new kitchen, three Àoors, including media room, and a full basement. $1,395,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

EAST SACRAMENTO DUPLEX Superb vintage duplex. Great for owner occupied or investor. Beautiful 1910 Mediterranean style. Each unit has 2 bedrooms and a bath. Newer copper plumbing and electrical. Living and Dining room combinations. Easy walking to midtown restaurants, shops and theaters. $459,000 PAM VANDERFORD 799-7234

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AWESOME BUNGALOW 3 bedroom 2 bath, rebuilt in ‘97 has a great open Àoor plan, high ceilings and designer colors. The kitchen has plenty of storage with breakfast bar and overlooks dining/family room. Relax on the large front porch or back patio and watch your garden harvest grow! $359,500 DAVID KIRRENE 531-7495

BEYOND CUTE Cozy bedroom loaded with charm, character and personality. Gleaming hardwood Àoors, light and bright kitchen that views a beautiful backyard, inside laundry room, redwood deck with arbor cover, large two car garage with additional storage! $389,000 RICHARD KITOWSKI 261-0811

SPACIOUS AND REDONE! 3 bedroom 3 bath home just a couple blocks from the park. Living room has high ceilings and lots of natural light. The kitchen is large enough for family dining or entertaining and overlooks the large family room with high ceilings and a gas log burning ¿replace. $549,900 DAVID KIRRENE 531-7495

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Opportunity to live in East Sacramento and walk to all the great restaurants. Right off 51st Street, this 2 bedroom home sits on a quiet dead-end street. Large lot provides for a great yard. A comfortable sweet starter home or investment property. $249,900 JAMIE RICH 612-4000

WONDERFUL EAST SACRAMENTO Great layout and a warm cozy feel in this 3 bedroom home. Updates include dual pane windows, custom lighting, newer paint inside and out and spacious kitchen. Plenty of old world charm with good Àoors and a ¿replace in the living room. Larger than average back yard too! $395,000 NATHAN SHERMAN 969-7379

CONGRATULATIONS LINDA WOOD Awarded Sacramento Associate of Realtors 2014 Realtor of the Year

for current home listings, please visit:

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

WONDERFUL RIVER PARK Lovely 3 bedroom home with remodeled bath, recently painted exterior! Kitchen has been remodeled with granite and the cabinets were replaced. Huge backyard features a beautiful swimming pool and great shade trees. 2-car garage. $420,000 LEIGH RUTLEDGE 612-6911, BILL HAMBRICK 600-6528

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PENDING

DARLING EAST SAC HOME! Located near McKinley Park, East CHARISMATIC RIVER PARK COTTAGE! Resting on a ELMHURST GARDEN BUNGALOW! Home Sweet Home! Sac restaurants and shops, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath darling cottage presents charming character! This 1,464 square foot home presents a formal Living room with a cozy Àreplace, a formal Dining room, and an updated Kitchen. The spacious backyard offers incredibly lush foliage and room to roam. Other amenities include hardwood Áoors, newer HVAC, partial dual pane windows and plantation shutters, and a two-car garage. $469,900

comfortably charming street, this sweet home presents delightful character abound! This 3 bedroom, 2 bath cottage offers a formal Living room with a Àreplace and a formal Dining area that looks onto the updated Kitchen. The Kitchen is the gathering point of this home, complete with a gas range, ample storage and an eating bar. The inviting backyard offers a spacious lawn area and stone patio. Other amenities include a two-car garage, hardwood Áoors, and fresh interior paint. $423,950

Located near the Elmhurst Greenbelt and UC Davis Med Center, this 2 bedroom, 1 bath home offers combined Living and Dining areas, and an updated open Kitchen with a large island and eating bar. Other amenities include dual pane windows, hardwood Áoors, and a workshop inside the garage. $295,000

PENDING SWEET EAST SAC COTTAGE! Located within close proximity ENCHANTING 42ND STREET! Nestled in the heart of East EAST SAC CUTIE! Situated near East Sac restaurants, shops and to East Sac restaurants, shops, and East Portal Park, this 2 bedroom, 1 bath cottage boasts cozy charm! This home offers a formal Living room, a formal Dining room, and a galley Kitchen with a gas range, dishwasher and ample storage. Other amenities include a spacious Backyard with mature foliage, hardwood Áoors, and an indoor laundry room. $379,950

Sacramento, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home affords the appeal of an idyllic brick Tudor. This 2,571 square foot home features elegantly traditional living and dining rooms, an updated kitchen with an illuminated breakfast nook, and spacious guest rooms. This home hosts an impressive master suite with a sitting area, gas Àreplace, multiple closets, and a remodeled bathroom. Boasting an outdoor Àreplace and mature plantings, the backyard is ideal for entertaining. Other amenities include original hardwood Áoors, newer roof, and quarter basement. $865,000

parks, this 3 bedroom 2 bath home offers inviting charm! This 1500 square foot home presents a formal Living room with Àreplace, a formal Dining area, and a Kitchen that presents granite countertops, dual ovens, and a gas range. The backyard presents room to roam with a spacious lawn area and patio. Other amenities include hardwood Áoors, an indoor laundry room, and both a carport and garage. $419,950

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COVER ARTIST Jenny Apekian Jenny Apekian is a dentist who lives in East Sacramento and also has a passion for art. As an accomplished artist, she displays her artwork on rotation in her office for patients to enjoy during their visits.

Visit midtowndentalsacramento.com

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

FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 20 • ISSUE 1 9 12 22 24 28 30 32 34 38 40 44 46 48 50 52 56 58 60 64 66 70 72 78

Marybeth Bizjak mbbizjak@aol.com M.J. McFarland Cindy Fuller, Daniel Nardinelli Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel Michele Mazzera Jim Hastings, Daniel Nardinelli 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—©

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Lessons Learned LOOKING BACK ON ALMOST TWO DECADES OF COMMUNITY PUBLISHING

BY CECILY HASTINGS PUBLISHER’S DESK

his month we celebrate our 20th year of publishing. When my husband and I made the decision in 1996 to start our first publication, Inside East Sacramento, we had no idea where this journey would ultimately lead us. We started publishing our second edition, Inside The City (now called Inside Land Park), in 1998. We added Inside Arden in 2000 and Inside Pocket a year ago. When I was a young college student, both my mind and my heart were in the world of design. I studied product design, along with interior and graphic design. While I never designed products, I worked for a decade in commercial interior design before going into publishing. And for the past two decades, my graphic design skills have been put to use. But honestly, design alone would have left me unfulfilled over time. I’m grateful that while working in interior design, I was introduced to the world of sales and sales management by my husband, with whom I worked at the time. This skill is crucial to our publishing

business, which is solely supported by advertising sales. And while the world of graphic design can be wonderful and creative, it also would have not been enough to keep me working in that field for 20 years. Looking back, I am very grateful for my mother who—while never having a paid career—made huge contributions to her community as a volunteer. Recently, while cleaning out my library, I came across a book on the history of the Detroit neighborhood where we grew up. I vaguely recalled that the book was written while I was an adolescent. I read the book’s forward and was stunned: It was a beautiful thankyou from the author to my mom for her diligence and hard work as a volunteer organizing the history and getting the book published. Someplace deep inside me, a seed had been planted that ultimately grew into our publishing business. My job as publisher came without a job description. I had worked as an editor for another neighborhood newspaper for two years and saw the basics of publishing being undertaken by the owner. I got that job solely because of my work founding a neighborhood association. My writing skills were marginal at best, I was told. But with practice and lots of reading, they improved. When the owner put his business up for sale, I asked about buying it. He declined and told me to start my own newspaper. For the entire time I worked for him, I shared my ideas to improve the design and content of the paper. He rejected almost all of them. So I started with a playbook of sorts

on what we wanted to create to serve the neighborhood. My husband Jim serves as our chief financial officer and handles the accounting, contract management, printing, distribution and technology. As publisher, my job is to manage the community relations, ad sales, editorial, design and monthly production of the paper. Our different personalities and unique set of complementary skills helped us find success in a difficult business. Reflecting back, I want to share the lessons my husband and I have learned in this venture.

QUALITY MATTERS Our team members are all sticklers for quality in everything we do. Whether it is our writing, editing or design we insist on the best. There are so many details in this business, and our entire staff treats them with artisan-type precision. We are proud that our staff has successfully developed a streamlined approach to a complicated business. We strive for perfection on every page. But with millions of words and hundreds of pages each month, errors happen. Accepting that our staff is human is important. I rarely have to beat anyone up over errors as they do it to themselves first!

STAY FOCUSED Over the decades, we have tried a couple other business ideas beyond just publishing what you are reading. At the time they seemed like good ideas. But none ever proved to be good. A few years ago, we decided to simply pursue our main mission, which is delivering a high-quality

publication of local content to our readers each month.

NO COMMENT In the past decade, the idea of anonymous readers commenting to articles posted online grew dramatically and then proved to be somewhat disastrous for publications as discourse fell into the gutter and brought grief to the writers. This idea never appealed to me, so we never did it. I get an occasional nasty anonymous email. But if a reader takes the time to respond thoughtfully to anything I or our writers have written, we reply in kind. One thing I’ve found is that oftentimes readers are critical of things that were actually never written.

TREAT EMPLOYEES LIKE FAMILY We have a staff of 15, and most work part time. And we contract with dozens of writers and artists whose contributions are essential. A good portion of our staff have been with us a decade or more. We work out of offices in our home garage and basement, but most have the option of working at home and do so often. That we have created these jobs and a comfortable working environment is extremely meaningful to us. We not only hold our staff members in the highest regard, but we treat them like family. We have discovered that if we take our time to hire people and evaluate them over probationary periods, we make good decisions. PUBLISHER page 11

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PASSION FOR LEARNING SPARKED HERE. Magic happens everyday at Courtyard School. We know it has something to do with our small class Sizes, and a core curriculum that includes language arts, math, science, Spanish and PE. It could also be due to our arts programs and our variety of options for organized sports and student leadership. Truly, there are dozens of reasons why Courtyard School sparks leadership, artistry and scholarship in our students and helps inspire the most magical (and important) thing of all: happy kids.

916.442.5395 • courtyard.org

ENRO W LLI 2015/ NG 2016

Now Enrolling TK - 8th Grade For The 2015/2016 School Year PUBLISHER FROM page 9 In the past decade, we had a few hires that didn’t work out. In all cases, it was our fault for not adequately checking references or properly identifying their personality and character profiles. Another lesson is to fire quickly once you have lost faith in an employee, rather than expecting the employee to change.

DELIVER TO EVERYONE Probably the single smartest decision we ever made was when we decided 20 years ago to direct-mail our publications to the homes in an entire neighborhood we serve. It is very costly and in the beginning took a huge chunk of our budget. But it has proven to be the key to bringing a neighborhood together. And since our advertisers pay all the bills associated with the cost of production, it helps their ads become very effective at reaching their prospects. Most small businesses reach customers in a five-mile radius. Our delivery strategy gets them deep into their surrounding neighborhood.

When you sit and look at one publication, it is hard to realize the collective impact of 68,000 copies a month we publish. My husband calculated that we printed 5,350,000 total pages last month alone.

TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN OUR FRIEND We have embraced every technology breakthrough as it was developed, and there have been huge strides in the past 20 years. We want our team to have every tool imaginable to do their jobs as easily as possible. Being small has made this easier as we can decide quickly to make changes to enhance productivity.

SUPPORT THINGS THAT MATTER I especially love the arts, animal welfare and neighborhood volunteerism. So over the years, we have spent considerable money helping sponsor costs of advertising for these types of nonprofit organizations. It is our way of

contributing directly to help these organizations grow and prosper. My mission in life is to help bring neighborhoods and communities closer together. While we may not have started with this exact goal, it certainly grew out of the experiences we’ve had in the past 20 years. And it will remain our mission as long as we are able.

IN SOLIDARITY We stand in solidarity with the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo after 12 members of its staff were savagely murdered by Muslim extremists in its Paris office last month. The publisher expanded its weekly print run for the first issue of Charlie Hebdo after the terror attack to 7 million copies. Its normal circulation is 40,000.

The expanded print run was financed in part by other media groups and distributors that agreed to waive their fees so that the proceeds would go to the newspaper and victims’ families. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com n

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Missing Greenery AGE AND DISEASE HAVE CLAIMED TREES AT LOCAL PARKS

SPECIAL ELECTION FOR CITY COUNCIL A special election to fill the city council seat formerly held by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty will be held on Tuesday, April 7. McCarty gave up his council seat in November after he was elected to the state legislature. The council district includes Tahoe Park and Elmhurst. Two longtime community activists are running for the seat. Eric Guerra, a policy director, is past president of Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association and current chair of the Sacramento County Planning Commission. Bruce Pomer, a health safety adviser, has served on the Los Rios Community College Board for more than 20 years and formerly served on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. To learn more about Guerra, go to ericguerra.org or call 538-4525. For information on Pomer, go to brucepomer.org or call 628-2549.

BY LISA SCHMIDT EAST SACRAMENTO LIFE

ast Portal Park neighbors and city arborist Joe Benassini are concerned about the redwood trees in the park at M and 51st streets. He believe that the trees are infected with a pathogen that is causing branch dieback, says Benassini. Seiridium and Cytospora, two types of redwood canker, are the likely suspects. While he doesn’t believe the drought has caused the problems, Benassini says stress in any form can predispose the trees to infection. Benassini plans to use nonchemical treatments and prune the affected limbs and branches to prevent the disease from spreading. He says some redwood trees may have to be removed. Age and disease have also claimed many large heritage trees in other local parks during the past few years. McKinley Park has lost more than 10 trees, and volunteers recently planted four new trees at Glenn Hall Park to replace older ones that had been removed.

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POSTER BOYS

City arborist Joe Benassini is concerned about the redwood trees in the park at M and 51st streets. He believes that the trees are infected with a pathogen that is causing branch dieback.

In McKinley Park, Friends of East Sacramento recently raised funds to plant a grove of trees at the corner

of 33rd and Parkway near Shepard Garden and Arts Center.

The doors of East J Barber Shop opened in 1958. So when master barber Michael Douglass purchased the shop from longtime owner Jim Parker a few years ago, he decided to decorate with original posters from that era. A 1958 poster that reads “Modern Hair Styling” was given to Douglass by a friend who owned a barber college. Featuring photos of boys with hairstyles of the period such as flattops, the poster was a promotional item from the Associated Master Barbers and Beauticians of California.

Hall on Saturday, Feb. 28. All-youcan-eat crab, salad and pasta will be served. There will be silent, live and dessert auctions. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online at soroptimistsacramento.com or by calling 709-6748. Giovanni Hall is at 1351 58th St. Funds raised will go to programs supported by Soroptimist International of Sacramento, including Crisis Nurseries, Sacramento State’s Guardian Scholars program, Employment Readiness Program of St. John’s Shelter Program for Real Change and Camp Wonder of Sierra Forever Families. Profits also provide funds to My Sister’s House, a domestic violence shelter, and the Live Your Dream Award, which recognizes deserving young women.

IT’S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME Trees at East Portal Park are likely infested with redwood canter. While he doesn’t believe the drought has caused the problems, the city arborist says stress in any form can predispose the trees to infection.

Douglass was surprised to learn from a neighboring business owner, Bill Mier, that many of the boys in the poster were from East Sacramento.

Douglass was even more surprised to find out that one of young men lived just around the corner from his shop and was one of his regular customers. Douglass was even more surprised to find out that one of young men lived just around the corner from his shop and was one of his regular customers.

To view the poster or to get an “old-school cut with a modern twist,” stop by the shop at 4736 J St. For more information, go to eastjbarbers. com

LOOKING FOR A KINDERGARTEN? David Lubin Elementary School holds tours for families of prospective kindergarten students every Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m. No appointments are necessary. Call 277-6271 with questions or to schedule an alternative tour time. The school is at 3535 M St. For more information, go to davidlubinptg.org

CRABS, PASTA AND DESSERT! Soroptimist International of Sacramento will host Crab Fiesta 2015 at Saint Mary School’s Giovanni

Girl Scouts from the Heart of Central California Council will sell Girl Scout cookies at local sites from Feb. 27 to March 22. Nine kinds of Girl Scout Cookies will be sold this year, including Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, gluten-free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal and the newest cookie, vegan Shortbread. Cookies are $5 per box. All proceeds go to the local council to help support troop activities, including financial assistance for scouts from families suffering economic hardship and membership initiatives for troops in homeless shelters, detention centers and migrant communities. To place an order with a Girl Scout in your area, go to girlscoutshcc.org

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the construction, repair and modernization of district schools. It communicates its findings to the school board and the public in order to ensure that school bond funds are invested as the voters intended and that projects are completed wisely and efficiently. For a full description of the committee’s role, the application process or to get a copy of the application, go to scusd.edu/bondoversight-committee

BE MINE Make that special someone a handmade valentine on a stick. McKinley Library will host a craft class for teens and adults on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 12:30 p.m. Attendees will learn valentine craft techniques using simple household items and affordable materials. On Friday, Feb. 13, at 3:30 p.m., children can come by the library to make valentine hearts out of play dough. Cookie cutters will be used to make the hearts, and sequins, glitter and other art supplies will be used to decorate the hearts. Both programs are free. The library is at 601 Alhambra Blvd. For more information, call 264-2920.

SMART CITIZENS NEEDED TO HELP SPEND MONEY AND MORE FUN AT THE LIBRARY Sacramento City Unified School District is looking for community members to serve on the district’s bond oversight committee. The committee oversees the expenditure of money for

On Friday, Feb. 20, at 3:30 p.m., Fenix Drum and Dance Company will perform stories and traditional

EAST SAC LIFE page 15

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EAST SAC LIFE FROM page 13 African dances around a drum circle at McKinley Library. Members of the audience will be encouraged to join in, using percussion instruments provided. For the fantasy or science-fiction book lover, the SFSquared book discussion group will meet on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. in the library. McKinley Library is at 601 Alhambra Blvd. For more information, call 264-2920.

LOOKING FOR SAC HIGH GRADS OF 1965 Sacramento High School’s graduating class of 1965 will celebrate its 50th reunion in October with a weekend of parties. The reunion committee is looking for missing classmates. The reunion party will be on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Red Lion Woodlake. There will also be a social

hour on Friday, Oct. 23, and a brunch on Sunday, Oct. 25. For more information, go to classreport.org/usa/ca/sacramento/ shs/1965 or contact Gail Harris Thearle at gail.thearle@gmail.com or 215-8042.

DOES YOUR LOVE LOVE THE LIBRARY? This Valentine’s Day, the perfect gift for your special someone might be a membership to Friends of McKinley Library. “For as little as $10, your membership will help support our local library by funding supplies for children and teen programs and purchasing magazines and books,” says Barbara Byrne, the group’s president. Membership forms are available at McKinley Library, 601 Alhambra Blvd., or online at saclibfriends.org For more information, call 264-2880.

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EAST SAC LIFE FROM page 15

FOR YOUR LITTLE SNOW BUNNIES

FREE ONE-ON-ONE TECHNOLOGY HELP

Paige Schulte and Kassie Wilson both have three children, are active PTA moms at Theodore Judah Elementary School and love taking their kids to the snow each winter. What they did not love was having to either buy new snow outfits for growing children each year or piecing together outfits borrowed from friends. Out of this frustration, the two friends saw an opportunity. Earlier this winter, they began Snow Bunny Rentals, a full-service children’s snow clothes rental. Outfits are ordered online and can be picked up at Koukla Kids (3809 J St.). Schulte and Wilson will also deliver the outfits. Rental prices range from $3 for a pair of snow gloves to $20 for a full snow outfit. For more information, go to snowbunnyrentals.com or call (530) 902-3767.

Are you curious about e-books but not sure how to get started? Is your tablet or e-reader a mystery? Do you need basic computer help such as creating email accounts and using the Internet? Free help is available every Saturday morning at McKinley Library. Dante Mandala, the library’s technology librarian, is available for one-on-one technology sessions from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mandala will offer assistance with e-readers and tablets along with basic computer help. Sessions are firstcome, first-serve and last 30 minutes. McKinley Library is at 601 Alhambra Blvd. For more information, call 264-2920.

COMPUTER CLASSES AVAILABLE FOR SENIORS TechConnections, a comprehensive technology literacy program designed

Snow Bunny Rentals is a full-service children’s snow clothes rental. Outfits are ordered online and can be picked up at Koukla Kids (3809 J St.).

specifically for Sacramento’s older residents, is offered at Hart Senior Center in Midtown. Winter/spring 2015 classes include Computer Basics, Introduction to Windows 8.1 and Beyond, iPad/iOS basics, Introduction to the Internet and Email Basics, Introduction to Excel and Introduction to Word. To register for the program, go to Hart Senior Center at 915 27th St. For more information, call 808-5462 or visit the Education section of Hart Senior Center’s page in the Older Adult Services/Recreation section of cityofsacramento.org

WINTER WATERING RESTRICTIONS The city utilities department wants to remind residents and businesses that the city’s water

conservation rules limit the watering of landscapes or car washing to one day a week, Saturdays or Sundays only. Customers may choose which day to water or wash their cars. These restrictions are in effect until daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 8. There is an exception for drip irrigation, which is permitted any day of the week. In addition, the city is offering a free water conservation workshop to help residents learn more about water conservation. The workshop will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, at 9 a.m. For more information or to register, call 808-5605 or email mcoulson@ cityofsacramento.org For more information, go to cityofsacramento.org/utilities/water/ water-conservation.cfm

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SACRAMENTO COUNTRY DAY Where Lifelong Learning Begins

Clairvoyant Training, Readings Meditation and Healing Classes Healing Clinics Mondays 7:30 to 9:00 pm Psychic Fair February 21st & 22nd 1:00 to 6:00 pm

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The Pre-K & Kindergarten experience includes art, music, library, physical education, field trips, learning, and play.

It’s time to schedule a tour for fall admission. Call the Admission Office for more information. 916-481-8811 www.saccds.org • PK-12th • since 1964

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EAST SAC LIFE FROM page 16

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR HOME TOURS Dates for several 2015 events have been announced. The Curtis Park Home and Garden Tour will be held on Saturday, April 25. The 16th annual David Lubin Garden Tour will take place the weekend of May 9 and 10. On Sunday, Sept. 27, Friends of East Sacramento’s Urban Renaissance Home Tour will be held. Sacred Heart Parish School’s annual Holiday Home Tour will be Dec. 4, 5 and 6.

POPS IN THE PARK CONCERTS There will be a free concert every Saturday night in June when the Pops in the Park series returns to East Sacramento. Councilmember Jeff Harris, who sponsors the series,

announced the schedule for the 2015 Pops in the Park summer concerts. The series will begin June 6 at East Portal Park. On June 13, the concert will be at Bertha Henschel Park and at McKinley Park on June 20.

The series will begin June 6 at East Portal Park. The last concert of the season will be held June 27 in Glenn Hall Park. All concerts start at 6 p.m. For more information, go to eastsacpopsinthepark.com Lisa Schmidt can be reached at eastsaclife@aol.com. The deadline for inclusion of items in this column is the fifth of the month preceding the month of publication. n

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Martha Geraty & Arturo Vargas COOKING UP A WINNING RECIPE

BY LISA SCHMIDT GIVING BACK TO EAST SAC

f you’ve ever attended a fundraiser or charity event in East Sacramento, you’ve probably tasted food prepared by chef Arturo Vargas. Taste for the Senses, the catering firm Vargas and his wife, Martha Geraty, began more than 10 years ago, has participated in Taste of East Sacramento, The GreenHouse Kids at Heart dinner and events in support of local schools including St. Mary School and Caleb Greenwood Elementary School. Vargas, a native of Acapulco, Mexico, grew up watching his mother and grandmother work in their restaurant. He pursued culinary arts training in Mexico and worked in some of the top restaurants in San Francisco. In Sacramento, Vargas is known for his Mexican coastal cuisine, which is authentic, full of flavor and healthful. To Vargas and Geraty, parents of two teenagers, health is an important part of good food. Geraty, a third-generation East Sac resident, has worked for more than 30 years in public health. She developed and leads a statewide program called Healthy Hearts, Healthy Lives for Health Net. Vargas’ passion for healthful food led him into a career as a health educator. He’s worked for UC Davis and the Yolo County Office of Education, where he

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taught low-income mothers and children the principals of healthful eating. He has also taught creative cooking classes for at-risk youth in schools and within the juvenile justice system. In recent years, Vargas and Geraty have volunteered to coordinate two of the largest health events in Northern

California: Healthy Aging Summit and Celebrando Nuestra Salud, an annual event that provides Latino families with free health screenings, vaccinations, community resources and health care access. They also volunteer for Manitos, a group of Spanish-speaking elders who meet weekly at Hart Senior Center

in Midtown. Quarterly, Vargas prepares a catered meal and provides an interactive cooking demonstration while Geraty facilitates a health education program on a variety of topics including diabetes and heart disease. Vargas’ entertaining personality has led to his being invited to be regular guest chef on Univision, Channel 10, Telemundo and the Simply Recipes website. “In all our endeavors in giving back to the community,” says Geraty, “our philosophy is farm to fork, good nutrition and health promotion. And, of course, authentic cuisine!” To learn more, go to tasteforthesenses.com or call 9962879. To suggest someone for a volunteer profile, call 441-7026 or email eastsaclife@aol.com n

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Repeating History? CITY RETURNS TO LONG-TERM LABOR DEALS WITH LATEST FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT

BY CRAIG POWELL INSIDE CITY HALL

hilosopher George Santayana’s historic admonition—“Those who do not remember the past are destined to repeat it”—was ringing in my ears as I watched the city council approve a four-year labor pact with Firefighters Local 522 last month. The new contract includes three pay raises that will increase most firefighters’ pay by 12.5 percent over the next two years, on top of a 5 percent raise firefighters received two years ago. The average pay for a Sacramento firefighter, including overtime and retirement cash-outs, amounted to about $98,300 in 2013, according to an analysis by The Sacramento Bee. All other factors remaining the same, the raises should bring annual pay for a typical city firefighter to about $110,500 in two year’s time. A little bit of history is in order. Just before the onset of the Great Recession in 2007 and 2008, the city council, thinking perhaps that prosperity would last forever, foolishly entered into five-year labor contracts with just about every city union. When the recession struck with full

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force, the city was unable to rein in benefits costs or cancel generous pay hikes that it had promised in the five-year labor contracts. It had shackled its own hands with the fiveyear contracts. The only tool left in its toolbox was to fire city employees, which it did by the hundreds, year after year as the recession dragged on, leading to a great retrenchment in city services that remains largely unchanged today.

Annual $50 million deficits would wipe out the city’s existing budget reserve in just six months and eat through a city workforce already diminished from years of layoffs. If the council had not approved such long-term contracts and had adopted one-year labor deals, it could have rather easily canceled the pay and benefit hikes. Instead, city officials had to go to each city union on bended knee and beg them to make concessions. It was a very hard sell, to say the least. Why would labor leaders agree to concessions that would only anger and disappoint their members? When the unions

did agree to concessions, they were modest, mostly involving a deferral of raises for a year or so. For the most part, the city fired people to close its growing budget deficits. It was no way to run a railroad, and the public bore the brunt of it with degraded parks, laid-off cops and firefighters, browned-out fire stations, closed city pools and community centers, terminated recreation programs for the young, etc. The council at least had the excuse that it didn’t see the Great Recession coming. (Heck, few did.) How could it have known that, within a year, the national economy would tank and Sacramento would be the epicenter of what’s come to be known as the Great Recession. So we can’t be too harsh on the council for its judgment error. But the source of the city’s great retrenchment—its toxic long-term labor contracts—has been widely acknowledged by city officials, editorial writers and me over the past several years. Eye on Sacramento, the watchdog group I head, met with councilmembers at the time to ask them to commit to never again approve such contracts. Not long after John Shirey was hired as city manager, he assured members of the Sacramento Business Coalition that the days of the city entering into such contracts were over and that, in the future, labor contracts would be limited to 18 months to preserve the city’s fiscal flexibility. Fast forward to today. Over the past year, Shirey has been warning the council and the public that the city’s budget, which has had tiny surpluses for a year or so, is poised to

return to progressively larger deficits. He has warned that the city is set to go off a “fiscal cliff” in 2019 and 2020 due to rapidly rising CalPERSmandated pension contributions, rising retiree health care costs, rising salaries and the expiration in 2019 of the Measure U half-percent sales tax hike. The cliff will lead to $50 million deficits if the city doesn’t change policy. Annual $50 million deficits would wipe out the city’s existing budget reserve in just six months and eat through a city workforce already diminished from years of layoffs. While not a single current member of the city council was on the council back in 2007 and 2008 when the five-year pacts were approved, they were presumably reading newspapers and observing the budgetary carnage the city’s long-term contracts were causing.

Compounding the problem is the council’s new appetite for spending money on new projects. So how in the world could the city council last month approve a four-year labor contract with the firefighters union, containing sizable raises, with the fiscal cliff looming? Did they learn nothing from the devastation of city services during the Great Recession? The council

of 2007/2008 has the excuse that it didn’t see the recession coming, but current councilmembers have no such excuse. They know the fiscal cliff is coming and how steep it is. Are they Pollyannas who think we’ll simply grow our way out of the fiscal hole with some new buildings downtown? The hole we face is too deep and the tax revenues the city would collect from development too slender for downtown development to come close to closing the coming deficits. Compounding the problem is the council’s new appetite for spending money on new projects. The city is either already committed to fund or is considering funding, in whole or in part, an array of pricey new projects, including a new community theater, a new performing arts theater, a new children’s theater, the Powerhouse Science Center and a new streetcar system. They can also look forward to a $15 million tap to the general fund in the next few years once the arena bonds are sold and reserves set aside from arena bond sales to fund bond payments in the early years are exhausted. The city is rapidly raising rates on city parking garages and meters, as well as installing new smart meters with dynamic pricing capability (such as the ability to remotely hike parking rates during high-volume events like Kings games), all in a frantic effort to mitigate the impact of the arena bond payments. It’s also moving ahead with plans to extend the hours of operation of parking meters and install meters in areas currently without meters. In addition to big raises for firefighters, last June the city council approved a new three-year contract with city police that will give cops cumulative raises of 9.3 percent over the next two years. A Sacramento police officer’s average base pay was $91,200 in 2012, according to the Bee study. That number is likely rise to about $99,700 in the next two years, $11,000 less than what firefighter pay will likely be, just shy of the city’s new $100,000-per-year club that will soon be admitting city firefighters as charter members. (Just how important are these contracts? The police and fire contracts, collectively, account for well over one-half of the

city’s $385 million annual general fund budget.) Do these raises bear any reasonable relationship to market labor rates? No. If they did, pay for police officers would be higher than firefighter pay, if for no other reason than it’s much tougher for folks to pass through the tight employee screening required to become a police officer. Firefighter screening, while rigorous, is not as challenging as police screening, although many firefighters are also certified as EMTs and paramedics.

For jobs in local government, who wins and who loses when markets fail in setting pay levels at rational levels? Plus, when firefighter job openings are announced, fire departments are typically deluged with hundreds and sometimes thousands of applicants. In 2013, 1,300 showed up for firefighter jobs in Houston, and more than 1,000 showed up a few years ago in Miami for 35 positions offering a starting pay of $46,000 per year, with many camping out overnight. In Tacoma, 3,000 applicants lined up for 20 firefighter jobs. When the number of applicants for a particular job wildly exceeds the number of positions available, it’s a clear sign of a market failure, where the compensation offered is much, much higher than the compensation that qualified applicants are willing to accept. For jobs in local government, who wins and who loses when markets fail in setting pay levels at rational levels? City taxpayers lose as they’re forced to pay dramatically higher wages and benefits than the market would set. Qualified job applicants lose out on capturing a job that they’d be perfectly willing to take for pay much lower than the pay being offered by local government. CITY HALL page 26

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CITY HALL FROM page 25 Finally, we all lose out on the chance to improve (or at least preserve) the level of government services we all receive because lower average pay levels mean the government can afford to employ more people to provide services. Then there’s the fairness issue. Isn’t it unjust to deny someone a job for which he or she is perfectly qualified and which he or she is willing to take for less money than the pay offered? Is it unjust to hand that job to someone who, through sheer random luck or connections, lands on the top of a heap of applicants? Of course it is. Landing a job in a municipal fire department in California these days is like winning the lottery, or being accepted into a highly exclusionary—and anticompetitive—guild of the Middle Ages. So if market forces are having no influence on setting firefighter pay, what forces are at play? This one is not hard to figure out. Pure political pull is what’s driving firefighter compensation into the upper atmosphere. Such pull comes from the large contributions that the firefighters union’s political action committee can deliver, and from the willingness of rank-andfile firefighters to walk precincts during elections, as well as the high campaign value (or, more accurately, the high perceived campaign value) that the firefighters union’s endorsement has to campaigns for city council. Why are firefighter salaries jumping so much ahead of police salaries in Sacramento? It’s more difficult for applicants to pass strict police screening (reducing the pool of eligible applicants), and cops are arguably exposed to more frequent dangers and unremitting stress than firefighters, particular since 90 to 95 percent of all actual fire department service calls these days are for medical response and medical transport. As one wag accurately put it, the fire department in recent years has become an ambulance service that occasionally puts out

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fires. Firefighters make more because firefighters wield more political pull than cops. They’re more willing to walk precincts for council candidates, a high-visibility role that firefighters seem to enjoy and that cops shy away from, perhaps for good reasons. A firefighter needn’t be concerned about knocking on the door of someone he or she may have recently arrested. (It’s also not a good way to win a vote.) If you look at the election results, however, the money, the precinct walking and the official endorsements of the firefighters and police unions don’t have the campaign value or cachet that a lot of politicians perceive them to have. In two of the most hotly contested recent council elections, Jay Shenirer’s tough first campaign for council and Jeff Harris’ victorious run in November, neither of the winning candidates had much in the way of endorsements from recognized special interests. The public employee unions opposed them both. The candidates won because they burned through a lot of shoe leather incessantly talking to voters at their homes and successfully connecting with them. They both defeated candidates who had the fullthroated support of both public safety unions, as well as numerous other supposedly influential endorsements. Endorsements from organizations, special interests and elected officials just don’t seem to count for as much as they once did in council races in Sacramento, which I take as a sign of a healthy and robust grass-rootsoriented democracy. The impact of the public safety unions, however, is much greater in mayoral races, where money counts more and it’s harder for candidates to talk to every voter. So if the actual power of public employee unions to affect the outcome of council races is waning, why is the council still approving labor contracts that provide excessive compensation to firefighters? Because we always have a number of councilmembers with ambitions to run for higher office, particularly for seats in the legislature. (We had

three councilmembers running for the legislature in November.) And in legislative races, public safety union endorsements are more valuable, as the need for cash is greater and it’s almost impossible to meet the entire electorate in person. The reality is that the firefighters union has been a stalwart political ally of the mayor’s from before his first day in office, and in the November election the mayor augmented his roster of council supporters. Last month, the union’s steadfast support of the mayor paid off with a generous and reckless new contract. City manager Shirey looked physically ill as the contract was discussed and approved by council. Now we’ll get to see firsthand how much pain the new contract will inflict on city residents.

ARE STREETCARS REALLY THE KILLER APP FOR FUTURE GROWTH? The city’s slow-moving streetcar project kicked into high gear in midDecember when the city suddenly announced that it was moving up the schedule for an advisory vote of downtown and Midtown property owners. They’ll be asked if they want to impose a special property tax levy on themselves to help fund construction of the proposed $150 million Sacramento-West Sacramento streetcar system.

Property owners who own parcels within three blocks of either side of the proposed streetcar route would be subject to the tax if it’s approved. Property owners who own parcels within three blocks of either side of

the proposed streetcar route would be subject to the tax if it’s approved. The city council approved a $7 million city government contribution to the project on Jan. 13, the same night it kicked off an advisory vote of property owners. If a majority of property owners approve of the tax by the end of voting on Feb. 17, the city will call a formal election in April or May of registered voters in the proposed community facilities district, most of whom are renters. As a special tax, it will require a two-thirds majority vote of registered voters to approve it. On Jan. 14, Eye on Sacramento issued a report on the streetcar project to help inform the public and property owners about key details and potential impacts of the project, including traffic impacts on city streets and freeway ramps (mostly negative), construction impacts on merchants, the risks and consequences of cost overruns, the experiences of other cities with streetcars (mixed), impacts of the streetcar system’s operating deficits on the city’s general fund and, most important to many, whether streetcars would likely have the catalytic effect on local development that supporters of the project claim (probably not). EOS also addressed some matters of particular concern to voting property owners, including the absence of protective provisions that could reduce owner risks, the fairness of how the tax burden would be spread among owners, clarification of the amount and duration of the assessments (40 years), and concerns over a special discounted tax rate for arena developers that EOS estimates will save arena developers approximately $10 million in tax levies, at the expense of all other owners in the proposed financing district. The EOS streetcar report can be viewed at 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

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Looking Ahead PRIORITIES FOR NEW CITY COUNCILMEMBER ARE VARIED

BY JEFF HARRIS CITY COUNCILMEMBER

ne thing I’ve learned is that running a political campaign is not for the faint of heart! It takes a lot of hard work and strategy, and a great investment of time and resources. All of the candidates who sought the District 3 council seat have my deep respect and I wish them all well in the future. In the end, my campaign involved a significant number of volunteers and supporters. It was a true grass-roots campaign: underfunded but loaded with great talent. I’m grateful that voters responded positively to our message. I have sincere gratitude for all those who brought me to success. In the end, I walked about 1,200 miles to meet the constituents. Imagine taking a stroll to Salt Lake City! I met many thoughtful and engaged people in my campaign effort. From East Sac to Northgate, South Natomas to River Park, I was able to discover the concerns of the residents about their neighborhoods and about Sacramento as a whole. As a result, I have developed a portfolio of projects that I believe will move our district and city forward. Some I have inherited from our former councilman Steve Cohn, and many I will undertake with a fresh start. I am grateful I will have the benefit of being able to call on Steve and, his former distinct director, Sue Brown for advice when I need it. I was sworn in on Dec. 9. Here are a few of the things I’m already engaged with:

IES FEB n 15

POPS IN THE PARK The concert series will continue in 2015. We are already working to line up the bands. This is a great tradition, and I look forward to keeping it alive.

HOMELESSNESS This is a great concern of mine, and I believe that we can make great strides in helping those on the streets to build better lives through rapid rehousing with supportive services, job training, counseling and placement. Sacramento Steps Forward will work to coordinate all of the available resources, and we have a new city staff person to help focus our efforts. I plan to put a lot of energy into working to end homelessness.

ZONING We are looking to clarify zoning code and design review so that setback standards, building massing and neighborhood character are clearly addressed. I am looking into getting a new fire station built in Natomas, encouraging a propertybased business improvement district on Northgate Boulevard and working with the Sacramento police department on crime issues.

PARKS Parks are my passion and so, of course, I continue to be deeply involved with seeking funds to maintain and repair our parks and to nurture our urban forest. I will continue to lead Adopt-a-Park groups where the residents are seeking help.

BUILDING PROJECTS There are current and pending building projects that need my attention. I will continue to seek a way to build an access point to McKinley Village at Alhambra Boulevard. This will be a long-range project, but I believe it could alleviate potential traffic and safety issues. Sutter Park (at the Sutter Memorial hospital site) is due to start midyear.

As the building moratorium is lifted in Natomas, we will begin to see economic activity once again north of the American River. Houses will be repaired and remodeled after a sixyear hiatus. The repurposing of Sleep Train Arena continues to be a concern and a necessary focal point, as is the need for medical facilities in Natomas. Many possibilities will open up once the moratorium is behind us. Then there are the bigger projects including the railyard development (where we hope to build a Major League Soccer stadium and land UC Davis as an anchor tenant) and the River District, which is making great strides with Township Nine and the future Powerhouse Science Center. Sacramento is at the beginning of a growth period, and I find it exciting to be on the city council at this point in time. My biggest concern, however, is maintaining the quality of life for all of our residents. This means getting our infrastructure in order, getting public safety where it needs to be and keeping our parks and recreation programs funded. Our basic qualityof-life necessities must come first. The city must also take steps to aid small business and attract larger employers as well. And our budget must remain sound. We do face challenges ahead in this regard, and this will take good management and a sharp pencil to negotiate. Then, of course, there are the council meetings. My second meeting had 930 pages of staff reports to read. I read them all. The learning curve is steep, but understanding the background material is essential.

Thus far, I have found my colleagues to be warm, welcoming and helpful. I believe that there will be a spirit of collaboration and healthy debate engendered with four new councilmembers on board and a new District 6 member to be elected in April. As far as my office goes, we will strive to be open and accommodating with all of our district constituents, and we are bound and determined to have some fun doing this job. I want to introduce my district director, David Gonsalves, a seasoned political staffer, and my executive assistant, Jennifer West, who comes to city hall after working at Camp Sacramento. You can reach Dave Gonsalves at dgonsalves@ cityofsacramento.org or 808-7003. I am quite honored to represent you. I’ll give it my best!

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All That Glitters A PEEK INTO MAYA KINI’S SILVER, GOLD AND DIAMOND WORLD

BY VANESSA MORGANSTERN MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

ince she was a little girl, Maya Kini has been drawn to jewelry. “I was always being

given little things to wear, from my first gold chain to anklets,” says Kini, a jewelry designer who works out of a home studio in East Sacramento. The daughter of an Indian father and Italian-American mother, she cites the strong influence gems and precious metals have had on her. “One thing that really plays into my jewelry making is that my father grew up in southern India,” she says. “Jewelry is important to his side of the family.” At 18, the Boston native went to Portland, Ore., to attend Reed College, where she got a degree in Spanish. A few years before graduating in 2000, she was introduced to jewelry making in Mexico. Eventually, she went on to get a master’s degree in metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Jewelry designer Maya Kini works out of her home studio in East Sacramento

In 2002, Kini moved to San Francisco, where she found an

“I love the relationship between

“It involves continual conversing and

resulting pieces are highly textured,

selling her jewelry at several small

jeweler and patron—this sustained

emailing with the client. I have much

and some contain embroidery

galleries. In 2007, her husband’s job

tradition of knowing where a piece of

autonomy with galleries. I give them

fragments from the original cloth. She

brought the couple to Sacramento.

jewelry comes from and whose hands

the work once it’s completed. With

sets small diamonds into the pieces,

Kini quickly took to her new

have crafted it,” says Kini, 36. “There

clients, some know my work and help

creating a contrast between the heavy

surroundings. With two small

are few objects with which we adorn

with details like ring dimensions and

matte texture of the metal and the

children, she says, “a home studio

ourselves that allude to both ritual

comfort.”

tiny pockets of light from the stones.

offers the flexibility to work odd

and beauty. Jewelry has captured this

hours.” She focuses on commissions,

unique place.”

affordable studio space and began

Kini’s most recent body of work

“My work tends to be material

incorporates silk textiles from India.

driven,” says Kini. “I am drawn to

She uses a process called lost wax

both the classic jewelry materials such

multiples (a piece made several times

Her pieces take up to two weeks

but not mass produced) and one-of-a-

to make. “Typically I don’t start and

casting, in which the silk combusts

as high-karat gold, silver, enamel,

kind pieces.

finish something in a day,” she says.

and is replaced by metal. The

cut and raw gemstones as well as

IES FEB n 15

About The Artist # *+&&'0 )#..'4; 4+)*6 70&'4 174 015'5 n Midtown Sacramento unsuspected art galleries abound. In coffee shops, on buildings, and even in basements. But Sacramento QE] PE] GPEMQ XS XLI Ă VWX ERH only art gallery in a dental SJĂ GI %RH [LMPI XLI HIRXEP SJĂ GI has had shows featuring other local artists, the canvases on display are by the dentist herself - Dr. Jenny Apekian. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to say where the artist leaves off and the dentist begins. Dr. Apekian uses her meticulous eye for detail to craft beauty whether on a canvas or on a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smile. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course dental work can be approached mechanically, but I work hard to marry art with science,â&#x20AC;? said Dr. Apekian.

Dr. Apekian uses the same artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye for her patients as she does for her paintings. Contact Midtown Dental to schedule an appointment. Children are welcome. Cosmetic Dentistry Endodontics Invisalign Implant Dentistry Cerec One Visit Crowns Sedation Dentistry

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Although overlooked by many, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dentists truly need the eyes of an artist. Implants, or even designing the multiple stages of an

nontraditional materials such as

a vendor at the fourth annual Create

steel.â&#x20AC;? Prices for her work range from

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$40 up to several thousand dollars.

Night at Hot Italian, where she and

Kini finds local clients through

fellow local artisans sold jewelry and

word of mouth and events such as GOOD: street food + design market

Living in East Sacramento inspires Kini to incorporate local natural

come to see her in her home studio.

patterns into her creations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Word of mouth is a huge part of

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my website, but it is important to

she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I also love walking

have a presence and place to show

around Mansion Flats and looking at

people examples of my work,â&#x20AC;? she

textures of peeling paint and layers of

explains. In 2013, Kini participated

history on a building. I think of it as

in the Smithsonian Craft Show in

industrialized Victorian.â&#x20AC;?

fine craft artists. Now a familiar face on the local art

As a father-daughter team with backgrounds in the nursery business and in garden design, we design gardens that last for years.

Sacramento City College. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The course explores the fabrication technique of lost wax casting,â&#x20AC;? Kini says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

In 2013, she participated in back-to-

been around for a long time. You

back shows without missing a beat.

make a model out of wax and then

In November, she had a show at

turn it into metal. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a typical way of

Midtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MARRS Building called

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Before the Bulldozers A PLAN TO TEAR DOWN THE PROJECTS—BUT THEN WHAT?

BY R.E. GRASWICH CITY BEAT

astor Mark Meeks brings his flock to order each Sunday at Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School, which for the purposes of faith and worship is briefly transformed from a secular public education site on the northwest corner of Land Park into a house of God called City Church of Sacramento. The arrangement is not perfect: Meeks would love to have a church building to call his own, and not just borrow one on Sundays from the school district. But in his line of work, each journey starts with one step. And City Church is a step. Behind the scenes, Meeks has another mission. He knows that the city and an impressive array of entities, from the local redevelopment agency to the county and even the Federal Reserve Bank, have been eyeballing the place where many City Church parish members live, with the goal of tearing down the homes to build something new. Many City Church parishioners hang their hats at places called Marina Vista and Alder Grove, two adjacent public housing projects

IES FEB n 15

Pastor Mark Meeks

historically known as Seavey Circle and New Helvetia. As history goes, the brick facades at Marina Vista and Alder Grove have seen just about everything in their seven decades of life. They were

enviable addresses for proud, young African-American families in the post-World War II era and the days of the civil rights movement. Later, they were drug-infested warrens where police hesitated to patrol.

Today, they are old but safe and serviceable—about 750 units providing shelter for some 2,500 people, many of them children, generally overseen by one-sided parental hierarchies led by young women. Pastor Meeks, a retired civil engineer, has one true goal beyond spreading the gospel at the corner of Fifth Street and McClatchy Way on the edge of Land Park. He wants his flock—the people of Alder Grove and Marina Vista—to have a voice in the decisions made about tearing down their homes. And that simple objective can be vastly more difficult than you might think. The problem, Meeks says, was driven home when he and some fellow churchmen were knocking on doors at the projects to share the City Church word. “One of our people was invited into a home where a woman—a young mother with several children—was busy trying to change diapers on an infant,” Meeks recalls. “He noticed another child was stabbing the infant in the leg with a fork while his mom changed the diaper. The woman looked at my friend and said, ‘If you really want to help me, then help me raise these children.’” There are several points Meeks makes with his story, but one is that many residents at Alder Grove and Marina Vista have other priorities: duties far more important than going to meetings and sitting with city redevelopment staff to discuss architectural designs and relocation schedules for replacement of the brick projects.

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Hence, the vacuum: everybody weighing in on the future of Marina Vista and Alder Grove except the people who live there and whose lives will be uprooted when the bulldozers arrive.

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I went to a meeting organized by Pastor Meeks called the Community Wellness Forum on the Land Park projects. There were some very smart and powerful people in the room and on speakerphone: city, county and federal officials, representatives from private institutions that work in development, finance and health care for low-income residents. There were graduate degrees on top of graduate degrees. Meeks admitted he didn’t know what the words “community” or

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INSIDE PUBLICATIONS “wellness” meant in the context of the housing projects. It soon became apparent that nobody knew—which was Meeks’ whole point in bringing the group together. And it became apparent that none of the professionals knew quite how to get the residents involved in the decision-making. They spoke of “ignorance” and “fear” and noted, “The challenge is to maintain engagement.” The talked about “indigenous leadership” and cited examples in other cities but warned it was very hard to replicate. “The problem isn’t the lack of good, smart people trying hard to address a problem,” Meeks told me. “And the problem isn’t money. There are plenty of good people and lots of money.” The challenge is more elusive and difficult to talk about. The challenge is to find the spark to inspire people to step from their homes and control their collective destiny. If they don’t, the bulldozers surely will. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

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Partnerships Thrive FOR THIS BALLET DIRECTOR, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO BRING A CLASSIC TO LIFE

BY JESSICA LASKEY

f anyone knows what it takes to be part of a team, it’s Ron Cunningham. Since 1991,

the Sacramento Ballet’s artistic director has shared the title with his wife, Carinne Binda, whom he affectionately calls “my co-director and slave driver.” This strong leadership partnership has seen the Ballet through more than 20 seasons, an economic recession that threatened dozens of local arts groups, 40 Sacramento premieres of new work and 38 world premieres. (They’ll add another to that tally this month when Cunningham’s brand-new production of “Peter Pan” opens on Feb. 13.) But there’s

Local painter Stephanie Taylor has created artwork to be projected onto the backdrop during "Peter Pan"

more to success than choreographic

beautiful melodies, I thought it was

output, as Cunningham well knows.

just delightful.”

He understands that in order to

It turned out that Amato had

make enduring art, each element

recently moved to California from

must come together equally—

Boston, where Cunningham and

collaboratively—and he’s willing to

Binda met as young dancers. So

wait until it does.

Cunningham contacted him and an

“I’ve wanted to do ‘Peter Pan’ for a

artistic relationship was born. Amato

long time,” Cunningham says. “There

even granted the choreographer the

are certain ballets I’ve had in my head

right to move the music around (a

for a long time, and for this one I had

rare occurrence during these times

never liked any music I’d heard for it.

of copious copyrights), which serves

For me, if I don’t have the music to

the ballet best when it’s finding its

support the drama, it never works.”

footing in the rehearsal room. Finally

The years of waiting paid off when

satisfied that he had the music

a friend introduced him to the music

that would make “Peter Pan” fly,

of contemporary Italian composer

Cunningham turned his attention to

Silvio Amato, who has written tunes

the other artistic details that were

for a variety of media, from sitcoms

necessary to make the show soar. to add an extra, unique element to

going from a real place—the

“physical production” (the scenery

his piece: original paintings to be

Victorian bedroom—to the fantasy

and props) from Eugene Ballet

projected onto the backdrop during

of Neverland,” he says. “You want

production of ‘Peter Pan on Ice’

Company, which produced its own

one very important scene change.

some kind of transition so the change

for Italian TV,” Cunningham says.

version of “Peter Pan” in 2013. But

“When I heard the music, those

Cunningham decided that he wanted

and soap operas to documentaries and live theater. “Amato wrote music for a

IES FEB n 15

The Ballet is borrowing the

“I’d seen projections done in other productions for the transition

doesn’t seem so harsh. So I started

thinking, ‘Gee whiz, how would I do it?’” To solve the scene change challenge, Cunningham asked Sacramento arts patron Marcy Friedman to recommend an artist. Friedman suggested local painter Stephanie Taylor, a fourth-generation Sacramentan whose resume includes stints as the art director and creative director for advertising agencies in Los Angeles as well as large-scale commissions for Disneyland Hotel in Paris, Shoji Corporation in Kyoto, Japan, Bally’s Casino in Las Vegas, Crowne Plaza in New York and MGM Studios in Los Angeles. She has also done lots of local projects including installations at Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Public Library, California State Railroad Museum and many others. It was her deep connection to Sacramento and her extensive work with Disney that sold Cunningham. “It’s right up her alley,” he says. Taylor has a sentimental attachment to the piece that made her even more eager. “My mom took me to see Mary Martin as Peter Pan on Broadway when I was 10 years old,” Taylor recalls. “I've remember thinking that the song ‘I Gotta Crow’ was such a celebration of self-esteem. That’s a wonderful thing for a child, and it’s something my mom gave me. I have an appreciation of the traditions of ballet as well, so my part in providing

Dancers from “The Nutcracker” spend time with a kitten from the Front Street Animal Shelter

this transition is to honor that

Case in point: their wildly successful

and appeared in ‘Nutcracker’ for me

tradition and keep it simple. Plus,

partnership with Front Street Animal

for 10 years or more,” Cunningham

Ron and I hit it off right away.”

Shelter for December’s production

says. “In the last couple of years, he

of “The Nutcracker,” Cunningham’s

acquired a service dog and asked if

artistic resource is not unprecedented

trademark Christmastime classic.

he could bring him out onstage. I

for the Ballet, which has long relied

While the presence of a four-legged

thought, ‘Why not?’ You could hear

on the support and interaction of the

friend has long been a staple of

the reaction in the audience when

community to survive and grow. For

the production’s opening scene,

that dog came out, so this year we

this particular season (the Ballet’s

Cunningham decided to go all in this

worked with Front Street to include

60th anniversary), Cunningham and

year and feature a different canine

dogs that were up for adoption. We

Binda have been more focused than

cast member for every performance.

even added a cat to the party scene. I

Taylor’s involvement as an outside

ever on bringing disparate groups together for a common artistic cause.

“It started with a lovely boy, Chandler, who had cerebral palsy

BALLET page 36

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bump in ticket sales thanks to Front

Bobby Mann, the public relations

Street’s strong social media presence.

ambassador for Front Street, echoes

The partnership was a great success

Cunningham’s sentiments.

all around, a trend that Cunningham

“Our goal was to try to show shelter animals in a different way,” Mann says, “to present them in a way they’ve never been presented. We featured a new adoptable animal in every show, and we were in the

hopes to continue when “Peter Pan” takes flight this month. “Collaborating with another artist is a wonderful thing to do,” he says. Wonderful enough to make you

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IES FEB n 15

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The Curse of the Kings ONCE RIDING HIGH, OWNER VIVEK RANADIVE IS ITS LATEST VICTIM

BY R.E. GRASWICH SPORTS AUTHORITY

ings owner Vivek Ranadive is a math guy who understands numbers and percentages. He’s never been stopped by long odds stacked against him. That’s his trademark. As a teenager in Mumbai, India, he won admission to one of the most selective schools in the world, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He convinced the Indian government to support his move to Boston. He arrived in the United States essentially broke but studied hard and eventually built a very successful data company, Tibco. In 2013, in hot pursuit of the Kings, Ranadive challenged the CEO of Microsoft, a man whose net worth runs to several billion dollars. They fought for ownership of a basketball team that bounced through four cities, one of the worst franchises in pro sports. The Kings sold for a record price. Ranadive won. Or did he? Today it’s time for a tantalizing question: Now that he’s nearing the end of his second year as owner of the Kings, how is Ranadive doing? It’s an important question, one that runs deeper than the win-loss record of the Kings.

IES FEB n 15

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive chats with former Kings player Vlade Divac

Three events—the clumsy, earlyseason firing of coach Mike Malone, Ranadive’s exit from the CEO suite at Tibco, and a lawsuit by former partner Darius Anderson—indicate the Silicon Valley engineer is slipping down the familiar path taken by his predecessors. Which, if you’re like me and want to see Ranadive succeed with the Kings, is not good news. Since their birth in the Depressionera snow banks of Rochester, N.Y., the Kings have developed an alarming habit of devouring their owners— pulling them in and crushing their spirits, depleting their wallets, dominating their interests to the neglect of other affairs and generally leaving them wondering why they

ever got hooked up with the franchise in the first place. The team, you could say, is cursed. The franchise founder and guiding spirit, Les Harrison, won an NBA championship—still the Kings’ only title—but ended up moving and selling out when fans in Rochester turned their backs and stopped buying tickets. In the next city, Cincinnati, owners were forced to sell when government authorities took exception to the cozy relationship between the club’s management and Las Vegas mobsters. The management’s company was called Emprise. A federal jury convicted Emprise of conspiracy involving an ownership deal with a

Vegas casino. The team changed its name and started fresh in Kansas City. The Kansas City owners were always short of cash. They hung on for several years, content with mediocrity, until a reasonable offer arrived from a precocious young Sacramento land developer and dream merchant named Gregg Lukenbill. The offer—$4.5 million in cash, $4.5 million in deferred payments, plus $1.5 million when the team moved—looks ridiculously low 32 years later. Even so, Lukenbill didn’t have the money. He had to partner with a bigger developer, Joe Benvenuti. I won’t waste more than a few words on the next two owners, Jim

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Thomas and the Maloof family. It’s enough to say things went bad for both of them. Thomas was dependent on his partners for cash flow, and when the partners grew tired of writing checks for the Kings, Thomas had to beg and borrow from the city. The Maloofs blew through their family fortune while trying to hang onto the team. This brings us to Ranadive, who, like Thomas in the early going, has the benefit of very wealthy co-owners. Ranadive may need some assistance, thanks to his divestment from Tibco. Not long after Ranadive bought the Kings, Tibco’s value began to falter. Some investors complained the boss was spending too much time on his NBA fun. Ranadive gave up the Tibco chairmanship. He exited with about $290 million, nice but not exactly a sum that impresses NBA owners these days. (The Maloofs sold their interest in the Kings for $347 million.) I wanted to speak to Ranadive and ask how the Tibco affair would impact the time he spends on the Kings. I

asked the team, but they just sent me a press release. As for Malone’s firing, Ranadive was unable to explain the move with clarity worthy of a CEO. Apparently, Malone was sacked by a committee of guys whom Ranadive identifies by youthful nicknames: Petey, Mullie and Bratzy (general manager Pete D’Alessandro, senior adviser Chris Mullin and junior adviser Mike Bratz). It’s not clear if Ranadive was an instigator, collaborator or spectator. And there’s the Anderson lawsuit, which claims Ranadive helped cheat Anderson out of an equity position with the team. The Kings say the suit is “frivolous.” Whatever else he may be, Ranadive is a brilliant engineer. But there’s another discipline that should interest anyone who invests with the Kings: historian. R.E. Graswich is the author of the book “Vagrant Kings: David Stern, Kevin Johnson and the NBA’s Orphan Team.” He can be reached at reg@ graswich.com n

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Solar and More CHANGES AHEAD FOR SUTTER’S LANDING REGIONAL PARK

BY STEVE SWINDEL BUILDING OUR FUTURE

t was once industrial wasteland, an asphalt-covered patch of dirt over construction debris. But thanks to the efforts of former city councilmember Steve Cohn and the city’s Recycling and Solid Waste Division, it is now home to a solar array providing clean, renewable energy to SMUD customers. The solar project, located in Sutter’s Landing Regional Park is, according to Mike Gravely of the California Energy Commission, “a great example of how you can get what you want [and] produce power on land that would otherwise not be usable.” Gravely spoke at the ribboncutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the solar array project on Oct. 27. The nearly $5 million project, built by the German company Conergy, produces 1.5 megawatts of power from three kinds of collectors. A ground-mounted array, the largest of the structures, produces about 1 megawatt. A shade structure over a parking lot and “solar trees” located in the adjacent off-leash dog park provide the remainder. Both the shade structure and the solar trees provide much-needed shade in a park that has little shade to offer. The solar project is part of a much larger plan to redevelop the former landfill for recreational and habitat uses. Cohn said the project provides the city “an opportunity to repurpose an industrial site, reclaiming it for habitat and recreation.”

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A foggy morning at Sutter's Landing

The ground-mounted array presented some special problems in design and construction. The land it is built on is constantly shifting and settling, making typical concrete support piers unusable. The solar panels are instead mounted on “ground screws” that remain stable even as the earth shifts and that won’t damage the landfill cap. Partial funding for the solar project was provided by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission. Long-term financing for the project came from Washington Gas Energy Systems, which will also operate the system. SMUD has agreed to buy the energy produced from the solar project for 20 years. Conergy’s David Vincent called the project “truly remarkable.” The Sutter’s Landing solar park is only one of a number of projects

The solar project, located in Sutter’s Landing Regional Park is, according to Mike Gravely of the California Energy Commission, “a great example of how you can get what you want [and] produce power on land that would otherwise not be usable.”

in the pipeline for the park. There is also a plan to enhance habitat on the riverbank within the park, introduce interpretive features and extend the paved bike trail. In short, the city

intends to establish Sutter’s Landing Regional Park as a prime gateway to the American River. BUILDING page 42

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BUILDING FROM page 40 The paved bike trail will begin at the end of the current Sutter’s Landing Bike Trail, where it intersects with the levee adjacent to the skate park. It will extend from that point to the railroad trestle just west of Capital City Freeway along the three-quarters of a mile of the park that faces the American River. According to Karen Verpeet from ecological consultants H.T. Harvey & Associates, the trail will be a paved 10- or 12-foot-wide path located either on the top of the levee, currently a gravel maintenance road, or at the foot of the levee where a dirt path exists. There is some concern that sharing the space on the top between maintenance trucks and cyclists, runners and walkers may result in some dangerous interactions. However, Verpeet noted, the lower option will require additional permitting, cost and time to complete. Verpeet presented the latest plans for development of Sutter’s Landing at a public meeting in late October.

Verpeet said the interpretive features will be graphic but will employ elements that “are not signs,” such as faceted face sculptures, winding steel bands embossed with images of wildlife and history and a meandering seat wall depicting the river. Topics will include the area’s history, its ecosystem and the possible future effects of climate change on the park. People attending the meeting voiced a need to create a greater sense of respect for the area as wildlife habitat, with less partying and garbage, fewer off-leash dogs and a ban on fires and smoking. They also expressed a desire to minimize the use of concrete in the project and to create a “natural playground for kids.” The project is being managed by Tin-Wah Wong, a landscape architect who works for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The anticipated completion date is late 2015. n

Sutter’s Landing Regional Park solar project

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Fit for Life SENIORS HELP THEIR INSTRUCTOR MOVE TO A NEW EXERCISE FACILITY

BY TERRY KAUFMAN LOCAL HEROES

or the seniors in Paul McCarthy’s fitness classes at the YMCA on Eastern Avenue, it was the worst possible news: The doors of the YMCA were closing. Although rumors had circulated for some time that the facility would fold, there was real distress when the class schedule began tapering down. Some of the students had been attending the Y for more than two decades. When the doors finally closed last August, however, a plan had been hatched. The plan included all of McCarthy’s devoted students, and it envisioned no discontinuation of their relationship with him. “What Paul did for us was just amazing,” says Julie Lavine, 81, who has attended his early-morning balance ball classes religiously. “He had such a profound influence on all of us that unquestionably anybody would follow him.” The 60 or so students in the senior balance, weight and aerobics classes— ranging in age from 55 to 90—found McCarthy a new workout studio on Marconi Avenue just past Eastern, then packed, drove, schlepped, hauled, lifted, cleaned and organized his new space.

IES FEB n 15

Paul McCarthy runs Fit4U with the help of Linda Martin

“The place needed a lot of work,” recalls McCarthy, “and I wasn’t financially able to do what needed to be done. But as a family we cleaned this place. They cleaned bathrooms, scrubbed floors. We’re talking people in their 70s and 80s.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “Even today, I have individuals who come in to dust and empty the trash. How often do you have a business where people pay to be members, and then they come in to empty the trash?” The mastermind behind the scheme was Linda Martin, one of McCarthy’s most dedicated followers. “Linda is like my right hand,” he says. “She has been a godsend.” Martin found

the new location (next to Tricks Gymnastics), took McCarthy to see it and challenged him to think big. “She said, ‘What if we … ?’ She knew that I needed help to do it, so she set up a volunteer list, got everybody to sign up, organized the workers and just made it happen.” That McCarthy generates this degree of loyalty is no surprise to those who know him. He has worked for years as a personal trainer, helping athletes improve their mental and physical condition, as well as a health and wellness coach for individuals at all stages of life and health. Five years ago, he was approached by the managing partner

at Ellis Law Group to run a training program for the firm’s lawyers. “I had coached his kids in soccer, and he needed a personal trainer,” says McCarthy. “He told me that he was moving his firm to a new building and he asked me, ‘How about if we put a gym in there for the employees? They sit in their offices a lot of hours.’ They can come in on their lunch hours or before they head home, work out for a half hour, shower and get back to work.” McCarthy continues to train the lawyers, but now he has his own business, called Fit4U, to run. That business is made possible by a group of seniors for whom he is

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216 O Street • Downtown Sacramento 216 O Street • Downtown Sacramento 916.808.7000 • crockerartmuseum.org 916.808.7000 • crockerartmuseum.org the difference between wellness and decline, both physically and mentally. “When I started at the YMCA, I saw that they didn’t have aerobics or other classes that this group needed,” McCarthy says. “I was 50, not 20 or 25, so I said, ‘Let’s start programs that work for you.’”

“I’ll be their lifeline to health and fitness. I wasn’t put on this planet for myself, only for others. I’m inspired to see them doing it. I want to be where they’re at when I’m 75.” His new workout space is large, and McCarthy has large plans for it.

Lean University will be a 10-week class on healthy eating. High school and college students can take part in speed and agility training, and there will be off-season training for athletes. Recognizing the benefits of exercise for aging brains, he intends to offer classes for seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. He will hire additional trainers, but the senior classes will remain with him. “They share what’s going on with them, and I share what we can do,” he says. “We collaborate. I formulate classes based on what’s going on with them. I’ll be their lifeline to health and fitness. I wasn’t put on this planet for myself, only for others. I’m inspired to see them doing it. I want to be where they’re at when I’m 75.” Fit4U is at 4440 Marconi Ave. For more information, call 487-1945 or go to thefit4u.com Terry Kaufman can be reached at terry@1greatstory.com n

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Everyday Heroes AMERICAN RED CROSS HONORS THOSE WHO TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS

of a pool. She has started a club called

For information about donating or

limits when they are empowered with

Staying Alive to teach others how to

volunteering, go to redcross.org/

the right tools.”

perform hands-only CPR.

goldcountry

Maggie Burns (Law Enforcement Hero), an officer in the El Dorado County Probation Department, noticed a youth acting strangely.

BY GLORIA GLYER DOING GOOD

month. They receive individualized

CHRISTMAS CHEER During the holiday season, more

instruction in personal and social development, financial management, affordable housing, health, nutrition,

After attempting conversation, she

than 100 local residents donated

cooking, public transportation,

learned he had just tried to commit

130 stockings and 192 gifts through

navigating the health care system,

suicide. She remained with the boy

Koinonia Family Services and New

household management and self-

until additional help arrived.

Morning Youth and Family Services.

advocacy. According to UCP,

Dozens of volunteers with United

helping people with disabilities

Veteran Hero) performed the

Way’s Women in Philanthropy

live independently reduces state

he American Red Cross

Heimlich maneuver on a choking

wrapped the gifts. Women in

costs by up to two-thirds. For more

recently paid tribute to

woman at a restaurant.

Philanthropy (a United Way member)

information, go to ucpsacto.org

community members who

Christopher Williams (Military

Chris Lundin (Workplace Hero),

brings together local women to help

performed extraordinary acts of

an employee at Davis Athletic Club,

foster youth. To learn more, go to

courage at its 14th annual Heroes

performed chest compressions and

yourlocalunitedway.org/women-

Luncheon at Woodland Community

rescue breathing on a 2-year-old boy

philanthropy

& Senior Center.

who stopped breathing after falling

The annual event honors everyday heroes who went above and beyond.

into the pool. Alena Anberg (Spirit of the Red

GRANT FOR THE DISABLED

The honorees were nominated

Cross), a Red Cross volunteer,

for such selfless deeds as saving

provides assistance to many people

lives, performing first aid or CPR,

struggling with poverty, delivering

Community Living Arrangements

and providing support to military

care packages filled with basic

Services and Program (CLASP)

veterans. Here are the heroes:

household supplies such as soap,

received a $15,000 grant from

toilet paper and laundry detergent to

Bank of America to help people

families once a month.

with developmental disabilities find

Renee Lancaster (Animal Rescue) took in 11 neglected Rottweilers

United Cerebral Palsy’s

confiscated from an animal facility

Sean Tatum (Hero of the Year),

affordable housing and develop

and nursed the dogs back to health.

a California Highway Patrol officer,

financial skills. “Too often when

came upon a multivehicle accident

someone is diagnosed with a

Samaritan) performed CPR when her

with one victim trapped inside a

disability, society assumes the only

husband, Dan, collapsed of a heart

burning vehicle. Tatum pulled the

option is to forever lock that person

attack in their home.

woman to safety.

into a life of dependency, which can

Donna Cameron (Adult Good

Judy Vera (Senior Good Samaritan)

The American Red Cross shelters,

be a drain on society and on the spirit

cared for and supported her four

feeds and counsels victims of

of that person,” said Doug Berman,

grandchildren and helped others in

disasters, provides nearly half of

president and CEO of United Cerebral

need.

the nation’s blood supply, teaches

Palsy. “We are grateful to Bank of

lifesaving skills and supports military

America for recognizing that people

Samaritan) performed lifesaving

members and their families. The

with disabilities can live life without

hands-only CPR on a boy who was

organization depends on volunteers

pulled unresponsive from the bottom

and the generosity of the public.

Skylar Berry (Youth Good

CLASP serves 52 people each

IES FEB n 15

EMPOWERING HOMELESS WOMEN Women’s Empowerment received $25,000 from Save Mart CARES to help homeless women in Sacramento find homes and jobs. The organization’s eight-week program addresses homeless women’s basic needs such as health, mental health and housing while preparing them to become ready for work. For more information, go to womensempowerment.org

DEADLINE FOR GRANT APPLICATION Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society Alliance raised more than $65,000 at its Art of Medicine auction and dinner last April. The alliance provides grants of $2,500 to $10,000 to local nonprofit organizations for programs relating to the advancement of community health or health education. Applications for grants are

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Students from Merryhill Preschool participated in the holiday giving season by delivering toys for patients in the Child Life Program at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. The school set up giving trees and asked family and friends to make donations of new toys based on the Child Life wish list. The purpose? To encourage students to learn the importance of giving back to the community while helping the more than 100 children in the program. Gloria Glyer can be reached at gglyer@sbbmail.com or (530) 4775331. n

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Farewell, Daisy THIS PURRING CAT WAS THE DEFINITION OF HOME

BY STEPHANIE RILEY

PARENT TALES

t seemed appropriate that the sky was dark when we stepped out of the veterinary hospital. Like our hearts, it was quiet, painfully so. Although we knew the day would come, that day was tucked away in the “someday” file, along with losing that last 10 pounds, organizing the tax receipts and cleaning the garage. There is no possible way that someday had snuck up on us and come so soon. Just as she purred her way into our hearts about 10 years ago, our beloved Daisy cat went out purring, a fact that I can’t wrap my mind around. She was 12 or 13 years old, a fixture

Daisy made friends with virtually every creature she met

in our family for the kids’ entire lives so far. In one exhausting weekend of vet visits, anxious hours in the

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IES FEB n 15

waiting room and hugs from loved ones, we were saying goodbye to our sweet black-and-white tabby cat. Affectionately known as Bob for the first year or so with us, Daisy was a rescue pet that showed more love and tenderness to the kids and me than any person we have ever known. The fact that preschooler Nick could not pronounce her name meant nothing to Daisy, who curled up in any willing lap with her trademark vibratingmotor purr. She was the type of animal that those “Who rescued who?” bumper stickers were created for. Pity the family that brought her to the animal shelter before we

adopted her. Their loss was certainly our gain. She was one in a million, irreplaceable. Known for her ability to size up visitors within minutes, Daisy was a hugger. Yes, a hugger. Countless holiday pictures were taken of the Purrmeister curled up on the shoulder of one of my brothers, on the back of the sofa or, in recent years, licking the head of her cat brother, Henry. Passers-by would comment on her lovely markings, and those who took a minute to pet her always remarked on what a sweet and loving cat she was. Feeling sad, sick or just sitting in a comfortable spot? Daisy would find you and make herself at home, sending out a purr that could honestly be heard across a room. That distinctive purr. There were nights when Nick would ask me to move her out of his bed because her loud purring made it difficult for him to sleep. I count that happy motor as one of my favorite sounds in the world. I selfishly believed that I’d have more years to fall asleep to that sound. I could hardly wait to move out of my rental home with its no-pets policy last summer so I could once again have the kitties back in the house. When Thanksgiving came, my brothers were once again vying for a spot with Daisy on the sofa. Storyteller Garrison Keillor once said, “Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.” That may be true on some level, but my children would agree that Daisy’s function was to define “home” for us. None of my kids remembers life before Daisy, and we

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are all struggling with what life will be like without her. During her time with us, we saw many pets come and go in our home. In the most ironic twist, I just chronicled the passing of Emma’s pet fish in this very column. While the histrionics of the dead fish provided a chuckle for all of us, saying goodbye to our Daisy cat is beyond anything I could have imagined. She wasn’t a pet; she was family. When she walked in the back door of our house last weekend, I knew something wasn’t right. She had been gone for a day or two, but anyone with an indoor-outdoor kitty knows this isn’t unusual. We used to joke about our pets out “catting around” at night, but they always came back. She came home that day, injured and slow but still purring. As the next few days unfolded, we came to learn that it was miraculous that our kitty had made it out of her tangle with a muchlarger animal at all. Her external wounds were minor compared to her internal injuries. The news became increasingly grim.

On Daisy’s last night, Erin and I sat up and talked about the pets we’ve known over the years. I told her about losing each of my grandparents, and how difficult it was to let our old dog Woody go when she was just a toddler. We remembered all the times that Daisy was a fixture in whatever was happening in our household. And we talked about that distinctive purr. It was one of my favorite sounds in the whole world. I am beginning to see the stages of grief in each of us: bargaining (what if I had kept her in that night? how much will it cost to put her back together?), anger (“If I ever see a raccoon, I’m going to rip its head off”) and denial (she’s not really gone). Acceptance? Not yet. We are clearly at the beginning of this journey together. Last night, I thought I heard her purring in my ear. I was told she continued to purr even as she passed from this life to the next. Stephanie Gandy Riley can be reached at stephanieriley@sbcglobal. net n

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IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Vows of Love LET ME DIE IN YOUR ARMS

BY NORRIS BURKES SPIRIT MATTERS

s a minister, I officiate at dozens of picturesque weddings with a pageantry of limos, gowns and tuxedos. During these ceremonies, I stand before a couple as they publicly proclaim poetic promises accompanied by an elegantly performed love song. It’s easy to see the exchange of vows as the most beautiful part of the ceremony. But as a chaplain who’s been doing this marrying-burying thing for more than 30 years, I can tell you that nothing matches the beauty of watching those same vows being fulfilled by people who meant what they said when they promised “for better or for worse … till death do us part.” To this day, I’ve never heard a love song as beautiful as the serenade that came from the room of a 45-year-old cancer patient in 1991, when I was serving as a chaplain intern at UC Davis Medical Center. The song drew me down the hallway toward the room. Several staff members were gathered outside the door. Inside the room lay a jaundiced patient with a liver that

IES FEB n 15

Becky and Norris Burkes exchange vows in a January 1980 ceremony

was clearly failing. All of his organs were failing. Doctors were measuring his life in days, if not hours. So into his bed came Anne, his wife of 22 years and maybe all of 98 pounds. She nuzzled alongside him, stroking his face, as he strummed a John Denver medley on a guitar. After about 10 minutes, he switched chords and nodded toward

his eavesdroppers as if to ready us for his finale. His wife took her cue by sitting up in bed with crossed legs, brushing her hair behind her ears and wiping her tears. Then she stared deeply into his dark eyes as if going toward a preplanned rendezvous with his soul. She clearly knew what was coming. For it was her song, “Annie’s Song.”

“Come let me love you, let me give my life to you,” he began with a crackling voice. He stopped for an unwritten rest beat, forced a smile and pushed further into what seemed a prayer set to music. Let me drown in your laughter / Let me die in your arms Let me lay down beside you / Let me always be with you Come let me love you / Come love me again While a few of the staff members held their professional composure through the songs, it’s a safe bet that our stoicism didn’t last through the entreating lyrics, “Let me die in your arms.” The physical and spiritual intertwining I witnessed in this couple sharing a hospital bed will always recall for me the scripture from Genesis that says, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh….” It’s a wonderful moment when couples pledge their togetherness with “until death do us part,” but it was a sacred moment to behold this couple turn their “I do” vows into a goal-line declaration of “We did.” Brother, that’s love. Sister, that’s pageantry! Thirty-five years ago this month, my wife and I said, “I do.” And by the grace of God and our love for each other, we still do. Happy anniversary, sweetheart. Note to readers: If you’ll share your love story of lifelong commitment, I’ll post it on my website, thechaplain. net. Please send your story to ask@ thechaplain.net or P.O. Box 247, Elk Grove, CA 95759. Leave your recorded comments at (843) 608-9715. n

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Master Class A CREATIVE INTERIOR DESIGNER SHOWS HOW THE MAGIC HAPPENS BY JULIE FOSTER HOME INSIGHT

f you’ve ever felt overwhelmed when choosing a new paint color for your living room from the dozens and dozens of shades of blue available, imagine the decisionmaking required when planning the interior of a five-bedroom, threeand-a-half-bath home that’s been stripped down to the studs.

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“We love that we were able to maintain a lot of the signature components of the home while celebrating a modern style,” says Kelly.

Interior designer Kerrie Kelly recently completed work on just such a project: a 3,100-square-foot East Sacramento home built in 1933. Next Generation Capital, which purchased the house as an investment, tapped Kelly for the project. The remodel, the third she has worked on for the company, took her two months. She was tasked with

retaining the home’s classic East Sac charm while layering in contemporary elements that would appeal to the greatest number of buyers. “We love that we were able to maintain a lot of the signature components of the home while celebrating a modern style,” says Kelly.

“I love it that you can move into a house with so much personality and everything works.” Creating an interior that flows gracefully from room to room requires looking at the big picture. A very abbreviated list of the items Kelly needed to choose included paint colors for doors, walls and trim; kitchen cabinets, hardware, backsplash tiles

and appliances; light fixtures and carpeting; floor and wall tiles; and plumbing fixtures for the bathrooms. Kelly, who calls her business a design lab, assembles all her choices on a large table. “We lay out everything so we can begin to see the flow, color, textures, lines and shapes of things and even how easily things can be maintained,” she explains. One Home Construction performed the major renovations, which were complete by the time Kelly and her team began. The house was rewired and replumbed. An energy-efficient Nest thermostat system and new windows will help keep energy bills under control. The kitchen’s Leviton switch plates can be configured as regular outlets or USB ports and can be easily removed and run through the dishwasher when culinary grime becomes an issue.

HOME page 54

IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

HOME FROM page 53 “I love it that you can move into a house with so much personality and everything works,” says Kelly. “You don’t have to worry about whether the outlets work or any efficiency issues.” In the dining room, modern furnishings, new wainscoting and a dramatic paint color (SherwinWilliams’ Folkstone) complement the original built-in hutch and its leadedglass doors.

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Kelly’s attention extended to the smallest details, such as the kitchen cabinet door pulls. She chose simple, wide handle pulls because they won’t show fingerprints and will extend the life of the cabinets’ paint finish. The kitchen cabinet’s clear glass panels with wire mesh detail mimic the dining room hutch doors, melding the new and old. Countertops are sleek Silestone that make for easy

cleanup, while the wedge-shaped backsplash tile captures the eye. The kitchen’s peninsula-shaped counter and seating area extends into the family room, linking the two spaces. A commodious pantry with a wine rack provides additional storage. A wall-mounted television suspended above a rectangular gas fireplace creates a cozy gathering area. Two sliding doors offer access to the refreshed backyard.

The three full bathrooms and the downstairs powder room are especially luxurious. Kelly wanted a jewel-box effect in the powder room since it was a space guests would use. Shimmering geometric wallpaper, sconces, beveled tiles and a marbletopped vanity with chrome fixtures evoke classic style. Kelly notes that the house, which she calls a traditionally tailored Tudor, contains many beautiful

Interior designer Kerrie Kelly

finishes and high-tech features. “You can get a high-end look by saving on money on tile and other finishes from Home Depot, then splurge on signature light fixtures,” she explains. The house’s exterior also received a facelift. A new concrete patio and pergola off the back of the house provide more usable living space. In the front, concrete steps are tucked into the grass. A sliding door off the kitchen nook allows for easy access to the front porch.

“This home now has the modern amenities everyone wants combined with the style of an older home,” she says. “Now is the time to layer on the artwork and just live here.”

If you know of a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com n

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A Singular Crop LOCAL MUSHROOM FARMER GROWS FUNGI THAT ARE SOUGHT AFTER BY CHEFS

growing oyster and shiitake varieties as a hobby. In 2000, she launched Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms out of a warehouse on North B Street. A year ago, after retiring, she bought property in Sloughhouse and decided to “go big,” as she says. Life as a mushroom grower could be lonely. There are no big tractors making noisy passes through fields.

BY GWEN SCHOEN

No birds to chase out of the crops. No

FARM TO FORK

bands of farm workers harvesting the fields. Walker, though, is surrounded

ven the most adventuresome foodie has to admit that some types of mushrooms look too

weird to just pop into your mouth. That is, until they meet Roxana Walker. Walker describes herself as a farmer, but really, she’s more of a mushroom evangelist who grows an amazing variety at her Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms farm in Sloughhouse. She invited us for a visit on “bagging day,” when the farm was buzzing with activity. As we stepped out of the car, she immediately launched into a sermon about the benefits and culinary delights of mushrooms. We were instant converts. Hallelujah. Walker is a scientist by trade. She retired from the state after working for 30 years as an air-quality chemist. About 20 years ago, she became fascinated by the health benefits and the use of mushrooms in Eastern medicine. Following a class in mycology and learning how mushrooms remove toxins from soil, she began experimenting with

IES FEB n 15

by family members and friends who help with the day-to-day duties. We followed along as she clomped through the mud from shed to hoop house, checking on her crops and explaining her growing process. She follows a Chinese method she learned from her mentor in Washington. “Bagging day is a busy time,” Walker explained. “We grow the

Roxana Walker, owner of Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms, holding a shiitake mushroom log

mushrooms in a mixture of untreated, hardwood sawdust reclaimed from a

She pulled open a door to one of

Once mushrooms begin to grow,

molding shop. It is mixed with other

the hoop houses and invited us to

they are harvested daily. Recently,

growing materials, then pasteurized

step inside. It was a truly amazing

Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms

with steam and placed in plastic

sight. There were well over 8,000

celebrated one ton of oyster

bags about the size of the Sunday

bags, all stacked neatly on wooden

mushrooms harvested in a single

newspaper. Mushroom spawn (seed)

shelves higher than my head. Perfect

month. A bag will last about five

is added. The bags are sealed with a

blue oyster mushrooms sprouted

months before it is removed and the

ball of cotton and moved to growing

from nearly every bag. I expected the

process begins again. The sawdust

sheds we call hoop houses.”

growing rooms to be dark, but Walker

material left in the bags once

The hoop houses, which she built

explained that mushrooms like soft

production ends is carefully collected

herself, look like Quonset huts with

light, not darkness. The air felt damp

and donated to gardeners to use for

heavy canvas covers. Currently she

and smelled woody. “We spray the

mulch.

has four houses and plans to add

room with misters similar to the ones

more this summer. Walker explained

used at grocery stores,” she explained.

Bistro, Andy Nguyen’s Vegetarian,

that when the pins (sprouts) begin

“Mushrooms don’t like to be wet.

The Kitchen, Roxy Restaurant and

to form, she cuts the bags open or

But they do like dampness, so we

Bar, Mama Kim Cooks or Lucca

removes the cotton-ball plugs so that

spray between the rows to keep the

Restaurant & Bar, you’ve probably

the mushrooms can fruit through the

humidity high.”

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dishes often add shiitake, oyster, trumpet and beech varieties to their dishes. Ian McBride, head chef at Lucca, is a big fan. “I discovered Roxana while shopping at the Sunday farmers market,” said McBride. “She has a I enjoy featuring at Lucca.” Some of McBride’s favorite ways to use mushrooms are really quite simple. “Trumpet and oyster mushrooms are thick and meaty, so we like to grill them brushed with some lemon olive oil and serve them on steaks,” he said. “They are also wonderful roasted in brown butter. The beech mushrooms, which range in size from toothpick to pinky finger, make a wonderful chutney dish because they soak up flavors and they pair beautifully with currants.”

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Streetcars of Desire? IT’S NOT SURE THESE ‘PEDESTRIAN ACCELERATORS’ REALLY DO THE JOB

BY WALT SEIFERT GETTING THERE

acramento, West Sacramento and government transportation agencies are planning to bring streetcars back to Sacramento. The proposed $150 million line would run from West Sac’s Civic Center past Raley Field and across Tower Bridge to Sacramento’s train station/ transportation hub and down K Street. The 3.3-mile route would then head into Midtown as far as 19th Street, looping around the convention and community centers on J and L streets. Funding for the venture is set to come from the federal government, the state, Sacramento County, the two cities and an annual assessment of property owners near the line (if approved by their vote). Construction could start in 2016. On K Street, sleek, modern streetcars would replace light-rail trains. To get buy-in and appease K Street business owners who feel that long light-rail trains block access to their properties, Regional Transit would move light rail off K and onto H Street at an additional cost of $17 million. Apparently, whatever is done to fix K Street, it’s never enough.

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During the first half of the 20th century, Americans got there in droves by streetcar. They commuted, shopped and went to amusement parks by rail. In Brooklyn, streetcars were so ubiquitous that the local baseball team (now in Los Angeles) was named after the people dodging

them. Sacramento, much more compact then, had streetcar lines blanketing its urban and residential core and beyond: through Midtown to East Sac, Land Park, Curtis Park, West Sac, North Sac, Rio Linda and the evocatively named Joyland in Oak Park.

Sacramento joins many cities across the United States that have reintroduced streetcars or are now planning for them. Not all the streetcar systems in the United States have been successful. While some have met or exceeded passenger goals, others have underperformed.

Proponents hail streetcars as engines of economic development, spurring investment in districts close to the tracks and boosting property values. The argument is that the permanence of the track infrastructure provides certainty. Developers and property owners know rail transit service will continue. Bus routes can disappear overnight. Physically, and maybe psychologically, streetcars are more attractive than bus service. A streetcar can carry more passengers in greater comfort than a bus. Some view riding a bus as a last resort, something done only by the transitdependent. Streetcars are used by “choice” riders who have the means to get around in other ways. Streetcars seem to offer more fun and panache than a bus. Vintage streetcar systems, such as the cable cars in San Francisco and New Orleans’ St. Charles line, certainly attract tourists. To be truly successful, streetcars have to appeal to more than visitors with a yen for nostalgia. They have to provide meaningful everyday transportation for residents. Sacramento’s old streetcar routes got people from neighborhoods to downtown jobs and shopping. They facilitated social trips. Today, jobs and shopping are more dispersed than they were a century ago. The proposed Sacramento system has been called a pedestrian accelerator, useful for trips within the urban core. Critics of streetcars question their cost-effectiveness in providing transportation. Sacramento’s line will cost $50 million a mile, with the potential for the same cost overruns that bedeviled light rail’s construction downtown. Streetcar vehicles cost more than buses and require specialized storage. Since streetcars run in “mixed flow” traffic on streets along with vehicles, streetcars can’t move any faster than buses and other traffic. A Missoula, Mont., study estimated average streetcar speeds at 8 to 12 mph. Breakdowns, crashes or roadwork can block streetcars because of their lack of maneuverability. Plans are for the streetcars initially to run every 15 minutes. That infrequent schedule, coupled

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with operation in traffic, means that pedestrians may not be “accelerated” very much. It’s difficult to know if streetcars have spurred economic development in other cities. Growth may have occurred anyway. In many places, local governments subsidized development with financial incentives in the same locations the federal government subsidized the streetcar systems. While tracks in the street provide a sense of permanence, the narrow gaps along the tracks pose a tire-catching hazard for bicyclists. Portland, which has lots of both streetcars and bicyclists, has experienced many track-related crashes. There are less expensive alternatives to streetcars, including regular buses, electric rubber-tired trolleys, bus rapid transit and bicycle facilities. I’ll discuss those in next month’s column. Walt Seifert is a bicyclist, driver and transportation writer. He can be reached at bikeguy@surewest.net n

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Sunshine on a Stem NOW’S THE TIME OF YEAR TO CELEBRATE THE COLOR YELLOW

BY ANITA CLEVENGER GARDEN JABBER

his is the time of year when splashes of bright yellow flowers punctuate an

awakening landscape. This color of distilled pure sunshine is not my favorite in later spring and summer, when vivid yellow clashes with more subtle pastel palettes. It seems to hog the spotlight. “Look at me! Look at me!” it shouts. Much as I love summer’s sunflowers, I tend to avoid hot colors in my garden during Sacramento’s sizzling heat.

Late in February, forsythia’s

In late winter and early spring,

bare, arching branches suddenly

however, yellow is just right.

burst into a flower fountain of sunny

and in great mounds along the

sunshine to your landscape.

highways.

Calendula, pansies, snapdragons and

Daffodils may be the quintessential

columbine are among the winter and

blossoms. Its display lasts just one

yellow spring flower. They are part

early-spring flowering varieties with

bloom each year. Their puffy, lemon-

or two delirious weeks, although you

of the narcissus family, which has

bright yellow flowers.

yellow flowers are spectacular but

can force earlier bloom by bringing

many different colors and shapes

hated by many who blame them for

some cut branches inside. Prune after

of flowers. However, it’s the classic

home garden and in the Historic

allergies. Experts say that’s unfair.

bloom by cutting out a third of the

all-yellow trumpet narcissus that

Rose Garden in Sacramento Historic

Acacias produce and drop copious

flowering branches and removing

the poet Wordsworth celebrated and

City Cemetery. They are usually

amounts of pollen, but the grains

weak or dead wood. The shrub will

that artists feature on Easter cards.

deep gold, or even orange, in color.

are large and don’t blow in the wind

retreat into oblivion until next year’s

Daffodil Hill in Volcano is a popular

Until I encountered a botanist when

like pollen from deciduous trees and

moment of glory.

destination in March. Visitors see

visiting Rancho Seco’s vernal pools

many different kinds of daffodils

last spring, I was unaware that

Acacias are one of the first plants to

I grow California poppies in my

grass. Some people are sensitive to

If you see yellow-flowered vines

acacia’s fragrance. If your eyes are

cascading over a fence or down an

there, but the yellow ones attract the

another native poppy, the Frying Pan

red and you are sneezing, don’t blame

embankment, they possibly are

most attention.

poppy, paints the Sacramento Valley

the pollen of these beautiful yellow

Carolina jessamine. In March, yellow

Australian trees.

Lady Banks roses clamber up trees

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Perennial and annual flowering plants can also contribute petal

with low-growing yellow flowers in the spring. From a distance, they

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are indistinguishable from several

possible that yellow flowers attract

other low-growing native wildflowers,

pollinators. Bees don’t see red at all,

such as California goldfields, that

but they do perceive yellow, blue and

create large, bright, sunny patches on

ultraviolet light as they seek sources

meadows and hillsides.

of pollen and nectar. Perhaps there

Some pretty yellow flowers in

is no scientific reason for there being

your gardens or along the roads are

so many yellow spring flowers. Maybe

weeds. Dandelions, of course, bloom

they just bloom to make us happy and

just about all year long. In winter

to give us hope for many sunny days

and spring, Bermuda buttercup, an

ahead.

oxalis, is exceptionally attractive, with shamrock-shaped leaves and clusters of bright flowers. The University of California considers it a nuisance, however, because it spreads so readily by underground bulbs and is

Anita Clevenger is a Sacramento County UC Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, call 875-6913 or go to ucanr.edu/sites/ sacmg

hard to eradicate. I’ve got it in my garden despite my husband spending many hours trying to remove it. You probably have it, too. In the Napa Valley, mustard billows between the rows of vines, a breathtaking sight. Nearly as pretty, but quite invasive, is the Scotch broom that infests much of California’s wildlands. Is it a coincidence that so many early-spring flowers are yellow? It’s

Fair Oaks Horticulture Center will hold its next open garden on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. Master Gardeners will demonstrate how to prune ornamental grasses and shrubs and finish pruning fruit trees and grapevines, and they’ll answer questions about vegetable gardening. n

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Unique loc overlooking E. Portal Park in E. Sac. New construction. 4 bds, 2.5 ba + ofÀce! $729,000 Silvia Schnetz 916-396-8134

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Fabulous remodel. Only high rise condo building in East Sac. 2 bdrms / 2 baths. Luxury living. $639,000 Annette Black 916-826-6902

Riverfront custom 4 bed, 2.5 bath, BI pool/spa, Boat dock, game room plus more! $599,000 Dan & Terri Wakabayashi 916-835-5702

Move-in ready 3 bdrm, 1 bath East Sac home. Many updates – beautiful hardwood, patio. $369,000 Kathy Pardun 916-247-7030

View the Sierras from this 3 / 2 Midtown bungalow. Much charm & updated bathrooms. $399,500 Liz Edmonds 838-1208 Dave Philipp 212-1322

Adorable & brand new in family friendly Hollywood Park! Beautiful 3 bedroom / 2 bath remodel! $314,900 Penny Elmore 916-835-6000

Come for the home…stay for the spectacular views! Incredible opportunity! $1,700,000 Barbara Harsch 916-612-0622

DOWNTOWN • 2801 J Street, Sacramento • 447-7878 62

IES FEB n 15

Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Sales Closed December 1-31, 2014

95608 CARMICHAEL

3116 KOBROCK WAY $300,000 3121 STEINBRENNER CT $390,000 2116 HOMEWOOD WAY $280,000 4706 PEDERSEN WAY $280,000 4024 JANE CT $238,000 4053 CHAMPLAIN LN $364,000 6609 LINCOLN AVE $650,000 2626 NAPOLI CT $570,000 5102 RICHON VISTA CT $165,000 4916 ENGLE RD $235,000 3128 SMATHERS WAY $295,000 5332 SANDSTONE ST $197,000 4477 STOLLWOOD DR $448,000 4801 TONO WAY $309,500 5257 WYNDHAM OAK LN $685,000 4831 OAK VISTA DR $800,000 3521 PICKWICK CT $335,000 5205 WHISPER OAKS LN $485,000 5952 MALEVILLE AVE $208,500 5112 KOVANDA AVE $246,000 2121 MADDOX CT $279,500 5722 CARTIER LN $313,500 5619 HASKELL AVE $315,000 1606 ARDEN BLUFFS LN $620,000 4904 CLEAR CIR $295,000 6320 ASLIN WAY $200,000 5324 HALSTED AVE $245,000 5260 GRANT AVE $330,000 6720 LINCOLN AVE $334,000 6304 LINCOLN AVE $383,000 2124 CLAREMONT RD $785,000 6136 DAHLIA DR $141,500 3519 VERLA ST $288,300 6333 SUTTER AVE $355,000 6801 RAPPAHANNOCK WY$379,900 5229 MCKINNEY WAY $212,000 5949 CAMRAY CIR $274,050 4401 MARBLE WAY $349,000 6142 FOUNTAINDALE WAY $395,000 2417 GUNN RD $423,000 6111 WINDING WAY $259,000 2464 VIA CAMINO AVE $119,000 2100 BIRCHER WAY $282,000 5638 VEGA CT $335,000 2608 LOS FELIZ WAY $365,000 1571 BARNETT CIR $870,000 6133 VIA CASITAS AVE $114,900 6024 CHERRELYN WAY $160,000 5501 KIVA DR $281,000 7141 MURDOCK CT $355,000 6147 ORSI CIR $168,000 2348 CALUMET ST $292,000

95816 EAST SACRAMENTO, MCKINLEY PARK 417 ALHAMBRA BLVD

$395,000

1409 35TH ST 1545 38TH ST 3701 T ST 2519 Q ST 3180 C ST 3838 MCKINLEY BLVD 841 38TH ST 3248 C STREET 1553 34TH ST 216 32ND 2504 P

95815 WOODLAKE 212 JOHNSTON RD

95817 TAHOE PARK, ELMHURST 3280 9TH AVE 5449 U ST 2819 57TH ST 3432 6TH AVE 3224 SAN JOSE WAY 3264 8TH AVE 2021 61ST ST 2746 64TH ST 2500 53RD ST 3500 1ST AVE 3181 U ST 2915 35TH ST 6121 3RD AVE 3316 41ST ST 2768 43RD ST 3775 7TH AVE 2049 35TH ST 3804 2ND AVE 3208 X ST 3251 X ST

95818 LAND PARK, CURTIS PARK 1875 8TH AVE 2024 17TH ST 2700 21ST ST 2592 17TH ST 2830 27TH ST 2417 6TH AVE 2681 17TH ST 1646 CASTRO WAY 2215 21ST ST 1964 3RD AVENUE 2979 GOVAN WAY 2018 X STREET 3500 24TH STREET 2720 13TH ST 2017 CASTRO WAY 2109 9TH AVE 3504 24TH STREET

$680,000 $820,000 $399,000 $350,000 $425,000 $647,500 $587,000 $555,000 $318,000 $409,500 $346,500 $370,000

$157,500 $329,000 $330,000 $169,900 $78,000 $156,000 $275,000 $340,000 $310,000 $172,000 $325,000 $329,000 $340,400 $118,000 $165,000 $219,600 $320,000 $387,000 $215,000 $270,000

$654,000 $339,000 $420,000 $720,000 $467,000 $359,500 $550,000 $845,000 $340,000 $790,000 $232,500 $544,210 $600,000 $385,000 $560,000 $546,695

2709 FLORENCE PL 2664 14TH ST

$387,000 $540,000

95819 EAST SACRAMENTO, RIVER PARK

618 52ND ST $460,000 1380 45TH ST $1,425,000 5311 SPILMAN AVE $535,000 5260 MINERVA AVE $485,000 5224 CARRINGTON ST $330,000 4851 T ST $435,000 5314 SANDBURG DR $455,000 820 45TH ST $980,000 17535 1ST ST $229,000 5301 S ST $305,000 5101 H ST $461,500 424 40TH ST $640,000 1530 54TH ST $327,000 143 FERN CT $345,000 461 46TH ST $549,000 5717 MODDISON AVE $432,000 54 PRIMROSE WAY $345,000 5200 CALLISTER AVE $431,000 5843 O ST $325,000 5408 MONALEE AVE $468,000 1448 47TH ST $705,000 4201 D ST $765,000 4100 FOLSOM BLVD #4A $397,000 1900 48TH ST $252,500 5214 C ST $355,000

95821 ARDEN-ARCADE

3744 HUFF WAY $203,000 3340 BLUEGRASS RD $204,000 3027 KERRIA WAY $289,000 3434 WHITNOR CT $409,000 3509 CHADSWORTH WAY $383,000 3017 TAMALPAIS WAY $185,000 2660 HOWE AVE $83,000 3564 LARCHMONT SQR LN$130,000 2581 HOWE AVE $220,000 3905 HILLCREST LN $333,000 2836 AVALON DR $273,500 3401 POPE AVE $720,000 4200 LYLE ST $304,000 3708 WILLIAM WAY $255,000 4513 ROBERTSON AVE $281,500 2471 ROLAND RD $183,500 2871 ASHBOURNE DR $790,000 2905 GREENWOOD AVE $305,000

95822 SOUTH LAND PARK 5851 14TH ST 2146 63RD AVA 5637 23RD ST 633 PIEDMONT DR 142 QUASAR CIR

$335,000 $175,000 $176,850 $425,000 $87,250

5441 MICHAEL WAY 3245 TORRANCE AVE 6743 GOLF VIEW DR 63 PETRILLI 4945 VIRGINIA WAY 1156 ROSA DEL RIO WAY 5204 MONTEREY WAY 4140 MULBERRY LN 30 QUASAR CIR 1460 68TH AVE 747419TH ST 2711 5OTH AVE 2120 BERG AVE 2341 KNIGHT WAY 7551 32ND ST 6137 HERMOSA ST 1419 HOPKINS 1408 WACKER WAY 2405 34TH AVE 7470 HITHER WAY 2159 55TH AVE 2194 MONIFIETH WAY 7057 21ST. ST 1533 69TH AVE 7551 24TH ST 1717 68TH AVE 1135 DARNEL WAY 1429 WACKER WAY 6724 GOLF VIEW DR 2796 GARDENDALE RD 2141 65TH AVE 2142 STOVER WAY 1651 BELINDA WAY 7414 BALFOUR WAY 2097 20TH AVE 7516 CANDLEWOOD WAY

95825 ARDEN

$225,000 $251,000 $141,000 $305,000 $315,000 $255,000 $260,000 $399,000 $113,000 $135,000 $132,000 $101,000 $117,000 $278,000 $182,000 $130,000 $170,500 $154,500 $215,000 $254,490 $202,000 $130,000 $193,000 $110,000 $111,000 $160,500 $245,000 $155,000 $170,000 $175,000 $192,500 $342,000 $132,000 $175,000 $128,000 $138,750

2909 CRESCENT CT $286,000 863 WOODSIDE LN #9 $87,500 3230 CASITAS BONITO $183,000 812 DUNBARTON CIR $319,000 5 COLBY CT $284,900 2105 BYRON RD $190,000 2201 WOODSIDE LN #9 $76,000 2201 BYRON $120,000 2022 UNIVERSITY PK DR $305,000 923 COMMONS $318,000 1513 GANNON DR $202,500 1326 OAK TERRACE CT #7 $80,000 2320 WYDA WAY $152,000 891 E WOODSIDE LN #2 $157,500 2340 CORTEZ LN $191,500 500 DUNBARTON CIR $342,500 1840 BELL ST $142,000 2294 WOODSIDE LN #15 $70,000 524 WOODSIDE OAKS #8 $94,000

2316 WYDA WAY $185,000 1224 COMMONS DR $660,000 641 WOODSIDE SIERRA #6 $87,500 730 WOODSIDE LN #10 $94,000 2328 BARCELONA WAY $120,000 2313 LAREDO RD $224,900

95831 GREENHAVEN, S LAND PARK

795 PORTUGAL WAY 730 HARVEY WAY 547 LEEWARD WAY 6960 GALLERY WAY 777 BELL RUSSELL WAY 315 ROUNDTREE CT 7287 RUSH RIVER DR 7479S LAND PARK DR 1 GALLEY CT 6541 LONGRIDGE WAY 1012 EILEEN WAY 462 WINDWARD WAY 305 ROUNDTREE CT 880 SHORESIDE DR 15 ASSAY CT 6759 SWENSON WAY 66 RAMBLE OAK 18 IRON RIVER CT 6616 SURFSIDE WAY 6484 OAKRIDGE WAY 7707 RIO ESTRADA WAY 216 ROUNDTREE CT 7542 MYRTLE VISTA AVE

$396,000 $210,000 $187,100 $280,000 $546,500 $125,000 $270,000 $412,500 $245,000 $350,100 $449,000 $310,000 $123,000 $335,000 $378,000 $410,000 $355,000 $389,000 $165,000 $389,000 $640,000 $135,000 $339,000

95864 ARDEN

4020 BERRENDO DR $410,000 2412 ANDRADE WAY $220,000 4220 BIRGIT WAY $351,000 812 TREEHOUSE LN $689,000 535 WILHAGGIN DR $775,000 1521 WATT AVE $155,000 3800 RANDOM LN $755,000 2871 JOSEPH AVE $390,000 801 SIERRA OAKS VISTA LN$647,400 4110 WINDING CREEK RD$1,100,000 1324 GLADSTONE DR $155,000 1132 SINGINGWOOD RD $202,500 3600 LA HABRA WAY $420,000 1229 GREENHILLS RD $190,000 800 WATT AVE $160,000 3604 CODY WAY $250,000 4416 ARDEN WAY $283,000 1525 SEBASTIAN WAY $245,000 1005 AMBERWOOD RD $175,000 3409 HUMBOLDT WAY $150,000 4512 ULYSSES DR $266,000 2701 LAUREL DR $941,000 1140 AMBERWOOD RD $218,000

IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Counting the Birds ANNUAL EVENT RELIES ON CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO COLLECT DATA

BY DR. AMY ROGERS SCIENCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

hen I lived in Minnesota, we envied the birds that flew south before the onset of our frigid winter. The first robin to return home was always a happy harbinger of spring. This explains my particular delight here in Sacramento when I see an entire flock of red-breasted birds—in January. But there’s more than robins in my yard. Have you seen the birds in Sacramento in winter? You probably notice crows or pigeons, but what about the birds that flit past the corner of your eye, that roost in the trees or hide in the shrubbery, or gather in the water around Yolo Causeway? Have you ever taken a few minutes to really look at them? You should. Sacramento is a hub of bird activity in the winter. Tens of thousands of birds come to town, rather than leave, drawn by our mild temperatures and wetlands. These avian tourists arrive from as far away as the Arctic Circle, traveling a superhighway in the sky known as the Pacific Flyway. The flyway stretches all the way from Alaska to South America. Like any freeway, it

IES FEB n 15

Photo courtesy of Jenner Junghans

has rest stops along the way, places where weary birds can eat and regain their strength. The Sacramento region is a major rest stop, or even winter home, for migratory birds. The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area around Interstate 80 between Sacramento and Davis hosts thousands of traveling birds, including many species of ducks that feast on leftover rice in the fields and high-flying snow geese, white with eye-catching black wing tips. The Cosumnes River Preserve (south of Elk Grove just off I-5) is noted for its sandhill cranes, impressive birds with a 6-foot wingspan and distinctive call. National wildlife refuges at Stone Lakes (south on I-5), Colusa (40

miles north of Woodland, off I-5) and Sacramento (another 25 miles north of Colusa) are bustling with waterfowl and other bird species in the winter. Birding (the term aficionados prefer over “birdwatching”) in these places requires nothing more than time. Part of the fun, though, is identifying particular species. There is a scavenger-hunt kind of thrill to checking birds off a list. It’s easier than you might think. Just grab a pair of binoculars, print a page of bird pictures specific for our area (such as “What’s This Bird?” at SacramentoAudubon.org) and head out. The visitor centers at Cosumnes and Yolo also offer bird guides. Or carry a smartphone app, which will

give you photos and recorded birdsong to help with identification. Merlin Bird ID (free) and iBird (not free) are both great for beginners. You don’t have to leave your own neighborhood to identify remarkable birds. Jenner Junghans, education chair of the Sacramento Audubon Society, says, “When people who are not birders see photos of our local birds for the first time, they’re often stunned. They had no idea we have local birds with such bright colors and bold patterns. People feel like they’re looking at photos of birds from someplace like South America.” Some local birds are even international celebrities. Every day in my Arden neighborhood, I see large,

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beautiful, black-and-white birds with long tail feathers and striking yellow beaks. This seemingly common bird is in fact a rarity. The yellow-billed magpie is not found anywhere on Earth except California’s Central Valley. February is the perfect time to give birding a try. Feb. 13-16 is the Great Backyard Bird Count, a worldwide annual event that anyone can participate in. GBBC is an important scientific research project that relies on ordinary people to collect data. It’s quite simple. For 15 minutes, count all the birds you see, whether you’re gazing out your kitchen window, walking downtown or hiking through a nature area. Submit your location and number of each species you saw to gbbc.birdcount. org. With data collected by a large number of people in a variety of places, scientists are able to track bird populations and migration patterns. Over time, this information helps scientists see trends and determine how bird populations are affected by

development, habitat loss, disease and climate change. Scientists can then make recommendations to conserve and protect habitat and birds, all because of the combined efforts of citizen scientists—people like you. If you’d like to join in the bird count but don’t know a meadowlark from a mockingbird, the enthusiastic, experienced birders of the Sacramento Audubon Society invite you on two birding trips dedicated to the GBBC. Birders will meet on Friday, Feb. 13, at 8 a.m. at William Pond Park and on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8 a.m. at Discovery Park. The Audubon Society offers beginning birder events throughout the year and also has new birding trips and activities especially for kids. Visit SacramentoAudubon. org for the latest information. Amy Rogers is a novelist, scientist and educator. She can be reached at Amy@AmyRogers.com. Learn more about her book “Reversion” at AmyRogers.com n

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IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Showing the Way TEEN NURTURES YOUNG AUDIENCES FOR MUSICAL THEATER

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY

for college. Kong’s fundraising

SUSAN MAXWELL SKINNER

sponsors up to 40 tickets for each performance by the California Musical

ara Kong has seen scores of

Theater. Her chaperoned guests are

musical shows. And through

given a show prologue; they also meet

her love for theater, and

actors and stage crews. “They learn about costumes,

precocity for fundraising, hundreds of Sacramento teens have also

lighting and sound,” says their

enjoyed what Broadway has to

benefactor. “Then they see how it all

offer.

works on stage.

Four years ago, at age 14, Kong saw a touring production of “Billy Elliott” and exclaimed: “Everybody in the audience is in their 80s!” Since then, the Sacramento Country Day School student has relentlessly raised money (around $80,000 so far) to rejuvenate theater crowds. By her graduation day, she hopes her fourth season of fundraising will bring the total to $100,000. Through the project she calls On Broadway, the entrepreneur sponsors underprivileged children to attend

Lara Kong shows mementoes from some of her favorite musicals. The Sacramento Country Day senior has taken hundreds of underprivileged schoolchildren to the theater.

Through the project she calls On Broadway, the entrepreneur sponsors underprivileged children to attend shows.

shows. “I’ve lost count of how many kids we’ve taken—probably more than 400,” she says. “It’s amazing to

“Instead of texting and watching

think they’ve all had a chance to see

TV shows, they’re experiencing art,”

how the theater works. Each show

Kong continues. “They see how actors

opens your mind and changes your

tell a story, not just through their

thinking.”

lines, but with their faces and body

For those 18-and-under students

language. Many are amazed that the

Kong calls “my kids,” “Mary Poppins”

music comes from a live orchestra.

was a 2014 season favorite. “They all

There’s nothing fake in the theater.”

knew the songs,” she explains. “The

Kong’s dedication is a win-win for

show lets your imagination soar. You

kids whose social and educational

forget about anything worrying at

opportunities are expanded—and for

home.”

the theater industry itself.

Troubled homes are common

“If you see shows at a young age,”

among the teens on Kong’s outings. Many are also served by a Country Day project called Breakthrough Sacramento, which helps students from underachieving schools prepare

IES FEB n 15

she reasons, “you’re more likely to Before a Music Circus performance, the entrepreneur (center) introduces “some of my kids”

bring your own kids someday. It’s a domino effect.”

Brewer The

Chef & The

J.E. Paino leads a tasting of Rustaller’s beers and chef Dio creates a small plates menu in celebration of our hop- growing region.

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near as poised in talking to adults

and morale boosters. “They are

executives applaud this vision.

as I am now. I’ve learned that many

simply the best parents ever,” she

to shows,” she says. “These sparked

“From the age of 14, her passion and

people are eager to help others if you

says.

my love for music (she plays flute for

generosity has made a difference to

approach them.”

California Musical Theater

“I’m thankful they always took me

Her dad reciprocates: “Somehow

Sacramento’s Youth Symphony) and

young people,” says development

Lara is able to couple her passion for

let me connect with the stage. After

director Allison Cagley. “She’s also

musical theater with a commitment to

performances, we always have great

help those who aren’t as fortunate as

conversations.”

helped introduce a new audience generation to our shows. We love having Lara as part of our theater family.” Now in her senior year, Kong is thinking about college and hopes eventually to bequeath her program to another volunteer. “It’s a lot of work, “says the uberachiever. “But I’d be sad to see it end. Theater has brought so much to my kids’ lives.” Even she admits surprise at On Broadway’s bottom line. “I never dreamed I could raise so much money,” she marvels. “As a result, so many young people have enjoyed the theater experience and benefitted from it.”

“I’m thankful they always took me to shows,” she says. “These sparked my love for music (she plays flute for Sacramento’s Youth Symphony) and let me connect with the stage. After performances, we always have great conversations.”

rewards knowing students have new opportunities through her efforts. “We hope she maintains these values throughout her life. We have to thank friends, businesses and family; people who care enough about Lara to make sure her project succeeds.” His exemplary daughter is still respects: “My wife and I hope her Fundraising and planning aside,

organizational skills, and time she devotes to her fundraiser, will

Her parents, lawyer Clement and mom Melinda Kong, are top donors

the magic never dies.

translate to cleaning her room and

“Watching a show, I don’t think

getting her college applications filed

about the On Broadway project,” says

in time,” the father says.

the young patron. “Mom, Dad and I just enjoy the show. For us, theater is

At 5 years old, his daughter donned frilly frocks to see such shows anticipates future magical outings

her nonprofit. “It’s matured me,”

“Mom, Dad and I just enjoy the show. For us, theater is a family event.”

an ordinary teenager in other

as “Beauty and the Beast.” Kong

Kong feels she has grown up with she considers. “At 15, I was nowhere

she is,” he says. “She gets tremendous

with her own kids. For now, her mom and dad are still her theater dates.

a family event.” Lara Kong’s On Broadway program is a California Musical Theater project. To learn more about it, call Allison Cagley at 446-5880, ext. 178. n

IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Art Preview

GALLERY ART SHOWS IN FEBRUARY

Red Dot Gallery presents a themeoriented group exhibition called California Scape: Beyond the Snapshot. Participating artists include Tim Mulligan, Margarita Chaplinska, Susan Ballenger, Leslie Philpott, Bud Gordon and Matt Bult. Shown left: “Highway 101” by Margarita Chaplinska. 2231 J Street, Ste. 101

An exhibit of the work of Trent Burkett, a potter, sculptor and professor of art, will be at Jay Jay Art. Show runs through Feb. 28. Shown above is a detail of a work by Burkett. 5520 Elvas Avenue; jayjayart.com ARTHOUSE on R presents “Popstractions” featuring the work of Sid and Donine Wellman. Exhibit runs Feb. 14 to March 10. Shown left: “Fly” by Sid Wellman. 1021 R Street, sidwellman.com

Artspace1616 will exhibit paintings by Alejandro Rubio and sculpture by Numan Begovic in February. Shown above: A work by Alejandro Rubio. 1616 Del Paso Boulevard

IES FEB n 15

Animal House is the10th Annual Juried Fine Art Exhibition of Animal-themed Artworks at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center from Feb. 18 to March 8. Shown above: “Ahi” by Sandy Lindblad. 5330B Gibbons Drive, Carmichael

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Artful Pair THESE MURALISTS WANT TO BEAUTIFY SACRAMENTO BRIDGES, HIGHWAYS AND MORE

BY JESSICA LASKEY ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

hen you first meet Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Christophel—the “L” and “C” behind LC Studio Tutto, formerly LC Mural & Design—you might be struck by how young and lovely they both are. But take a moment to get to know them and you’ll quickly see that they’re much more than pretty faces. In fact, the dynamic duo is taking the Sacramento art scene by storm. “We love working on all kinds of projects as long as they’re creatively challenging and contribute to our city’s authentic growth,” Lacin says. “Tutto translates to ‘all’ or ‘everything’ in Italian, which captures our desire and mission to integrate fine art into daily life.” Lacin and Christophel are the ambitious artistic forces behind large-scale public art projects that give new life to Sacramento’s most blighted neighborhoods. One of their current projects, Bright Underbelly, is transforming the underside of the W/X freeway at 6th Street where the Sunday farmers market takes place into a colorful canopy of natureinspired imagery. Another, Hanging Mist, is an installation made up of 72 perforated aluminum panels painted in soft layers of color mounted on the walls of the inner courtyard of Warehouse Artist Lofts at 11th and R streets. Their project Contagious Color covered the bridge structure at 12th and C Streets in vibrant abstract murals. “This project has been so exciting because of the dramatic transformation,” Christophel says.

IES FEB n 15

Muralists Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Christophel

“It’s amazing to be able to change someone’s daily commute from dreary and depressing into something inspiring.” This desire to change the world through art is an interest the two women have shared since they first met at Mira Loma High School. They were classmates in advanced art as part of the rigorous International Baccalaureate program, where their working relationship began. “We always dreamt of working together,” Christophel says. “We’re a good mix within our artistic skills. I’m more detail-oriented; Sofia is more big vision.” “And our artistic personalities translate as business personalities,” Lacin adds. “I like to brainstorm about the future, take meetings and

be the contact person. Hennessy loves to present to big groups and keep track of records and details. We divide tasks business-wise but do everything together creatively, which is why we’re able to work in public spaces. We have two perspectives.” Both Lacin and Christophel come from creative backgrounds: Lacin’s parents own a commercial photography studio; Christophel’s mom is an artist. So it might seem only natural that the two would follow in those footsteps. But their artistic perspective is all their own. “We’re both interested in designing environments that connect you to your space,” Christophel says. “The large-scale nature of our work helps it become an environment that you move through and walk through.

We started doing murals, but our canvases aren’t just walls anymore. They’re water tanks, underpasses and freeways.” “As artists, we’re idealistic,” Lacin says. “Everyone should be able to experience art, so when we’re choosing a site, we aim to have very diverse audiences.” “That way everyone can experience it,” Christophel continues. “That’s part of the challenge of the scale that we love: It becomes a communal experience.” LC Studio Tutto is involved in each project from its inception until the last brushstroke, which means that Lacin and Christophel are responsible not only for dreaming and drafting,

but also getting down and dirty for their work. “We walk the line as designers with our modern, cool studio in the River District, but at the same time we’re kind of like construction workers,” Christophel says, “riding scissor lifts and eating carrots, sitting on the sidewalk covered in paint and dirt. Our job is never the same and always active. It’s fun to be dirty.”

“Our dream for when we’re older and not climbing around on scissor lifts like monkeys is to open a B&B.” “We have to reintroduce ourselves to people sometimes,” Lacin says with a laugh.

The grime is clearly part of the appeal, as is the community they work in. “When we were younger, we didn’t imagine staying in Sacramento,” Christophel admits. “But we found we were getting so many interesting projects here. There’s a real hunger for art here. It’s been a great place to start our business and make significant contributions to this art landscape.” “It’s nice to be in a city where people are interested in art and very collaborative,” Lacin concurs. “Everyone wants to be together to create.” Their ultimate goal, however, might surprise you. “Our dream for when we’re older and not climbing around on scissor lifts like monkeys is to open a B&B,” Christophel says. “It would be a combination art experience and luxury experience. We love giving people beauty and novel experiences.” For more information on LC Studio Tutto, go to lcmuralanddesign.com n

Buy one entrée and get a second entrée FREE!* *$16 maximum value. Seniors 55 and older, must present proof of age. Coupon required. Offer valid 1-1 through 3-31-2015. Not valid February 14, 2015 (Valentine’s Day.) May not be combined with any other offer or Fat Tuesday discount. Tax and gratuity not included.

1001 Front Street, Historic Old Sacramento 916-446-6768 www.fatcitybarandcafe.com

OUR AMERICAN

JOURNEY

Après le Noël

WINTER CONCERT

FEBRUARY 8, 2015, AT 7:00 P.M. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1701 L Street, Sacramento

Featuring Cappella & Cantoris with Special Guests RSVP CONDUCTOR: Lynn Stevens TICKETS $30 Preferred, $17 General, $12 Students

(916) 646-1141

www.sacramentochildrenschorus.org

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‘Peter Pan’ Premiere SACRAMENTO BALLET’S RON CUNNINGHAM TO SHARE INSIGHTS ON HIS LATEST WORK

By Jessica Laskey RIVER CITY PREVIEWS

f you’ve been lucky enough to see Ron Cunningham’s stunning original productions at the Sacramento Ballet throughout the years, make sure to mark this month on your calendar. His production of “Peter Pan” will have its world premiere on Feb. 13 through 15 at the Community Center Theater, and themed events all month long will make you want to crow. Learn about the hard work and endless imagination that went into creating this masterful piece when Cunningham himself hosts “Inside the Director’s Studio: The Making of Peter Pan” at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the ballet’s studios at 1631 K St. To purchase tickets, call the ballet box office at 552-5800, ext. 2. Then, on Feb. 13-15, join Peter, Wendy, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily and everyone’s favorite villain, Captain Hook, for Cunningham’s familyfriendly ballet. The production will be presented with George Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes,” so you’ll be able to get into a patriotic American mood just before flying off to Neverland. Interested in seeing what happens behind the scenes? The ballet is

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Don't miss the world premiere of Sacramento Ballet's "Peter Pan" Feb. 13 through 15 at the Community Center Theater

offering a rare chance to observe an open rehearsal, for free, from 4 to 5 p.m. on Second Saturday, Feb. 14, at its midtown studio. Don’t miss the chance to get a sneak peek at what it truly takes to make ballet magic! If all this talk of fantasy is making you yearn for a piece of the Peter Pan action, don’t miss the “Take Me to Neverland” Gala from 7 to 11 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. Delectable food, signature drinks and fabulous

entertainment will whisk you away to the island of your imagination. Feel like dressing the part? Costumes are “admired, but not required,” as the ballet puts it. Tickets are $250 each—80 percent of which may be tax deductible—and table sponsorships are available. For tickets or more information, call 552-5800. The Sacramento Memorial Auditorium is at 1515 J St. For “Peter Pan” tickets and more information, call 808-5181 or go to sacballet.org

The Community Center Theater is at 1301 L St.

THE DAY AT THE MUSEUM If you’ve been holding off on exploring some of Sacramento’s fascinating cultural sites due to a tight budget, make sure you take advantage of Sacramento Museum Day on Saturday, Feb. 7. PREVIEWS page 74

INSIDE

OUT CONTRIBUTED BY STEVE HARRIMAN

Scenes from the January 2015 Prune-a-thon at McKinley Rose Garden. The event is cosponsored by the Friends of East Sacramento Volunteer Corps and the Sacramento Rose Society. More than 40 volunteers helped prune the 1,200 rosebushes for winter dormancy.

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SPRING 2015 DONALD KENDRICK | MUSIC DIRECTOR

EUROPEAN MASTERWORKS

Magnificat (West Coast Premiere) | Cecilia McDowall Great Mass in C Minor, KV 427 | W. A. Mozart

Nikki Einfeld

Hailed by Gramophone magazine as the new voice of English composers, McDowall’s evocative and poignant “Magnificat” is the perfect prelude to Mozart’s triumphant masterpiece. Nikki Einfeld, Soprano Marina Boudart Harris, Soprano Ross Hauck, Tenor Daniel Yoder, Bass

Projected supertitle translation s

Marina Boudart Harris

Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. – Pre-concert talk by Donald Kendrick Ross Hauck

Community Center Theater 1301 L Street, Sacramento Concert Sponsor

Daniel Yoder

SACRAMENTOCHORAL.COM Community Center Theater Tickets

CCT Box Office | 916.808.5181 or TICKETS.COM

Remodeling Homes for Life

PREVIEWS FROM page 72 Now in its 17th year, this exciting event offers free or reduced admission to 30 of our capital’s coolest cultural sites, thanks to a partnership between the Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM) and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau. Discover the wealth of art, history, science and wildlife that abounds all over our fair city. Due to the popularity of Sacramento Museum Day, some locations must limit the number of admissions for safety reasons, so event coordinators suggest selecting no more than two or three sites to visit to maximize the time you have to “ooh” and “aah.” The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the last guests will be admitted at 4 p.m. For more information as well as a map of participating locations, go to sacmuseums.org

AMERICA THE TUNE-FUL Hear a melodic tour of American history when the Sacramento Children’s Chorus (SCC) presents its annual mid-winter concert, “Après Le Noël: Our American Journey,” at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8 at St John’s Lutheran Church. The SCC’s advanced and high school choirs, Cantoris and Capella, will perform under the direction of

Lynn Stevens alongside special guest group the Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace, under the direction of Jennifer Reason. The program will feature all kinds of music from America past and present, including hymns, barbershop, ragtime, spirituals and patriotic songs such as Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times,” Randal Thompson’s “Choose Something Like a Star” and selections from Aaron Copland. For tickets and more information, call 646-1141 or go to sacramentochildrenschorus.org St. John’s Lutheran Church is at 1701 L St.

THE ART OF LOVE There’s no better way to celebrate a day of romance than to take in an art show entitled “Valentine’s Love,” which opens Feb. 14 at the Bon Vida Art Gallery. Maybe throw in a bottle of champagne for good measure … Featuring artists from Northern California, this show is part of Bon Vida’s mission to display Latino, Chicano and Outsider Art with Mexican art themes in its Franklin Business District gallery to introduce the work both to the underserved Latino community of Franklin as well as to the Sacramento art community at large. For more information, call 5191200 or 400-3008. The Bon Vida Art Gallery is at 4429 Franklin Blvd.

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Hear a melodic tour of American history when the Sacramento Children’s Chorus (SCC) presents its annual mid-winter concert, “Après Le Noël: Our American Journey,” at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8 at St John’s Lutheran Church

LA VIE MODERNE What do Henri de ToulouseLautrec, improv comedy, cello music, prom and prints have in common? They’re all part of a funky February at the Crocker Art Museum guaranteed to rock your socks. The exhibition “Toulouse-Lautrec and La Vie Moderne: Paris 18801910” starts the month off with a bang on Feb. 1 and will be on display through April 26. As the Modernist movement descended on Paris in the late 1800s, artists such as Henri de ToulouseLautrec and adherents to the Naturalist, Symbolist, Incohérent and Nabi art schools were at the forefront of a movement that sought to leave the French Academic standards behind and usher in a new period of excitement found in the cafés, concerts, circuses and theaters of Montmartre. Explore the artists, writers, performers and musicians who made this era enthralling. This exhibition is organized and circulated by Art Services International of Alexandria, Va. Experience your own little bit of Paris at the Twisted Sacratomato Salon at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5. Described as a “weird combination of a bar quiz night and the famed salons frequented by writers and artists of Paris in the early 20th century,” the event promises games, storytelling, art tours and lots of laughs provided by the Comedy Spot’s AntiCooperation League and its members’ impressive improv skills. A cash bar will be available for aperitifs. The event is free for museum members and free with general admission for nonmembers. To get you in the musical mood for the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit, check out the Classical Concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8, featuring the San Francisco Munich Trio with Rebecca Rust and Dmitriy Cogan on cello and Friedrich Edelmann on bassoon. The talented trio will perform pieces such as Georges Enesco’s Sonata No. 1 for Cello and Piano, which was composed in 1898 and first performed by Pablo Casals in Paris in 1907. Space is limited, so reserve your tickets early by calling 808-1182. Tickets are $6

definitive favorite at the Sacramento Music Festival for years. Need a drink to loosen up your dancing feet? Enjoy Happy Hour before the concert at the Crocker Cafe by Supper Club from 4 to 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 for museum members, $18 for students/youths and $20 for nonmembers. 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.

MUSICAL MÉLANGE

The exhibition “Toulouse-Lautrec and La Vie Moderne: Paris 1880-1910” starts the month off with a bang on Feb. 1 and will be on display through April 26 at the Crocker Art Museum

for museum and Capital Public Radio members, $10 for students/youths and $12 for nonmembers. For many of us, prom was the highlight—or, for probably more of us, the nadir—of our high school existence, so why not experience it from the adult perspective at the Crocker’s Art Mix Prom Night from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12? Don your best prom duds and dance the night away to live music with DJ Kaprisun, get inked with some temporary tattoos, have your hairstyle touched up by Deeda Salon, design your own studded leather bracelet and browse the DISPLAY California pop-up store for that extra accessory to complete your ensemble. Drinks are under $5 all night and tickets are free for museum members, $10 for nonmembers and $2 off for college kids. The exhibition “Of Cottages and Castles: The Art of California Faience,” on display Feb. 22 through May 17, is the first of its kind to display the work of ceramic engineer William Bragdon and his business partner, potter Chauncey Thomas. After meeting as classmates at Alfred University in New York, the two talented artists joined forces in the early 1900s to create California

Faience, a company that created decorative tiles, vases and sculpture and was commissioned by architect Julia Morgan to create a complete tile environment for William Randolph Hearst’s famed home and grounds in San Simeon. The exhibit will feature some of those very tiles, as well as the work the dynamic duo completed in the Arts and Crafts, Art Deco and Moderne styles. Keeping in the same vein of never-before-seen art on exhibit, “The Nature of William S. Rice: Arts and Crafts Painter and Printmaker” opens Feb. 22 and runs through May 17 and will feature rare pieces from the collection of artist and naturalist William S. Rice. Rice was a prolific painter of the California landscape when he moved West in 1900, but he’s perhaps best known as a printmaker and the author of two definitive books on the classic Japanese art of ukiyo-e (woodblock printing, or “pictures of the floating world”). Is the chilly winter weather getting you down? Why not boogie the blues away with Tom Rigney & Flambeau in concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26? The groovy group specializes in fiery Cajun and zydeco two-steps, low-down blues, and funky New Orleans tunes that have made them a

Where can you hear the floating notes of flutes as well as the toetapping tunes of Gypsy Jazz? Sacramento Community Concerts offers both in one dynamic, kooky concert at 3 p.m. on Feb. 8 at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Part I will feature the Camellia City Flute Choir, under the direction of Marty Melicharek since its founding in 1998. Lend an ear to its haunting, unusual and unique collection of contrabass, bass and alto flutes. Part II will get your blood flowing with a performance by Hot Club Faux Gitane, an acoustic Gypsy Jazz-style swing band that specializes in traditional Gypsy tunes, jazz standards and original compositions. The group is composed of five talented musicians who play guitar, acoustic bass, mandolin, bassoon, clarinet, melodica and saxophone. For tickets and more information, go to sccaconcerts.org Westminster Presbyterian Church is at 1300 N St.

RAW DEAL See it here first! Check out emerging artist Timothy Mulligan’s first solo exhibition “Raw, Real & Re-imagined” at the Alex Bult Gallery from Feb. 12 through March 7. After graduating from California State University Sacramento, Mulligan studied as a printmaker and started experimenting with watercolors, pastels and pencil drawings. He has exhibited at PREVIEWS page 76

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THEATRE GUIDE

Check out emerging artist Timothy Mulligan’s first solo exhibition “Raw, Real & Reimagined” at the Alex Bult Gallery from Feb. 12 through March 7

PREVIEWS FROM page 75 the Crocker Art Museum, the Haggin Museum in Stockton, the California State Fair and other local galleries, and he’s won dozens of awards in national and regional art competitions, including first place in the California Gold category of the KVIE Art Auction. Hobnob with Mulligan in person at the preview reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb.12 or at the Second Saturday opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14. For more information, call 476-5540 or go to alexbultgallery.com The Alex Bult Gallery is at 1114 21st St., Suite B in midtown.

CLASS OF ’65 Calling all alumni of the Sacramento High School Class of 1965! As you’ll be celebrating your

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50th class reunion this year, get a head start on the festivities and check out the reunion website to find out more and connect with old classmates before the official reunion on Oct. 24 and 25 at the Red Lion Woodlake. Reunion organizer Gail Harris Thearle is trying to get in touch with all SHS Class of ’65 alumni, so give her a call at call at 215-8042, go to classreport.org/usa/ca/sacramento/ shs/1965 or email her at gail.thearle@ gmail.com The class reunion will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Oct. 24, followed by a brunch the next day. The Red Lion Woodlake is at 500 Leisure Lane. 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

NUNSENSE

CLOUD NINE

Thru Feb 15 STC – Sacramento Theatre Co 1419 H St. Sac 446-7501 SacTheatre.org The zany plot, in this musical comedy, revolves around five of nineteen surviving Little Sisters of Hoboken, on an island south of France. They discovered their cook, Sister Julia, accidentally killed the other 52 residents of the convent with her tainted vichyssoise while they were off playing bingo.

Thru Feb 14 Big Idea Theater 1616 Del Paso Blvd. Sac 960-3036 Cloud Nine is about relationships between women and men, men and men, women and women. It is about sex, work, mothers, Africa, power, children, grandmothers, politics, money, queen Victoria and sex. A sharp comedy, it is provocative and an amusing study of sexual politics. It unlocks the imagination, liberates the mind and leaves you weak with laughter.

JULIUS CAESAR

IDEATION

Feb 28 – March 22 STC – Sacramento Theatre Co 1419 H St. Sac 446-7501 SacTheatre.org This history play concerns the conspiracy against the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, his assassination, and the defeat of the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi. STC’s production will apply a modern concept to this classic text: The Roman Republic was where money and politics were nearly synonymous, and comparisons between pre-Empire Rome and modern America are easy to make.

Thru Feb 22 Capital Stage 2215 J St. Sac 476-3116 Aaron Loeb brings a dark comic edge to this psychological suspense thriller, in which a group of corporate consultants work together on a mysterious and ethically ambiguous project . As the lines between right and wrong are blurred, these characters must navigate the cognitive dissonances and moral dilemmas to decide for themselves if everything is as it really seems.

LOVE LETTERS

Thru Feb 27 CSZ Sacramento 2230 Arden Way, Sac 243-8541 A hilarious mix of improve comedy with the popular show “Survivor”, has plenty of laughs and twists. Twelve contestants compete for a $100 prize through a series of comedy challenges. The contestants try to avoid elimination through alliances, betrayal and winning immunity, but each week a contestant is voted off.

Thru Feb 22 Geery Theatre 2130 L St. Sac WJGeeryTheater.com No one forgets their first love. Andrew wrote his first letter to Melissa to tell her she looked like a lost princess. They were both seven years old. For the next fifty years, through personal triumphs and despair, through wars and marriages and children and careers, defied a fate that schemed to keep them apart, and lived ---through letters.

5 SONGS by Jack Gallagher Thru March 1 B Street Theatre (Mainstage) 2711 B St. Sac 443-5300 Bstreettheatre.org The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of the Actors Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

THE VELVETEEN RABBIT Feb 5 – Feb 8 STC – Sacramento Theatre Co 1419 H St. Sac 446-7501 SacTheatre.org The company’s Pre-Professional ensemble tells the classic story about how a toy rabbit learns the tru meaning of being real. In this enchanting musical, the Velveteen Rabbit earns the love of a young boy and learns about the joys and pains of love, loss and self-esteem.

IMPROVIVOR SEASON 4

THE DINNER DETECTIVE MYSTER DINNER SHOW Thru Feb 28 Double Tree by Hilton Hotel 2001 Point West Way, Sac TheDinnerDetective.com A favorite across the country, Dinner Detective serves up a tasty whodunit along with a seated four-course dinner. You’ll never know whether someone at your table is one of talented cast of improvisers. In fact, everyone’s a suspect …… even YOU!

MAMMA MIA Feb 9 – Feb 11 Harris Center for the Arts 10 College Parkway, Folsom 608-6888 Mamma Mia is the ultimate feel-good show! Writer Catherine Johnson’s funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship!

HAVE “INSIDE,” WILL TRAVEL 1. Albert Torres and Fumi Marshall at the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota 2. Michael Walker, Laura Walker, Lisa Sargent and Jim Sargent at Market Square in Burges, Belgium 3. Joyce and Steve Weinberg stopped in Cologne, Germany while on a River Cruise on the Rhine 4. Doug and Marsha Arnold at the Gorges de Galamus during a cycling tour of the French Pyrenees 5. Richie & Annette Rowsey, Howard & Penny Wong, and Donald & Jackie Chan visiting Machu Picchu in Peru 6. Victoria Coleman, Rosie Broderick, Sydney Hammes, Monica Dorfﬂer, and LesAnn Dorfﬂer in Paris at the Eiffel Tower

Take a picture with Inside Publications and e-mail a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Can’t get enough of Have Inside, Will Travel? Find more photos on Instagram: InsidePublications

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More Than Beer TWO NEW BARS OFFER GREAT FOOD ALONG WITH SPORTS AND SUDS

BY GREG SABIN RESTAURANT INSIDER

f you’re looking for a spot to catch a game or throw some darts or just throw a few back with a ragtag gang of revelers, odds are you don’t think about grabbing some well-made food while you’re at it. The average corner pub or sports bar doesn’t spend much time curating a gastropub menu, sourcing local ingredients or hiring well-trained chefs to execute a culinary vision. More often than not, you’re likely to get a pile of frozen bits dumped in the fryolator and served with a side of special bottled sauce, each item chosen from the regional restaurant supplier for its price point and shelf life and not much else. It’s refreshing that two operations have opened in the past few months that manage to balance well-executed cuisine with giant flat screens, craft cocktails with American macrobrews, and cheese boards with shuffleboards. Field House American Sports Pub—This sports bar comes from the ownership group that brought you one of America’s best bars (according to Esquire Magazine, no less). The trio of personalities that made Shady Lady Saloon a success turned their sights toward other projects last year. Field House was one. Located on Fulton Avenue in the former home of Mandango’s Sports Bar & Grill, Field House is a welcome update on the sports bar concept. You can still find a wall of big-screens

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Stop by Field House and enjoy Rally Nachos while watching your favorite sport

tuned to everything from college football to more college football, and you’ll still find a shuffleboard table and a row of dartboards. But you’ll also find a bar stocked with fine wines, craft beers and the fixings to make exquisite cocktails. The most surprising thing, however, is a menu that—while not too creative at first glance—pays off with expert preparation and fine ingredients. A dish of fish and chips gets a bump with housemade tartar sauce and hand-cut fries, and the pan-

fried chunks of snapper are a welcome treat. Burgers are finely crafted using a beautiful ground beef mix and ethereal fresh buns. Wings are well above average and come with your choice of sauce: traditional American hot sauce or something more international like spicy Thai or Vietnamese sauce. The standout is the Full Court Press, a 32-ounce bloody mary garnished with an entire meal of skewers. The perfect one-stop brunch

order, this titanic treat starts with a quart-sized Mason jar filled with spicy blend of tomato juice and vodka. Then, a handful of pickled green beans and asparagus is thrown in the mix. A skewer of pearl onion, olive and cherry tomato is added, along with a skewer of shrimp and pickled egg. Next, a bacon-wrapped sausage is skewered and added to the party. Finally, a petite hamburger—a slider—is set atop yet another skewer and proudly driven into the beverage like a Spanish flag planted by some

out back are bound to be favorites once the spring sunshine starts to make an appearance. The beer selection is impressive and probably the best in the neighborhood next to Capitol Beer and Tap Room. The selections are almost all California brews, with a few Rocky Mountain choices sprinkled through. The menu is simple and straightforward, with sandwiches and bar appetizers the order of the day. But little touches like housemade ketchup, locally sourced sausages and surprisingly excellent sliders make Dukes a lot more than a beer bar. If you live in Arden Arcade, don’t be surprised to hear more and more of your friends ask, “Grab a pint at Dukes?” Dukes Plates & Pints is at 510 La Sierra Drive; 514-8430; dukesplatesandpints.com Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com n

The dining room at Field House

mustachioed conquistador in a bygone age. The whole thing costs $18 and fills you up like no other beverage/ meal you’re likely to encounter. Given the owners’ experience and successes, they’ve made a smart decision by not going full gastropub here. This is, after all, a sports bar, and quirky, challenging food is not the right fit. Instead, smartly, they’ve crafted a comfortable menu and let the cooking do the talking. Well played. Field House American Sports Pub is at 1310 Fulton Ave.; 487-1045; fieldhousesac.com

Duke’s Plates & Pints—Open in Arden Town Center since November, Duke’s Plate & Pints already has a growing legion of fans from the nearby Arden Park and Wilhaggin neighborhoods. Featuring a deep, diverse selection of beers on tap and some surprisingly good food, the joint has all the makings of a local favorite. Taking over the former digs of Beach Hut Deli, Duke’s simplified the layout and really opened up the room. Unfortunately, some of the stools and tables are a bit rough, being made of concrete and hard woods, but the ample sunlight coming through the windows and the commodious patio

Simply Great M Mexican Food! SSix Course Platter for Two $19.95 Beef Tacos, Cheese Enchiladas, Chile Rellenos, Rice/Beans, Chips & Salsa Mon–Thurs after 4pm w/ coupon. Some restrictions apply. Exp. 2/28/15

Restaurant

2813 Fulton Avenue • 484-6104 Live music Fridays

Folsom

402 Natoma Street, Folsom • 673-9085 Live music Fridays & Saturdays

FREE DINNER B 1 Dinner Plate at Buy Reg Regular Price & Get Second Dinner FREE With cou coupon. Up to $7 value. Must include 2 drinks. Some restrictions apply. Exp. 2/28/15 So

French-inspired pastries, cakes and breads handcrafted on-site every morning by artisan bakers and chefs!

FRIDAYS

FRENCH TEA SERVICE

Doughnut Day &

SUNDAY Croixnut Day

(ﬂavor changes every week)

$25/PERSON Set menu includes: tea sandwiches, assorted pastries, macaroon, tarts and choice of organic tea (reservation required)

Located on the corner of 9th & K in downtown Sacramento Mon-Fri 7-5, Sat-Sun 8-4 | 551-1500 | info@estellspatisserie.com

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INSIDE’S

Midtown

MIDTOWN

Jack’s Urban Eats

1800 L St. 447-9440

L D $ Full Bar Made-to-order comfort food in a casual setting • Jacksurbaneats.com

Aioli Bodega Espanola L D $$ Full Bar Patio Andalusian cuisine served in a casual European atmosphere

Biba Ristorante

2801 Capitol Ave. 455-2422 L D $$$ Full Bar Upscale Northern Italian

cuisine served a la carte • Biba-restaurant.com

Buckhorn Grill

1801 L St. 446-3757

L D $$ Wine/Beer A counter service restaurant with high-quality chicken, char-roasted beef, salmon, and entrée salads

Café Bernardo

2726 Capitol Ave. 443-1180 1431 R St. 930-9191

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Casual California cuisine with counter service

Centro Cocina Mexicana

1230 20th St. 444-0307

Kasbah Lounge 2115 J St. 442-4388

D Full Bar $$ Middle Eastern cuisine in a Moroccan setting

Lucca Restaurant & Bar 1615 J St. 669-5300

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Patio Mediterranean cuisine in a casual, chic atmosphere • Luccarestaurant.com

Mulvaney’s Building & Loan 1215 19th St. 441-6022

L D Full Bar $$$ Modern American cuisine in an upscale historic setting

Old Soul Co.

1716 L St. 443-7685

B L D $ No table service at this coffee roaster and bakery, also serving creative artisanal sandwiches

2730 J St. 442-2552

L D $$ Full Bar Patio Regional Mexican cooking served in a casual atmosphere • Paragarys.com

Chicago Fire

2416 J St. 443-0440

D $$ Full Bar Chicago-style pizza, salads wings served in a family-friendly atmosphere • Chicagofirerestaurant.com

Crepeville

1730 L St. 444-1100

L D $$ Gourmet pizza, pasta, salads in casual setting • Paesanos.biz

Paragary’s Bar & Oven 1401 28th St. 457-5737

D $$ Full Bar Outdoor Patio California cuisine with an Italian touch • Paragarys.com

Suzie Burger

29th and P Sts. 455-3300

Ernesto’s Mexican Food

Tapa The World

B L D $-$$ Full Bar Outdoor Dining Fresh Mexican food served in an upscale, yet family-friendly setting • Ernestosmexicanfood.com

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer/Sangria Spanish/world cuisine in a casual authentic atmosphere, live flamenco music - tapathewworld.com

58 Degrees & Holding Co.

Thai Basil Café

1217 18th St. 442-5858

L D $$$ Wine/Beer California cuisine served in a chic, upscale setting • 58degrees.com

Fox & Goose Public House 1001 R St. 443-8825

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer English Pub favorites in an historic setting • Foxandgoose.com

Harlow’s Restaurant 2708 J Street 441-4693

L D $$ Full Bar Modern Italian/California cuisine with Asian inspirations • Harlows.com

Italian Importing Company 1827 J Street 442-6678

B L $ Italian food in a casual grocery setting

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1806 Capitol Ave. 447-8646

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Outdoor Dining Crepes, omelets, salads, soups and sandwiches served in a casual setting

1901 16th St. 441-5850

Paesano’s Pizzeria

L D $ Classic burgers, cheesesteaks, shakes, chili dogs, and other tasty treats • suzieburger.com

2115 J St. 442-4353

2431 J St. 442-7690

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio Housemade curries among their authentic Thai specialties Thaibasilrestaurant.com

The Coconut Midtown

2502 J Street 440-1088 Lunch Delivery M-F and Happy Hour 4-6

L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Food with Thai Food Flair

The Waterboy

2000 Capitol Ave. 498-9891

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Patio Fine South of France and northern Italian cuisine in a chic neighborhood setting • waterboyrestaurant.com

ISL A N G O D H Zocolo

Italian Stallion

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Patio Regional Mexican cuisine served in an authentic artistic setting • zocolosacramento.com

L D $-$$ Thin-Crust Pizza, Deserts and Beer in an intimate setting and popular location

1801 Capitol Ave. 441-0303

3260B J St. 449-8810

La Trattoria Bohemia

EAST SAC 33rd Street Bistro

3301 Folsom Blvd. 455-2233

B L D $$ Full Bar Patio Pacific Northwest cuisine in a casual bistro setting • 33rdstreetbistro.com

Burr's Fountain 4920 Folsom Blvd. 452-5516

B L D $ Fountain-style diner serving burgers, sandwiches, soup and ice cream specialties

Cabana Winery & Bistro 5610 Elvas 476-5492

LD $$ Wine tasting and paired entrees. Sunday Brunch 10 - 2. • cabanawine.com

Clark's Corner Restaurant 5641 J St.

B L D Full Bar $$ American cuisine in a casual historic setting. Breakfast on weekends.

Clubhouse 56

723 56th. Street 454-5656 BLD Full Bar $$ American. HD sports, kid's menu, breakfast weekends, Late night dining

Español 5723 Folsom Blvd. 457-3679

L D Full Bar $-$$ Classic Italian cuisine served in a traditional family-style atmosphere

Evan’s Kitchen 855 57th St. 452-3896

B L D Wine/Beer $$ Eclectic California cuisine served in a family-friendly atmosphere, Kid’s menu, winemaker dinners, daily lunch specials, community table for single diners • Chefevan. com

Formoli's Bistro 3839 J St. 448-5699

B L D Wine/Beer Patio $$ Mediterranean influenced cuisine in a neighborhood setting •

Hot City Pizza

5642 J St. 731-8888

L D $ Pizza for Dine In or Take Out or Delivery 100 Beers on tap • eastsacpizza.com

3649 J St. 455-7803

L D Wine/Beer $-$$ Italian and Czech specialties in a neighborhood bistro setting

Les Baux

5090 Folsom Blvd. 739-1348

BLD $ Wine/Beer Unique boulangerie, café & bistro serving affordable delicious food/drinks all day long • lesbauxbakery.com

Opa! Opa!

5644 J St. 451-4000

(ALL FEBRUARY) LUNCH, DINNER AND HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS

ALSO FEATURING COCKTAIL SPECIALS, PAIRINGS AND FLIGHTS

WWW. ELLA DINING ROOM AND BAR.COM 1131 K STREET DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO 916.443.3772

L D Wine/Beer $ Fresh Greek cuisine in a chic, casual setting, counter service

Nopalitos

5530 H St. 452-8226

B L $ Wine/Beer Southwestern fare in a casual diner setting

Selland's Market Cafe

Valentine s Day Heart-Shaped

5340 H St. 473-3333

Fresh Strawberry Tart

B L D $$-$$$ Wine/Beer High quality handcrafted food to eat in or take out, wine bar

Star Ginger

3101 Folsom Blvd. 231-8888 L D $$ Asian Grill and Noodle Bar

DOWNTOWN Foundation

Jewel wel B Box Cake

Our Mini-Cake...Perfect for 2

400 L St. 321-9522

L D $$ Full Bar American cooking in an historic atmosphere • foundationsacramento.com

Chops Steak Seafood & Bar 1117 11th St. 447-8900

L D $$$ Full Bar Steakhouse serving dry-aged prime beef in an upscale club atmosphere

• Cupcakes • CakePops • Cookies • Cheesecake ke

Two of Hearts Tw Cake for Two C

Downtown & Vine 1200 K Street #8 228-4518

Educational tasting experience of wines by the taste, flight or glass • downtownandvine.com

Ella Dining Room & Bar 1131 K St. 443-3772

L D $$$ Full Bar Modern American cuisine served family-style in a chic, upscale space Elladiningroomandbar.com

2966 Freeport Boulevard • 442-4256 Visit freeportbakery.com

IES n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

ch the swirl! t a C

We honor all competitorÊs coupons!

Buy 8 oz. yogurt or higher,

GET UP TO 8 OZ. OF YOGURT FOR FREE! Limit one free 8oz. yogurt per coupon

Shaved snow ice available!

A combination between ice cream and shaved ice. Fluffy like cotton candy and very refreshing.

HeavenLy’s Yogurt

5535 H Street Sun-Thu 12 to 9:30 pm Fri-Sat 12 to 10:30 pm

Make Valentine’s Day reservations Now!

Sacramento’s Oldest Restaurant

ESPAÑOL Since 1923

ITALIAN RESTAURANT

$10 OFF

Esquire Grill

427 Broadway 442-4044

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Outdoor Dining Upscale American fare served in an elegant setting • Paragarys.com

L D $ Full Bar Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Dine in or take out since 1986

Estelle's Patisserie

Riverside Clubhouse

901 K St. 916-551-1500 L D $$-$$$ French-inspired Bakery serving fresh pastry & desserts, artisan breads and handcrafted sandwiches • EstellesPatisserie.com

2633 Riverside Drive 448-9988

Fat City Bar & Cafe

Taylor's Kitchen

1001 Front St. 446-6768

D $$-$$$ Full Bar American cuisine served in a casual historic Old Sac location • Fatsrestaurants.com

The Firehouse Restaurant 1112 Second St. 442-4772

L D $$$ Full Bar Global and California cuisine in an upscale historic Old Sac setting • Firehouseoldsac.com

$5 OFF

Total LUNCH or DINNER food order of $25 or more With coupon. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Expires 2/28/15.

5723 Folsom Boulevard 457-1936 Dine In & Take Out • Cocktail Lounge • Banquet Room Seats 35 Lunch 11-4 pm • Dinner 4-9 pm Sundays • 11:30-9 pm • Closed Mondays

www.espanolitalian.com

IES FEB n 15

L D $$ Full Bar Upscale American cuisine served in a contemporary setting • Riversideclubhouse.com

2924 Freeport Boulevard 443-5154

D $$$ Wine/Beer Dinner served Wed. through Saturday. Reservations suggested but walk-ins welcome.

Tower Café

1518 Broadway 441-0222

B L D $$ Wine/Beer International cuisine with dessert specialties in a casual setting

Frank Fat’s

Willie's Burgers

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Chinese favorites in an elegant setting • Fatsrestaurants.com

L D $ Great burgers and more. Open until 3 on Friday and Saturday • williesburgers.com

806 L St. 442-7092

Il Fornaio

400 Capitol Mall 446-4100

L D Full Bar $$$ Fine Northern Italian cuisine in a chic, upscale atmosphere • Ilfornaio.com

Grange

926 J Street • 492-4450

B L D Full Bar $$$ Simple, seasonal, soulful • grangerestaurant.com

2415 16th St. 444-2006

5038 Fair Oaks Blvd. 485-2883

B L D $-$$ Full Bar Espresso, omelettes, salads, table service from 5 -9 p.m. • bellabrucafe.com

3535 Fair Oaks Blvd. 487-1331

Ettore’s

2376 Fair Oaks Blvd. 482-0708

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Japanese cuisine served in an upscale setting • Mikunisushi.com

Ten 22

Jackson Dining

L D Wine/Beer $$ American bistro favorites with a modern twist in a casual, Old Sac setting • ten22oldsac.com

L D $$ Wine/Beer Creative cuisine in a casual setting • Jacksoncateringevents.com

1120 Fulton Ave. 483-7300

Jack’s Urban Eats

LAND PARK Casa Garden Restaurant 2760 Sutterville Road 452-2809

L D $$ • D with minimum diners call to inquire $$ Wine/Beer. American cuisine. Operated by volunteers to benefit Sacramento Children's Home. Small and large groups. casagardenrestaurant.org

Freeport Bakery

2966 Freeport Blvd. 442-4256

B L $ Award-winning baked goods and cakes for eat in or take out • Freeportbakery.com

2535 Fair Oaks Blvd. 481-5225

L D $ Full Bar Made-to-order comfort food in a casual setting • Jacksurbaneats.com

The Kitchen

2225 Hurley Way 568-7171

D $$$ Wine/Beer Five-course gourmet demonstration dinner by reservation only • Thekitchenrestaurant.com

La Rosa Blanca Taqueria 3032 Auburn Blvd. 484-0139 2813 Fulton Ave. 484-6104

L D Full Bar $$-$$ Fresh Mexican food served in a colorful family-friendly setting

Iron Grill

Leatherby’s Family Creamery

13th Street and Broadway 737-5115

2333 Arden Way 920-8382

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Upscale neighborhood steakhouse • Ironsteaks.com

5132 Fair Oaks. Blvd. 779-0727

L D Beer/Wine $$ Neighborhood gathering place for pizza, pasta and grill dishes

The Mandarin Restaurant 4321 Arden Way 488-47794

D $$-$$$ Full Bar Gourmet Chineses food for 32 years • Dine in and take out

Roxy

571 Pavilions Lane 649-8885

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio European-style gourmet café with salads, soup, spit-roasted chicken, and desserts in a bistro setting • Ettores.com

1022 Second St. 441-2211

Matteo's Pizza

Bella Bru Café

L D $$ Full Bar Italian bistro in a casual setting • Cafevinoteca.com

1530 J St. 447-2112

L D $$ Full Bar Patio Vietnamese and Thai cuisine in a casual yet elegant setting

B L D $$-$$$ Full Bar American cuisine with a Western touch in a creative upscale atmosphere •

L D $$-$$ Full Bar Celebration of the region's rich history and bountiful terrain • Paragarys.com

Mikuni Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar

601 Munroe St. 486-4891

ARDENCARMICHAEL

Café Vinoteca

1415 L St. 440-8888

Lemon Grass Restaurant

2381 Fair Oaks Blvd. 489-2000

Hock Farm Craft & Provision

Total DINNER food order of $40 or more

With coupon. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Expires 2/28/15.

Jamie's Bar and Grill

1213 K St. 448-8900

L D $ House-made ice cream and specialties, soups and sandwiches

Ristorante Piatti

L D $$ Full Bar Contemporary Italian cuisine in a casually elegant setting • piatti.com

Sam's Hof Brau

2500 Watt 482-2175 L D $$ Wine/Beer Fresh quality meats roasted daily • thehofbrau.com

Thai House

427 Munroe in Loehmann's 485-3888

L D $$ Wine/Beer Featuring the great taste of Thai traditional specialties • sacthaihouse.com

Willie's Burgers

5050 Fair Oaks Blvd. 488-5050 L D $ Great burgers and more • williesburgers.com n

! !

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home, call a RE/MAX Gold agent today.

MIDTOWN

SIERRRA OAKS

NATOMAS

ELK GROVE

FAIR OAKS

FOLSOM

2014 CAPITOL AVE. #100 SACRAMENTO, CA 95811 916.227.8155

3620 FAIR OAKS BLVD #300 SACRAMENTO, CA 95864 916.609.2800

2081 ARENA BLVD. #100 SACRAMENTO, CA 95834 916.285.1000

9280 W. STOCKTON BLVD #111 ELK GROVE, CA 95758 916.405.5200

5252 SUNRISE BLVD. #6 FAIR OAKS, CA 95628 916.537.2400

2340 E. BIDWELL STREET FOLSOM, CA 95630 916.948.8778

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Coldwell Banker

#1 IN CALIFORNIA

RIVER PARK BEAUTY! This 1820 SF home has 3 bd & 2 ba's and sits on .23 acres w/Lg open floor plan & Geremia pool too! JEANINE ROZA & SINDY KIRSCH 548-5799 or 730-7705 CaBRE#: 01365413/01483907 AMAZING MID-CENTURY MODERN Designed by Architect Mr. Arthur Brown. This contemporary 3bd/2ba hm sits on .20 acres on the most prime location in River Park. $549,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895 EAST SAC-IT! Fabulous 2bd & 2ba flr pln sets the tone for good East Sac living. Lg liv rm w/frplc, hrdwd flrs, din area opens to a lrg updtd kitch! JEANINE ROZA & SINDY KIRSCH 548-5799 or 730-7705 CaBRE#: 01365413/01483907

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED TUDOR! In heart of East Sac! 4 bed/3 bath, features: almost 2500 sq ft of living space, formal living room and dining rooms, open ﬂoor plan kitchen/family rooms with breakfast nook. $749,900 TERESA OLSON & SUE OLSON 494-1452 or 601-8834 CaBRE#: 01880615/00784986

CHARMING & COMFORTABLE EAST SAC HOME! 3bd/2ba, wood ﬂrs, updtd kitch, open ﬂr pln, lrg master bdrm w/newer sliding doors to bckyrd. Detached garage. $465,000 CORRINE COOK 952-2027 CaBRE#: 00676498

PENDING

TAHOE PARK – 2 HOUSES! Enjoy this rare 4bd, 2ba hm w/over 1600sqft along w/a 700 sqft 2bd, 2ba hm(separate utilities) all situated on .82 acres in Tahoe Park. Private & expansive w/unlimited possibilities! $399,000 PAT VOGELI 207-4515 CaBRE#: 01908304

URBAN EAST SAC LIVING! Charming 3bed home close to Midtown with a great Walk Score. Perfect for the young professional. THE POLLY SANDERS TEAM 341-7865 CaBRE#: 01158787

MOVE IN READY CHARMER! Located in College Greens w/3Bds, 2Ba on a Quiet Street and close to Desirable Cabana Club. Wood Flrs and New Lino in Kitch. Spacious 2 Car Garage, Plus Storage Shed. Lovely yard. $265,000 PATTI MCNULTY-LANGDON 761-8498 CaBRE#: 01346985 EAST SACRAMENTO! Cute 2bed/1bath with large family room and large lot. THE POLLY SANDERS TEAM 341-7865 CaBRE#: 01158787

DARLING COTTAGE! 2bd/1ba w/lovely wood ﬂrs, tile, ceiling fans, dual pane windows, newer roof, kitch w/tile counters, liv/din rm combo, 1 car gar. $319,000 CORRINE COOK 952-2027 CaBRE#: 00676498

EAST SACRAMENTO'S EXCLUSIVE CONDO! Located in the Fab Forties. Rmdld w/state of the art modern decor & ﬁnishes. 3bd/2ba w/Quartz cntertops in kitch & baths. $519,000 KARIN LIBBEE 230-6521 CaBRE#: 01908304

ADORABLE COTTAGE! This home features 2 bdrm with a lovely kitchen on a quite tree-lined street in East Sacramento. THE POLLY SANDERS TEAM 341-7865 CaBRE#: 01158787

SUNNY EAST SAC! 2bd/1ba Cottage. Light & bright combination living & dining rm offers 2 sets of blt-ins. Updated kitchen overlooks bckyrd. $340,000 THE WOOLFORD GROUP 834-6900 CaBRE#: 00680069, 01778361, 00679593 ROOMY & SPACIOUS! The Best of College Greens! 4 Bd, including 2 Master Stes. 3 Full Baths beautifully rmdld, stunning kitch w/New Cabinets, Granite, & SS Appliances. On HUGE (.31 Acre) LOT, RV & Boat Parking. $349,900 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Quintessential East Sac 2bd/1ba. Frml liv & din rms w/crown molding. Brkfst nk off kitch. Hrdwd ﬂrs. THE WOOLFORD GROUP 834-6900 CaBRE#: 00680069, 01778361, 00679593

THE L STREET LOFTS! City living w/concierge, quality ﬁnishes! 4 unique ﬂr plans From the mid $300,000’s. Models Open W-M, 10a-5p. LStreetLofts. com. MICHAEL ONSTEAD 601-5699 CaBRE#: 01222608

PRIME RIVER PARK LOCATION! Steps to Caleb Greenwood. This is the large backyard you are looking for! $395,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

METRO OFFICE 730 Alhambra Boulevard, Sacramento 916.447.5900

RENAISSANCE PARK! A New Home Community with the essence of Sacramento right at your fingertips. Complete w/granite kitch counters, tile flring, high energy efficiency, stnless steel applnc package & so much more. Visit: www.newfaze.com/neighborhoods/ renaissance-park From the Low $200s CECIL WILLIAMS 718-8865 CaBRE#: 01122760

FAB FORTIES HOME AWAITS! Frml liv rm w/ frplc. Frml dining rm has French doors to bckyrd. Brkfst nook & fam rm off kitchen. 3bds upstrs. THE WOOLFORD GROUP 834-6900 CaBRE#: 00680069, 01778361, 00679593

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