Inside Pocket January 2020 by Inside Publications

JANUARY 2020

POCKET

SHU FEN CHEN

POCKET • GREENHAVEN • SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES EAST SACRAMENTO • McKINLEY PARK • RIVER PARK • ELMHURST • TAHOE PARK • CAMPUS COMMONS ARDEN

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

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WILHAGGIN

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DEL PASO MANOR

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CARMICHAEL

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • THE GRID • OAK PARK VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE:

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THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

PENDING

7628 West Vista Way - $920,000 AMAZING ARCHITECTURE AND QUALITY. Original owners designed this home off a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Style home. Spectacular curb appeal, gorgeous grounds MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

PENDING

9239 Chianti Way - $335,000 HEART OF ELK GROVE Stunning single story 3 bed / 2 bath home on large lot. Newer lighting and windows, park-like backyard, converted 3rd bedroom HILARY BUCHANAN 916-397-7502 DRE# 01359213

SOLD

7057 Reichmuth Way - $439,000 CLASSIC GREENHAVEN POCKET HOME 3 bed / 2 bath, family room with French doors leading to nice backyard. Updated kitchen and baths, convenient location CINDY CERECERES-ANDERSON 916-743-4142 DRE-02053825

6331 Chetwood Way - $589,000 CUSTOM SOUTH LAND PARK HILLS 4 bed / 2½ bath single story home with amazing architecture and ﬂoor plan. Big lot with 3 wood deck that wrap around the house. MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

PENDING

106 Hidden Lake Circle – 449,000 AMAZING SINGLE STORY BENSON & SEDAR home. 3 bed / 2 bath on quiet street. Gorgeous kitchen remodeled in 2017. Spacious family room with ﬁreplace. River close. MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

SOLD

31 Axios River Court - $694,500 TUCKED AWAY ON A CUL-DE-SAC. 5 beds / 2½ baths remodeled kitchen, vaulted ceiling family room, wonderful private deck of master bedroom. Pool & spa. CARMAH HATCH 916-765-6210 DRE-00761003

SOLD

2431 Brentley Drive - $323,000 DARLING BRENTWOOD VILLAGE 3 bed / 1 bath. Lovingly care for with new interior paint, new carpet, refinished hardwood floors, new bath vanity, fireplace KELLIE SWAYNE 916-206-1458 DRE-01727644

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5948 Park Village Street - $525,000 EAST LAND PARK VILLAGE by TIM LEWIS. 3 bed 2 bath Mediterranean style single story home in S Land Park. Fabulous upgrades throughout, Private custom patio. JAMIE RICH 916-612-4000 DRE-01870143

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EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY TO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD A BET TER PL ACE. JANUARY 2020

JANUARY 2020

EAST SAC

ARDEN

LAND PARK/GRID

POCKET

JILL ESTROFF

JUDY KNOTT

ARDEN • ARCADE • SIERRA OAKS • WILHAGGIN • DEL PASO MANOR • CARMICHAEL

EAST SACRAMENTO • McKINLEY PARK • RIVER PARK • ELMHURST • TAHOE PARK • CAMPUS COMMONS

KELLY AIRO

SHU FEN CHEN

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • THE GRID • OAK PARK

POCKET • GREENHAVEN • SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

CARMICHAEL

EAST SACRAMENTO • McKINLEY PARK • RIVER PARK • ELMHURST • TAHOE PARK • CAMPUS COMMONS

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • THE GRID • OAK PARK

ARDEN

POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

POCKET • GREENHAVEN • SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

ARDEN

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

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WILHAGGIN

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DEL PASO MANOR

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SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

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WILHAGGIN

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DEL PASO MANOR

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CARMICHAEL

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

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WILHAGGIN

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DEL PASO MANOR

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CARMICHAEL

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • THE GRID • OAK PARK

VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE: INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

3104 O ST. #120 • SACRAMENTO, CA 95816

THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES, NEWS & OPINION IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

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COVER ARTIST

3104 O St. #120, Sac. CA 95816 (Mail Only)

info@insidepublications.com

SHU FEN CHEN This painting by Shu Fen Chen was selected from the 2019 California State Fair Fine Art Show. Cecily Hastings chose it for one of her 2019 Publisher’s Awards. Shown: “Dancing Chrysanthemum,” acrylic, 42 inches by 32 inches. The painting is for sale at $2,500. Contact the artist at shufenpocket@yahoo. com.

PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings EDITOR Cathryn Rakich editor@insidepublications.com PRODUCTION M.J. McFarland DESIGN Cindy Fuller PHOTOGRAPHY Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel AD COORDINATION Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster DISTRIBUTION Sue Pane Sue@insidepublications.com ACCOUNTING Daniel Nardinelli, COO daniel@insidepublications.com

Lauren Stenvick accounts@insidepublications.com 916.443.5087 ACCOUNT Sally Giancanelli 916.335.6503 SG@insidepublications.com SERVICE TEAM Lauren Mugnaini 916.956.0540 LM@insidepublications.com Lauren Stenvick 916.524.0336 LS@insidepublications.com Victoria Viebrock 916.662.2631 V V@insidepublications.com EDITORIAL POLICY 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 80,000 households in Sacramento. Printing and distribution costs are paid entirely by advertising revenue. Inside Publications welcomes readers’ comments. Letters to the Editor should be submitted via email to editor@insidepublications.com. Please include name, address and phone number. Letters may be published as space permits and edited for brevity. No portion may be reproduced mechanically or electronically without written permission of the publisher. All ad designs & editorial—©

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JANUARY 2020 VOL. 6 • ISSUE 12 6 10 12 14 16 17 18 20 21 22 24 26 30 32 33 34 40 42 44

Publisher's Desk Pocket Life Pocket Beat Giving Back City Politics Meet Your Neighbor Building Our Future City Beat Off The Streets Inside Downtown Sports Authority Open House Farm To Fork Spirit Matters Garden Jabber To Do Open Studio Restaurant Insider Pets & Their People

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Losing the News LOCAL JOURNALISM’S DEMISE LEAVES US VULNERABLE

n the past decade, news outlets across the country have been gutted and closed, reporters laid off, and publication schedules cut. In 2018, more than 200 news publications closed their doors. There are now huge swathes of our country without local news coverage. They are called “news deserts.” Locally, we face the same trend. The Sacramento Bee, our largest local news organization, had 9,000 employees a decade ago. Today it’s down to 2,800. But even with a skeleton reporting staff, the Bee remains a primary source for local news. The paper’s work filters across to other media, including television and radio. The Bee will eliminate its Saturday print edition this month. The Bee’s owner, McClatchy Co., announced its employee pension plan is underfunded by $535 million. Currently, the company has $11.4 million cash on hand and debt of $708.5 million. In the third quarter of 2019, McClatchy reported a loss of $304.7 million, compared with a net income of $7.04 million in the third quarter of 2018. It’s hard to see a path forward. The company’s demise would be a big loss for Sacramento. The Bee faces another setback with Assembly Bill 5, a new state law that became effective this

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

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month. The law reclassifies many independent contractors as employees, including newspaper carriers who have traditionally been independent. California newspapers fought hard for an exemption for delivery workers, but were rejected. They did, however, get a one-year reprieve to adjust their operations. No matter, this law will be another financial blow—potentially a deadly one—to home-delivered daily newspapers across our state. Inside’s four editions now have the largest print circulation in Sacramento with an audience of more than 83,000 monthly. We serve more than two dozen city and county neighborhoods with a primarily homeowner-occupied audience. Behind us come the Bee (71,586 paid print subscribers) and Sacramento News & Review (free circulation not disclosed, but estimated at 55,000 to 60,000 weekly). Sacramento’s top three print publications are radically different. The Bee is a traditional newspaper with both home delivery subscription income and ad revenues from print and digital. Using the massive scale of revenue the Bee once enjoyed, the paper was able to support a large newsroom of reporters, photographers and editors, and contribute generously to the community. For a region heavily dependent on government, the Bee’s corporate support to civic causes was extremely valuable. This entire paid-subscription model— shared by hundreds of daily publications all over the country—was the backbone of our country’s media landscape. When the internet began to provide vast amounts of news for free—combined with the shift of ad dollars from print to

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digital—the model was upended. Today, every daily paper struggles to survive. The News & Review is an independently owned alternative weekly. Typically, this model offers city, state and national news that leans politically left and is targeted to an under-35 age demographic. Alternative weeklies are distributed free from newsstands and supported by print and digital advertising. This model has been hurt as local and national ad revenues have fallen with the shift from print to digital. At the same time, labor and paper costs have risen. Many alternative weeklies intentionally cut their pressruns to save costs. Many also cut back on reporting. Cannabis advertising has been a savior for many alternative weeklies. Inside Sacramento is an entirely different and unique operation. We are a free monthly and 100 percent dependent on print ad revenue. We produce, print and home deliver our publications to select neighborhoods via the U.S. Postal Service. As a monthly, we have a small business footprint, using primarily independent writers, photographers and editors. Our business model has had challenges in recent years as paper prices escalated. We recently developed

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a small revenue stream from digital, but it only covers our website costs. We don’t slant news politically, other than to do our best to hold local politicians accountable for their decisions. My love of our community, combined with my optimistic nature, generally keeps our coverage on the upbeat and positive side. And as a designer, I’ve always insisted that we produce both a beautiful and useful publication. When asked what we are doing to attract the millennial audience, I explain that other than launching an all-new website last summer, we intend to continue with our unique operation. Here’s how it goes: Today’s younger people eventually grow up. As they get settled with careers and family, they hopefully become homeowners. Once they become homeowners, they live in what is usually the most significant investment of their lives. At this point, they start to care much more about their city and how it is led and managed, plus the quality of their neighborhood, schools and small business community. All three of our top local publications depend on ad dollars to bring you news. This means we are essentially sales operations. Inside has done well in

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this regard. We have been fortunate to develop long-term relationships with key advertisers who value our targeted neighborhood audiences. In turn, our readers have been loyal in support of advertisers who underwrite the news each month. Across the country, there is much discussion about what comes after the fall of traditional newspapers. The internet certainly provides an unlimited supply of global, national and even state news. But more than ever, one needs to carefully vet the sources of news, especially news brought to you via social media—where fake news is easily spread. At a time of widespread political polarization, determining a set of baseline facts can be difficult. Media bias is rampant, and opinion polls show public confidence in the media at an all-time low. The internet’s delivery of news has fallen short on the local level mostly because of the economies of scale. It costs money to report local news— more money than local websites can generate through ads. But a community needs reliable information on how local tax dollars are spent, how local policy affects neighborhoods, and whether local elected officials are

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meeting constituent needs. This is how concerned citizens make informed choices about who should govern. How can a community pay for local news coverage? A recent report by PEN America concluded that reinvigorating local watchdog reporting requires concerted action and an investment of billions of dollars across the philanthropic, private and public sectors. The report calls for a new congressional commission to develop concrete recommendations for how the government can better support a free and independent local press. Despite being competitors for some of the same ad dollars, I don’t look forward to the demise of the Bee—or any local publication. We need more local news, not less. With less local coverage, the only winners are politicians. They would be left with no one to watch, challenge or evaluate their success and failure. Such a reality would not end well for our communities. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

The Guild Theater

February 14 - March 14th 2020

PRESENTED BY:

Jan. 10 - 20 • 3 courses for $40 For Tickets, go to TIX.COM or Call: 800-595-4849 (4TIX)

www.whenwewerecolored-theplay.com

The Firehouse Restaurant

Tequila Museo Mayahuel

2828 35th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817

Rio City Café

La Cosecha Sacramento

Paragary’s

Station 16 Restaurant & Bar

Foundation Restaurant & Bar

Hoppy’s Railyard Kitchen & Hopgarden

Hook and Ladder Manufacturing Co.

Aji Dori

The Melting Pot

Hawks Provisions and Public House

Camden Spit & Larder

Tower Bridge Bistro

Empress Tavern

Aioli Bodega Española

Biba Restaurant

Brasserie Capitale

Ella Dining Room and Bar

The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar

The Porch Restaurant and Bar

Joe’s Crab Shack

Frank Fat’s

Tiger

Kodaiko Ramen & Bar

Solomon’s Delicatessen

The Pilothouse Restaurant at the Delta

Kasbah Lounge

MidiCi

Grange Restaurant and Bar

Dawson’s Steakhouse

Tapa the World

@DowntownSac

#DineDowntownSac

OPEN HOUSE Sunday, January 26, 2020 - 11:00am-12:30pm

For menus and reservations, visit:

GoDowntownSac.com/DineDowntown POC n INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

Roll Out the Barrel DEVICE TAPROOM BRINGS NEW TASTE TO PROMENADE

Ken and Melissa Anthony

or thirsty Pocket residents, the wait is almost over for Device Brewing Company’s new taproom in the Promenade Shopping Center. The rollout will be gradual, but thanks to Device the Pocket restaurant scene will get a significant lift in 2020. Device owner Ken Anthony, who lives in Pocket, took me on a walkthrough of his new taproom. What a transformation. The former Tuesday Morning retail store has been reimagined as a family-friendly eatery and taproom.

CM By Corky Mau Pocket Life

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Ken and wife Melissa opened their first Device Brewing in 2013 in the Power Inn industrial area. Beer production and product packaging continues at the Power Inn site. In 2018, the Anthony family opened a second taproom in the Ice Blocks at 16th and R streets. The Rush River Drive site makes three locations for the owners. “For years, Melissa and I went into Downtown or Elk Grove to dine and relax with our family,” Ken says. “We didn’t think the Pocket had many family-friendly choices. Rather than complain about it, we came up with a solution: Build a taproom and kitchen right here in the community where we live.” The taproom has an impressive footprint with several seating and lounging areas. Some are designed for viewing sports on TV. Others can be used for private parties.

“What we’re especially excited about is the brick tile we’ve installed on the interior walls,” Ken says. “We want to pay tribute to the historic Sacramento Brick Company, which operated for many years on Riverside Road (today Riverside Boulevard). The company supplied bricks used in the construction of our Capitol building.” The taproom is kid friendly. There’s a game area for children of all ages and a “parent’s bar” that overlooks a dedicated play area for smaller family members. There are two large outdoor patios where patrons can dine and relax. The taproom will serve up to 24 beers and cider on tap, plus wine. The food menu offers affordable choices from gourmet sausages and Philly-style cheesesteak sandwiches to fresh salads. I bet the Snake River Farms Kobe beef corndog will be a hit. The Anthony family apparently has a solid business model—Device beers

are distributed throughout California in more than 1,000 retail establishments. Ken and Melissa will be pleased to have you stop by and visit. I’m not alone in welcoming their investment to our neighborhood.

REMEMBERING LINA FAT Fat family matriarch Lina Fat passed away in November at the age of 81. The regional restaurant scene will never be the same. The Hong Kong native attended pharmacy school at UC San Francisco (where she met her husband, Ken Fat, son of Frank Fat) and was working as a part-time pharmacist when the Fat family opened their first restaurant, China Camp in Old Sacramento, with Lina as chef. Fat lent her business acumen and flair for menu planning to the Fat’s legacy of eateries, eventually becoming

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the Fat Family Restaurant Group’s vice president of culinary research and development. She also authored “The Lina Fat Cookbook: Recipes From the Fat Family Restaurants,” founded the Sacramento World Music & Dance Festival, and acted as mentor and friend to many of the area’s most celebrated female chefs. Lina, you will be missed. For more information on the history of the Fat family, visit frankfats.com.

Purchase tickets at the Elks Lodge Office, but act quickly as the event is limited to 100 people. A $5 entry fee for all contestants includes a dinner ticket. For more information, contact Gina D’Arcangelo at (916) 601-8745 or ginadarcangelo@aol.com.

SACRAMENTO COUNTY GRAND JURY

The Sacramento County Superior Court is accepting applications for the 2019-20 Grand Jury term. To be DINE DOWNTOWN eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen, Bring your appetite to the 15th at least 18 years old and a resident of annual Dine Downtown Restaurant Sacramento County. Week taking place Jan. 10–20. The grand jury reviews complaints Diners can enjoy unique, threelodged by county residents, investigates course, prix-fixe menus for $40 at 31 city and county governments, and area eateries, including Grange, The issues criminal indictments. The Firehouse, Paragary’s, Biba, Ella, The application deadline is Jan. 25. For Porch, Frank Fat’s and many more. One more information, visit sacgrandjury. dollar from every meal will be donated org or call (916) 874-7559. to social services and food literacy programs in Sacramento. “Dine Downtown is an event that JFK ROBOTICS TEAM honors the many culinary talents that Robotics students at John F. have made the heart of Sacramento Kennedy High School have received their home,” says Michael Ault, a $3,000 grant from Bayer Fund to executive director of the Downtown support their participation in the FIRST Sacramento Partnership. “Guests have Robotics program. a chance to try new dining experiences The after-school robotics program is and taste some of the most noteworthy designed to promote interest in STEM restaurants in our region—all while (science, technology, engineering and raising funds for two incredible local math) and provide students hands-on programs.” training to design, engineer, fabricate For menus and more information, and program robots that can perform visit godowntownsac.com/ preassigned tasks at competitions from dinedowntown. January through April. In the 10 years of FIRST competitions, Kennedy Robotics CHILI COOK OFF students have received more than 42 Elks Lodge No. 6 will hold its ninth major awards. They’ve qualified three annual Chili Cook Off contest Sunday, times for the World Championship and Jan. 26. Chili tasting is at 4 p.m. and received the highest student recognition dinner at 5 p.m. A $10 fee includes a (Dean’s List) in 2016. baked potato bar (and chili tasting, of Recruitment for the 2019-20 season course). is now open. Team members cross-train

Our ﬁnal Shadow Day for eighth graders is Friday, January 10, 2020. To learn more or submit an application, visit our website: WWW.CBHS-SACRAMENTO.ORG

across a wide variety of disciplines, including design, drafting, machining, electronics, welding, 3D printing and computer technology. For more information, visit first3250.com.

Snuggle up to a Great Book!

2020 CONSTIUENT MEETINGS Staff from Assemblymember Jim Cooper’s office will meet with residents Thursday, Jan. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Community Room at the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library. At 6 p.m., residents will meet with City Councilmember Rick Jennings and staff. The monthly sessions allow constituents to discuss community concerns. Corky Mau can be reached at corky. sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Crawford’s Books New | Used | Trade 5301 Freeport Blvd. #200 916.731.8001 crawfordbooks.net Tues - Sat 10 am to 6 pm Sunday 12 to 5 pm | Monday closed

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Big Dig Underway LEVEE REPAIRS IMPACT TREES, TRAFFIC, NEIGHBORHOODS

rees are the first to go. About 3 acres of valley oak and slightly more than one-tenth an acre of Fremont cottonwoods are being cut down and chopped up as crews strengthen the Sacramento River levee from Pocket to Broadway. That means about 153 trees pulled out, with another 178 trimmed back. “This represents a relatively small amount of vegetation in proportion to existing trees and shrubs,” says a report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After years of planning and political debate over funding, the essential job of repairing the levee from Freeport to Miller Park is underway. The goal: Protect Sacramento from catastrophic floods. The task is bigger than many residents realize. Hundreds of

RG By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat

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construction workers, hundreds of trucks and heavy equipment, and tons of concrete and dirt are required. The toughest task involves cutoff walls, which will be installed inside the levee. Crews will dig and fill trenches from 35 feet to 135 feet below ground. The levee will receive a new crown. There are three key worksites: from the Freeport intake facility to the Pocket Canal near Garcia Bend, from 35th Avenue to Inez Way in Little Pocket, and from Sutterville Road to Miller Park. Every resident of Pocket and Little Pocket will feel the impact. Tree and vegetation removal was scheduled to begin in December and continue through February. The bulk of heavy construction will take place in the dry months, April to November. My friend Jim Geary is an expert on the levee-repair project. The Pocket resident and retired attorney has acquired binders full of official documents related to the work. “It’s the biggest thing that’s happened around here in a long time,” he says. Like many residents, Geary wonders what impact the work will have on residents, trees, traffic and the levee itself. The more he learns, the more

he realizes the scope hasn’t been well communicated. He has documents describing tree removals. He has chapters estimating truck traffic between the worksites and Downtown railyards, where dirt will be dumped. Many of the haul trucks will use Interstate 5. They will rumble through neighborhoods to reach the levee. The Army Corps project report says, “Haul trucks on the smaller local roadways within individual neighborhoods would only be present on a short-term temporary basis, from a few weeks to a month.” Traffic lanes will be closed. The work will clog local roadways with trucks making up to 850 round trips per day. In the classic, deadpan tone of bureaucratic authorship, the Corps report notes, “This level of traffic increase would potentially degrade traffic operations below the acceptable threshold.” And this: “Constructionrelated traffic could also delay or temporarily obstruct the movement of emergency vehicles.” Local residents aren’t the only people affected. Motorists passing through town can expect delays—especially since Caltrans has coincidentally begun a

three-year effort to improve I-5 from the American River south to Elk Grove Boulevard. The levee is a recreation site. Not surprisingly, recreation will stop during construction. Garcia Bend and Miller parks are being used as staging areas. Despite the inconveniences, there’s no question the work must be done. The Corps believes the levee carries an “unacceptably high risk” of failure, which threatens about 530,000 people. The Corps says, “The consequences of such a levee failure would be severe, because the inundated area is highly urbanized and flooding could be up to 20 feet deep.” That’s nobody’s idea of a bright future. The 209-page Army Corps report on the Sacramento River levee project is available at spk.usace.army.mil. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

INSIDE

OUT IMAGES BY LEAH GARIS

Run to Feed the Hungry More than 27,700 people came together for the 26th annual Run to Feed the Hungry last year. The event raised more than $900,000 for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Visit runtofeedthehungry.com to find out more.

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Step Up For

Justice

LAND PARK VOLUNTEER SHOWS OTHERS HOW TO ACT THEIR CONSCIENCE

hen Patricia Sturdevant sees a problem in her community, she doesn’t just notice—she acts. When the Land Park resident saw excess citrus on the trees that line Sacramento streets—fruit that could go to hungry mouths—she did something about it. Sturdevant has been on the pages of Inside Sacramento before for her work with the Land Park Community Association’s partnership with Harvest Sacramento, a collaborative project that gathers surplus citrus— fruit that would otherwise go to waste—to feed the underserved. But the retired consumerprotection and health-care lawyer isn’t just concerned about citrus. She volunteers her time for many organizations working to make the world a better place, including California Women Lawyers, Women Lawyers of Sacramento, Consumer Action (a San Francisco-based consumer-advocacy group for which Sturdevant serves as president) and National Council of Jewish Women. “It’s my fourth year as recording secretary for NCJW,” Sturdevant says. “You don’t have to be Jewish or a woman to be involved. I became familiar with the group when I was the president of California Women Lawyers. We were working with NCJW on human trafficking issues and, after the work concluded, I decided to join. I like the people, the issues they address and their successes.” Sturdevant is part of a committee organizing a speaker series this month on the migrant crisis. NCJW founded the speaker series,

Patricia Sturdevant

JL By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Proﬁle

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Sahil Sethi, DMD Comprehensive, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry “I believe that the real gift of dentistry is the opportunity to serve my patients through a

Happy Next Year! Properties Sold in 2019

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“Find Out What You Can Do. Act Your Conscience,” to gather experts, nonprofit leaders and community members to discuss important humanitarian issues. The first event last November featured a retired pediatrician reporting firsthand on the appalling conditions of detention centers on the Tijuana side of the border. A panel on March 1 will tackle gun violence. “We wanted to make a real difference in the community by addressing issues that are of real concern,” Sturdevant explains. “Immigration and gun violence were at the top of our list.” This month’s speaker series, “Humanitarian Crisis for Migrants Continues,” will feature a panel of speakers from Sacramento Area Congregations Together, Grannies Respond/Abuelas Responden, NorCal Resist, and Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). Each advocacy organization will highlight the work it does to support asylum seekers, immigrants, and the children and families in detention centers. Anna Molander, a lawyer with the California Department of Health Care Services and active member of RAICES, will be the keynote speaker.

“NCJW is very drawn to the issue of immigration,” Sturdevant says. “There’s a focus in the Jewish tradition on the just treatment of immigrants emanating from the Jewish history of displacement and migration. Their struggles as immigrants remind them to welcome the stranger.” Sturdevant says the purpose of these panels is to open the eyes and hearts of the community, as well as to show regular citizens how they can get involved in the fight against injustice. “These community forums are intended to let people know what’s happening, what local organizations are doing to address the issues and how they can volunteer to help,” Sturdevant says. “Humanitarian Crisis for Migrants Continues” will be held Sunday, Jan. 5, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Israel, 3600 Riverside Blvd. For more information, visit ncjw.org. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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You Decide 3 BALLOT MEASURES MAY TEST YOUR PATIENCE

hree local ballot measures are poised to grab a share of the limelight in the 2020 election cycle. One is certain to appear on the March 3 primary ballot. Two others may work their way into the Nov. 3 general election. None should be overlooked.

CHILDREN’S FUND INITIATIVE The March ballot will feature this measure, which qualified through signature collections. Funded primarily by an East Bay nonprofit, the Children’s Fund represents a classic example of “ballot box budgeting.” It would force the city to spend an additional 2.5 percent of the general fund each year (starting at $12.5 million annually) on youth programs—on top of what Sacramento already spends for young people. The measure would not permit the city to reduce its current level of youth funding, nor reduce the additional 2.5 percent general fund commitment— even during a recession. This measure, which requires a simple majority, would take money from other parts of the city budget— police, fire and parks. The question for voters: Do we want to sacrifice police, firefighters and park workers to permanently fund more programs for youth? Also, the money could be shoveled into the hands of politically connected

CP By Craig Powell City Politics • OPINION •

POC JAN n 20

nonprofits with little accountability (no audits are required and no accountability or transparency standards are imposed). The spending plan would be created by a commission and submitted to the City Council for a vote. The council couldn’t pick which projects or nonprofits to fund. Councilmembers would select commission members, but half of the commission must be no older than 24 years old. The haircut on the council’s spending power may be an illegal delegation of authority under the State Constitution. Another big worry is the measure would set a precedent for future ballot box budgets. How long before police and firefighters sponsor measures to lock up percentages for their funds? Stripping the council of discretionary authority to adjust spending in response to changing fiscal conditions is dangerous.

LOCAL RENT-CONTROL INITIATIVE Rent control has been a hot topic and may reach the local November ballot. The City Council adopted a rent-control ordinance in August that limits annual rent hikes to 6 percent plus inflation (currently 2.5 percent), with an absolute cap of 10 percent. The council also outlawed “no cause” evictions. This means rental owners will have to show cause to remove a resident. The city controls expire in 2024. For the record, my opinions on rent control should be considered through the lens of a landlord. I’m general partner of a real estate investment company that owns residential rental properties in Sacramento. Councilmembers say they passed rent control in response to a campaign, financed primarily by the labor group SEIU, to enact a more onerous form of

rent control through a ballot measure. The council’s ordinance followed a compromise between the City Council and backers of the ballot measure. Under the deal, the proponents would drop their ballot initiative after the council adopted rent control. But the deal fell apart. While two of the three ballot proponents agreed to drop the measure, the third—housing activist Michelle Pariset—refused. She publicly insisted she would never deprive voters of their right to weigh in. Things got nasty. Pariset got into a feud with The Sacramento Bee, fueled by the publication of written exchanges she had with Councilmember Steve Hansen and his staff. My question: Where was city attorney Susana Alcala Wood in all this? And a bigger question: Is the City Council sincere in wanting to keep the initiative off the ballot? The answers will determine whether you will see rent control on the Nov. 3 city ballot.

MEASURE A REVISITED Two years ago, the transportation lobby in Sacramento County narrowly lost its effort to persuade voters to double the Measure A half-percent transportation sales tax to 1 percent (Measure B). Now it wants to have another go at county voters in November. But polling data commissioned by the Sacramento Transportation Authority shows the new measure would narrowly lose. California recently

raised the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees, which provide a gusher of new transportation dollars to local governments. The fees increased Sacramento Measure A funding by 55 percent. Local voters aren’t likely to be enthusiastic about raising sales taxes again after they approved a half-cent hike under Measure U. A doubling of the Measure A sales tax would increase the sales tax on city residents and businesses from 8.75 percent to 9.25 percent, punishing working families, seniors on fixed incomes and the poor.

CORRECTION In my December column, “Up In Smoke,” I wrote that Joe Devlin, the city of Sacramento’s former chief of cannabis policy and enforcement, had three brothers in the cannabis industry in Washington State who recently sold their business for $11 million. In fact, the Devlin brothers in Washington are not related to Joe Devlin of Sacramento. I regret the error and apologize to both Devlin families. Craig Powell is a retired 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 (916) 718-3030. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

Power rof Art The

WOMEN’S WISDOM LEADER HELPS NURTURE THE COMMUNITY

e all have different needs,” Ali Tucker Lichtenstein says. “One of mine is to be of service and give back. Everyone at Women’s Wisdom is here because it fulfills something.” Lichtenstein is the executive director and board chair of Women’s Wisdom Art, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable art classes in a safe, nurturing environment for women overcoming poverty, homelessness, violence and abuse in the community. Founded in 1991 by Laura Ann Walton as part of Maryhouse (a daytime hospitality shelter for homeless women and children), the program was operated under the wing of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services from 2000 until 2012, then as a nonprofit corporation under the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, and then, as of June 2016, as an independent 501(c)3. Lichtenstein first got involved with Women’s Wisdom Art in 2015 as a donor, then as a teacher of fiber arts and writing. (She is a prolific fiber artist, and taught women’s and gender studies, literature and writing at Keene State College in New Hampshire for nearly 20 years before moving to Sacramento.) When Walton decided to leave the organization in 2017, Lichtenstein was asked to assume the helm. She jumped at the chance to continue connecting with her new community through art. “We try to find art that’s meaningful,” says Lichtenstein, who makes everything from birds to quilts to dolls to art for social justice out of ask women what they need. If someone colorful fabrics and fibers. “Women’s hasn’t been able to get out of the house Wisdom is a bridge organization. We for two years, we help them break that isolation and build confidence to go out and do things. If a woman has retired from a profession and loses her social network, we give her a place to be connected again. Some women just need a place to have a healthy snack and brush their teeth. Women’s Wisdom provides that too.” By Jessica Laskey While the Denver native has a lot Meet Your Neighbor to be proud of from her long tenure of

Ali Tucker Lichtenstein

artistic advocacy, Lichtenstein is most proud of her social activism through artwork. Check out her Instagram and you’ll see everything from a patchwork image of Ruth Bader Ginsberg to an embroidery circle that proclaims “God is an Immigrant.” She also created and implemented the Sacramento Commission for Women and Girls, which travels around the city hosting “Listening Circles” during which diverse women’s groups discuss what they think women and girls need in

Sacramento. Each event also includes an art project where participants create quilt panels (more than 200 have been collected thus far) that Lichtenstein transforms into quilted banners and wall hangings to be used for rallies and marches. “I’ve fallen in love with Sacramento, but it’s not perfect,” the Land Park resident says. “We’ve got a lot of problems here that I’m trying to be a solution for. Women’s Wisdom helps women keep their heads in the game, take steps forward and support each other.” Lichtenstein also finds that art is an essential emotional outlet for the women the nonprofit serves. Whether that takes the form of painting a painful personal narrative onto a quilting square (Lichtenstein combined a series of these into an art story quilt for the group’s 25th anniversary show at the Crocker Art Museum) or creating spirit dolls, every art project has a purpose. “No matter where I am, I always end up teaching dolls,” says Lichtenstein, who’s sewing the hair on a “cozy, allnatural” doll as we speak. “I’ve taught academics all over the world, but the most learning would always happen after hours when students and their families would gather and make dolls. There’s something about the human image that speaks to people.” That, and tireless teachers like Lichtenstein. “No matter how tired I am at the end of the day, the connection to people in my community keeps me going.” For more information, visit womenswisdomart.org. To see Lichtenstein’s art, visit alilichtenstein. com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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ROLLING THUNDER BIKE ADVOCATE DOES MORE THAN TALK

t’s hard to imagine anyone better equipped to represent the interests of Sacramento bicyclists than Debra Banks. As interim director of SABA, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, Banks rides everywhere on one of her several dozen bikes. She commutes to work, has ridden up and down California and around the world in long-distance 1,200-kilometer grinds where participants have 90 hours to finish, including the legendary Paris-Brest-Paris twice. For her last Paris ride, she slept 1 hour and 45 minutes over 90 hours. She completed the course, which included 30,000 feet of climbing, with 20 minutes to spare. She founded and owns Rivet Cycle Works, a successful boutique business that designs and sells highend bike saddles. And perhaps most importantly, Banks knows firsthand the hazards of cycling. Five years ago near Ukiah, a drunk driver hit Banks and her four companions. Struck from behind, Banks felt a light tap. But she wound up in a ditch with a cracked pelvis, gashed right arm and severely broken leg. A former Outward Bound instructor and high school gymnast, Banks is tough. She had been injured before, but not like this. “I like to ride my bike really long distances,” she says, “but I do feel the crash was a watershed change event for me.”

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PARK RENOVATIONS After seven surgeries, years of excruciating therapy, setbacks and depression that accompanies severe injuries, Banks might have given up her bikes. But she didn’t. There’s nothing she enjoys more than to test her cycling limits with friends. She especially loves long rides along the California coast, where riders have only the stars and their lights to puncture the darkness during middle-of-the-night adventures. With no auto traffic and the sound of waves crashing, the rides are a mix of endurance and meditation. If you doubt how much she loves to pedal, consider that she finished a longdistance ride in South America after the metal plates and 23 screws holding together her injured leg sheered off and broke. The pain was excruciating, but she finished. She still cycles, but long rides are more of a struggle with her injured leg. Now she spends considerable time advocating for a more bike-friendly Sacramento. On a windy November afternoon, she and a few dozen other bike enthusiasts carried signs outside a Sacramento Transportation Authority meeting to call for more bike-related funding. A half-cent sales tax headed for the November ballot could be a big help if

authorities show a commitment to what planners refer to as Complete Streets— not streets that cater solely to cars and trucks. Sacramento has made progress. The city hired Jennifer Donlon Wyant as its “active transportation specialist” and added dedicated bike lanes in the core. There are city cycling classes. Online assets include a map of bike racks. But unlike some California cities, Sacramento has no dedicated funding source to dramatically step up its support of safe cycling. If Banks had her way, Sacramento would have fewer oneway streets where cars accelerate. And she would lower the speed limit to 30 or 35 mph on all city streets. “For the inner city in the grid, it’s fairly safe to ride a bike,” she says. “But that said, the inner-city area has to share our streets with e-bikes and scooters and pedestrians and bikes and cars and trucks and trains and people in wheelchairs, and those streets have not gotten any wider. I’m happy to see people have more opportunities to find alternatives to driving, but with more people and forms of transportation competing for space, it’s a little chaotic.”

Outside the city’s core, the challenge is more daunting. “We still have vastly underserved areas where people don’t even have sidewalks to walk on,” Banks says. “In our poorer communities, people there are using bikes as their only mode of transportation, so things haven’t gotten better yet. I think there is an energy for that in the city and I know Jennifer definitely wants to put resources there, but those resources are hard to find.” The most livable cities cater to pedestrians and cyclists as much as automobiles. Climate change makes alternative transportation more crucial than ever. For my money, I’m hoping Sacramento city and county leaders follow the example set by trailblazers such as Banks and Donlon Wyant. Bike safety and convenience need to be a priority—not an afterthought—as we continue to shape a capital city and region that work for everyone. Gary Delsohn can be reached at gdelsohn@gmail.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

UNLIKE SOME CALIFORNIA CITIES, SACRAMENTO HAS NO DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE TO DRAMATICALLY STEP UP ITS SUPPORT OF SAFE CYCLING.

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Hansen’s Secrets WHO DID COUNCILMAN MEET—AND WHY?

City Councilmember Steve Hansen speaks at community town hall meeting.

eople talk. They share rumors. Some of the most interesting chatter in Little Pocket last year involved Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen. Rumors placed Hansen at several meetings with about 40 residents who own property along the Sacramento River levee. The meetings were private, the rumors said. Hansen instructed his audience to write nothing down. No emails. Rumors of Hansen’s secret meetings began to make their way to me last summer. I was writing about Hansen and his bizarre crusade to prevent the Sacramento River Parkway from being finished in Little Pocket. I couldn’t understand Hansen’s obsession with banning cyclists and runners and folks out for a stroll on the levee in Little Pocket. His hatred of levee recreation made no sense.

RG By R.E. Graswich City Beat

POC JAN n 20

In 1975, city officials made the levee parkway part of the general plan. The current City Council supports finally making good on the 1975 promise. Even Hansen supports the levee trail in Pocket. But he is determined to block the project when it reaches Little Pocket. Of course I asked Hansen for an interview. He refused—five times. So I filed public records requests to see Hansen’s emails and correspondence on levee access. The city said there were no such documents. Finally, I asked for Hansen’s calendar to see whom he met with while conducting the public’s business. The city said I would get the calendar in January, four months after I requested it. Shortly before Thanksgiving, the city sent me another notice. I would not be getting Hansen’s calendar after all. “In this case, the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record,” the anonymous records staff wrote. There was more: “Even routine meetings between an elected official and other lawmakers, lobbyists or citizen groups might be inhibited if the meetings were regularly revealed to the public and the participants routinely subjected to

probing questions and scrutiny by the press.” Really? So much for transparency. So much for open government. There are many problems with Hansen’s refusal to share his calendar. The biggest one: He’s violating the State Constitution. In 2004, a constitutional amendment called Proposition 59, the “Sunshine Law,” reached the state ballot. It passed with 83 percent approval. The first paragraph says, “The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and therefore, the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny.” The law couldn’t be more straightforward. It means what it says. There are legitimate reasons for withholding some information. Certain scheduling disclosures might create security risks. Personal medical or family information should stay private. Personal phone numbers and addresses should not be released. But my request to see Hansen’s calendar focused on his work as a councilmember. I don’t care about his private life. I want to know why he opposes public access to the river in Little Pocket—why he’s willing to

destroy his political legacy for about 40 property owners who don’t want you on the levee. And I want to know if the rumors about secret meetings are true. Hansen is a lawyer, but he doesn’t show much respect for the law. In October, he tried to stop a photographer from Inside Sacramento, Aniko Kiezel, from taking photos at a public “town hall” Hansen held in Little Pocket. Hansen told Kiezel she needed his “consent” to take photos. He and his staff tried to intimidate her. Kiezel ignored them and took pictures, confident in her First Amendment rights to attend and record a public forum. But that’s the kind of politician Hansen is. I could sue and get Hansen’s calendar. It’s all but certain Proposition 59 would prevail. But lawsuits are expensive and wasteful. And the real problem isn’t the calendar. The real problem is an elected official who works in secret and hides what he’s doing for reasons he refuses to discuss. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Off the Streets

CONSERVATORSHIPS CAN HELP HOMELESS BY ROBERT N. AUSTIN

new way to manage the homeless problem is making its way across California. It’s called civil conservatorship for the chronically unsheltered, and it’s gaining traction. In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 40, which enhanced existing laws that allow three counties to obtain conservatorships over mentally ill homeless people who can’t care for themselves. For now, the law is limited to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego counties. It’s time to expand the scope and reach of civil conservatorships. Critics point out many characteristics of homelessness: alcohol abuse, drug abuse, mental instability, squalid living conditions, transmission of diseases, lack of nutrition, absence of medical care and lack of hygiene. The critics are not wrong. Conservatorships may be the solution. There are parallels in the law where civil conservatorship has been used to address public safety issues. Health and safety codes permit temporary civil confinement of mentally ill persons. Welfare and institutions codes permit

taking juveniles into protective custody. The penal code permits taking public drunks into temporary civil custody for detoxification. Is there a similar solution for the chronically homeless? Working with the state Legislature, it’s possible to craft a conservatorship statute that expands SB 40 and defines “chronic homelessness.” New laws could establish a civil custody program to address their personal, social, medical and psychiatric needs. If homeless people will not voluntarily walk through the many doors open to assist them, it’s time to drag them in. Let’s face facts. The homeless are a population who, in many cases, lack the ability to care for themselves. Many have rejected public efforts to help. It’s time to get more forceful. Instead of using Sacramento’s generosity to lift themselves up, many homeless people spend their money on drugs. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, despite his good intentions, has done little more than create a magnet to draw more homeless to Sacramento. They are camped on many doorsteps and in our parks. They stand on street corners and beg for money. By contrast, unemployment in Sacramento is

at a historic low, yet the homeless population is historically high. What’s wrong with this picture? Steinberg argues a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision restricts efforts to close homeless camps unless shelter housing is provided. In that case, Sacramento should join with other cities that are appealing this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A more favorable ruling is possible. Based on court referrals and reports from law enforcement, medical workers and social workers, a civil conservatorship will provide the authority to take the chronically homeless into temporary custody and house them at locations where their needs can be assessed and provided. It can be short term and individually tailored. Most important, it would designate a conservator with the force and authority to oversee programs focused on correcting behavior and improving the lives of the individual and the community. Homeless camps are overrun with rats that can spread devastating diseases. Camps along the American River produce human waste that

contaminates our water and threatens us with hepatitis. These camps must be quarantined, posted and fenced as a threat to public health. I am not suggesting this would be cheap. But consider how Sacramento just wasted $5 million on the disastrous (now closed) shelter on Railroad Drive. Furthermore, records show in 2015 Sacramento spent $13.6 million on homeless problems. That number is rising every year. Gov. Newsom recently proposed a $1 billion homeless budget. It’s time to think outside the box for alternatives that offer better outcomes. We are throwing away money on fixable problems. But the fix will require shifting to “a carrot-and-stick” approach: compassion for those who truly need help, and a kick in the pants for those who don’t. Robert N. Austin is a retired lieutenant with the Sacramento Police Department. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California. He can be reached at info@ insidesacramento.com. n

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It’s a Star

FUTURE BURNS BRIGHT ON BROADWAY

Joan Borucki

SC By Scot Crocker Inside Downtown

POC JAN n 20

roadway. Some call it a diamond in the rough. Others say it’s eclectic and on the rebound. Once known as Y Street, Broadway leverages its proximity as the southern border of Downtown. It was once home to Sacramento’s midcentury baseball team. The old city cemetery still operates as a tourist destination. The weekend

farmers market sells its produce under the freeway. And there’s the iconic Tower Theatre and Tower Cafe. The Greater Broadway District, supported by property owners and merchants, began 10 years ago. The organization advocates for businesses, addresses homeless problems, acts on

security concerns and shapes the image of Broadway. Joan Borucki, Broadway District executive director, says there are more than 16 projects in the pipeline, from residential units and apartments to restaurants and businesses. She points to the Complete Streets project as a possible game changer. “Overall, I don’t think the vision for Broadway has changed much since the district was formed,” Borucki says. “We are moving forward with more housing, vibrant and unique restaurants, and a pedestrian-friendly environment.” Complete Streets is designed to calm traffic, improve safety, and make the boulevard more inviting for foot and bike usage. It will take traffic lanes from four to three on a two-mile stretch of Broadway and create room for pedestrians, bikes and restaurant seating. “We are a community shopping and restaurant district for Land Park, Curtis Park and parts of Midtown and Downtown,” Borucki says. “But we are drawing people from the region who are looking for experiences not available anywhere else in Sacramento.” Dave Gull of New Helvetia Brewing is optimistic. He believes Broadway will

New housing project at 9th and Broadway by Indie Capital.

achieve its vision as a vibrant home for residents, businesses and visitors. “Actually, I think we are already a destination for many in the region,” he says. “People are coming here from everywhere. Within the district, we have more internationally inspired restaurants than any other place in the Sacramento region, and we have the Tower Theatre and cafe.” But Gull adopts a serious tone when he considers a roadblock to growth and development. “Of course, we all felt Broadway was an up-and-coming district and things are happening,” he says. “But it’s just not happening fast enough. We came here because we knew one day it would happen for us. But we need the support of the property owners. Some just don’t care.” There are more than 200 property owners in the district. Gull’s criticism refers to sites that have not been improved, upgraded or rented. He says

these properties are often passed along through trusts or bequeathed to family members. They have no economic pressure to act. “We have vacant land, underutilized buildings and businesses that haven’t evolved over the years,” he says. “It’s a problem. It’s a frustration. They should invest in what they have, build or just simply sell to someone who will. And while the city has been a good partner and supports our vision, no one can really tell a property owner what to do.” Broadway has seen investment. Sixteenth and Broadway is home to Noah’s Bagels, Chipotle and Sourdough & Co. The Mill at Broadway is a popular housing development. Located on the western end, The Mill has 325 units occupied and another 180 under construction, with 1,000 total upon completion. New businesses include Selland’s Market Cafe, Bike Dog brewery, Real Pie Company and Sunh Fish. Other

THERE ARE MORE THAN 16 PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE, FROM RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND APARTMENTS TO RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES.

attractions include STAB! Comedy Theater and Square Root Academy, a teaching center for science, technology and math. Jon Gianulias of Core Commercial Real Estate is also optimistic. He keeps an eye on Broadway development and investment opportunities. He developed the project at 16th and Broadway, and continues to look at other properties, including the old Dimple Records site. “We need everything tied together,” Gianulias says. “We want to bring life and uniqueness to the district, get visitors to stay around for a while and provide restaurants, nightlife and businesses for those that live here.” Like most neighborhoods in the Downtown corridor, homelessness and transients are a problem. Security and safety will have to be addressed. Still, Broadway has much to offer. It’s a destination for anyone looking for an eclectic, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood near Downtown and freeways. Scot Crocker can be reached at scot@ crockerbranding.com. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

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Soccer Handouts MLS NEEDS TAXPAYER HELP. IS THE GAME WORTH IT?

Aerial view of Sacramento’s soccer stadium location.

ayor Kevin Johnson was not a soccer fan. He found the game foreign and silly, a bunch of people kicking a ball around and rarely scoring. Not like basketball. But Johnson was the first Sacramento politician to embrace the idea of bringing Major League Soccer to the Downtown railyards. He saw the possibilities. Forget the game, he said. This is about economic development. The problem was money. A professional soccer stadium could be an economic catalyst for the railyards, a 240-acre parcel that evaded development for more than two decades thanks to environmental and access problems.

RG By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

POC JAN n 20

Trouble was, no one would build an MLS stadium at the railyards without help from the city. And the city’s gift bag was empty. A huge chunk of Sacramento’s bonding capacity was locked into the $477 million Golden 1 Center. “I do not have an appetite to provide tax dollars to build a soccer stadium,” Johnson said in 2014. Today, appetites have changed. Tax dollars have magically appeared. They are camouflaged as infrastructure (streets, stop lights, sewer and water pipes), permit-fee waivers and loans masquerading as tax incentives. While Sacramento cheers its 2022 entry into the MLS, the city is a business partner in the deal, on the hook for at least $33 million worth of incentives, including a $27.2 million loan to soccer promoters. Every dollar counts, even when the promoter is billionaire Ron Burkle. Johnson lacked the appetite to throw tax dollars at soccer, but his successor, Darrell Steinberg, has no such reluctance. Steinberg is an old pro who learned his tricks at the state Capitol.

He’s skilled at finding ways to make tax dollars dance and twirl and disappear behind closed doors. In his dealings with Burkle and the MLS, Steinberg made commitments of city funds without authority—no City Council approval, no public discussion. The city joined the MLS in a private transaction based on Steinberg’s promise to deliver taxpayer assistance to Burkle. Formal approval would come later. What is Sacramento buying? There’s the economic catalyst assumption identified by Johnson. And there’s the prestige of being part of the MLS. Neither is a sure bet. Since the departure of Southern Pacific, the railyards have been big on promise and absent on delivery. Rail tracks and obsolete old buildings physically disrupt the area, despite new bridges and streets. Creating an entertainment zone around a soccer stadium near Richards Boulevard will not be a snap. As for the MLS, it’s minor league in every aspect. There are at least nine nations with better soccer leagues:

England, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Holland, France and Mexico. Top players don’t acknowledge the MLS until they want a soft landing near retirement. (In desperate maneuvers, two MLS teams signed 14-year-old players.) League status is reflected in salaries. The highest-paid NBA star, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, makes $40 million a year. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson gets $35 million. L.A. Angels outfielder Mike Trout received $33 million last season. In the MLS, the top salary is $7.2 million paid to L.A. Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, age 38. And Ibrahimovic is no fan of the MLS. When he arrived after a stellar career in Sweden, Holland, Italy, Spain, France and England, he notoriously took out a full-page newspaper ad that read, “Dear Los Angeles, you’re welcome.” After Galaxy was eliminated from the MLS playoffs this fall, Ibrahimovic said he was done with the league. “I came, I saw, I conquered,” he tweeted. “You

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are welcome… now go back to watch baseball.” He’s got a point. Watching Republic FC in the MLS in 2022 will be like watching the minor-league River Cats (which gets no financial help from Sacramento). The Cats and Republic will compete for fans and sponsors. Good luck to both. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.com. n

TOP PLAYERS DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE THE MLS UNTIL THEY WANT A SOFT LANDING NEAR RETIREMENT.

2725 Riverside Blvd., Ste. 800

Lambtrust.com

THEATRE GUIDE THE MUSICAL ADVENTURES OF OLIVER TWIST

THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY

Delight with all of the engaging characters from this family favorite classic tale: the Artful Dodger, Fagin, the menacing Bill Sikes, the kind-hearted Nancy and, of course, Oliver Twist. Come journey with Oliver as he becomes entangled in a scenario of mystery, thievery, and vengeance. When his true identity is discovered, he finds a home filled with bliss with his benefactor, Mr. Brownlow. This zestful show is enriched with an original score by renowned composer Scott DeTurk. From Fagin’s playfully sinister ’What’s Yours Is Mine’ to Nancy’s passionate ’One Soul To Save’ to the bright ’A Family of Your Own’. STC audiences will be charmed by this beloved classic. Come along and enjoy The Musical Adventures of Oliver Twist performed by students in STC School of the Arts Pre-professional Ensemble and Young Professionals Conservatory!

Capital Stage presents the Sacramento premiere of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley directed by co-founding member Peter Mohrmann. It’s Christmas at Pemberley again! This new companion piece to Gunderson and Melcon’s holiday hit Miss Bennet, The Wickhams takes viewers downstairs where servants are bustling with the arrival of holiday guests. In the warmth of the Darcy kitchen, family secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested. A bright new holiday tale full of mirth, wit, and the power of giving back to others.

Sacramento Theatre Company January 16 – 19 1419 H Street, Sac 916-443-6722 Sactheatre.org

THE REVOLUTIONISTS

FLORAL DESIGN G A L L E R Y E X P E C T T H E U N E X P E C T E D

9 1 6 . 4 4 1 . 2 3 0 2 TWIGGSFLORALDESIGN.COM

The Big Idea Theatre January 17 – February 15 1616 Del Paso Blvd, Sac 916-960-3036 Bigideatheatre.org

Four beautiful, badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. This grand and dream-tweaked comedy is about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.

Capital Stage Thru January 5th 2215 J Street, Sac 916-995-5464 CapStage.org

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: AMALUNA

Sutter Health Park January 23 – February 23 400 Ballpark Drive, West Sac Cirquedusoleil.com Amaluna is a touring show by Cirque du Soleil created and directed by Diane Paulus. Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the story takes place on an island governed by goddesses. During a storm, a group of men are washed up on shore. The queen’s daughter falls for one of the young men, and the trials of their love are the basis of the show’s main narrative.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN

Memorial Auditorium January 15 – 26 1515 J Street, Sac 916-808-5181 Broadwaysacramento.com A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. Dear Evan Hansen has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including NBC Nightly News who says Dear Evan Hansen is “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”

SUBMIT EVENTS TO ANIKO@INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

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Small But

Mighty

EAST SAC BUNGALOW GETS UPDATE BUT KEEPS ITS CHARM

Photos courtesy of Fred Donham of PhotographerLink.

he East Sacramento bungalow, built in 1949, had the original kitchen, original bathroom, original flooring and no insulation. There was even the old knob and tube wiring when Nar Bustamante purchased the home in 2018. “As pretty and cute as the house was, it was just done,” says Bustamante, who looked at numerous homes before finding the two-bedroom, one-bath house on a quiet street off Elvas Avenue. “When I saw this, it was in the right neighborhood, it’s never been

CR By Cathryn Rakich Open House

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remodeled and it’s three blocks from my shop,” adds Bustamante, owner of Nar Design Group, which specializes in residential design and remodeling. With a background in planning and building, including 30 years as a contractor, Bustamante, along with his design team, jumped right in to transform the 1,085-square-foot bungalow into a spacious, modern abode. One of the most striking features is the wide-plank white French oak floor that flows throughout the house. “I was going to leave the original floors, but with every step it was squeak and squawk,” Bustamante says. “It was horrible.” One might question wood floors in the kitchen and laundry room. “People shy away because they fear their dishwasher will leak or they will spill water,” Bustamante says. “But if you do it right, it’s easy to not have water issues. I love how warm it is—it makes the home quiet and soft.”

The new homeowner transformed the original galley kitchen, with one tiny doorway, by knocking out a wall and opening the room up to the rest of the house. Old tile countertops were replaced with Silestone by Constantino, a solid-surface quartz material, with a marble pattern and suede-like finish.

Handmade custom tiles with a hexagon design, by Fireclay of San Francisco, line the kitchen’s back wall. The same geometric pattern is hand painted on the refrigerator. “This was an easy way to add fun elements,” Bustamante says. “That’s a trademark of what we do as designers—we are

always creating projects with interesting concepts, designs and ideas.” The kitchen cabinets are solid walnut, with several upper cabinets painted white. Glass cupboard doors are lined with textiles to conceal the contents. Subtle design touches include matching the tile grout to the color of the white cabinets. “There are these nuances that talk to each other, but you wouldn’t know it. It plays on the design and makes it feel bigger, lighter, less intrusive.”

For consistency, Bustamante used the same walnut cabinets in the laundry room, which includes a coat closet, pullout pantry and tankless water heater. To bring more light into the home, he replaced the interior doors, including a pocket door between the laundry room and kitchen, with etched-glass doors. “The house is so small that when the doors are closed, I want the light transfer so it doesn’t get dark.”

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Molding around the windows is original, and Bustamante kept the old floor heating vents for nostalgia. The fireplace with brick trim is also original, as are the windows. “I kept the windows because they are just too darn cute. For a little bit of efficiency loss, it’s worth it. It’s part of the charm and you can never get it back.” Lighting, including an “edgy” fixture over the dining table, plays a significant role in embellishing the interior. “The light fixtures are the jewelry of the home. They’ve got to be fantastic,” Bustamante says. To create a more spacious vibe in the bathroom, the homeowner took out the tub, added a frameless slider on the shower and used large-format porcelain floor tiles. He installed the same walnut cabinets and quartz countertops as in the kitchen, and painted the walls black. In the bedrooms, Bustamante converted the closets into custom-made,

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built-in dressers with top and bottom storage. “You gain a ton of room. In these small homes you have to be creative with storage and design.” While creating a modern, efficient, beautiful home is vital, Bustamante emphasizes the importance of maintaining the originality. “Certain things are what make these bungalows so special. If you get rid of that— even though it may not be totally functional—you end up getting rid of the charm. And I think that’s what people are buying here. They really like the charm of East Sac.” To recommend a home or garden for Open House, contact Cathryn Rakich at crakich@surewest.net. More photography and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

Nar Bustamante

READERS NEAR & FAR 1. Kathy and Andy Kingsbury at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. 2. Yvonne and Eddie Fong, Missy and Bob Masuda, David Lim and Ken Fong with Japanese friends in Tokyo, Japan. 3. Sophia and Brandon Monasa in front of the Louvre in Paris, France. 4. Kate and Singer Williams in Poipu, Kauai, with Hawaiian green sea turtles. 5. Donna Ouchida on Deception Island, an active volcano and home to thousands of breeding chinstrap penguins. 6. Mike Sanbongi at the famous Lion Claws in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

Visit our new website at InsideSacramento.com, under â&#x20AC;&#x153;Near & Far,â&#x20AC;? for a map with past readers' photos! You can also submit photos directly from our website. It's never been so easy!

Take a picture with Inside and email a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com or submit directly from our website at InsideSacramento. com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Find us on Facebook and Instagram: InsidePublications.

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Soil for the Soul INTERACTIVE GARDEN PROMOTES PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL GROWTH

Angie Hensley

TMO By Tessa Marguerite Outland Farm-to-Fork

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atching the garden grow with you is a beautiful, physical representation of the journey to healing,” says Kaitlyn Devereaux, novice gardener and apprentice at Shakti Rising, one of four recipients of a 2019 micro-grant awarded by the Sacramento Cooperative Community Fund.

The micro-grants, typically $300 to $700, provide critical one-time funds to promote nutrition, health, a healthy environment and the cooperative movement. Shakti Rising, a nonprofit helping women with histories of addiction, abuse, depression and self-destructive behaviors, launched its Sacramento

location in 2018 at a charming Victorian house called Casa Luna Y Lobos. The holistic organization aims to empower women by cultivating foundational skills for emotional well-being, personal health, leadership, meditation, nutrition and gardening. “We see all of the women who come into Shakti Rising as leaders in their communities and families,” says Angie Hensley, clinical supervisor for the transformational recovery program. “We’re equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to show up and be the powerful presence that they’re capable of being.” With the funds from the micro-grant, Shakti Rising created an educational and interactive garden to serve women in the recovery program. The purpose of the garden is to increase access to nutritional food though an edible and medicinal garden that is advantageous physically, metaphorically and spiritually. When Hensley and other leaders at Shakti Rising got the news that they would receive the grant, Hensley says they were immediately excited and believed it would be an investment in the community. With the introduction of the garden, the organization can continue its growth in creating

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InsideSacramento.com community spaces that are safe, healthy, vibrant, diverse, sustainable and culturally alive. In the center of the garden is a circle of chairs around a table, inviting friends to gather and share the space together. Several chickens ramble about the greenery and a pond stimulates a quiet calm. “We really think about the garden and the space here as a living classroom where we can explore,” Hensley says. There is a hand-painted sign that reads “Food Forest,” and a mural painted with vibrant colors along a wooden fence listing the “Permaculture Principles.” Permaculture is a way of working with the earth that is physically sustainable. The first principle is “observe and interact.” “Before we ever do something in the garden, we take time to notice what’s happening back there—the sun, the creatures—and also how to do this in our lives with new situations,” Hensley says. Other principles include “catch and store energy” and “produce no waste.” Metaphorically, working in the garden can “unearth” problematic personal issues. Hensley says the metaphor of the garden helps the apprentices (women in the transformational recovery program)

have a healthy relationship with food and the earth. “Getting in the garden is one of the biggest impacts in someone’s mental health,” Hensley says. “Not just physically being in the garden, but growing your own food. Some of the ladies that have eating disorders discover that working in the garden brings their relationship with food to a totally different place.” In early recovery, Hensley says many of the young women have “untended” grief, anger or neglect. Toiling in the garden among the amaranth, basil and squash may prompt thoughtful questions. “What am I weeding out of my life?” “How can I nourish this soil?” “What garbage can I put to good use as compost?” Prior to joining Shakti Rising in March 2018, Kaitlyn Devereaux said she struggled with depression and low self-esteem. “I felt like I didn’t have a place or purpose in the world,” she says. “Shakti didn’t give me purpose, but it showed me I always had one. It really saved my life.” Devereaux says before Shakti Rising she had never gardened, and at first it was intimidating to get her hands dirty and make things grow. But soon it became a sacred place for personal as well as agricultural growth. “The

Learn more at: www.BetterAngelsSacramento.org See us on Facebook at @BetterAngelsSac garden is where we take all of our stuff, our problems,” Devereaux says. “Any of our stressors, any heavy energy, we go out there and we work with the garden and it’s like a cleansing. It remediates it into healing.” Hensley agrees that the necessity of the garden for physical, metaphorical and spiritual purposes for the women of Shakti Rising is evident. “The work we put into the garden comes back to us,” she says. “It’s directly sustaining the program.”

THE PURPOSE OF THE GARDEN IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO NUTRITIONAL FOOD THOUGH AN EDIBLE AND

Join the women at Casa Luna Y Lobos for Community Garden Day on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All are welcome. Shakti Rising is at 2211 O St. To attend, RSVP to sage@shaktirising.org. For more information on Shakti Rising, visit shaktirising.org/nor-cal-sacramento.

MEDICINAL

Tessa Marguerite Outland can be reached at tessa.m.outland@gmail. com. Our Inside Sacramento Restaurant Guide and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

AND SPIRITUALLY.

GARDEN THAT IS ADVANTAGEOUS PHYSICALLY, METAPHORICALLY

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L E S S O N S FINDING AUTHENTICITY IN A FAKE CITY

spend a lot of time in Sin City. I know Las Vegas isn’t the place where you’d think a chaplain should visit, but business and family often send me there. Truthfully, I’m never really comfortable there and often feel like something is amiss. Still, I go because my disabled brother who lives there needs my help. Last year, I went to Glitter Gulch to accept a writing award from the annual assembly of the Religion News Association. Despite having such a good reason to go, I still felt out of place. To be clear, RNA members report on religion, but they aren’t necessarily religious. They are a mixed group of

NB By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

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conservatives and liberals, and a few would admit to being atheist. With that diverse crowd, some of you might credit my uneasiness to mixing with liberal journalists. Perhaps, but I am from California. Liberal is part of my regular landscape, so it wasn’t that. Was it the pervasive “sin” of Las Vegas? I’ll admit to feeling a bit awkward staying in a hotel that touted the “most erotic show in Vegas.” At times I was choking on cigarette smoke, stuffed by gluttony and overwhelmed by the sheer number of gaming tables. (Vegas euphemistically calls it gaming, not gambling.) Possibly the “sin” made me uncomfortable. But sin is everywhere you look and, believe me, we all have a tendency to search for it, not just the clergy. No, it wasn’t the sin that had me discombobulated. Honestly, I think it was the overwhelming presence of “fake.” I felt surrounded by bogus happiness and counterfeit winners. That got me thinking—maybe fake and sin are synonymous.

Being fake in your spirit or your presence is wrong (sin) because it doesn’t reflect who God made us to be. And that’s definitely not where we want to be. That’s when I asked myself: Where do we want to be? What’s the opposite of sin? The farthest from fake? Quite possibly, the contrast of fake is authenticity. If so, that would mean the missing component I was searching for was authenticity. Instead of looking at the sin everywhere, I started searching for genuineness. And you know what? I found it. I found it in the smile the restaurant server returned when I smiled at her. I found it in the airline lounge host when I complimented him on the cleanliness of the area. And yes, I found genuineness at the Fountain of Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church, which I attended with my brother. I heard it in the young soloist, the choir that rocked the house and the pastor who spoke trustworthy words. At the conference, I heard it in pastor Lyvonne Proverbs, founder of Beautiful

Scars. After surviving incest, she now calls herself a “sur-thrivor.” I heard realism in the afternoon session where journalists described covering the faith angle in a half dozen mass shootings last year. Authenticity was everywhere in Sin City, but, as in any city, you must look for it. However, I will admit to feeling uneasy over the money I lost. No, I didn’t gamble it away. I really lost it. Somewhere between giving my acceptance speech and walking back to my seat, I lost my award check. No worries, RNA told me that I will recover my missing money. But I suppose that’s what everyone believes when they lose money in Lost Wages, er, I mean Las Vegas. Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. Burkes is available for public speaking at civic organizations, places of worship, veterans groups and more. For details and fees, visit thechaplain.net. n

thumb is to remove no more than 25 percent of live growth at any one time. Maintain the main vertical stem (central leader) on your tree. Never cut off its top. Remove or reduce competing vertical branches. Thin narrowly spaced branches as the tree matures. The Sacramento Tree Foundation advises, “each branch selected for removal should be cut outside the small ridge known as the branch bark collar located where the branch joins the trunk.” Don’t use any form of wound dressing over pruning cuts. Don’t forget that young trees need regular, slow, deep watering during dry weather for the first three years. Mature trees generally need supplemental water, too, depending on their variety. Never assume that lawn sprinklers or drip irrigation will provide sufficient moisture to maintain a tree’s health. A layer of mulch will help preserve moisture. When you plant a tree, you are making an investment for future generations. Just as you teach your children well, train your trees well too. Two free pruning clinics will be offered by the Sacramento Tree Foundation in partnership with SMUD on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Robertson Park in Del Paso Heights, and Saturday, Feb. 1, at Garden Valley Elementary School in South Natomas. For details or to sign up, visit sactree.com/events. Information also is available at sactree. com/pruning with links to videos showing why and how to prune.

Teach Your Trees ESTABLISH GOOD PRUNING HABITS FOR FUTURE SUCCESS ou can’t just plant and forget a landscape tree. Even if you’ve carefully planted it in the best possible spot, your job isn’t done. According to Pamela Sanchez of the Sacramento Tree Foundation, you need to make a commitment to properly train and maintain your new tree for at least eight years. Just as you must instill good behavioral habits in a child or puppy, establish good growth habits in a young tree.

AC By Anita Clevenger Garden Jabber

Trees grow in the wild without any human intervention. Our standards are higher for a tree that is growing in our yard. Attending to a tree’s structure improves its health, safety and aesthetics. Just as a stitch in time saves nine, a snip (or several) will save you time and money over the many years of a tree’s life. When I took UC Master Gardener training nearly 20 years ago, we were told to let trees grow for a couple of years before pruning them. Current research says that a tree may benefit from some judicious pruning in its very first winter. Sanchez says it’s relatively easy to do when the tree is small enough that you can work “standing with your feet on the ground.” During the winter months when a tree is dormant, grab a clean, sharp pair of hand pruners and get to work. It won’t take much. According to Sanchez, “One cut might be enough.” The Arbor

Day Foundation recommends no more than five total cuts a year, regardless of a tree’s age. One of the first steps is to assess the tree, identifying what type of tree it is, its natural shape and its health. Depending on the variety, trees can grow to be columnar, round, oval or have a naturally low canopy. Some trees grow more vigorously than others, so the amount of pruning needed will vary. You may spot dead, broken or crossing branches, or root suckers growing from the base of the tree. You should remove them at any time. Here are some tips for pruning. Retain the lower branches during the first two years after planting because you want as many leaves as possible to generate new growth and to prevent the sun from burning the trunk. Throughout a tree’s life, leaves are essential to its health. A good rule of

The Sacramento Master Gardeners will hold a pruning workshop on how to prune fruit trees, grapevines and berries on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Fair Oaks. For more information, visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Learn about rose pruning from worldrenowned rose expert Stephen Scanniello on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 9 a.m. (climbing roses) and 1 p.m. (shrub roses) at the Historic Rose Garden in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, 1000 Broadway. Details are at www.cemeteryrose.org. Anita Clevenger is a platinum Sacramento County Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, contact the UC Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338 or mgsacramento@ ucanr.edu, or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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TO DO

Beer & Ballet dancers Shania Rasmussen and Anthony Cannarella. Photo by Keith Sutter.

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

JL By Jessica Laskey

Beer & Ballet

Home & Landscape Expo

Sacramento Ballet Jan. 31–Feb. 16 Cunningham-Binda Stage at CLARA, 2420 N St. • sacballet.org Watch dancers unleash creativity through their own choreography under mentor and master choreographer Val Caniparoli. Attendees receive a craft beer, glass of wine or soft drink. A Q&A will follow each performance. Tickets are $60.

Gary Brown Enterprises Jan. 24–26 Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd. • homeandlandscapeexpo.com More than 1,000 exhibits feature everything for the home and garden, with promotions from top sponsors, free workshops and a landscape showcase. Friday noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10; children 12 and younger are free.

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Writers’ Night moderator Jason Hinojosa.

Writers’ Night: The Art of Fiction Sacramento Country Day School Wednesday, Jan. 15, 6–8 p.m. 2636 Latham Drive • saccds.org/writersnight SCDS English teacher and author Jason Hinojosa moderates a panel discussion on the art of fiction. This series features professional writers discussing aspects of both craft and career followed by a reception. Home & Landscape Expo at Cal Expo.

The Field by John B. Keane Black Point Theatre Jan. 24–Feb. 16 California Stage, 2509 R St. • blackpointtheatre.org Black Point’s inaugural production, set in a small village in southwest Ireland in 1965, is a funny, fierce, tender story of the love a man has for the land and what he is willing to do to make it his own. Tickets are $20 general; $15 SARTA members/students/seniors. Opening weekend tickets are $15.

Ali Youssefi Project Artist in Residence Exhibits Verge Center for the Arts Through Feb. 16 625 S St. • vergeart.com Verge presents two concurrent solo shows: “Before You Were This Place, You Were Another Place” by Jodi Connelly, and “Backstitch” by Michael Pribich. The Ali Youssefi Project was created in honor of the late local developer and humanitarian Ali Youssefi.

Requiem and Star Gazing Archival Gallery Jan. 8–Feb. 1 Second Saturday reception: Jan. 11, 6 p.m. 3223 Folsom Blvd. • archivalgallery.com DL Thomas presents “Requiem,” a collection of ceramic masks. Jesse Bravo presents “Star Gazing,” historical black and white photography featuring the iconic photo of the Beatles descending the airplane steps on their first American visit. Landscapes and still lifes by Jian Wang will be on display on the front wall.

Dear Evan Hansen Broadway Sacramento Jan. 15–26 Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St. • broadwaysacramento.com Winner of six Tony Awards (including Best Musical), this is a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary show about a letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told and a life Evan never dreamed he could have. Tickets start at $48.

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The Most Anticipated Show of the Year

Gary Brown Enterprises wants to invite you to the

26th ANNIVERSARY of the

Northern California Home & Landscape Expo. This is the only show with over 1,000 exhibits and 600 different companies offering their very best pricing, show specials and newest products for one weekend only!

FREE Chalk Paint Classes & new Make & Take Craft Center Home Accessories Sale!

California Pets Showcase See some of the latest in pet products and services at this new show feature along with cool giveaways and animal adoptions from the SPCA!

how S g i B e Th ! o p x E l a C at

January 24 - 26, 2020 • Cal Expo, Sacramento Friday 12 pm – 7pm • Saturday 10 am – 6 pm • Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

www.HomeandLandscapeExpo.com FOR SHOW SPECIALS AND COMPLETE DETAILS Enjoy over 1,000 exhibits! Exclusive 2 for 1 admission offer valid with advance purchase only ~ $10 savings Use promo code: Inside26

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Offer ends 1-26-20

LANDSCAPE SHOWCASE Featured Designers ł CreativeScapes Landscape Design ł Roberta Walker Landscape Design ł Holt Landscape, Inc. ł Clearwater Landscape Design

Outdoor Living Workshops from top speakers include:

Gary Brown Enterprises, producers of the Northern California Home & Landscape Expo, has developed a reputation for not only having the best ‘home show’ but also the most landscaping for gardening enthusiasts to enjoy!

The Outdoor Room maximizing your outdoor environment for form, function and beauty

You won’t want to miss this year’s beautiful landscape display gardens featuring the latest design trends. This is also the place to have your gardening questions answered and learn ways to enhance your own landscape.

by Michael Glassman

•

The steps that will help you create a beautiful, low maintenance & sustainable landscape

Landscape Showcase Sponsored by:

by Roberta Walker

•

Landscape Lighting, the Difference Maker by Jay Martinez, JVM Landscape Construction, Inc.

•

Furnitalia, Northern California’s premier contemporary design center will have a featured area at the Show bringing in top European manufacturers, furnishings, designers and the modern design trends so popular today.

The World of Succulents ~ learn basic care, planting and landscaping with succulents By Andrea MacDonald, Sacramento Master Gardener

For full schedule check: www.homeandlandscapeexpo.com/seminars

Learn From The Best!

Enter to Win!

Free workshops are being held on a variety of popular topics throughout the weekend as well as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry experts are ready to help with your remodeling project. Hall's Window Center is back with their Door a Day Giveaway... one winner is selected daily.

Eberle Remodeling, NARI

Renewal by Andersen's $15,000 ’Best in Glass' Sweepstakes.

The

Win a complete $10,000 GARAGE MAKEOVER, including flooring, storage, paint and more!

A $5,000 winner will be chosen each day of the Expo.

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Award-winning Fairytale Town Troupers.

North Star Trio’s (from left) Kristen Autry, Lynn Schugren and Alexandra Roedder.

North Star Trio

Fairytale Town Troupers Auditions

Sacramento Community Concert Association Sunday, Jan. 26, 3 p.m. Riverside United Methodist Church, 803 Vallejo Way • sccaconcerts.org Kristen Autry on violin, Alexandra Roedder on cello and Lynn Schugren on piano perform works by new composers, as well as women composers from all eras. Tickets are $25; students 5 to 24 are $5.

Fairytale Town Monday, Jan. 27, 4–7 p.m. 3901 Land Park Drive • fairytaletown.org The award-winning Fairytale Town Troupers holds auditions for actors and singers for two shows during the 2020 season. The program is open to youth 5 to 18. No theatrical experience needed. Audition appointments required.

Humanitarian Crisis for Migrants – Continues

Winter Wander

National Council of Jewish Women Sacramento Sunday, Jan. 5, 3–5 p.m. Congregation B’nai Israel, 3600 Riverside Blvd. • ncjwsac.org Join advocacy groups for a panel discussion highlighting their work to support asylum seekers, immigrants, and children and families in detention centers, as part of NCJW’s Speaker Series Call to Action.

Beatnik Studios Through Feb. 7 723 S St. • beatnikstudios.com This group exhibition, featuring the work of artists Melissa Arendt, Sarah Golden and Yelena Martynovskaya, connects the viewer to the contemplative nature of the winter landscape in a tranquil palette with bursts of color and texture.

Granville Redmond: The Eloquent Palette Crocker Art Museum Jan. 26–May 17 216 O St. • crockerart.org This exhibition—the largest ever assembled and the first in more than 30 years—includes 75 oil paintings by painter Granville Redmond, best known for his colorful Impressionist oils depicting the California landscape ablaze with poppies and other native flora.

Landscape Tree Pruning Sacramento Master Gardeners Saturday, Jan. 11, 2–3 p.m. Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library, 7335 Gloria Drive • sacmg.ucanr.edu Join Sacramento County Master Gardeners to learn the basics of pruning landscape trees, including tips on proper tools and techniques, basic cuts and the correct time of year to ensure trees heal properly.

“Fragmented Landscape” by Melissa Arendt at Beatnik Studios.

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Broadway Sacramento’s Dear Evan Hansen at Memorial Auditorium.

Classical Concert: Christina Mok and Miles Graber Crocker Art Museum Sunday, Jan. 12, 3 p.m. 216 O St. • crockerart.org Inspired by Otis Oldfield’s painting “White Dress” in the Crocker’s permanent collection, violinist Christina Mok and pianist Miles Graber present French composer Olivier Messiaen’s “Theme and Variations,” as well as sonatas by Debussy and Fauré. Tickets are $10 museum members/students/ youth; $20 nonmembers.

Hidden English Records Genealogical Association of Sacramento Wednesday, Jan. 15, 11 a.m. Belle Cooledge Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive • gensac.org Speaker Bill Cole will discuss the unknown treasure troves of hidden English records. Newcomers are welcome and the meeting is open to the public.

Global Rhythms: Marta Pereira da Costa Crocker Art Museum Thursday, Jan. 23, 6:30 p.m. 216 O St. • crockerart.org Fado guitarist Marta Pereira da Costa presents contemporary Portuguese music. Tickets are $15 members; $25 nonmembers; $50 for a member series pass. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Tom Rhatigan (left) and Thomas Dean in The Field at Black Point Theatre.

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Sounds of Hope

Jon Archuleta, Tom Lazet, Megan Wetzel, Chris Gray and Sohail Al-Jamea

LOCAL BAND EXPLORES THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC

JL By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

POC JAN n 20

hen Sohail Al-Jamea first moved to Sacramento in summer 2017, one of the first things he did was form a band. “Forming a band is the best way to meet people,” says Al-Jamea, a video animator for McClatchy Studios who “city-hopped” from his hometown of Burlingame to San Francisco to New York City to Washington, D.C., before returning to California to be closer to family. “As soon as I get to a new city, I post an ad for bandmates on Craigslist.” Though that may sound like a dicey way of meeting creative collaborators, Al-Jamea has had incredible luck finding like-minded musicians on Craigslist. The band he had in D.C. for three years was assembled the same way, so he was certain this one would be no different. Guitarist Chris Gray was the first to respond and, true to form, he and Al-Jamea hit it off right away. What Al-Jamea didn’t know at the time was how much he was going to need that new musical connection. Just two months later, Al-Jamea’s baby daughter Ivy was diagnosed with Stage 3 lymphoma. Over the next two years of treatment, AlJamea says his daughter experienced “every complication imaginable,” including being put on life support three times. While spending every waking moment at Ivy’s bedside alongside his wife and mother-in-law, Al-Jamea did what made the most sense—he played his daughter music. “Ivy has always loved music,” says Al-Jamea, a guitarist since age 16. (He was hooked on the instrument during high school when his math teacher would play acoustic sets in class every Friday.) “Even when she was in a drug-induced state, I would play and sing to her.” Though Al-Jamea’s plans for the new band had to be put on hold at

the beginning of Ivy’s treatment, he eventually returned to practice with Gray. The bandmates welcomed singer Megan Wetzel the following January and bassist Tom Lazet that spring, and officially named their group Ember Valley after the California wildfires. (They’ve also worked with a revolving cast of drummers, including Jenny Klug of Clevers.) “Music became incredibly therapeutic for me,” Al-Jamea says. “Band practice was the only time during the week when I wasn’t freaking out about my daughter. It was incredibly freeing to be there during such tough times. My bandmates were incredibly supportive, like family.” That musical family was also incredibly helpful for Wetzel, who had survived a head-on collision with a drunk driver just two years prior and had been in a “long musical drought” before joining Ember Valley. Out of those dark times have risen the beautifully hopeful songs collected on the band’s first EP, “Welcome Back,” which was released on all major music-streaming platforms last March. The title song is a tribute to the message hospital staff would leave on the whiteboard for Ivy whenever she returned to the hospital during her illness—a glimmer of hope and connection that meant so much to her family. Likewise, the song “Atmosphere”—which Al-Jamea started composing when Ivy was on life support for the second time— became something of a mantra, a reminder of life’s silver linings. Ember Valley’s unique combination of heartfelt lyrics and classic alternative sound found fast success when an early demo of the first single, “Home,” was commissioned by McClatchy Studios to be the opening theme of the award-winning documentary series “Ground Game: Texas” (a real-time look at the 2018

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This lovely orange has beautiful crimson flesh and a pitted skin. It makes a spectacular juice for drinking plain or adding to cocktails. To eat: Segment and use in a salad.

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Monthly Market A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN JANUARY

“ “

BROCCOLI

This healthful cruciferous vegetable is available much of the year, from September through June. It’s a member of the cabbage family.

MUSIC BECAME INCREDIBLY

To eat: Steam or roast at high heat in the oven with olive oil and salt.

THERAPEUTIC FOR ME. BAND PRACTICE WAS THE ONLY TIME DURING THE WEEK WHEN I WASN’T FREAKING OUT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER. IT WAS INCREDIBLY FREEING TO BE THERE DURING SUCH TOUGH TIMES. MY BANDMATES WERE INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE, LIKE FAMILY.

Texas Senate race between Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz). McClatchy Studios used another Ember Valley song for the theme of its Facebook Watch series “The War Within,” which chronicles three veterans’ struggles to overcome the hidden effects of war. And last summer, the band embarked on a tour of California to celebrate the official release of its five-song EP and bring its message of hope to the masses.

„

“There are a lot of emotions poured into these songs,” Al-Jamea says. “Hopefully people can feel that.” For more information, visit embervalleymusic.com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

SWEET POTATO This large, starchy, sweettasting root vegetable is a great source of betacarotene.

To eat: Roast the flesh and use instead of pumpkin for a delicious Southern pie.

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Legendary Lineup NEW BREWERY MARRIES AWARD-WINNING BEER WITH BARBECUE

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

POC JAN n 20

remember when I first heard about Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse. My good friend and founder of Sacramento Beer Week, Dan Scott, told me about it while we sipped beers at The Shack, one of Sacramento’s best beer bars. “Did ya hear about Rob Archie’s new project?” he asked. “Rob? The owner of Pangaea Bier Café? Home of one of California’s great burgers and one of the best beer programs in the United States?” I asked back. “Yeah. That Rob. He’s opening a brewery,” Dan said. “That’s great,” I replied. “I didn’t know he brewed.” “That’s the best part,” he said. “Peter Hoey is doing the brewing.”

“What?!?” I yelped. “THE Peter Hoey? Former brewer at the original Sacramento Brewing Company? Brewer of Odanata, one of Sacramento’s legendary craft brews? A veritable industry legend and local brewing rock star?” “Yup,” Dan said. “But wait, it gets better. It’s going to be two minutes from your house.” It was at this point in the conversation that I believe I passed out. I could not have created a better food/beer pairing than Rob Archie and Peter Hoey had I been left alone in a lab. Their vision and execution of Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse speaks to their collective decades in the food and beverage world. Every element of the enterprise, from the beers to the brisket, from the wooden benches to the tile bar backsplash, speak to a care and confidence unique among the girthy brewing scene in town. The menu, executed impressively by executive chef Greg Desmangles, looks like a basic barbecue lineup at first glance. Dig deeper and you’ll find an expression of Southern roots at work: pork-rich greens and teeth-achinglysweet whipped yams with marshmallow being the most obvious examples. Keep looking at the menu and sampling its constituent parts and you’ll find a spot-on southern fried catfish with its perfectly turned out cornmeal crust. It pairs, dare I say elegantly, with a house-made remoulade. There are tips of the hat to Louisiana with hot links and jambalaya, and even a modern twist with a vegan mushroom gumbo.

There are touches of Mexico (a brilliant smoked turkey torta with cotija cheese, avocado, red beans and pickled jalapenos), Texas (brisket tacos and Central Texas-style sausage) and California (beer, with a Belgian twist of course). The brisket is the most popular, Archie told me in a recent conversation. And you can see why. It’s just lovely brisket, sporting a gorgeous pink smoke ring and sitting right on the edge of holding together and falling apart at the tenderest bite. Have it in a plate with any one of the four house-made sauces, or in the “Texas dip” with caramelized onion aioli, melted provolone and au jus all on a rustic country roll. The ribs, a table of friends decided, are “ridiculously meaty.” Peppered and smoky and indulgent, they pair well with the Kansas City-style sweet barbecue sauce or the mellow mustard. They downright sing when matched with the peppered cheddar grits. Those grits, by the way, are about as immoral as grits get with chunks of cracked pepper and enough cheese to stop a tank. The beers must be pretty exceptional to stand up to such an exciting menu. And indeed they are. Before the doors even opened in 2018, Hoey was winning medals for first batches. “Like Riding A Bike” is the name given to UR’s flagship IPA and their No. 1 selling beer. As the name implies, Hoey returned to Sacramento in prime form. From simple styles like Mexican amber lager (think Negra Modelo) to an insanely ambitious peanut butter

and jelly Scotch ale (there’s nothing you can think of to compare), the beers are simply exceptional. The accolades are already rolling in. Opportunities to collaborate with brewers all over the world are popping up regularly. “You’ve got to be pretty damned exceptional to stand out in the craft brewing world right now,” said Archie when I asked him about saturation in the market. Drop by Urban Roots some time and you’ll see what exceptional looks like. Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse is at 1322 V St.; urbanrootsbrewing.com; (916) 706-3741.

THE PRESS BISTRO On Dec. 31, The Press Bistro served its last meal. For over a decade, Chef David English and his staff put out some of Sacramento’s best and most approachable fare. I loved the food, the atmosphere and the ethos behind everything there. I will personally miss it and want to thank Chef English and his dedicated staff for the years of joy their enterprise brought me and anyone else who had the fortune to walk through its doors. It will be missed. Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. Our Inside Sacramento Restaurant Guide and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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Freedom Flight VOLUNTEER GROUP GIVES WILDLIFE A SECOND CHANCE

he twilight sky is amber with hints of rust from the late summer sun. Towering 300-year-old oak trees canopy the expansive lawn. We gather at the edge of a grass knoll overlooking acres of lush grape vines laden with fruit almost ripe for fall harvest. Everyone is still. Debby Duvall, a volunteer with the Wildlife Care Association, stands before us with two plastic pet carriers, each holding an orphaned

CR By Cathryn Rakich Pets and Their People

POC JAN n 20

barn owl. A young guest is her assistant for the evening. They both don heavy leather falconry gloves. Unlatching the first carrier’s metal door, Duvall gently pulls out the imprisoned bird, and instructs her guest assistant to grip the owl’s legs while she holds the bird in position for release, the owl’s fierce talons gripping the sturdy gloves for balance. Raising their arms in unison toward the sprawling vineyard, the sun casting a glow across the landscape, the duo release their grip on the regal creature. The crowd watches trance-like as the majestic bird of prey recaptures his freedom. A low murmur of awe and relief weaves through the crowd as we suppress our applause until the second captive barn owl is set free and disappears into the night sky.

The orphaned owlets were brought to WCA in 2019. Volunteers hand-fed the pair until they were old enough to eat on their own. The next stop was an outdoor flight cage with a nesting box where the young birds stayed until they could fly and were old enough—4 to 6 months—to be released. WCA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of local wildlife, holds these fundraising owl-release events in July and August each year at Heringer Estates Family Vineyards in Clarksburg. Heringer practices sustainable and pesticide-free farming, which makes the winery the ideal location to give fauna a second chance at a wild existence. In addition to the owl release, WCA volunteers educate the crowd

regarding native wildlife with “ambassador” animals. Guests bring picnics, taste wine, participate in a drawing and bid in a silent auction where two winners will assist with the owl release. “The silent auction winner gets to release an owl under my supervision,” says Duvall, who has been volunteering for WCA for 29 years. “I can’t explain the joy it gives me to give someone such an experience of a lifetime. Rehabbers get used to doing it all the time … we forget how exciting it is for the average person to be so close to a wild animal, let alone touch it and help to release it.” Despite their dedication to the owls and all wildlife, the volunteers never give names to animals that are being rehabbed for release. “It implies they are pets when members of the public

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916.329.8484 Just Your Style.com hear you calling them by a name,” Duvall says. “It is very important to not treat or portray wildlife like pets or domestic animals.” WCA was established in 1975, getting its start with prominent naturalists M.B. Goodier, Effie Yeaw and William B. Pond. More than 6,000 sick, orphaned and injured animals—from squirrels, raccoons and opossums to songbirds, raptors and crows—find medical care each year by WCA volunteers, staff and local veterinarians. Once the animals have recovered from injury or illness, or have matured and learned to hunt and fend for themselves, they are released into the wild.

WCA is located at 5211 Patrol Road in McClellan. If you find a sick, orphaned or injured wild animal, leave a message on the wildlife care hotline at (916) 965-9453 and a volunteer will call you back as soon as possible (see sidebar). For information on WCA, including how to donate or volunteer, visit wildlifecareassociation.com. Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@surewest.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

YOU FOUND A WILD ANIMAL —NOW WHAT?

ccording to the Wildlife Care Association, there are five important steps to follow when rescuing a sick, orphaned or injured wild animal:

1. Place the animal in a secure, dark container. 2. Keep the container in a warm (80–90 degrees) draft-free place. If the animal is very young (incomplete feathers, hairless, eyes still shut), place a heating pad set to low underneath the container. If the animal is older, place half the container on the heating pad set to low so the animal can choose its preferred temperature. 3. Stay calm and quiet around the animal. Do not disturb it. Avoid peeking in the container. 4. Do not feed the animal or give it fluids. 5. Leave a message on the WCA hotline at (916) 965-9453 and a volunteer will call back as soon as possible with instructions on where to take the animal.

Sacramento’s Most Comprehensive Restaurant Guide is now available @

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Never keep the animal or try to treat it yourself. Wild animals should never be kept as pets. And always use caution when handling wildlife, including wearing heavy gloves. – Cathryn Rakich

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DOWNTOWN Cafeteria 15L Classic American dishes with millennial ﬂavor 1116 15th Street • 916.492.1960 cafeteria15l.com

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters Award-winning roasters 3rd and Q Sts. • chocolateﬁshcoffee.com

de Vere’s Irish Pub A lively and authentic Irish family pub 1521 L Street • 916.231.9947 deverespub.com

Mayahuel

Old Soul

Mexican cuisine with a wide-ranging tequila menu 1200 K Street • 916.441.7200 experiencemayahuel.com

Artisan pastries and roasted coffee 1716 L Street (rear alley) • oldsoulco.com

Old Soul Artisan pastries and roasted coffee 555 Capitol Mall • oldsoulco.com

A cheese-centric food and wine bar 1801 L Street # 40 • 916.441.7463 therindsacramento.com

Preservation & Company

Zocolo

Preserving delicious produce from local farms 1717 19th Street #B • 916.706.1044 preservationandco.com

Tastes inspired by the town square of Mexico City 1801 Capitol Avenue • 916.441.0303 zocalosacramento.com

INSIDE’S

Solomon’s Delicatessen

Downtown & Vine

Opening summer of 2018 730 K Street • Solomonsdelicatessen.com

Taste and compare the region’s best wines 1200 K Street, #8 • 916.228.4518 downtownandvine.com

South

Ella Dining Room & Bar New American farm-to-fork cuisine 1131 K Street • 916.443.3772 elladiningroomandbar.com

Timeless traditions of Southern cooking 2005 11th Street • 916.382.9722 weheartfriedchicken.com

OLD SAC Fat City Bar & Cafe

Esquire Grill

The Rind

MIDTOWN Biba Ristorante Italiano

The Firehouse Restaurant

Federalist Public House

The city’s quintessential dining destination 926 J St. • 916.492.4450 grangesacramento.com

Hot Italian

Mexican cuisine in a festive, colorful setting 2730 J Street • 916.442.2552 paragarys.com

The premiere dining destination in historic setting 1112 2nd Street • 916.442.4772 ﬁrehouseoldsac.com

Signature woodﬁred pizzas and local craft beers 2009 Matsui Alley • 916.661.6134 federalistpublichouse.com

Rio City Café

Lowbrau Bierhalle

California-inspired menu on the riverfront 1110 Front Street • 916.442.8226 riocitycafe.com

Modern-rustic German beer hall 1050 20th Street • 916.452.7594 lowbrausacramento.com

Willie’s Burgers

Old Soul at The Weatherstone

A quirky burger joint 110 K Street • 916.444.2006 williesburgers.com

Artisan pastries and roasted coffee 812 21st Street • oldsoulco.com

Paragary’s

Remarkable pizza in modern Italian setting 1627 16th Street • 916.492.4450 hotitalian.net

THE HANDLE

La Consecha by Mayahuel

Unmatched sweet sophistication 1801 L Street, #60 • 916.706.1738 gingerelizabeth.com

The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar

Mulvaney’s Building & Loan

Revolution Wines

Casual Mexican in a lovely park setting 917 9th Street • 916.970.5354 lacosechasacramento.com

Ma Jong Asian Diner A colorful & casual spot for all food Asian 1431 L Street • 916.442.7555 majongs.com

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates

Farm-fresh New American cuisine 1215 19th Street • 916.441.6022 mulvaneysbl.com

Camellia Waldorf School We will be hosting special Open House • •

Playdate for Preschool and Kindergarten Feb. 8 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Elementary & Middle School Feb. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

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LAND PARK Casa Garden Restaurant Outstanding dining in a garden setting 2760 Sutterville Rd. • 916.452.2809 casagardenrestaurant.org

Freeport Bakery

Specializing in housemade salumi and cocktails 1050 20th Street • 916.476.6306 blockbutcherbar.com

Firestone Public House

Grange Restaurant & Bar

Classic European with locally sourced ingredients 2000 Capitol Ave. • 916.498.9891 waterboyrestaurant.com

Block Butcher Bar

Centro Cocina Mexicana

Fine Chinese dining in an elegant interior 806 L Street • 916.442.7092 frankfats.com

The Waterboy

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters

American cuisine served in a casual historic Old Sac location 1001 Front Street • 916.446.6768 fatsrestaurants.com

Frank Fat’s

2200 K Street • 2829 S Street 1010 9th Street • templecoffee.com

Legendary chef, cookbook author Biba Caggiano 2801 Capitol Avenue • 916.455.2422 biba-restaurant.com

Classic dishes in a sleek urban design setting 1213 K Street • 916.448.8900 paragarys.com

Hip and happy sports bar with great food 1132 16th Street • 916.446.0888 ﬁrestonepublichouse.com

Temple Coffee Roasters

French inspired bistro in chic new environment 1401 28th Street • 916.457.5737 • paragarys.com

A focus on all things local 2718 J Street • 916.706.2275 • theredrabbit.net

Urban winery and kitchen 2831 S Street • 916.444.7711 • rev.wine

Open Summer 2018 • 2940 Freeport Blvd. chocolateﬁshcoffee.com

Award-winning neighborhood bakery 2966 Freeport Blvd. • 916.442.4256 freeportbakery.com

Iron Grill A mecca to hearty eating 2422 13th Street • 916.737.5115 irongrillsacramento.com

Riverside Clubhouse Traditional Amercian classic menu 2633 Riverside Blvd. • 916.448.9988 riversideclubhouse.com

Selland’s Market-Café Family-friendly neighborhood café 915 Broadway • 916. 732.3390 sellands.com

Taylor’s Market & Kitchen A reputation for service & quality 2900 & 2924 Freeport Blvd • 916.443.5154 taylorsmarket.com

Vic’s Ice Cream & Café Family owned since 1947 3199 Riverside Blvd. • 916.448.0892 vicsicecream.com

Willie’s Burgers A quirky burger joint 2415 16th Street • 916.444.2006 williesburgers.com

Woodlake Tavern Sac Natural Foods Co-Op Omnivore, vegan, raw, paleo, organic, glutenfree and carnivore sustenance 2820 R Street • 916.455.2667 • sac.coop

Sun & Soil Juice Company Raw, organic nutrition from local farms 1912 P Street • 916.341.0327 • sunandsoiljuice.com

Suzie Burger Burgers, cheesesteaks and other delights 2820 P Street • 916.455.3500 • suzieburger.com

Tapa the World Traditional Spanish & world cuisine 2115 J Street • 916.442.4353 tapatheworld.com

1431 Del Paso Blvd • 916.514.0405 woodlaketavern.com n

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