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UPDATED POCKET HALFPLEX All fresh interior paint, all new carpet, new light ¿xtures, remodeled master bedroom and bath, laundry room and half bath. Move in ready 3 bedroom 2½ bath. Both the family room and the master open to the low maintenance backyard and built in spa. Just steps from the levee and in the Didion school district $369,000 PAULA SWAYNE 425-9715

INCREDIBLE SLP PROPERTY You’ll have to look twice or three times at this fabulous property. The larger residence has 3 bedrooms, gourmet kitchen and 2 baths on the upper level. It has a lower level with kitchenette, living room, big bedroom and bath. PLUS a connected 2 Bed 2 bath, separate unit. $975,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395, CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

pending

CONVENIENT POCKET HALFPLEX Clean and ready to go... Enjoy this conveniently located two story, 3 bedroom, 2½ bath halfplex with 1481 sq ft and a 2-car garage. Kitchen has been updated with granite and tile, living room ¿replace, dining area, inside laundry, easy care yard. Close to parks, river and shopping. $309,000 PATRICK VOGELI 207-4515

pending

STONELAKE ELK GROVE Amazing spacious home with 5 bedrooms, 3 bath. Wonderful Àoor plan with natural light and high ceilings. Upgraded maple cabinets, granite counter tops, designer tile Àoors and more. Large 3-car garage. Fantastic covered patio. Excellent schools! Fabulous club house, community pool, gym. $439,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

pending

TUCKED AWAY SLP Convenient Jennywood Development, a must see to appreciate. Spacious, bright 2 story 3 bedroom 3½ bath home in a planned unit development on a quiet cul-de-sac. Huge wrap around yard with gazebo, ready for your personal touch. Plenty of storage space! $449,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

RIVERLAKE CUSTOM Rare single story home in Riverlake! 4 bedrooms 3 baths, you will love the outdoor view of the low maintenance backyard. Great for entertaining with the nice Àow from the entry all the way through to the large family room. Overnight guests can enjoy the remote 4th bedroom and bath. $575,000 PAULA SWAYNE 425-9715

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FANTASTIC REMODEL 3 bedrooms 2 baths, gorgeous kitchen, laminate Àoors, updated bathrooms, quality carpet, quartz counter top, beautiful white cabinets, updated appliances, blinds and dual pane windows. Crown molding, baseboards, paint inside and out and much more. You will love it! $388,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

SWEET SOUTH LAND PARK Lovingly cared for but original, it feels like home. Open the front door and view the beautiful, spacious backyard through the large living room picture window. Family room quarter-round ¿replace. 2 bedroom in established neighborhood of South Land Park Terrace. $435,000 PAULA SWAYNE 425-9715

pending

SLP MID-CENTURY HOME High on the hill on one of the best streets in South Land Park Hills. Extremely rare large single story 5 bedroom with huge yard. Super high quality roof is 2 years new. Brand new designer carpet in family room, quality paint in and out. 2 ¿replaces, built-in desk, tons of storage. $600,900 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

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INSIDE

EAST SACRAMENTO McKINLEY PARK RIVER PARK ELMHURST TAHOE PARK CAMPUS COMMONS

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SEPTEMBER 16

2016

S A C R A M E N T O ' S P R E M I E R F R E E C I T Y M O N T H LY

THE GRID

By Miles Hermann

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

COVER ARTIST Andy Heckman This oil painting of Avocados was selected for an Inside Publisher's Award at the 2016 California State Fair Fine Art Competition. Heckman lives in Clovis and is a custom portrait painter.

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

info@insidepublications.com EDITOR Marybeth Bizjak mbbizjak@aol.com PRODUCTION M.J. McFarland DESIGN Cindy Fuller PHOTOGRAPHY Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel AD COORDINATOR Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster DISTRIBUTION Lauren Hastings lauren@insidepublications.com ACCOUNTING Jim Hastings, Daniel Nardinelli, Adrienne Kerins

916-443-5087 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 75,000 households in Sacramento. Printing and distribution costs are paid entirely by advertising revenue. We spotlight selected advertisers, but all other stories are determined solely by our editorial staff and are not influenced by advertising. No portion may be reproduced mechanically or electronically without written permission of the publisher. All ad designs & editorial—©

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

PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings

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NEW ACCOUNTS: A.J. Holm 916.340.4793 direct AJ@insidepublications.com Ann Tracy 916.798-2136 direct AT@insidepublications.com Duffy Kelly 916.224.1604 direct DK@insidepublications.com

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@insidesacbook

SEPTEMBER 16 VOL. 3 • ISSUE 8 7 8 10 12 16 18 22 26 32 34 38 42 44 48 50

A New Page A Few Feet Of Land Inside City Hall Pocket Life Farm To Fork That's The Spirit! All-Access Pass Thirsty Trees Artful Addition Artist Preview Heating Up Spirit Matters To Do Artist Spotlight Oak Park Culinary Delights

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A New Page WE’VE JUST PUBLISHED OUR FIRST BOOK!

he tables are going to be turned on us in the next few months as we release our new book, “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” While usually it is our writers on our pages who tell our vital local stories, we will be reaching out to the rest of Sacramento’s media to help us promote the new book.

Honestly, I grew tired of Sacramento’s not getting the respect it deserves as a place to live or a destination to visit. One of the questions I’ll be asked to answer is why we published this book. Honestly, I grew tired of Sacramento’s not getting the respect it deserves as a place to live or a destination to visit. Sacramento hasn’t marketed itself especially well, especially the great neighborhood experiences our city offers. We rarely show up on lists of great places to live

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher

or visit in magazines or on websites. I’m convinced that it is because there is nothing published that extols our virtues. A similar book, called “This Is Oakland” by Melissa Davis and Kristen Loken, inspired me. After seeing what they’d created for another underrated city, I knew Sacramento was ripe for a similar approach to help us create a new civic image. The Oakland book profiled 90 places in seven city neighborhoods. We identified eight city neighborhoods: Downtown, Old Sac, Midtown, R Street, The Handle, Oak Park, Land Park and East Sac. Originally, I thought we would be able to find only 70 places to eat, shop and explore in those neighborhoods.

But as we delved into the selection process, we quickly realized we would go well beyond 70 places. When we were done, we had tallied 101 great places! While a handful of places we selected were not available for photography or didn’t fit our photo format, we quickly found other places that were worthy of inclusion.

Creating this book was a challenge, but it was also greatly rewarding. While our 20-plus years of publishing proved helpful, the book publishing PUBLISHER page 9

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A Few Feet of Land ALONG THE LEVEE, PROPERTY LINES CAN GET FUZZY

s heists go, stealing a city park in broad daylight isn’t exactly the Brinks job, but it demonstrates a certain flair. It’s not easy to steal a public park. A thief can’t just pick the land up when no one’s looking, throw it into the back of a van and drive away. To steal a city park, our thief must be clever, must nibble around the edges, slice off chunks here and there, quietly and secretly converting public space to private use in a way that makes it seem as if nothing whatsoever has happened, attracting no suspicion. And it helps, once the crime is discovered, if the victimized city is willing to shrug its shoulders and move on—like it has bigger problems on its plate and so much abundant park acreage that a few hundred feet of stolen public property won’t be missed, even though, unlike a stolen city truck or stolen city lawnmower, stolen city parkland can’t be replaced. The story of the stolen public park and the blind-eyed city isn’t a crime drama I made up. The scenario described here unfolded in Sacramento, off Pocket Road along the Sacramento River levee parkway, on two dead-end courts called Chicory Bend and Rivershore. Two years ago, while making a survey of property lines and public easements along the levee, the city

RG By R.E. Graswich

Chris Conlin

discovered that two homeowners had quietly and secretly expanded their backyards by building wooden fences about 11 feet beyond their property lines onto city park property. From the look of the fences, the heist happened years ago. The people who currently occupy the homes told city authorities the misbegotten

fences were already in place when they bought the properties. County records indicate the homes were last sold in 2002 and 2005. They are worth around $600,000 each. The current owners portray themselves as innocent beneficiaries of a wayward fence. And they may really be innocent. But as defenses

go, ignorance of the hot provenance of your stolen goods generally doesn’t allow you to keep the loot. No matter, the city has been willing to overlook the theft. When I spoke with Sacramento’s director of parks and recreation, a retired Marine Corps colonel named Chris Conlin, he told me the stolen parkland “wasn’t a high priority.” He gave me the sense he would rather forget the whole thing. I pushed back on Conlin, asking how a city official, having been made aware of a theft involving public property—I actually used the words “unlawful conversion,” because that’s what lawyers would call it—could stand by and take no action. What if this were a lawnmower or a truck? “We have to be discretionary in our enforcement actions,” he said. “Wouldn’t you rather have your city focus on more important issues involving safety, rather than a tiny area of parkland that gets very little use?” No, I told him, I wouldn’t. And I said I hoped city officials would do their job and enforce the law and not set precedents by allowing homeowners to steal chunks of parkland, regardless of whether the park was busy or not. And I said I didn’t expect the city to prosecute the Pocket homeowners, but to perhaps send them a nononsense letter informing them we want our land back, now please move your fences. If they choose to argue the matter before a judge, fine, that’s why Sacramento employs a city attorney. But action must be taken, or so I thought.

POCKET page 11

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PUBLISHER FROM page 7 business is different and required us to learn new skills. Creating a book like this takes a very talented team. I am blessed to have one. The fabulous work of our photographers, Aniko Kiezel and Rachel Valley, speaks for itself on every page. Jessica Laskey wrote the descriptions of each place and managed the relationships with the participants. Graphic designer Brian Burch helped guide me in creating the beautiful book design. Longtime book publisher Helen Sweetland, now of Left Coast Book Works here in Sacramento, was invaluable in helping me negotiate the world of book publishing, printing and distribution. And I am grateful to Bob Graswich for contributing his expert editing skills. My husband Jim deserves a great deal of credit for keeping our business and home life running smoothly while I took nearly a year away from both to create this book. And I am very grateful to my publication

staff members Daniel Nardinelli, Cindy Fuller, Michael McFarland, Marybeth Bizjak, Linda Smolek, Lisa Schmidt and Lauren Hastings, who contributed design, photography, editing, distribution or web skills. I am also grateful to the smallbusiness owners who welcomed us into their places, shared their stories with us and helped us with book sales. They truly inspire us. Here is the introduction to the book so you can better understand why we pursued this project.

INTRODUCTION TO “INSIDE SACRAMENTO” Sacramento is known as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. No other major American city is more centrally located amid so many small, family-owned farms, ranches and vineyards—all producing year-round in our ideal Mediterranean climate. Sacramento adopted the Farm-to-Fork Capital designation through the efforts of civic and business leaders who wanted to sing the praises of our local foodgrowing and food-making experience.

Sacramento is also home to one of the largest farmers markets in the state: the famed Sunday farmers market downtown, an exciting marketplace of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, flowers and artisanal products. In Sacramento, some 40 other farmers markets attract tens of thousands of people each week seeking the farm-tofork experience. Sacramento celebrates farm-to-fork culture each September with a festival and other events capped by a gala dinner, at which hundreds of diners enjoy a locally sourced meal on the magnificent Tower Bridge. Guests are treated to a feast highlighting the delicious collaboration between the Sacramento region’s farmers and chefs. The honored chefs selected to create the dinner are given a special green logo on their restaurant’s page in this book. But Sacramento doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Even though it is the state capital, it’s often overshadowed by its larger and louder regional neighbors. The discovery of gold in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 sparked the historic Gold Rush. But in recent years, another rush has occurred: the development of the city’s many diverse neighborhoods. People are attracted to these neighborhoods by the sheer number of interesting shops, restaurants, cafés and other commercial establishments. In addition, the new Golden 1 Center downtown has encouraged dozens of new developments that enrich the central city and beyond, bringing people from all over to dine, shop, explore and be entertained.

Our book is a curated collection of Sacramento’s most interesting places. It’s designed to give readers an insider’s glimpse into the unique and exceptional Sacramento neighborhood experience. It’s not meant just for people who live in Sacramento, but also for visitors from all over the country who come on business or vacation or are considering moving here. The eight neighborhoods profiled in this book are among the city’s most pleasant to visit on foot and on bike. Sacramento is perfect for raising families so we have indicated the places that especially welcome them. This book was lovingly crafted as a guide to the delightful locally owned places we know about from living here and publishing neighborhood newsmagazines for the past two decades. Find yourself in Sacramento! “Inside Sacramento” is a 208-page, softbound, 8-by-10-inch, photodriven guide to our city. It retails for $34.95. A limited number of books are available at all of the places featured in the book. For a list of sellers, go to our website, insidesacbook.com. You can also purchase a copy at one of our many book-signing events this month. The first will be held at Verge Center for the Arts at 625 S St. on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. The center will be celebrating the launch of its 2016 Art Studio Tours. We’ll also have a booth at the Farm-to-Fork Festival on Capitol Mall on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also purchase the book online at insidesacbook.com. If you enjoy our publications, you will certainly enjoy our new book! n

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Double the Tax? MEASURE B WOULD RAISE CITY SALES TAX TO 9 PERCENT

admit it. I’m a local government geek and spend entirely too much time keeping track of the machinations of dozens of local government units. But I confess that even a geek like me had never heard of the Sacramento Transportation Authority until earlier this year. So don’t feel ill informed if it’s never crossed your radar screen either. Why am I mentioning it now? Well, it’s not to give you a remedial civics lesson, I assure you. The previously unknown authority has emerged as the promoter of the largest single tax increase in the history of local government in Sacramento County: Measure B, which will appear on the November ballot. What’s the proposal? To raise $3.6 billion from city and county residents and businesses over the next 30 years by doubling the current Measure A transportation sales tax from onehalf percent to a full 1 percent. If voters approve it, Measure B would increase our overall sales tax rate in the city from 8.5 percent to 9 percent and increase the county rate from 8 percent to 8.5 percent. (Our city rate is one-half percent higher than the county rate due to passage of a different Measure B in 2010.) Measure B, should it pass, would be layered on top of the current Measure A tax, which has another

CP By Craig Powell Inside City Hall

24 years to run in its 30-year term. Measure A will likely raise nearly $3 billion in that time. So the combined take of Measures A and B would be close to $6.5 billion. As a “special tax” dedicated to transportation spending, Measure B requires a two-thirds majority vote to pass. Frankly, I’m not used to bandying about billion-dollar figures. They make me a bit nervous. Yes, it cost the county an astonishing $1 billion (plus a whole lot of interest) to build the new airport terminal. The total city budget is closing in on $1 billion annually, while city debt is now almost $2.5 billion. But a $3.6 billion tax hike is way up in nosebleed territory.

THE POLITICS OF MEASURE B The transportation authority, controlled by a large board of local elected officials, has been polling for years to see if voters would swallow such a humongous tax hike. Until this year, its polling showed little voter appetite for such a tax. But this year the authority’s pollster reported that a one-half percent hike in the transportation tax would capture 67 percent of the vote, the barest of margins needed for passage. Its polling also showed that if any organized group was formed to oppose the measure, voter support for it would quickly drop to 61 percent, six points short of passage. Well,

organized opposition to Measure U has arrived. It goes by the name Don’t Double the Tax, No on Measure B. I have some familiarity with this campaign committee as I happen to serve as its chair. We know it’s not unusual for city voters to approve tax measures by fairly large margins. For example, the Measure U sales-tax hike, a general tax hike that required only a majority vote, garnered more than 6o percent support. But Measure B will be voted on by voters countywide. And in the unincorporated areas of the county and in our smaller cities, there are much larger concentrations of a species that’s in fairly short supply in our city these days: fiscally CITY page 13

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LIVE: On-Air & Online SEPTEMBER 23–25

Art Auction is sponsored by: The Niello Company Golden 1 Credit Union Mansour’s Oriental Rug Gallery Warren G. Bender Co.

kvie.org/artauction

Sue Chapman, JOY

POCKET FROM page 8

The place to be.

Join us for Open House

We argued back and forth. Conlin agreed to meet me one nice summer

He mentioned a homeowner who “is

morning at Chicory Bend Court, the

public park, and said he would give

scene of the crime.

me details once the city prosecutes

The parks boss was dressed for the occasion, wearing a blue polo shirt

practically charging admission” to a

the case. On Chicory Bend, I could see

with the city’s logo, green cargo pants

Conlin’s point. The illegal fence is

and a military-style belt. We walked

hidden behind five redwood trees,

up the levee behind the court and

planted (illegally, of course) maybe 25

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016 11 am to 2 pm

talked as dozens of bicyclists, joggers

years ago. Without a surveyor’s map

and walkers enjoyed themselves atop

or prior knowledge, it’s impossible

Informational Presentations 11:30 am & 12:30 pm

the levee.

to see the unlawful conversion of parkland. I told Conlin maybe I was getting

“Some people who live adjacent to public land believe it’s theirs.”

too worked up about the stolen parkland. He nodded and mentioned the ongoing campaign to remove nine private fences blocking the Sacramento River levee parkway upstream. He said, “I support you there,”

Christian Brothers High School 4315 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95820

which lifted my spirits. “You’d be surprised how often we run into these situations,” Conlin told me. “Some people who live adjacent

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

to public land believe it’s theirs.”

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Forbes Fame LOCAL STUDENT INTERVIEWED ABOUT HER YEARS AT SES

chool of Engineering & Sciences graduate Gabriela Vargas was recently featured in a Forbes. com story about schools that integrate academics with technical training. Vargas was quoted in the story, headlined “California Grows an Educational Approach That Links Student Aspirations to Workforce Needs.” “For the past six years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of design and manufacturing processes through my school’s integrated curriculum, participating in internships and afterschool robotics,” she was quoted as saying. While at SES, Vargas interned at Aerojet Rocketdyne and participated in the school’s robotics program. She was lead coach for the seventh- and eighth-grade robotics program and captain of the 11th- and 12th-grade robotics team. She was on the honor roll during her six years at SES, holding at least a 4.0 grade-point average every semester. Vargas’ two favorite teachers were Thom Bauser (science) and Ken Davis (engineering). “Mr. Bauser has a way of getting kids out of their comfort zone, which is especially important if you’re a newcomer to SES. Plus you can really see his love for science,” she says. “Mr. Davis’ teaching has become my driving force in my plan to become an engineer. Under his mentorship, he has given more than just

SS By Shane Singh Pocket Life

Gabriela Vargas will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study mechanical engineering

knowledge but pride in our robotics program, a lifetime of wisdom, and a sense of duty to educate future engineers.” Vargas will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study mechanical engineering. She plans to become a roboticist and eventually an educator who teaches future engineers.

LOCAL CHURCH RENAMES ITSELF Riverside Wesleyan Church recently changed its name to River’s Edge Church. It will hold a renaming ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 11, from

10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6449 Riverside Blvd. The church was established in 1968 under Rev. Bob Hughes. At that time, hundreds of new homes were being built in Greenhaven. Four acres of land were purchased for $12,500 an acre. Ground was broken on May 18, 1969, and the church was dedicated on March 14, 1970. The church was renamed to eliminate confusion with Riverside Avenue in Roseville and the city of Riverside in Southern California. “River’s Edge was suggested by a congregant,” says the current pastor, Michael Higley. “We wanted our

name to better describe who we are as a church and what we are seeking as a community. On the edge of the river throughout the Bible, God does amazing things. At the river’s edge, people are healed. People receive a new purpose. They discover messages of hope and transformation and encounter God. This is the same thing that we desire for each person who comes to know and experience Jesus here at River’s Edge Church.” The renaming ceremony will include a family-friendly barbecue. For more information, call 391-9845.

LIFE page 14

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CITY FROM page 10 conservative Republicans. And since county voters outnumber city voters by more than 2 to 1 and Republicans are in rough numeric parity with Democrats in the county, the challenge of securing a two-thirds majority vote in favor of the largest tax hike in county history is daunting, to say the least. Can proponents convince a sizable share of more conservative, taxaverse county voters to support a doubling of the transportation tax? It’s a tall order, particularly since median household income in all of Sacramento County, adjusted for inflation, fell a whopping 12 percent between 2007 and 2014 (the most recent year for which U.S. Census data are available). When people feel financial stress, they aren’t likely to have much appetite for approving a major tax hike. Also, a sales-tax hike is about the most regressive tax there is, falling heaviest on those with modest and fixed incomes whose budgets are already pretty much to the limit. Will such voters be in a mood to approve a tax hike that might bust their family budgets? It’s pretty doubtful.

THE ROLE OF RT Most objective observers acknowledge that the public’s perceptions of RT could have a pivotal impact on the electoral fortunes of Measure B. In one sense, that’s somewhat unfair, since public transit is slated to receive just under 30 percent of the tax proceeds if Measure B is approved by voters, with the remainder funneled through the authority to local governments to fund roadway improvements, fix potholes, widen roads and help build the “Southeast Connector” that will connect Elk Grove to eastern Sacramento County. The connector has been a major priority of the business community, but a bête noir of some environmentalist groups. Such roadway expenditures are more popular with county voters looking for faster commutes and less roadway wear and tear on their cars. But they draw fire from environmentalists,

who view them as encouraging suburban sprawl and higher greenhouse gas emissions. Most environmentalists would prefer see to a greater share of the tax earmarked for public transit investment. Make no mistake about it, RT has been a growing disaster zone in recent years. Years of deep service cuts, major fare hikes, falling ridership, unsafe and dirty light rail trains, slow service, notoriously poor connections between light rail and bus lines, galloping labor costs, poor performance ratings in national surveys, a chronic failure to build reserves and poor board governance have taken their toll on RT and the public’s perception of it. The canary in the coal mine was RT’s effort earlier this year to raise its fares to the highest transit fares in the nation, tied only with New York City. When the move led to a near revolt of transit riders at a packed RT board meeting, its board canceled a proposed 50-cent fare hike and approved a 25-cent hike instead, making RT’s fares merely the highest in California. But RT staff reacted by strongly recommended that the board approve a second 25-cent fare hike next year, which would put RT back in the running for highest fares in the nation. How could a transit system in relatively low-cost Sacramento end up proposing the highest transit fare in the country? In an examination of how current Measure A taxes are being spent, Eye on Sacramento (the civic watchdog group I head) found multiple causes for RT’s acute fiscal problems, one of which is extraordinarily burdensome labor contracts. RT frequently pays overtime to drivers while they’re on vacation and then concurrently pays overtime to drivers who fill in for vacationing drivers. RT is prohibited under its labor deals from hiring part-time drivers, a work rule that reportedly costs RT more than $10 million per year in higher labor costs. We also found that RT misspent $45 million (of mostly Measure A funds) on constructing a currently useless 1.1-mile light rail line between

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FALL FESTIVAL AT ST. ANTHONY St. Anthony Parish will hold its 23rd annual fall festival on Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 9 p.m. More than 2,000 people are expected to attend. The festival offers something for

outreach programs, including a youth basketball league, dances and games for middle school students, senior fitness, the Sacramento Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop, and various social justice programs. St. Anthony is at 660 Florin Road. For more information, call 428-5678.

everyone: childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s games, adult games of chance, international food for sale and all-day entertainment. Admission is free. Walgreenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will hold a free flu shot clinic from noon to 6 p.m. as part of the fairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wellness program. There will also be a raffle with cash prizes. Entertainment will include mariachi and Polish bands, the Chinese Community Church Ukulele and Hula Fellowships, the College

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Fund Band and more. Rock band Phil n Da Pinots will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Proceeds from the festival help support the parishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edge Church pastor Michael Higley

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CITY FROM page 13 downtown and Richards Boulevard, now known as The River District. It’s supposed to be the first stop on a future “Green Line” to Sacramento International Airport, a $1 billion project that would be funded, in significant part, by Measure B. But there is almost no current demand for rides to and from largely empty Richards Boulevard. So why did RT build it? Well, the politically connected developer of Township Nine wanted the track and the associated light rail station (built at an estimated cost of $5 million) to attract future tenants. And he got it. After RT spent $45 million of its money on its “train to nowhere,” it no longer had the cash on hand to fund the local match needed to qualify for federal funding of its next premature light rail expansion, this time an expensive extension of RT’s southern line from Meadowview to Cosumnes River College. So RT borrowed $75 million through a bond issuance to fund its share of the costs. Ridership numbers rose modestly when the line extension opened up, but the impact of the project on RT’s operating budget has been nothing short of catastrophic. Between higher operating costs and bond payments, the line extension has blown an unbudgeted $6 million annual hole in RT’s general fund. The EOS report on these matters was authored by Gregory Thompson, who recently retired as a professor of urban planning at Florida State University. Thompson is the immediate past chair of the Transportation Research Board’s task force on light rail. He knows what he’s talking about. (You can view our reports on RT and Measure A spending at eyeonsacramento.org.)

CAN HENRY LI RESCUE REGIONAL TRANSIT? How willing is RT to change its ways? When EOS issued a report on RT’s financial condition and the proposed fare hikes earlier this year, it identified 15 ways RT could reduce its operating costs. The RT board and then-general manager Mike

Wiley simply ignored all of EOS’s suggestions. But there is a new sheriff in town at RT. This spring, Wiley retired (and pocketed a substantial annual pension, generously augmented by the RT board), and the board promoted Henry Li to the general manager’s job. So how is Li doing as RT’s new leader? All reports are that he’s getting off to an excellent start. He is making a major push to repair relationships and operate in an open and transparent manner. He’s unafraid to publicly acknowledge RT’s significant shortcomings. In his first months on the job, he’s taken two important steps. First, he rejected a staff recommendation to save money by making further cuts to RT’s service levels. Li argued that the service cuts would only exacerbate the anticipated decline in ridership caused by RT’s July 1 10 percent fare hike. He also essentially dismissed RT’s entire planning staff, a smart move given RT’s need to avoid the kind of premature expansions of the light rail system that have been the source of many of RT’s financial problems. Both actions were among the list of reforms that EOS had recommended to RT earlier in the year. There are two important open questions. First, is Li willing to expend political capital in pressing the RT board to approve the more difficult actions that it must take to fix RT’s problems? Second, will the 15 members of the RT board, politicians all, approve critically needed reforms and policy shifts, including dropping its grandiose plan to build a $1 billion light rail line to the airport, a project that’s been criticized by transit experts, environmental groups, bicycling advocates and folks concerned with RT’s survival? It doesn’t look promising: The authority-approved expenditure plan for Measure B states that its proceeds would be used to build a light rail line to the airport.

SHOULD TAXPAYERS BAIL OUT RT? Is a taxpayer bailout of RT via Measure B the answer? I don’t think so. Without major fiscal

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The Farm Next Door EVERYTHING EDIBLE GROWS AT THIS BACKYARD URBAN FARM

uice from a just-picked orange threatens to run down my chin. My host, urban farmer Nina Prychodzko of Old World Farm in East Sacramento, says the fruit came from a tree her father planted more than 40 years ago. She urges me to sample a sun-warmed cherry tomato and a ripe fig—what she calls candy. I hesitate to pick an Asian pear. It looks like a green apple on steroids, but it is surprisingly sweet and I eat the whole thing. I wipe my sticky hands on my jeans and struggle with my flip-flops as I follow Prychodzko around the garden. She darts here and there while she fills a bag with fruits and vegetables, despite my protest that I can’t accept gifts. I’m almost too full to walk. Old World Farm is one of six urban gardens that will be featured on Soroptimist International of Sacramento’s Edible Gardens Tour on Sept. 10. Prychodzko and David Baker of Green Restaurants Alliance Sacramento will be on hand at Old World Farm. Along with other local gardeners, including Kristi and Mike Fitzgerald and East Sac Farms’ Morgan Daily and Kyle Hagerty, they will answer questions and offer watersaving tips and information to create your own edible garden. On this morning, Prychodzko is wearing cut-off sweatpants, a T-shirt and old running shoes, and her

AK By Angela Knight Farm-to-Fork

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Old World Farm looks like every other house on 37th Street, albeit one with an abundance of figs and comfrey growing in the front yard. When Prychodzko opens the gates to her garden, you travel back in time. She practices farming techniques she learned from her parents, who were originally from Belarus and Poland and had a farm in Paraguay. They came to California in 1964 when Prychodzko was 5 years old. There are no drip-irrigation systems or equipment here. Prychodzko waters by hand and uses a pitchfork to till the soil. Her neighbors throw cardboard over her fence and leave pails of compost on her porch. The compost goes directly into the ground, and she covers it with carpet scraps and cardboard to keep the soil moist. Her parents bought the unassuming house and double lot for cash in 1973 and transformed it into a working farm. “My mom used to sell produce right off the front porch, 24/7,” she says. Customers knew to slide money through the mail slot on the door when the family

Urban farmer Nina Prychodzko of Old World Farm

reddish hair is pulled into a loose ponytail. When my pen quits working, she digs through her fanny pack to find another one. She owns one of the oldest cellphones I’ve seen in a while.

wasn’t home. Guys knew her mother would encourage them to buy lots of flowers for their sweethearts. “Mom said, ‘The more you talk, the more you sell,’” she says. Prychodzko, one of 11 kids, inherited the house and farm, along with her mother’s charm and a bit of her accent. She shows me a photo of her parents while we take a break under the arbor. A hummingbird buzzes by and eyes the grapes. Prychodzko no longer sells produce on the porch and doesn’t keep business hours; she puts out fliers and a flag to let people know when she is open. And, like her mother before her, she sells the fruits of her labor to local chefs. Patrick Mulvaney, a longtime customer, is fond of the figs in the front yard. “I get to share [my garden] with chefs,” she says. “I don’t want any demands. I’m going to grow what I want to grow.” I try to write down everything she does grow: sunflowers, grapefruit, grapes, persimmons, peaches, beets, Swiss chard, raspberries, tangelos, melons, those famous figs and her

father’s oranges. She adds a spiky, purplish amaranth plant to the bag, which is getting heavy, along with some bay leaves. There are dahlias, cacti and wooly thyme. I’ve missed a bunch. It’s impossible to keep track of it all, but Prychodzko has a map in her head. Everything is natural. Nothing is wasted. “I don’t spray anything. I don’t fertilize. The earth takes care of itself,” she says. I ask about the weathered wreaths lying around the vegetable boxes and Prychodzko tells me she rescued them after Christmas last year from a heap of yard waste on 42nd and M streets. They are slowly composting into the soil. Proceeds from the 2016 Edible Gardens Tour will benefit Tubman House’s Doorway Program and the Food Literacy Center. Be sure to visit Old World Farm, as well as the other gardens on the tour. And wear your walking shoes. For more information about the Edible Gardens Tour, go to soroptimistsacramento.com n

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That’s The Spirit! PARISH SCHOOL NURTURES GROWTH WITH TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM

he days of graham crackers and naptime are gone. Now, kids in kindergarten are expected to know basic sight words and math—a far cry from the easy entry into school life of yesteryear. Holy Spirit Parish School is offering a leg up to its youngest students with its new transitional kindergarten (TK) program, which begins this fall. “There is an overarching TK trend as policymakers look to make preschool and TK available to every child,” explains Matt Wells, director of parent engagement for Holy Spirit’s Catholic School Advisory Commission. “An April article in The Modesto Bee cites a study claiming that 70 percent of Stanislaus County 5-year-olds will begin behind.” This startling statistic, as well as a desire to bring its nearly 70-year-old school into the 21st century, has Holy Spirit looking at ways to offer even more educational opportunities for its students, many of whom are children of alumni. Holy’s Spirit’s TK program is designed to give children an additional academic year for those students who might need a little more time for maturing, building confidence in social situations, or for those who need to acquire academic skills. With a focus on the whole child, the program covers the areas

jL By Jessica Laskey

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Holy Spirit Parish School is offering transitional kindergarten starting this fall

of spiritual, social, academic and physical growth. If your student will be 4 years old by Sept. 1, enroll now to be part of the first class. You can drop by the Holy Spirit Parish School office at 3920 West Land Park Drive or call 448-5663. For more information, go to hs-ps.com/admissions/transitionalkindergarten.

PLAY’S THE THING This probably comes as no surprise to someone who has chased

a toddler around a playground, but studies show that play is incredibly important for child development. Find out just how important it is at the Sacramento Play Summit, hosted by Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Pubic Library from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. This fourth annual summit aims to highlight the importance of play, the many types of play, ways to incorporate play into daily and school life, and more. Keynote speakers

include Lenore Skenazy, author, blogger and founder of Free Range Kids; Jim Valley, award-winning musician; and Dr. Olivia Kasirye, public health officer for Sacramento County. For tickets and more information, call 808-7462. The Tsakopoulos Library Galleria is at 828 I St. Grandma and Grandpa can get in on the fairytale fun on Sunday, Sept. 11, when Fairytale Town hosts Grandparents Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate National

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RSVP Online www.stfrancishs.org 5900 Elvas Avenue Sacramento, CA 95819 916.737.5040 Grandparents Day. Grandparents receive free admission when accompanied with a child who is age 12 or younger. Plus, enjoy a family concert with musician Jim Valley at noon. Weekend admission is $5.75 per person. Children ages 1 and younger are free.

Need a new read? Or fancy some family playtime? Don’t miss the ScholarShare Children’s Book Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 25. Enjoy readings and presentations by children’s book authors and illustrators, storytelling performances, hands-on literacy

activities and more at the largest early childhood literacy festival in the region. Barbara Jean Hicks, author of “Frozen: A Sister Like Me,” will headline the two-day festival. Admission to Fairytale Town during the festival is free thanks to event

sponsor ScholarShare College Savings Plan. For more information, call 8087462 or go to fairytaletown.org. Fairytale Town is at 3901 Land Park Drive.

RAISE YOUR VOICE Hearty congratulations are in order for local choral group Vox Musica and its founder and music director, Daniel Paulson. In July, the group got word that it had been awarded the prestigious 2015-16 Award for Adventurous Programming from the American Society of Composers and Publishers. ASCAP, the first and leading U.S. performing rights organization representing the world’s largest repertory of more than 9 million copyrighted musical works from more than 500,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members, and Chorus America present the Awards for Adventurous Programming

Choral group Vox Musica has been awarded the Award for Adventurous Programming

LIFE IN THE CITY page 20

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LIFE IN THE CITY FROM page 19 each year to choirs that challenge audiences, help contribute new works to the choral repertoire and increase interest in contemporary music. With 10 years of adventurous concert programming under their belts, including collaborations with local and international poets, composers, musicians and American Indian tribes, the all-female Vox Musica is committed to excellence in performance of diverse and challenging choral literature for women’s voices and it is deeply dedicated to promoting new music. To that end, the group has performed more than 275 works by living composers, 60 of which were by local Sacramento composers. Under Daniel Paulson, who started the group in 2006, Vox Musica presents four concert projects and an educational outreach activity each season. For more information and tickets to concerts, go to voxmusica. net.

UP AND DOWN THE BOULEVARD If you live in Land Park and Freeport Boulevard is part of your daily drive, you’re probably well aware of the crazy construction going on along the neighborhood car artery.

The plan is to make the traffic flow more efficient. According to The Sacramento Bee’s “Back-Seat Driver” columnist Tony Bizjak, crews are well into a $2.3 million reconfiguration that will add bike lanes on both sides of the street between Fourth Avenue and Sutterville Road and change the two existing lanes in each direction to one lane with a center turn lane (except in the rail track area). The plan is to make the traffic flow more efficient, with fewer cars getting trapped behind those trying to turn

POC SEP n 16

to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24. Join the zoo and the Sacramento Library in an open play environment where you’ll read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world. Activities are included with zoo admission. For more information about all zoo events, call 808-5888 or go to saczoo. org. The Sacramento Zoo is at 3930 West Land Park Drive.

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Catch a baseball game at the Sacramento River Cats Zoo Night

left across oncoming traffic—welcome news to an area that’s usually choked by slow-downs, especially when McClatchy High School is in session. The increased parent and student traffic is in fact part of what inspired the project and what is driving its projected end date of mid-August.

GO, CATS! Swing, batter, batter! Grab your glove and a cold brew and watch the Sacramento River Cats take on the Fresno Grizzlies at the Sacramento River Cats Zoo Night at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3. It’s the last Saturday home game of the season and the players will be sporting special Red Panda jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit the zoo. Purchase advance tickets and use the promo code “ZOO” and a portion of the sale will be donated to the zoo. Claws up! If you’re 55 or older but young at heart, the zoo’s Senior Tea & Tours from 9:30 a.m. to noon on two Mondays, Sept. 12 and 19, are sure to be your cup of tea (literally!). Your group will be met by docents for a special tour of the zoo, followed by a tea break featuring iced tea, lemonade and water, plus tea sandwiches, salad and cookies. Everyone deserves the chance to experience the magic of the zoo, so don’t miss Deaf Awareness Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

17. NorCal Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing will host this special day for the deaf and hard of hearing community, with ASL interpreters on site to assist visitors. Do you love those roly-poly, redhaired fluff balls that look like foxraccoons? Then be sure to visit the zoo on Red Panda Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 10. The interactive and educational event aims to raise awareness about red panda conservation. Visitors can become “Red Panda Rangers” after stopping at the various Red Panda Stations and completing the panda activities. (If you became a ranger last year, complete this year’s activities to become a “Junior Forest Guardian.”) Purchase raffle tickets for red panda-themed artwork, décor and other keepsakes and know that proceeds will go to benefit the Red Panda Network, a conservation group working directly with communitybased organizations in Nepal. Are you a shutterfly in need of some wild inspiration? Hone your photography skills with staff from Mike’s Camera at the Photography Workshop & Safari on Sept. 22, 25 and 27. The workshop will include an evening class session, a morning visit to the zoo and an evening followup critique. The best part? Fifty percent of your tuition benefits the Sacramento Zoo. Get your little ones out and about with Nature Explorers from 10 a.m.

While temperatures are still soaring outside, check out the cool activities that Belle Cooledge Library has to offer this month, starting with ASL Storytime with Sacramento Signing Families at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13 and 27. Parents with children ages 0-5 are invited to read well-loved children’s books in American Sign Language. This special story session takes place two evenings a month on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month and is facilitated by Sacramento Signing Families through the support of First 5 Sacramento. All children and their grownups are invited to attend.

Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced genealogist, there’s something for you to discover about your roots.

Curious where, and whom, you come from? Check out the Genealogical Research workshop at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, led by the Genealogical Association of Sacramento. The mission of the GAS is to encourage the research, publication and preservation of genealogical and historical material and to instruct and lend assistance

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to the membership and the public in modern methods of research. Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced genealogist, there’s something for you to discover about your roots. Trade your storybooks for lab coats at 9:30 and 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, for Science Storytime for Toddlers. All toddlers are invited to participate in hands-on art and science crafts emphasizing processbased learning that will engage creativity and expand curiosity. Toddlers ages 18-36 months are welcome to bring their grownups and make a mess. For more information, go to saclibrary.org. Belle Cooledge Library is at 5600 South Land Park Drive.

50TH REUNION FOR HIRAM STUDENTS Hiram Johnson High School’s Class of 1966 will hold its 50th reunion on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Sacramento Embassy Suites in Old Sacramento. Tickets are $75 per person.

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There will also be an informal meet-and-greet on Friday, Sept. 30, at the hotel. For more information, go to hiramjohnson66.wix.com/50-years. The website includes a list of missing classmates. If you are in touch with any of the missing classmates, email Mary Just at mkjust1966@gmail.com. For more information, call Russell Silber at 456-3115.

HOW TO SAVE ENERGY SMUD is offering free workshops in the coming months, on topics such as electric vehicles, solar energy and saving energy in the home. Many of the workshops are held at SMUD’s Customer Service Center at 6301 S St. Registration is required. For a calendar and to sign up, go to smud. org/workshops. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

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All-Access Pass HE’S AT EVERY SACRAMENTO EVENT, HELPING OUT AND MAKING FRIENDS

ou probably don’t know his name. But if you ever met him, he’d remember your name. And after that, you probably wouldn’t forget his. At 56, Randy Brink has spent a lifetime building relationships, working—for free—for many of Sacramento’s leading sports teams and community organizations. A volunteer for the Sacramento Kings for 31 years, he attends all the home games, holding the titles of chief sound engineer and certified stagehand. For the Sacramento River Cats, he’s assistant for stadium operations and fireworks safety officer. For the Sacramento Republic FC, he’s the director of pitch. “Randy has just always been here,” says Jeff Savage, president of the Sacramento River Cats. “I don’t know how he gets in or gets tickets, but he does. I’ll see him in the hallway, in the office or around the stadium.” Brink’s secret: He makes friends easily and at all levels inside an organization. He quickly learns people’s names and becomes part of the team. “He’s a fixture around the River Cats,” says Savage. “Most of the staff knows him.” “Everyone loves Randy,” says Warren Smith, a former River Cats executive and now president of Sacramento Republic. He and Brink

SC By Scot Crocker

POC SEP n 16

Randy Brink with River Cats president Jeff Savage. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Creevan.

met in 1991, when Smith was working to bring the River Cats to Sacramento and get a stadium built in West Sacramento. “He just walked right up to me and said, ‘I’m going work for the River Cats,’” Smith recalls. “I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ Randy became fire marshal for the team and stadium.” Later, Brink followed Smith to the Sacramento Republic soccer team. At every home game, as director of pitch, Brink escorts officials and referees onto the field to start the game.

“Randy will walk around the rest of the game,” said Smith. “He’ll talk with staff and the people he knows. The players love him. Fans love him. He’s a special guy.” Kings and River Cats games and Republic matches aren’t the only places you’ll see Brink. That was him at this summer’s California State Fair, where he holds the title of state fair goodwill ambassador. He helps open every meeting of the fair’s board of directors, and he says an opening prayer at Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau board meetings.

From farm-to-fork events and firework shows to Junior Olympics and NCAA Track and Field Championships, Brink is there, with all-access passes around his neck and a title for every activity. Brink’s volunteer resume is long and varied: He announces the baseball games at McClatchy High School. He’s facilities manager at Crocker & Crocker, emergency response manager for the West Sacramento Fire Department, DOWNTOWN page 24

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Sacramento Water Forum and American River Natural History AssociaƟon present

Sunday, October 9 10am to 3pm

Efϐie Yeaw Nature Center www.SacNatureCenter.net

Admission $5 per adult Kids 12 & under FREE

Live Animal Shows Kids AcƟviƟes Guided Nature Hikes DemonstraƟons & Exhibits and much more!

FREE parking! Family-friendly food! Sponsored by:

DOWNTOWN FROM page 22 honorary fire marshal for the Sacramento Fire Department, handler of dignitary operations for Mayor Kevin Johnson, honorary fire marshal in Old Sacramento. The list goes on.

He might be Sacramento’s number one volunteer. He’s certainly Sacramento’s number one cheerleader. Brink is also an honorary Shriner in Masonic Lodge 20. And he’s pretty matter-of-fact about his job as an assistant skip tracer for bail bondsman Leonard Padilla. “I love what I do,” says Brink. “I’ve worked for Sacramento mayors and I’ve met six governors.”

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Brink attended McClatchy High School. Developmentally disabled, he now lives in a group home. A group of local leaders help him out when a need arises. One of those friends is Brian May, vice president of operations with the Sacramento Republic, who retired as deputy general manager of Cal Expo in 2012. “I met Randy more than 30 years ago,” says May. “We were at the Special Olympics and he requested the microphone, explaining that he was ambassador of the event and had to address the group. Randy didn’t compete, but he did show up and got involved.” With the help of Bob Thomas, then the director of Sacramento’s parks and recreation department, Brink volunteered for the city. Thomas went on to be Sacramento’s city manager and Sacramento County chief executive. Their friendship paved the way to more volunteer jobs with the city. May helped Brink get his Cal Expo gig and supplied him with a desk and business cards. As a Cal Expo

volunteer, Brink has an email address and a bike. “He’s part of the family,” says May. “It’s been a blessing. I think the reason Randy has been so successful is he’s not shy. He gets to know people and their families and asks about them.” Brink gets around by foot and local buses. His schedule is packed with places to be and things to do. How does he keep it all organized? Brink points to his head and simply says, “It’s all up here.” His favorite sports teams are the Kings, River Cats, Monarchs, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, Oregon Ducks, 49ers and Raiders. “Oh, yeah, I liked the Mountain Lions when they were here. They were the kitty cats,” he says with a laugh. Dressed in sunglasses and distinctive colored sneakers, he’s a fixture at events sponsored by the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I think we all, at one point or another, forget to stop and enjoy the good things happening all around us,” says SCVB president Steve

Hammond. “Randy’s positive attitude is a reminder to all of us to look for the joy in our lives. He’s also living proof that if you give of yourself to your community, your community will give back in return.” As facilities manager at Crocker & Crocker, Brink handles company events. When he turned 50, Lucy Crocker and a team of Randy fans threw a birthday party attended by more than 200 local leaders, the Kings Dancers and other longtime friends. In 2001, the city honored him with a proclamation recognizing his “outstanding commitment to the City of Sacramento and neverending willingness to help in almost any capacity, extending our deepest gratitude and appreciation for all that he has done.” There will be more jobs and titles in Brink’s life. He might be Sacramento’s number one volunteer. He’s certainly Sacramento’s number one cheerleader. And with that, he has an all-access pass to everything Sacramento. Scot Crocker can be reached at scot@crockercrocker.com n

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

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Thirsty Trees STRESSED BY DROUGHT, THEY MAY NEED A DRINK

ur long, hot summer is nearly over. Days are getting shorter. Your landscape needs less irrigation as fall approaches. However, now is not the time to stop watering your trees. In fact, if you haven’t been watering them periodically and deeply, now is the time to start. In my East Sacramento neighborhood, many people have been so eager to conserve water that they have turned off lawn sprinklers and let their grass die, or removed their turf altogether and replaced it with drought-tolerant plants, gravel, decomposed granite or pavement. In the middle of these arid landscapes, you will often see trees in shock: stressed, dying or dead from lack of water. Even in years with average or more winter rainfall, landscape trees need additional deep watering every few weeks during the summer. UC’s California Center for Urban Horticulture says, “Although mature trees can often survive one season with only one or two deep waterings during the spring and summer, two seasons without enough water can result in severe drought stress and even death. Drought-stressed trees can be more prone to damage from diseases and insects.” When winters have been dry, additional summer water is even more crucial.

AC By Anita Clevenger

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What constitutes deep watering? Water needs to be applied at a slow enough rate to soak at least 18 inches into the root zone, which can be 3 feet deep and extend two to three times the width of the canopy. Sacramento County Master Gardener Pam Bone illustrates how far feeder roots extend by setting a wine glass onto a dinner plate. Feeder roots absorb water the best, so the area that the plate represents is where you should put a soaker hose, drip line or slowly oscillating sprinkler. How often should you water? Bone warns that there is no single answer. “You need to learn to bend over,” she says. “Check your soil. Take a

12-inch screwdriver and push it into the soil at the drip line of your tree. If it brings up moist soil, no water is needed. Otherwise, it’s time.” How long should you water? It depends on your soil. An inch of water will soak 12 inches down into sandy soil, but only 4 or 5 inches into clay soil. Sandy soil dries out faster, so you will need to water it more often. The Center for Landscape and Urban Horticulture has a link to easy calculators for estimating landscape water use. UC also has directions for making and using a “rotary spray irrigation contraption,” which can be simply built for about $20 and distributes water from a hose end.

New trees require thorough and frequent irrigation. Should we be planting them during a drought? Just as real estate agents will always tell you now is the time to buy, foresters will tell you fall is the time for planting, no matter the drought forecast. Trees are an investment for the future that is well worth the cost of the water. Sacramento urban forester Joe Benassini encourages us to plant trees, but reminds us to put the right tree in the right place, selecting more water-efficient varieties and avoiding ones from wetter climates, such as redwoods and red maples. GARDEN page 29

HAVE INSIDE, WILL TRAVEL

1. Mia and Lucy Lederer in Coco Cay, Bahamas on their ďŹ rst cruise 2. Pat Ingoglia, Eileen Hayes, Dave Ormerod, Deborah Gage, Milt Nenneman, Victoria Ritter, Cynthia Stefani, Marilyn Ratkay, Karen Eilert, Norm Eilert, Mary Kay Hjelmeland & Mary Anne Schendzelos at the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa 3. John and Thao Franks at Neuschwanstein, castle of the fairy-tale king, Bavaria, Germany 4. A lovely group all celebrating their anniversaries in Juneau, Alaska: Lucas & Stella Kontes 50 years, Kostas & Toula Kapiniaris 50 years, Sam & Ourania Marandos 47 years, and Harry & Mary Forentinos 10 years 5. Mary Harty, Gloria Naify, and Carol Sabin take a break from sightseeing in Galway, Ireland 6. William and Maclynn McCurdy, Bryce DaviesMcCurdy, Cheryl Davies and Madison Davies excited to plunge down the Leap of Faith water slide at Atlantis in the Bahamas

Take a picture with Inside Publications and e-mail a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough? Find more photos on Instagram: InsidePublications

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11TH ANNUAL • 2016 GUIDE

SAC OPEN STUDIOS

FREE EVENT September 10-11 & 17-18 10am-5pm

SACRAMENTO COUNTY’S LARGEST OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM FEATURING 150 ARTISTS OVER TWO WEEKENDS

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GRAB THE

GUIDE!

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TWICE MONTHLY CLASSES

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

GARDEN FROM page 26 If you are planning to replace your lawn with a water-efficient landscape, factor in getting enough water to your trees’ roots, either by installing dedicated irrigation or by planning to give supplemental water on a regular basis. Bone says, “A dribble of water from a few drip emitters isn’t enough. Trees take a lot more water than you think.”

Once lost, a mature tree will take decades to regrow. Benassini and Bone agree that one of the best things that you can do for any tree, new or mature, is to mulch the soil underneath its canopy and beyond with 4 or 5 inches of wood chips, ensuring that they do not touch the trunk. This retains moisture, keeps soil cool, allows air and water

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to readily penetrate, suppresses weeds and encourages beneficial soil organisms. No wonder Bone calls mulch a magic elixir! Bark chips don’t decay readily, so it’s better to use chipped tree trimmings. Rocks can look nice in limited areas, but they serve as a heat sink and can kill micro-organisms in the soil. Not only does decomposed granite retain heat, it can block water and air movement. We take great pride in our City of Trees and enjoy the benefits that our urban forest canopy provides. Benassini calls them our “original air conditioners.” Not only can they reduce utility costs, a canopy of trees makes our neighborhoods more inviting and increases property values. Once lost, a mature tree will take decades to regrow. Use water where it matters most and keep our trees healthy. You can save water and save trees, too. Anita Clevenger is a lifetime Sacramento County UC Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, call 876-5338 or go to sacmg.ucanr.edu n

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis WED, SEP 28 • 8PM The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis, is made up of 15 of the finest soloists, ensemble players and arrangers in jazz today. With each visit, the group continues to surprise with new repertoire, as well as presenting jazz classics from the likes of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and others. Preceded by a FREE Corin Courtyard Concert at 7PM

Science Friday with host Ira Flatow SAT, SEP 24 • 8PM Experience a live taping of a show its creator, Ira Flatow, describes as “brain fun, for curious people.” The program airs on NPR stations across the country, including Capital Public Radio.

Bickram Ghosh’s Drums of India FRI, SEP 30 • 8PM Composed of four master drummers from India, playing a variety of traditional Indian percussion, and supported with sitar, this ensemble has thrilled audiences throughout the Indian continent. Part of the India in the Artist’s Eye festival

Tickets

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8 Neighborhoods The eight neighborhoods proﬁled in this ﬁrst of its kind 8” x 10” softbound photo-driven guide book are among the city’s most pleasant to visit on foot and by bike. INSIDE

Downtown

INSIDE

Old Sac

INSIDE

R Street

INSIDE

Midtown

INSIDE

the Handle

INSIDE

Land Park

INSIDE

Oak Park

INSIDE

East Sac

101 Places This book is a curated collection of Sacramento’s most interesting places. It’s designed to give readers an insider’s glimpse into the unique and exceptional Sacramento neighborhood experience. It’s not meant just for people who live in Sacramento, but also for visitors from all over the country who come on business or vacation or are considering moving here. Sacramento adopted the Farm-to-Fork Capital designation through the efforts of civic and business leaders who wanted to sing the praises of our local food-growing and food-making experience. We designate those chefs who have contributed to this experience.

Sacramento is perfect for raising families so we have indicated the places that especially welcome them.

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1,000 Photos More than 25,000 shots were taken of our neighborhood places by our two amazing photographers. Then we carefully edited, selecting the very best visual images to help represent the unique places we feature. Aniko Kiezel aniko.la @anikophotos

Rachel Valley rachelvalley.com @rachelvalley

@insidesacbook

21 Sponsors Thank you to the generous sponsors who contributed a portion of the costs to produce such a high-quality and visually compelling book:

Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau Fulcrum Property Downtown Sacramento Partnership Dunnigan Realtors East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce McKinley Village by The New Home Company Midtown Business Association Oak Park Business Association Old Sacramento Business Association Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Mayor-elect Darrell Steinberg Sutter District Diepenbrock Elkin Gleason LLP Marcy Friedman City Council member Steve Hansen City Council member Jeff Harris MMS Strategies River City Bank Sacramento State University Tina Thomas

EARLY PRAISE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Superbly done. This book captures both our heritage and a new vibrant vision of our future. Through artistic photographs and well-crafted descriptions, you can almost sense the aromas, delicacies, fun, excitement and energy of places that bring friends, family and visitors together. Bravo!â&#x20AC;? Scot Crocker & Lucy Ediam Crocker, Crocker & Crocker Communications

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Artful Addition

A CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW IS TRANSFORMED WITH A NEW SECOND STORY

dam Mrotek and Collen Barker had a plan when they purchased a small Land Park cottage in 2014.

jF By Julie Foster

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hen Steve and Shellie Nast purchased their twobedroom, one-bath Elmhurst home 20 years ago, it was ideal for the couple. But when their

son was born 15 years later, they needed more living and storage space. So in 2012, they remodeled portions of the ground floor and added a second story. Other than the guest room upstairs and the formal

dining room, the family uses every added square inch of the home on a daily basis. Steve, a commercial architect, works from home. One of the bedrooms, with its own bathroom, is now his office.

“

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE DESIGN ELEMENTS STAYED CONSISTENT

AND COHESIVE FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL STANDPOINT.

”

The original resident of this historic house was Mary Ruby Taylor Palmer, the widow of a mining engineer from Amador. Her husband, William A. Palmer, lived there from 1914 to 1916. The house was a modest bungalow typical of homes in the early 20th century. Later owners made numerous changes to house, culminating with the Nasts’ remodel, which added 1,000 square feet. The couple’s appreciation for the home’s architectural details meant they required a team experienced in working on older homes. Creative Eye Design + Build and Ted Smith Design fit the bill. “That was a top requirement, since we wanted to make sure the design elements stayed consistent and cohesive from an architectural standpoint,” says Shellie. Except for one small area that became the new laundry room, the footprint of the house wasn’t altered. The Nasts took their cues from the front room of the house, which in Craftsman homes is generally the most formal. New rooms received paneling, moldings, wainscoting and baseboards that matched the original dimensions. In the dining room, the builders created a stunning box beam ceiling that replicates the one in the living room. The couple chose historical paint colors, mostly grays, browns and blues. They painted Steve’s office copper red and added a Bradbury & Bradbury wallpaper frieze. Columns on the exterior of the house are tapered, so the newel posts on the staircase and corners of the kitchen island repeat the same design. The front door is situated at an angle, so the couple re-created the same angle pattern for the doorways in the upstairs hallway. “The idea was for the construction to be consistent. It was functional as well, since it would have been tight if we had used the traditional hallway concept,” Steve explains. The kitchen had been remodeled in the 1980s by a previous owner. The Nasts gutted the space, installing woven bamboo flooring and a farmhouse sink. A new laundry room off the kitchen replaced the inconvenient facility in the basement.

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THE NASTS TOOK THEIR CUES FROM THE FRONT ROOM OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IN CRAFTSMAN HOMES IS GENERALLY THE MOST FORMAL.

A beautiful staircase with cherry stair treads leads to the second-story addition with its three bedrooms and two baths. The railing is inset with two-sided hammered copper tiles in a rose pattern. Tiles are styled after the work of American artist Dard Hunter (1883-1966), who was active in the Arts & Crafts movement. In the bedroom occupied by couple’s son, Bradbury & Bradbury silk-screened wallpaper sports an airplane motif. A window seat provides extra storage. His bathroom boasts an oversized tub and blue penny round floor tiles. The master bath delights the senses with its basket-weave tile carpet runner and the shower’s mosaic tiles. Both bedrooms have awning-style windows. “We open these every night along with the windows over the stairwell during the summer, and the Delta breeze flows through the house,” says Shellie.

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“Everyone did such a great job on this house. It was all about the collaboration,” she says. We love this house. It’s a happy place to be.” I would like to thank Professor Catherine Turrill Lupi, chair of the art department at Sacramento State University, for help with this story. The Nast home will be featured on Preservation Sacramento’s Historic Home Tour on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 on the day of the tour. To purchase tickets, go to PreservationSacramento.org/hometour. If you know of a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com n

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Art Preview

GALLERY ART SHOWS IN SEPTEMBER

WASH Inc. Annual Open Watercolor Exhibition, “Go With The Flow 2016”, runs through Oct. 2. at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center.Shown above: “Whitewashed” by Diana Johnson,a 2015 Award Winner. 5330B Gibbons Drive.

Tim Collom Gallery will exhibit new works by Tim Collom through Sept. 28. On display will be a new collection of works in oil as well as selected limited edition giclees. Shown above: “Sunﬂowers”, 24”x24”, oil on birch panel, 2016 by Collom. 915 20th St.; timcollomgallery.com

Viewpoint Photographic Gallery presents a retrospective of photographer Francine Moskovitz through Oct. 1. Shown above: “Karen, Back View” by Moskovitz. 2015 J St.

The exhibition “Reboot” denotes the reset of JAYJAY on their 15th anniversary. This show celebrates their expanding stable of modern and contemporary artists and runs through Oct. 29. Shown above: Galaxy XVI by Joan Moment, 42” x 84” acrylic on canvas. 5520 Elvas Avenue; jayjayart.com ARTHOUSE on R presents “Ghost Genes”, works by Craig Martinez through Oct. 4. Shown left: “Apache Gahn” by Martinez. 1021 R Street; arthouseonr.com

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

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Heating Up THE ICE BLOCKS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE LIKE MARRS—ONLY BETTER

ny historian will tell you that we can’t really know where we’re going unless we know where we’ve already been. That lesson can be applied fairly generally, from politics to economics, and maybe even particularly to development. Despite recent question marks, the trajectory of Heller Pacific’s Ice Blocks development might be guessed at through comparisons to a previous Heller Pacific project, the MARRS building on 20th Street.

JV By Jordan Venema

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It was only last November when the historic Crystal Ice building went up in flames, essentially putting Heller Pacific’s project on ice. Despite the fire, Ice Blocks, a seven-building mixed-use project on R Street between 16th and 18th streets, is expected to be completed by the end of 2017. “We were approximately 85 percent preleased on the office space upstairs, and then the fire destroyed the project altogether,” says Aaron Marchand, vice president of Turton Commercial Real Estate. Marchand, responsible for leasing office space in Ice Blocks, admits that the fire posed a challenge for the developers: how to keep momentum while redefining the project.

“The project was a question mark. So we flew to Portland to refresh and get a sense of what was going on in other cities that we hoped to emulate,” he says. “We saw that heavy-timber construction was really leading the charge up there.” In Portland, they toured redevelopment projects with high ceilings, natural light, huge glass windowpanes, exposed beams—all things that the Crystal Ice building could provide. After the fire, Heller Pacific and local architect Stephen Guest of RMW treated the project as “a blank slate,” says Marchand, “with efficient floor plans and energy efficiency, while maintaining a cool, creative space. Now we can offer loft mezzanine-type creative office environments, with

internal stairwells and 24-foot walls of glass.” The development is broken into three blocks. The first will include approximately 30,000 square feet of retail and approximately 97,000 square feet of creative offices. The second block will include 12,000 square feet of retail, as well as about 145 market-rate apartments. The third block is made up of three small buildings with multiple retail tenants on the ground floor and offices on the second. Marchand says the new design will pay tribute to R Street’s industrial history while creating a vibrant space where people can gather and socialize outside of home or work—the socalled “third place” of community building.

For those wondering what impact Ice Blocks may have on the Sacramento community, the MARRS building may be instructive. In 2008, Heller Pacific redeveloped what Marchand describes as “an old concrete warehouse box,” transforming the half-block building into what he says is now “a vibrant, pivotal piece of Midtown.” A short drive along 20th Street between J and K streets, from Peet’s to LowBrau Bierhall, seems to confirm this: The patio stretching the length of the block-long MARRS building is routinely packed with people. Marchand says Ice Blocks will be like the MARRS building on steroids. Though it’s only a single building, MARRS seems larger. It was designed to “activate” the public space along the length of its exterior, creating a third-place environment that Ice Blocks, as a seven-building project, should only improve upon. As an example, says Marchand, “two buildings will be staggered, with a breezeway connecting the two, so that now you have eight possible corners instead of just four.”

Marchand expects that the creative vibrancy of Ice Blocks will rely upon the diversity of its tenants, a synergy that can’t be gauged until after those tenants move in. In the meantime, Ice Blocks is appealing to everything from “small consulting firms to large tech companies,” as well as to both Sacramento businesses and national clients. “We can offer suites down to 1,200 square feet, which is unique for a new development. Also, you can have a 400-square-foot retailer all the way up to a 10,000-square-foot retailer, even a 20,000-square-foot retailer,” says Marchand. While Ice Blocks lost some tenants after the fire, the leasing agent has since entered new negotiations with other potential tenants. “The momentum is picking back up,” says Marchand. One important tenant still plans to move its main office to Ice Blocks: Sacramento Republic FC. (It also plans to open a storefront and event space.) Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com n

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This Month @ the Market

A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN SEPTEMBER

BEET

APPLE

BLUE LAKE BEAN

This root vegetable comes in a rainbow of colors: red, gold, pink, white, even striped. It has a very high sugar content and is a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. Its greens are edible, too: Prepare them similar to spinach or chard. To eat: Roast and serve in a salad with arugula, goat cheese and chopped walnuts.

Nearby Apple Hill supplies the apples in our local farmers markets. They come in numerous varieties: Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith and more. This popular autumn fruit can be used in a variety of ways, from salads to desserts. To eat: Bake in a pie with a lattice crust or crumb topping.

This popular bean, also known as a snap or string bean, is considered the gold standard of green beans. Mild and versatile, it has a dark-green, cylindrical, stringless, firm, plump pod. To eat: Use for quick pickling or canning.

CELERY ROOT

PARSNIP

FINGERLING POTATO

Despite its name, this vegetable is not related to celery. A dense, fleshy white root vegetable, it is a flavorful source of vitamin C. It’s also known as celeriac. To eat: Use in salads and slaws.

This root vegetable looks like a top-heavy white carrot. It develops a rich, nutty flavor after cooking. Don’t try to eat it raw—it’s practically inedible. To eat: Add to soups and stews.

This small, waxy potato gets its name from its long, narrow shape, which makes it look like a finger. It comes in a variety of colors and maintains its shape when cooked. To eat: Slice in half vertically, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven.

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INSIDE

CLARA Midtown

OUT

Nicknamed CLARA, the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts provides studios and performance space for professional and community-based arts groups and a place for creative collaborations. CLARA is housed in the 100-year-old Fremont School in Midtown. The studios also provide access to quality arts education in partnership with Sacramento City Unified School District.

CONTRIBUTED BY ANIKO KIEZEL

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Pretty in Pink GETTING STOPPED SHORT AT SPIRITUAL CHECKPOINTS

hen I travel, I never leave home without my most important tool of resilience:

my pillow. Recently, I was rushing out of the house to catch a plane at zero dark thirty. I kissed my sleeping beauty and grabbed my trusty pillow. An hour later, I was running through the well-lit terminal and realized I’d grabbed my wife’s extra pillow—the one with the bright pink case. It’s not that I’m sexist. I truly think real men can wear pink, but a pink pillowcase crosses a manly boundary. And you should know that I have boundary issues. I suppose it’s surprising to some of you that a grown man who’d dare open-carry a pillow would be concerned about the color, but I was. I was in such a hurry to catch the plane that I not only grabbed the wrong pillow; I became that rude guy in such a rush that he sideswipes his way down the moving sidewalk. At one point, I passed a girl sucking her thumb and swinging her baby doll. The girl pointed to me, but her mother lowered the girl’s arm with whispered response. Was it my pillow? Was she making fun of it? Hmm. Maybe she wanted it. I quickened my pace. Hoping no one at the security checkpoint would notice the downy

NB By Norris Burke Spirit Matters

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softness of my pillow, I slung it onto the conveyor belt. I suppose they wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t walked off without it. “Wait,” the security lady yelled. “Is this your pink pillow?” Mortified, I turned toward her. She was beaming the sassy look of someone who’s got you in the crosshairs of humiliation. “You’ll need this to go night-night,” she said. I grabbed at the pillow, feeling her tugging grip just a second too long. I was sure she would demand to see my man card. The whole thing reminded me of those moments in life when we feel exposed by life’s little security checkpoints. You know what I mean. They’re the moments when someone calls our bluff, when someone calls us up short and strips us of our false importance.

Just as in airport checkpoints where you lay aside the entrapments of importance — cellphones, fat wallets, Rolex wannabes, designer shoes and, yes, even pink pillows — there are checkpoints where we encounter a divine presence that will thoroughly search our souls.

I truly think real men can wear pink. Life has a grand way of running us through these serendipitous checkpoints. They will often be places that strip us of our self-interest, our pride, our hardness, our excuses, our grudges. For instance, I find my checkpoints in the hospital chapel or in the quiet corner of the church sanctuary during communion. These are the places

where I kneel and ask God to sound an alarm if I’m carrying stuff that I shouldn’t be carrying. Sometimes I find these checkpoints on the beach when I’m walking at the water’s edge. At the crashing surf, I can almost hear the waves laughing at the grandiose images I’ve constructed of myself. Take a moment and ask God to put you through a checkpoint. Ask him what you are carrying that will either embarrass him or will keep you from being the image he has created you to be. But be warned. God isn’t shy about sounding the gawking buzz to tell us we’ve been found out. And with that humble bit of wisdom, I’ll pull my pink pillow up to my travel beard and say, “Nightnight, y’all.” Norris Burkes is a chaplain, syndicated columnist, national speaker and author. He can be reached at norris@thechaplain.net n

Sacramento’s Oldest Restaurant

ESPAÑOL Since 1923

ITALIAN

Distinctively

Sacramento

RESTAURANT

$10 OFF Total DINNER food order of $40 or more

With coupon. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Expires 9/30/16.

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2016

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1462 33rd St.

Freeport Bakery 2966 Freeport Blvd. Hot Italian

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University Art

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TO DO THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Home Sweet Homes 41st annual Historic Home Tour Sunday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. preservationsacramento.org/hometour

This year’s highly anticipated Historic Home Tour, now in its 41st year, showcases the Elmhurst neighborhood for the very first time, with architectural gems such as the Julia Morgan House and other regal residences in the Mediterranean, Tudor Revival, Craftsman and Victorian styles. In conjunction with the home tour, a free street fair will include booths from local contractors, businesses, artists and nonprofit, advocacy and historic organizations. The neighborhood is bounded by Highway 50, Stockton Boulevard, V Street, Second Avenue and 59th Street, so start your tour at the Preservation Sacramento booth at the T Street median (between 40th and 42nd streets) to receive a program and a wristband for entry. Preservation Sacramento, formerly the Sacramento Old City Association, is a citywide nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Sacramento’s irreplaceable historic places and encouraging quality urban design through advocacy, outreach and activism.

Noce Author Mark

jL By Jessica Laskey

POC SEP n 16

Wales of a Tale “Between Two Fires” author event and book signing Saturday, Sept. 3, at 2 p.m. Avid Reader at Tower, 1600 Broadway marknoce.com

Escape to the exciting world of medieval Wales imagined by author Mark Noce in his debut historical ﬁction novel, “Between Two Fires,” the ﬁrst in a series published by Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan). The book was released on Aug. 23, but now is your chance to grab a copy from the author himself, hear him speak and get him to sign your book—and maybe even spill some secrets about the next installment in the series.

In the Studios Sac Open Studios Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 10-11 and Sept. 17-18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend One: Studios west of Interstate 80 and Highway 99; Weekend Two: Studios east of I-80 and Highway 99 vergeart.com

Now in its 11th year, this two-weekend tour of 150 artist studios throughout Sacramento County will treat guests to a packed schedule of exhibits, activities, demonstrations and interactive events. Established in 2006 by the Center for Contemporary Art Sacramento and run in conjunction with Verge Center for the Arts since 2014, Sac Open Studios has grown to become the largest open-studio event in the county. Verge will kick off the tour with a launch party at its gallery and studio project at 625 S St. from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, with a preview exhibition, food and drink vendors, a DJ and hands-on kids activities. The party also serves as the official book launch and book signing for the new “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-toFork Capital,” a photo-driven guide to the city published by Cecily Hastings. Free special events will be going on during both weekends of the tour, so check out vergeart. com for more information and a full schedule of events and exhibitions.

Sac Open Studios offers tours of 150 open artist studios with exhibits and demonstrations on two Sept. weekends

Quantum Leap “Entanglement With Artiﬁcial Intelligence,” presented by Carmichael Quantum Mystics Friday, Sept. 16, 6:45-8:30 p.m. Carmichael Public Library, 5605 Marconi Ave. meetup.com

Do you ever wonder if robots are the future of human evolution? The Carmichael Quantum Mystics probes this hair-raising question in this free program that features a viewing of Season 4, Episode 7 of “Through the Wormhole” with Morgan Freeman, followed by a short presentation of the three evolutionary stages of artiﬁcial intelligence and discussion.

“Yay!” For JAYJAY Reboot: New Work from JAYJAY Artists Sept. 14 through Oct. 29 5524B Elvas Ave. 453-2999, artsy.net/jayjay

One of Sacramento’s favorite contemporary art galleries celebrates its 15th anniversary with the reveal of a newly remodeled exhibit space and an exciting opening show of all new work from the well-known JAYJAY stable of artists as well as artists who are new to the gallery. Founders Beth Jones and Lynda Jolley started JAYJAY (for Jones and Jolley, natch) in 2000 in a small storefront on Franklin Boulevard as an experiment, and clearly, the venture took off! Join the two J’s at their 15th anniversary celebration and grand opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, with music and refreshments.

No. 151, 30” x 90,” acrylic, gouache, enamel, oil, powdered pigment and shellac on three panels by Ian Harvey. Part of the Reboot: New Work from Jay Jay Artists

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All That Jazz Jazz Night at the Crocker Thursday, Sept. 15, at 5:30 p.m. (Shelley Burns & Avalon Swing) and 6:30 p.m. (Denise Perrier) Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerartmuseum.org

The Jazz Night at the Crocker series comes to a crescendo with Denise Perrier on the Crocker’s Main Stage. Described as “the voice with a heart,” Perrier’s rich, contralto voice delivers the standards but spices things up with blues and Latin. Avalon Swing will bring a swing sensibility to classic jazz on the Café Stage.

Cruise Fest on Fulton is back and features more than 500 classic and unique cars this year.

Super Fun Superheroes ArtMix Crocker-Con Thursday, Sept. 8, 5-9 p.m. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerartmuseum.org

Bust out your cape and tights and get ready for a galactic good time at the Crocker’s fourth annual ArtMix Crocker-Con. Meet local comic book artists and writers, check out dozens of vendor booths, enjoy out-of-this-world live performances, sample the work of independent game designers and get down at the inaugural comics jam session. You can also do your best superhero impressions at character karaoke and challenge other caped crusaders at the ﬁrst-ever masquerade parade and dance-off. Enjoy food and drink discounts during happy hour (from 5 to 6 p.m.) and $5 drink specials all night.

Get Your Motor Running CruiseFest On Fulton Avenue (beneﬁtting the California Automobile Museum) Saturday, Sept. 10, 4-8:30 p.m. Fulton Avenue between Marconi Avenue and Cottage Way calautomuseum.org

Cruisin’ is back on Fulton Avenue, but this year, the cars aren’t just parked and pretty, they’re movin’ and cruisin’! More than 500 classic and unique cars will take over Fulton Avenue, including Gov. Jerry Brown’s ’74 Plymouth and re-creation “clone” cars provided by Tribute Team American Graffiti as seen in the movie “American Graffiti.” After the cruise from 4 to 6 p.m., the cars will all be parked along the route, where spectators will be able to get up close and personal with the cool classics, from a 1931 Model A to a 1938 Buick Special to a 1965 Suburban, as well as a variety of exotics such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches and Maseratis. The festivities will also include six bands and a variety of food trucks, vendors, breweries and auto-related artisans. As always, CruiseFest is free to all spectators. CruiseFest On Fulton Avenue is a beneﬁt for the California Automobile Museum, located at 2200 Front St. in Old Sac.

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Pianist Catherine Miller performs at the Crocker

Girl Composer Power Crocker Classical Concert featuring soprano Carrie Hennessey and pianist Catherine Miller Sunday, Sept. 11, 3 p.m. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerartmuseum.org

Acclaimed soprano Carrie Hennessey returns to the Crocker for a concert celebrating female composers throughout the eras, including works by Alma Mahler (wife of Gustav), Clara Schumann (wife of Robert) and Fanny Mendelssohn (sister of Felix), as well as contemporary composer Libby Larsen. Hennessey will be accompanied on piano by Sacramento native Catherine Miller, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School and a former member of the Sacramento Youth Symphony. Miller has gone on to study at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary, as a Fulbright scholar, receive her master’s of music degree at the Juilliard School, and tour around the world as a vocal competition accompanist.

Oy Vey, Schmear! Traditional Jewish cuisine of all types is available at the Jewish Food Faire

39th annual Sacramento Jewish Food Faire Sunday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Congregation Beth Shalom, 4746 El Camino Ave. 485-4478, jewishfoodfaire.com

The 39th annual Sacramento Jewish Food Faire is a chance for the community to come together to enjoy entertainment, arts and crafts vendors and, of course, food! Chow down on new and traditional Jewish cuisine such as corned beef, pastrami and brisket sandwiches, bagels and lox, blintzes, latkes, falafel, stuffed cabbage rolls, noodle kugel, matzo ball and vegetarian mushroom barley soups, falafel, homemade hummus and Israeli pickled vegetables. Have a sweet tooth? Check out the hard-to-ﬁnd homemade and imported baked pastries including rugellah, hamentashen, strudel, noodle kugel and much more. Highlighting the Faire’s “Generation to Generation” theme, many parents, children and grandchildren of the same family are participating in this year’s event by working together preparing foods, sharing recipes, performing and serving.

Going Once, Going Twice … 35th annual KVIE Art Auction Friday, Sept. 23, 7-10 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, noon-10 p.m. kvie.org/artauction

Celebrating KVIE Public Television’s 35 years of creating an accessible venue to bring art into area homes, the 35th annual KVIE Art Auction will showcase more than 260 works of art by emerging, well-known and world-renowned Northern California artists selected by a distinguished panel of jurors overseen by KVIE art curator D. Neath. The live, threeday broadcast on Channel 6 will feature work that was culled from nearly 800 entries to make it to your TV screen—so get bidding! A complete list of artists as well as images and information on each piece up for bid is available on the KVIE website. Want a sneak peek? Don’t miss the Preview Gala on Monday, Sept. 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Twenty Shades of Ray Twenty Shades of Ray: 1996-2016, a 20-year survey of art by Robert-Jean Ray Sept. 10 through Oct. 1 DaDas Art Gallery Boutique, 3655 J St. 538-1082

See the beauty of two decades of creative creation when DaDas Art Gallery Boutique (in cooperation with microARTCollection) presents a 20-year survey of drawing, printmaking, collage, painting and mixed-media micro art by Robert-Jean Ray. Ray’s development was inﬂuenced by the graphic innovations of early 20thcentury modernism and, later, by post-modern abstract expressionism, arte povera and neo-expressionism. For more than 15 years, Ray’s goal has been to merge depictions of the human face with mixed-media collage compositions inspired by urban street graphics. His micro format drawings, collages and mixed media pieces have been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and he has contributed illustrations to numerous publications, collaborated with other creatives, organized exhibitions for various art galleries and public institutions and is the founder/curator of microARTCollection. Meet him in person at the opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 3-5 p.m.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Please email items for consideration by the ﬁrst of the month, at least one month in advance of the event.

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Portrait of an Artist A ROWDY YOUTH DIDN’T STOP THIS PROLIFIC PAINTER

iles Hermann walks into a small room in his suburban home where there is an easel by the window, a red loveseat and a stack of finely executed oil paintings. He sits in the chair in front of the easel and folds his hands. “You can ask me anything,” Hermann says. “I’m fearless.” With a reputation as one of Sacramento’s most consistent painters (he worked through the late ’80s boom, the 2010 bust and into the new “gig economy”), Hermann has history and perspective. At age 54, he has more than 25 one-man shows under his belt. Speaking in a quiet and thoughtful manner, he sketches out his journey as a painter. Artists’ stories sometimes unfurl on an easy path, but his tale rivals some of the abstract expressionists in terms of wild youth and the struggle for selfexpression. Thinking back to the late ’80s and early ’90s, Hermann remembers a heady lifestyle in the burgeoning Midtown scene when he created fresh and loose paintings, sold out shows and expended restless energy. There were parties and drinking, and Hermann was so inaccessible that gallery owners had to contact him by mail. And they did. He left the impression of a brilliant and careening young artist, which has its charm.

“In hindsight, of course, it was all wasteful youth.” Even in the thick of his wild years, Hermann’s work showed astute draftsmanship, a flair for brushwork and a mastery of abstraction that never lost touch with realism.

“You can ask me anything,” Hermann says. “I’m fearless.” “He was a damn good painter, and he still is,” says Moni Van CampKondos, who helped Hermann land his first show. “The minute I saw his work, I bought three paintings, and they hang in our house today.” Van Camp-Kondos saw Hermann as a painter who needed to find his way. “Back in those days, he didn’t even have an easel to paint on,” she says. She helped him land a job at Corti Brothers market and booked him a show at City Gallery on J Street. Van Camp-Kondos also connected him with the gallery manager at Gump’s in San Francisco, and he sold out two shows at the posh venue. In spite of this success, Hermann struggled. He recalls growing up

DB By Debra Belt Artist Spotlight

POC SEP n 16

with six siblings in a family that was occasionally flush and sometimes Artist Miles Hermann

broke, depending on the whims of his jazz-loving father. His mother worked

“I would show up for openings drunk and disheveled,” he confesses. One time, the venerable Betty Mast of Artists Contemporary Gallery nearly

asked him to leave his own reception. However, she relented and left him woozily leaning against the wall. “Betty was sweet to me,” he says, pausing to rub the back of his neck.

a graveyard shift for the county. The situation made him angry, and he viewed marriage as a lame institution. Art was his way of connecting with

THEATRE GUIDE THE BLACK AND RED GALA

people. “I was always the best artist

With time, his views have softened.

in school, and it was a way to make

“You get clarity with the years,”

friends and leave an impression,” he

he says. For instance, he began to

says.

think maybe marriage was not such

After graduating from McClatchy

a lame idea. In 2005, he married

High, Hermann went to San Francisco

Meghan Hurley, an auburn-haired

to attend The Art Institute. While

physical education teacher. “She

waiting for student loans to come

brings moderation to my life,” he says.

through, he slept in a park on Russian

“Frankly, I needed reeling in.”

Hill. He kept his clothes and personal

Now he sits in his quiet studio,

items in three school lockers, off to

removed from the Midtown action.

the side, so no one would see, and he

His hair shows a hint of gray in

took showers in the upstairs men’s

the afternoon light. He wears a

room where hot water was on again,

pinstriped cotton shirt and sturdy

off again. “When you’re young, you

shoes. White eyeglasses add a touch

can do it,” he says. But he burned

of style, but his look is stripped down

out trying to juggle expenses in San

and no-nonsense. “I’m serious about

Francisco. Hermann returned to

working,” he says. He is up at 4 a.m.

Sacramento, where he found teachers

and in the studio early. “There are

like Gregory Kondos. “Greg was

such wonderful quiet hours before the

generous,” he says. “He would take

noise of the day starts.”

genuine interest in your work. I also

On his easel is a painting of Trinity

remember him coming in with paint

and Edwards streets in the coastal

on his arms. He was a real working

town of Trinidad. The foreground is a

artist.” Hermann realized the quality

stormy and almost abstract rendering

of Sacramento and the teachers here.

of a wet street. Two sharp figures pull

“One time I asked Wayne Thiebaud

the painting back into focused reality.

why he chooses to live and work

The background is a peaceful ocean,

in Sacramento, when he could live

and there’s a patch of blue sky in the

anywhere,” Hermann recalls. “He

distance. He has painted the scene

said he likes it here because it’s

many times over the years, a series

unpretentious. He nailed it on that.

of reflections on “the trinity of land,

That is the essence of Sacramento.”

sea and sky.” The painting shows his

Hermann taps into that essence,

touch in balancing abstraction and

capturing the deep purple shadows in

reality. “It’s a constant struggle to

the hot summer light, the reflections

capture the scene and stay loose, but

in the rivers and the lush canopy

not so loose you lose the feeling of the

overhead. He continues to work and

place,” he says.

show in galleries around town and throughout California. “You have to put yourself out there,” he says. “Art is meant to be shared.”

Thru September 9 Sacramento Theatre Company 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722 Join Sacramento Theatre Company (STC) for the Third Annual Black and Red Fundraising Gala. This will be an evening of food, fundraising, and fun in celebration of STC’s upcoming 2016-2017 Season of Trials, Travels, and Triumphs. The evening will feature cocktails, appetizers, and socializing; the rare opportunity to enjoy dinner on stage in STC’s Main Stage Theatre; and a raffle and live auction. The evening will be catered by Bella Bru. There will be performances by Gary S. Martinez, Megan Pearl Smith, Sam Misner, Vivian White, Ryan Blanning, Miranda D. Lawson, and Jerry Lee. Note: Black and red cocktail attire required.

SHREK THE MUSICAL

Thru September 18 Presented by Runaway Stage Productions at 24th Street Theatre 2791 24th St, Sac 207-1226 Based on the award-winning DreamWorks animation film, Shrek: The Musical is this year’s must-see show for all the family. Join the unlikely hero and his loyal steed Donkey as they embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from a fire breathing, love-sick dragon. Add the diminutive Lord Farquaad, a gang of fairytale misfits, and a biscuit with attitude, and you’ve got the biggest, brightest musical comedy around. Featuring all new songs as well as cult Shrek anthem “I’m a Believer,” Shrek: The Musical brings all the much-loved DreamWorks characters to life, live on stage, in an all singing, all dancing extravaganza.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Thru September 18 B Street Theatre 2711 B St, Sac 443-5300 The most hilarious show you’ll ever see about depression! An ailing mother. A dutiful son. Every brilliant thing to make her feel better.

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER

Thru September Sacramento River Train 400 N Harbor Blvd, West Sacramento 800-866-1690 Get a dose of intrigue with murder mystery dinner theatre aboard the Sacramento RiverTrain. As the train rolls along, you’ll meet a cast of quirky characters who will draw you into their drama as they squabble, scheme, and ultimately meet their demise. You’ll be counted on to solve the case while you dine. Tickets include a three hour train ride, three courses of American fare with unlimited coffee and soft drinks, and an interactive dinner theatre show.

HOW TO USE A KNIFE

Thru October 2 Capital Stage 2215 J St, Sac 995-5464 National New Play by Will Snider and directed by Michael Stevenson. In the chaotic hustle and bustle of a Wall Street restaurant kitchen, Chef George is trying to stay sober. In between yelling at a pair of trash-talking line cooks and a pot-smoking busboy, he befriends Steve, an East African immigrant who seems to be a humble yet dignified dishwasher. But Steve played a shocking role in the aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide, and immigration authorities are on his trail. Set during busy dinner shifts and filled with a cast of unforgettable New York characters, HOW TO USE A KNIFE bursts with grinding suspense, energy, and surprise.

THESE LONESOME ROADS

September 16 - October 1 EMH Productions at Ooley Theater 2007 28th St, Sac 214-6255 EMH productions is proud to bring to the stage an original piece by actor and writer, Dan Fagan. Rough neck… that’s what they call men like Brint who work under highly dangerous conditions out in the oil fields. Driven to drink in excess, Brint struggles to deal with his personal issues like a relationship he destroyed, a child who needs a father, and meeting possibly the love of his life, who really should go to Nashville to pursue her dreams of being a singer.

To see Miles Hermann’s work, go to mileshermann.com n

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Oak Park Brewing Company

La Venadita

Oak Park Culinary Delights NEW AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES PUT OUT FINE FARE IN OAK PARK

ak Park has been called “Sacramento’s first suburb.” More than a century old, Oak Park was a streetcar suburb, easily reachable by streetcars that were first drawn by horses and later ran on electricity. At the turn of the last century, the

neighborhood was a thriving center for arts, culture, shopping and dining. Throughout the 20th century, events conspired to bring Oak Park down, turning it into a neighborhood more known for crime and decay than for arts and culture. The freeway building boom of the ’50s and ’60s dealt a double blow to Oak Park, cutting it off from adjacent neighborhoods and allowing middle class and prosperous residents to move out to more remote suburbs farther from the city center.

By Greg Sabin Lunch at La Venadita

POC SEP n 16

Much like other similar neighborhoods across the country, Oak Park has been a target for revitalization and redevelopment for decades, with progress coming in fits and starts, and sometimes not at all. Recent revitalization efforts, however, seem to be taking hold. A handful of businesses have staked their claim around the newly named Triangle District, and their fortunes seem to be on the rise. This isn’t luck or good timing, however. Many of the businesses nestled in the crook of the triangle, around 35th Street and Broadway, are putting out quality food and libations. They’re places that would be successful no matter where they set up shop. Two that stand out for their exemplary fare are Oak Park Brewing Company and La Venadita. The first is a thriving brewery/restaurant opened by a couple of local home brewers who wanted to share their passion with others. The second is a new venture by a successful Bay Area restaurateur who grew up in Sacramento. La Venadita (Spanish for the little deer, or doe) is a tongue-in-cheek taqueria. Owner Tom Schnetz grew up not far from Oak Park and now owns a house just a few blocks from his new restaurant. La Venadita’s logo is a portrait of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo with

antlers coming out of her head. You’ll find this kind of playfulness throughout the space and the menu. The queso fundido, usually a combo of molten cheese and chorizo, swaps out the standard Mexican sausage for shrimp, directly assaulting the noseafood-and-dairy “rule.” The mix is a gooey, satisfying treat. The carnitas taco is one of the best I’ve ever had. Fried in the shell, this beautiful combo of simmered pork, cheese and salsa takes a staple and elevates it to something extraordinary. Similarly, the Vampiro, an al pastor taco, is a sloppy feast of marinated pork, fried cheese, onions, cilantro and just a little bit of guilt. You won’t want to skip it. Unexpectedly, one of the standouts on the menu is a simple salad. A perfect combo of mixed greens, roasted red onions and red peppers, pumpkin seeds, queso fresco and cumin vinaigrette, it’s a beautiful summer salad. The flavors are on point and a blunt reminder to us carnivores how flavorful and rewarding a well-made salad can be. La Venadita’s interior is plucky and funky. One bright-pink wall dominates the space, looming over an open, exposed-brick-and-beam room flooded by light from two walls of windows. The service is light. It’s an order-at-the-counter kind of place, but orders are sent from the kitchen muy rapido.

Just across the street, Oak Park Brewing Company holds down a secure spot in the new Oak Park. Open only two years, this brewery/ restaurant already seems like a fixture of the neighborhood, and a solid citizen in the ever-expanding Sacramento brewing scene. Oak Park Brewing offers a wide array of housemade and guest beers, including my favorite: the housemade Rope Swing Cream Ale. The food menu is varied, with some ambitious dishes. Culinary standouts include the Little Chicken Bucket, a Southernfried game hen served with an indulgent pile of cheese grits, collard

greens and chili honey glaze. This little dish is one of the finest Southern dishes in this here Western town. The shrimp and grits are also a great Southern plate, but pack enough heat to light a gas furnace, so be warned. The shrimp po’ boy, OP burger and spare ribs are worth eating as well. Everything is served on point by friendly waiters in the brewery’s elegant steampunk environs. If you haven’t dropped by some of the new eateries in Oak Park, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Check it out. It’s closer than you think, and it offers a new slice of Sacramento history. La Venadita is at 3501 3rd Ave.; 400-4676; lavenaditasac.com. Oak Park Brewing Company is at 3514 Broadway; 660-2723, opbrewco. com. Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com n

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