Inside the grid may 2017 by Inside Publications

MAY 17

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 Mary Warner

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

Kendra Knauer Midtown Sacramento

“Sold” Starts Here

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THE GRID MAY n 17

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BEAUTY & THE BEAST · JUNE 20-JULY 2 This Tony Award®-winning Disney family classic, with an Academy Award®-winning score by Alan Menken, deserves

©Disney

to be experienced live on stage. The Music Circus production will feature lavish costumes from Director Glenn Casale’s European tour that are nothing short of spectacular! With “Gaston,” the show-stopping “Be Our Guest,” and the beloved title song.

ON THE TOWN · JULY 11-16 New York, New York, it’s a helluva town! The recent Broadway revival of this classic musical comedy got rave reviews and multiple Tony nominations. It’s back at Music Circus for the ﬁrst time since 1961. Three sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in New York City ﬁnd three high-spirited women in an unforgettable adventure. The soaring score by Leonard Bernstein features “Lonely Town” and “New York, New York.”

9 TO 5 · JULY 25-30 A hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the ofﬁce place, based on the hit 1980 “girl power” movie. The hit musical comedy features the Tony Award-nominated score by Dolly Parton and includes the Grammy Award®-winning title song. Variety calls it “A satisfying tale of comical comeuppance, equal parts feminist fantasy fulﬁllment and sitcom-style farce.”

DAMN YANKEES · AUGUST 8-13 A devilishly clever multi Tony Award-winning Best Musical that any baseball fan will appreciate. Mega-fan Joe Boyd trades his soul to lead his beloved Washington Senators to victory over the New York Yankees, only to realize the true worth of the life he left behind. This Music Circus production is directed and choreographed by the same team behind last season’s critically acclaimed Nice Work If You Can Get It.

SISTER ACT · AUGUST 22-27 Based on the hit 1992 ﬁlm starring Whoopi Goldberg, this divine musical comedy is a sparkling tribute to the universal power of sisterhood, with a score by Tony and Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken. The New York Daily News calls it “A feel-good crowd-pleaser worth celebrating.” “Thrilling!” adds The New Yorker.

(916) 557-1999 | SacramentoMusicCircus.com

S E A S O N T I C K E T S S T I L L AVA I L A B L E ! S AV E U P T O $138 O N A P A I R O F T I C K E T S ! | R E Q U E S T A G R O U P O F 12+ , C A L L (916) 557-1198

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MAY 17

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Mary Warner's art work will be shown this month at the Jay Jay Gallery. Shown on the cover is a detail from "Through the Trees," an oil on linen, 63" x 32." Visit jayjayart.com.

GRID COVER ARTIST Mary Warner

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2017 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

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MAY 17 EVERY DAY IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE THIS CITY A LITTLE BETTER

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14 INSIDE DOWNTOWN

RESTAURANT INSIDER

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

24 FARM TO FORK

26 MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

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32 INSIDE CITY HALL

36 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

38 CITY BEAT

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48 By Aniko Kiezel @anikophotos

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Don't miss the vocal ensemble Vox Musica's last performance of the season.

TO DO

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

“Voices in Harmony: Music From Appalachia”

jL By Jessica Laskey

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Vox Musica Sunday, May 21, at 5 p.m. Beatnik Studios, 723 S St. voxmusica.net All-female vocal ensemble Vox Musica closes its season with a combination of bluegrass songs and folk melodies from Appalachia, including music from The Wailin’ Jennys, Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss, accompanied by the Davisbased bluegrass ensemble The Narrow Gauge String Band. Local breweries will serve craft beers before the concert.

“Snap Shots II” The Sacramento Ballet Through May 14 E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts, 2420 N St. sacballet.org “Snap Shots II” delves into the archives of co-artistic director Ron Cunningham’s storehouse of masterful choreography, with sketches from “The Great Gatsby,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Donner Party.”

Jewish Heritage Festival Celebrating Israel The Jewish Federation Sunday, May 7, from 1–5 p.m. Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 6151 H St. jewishsac.org Come party with The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region at this annual festival celebrating Israel. This family-friendly event will include food, crafts and more.

Sacramento Ballet is presenting Snap Shots II through May 14. Photo courtesy of Keith Sutter.

“Songs I’ll Never Get To Sing” Jessica Laskey and Friends Friday, May 26, and Saturday, May 27, at 7 p.m. William J. Geery Theater, 2130 L St. theatergalatea.com Yours truly (Jessica Laskey) will perform a cabaret of Broadway classics with a twist with fellow singers Jennifer Kirkham Smith, Natalie Jones, Analise Langford, Orlana Van Zandt and Jessica Futrell accompanied by Sam Schieber. The show will feature songs from musicals “The Producers,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Man of La Mancha,” “My Fair Lady” and more in ways you’ve never heard them sung before.

Have Choral, Will Travel “European Masterworks” Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. Community Center Theater, 1301 L Street 808-5181, sacramentochoral.com Get a sneak peek of the programming set for the SCSO’s June 2017 international tour to Latvia, Estonia and Finland at this musical preview concert featuring Mendelssohn’s “Psalm 42,” Rossini’s “Stabat Mater,” solos by singers Marina Harris, Layna Chianakas, Kirk Dougherty, Chester Pidduck, Malcolm McKenzie and Shawn Spiess and a guest appeareance by the Sacramento State University Chorus.

Concert Celebrating Women Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1701 L St. rsvpchoir.org The RSVP vocal ensemble will present a concert featuring female composers and arrangers in a variety of musical styles (jazz, gospel and classical) to benefit Saint John’s Program for Real Change. Saxophonist Keith Bohm will perform at Crocker Art Museum.

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Sunday Dinner for Two Every Sunday evening Hawks Public House, 1525 Alhambra Blvd. hawkspublichouse.com Get your week started right with good food and a bottle of wine. Hawks Public House now offers Sunday Dinner for Two, a special fixed-price menu by chef Dane Blom (formerly of Grange): Caesar salad, garlic bread and chef’s choice pasta for $45.

“How Do I Love Thee?” Sacramento Master Singers Saturday, May 20, 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, at 3 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 2100 J St. mastersingers.org Sacramento Master Singers present a concert that explores the highs and lows of romantic love. The program will include compositions by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Eric Nelson and David Bednall, texts by William Shakespeare and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and tunes like “Go, Lovely Rose” by Z. Randall Stroope.

“Gears” Thursday, May 11, from 6–10 p.m. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerart.org Celebrate Bike Month in Steampunk style at this ArtMix event featuring a new installation by Pedal Theory and retro-futuristic inventions, workshops and fashions presented by Sacramento Steampunk Society and The League of Proper Villains. Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates will provide free bike valet service. Must be 21 or over to attend.

Celebrate Bike Month at Crocker Art Museum. Photo courtesy of George Young, Crocker Art Museum.

“Field Notes” UC Davis Art Studio MFA Program May 5–25 Beatnik Studios, 723 S St. beatnik-studios.com Beatnik Studios presents eight artists currently enrolled in the Art Studio MFA program at UC Davis, a two-year studio program. The featured artists from the class of 2018 include Noah Greene, Emily Clark-Kramer, Doug Loree, Joy Miller, Jodi Connelly, Ryan Meyer, Tavarus Blackmonster and Darcy Padilla working in painting, sculpture, photography and video. The opening reception takes place May 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. A student-hosted event will be held Wednesday, May 24, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy Sunday Dinner for Two at Hawks Public House, a special ﬁxed-price menu. Photo courtesy of Esra Okar.

THE GRID MAY n 17

The RSVP vocal ensemble presents a concert to beneﬁt Saint John’s Program for Real Change.

Big Day of Giving Thursday, May 4 Midnight–11:59 p.m. bigdayofgiving.org Big Day of Giving is a 24-hour online giving challenge that helps raise funds for local nonprofits. The event has raised more than $16 million for local nonprofits from more than 36,000 donors since it began. Mark your calendar to join the charitable challenge. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

Sacramento Master Singers will perform two concerts at First United Methodist Church this month.

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Interim police chief Brian Louie

work it out OUR COMMUNITY SUFFERS WHEN LOCAL POLITICAL LEADERS CLASH

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones

n March, the city council approved retention bonuses for the city’s police officers. In recent years, police staffing levels have dropped as city officers left for better pay and work conditions elsewhere. Looming in the coming months are contract negotiations between the city and its police union. On March 22, The Sacramento Bee published an op-ed by Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones suggesting the council has established policies that do not support law enforcement, particularly interim police chief Brian Louie.

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

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Jones made some decent points that no doubt left the mayor and council peeved. But Jones, with decades of law enforcement experience, has the right to express his views. As the mother of a son in law enforcement, I can understand his position. Jones considers the city police department to be top-notch. His concern is that the council has developed policies that placate law enforcement detractors. Jones also called out the untenable position that Chief Louie is in as he seeks to have his position made permanent. As an example, Jones pointed out that the city established a police commission in recent years, appointing members with little law enforcement experience or understanding. Jones believes that even with retention bonus payments, the officer exodus will continue. In the process, innovation will falter

and self-initiated, proactive police work will decline, leading to a mediocre department and less safe communities. Not long after that op-ed appeared, Jones hosted a town hall meeting with Thomas Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Jones stated that his goal was to provide a public forum to allay deportation fears and dispel misinformation in the community. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, accompanied by state Senate president pro tem Kevin de Leon, participated in a protest rally outside the immigration forum. Steinberg called Jones’ decision to host the meeting with Homan “cynical” and “mean.” Steinberg and de Leon sat in the front row of the packed house and asked questions and made statements that seemed designed to incite a crowd that was already ramped up emotionally. Many people, including

me, were turned away from the forum. I ended up watching it online. Jones and Steinberg actually agree on a number of things. Both favor a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes. Both are sympathetic to the children of immigrants who were brought to the United States without documentation by their parents. And both agree that the nation’s immigration system is broken and needs comprehensive reform. At the meeting, Jones pledged that he would never allow his officers to be deputized by the federal government as de facto immigration officers. Homan told the audience that “we prioritize criminals” for deportation, focusing on those who are a threat to public safety, not people who abide by our laws. This point was clearly lost on the hyper-agitated audience, including on a skeptical Steinberg. Like just about everything else in our highly polarized nation right now,

My hope is that Jones and Steinberg can forge a positive relationship based upon what they agree on.

sadly there appears no middle ground on this subject. I know and respect Jones and believe what he says. With a member of law enforcement in our family, we have a perspective that others may not be able to fully understand. It has been a very rough few years for those in blue, along with their families. I have no doubt that the mayor and council believe they are being supportive of law enforcement by approving the retention bonus plan. But they need to be careful as their actions in other areas regarding police department policy at times appear as trying to satisfy members of the vocal fringe who view law enforcement only as the enemy. They need to keep in mind that there is widespread support in our community for the officers— and their leaders—who carry out the difficult task of enforcing our laws. My hope is that Jones and Steinberg can forge a positive relationship based upon what they agree on, rather than simply reflecting the rigid left-right axis that has sadly gripped just about every issue in our city, state and country. The men and women risking their lives every day to keep our streets and communities safe certainly deserve it. So do the residents of the poor and minority communities that have the

most to lose when police officers pull back, sensing that local politicians don’t seem to have their backs. Note: Thank you to the many folks who wrote me in support of our city’s efforts to brand itself as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. I want to

clarify that Visit Sacramento decided, in conjunction with Councilmember Rick Jennings, to repaint the I-5 water-tower slogan. The agency also paid all the costs associated with the renaming. Artist Bob Miller sent me this rendering of what he thinks should

be painted on the water tower. In my mind this is a terrific idea. Thanks Bob! Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. n

Artist Bob Miller's rendering of the I-5 water tower as he imagines it.

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A E M R S D

Come T rue

COMPETITION BRINGS RETAIL STORES TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE

owntown Sacramento Partnership’s Calling All Dreamers contest has been a boon for local would-be entrepreneurs. Each year, the winner receives more than $100,000 in free services and $10,000 in startup cash. But even many competitors who don’t win end up starting their own businesses. In the four years since the contest began, it has changed downtown’s retail environment and created jobs. According to DSP, the competition has added 15 retail businesses to the downtown core. Those businesses account for more than 18,000 square

SC By Scot Crocker Inside Downtown

THE GRID MAY n 17

feet of leased space and 57 part-time and 20 full-time jobs. Each year, 30 to 40 entrepreneurs apply for the program. The competition is open to people who want to start a retail business or who have an existing retail business and want to expand or open a new concept in downtown Sacramento. This year’s finalists will be announced on May 18. The public will vote for their favorites until June 26. The public’s vote is taken into consideration by a group of judges who will announce the winner on July 10. Competing in Calling All Dreamers is a grueling process. Five of the contestants are chosen to go through a three-month business development course that focuses on business planning, marketing research, proof of financial sustainability and other key performance indicators. The winner is selected from the final five.

“Our original intent with the competition was to accelerate groundfloor retail in the downtown area,” says Valerie Mamone, DSP’s senior manager of business development. “We wanted to diversify the mix and look for something other than restaurants and set them up for success.” By most accounts, they’ve succeeded. Three of the first four winners are still going strong: Andy’s Candy Apothecary, The Allspicery and Oblivion Comics & Coffee. The fourth, children’s apparel store Ana Apple in Old Sacramento, closed when owner Ana Manzano moved out of Sacramento. “I think we’ve done very well with the businesses that won the contest and with the finalists who worked hard to forge a unique business model,” says Mamone. “We’ve had people who didn’t win the competition but still opened a business because they had the opportunity to work with

experts and business counselors for months to focus their business plan, figure out marketing and understand finances.” Last year’s winner was Oblivion, which sells new, vintage and independent comics along with Chocolate Fish coffee. The store, whose name is a nod to Oblivion Bar in the DC Universe comic books, caters to comic lovers and coffee lovers alike. The business impressed the judges and received more votes from the public than any other in the competition’s history. Initially, judges look at the business concept, financial feasibility, marketing plan, management plan, value proposition and people behind the concept. “From the submittal, their plans will be refined by experts, but they have to show us some real thinking why their concept will work,” Mamone says. “And even if they win the $10,000, we want to see

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other investment. We want them to have skin in the game, too.” “I think the process was great,” says Andy Paul, owner of Andy’s Candy Apothecary, who won the competition in 2013. “It was hard work and challenging.” Paul had been thinking about opening a business for a few years. “I wasn’t thinking about a storefront at all,” he says. “I was going for something more tame.” But when he heard about Calling All Dreamers, he began to think big. “Many people think they may start a business someday,” he says. “This competition will drive many to throw their hat in the ring.” Paul and his wife, Camille Esch, spent hours building a business plan around a candy-store concept Paul had been thinking about. He wanted to open a candy store selling unique products that aren’t readily available. “We’ve had our ups and downs,” says Paul. “We had to react to the seasonality of the candy business and how much to have on hand. We got slammed in our first Christmas. It was hard to keep up with demand. Then we ran out of product on Valentine’s Day. But we see it coming now and can orderly properly.” Paul gives a lot of credit to his wife, who is very involved in shop design and merchandising. He also appreciates the free legal, branding, advertising and construction help that he received as the competition winner. He continues to study business through podcasts and television. “I love watching the TV show ‘The Profit,’” he says. “It’s very educational. My kids love it, too. I’ll watch it a second time and learn even more.” Business at Andy’s Candy Apothecary is steady. Paul and Esch are thinking about growing the business through online sales targeting business gifts. They may also open a second store. If not for the Calling All Dreamers contest, Heather Wong might never have opened The Allspicery, which sells spices, spice blends and teas. Wong left behind the pressures of traveling around the country as a

THE GRID MAY n 17

Andy Paul is the owner of Andy’s Candy Apothecary. successful energy-sector corporate sales professional for a different kind of pressure as a first-time entrepreneur and storeowner. “I’ve embraced the freedom in this job,” she says. “It’s not an 8-to-5 job, but I’m the boss and I call the shots.” Wong won in 2015 and opened her shop in April 2016. “I’m not sure I would have opened my shop without this contest,” she says. “There was so much support. As a winner, the services were critical.” Her advice to anyone thinking about entering the competition? “Go for it.” “There is a strong tailwind for entrepreneurs and innovation in downtown Sacramento,” says Jack Crawford, general partner at Impact Venture Capital and a leader in Sacramento’s entrepreneurial community. “The Calling All Dreamers program is yet another valuable contributor in the evolution of our ecosystem. It’s exciting to see and even more exciting to roll up your sleeves and jump in.” For more information about Calling All Dreamers, go to downtownsac.org.

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

ns The Allspice

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Amaro Does Italian Right NEW R STREET RESTAURANT DESERVES A ‘BRAVO!’

am sometimes surprised at how few Italian restaurants there are in the Sacramento region. Sure, we have our share of pizza places— Masullo, Hot Italian, Pizza Rock and OneSpeed come to mind—that transcend the pizza-parlor genre and creep into the remarkable-dining category. And we have some classic Chianti-and-two-pounds-of-pasta places like Espanol and Serritella’s. What we lack are restaurants that combine Sacramento’s farm-to-fork ethos with exquisite Italian cooking. Excluding a few prominent chains, the only name that comes to mind is

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

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Biba. But now we have a new entry to add to the list: Amaro Italian Bistro & Bar. The latest enterprise from the team behind Shady Lady Saloon, B-Side, Field House American Sports Pub and Sail Inn, Amaro combines modern design with classic Italian cuisine. Perched in the middle of the bustling R Street Corridor, the space carves out a lovely corner next to WAL Public Market and across 11th Street from a shuttered building that has “potential” written all over it. Compared to the nouveau-hip industrial exterior, the interior is a bit tongue-in-cheek. A simple smattering of tables and a large, open kitchen take up the ground floor, while above the diners’ heads are gorgeous reproduction Renaissance portraits and a library of leather-bound Italian classics, all so fraudulent as to be a sardonic comment in itself. The only thing that doesn’t fit the slick atmosphere is the music—1980s pop

tunes and reggae numbers—piped through the sound system. The food at Amaro is absolutely lovely. The scratch cooking, housemade pastas, freshly baked breads and high-quality desserts speak to a kitchen that is staffed by mature hands and talented veterans. The word “maturity” came to mind more than once while I was eating at Amaro. A less experienced group of restaurant owners and a less confident kitchen staff may have tried

to reinvent the Italian classics. They would have been miles too clever. Instead, the group seems to have centered the culinary enterprise on quality: quality ingredients, quality staff, quality recipes. Take, for example, the Caesar salad. Amaro’s version is simple and beautiful, made with polenta croutons and some of the best anchovy fillets I’ve ever enjoyed. Those fillets aren’t a big thing, but they let the diner

WHEN IT COMES TO THE MENU, THE DISHES PUT OUT AT AMARO ARE ABSOLUTELY LOVELY.

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know that care has been brought to bear on all aspects of the dish. Or take the lasagna. The chef could have eschewed the basic lasagna and gone for something more refined or creative. He might have tried to emulate Biba’s lasagna, which is still the finest plate of food a diner can eat within a 100-mile radius of Sacramento. Instead, the kitchen turns out a traditional, nonna-style piece of lasagna, made with Bolognese, béchamel, fontina and locally sourced ricotta from Orland Farmstead Creamery, all heartily packed between layers of house-made pasta. The result is a dense, oversized, luscious square of decadence. It’s no more sophisticated than Mom’s potluck lasagna—it’s simply made with more care. Another standout dish is orecchiette con salsiccia, the classic combo of earshaped pasta, sausage, rapini, garlic and chili that attracts my eye on every Italian menu. Amaro’s version is on point and balanced to perfection. Also worth ordering are the melt-in-your-mouth

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gnocchi in brown butter, the mushroom pizza and the focaccia. Seriously, the focaccia! No matter the savory temptations, save room for dessert. Amaro’s sweets are something to behold. The panna cotta, made with candied kumquats and citrus curd, is silky and decadent. Similarly, the tiramisu is the classic dessert brought to its most indulgent. And the house-made cannoli is a perfect expression of the genre: crispy, candied and sweet. Hopefully, Amaro and its inevitable success will shine a light on a trend that I can get behind: traditional recipes prepared traditionally without any skimping on prep time, ingredients or care. The vibe may be hip, but the food on the plate shows maturity and precision. I’ll take that combination any time. Amaro Italian Bistro & Bar is at 1100 R St.; 399-4145; amarobistrobar.com. Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. n

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Bank on It NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL BRING 12 CHEFS UNDER ONE ROOF

ome historic landmarks have a way of blending in, incongruous as they sometimes are with their surroundings. Consider the neoclassical structure with its fluted columns on the northwest corner of J and 7th streets. For the past quartercentury, except for hosting the occasional event, the D.O. Mills Bank Building has kept a relatively low profile. But that will change sometime in late summer when it opens as The Bank, a three-story restaurant and bar with 12 different chefs and cuisines. Built in 1912, the historic building was named after Darius Ogden Mills of New York, who came to California during the Gold Rush and founded a bank in Sacramento. With an

JV By Jordan Venema Building Our Future

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exterior as stolid and immovable as the Acropolis and an interior as gilded and detailed as the Palace of Versailles, The Bank could prove one of Sacramento’s most aesthetically intriguing dining experiences. In 1992, the family of Alison Cameron Ulshoffer purchased the building, and Ulshoffer’s father used it for his private offices until he retired. The building continued to host proms and weddings in a space called the Sacramento Grand Ballroom. “These walls are full of history,” Ulshoffer says. “There have been millions of people through these doors.” When the city announced

plans for the Golden 1 Center, Ulshoffer’s family decided to renovate and rebrand the building as a restaurant and gathering space, somewhat inspired by their travels. “We traveled a bit, and there is a square in Marrakesh that my father is obsessed with,” says Ulshoffer. “It’s just this gathering spot, and the thought of people sitting in the square, the environment of coming together—my father loved that community feel.” As Yolo County residents for three generations, Ulshoffer’s family hopes to facilitate community in this unique space. “We really want it to be like a neighborhood bar in a beautiful setting,” she says. “So we’re designing it not to fight the building, because it’s phenomenal as it is. Every piece of marble that comes off the wall is saved, and anything we find is put in our archive room. We’re preserving absolutely everything that we can.” Renovation of a 100-year-old building comes with challenges, from plumbing to electrical power,

but preservation is a priority, says Ulshoffer. The result will be a threestory, 30,000-square-foot restaurant with a capacity of just over 1,000 people. According to Ulshoffer, The Bank won’t feel crowded. “We’ve put almost two years into planning,” she says, “and we want it to be a little bit of everything for everybody.” That means guests can sip champagne on the mezzanine, drink craft beer in the vaults below or enjoy one of many cuisines on the main floor. For some of The Bank’s 12 chefs, this will be their first brickand-mortar restaurant. “We want people to come here and get things they can’t get anywhere else,” says Ulshoffer. “So if you feel like oysters or pizza or Italian, there is definitely diversity, and we’ve really gathered a group with exciting talent.” Diners will order at individual counters for each chef, and food will be brought to their tables. The Bank, Ulshoffer says, will be neither a food court nor a sports bar, and it won’t turn into a club afterhours. There will be TVs throughout the main and lower floors, and bars unique to each space. “We’re just really trying to cultivate something where everybody is welcome.” The mezzanine bar will specialize in craft cocktails, and the bar on the main floor “is going to have the most wells in town,” says Ulshoffer. A taproom with more than 70 beers on tap will occupy the lower floor, where the bank’s original vaults will be transformed into areas for dining and seating. One of the vaults will be reserved for private parties or

Photos courtesy of Andy Duong. conferences, she says, “which is perfect if you want to play poker with your buddies or watch a Kings game.” During the tour of one vault, Ulshoffer’s excitement was palpable when she saw a large concrete slab had been removed from the vault’s wall to create an auxiliary entrance. “Holy moley. I hadn’t seen that yet,” she said. “There’s something new here every hour.” Ulshoffer admits the decision to open The Bank was a business opportunity made possible, in part, by the Golden1 Center. But it’s also clear that she feels genuine excitement about what The Bank has to offer Sacramento. “I can’t stress enough that this isn’t about us,” she says. “It’s about the community.” Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan. venema@gmail.com. n

Kim Scott of Mama Kim’s will become the ﬁrst food vendor in The Bank. Photo courtesy of Chantel Elder.

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FARMERS MARKET FILLS A NEED FOR FRESH FOOD IN OAK PARK

Hungry for Change

oany Titherington calls herself a “local girl.” She’s also the manager of Oak Park Farmers Market,

which takes place Saturdays in historic James McClatchy Park. On May 6, the start of the market’s eighth season, close to 20 vendors will be on hand, including some from Oak Park, offering everything from fish to grain-free baked goods, cold-brew coffee and Australianstyle hand pies. Titherington is passionate about providing fresh food to the Oak Park community. You have to go back in time to fully appreciate this vibrant farmers market, as well as the work Titherington and others in the community put into creating it. Ten years ago, Titherington was the president of Oak Park Neighborhood Association. The community was Joany Titherington is the manager of Oak Park Farmers Market.

struggling with crime and neighborhood blight. Oak Park was a food desert. After the association polled folks to find out what changes they wanted to see, one answer was clear. “The community was interested in finding fresh, local food,” Titherington says. Despite the evidence, she had to convince financial backers it was true. “They said, ‘Those people don’t want that,’” she recalls. “I wanted to dispel the stigma that poor people don’t eat or want healthy food.” The youngest of six children, she was raised by a single mother who often worked long hours. Her grandmother was Mary Barden. She designed many houses and other buildings in the area, but her talent for creating architecture was often described as a hobby, Titherington says. Frank “Squeaky” Williams, the builder behind some of

AK By Angela Knight Farm to Fork

Sacramento’s most sought-after homes, was Titherington’s great-grandfather. “A lot of Oak Park was built by my family,” she says. She still remembers the negative comments people made when her mother used government-issued food stamps. To get by, her family ate meals made with cheaper cuts of meat and

THE GRID MAY n 17

readily available ingredients like ham

transfer—is a debit card that replaced

can learn ways to manage health

likes the immediate gratification that

hocks and potatoes.

the paper version of food stamps).

conditions such as high blood pressure

comes when people eat together. “It’s

Last season, EBT sales reached about

and diabetes while you shop for fresh

the glue that connects us all.”

$25,000.

food.

Early efforts to provide fresh, local food to Oak Park included a small urban farm stand and a community

Today, the farmers market is a

The Word of the Week is a popular

garden, but a second survey produced

one-stop shopping space, Titherington

program that teaches people about

another emphatic response: Oak

says, and a social gathering spot

specialty crops, like kohlrabi and taro.

Park residents wanted a farmers

for Oak Park because it is centrally

The word is posted in advance on the

market. Titherington was charged

located. She’s careful to share

market’s Facebook page, along with

with setting it up. As a consultant

credit for this successful farmers

recipes and nutrition information. If

for NeighborWorks Sacramento,

market with a long list of people and

you know the word, you could receive

the organization that founded and

organizations, including the Oak Park

$5 to spend on fruit and vegetables;

currently sponsors Oak Park’s

community.

you have to get to the market early

farmers market, Titherington checked

Every week, between 800 and

because the vouchers go fast. “It

out several local markets. She fell in

1,500 people show up. Some people

drives people to experiment with

love with the Davis Farmers Market—

are attracted to the market for

things they don’t normally try,”

the music, hot food and community

the cooking demos, called Food for

Titherington says.

vibe—and used it as a model.

Thought, by local chefs including

But she struggled to find vendors

Oak Park Farmers Market takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays from May through October in James McClatchy Park at 3500 5th Ave. Angela Knight can be reached at

She has a soft spot for children

like Adam Pechal and Patrick

who visit the market and take part

that first year. Eight vendors were

Mulvaney. Others come for the free

in “passport play,” involving puzzles,

on hand on opening day, but 1,000

arts and crafts for kids or tai chi and

mazes and craft projects. “They’re

shoppers showed up. “What a

yoga classes offered by Oak Park

actually teaching their parents” about

wonderful experience that was,”

Healing Arts Center. What about a

making healthy food choices, she says.

she says. The market had $1,200 in

walk through the market with an

One little boy told her English sweet

EBT sales. (EBT—electronic benefit

undergraduate medical student from

peas tasted like candy and offered to

UC Davis’s RIVER program? You

share his bag of peas with her. She

knight@mcn.org. n

A book signing for “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Naighborhood Places in America’s Farm-toFork Capital” will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Oak Park Farmers Market on Saturday, May 6. A portion of the proceeds from that day’s book sales will go to the Oak Park nonproﬁt NeighborWorks Sacramento.

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Working Partnership

Nathan and Erica at one of their building sites.

A YOUNG COUPLE BUILDS A COMPANY FROM THE GROUND UP

rica Cunningham was 19 when she bought her first home while working for a small real estate company in the Arden area. You could say she was a quick learner. At 20, Nathan Cunningham was passionate about building things and working on bikes and cars. Over the

JB By Jeanne Winnick Brennan Meet Your Neighbor

THE GRID MAY n 17

next 15 years, they married, had two children and built Indie Capital, LLC, a residential real estate development company that today specializes in infill projects. Their distinctive style, quality work and attention to detail have made them a tour de force in Sacramento’s residential neighborhoods around the perimeter of the Downtown grid. With an extensive portfolio of remodeled homes, historic restorations and new houses, the Cunningham business story reads like a primer on how to flip the right house at the right time and grow a successful company--all while

balancing family life. They are now in the midst of their biggest endeavor yet: three residential infill projects that will provide 23 single-family homes. Eight will be built at 15th and D streets (Mansion Flats Modern) with prices starting at $569,000. Six homes at Second Avenue and 34th Street (Oak Park Creatives) are being presold at $469,000, and nine near Broadway and 9th Street (Broadway Redux) will range between $449,000 and $599,000. According to Erica, potential buyers familiar with their work have already expressed interest. “The response has been very encouraging,” she says. “Tons of

professional couples tell us they want exactly what we’re building: a house that is low maintenance, energy efficient, with lots of room for entertaining in a location that’s within walking distance to everything.” So how did they do it? Simply put: sweat equity. A great working partnership with a division of duties also helps. In raising their two young children, they split the calendar into roughly six-month stints. When Erica is working full time on marketing, research, land acquisition and permitting, Nate is front and center at home. When it is

time to build, Nate swings into action, and Erica takes the lead managing the family. Indie Capital really started when Nate and Erica first met, and he helped her paint and landscape to flip her first house, a 1910 bungalow in Oak Park. Remodeling quickly became their passion, but they took careful steps to lay the foundation for their business remodeling one house at a time. “In the beginning, it was just the two of us, but we did hire out the occasional plumbing/electrical job,” says Erica. “However, when a new bathtub was needed, it was Nate and I carrying it in from his 30-year-old Toyota pickup truck.” In 2004, Erica became a licensed real estate broker and left her job to start Indie Capital Real Estate. The couple continued to do light remodeling work on their own projects until Nate became licensed as a general contractor in 2006 and started Indie Capital Constructors. “With Nate, you get an experienced contractor who instinctively knows how things should come together,”

says Erica. “He was the kid who would get caught building model airplanes in his bedroom by flashlight when he was supposed to be sleeping.” When HUD changed its guidelines and required investors to pay 10 percent down instead of 3 percent, the Cunninghams had to readjust their business model. They carefully hopscotched around Sacramento neighborhoods to find the right older homes. “We got the old-house bug and really got into restoration projects with architectural character and lots of details to research,” says Erica. “That experience shaped how we focus on detail work today.” The Cunninghams were rehabilitating about a dozen landmark properties when the recession hit. They faced a big decision: Should they go back to their 9-to-5 jobs, keep going when there was nothing to remodel, or try to build? Land was cheap; development was at a standstill. People couldn’t get loans. They had cultivated a solid group of professionals who were

available. They decided to take the risk and bought two vacant infill lots. Their profit wasn’t great, but they kept their loyal people busy and were able to ride out the recession. In 2012, the Cunninghams worked with local architect Stephen Henry of Henry + Associates to build a modern home on an obscure alley in Midtown. It sold within a week for about $500,000 and garnered a lot of interest. According to Cunningham, it was a turning point. “We are seeing lots of Bay Area people—young, first-time homeowners who are busy with their careers and want a new urban house where all the work is done,” says Erica. “We did this at the right time.” Nate offers candid advice on building a real estate development company. “Anyone looking to make a lot of money in a short amount of time will end up being disappointed,” he says. “Know your tolerance for risk, because that is at least 50 percent of this business.” n

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Meant To Be A TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY HOME GETS MODERN UPDATES

JF By Julie Foster Home Insight

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ometimes things happen right on schedule. In 2012, Laney and Cori Preheim were renting a house on Land Park Drive when a home down the street went up for sale. Laney was pregnant with the couple’s first child, and the couple questioned whether they could afford the property. Rather than be disappointed, they chose not to look at the house. But on Laney’s due date, they decided to take a peek. The 2,000-square-foot home’s nice layout, big front porch, ample lot and plenty of large windows all

contributed to the couple’s decision to make an offer. “The minute we walked in, we knew it was the right house,” Laney says. But they were unsuccessful; another offer had been accepted. Seven days past Laney’s due date, their daughter was born. Three days later, the real estate agent called. The first offer had fallen through. Did they want the house? This time they scored. The house has an unusual history. Originally built in Elk Grove in

1911, it was later moved to Land Park Drive, where it was one of the first homes in the area. Many of its original features remain, including the glass lights between the living and dining rooms, a wood-burning fireplace, wainscoting, coved ceilings and an oversized front door with beveled glass. But the house needed refreshing. “Older homes always have ‘a list,’ one that seems to never end,” Laney says. “If we wanted a turnkey, no-project house, we wouldn’t have chosen this one.”

ORIGINALLY BUILT IN ELK GROVE IN 1911, IT WAS LATER MOVED TO LAND PARK DRIVE.

Remodeling took place in stages. The living room and dining room received cosmetic upgrades, including paint. A new marble hearth and glassfronted doors on shelves spiffed up the living room. The wood floors were refinished and both bathrooms were redone. Last year, the couple remodeled the kitchen with help from Curtis Popp and Dustin Littrell, owners of Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors. “They guided us every step of the way: obtaining permits, selecting finishes and helping us pick a general contractor,” says Laney. “This was our biggest project and the most money we were going to spend, so we really wanted to do it right.” The rehabbed kitchen gets high marks for style and familyfriendliness. White marble tops the counters. Mike Ward of River Park built the stunning custom cabinets. White cabinet panels camouflage the refrigerator and two freezers. “The white has been a game changer,” says Laney. “It makes everything feel clean and open.”

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THINK ABOUT INCORPORATING NEW MATERIALS WHILE STILL RETAINING THE HISTORIC FEEL OF THE HOME.

THE GRID MAY n 17

A comfy corner window seat provides a spot for socializing during meal preparation. Transom windows above the farmhouse sink drench the room in sunlight. The light bounces off glazed backsplash tiles by Heath Ceramics of Sausalito. Previously, the only eating space in the kitchen was a small, dropped-ceiling area with an inconvenient booth. Now, it’s a spacious pantry with whimsical birdand-butterfly-patterned wallpaper. Though Laney chose a sophisticated neutral palette throughout the home, the wallpaper provides a pop of color that Cori appreciates. “Cori laughs at me, saying, ‘Why can’t we have some color in here?”’ Laney explains. “But I think it is very relaxing.”

Off the kitchen, a once-drafty laundry room was transformed into a bright, sunny laundry room with another delightful window seat. A new deck off the back door allows easy access to the backyard. The covered sand box lets kids play outside all year, while the outdoor shower refreshes on hot summer days. Neither cavelike nor drab, the reclaimed basement is well lit, useful and snug. A coat of epoxy brightens the floor. The couple painted the ceiling and added a wine rack. By repurposing an old door from upstairs and adding a wall, they created a utility closet for the new tankless water heater and HVAC. Reusing two of the original single-paned windows from the house, they built a custom

bookcase. Recycled kitchen drawers from the original cabinets evolved into a nifty cabinet for odds and ends. Two original windows were reworked so natural light illuminates the room. A tidy desk completes the scene. “I can come down here, close the door and work a bit,” Laney says. She advises hiring a general contractor or designer with an appreciation for the older components of a house. Also, think about incorporating new materials while retaining the historic feel of the home. “If you look around here, it’s definitely modern,” she says. “But it’s an older home, and that’s why we bought the house.” Laney notes it’s tempting to “open up” a house and take down multiple

walls. The couple took a different route, choosing light paint colors, lots of white woodwork, glass pocket doors in the kitchen and French doors between the dining room and the kitchen to let light travel through the house. “We found ways to keep it open feeling but still traditional. We love our home, and the minute I come in I feel good,” she says. “That’s what’s most important. You want to feel good in your own home, and we definitely feel good here.” If you know of a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com. n

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A Talk With the Mayor ON TRANSPORTATION, TAXES, HOUSING AND MORE

Mayor Darrell Steinberg is featured in this portrait by Marcy Friedman titled “Considering All the Options,” oil on canvas, 40” x 30.”

had a chance recently to sit down with Mayor Darrell Steinberg for a wide-ranging discussion on his approach to city issues. This month’s column covers part one of our discussion; look

THE GRID MAY n 17

for part two next month. In the interview, the mayor’s body language was telling. When discussing launching and funding new programs, he was highly engaged, dynamic, even animated.

He’s deeply steeped in the minute details of his proposed programs. However, whenever the conversation turned to fiscal constraints, eliminating inefficiencies and the like, he became reticent, reluctant to

delve into specifics. This is a politician who clearly relishes launching new programs more than he does reining in spending or economizing. How well this attitude serves Sacramento in the years to come is a very big question. He comes to the job with unprecedented political support from his mayoral colleagues, most having endorsed his candidacy. Even his erstwhile election opponent, North Natomas Councilmember Angelique Ashby, is doing her best to work collaboratively with him while politely disagreeing with him on issues from time to time. Steinberg also seems to have an almost preternatural ability to tap state government funding for city projects, drawing on contacts and calling in favors built up over his long tenure in the Legislature. But his de facto declaration of war against the new Trump administration over immigration issues and Sacramento’s status as a “sanctuary city” threatens to imperil major federal funding for Sacramento on a number of fronts: transportation funding, housing vouchers, public safety, community block grants, etc. While publicly declaring his willingness to “lead the fight” against Trump on immigration and his defiant (if legally shaky) stance that “civil rights are more important than money,” Steinberg is at the same time

CP By Craig Powell Inside City Hall

making lobbying trips to D.C. seeking financial favors for the city from Trump administration officials. The phrase “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” comes immediately to mind. Is stalwartly standing up for Sacramento’s status as a sanctuary city—a largely symbolic stance since real immigration law enforcement seeks the cooperation of local jails, which are a county, not a city, responsibility—and repeatedly poking a finger in the eye of the notoriously sensitive Donald Trump worth the very real risk of losing potentially hundreds of millions of federal funding for Sacramento that it might otherwise receive? City voters might have a very different opinion on this issue from the mayor. To this observer, he appears to be burnishing his political brand with California’s anti-Trump voters while possibly putting the city at risk. Sacramento is facing huge fiscal challenges in the future. Labor costs, and particularly pension costs, continue to escalate, with the city’s annual pension bill projected to increase by $29.4 million by 2022, according to city finance director Leyne Milstein. Rising city revenues from the economic recovery are being quickly spent, with only modest additions to the city’s emergency reserves, which are a third of the level they were when the last recession struck. Even with rapidly rising annual payments to CalPERS, the city continues to accrue large unfunded costs for both pension and retiree health care benefits, bills that will slam the city in the not-too-distant future. One-time general fund budget surpluses are now being spent to kick-start new programs, such as the mayor’s homeless initiative, instead of being socked away in emergency reserves or used to fund long-term investments as they once were. The city’s total debt was nearly $2.5 billion as of June 30, 2016. Total city debt has more than doubled in the past five years, increasing by more than $1.3 billion. The increase is due to bond sales to fund a variety projects, including Golden 1 Center, water meter installations and other utilities infrastructure, as well as

ballooning retiree obligations, which are now nearly $1 billion. Meanwhile, the city is facing the challenge of dealing with its increasing homeless population, a knotty problem that was widely studied but not aggressively dealt with during Kevin Johnson’s eight-year mayoralty. High youth unemployment, stagnant family incomes and a fairly weak local job market are perhaps our city’s biggest challenges, exacerbated by a less-than-stellar performance by city schools, gangs and unsafe neighborhoods. Rising housing costs are making it harder for folks to buy or rent and play a role both in increasing homelessness and in driving the poor and working families out of California. Transportation issues are also a big concern, with local traffic congestion and a beleaguered, high-cost transit system, Regional Transit, trying to regain its mojo under the direction of its new general manager, Henry Li. We started our conversation talking about ways to improve local governance. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

back the number of boards councilmembers serve on and replacing them with qualified private citizens experienced in overseeing large, complex organizations? Mayor Steinberg: I’d actually think we should move to a combination of both elected officials and private citizens. Regional Transit is a good example. Up until 1992, RT board was populated by private-citizen stakeholders and it did pretty well. Now, we’ve swung 180 degrees the other way. We need to move the pendulum back to the middle. RT could benefit from people with business acumen, representatives of the disabled and the like. It’s unfair to both elected officials and the public to have officeholders serve on so many boards that they don’t have the time to provide good oversight. I look forward to diversifying my appointments to these various boards in the future to include private citizens. We also need a greater and more effective means of communication between such boards and their “bodies of origin,” which are local cities and county government.

RISING CITY REVENUES FROM THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY ARE BEING QUICKLY SPENT, WITH ONLY MODEST ADDITIONS TO THE CITY’S EMERGENCY RESERVES, WHICH ARE A THIRD OF THE LEVEL THEY WERE WHEN THE LAST RECESSION STRUCK.

Craig Powell: County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy recently told me that he concurrently serves on 31 different boards and commissions. City councilmembers serve on a dozen to 20 such boards, making it virtually impossible for even the most diligent officeholder to provide responsible oversight over them all. Would you be supportive of an effort to rein

Last November, voters in Sacramento County narrowly defeated Measure B, a proposal to double the county’s transportation sales tax. There is some discussion of putting it on the ballot again in 2018 or 2020. Is it smart to launch a major infrastructure push in transportation right now, when we’re in the middle of major technological transformations like the advent of autonomous,

self-driving cars and the widespread adoption of ridesharing services? There are many transportation infrastructure needs currently, both on the road and the transit side. The key is to draft a measure that anticipates rapid technological change. It should contemplate autonomous vehicles and other innovative changes in transportation. I’d love to see Sacramento become the center of research and development in autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles and alternative fuels technology. There is no reason why the next ballot measure can’t have some funding set aside for supporting the local growth in such industries. According to the U.S. Census, real family incomes fell 12 percent in Sacramento County between 2000 and 2014. While local incomes have picked up some since, they are still below what they were in 2000. Is it fair to impose the burden of a regressive transportation sales tax hike on people who are still suffering from a significant loss of income in recent years? It’s always a balance. Raising taxes isn’t a positive in itself. While the sales tax has its faults, local governments don’t have a lot of flexibility in the types of taxes they can levy or can even ask voters to consider. The question for voters is: Will they benefit from the tax? Will they have safer roadways, reduced car maintenance, easier access to quality public transportation? That’s how you make your case. Then you let the voters decide. There’s been some discussion of breaking a transportation tax measure into two separate proposals: one for the city, which would be more focused on transit funding, and one for the county, more focused on road maintenance and freeway improvements. City voters seem to be more supportive of transit funding, while county voters seem to be more supportive TO page 35

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SATURDAY, MAY 6 AT 8:00 PM Pre-concert talk at 7 PM by Conductor Donald Kendrick

Sacramento Community Center Theater MENDELSSOHN | Psalm 42 Wie der Hirsch schreit tabat Mater ROSSINI | Stabat

GUEST CHORUS Sacramento State University Chorus

Marina Harris, ris, SSoprano oprano op Layna Chianakas, nakas, Mezzo Kirk Dougherty, herty ty, Tenor T Malcolm McKenzie, cKe Kenzie, Baritone Baari rito to one ne Shawn Spiess, ss, Baritone Baritonee Chester Pidduck, duck ck, Tenor T orr

Donald Kendrick | Music Director

Enjoy a musical preview of the SCSO’s June 2017 international tour to Latvia, Estonia and Finland

CCT Box Office | 916.808.5181

SACRAMENTOCHORAL.COM

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THEATRE GUIDE STUPID F##KING BIRD

THE DONNER PARTY

An aspiring young director rages against the art created by his mother’s generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Aaron Posner stages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all.

Specially commissioned and developed by Sacramento Theatre Company (STC), this dramatic new musical chronicles the true story of the harrowing travels of pioneers who faced unspeakable trials when trapped in the high Sierra Nevada in the winter of 1846 to 1847.

ANTIGONE BY SOPHOCLES

A black mother’s desire to assure her daughter escapes life’s tragic results from a poor education schemes to get the girl into a “good” school. That school is predominately white, in another school district, and is helmed by an interim principal who is a well-educated black woman. The mother finesses the principal into the effort but that relationship is rocked when a private investigator, implicates the principal in a scheme to keep the young girl in the school illegally.

Capital Stage May 3 – June 4 2215 J St, Sac 995-5464 Capstage.org

Big Idea April 7 – May 6 1616 Del Paso Blvd, Sac 960-3036 BigIdeaTheatre.org In the aftermath of a civil war over the throne of Thebes, two belligerent brothers are dead, and the newly anointed ruler, Creon, has decreed one of them a traitor whose body shall remain unburied. Antigone, sister to the slain brothers, openly defies Creon’s orders, setting the stage for a battle of wills that pits national allegiance against family loyalty.

BROADWAY SACRAMENTO PRESENTS: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Sacramento Community Theater May 17 – May 28 1301 L St, Sac 808-5181 Californiamusicaltheatre.com

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera will come to Sacramento as part of a brand new North American Tour. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is “bigger and better than ever before” and features a brilliant new scenic design, lighting design, new choreography, and new staging. The production, overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh, boasts many exciting special effects including the show’s legendary chandelier.

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

THE GRID MAY n 17

Sacramento Theatre Company April 19 – May 14 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722 SacTheatre.org

LINES IN THE DUST

Celebration Arts Thru May 14 4469 D St, Sac 455-2787 Celebrationarts.net

TREATMENT

B Street Theatre Thru June 4 2711 B St, Sac 443-5300 Bstreettheatre.org Three long-time friends go on a camping trip to reconnect with hilarious results! In this original work by B Street Theatre company members, secrets are revealed, alliances are formed and the messiness of life is celebrated as the power of friendship proves to heal all wounds.

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3.0T MRI | Digital X-Ray | 500 University Ave | 922-6747 | umimri.com FROM page 33 of roadway funding. Would you support such a bifurcated proposal? I start with the presumption that it’s better to approach things regionally because our challenges know no artificial boundaries. I’m trying to start a new era of city/ county cooperation. A recent article in The Bee reported on the large number of poor people and working families who have left California for other states. Are we doing something to stop it? Or are we doing things that make it more likely that they flee? Are we driving the poor out of California? It’s a multifaceted question. I want to focus on one crisis that plays a disproportionate role in this problem, and that’s the affordable housing crisis. Now, I’m not a rent-control proponent because I think that inhibits the potential to produce more housing. I do think that incentivizing

production is a big part of it, but it’s not the only part of it. There are really three ways to reduce housing costs: reduce the tax and fee burden, reduce the burden of land-use restrictions and provide subsidies for development of affordable housing. We need to pursue all three. I do think making it easier to build is part of the answer, but I also think that subsidies are part of the answer. Affordable housing projects often need a subsidy to make the numbers work. You know Gov. Brown came to the conclusion that subsidies really weren’t the solution because of the extremely high cost of building a typical subsidized affordable housing unit and available funds would produce such a small number of units that they would be a drop in the bucket in terms of the overall housing market. I don’t completely agree. Look at Nikky Mohanna’s project at 19th

and J streets. She’s creating, at last report, $950-per-month apartments by building smaller units. But that’s a project that’s being privately built. SHRA’s average cost of renovating an apartment unit is about $300,000 per apartment, which is an astonishingly high cost. So the question is: Do subsidy deals, since they do involve the government as an intermediary in developing these deals, produce an overpriced product that doesn’t generate the number of units we all want in the way of affordable housing? Isn’t it better to simply lower private-sector costs and let the private sector, which is more cost conscious than government, do the job? Isn’t that a better, more effective use of a finite amount of money? I’m all for unleashing the private sector. But sometimes, it’s the private sector asking for help.

But they always ask for help. Everybody wants free money from the government. That’s not surprising. In researching an article I wrote last year on housing costs, I was astonished to find out that California is an outlier in terms of charging very substantial impact fees on housing construction, a practice which is almost unheard of east of Rockies. But other states don’t have Prop. 13, which limits the ways local governments can raise money. That’s true. Mello-Roos taxes are another way to raise money for infrastructure. I want to point out that we did pass a major ordinance several weeks ago that allows development fees to be paid at the end of the development process instead of at the beginning, which sends a positive signal to the business community. Secondly, we’ve TO page 39

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Taking a Mulligan THIS ARTIST IS INSPIRED BY LOCAL LANDSCAPES

imothy Mulligan has worked in printmaking, watercolor, pastels and pencil, but painting is where his artistic ardor truly lies. Read on to meet the man behind the canvas.

and invisible eighth-grader, I was amazed that art was something I could do really well. Being an artist has become a part of my identity and something of which I’ve always been proud.

How did you first become interested in making art? In eighth grade at St. Robert Catholic School in Hollywood Park, we were fortunate to have an art teacher named Henrietta Doglietto come to our class once a week. She opened my eyes to art and helped me realize that it came naturally to me. Venturing outdoors to the fields at our school, she taught us about gesture drawing, contour drawing, pen and ink and painting with watercolors. As a tall, geeky

How would you describe your style? I paint using bold strokes in an expressive style inspired by the Bay Area Figurative Movement. I also alter the texture of the paint and use hyper-colorful effects. My compositions are of real subjects and locations that are oftentimes built upon linear, minimized and re-imagined forms.

JL By Jessica Laskey Artist Spotlight

THE GRID MAY n 17

What other artists have influenced your style? I love Paul Cezanne’s radical approach to how he perceived his subjects; Vincent van Gogh’s ability to capture his emotions with color; Henri Matisse’s brilliant use of lines, patterns and color; Richard Diebenkorn’s ability to merge the abstract expressionist style

with figurative painting; Wayne Thiebaud’s masterful use of thick, colorful paint, light and shadows and his control of the composition; Gregory Kondos’ ability to create strong compositions using intuitive colors and to re-create forms that challenge our perception of the real world; and Latvian artist and playwright Raimonds Staprans’ dramatic and colorful compositions that isolate and intensify his subjects with basic planes of dynamic color. What inspires you? Landscapes, waterscapes and cityscapes are my favorite subjects to paint. I like to peel back the skin of what I see—land, rocks, water and sky—to expose a raw and re-imagined world of heightened colors and simplified shapes and textures. As a kid growing up in the Hollywood Park area, I loved spending time and playing sports at William Land Park. Over the years, the beauty of the park has been the inspiration for several of my paintings. When I was

homeschooling my own kids, I loved teaching them by the ponds. My main goal was to make learning fun and interesting for them every day, and art was a valuable part of that education. Not only did we carve sculptures, illustrate books and paint, but I also used art as a tool to teach them many different subjects—whether to visualize math concepts, understand scientific principles or learn history by drawing the events and using symbolism. What other mediums have you worked in? I enjoyed learning about the different printmaking processes in college. I liked the idea that you could make multiple prints from a single plate, block or stone. At this same time, I was also working on watercolors, pastels and a series of large pencil drawings based on my dreams. I exhibited these earlier works in group shows at the Crocker Art Museum, The Haggin Museum, the California State Fair and at

several local art galleries. However, for the last six years, my focus has been completely on painting. What projects are you working on? I’m preparing for a solo exhibition in June at the Elliott Fouts Gallery. I’m building custom frames for all of the paintings in the show. I’ve also been working on features for five different art magazines: American Art Collector, The Artist’s Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine and International Artist Magazine. Last year, the city of Sacramento purchased two of my paintings to display in the lobby of the County Board of Supervisors building, and one of my paintings was recently acquired for Sac City’s permanent art collection. What do you find the most challenging and the most enjoyable about creating art? I find it challenging to see a subject in a new way and to find ways to express my ideas and feelings about it. It’s also hard to decide when to stop painting—identifying when a painting has been brought to completion. But there’s nothing more exciting than the feeling of accomplishment and excitement when I finish a new painting—getting a painting to feel right and stay interesting, even when looking at it again and again. I also

Landscapes, waterscapes and cityscapes are artist Timothy Mulligan's favorite subjects. love discovering something special through “happy accidents” during the painting process and traveling to art exhibits all over California with my wife, Irma, to meet other artists and collectors. To see Tim Mulligan’s portfolio, go to timothymulliganfineart.com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

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$elling $acramento BRINGING TOURISTS TO TOWN IS A TOUGH JOB

elling Sacramento should be easy. The city has beautiful weather, gorgeous neighborhoods, sophisticated merchants and friendly people. But it turns out there’s nothing easy about marketing Sacramento. Sacramento’s convention and visitors bureau spends about $9.1 million each year to promote the city and encourage people to visit. That sounds like a lot of money, but it’s not enough to keep the region’s hotels and restaurants filled or the convention center fully booked. The bureau, which goes by the name Visit Sacramento, is a nonprofit organization. Unlike many nonprofits, Visit Sacramento doesn’t reach out and raise money to keep the doors open. It essentially has one benefactor: local government. The city and county of Sacramento collect hotel fees and pass the money along to Visit Sacramento under a tax model called the Sacramento Tourism Marketing District. Every hotel in the county—there are 108—pays from 1 to 3 percent of room revenues to the district. This amounts to about $6 million each year. The city throws in another $1.8 million from occupancy taxes. Altogether, government grants covered $8,951,213 of Visit Sacramento’s budget in 2015. Membership dues accounted for most of the rest. The organization is advised by a 29-member board of directors mostly made up of hotel executives, as well as some city officials and business leaders. In my wanderings around town, I asked friends if they knew about Visit Sacramento or understood how the convention and visitors bureau worked. Nobody had a precise understanding about the organization that for 85 years has been responsible for making Sacramento a tourist draw. I asked Steve Hammond, Visit Sacramento’s CEO, if he could help me prepare a primer for local readers who might be curious about how the tourist bureau sells the city. Hammond, who will retire in June, did not respond. But that’s OK. As luck would have it, I’ve done enough work with Hammond and his organization to be familiar with Visit Sacramento. Even better, By R.E. Graswich since the organization is City Beat a nonprofit, I was able to check out its tax returns.

THE GRID MAY n 17

Steve Hammond is the outgoing CEO of Visit Sacramento.

I got hold of the bureau’s 2015 tax returns, which were filed by Hammond in February 2016. I know city documents claim its convention services bring in around 800,000 visitors per year, which would suggest Visit Sacramento spends $11.30 for every tourist. Not surprisingly, Visit Sacramento’s tax returns suggest the tourism game isn’t that simple. For starters, the bureau spends not quite half its budget—$4.3 million—on salaries and benefits for about 45 employees. As the boss, Hammond gets the biggest paycheck. Tax returns show his base pay at $250,907, plus a $78,507 bonus. With benefits, Hammond makes $375,539. If you think that’s good money for a person who runs a tourist bureau and oversees 45 people, you’re right. The city manager of Sacramento, Howard Chan, is paid $262,627 and has about 6,000 employees. One guy who works across L Street from the convention center, Gov. Jerry Brown, makes $173,987. The CEO isn’t the only well-paid executive at Visit Sacramento. Other executives also earn six figures. The

organization’s board is searching for a new CEO, who should be named soon. Tax returns require nonprofits to explain their business. About its mission, Visit Sacramento says, “To strengthen the positive awareness of the City and County of Sacramento as a convention and visitors destination, to increase revenue and stimulate economic development and growth for the community.” Visit Sacramento’s tax returns don’t provide specific evidence of hitting those goals. As noted, almost all of the organization’s revenue comes from local government. After salaries and benefits, the biggest bunch of dollars is spent on trade shows, conventions and meetings ($1.6 million), event sponsorships ($1.5 million) and advertising ($663,432). Reduced to their forms and schedules, the tax returns show Visit Sacramento does four basic things: attend meetings, sponsor events, buy ads and keep 45 people employed. Of course, that’s neither fair nor a complete picture. Visit Sacramento is essential in helping the city book large

NOBODY HAD A PRECISE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION THAT FOR 85 YEARS HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SACRAMENTO A TOURIST DRAW.

blocks of downtown hotel rooms for convention guests. Marketing efforts by Visit Sacramento help keep the convention center busy. The group also runs a volunteer organization to staff its own events. Mike Testa, COO and vice president of sales for Visit Sacramento, recently provided us with an impressive number of online links to media placements they have generated in print and on the web, along with numerous links to television spots at stations all over the country. He just returned from a trip to New York City that he says should generate even more media coverage in the future. Revenue from the Community Center Theater, Memorial Auditorium and convention center is estimated at $13.7 million in the city budget. Without hard work by Visit Sacramento, that number would likely decline. When I talked to Hammond last year, he told me that Visit Sacramento and the city were a partnership. Visit Sacramento handles the city’s tourism marketing campaigns and arranges accommodations for the biggest conventions. It tries to attract sporting events, which bring fans, athletes and parents who spend money. Sometimes, it gets movies and TV shows to film here. Selling Sacramento is a tough, competitive job. But somebody has to do it. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com. n

FROM page 35 asked city planners to expedite the delivery of the Downtown Specific Plan. Under legislation I drafted in the State Senate, cities that approve specific plans can “tier” off development based on that plan, allowing developers to build projects consistent with the plan without having to conduct any further environmental reviews. We hope that developers take full advantage of this new opportunity, sooner rather than later. Next month, the mayor and I discuss his aggressive strategy for dealing with homelessness, city budget issues, possible reforms in the Fire Department and his evolving plans for what to do with the convention center. Craig Powell is a retired attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He can be reached at craig@ eyeonsacramento.org or 718-3030. n

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PRESENTED BY CITY OF SACRAMENTO

Meters Matter to The City

acramentans have witnessed Mother Nature’s water show offer up its most dramatic, full spectrum display of possibilities. Years of crackling, fire-breeding dryness followed by a sudden series of tropic-like deluges have cast water issues center stage, making it more clear than ever the power water has over our lives and landscape. The dramatics have taught us all something to be sure. For the City of Sacramento, Department of Utilities, it’s reinforced the need for care, conscientiousness and conservation around the City’s water infrastructure. To that end, city officials, engineers, water planners and countless crews are accelerating efforts to install water meters well ahead of the state mandate which calls for all California cities to be fully metered by 2025. But ahead of schedule, Sacramento’s stepped up efforts aimed to insure all residential and commercial city properties will be fully metered by 2020, according to Ian Pietz, program manager for the city’s Accelerated Water Meter Program. Construction crews have just broken ground on the final 40,000 properties to be metered. The process will take about three years and is underway now in portions of Elmhurst, Oak Park, Colonial Heights and Tahoe Park neighborhoods. So far, approximately 95,000 meters in the city have been installed. Pietz says one of the most important things to the city is for residents to know exactly what to expect when their meter is installed so there are no surprises. “The biggest issue we are trying to minimize is the impact on the customer so that when the contractor is out there customers are inconvenienced as little as possible.” he said. The city will be giving residents plenty of notice, at least five different types of notices in the form of letters in the mail to door hangers to knocks on the door by the construction crew. There is also an information phone line (916) 808-5870, a 24-hour construction inspector number residents will receive just prior to construction at their home, as well as online access

THE GRID MAY n 17

Ian Pietz (center) and Rhea Salvador (right) of the City of Sacramento usher in construction crews via www.MetersMatter.org where residents can track construction plans to see when their street is slated to be metered. In addition, residents are invited to attend informational open houses in advance of the construction to learn more about the construction process. Residents will receive a postcard in the mail to inform them of the time and location of these open houses. “The open houses are a great way for the City to connect one-on-one with residents, prepare them for the construction that is coming and help them understand the importance of this project,” said Councilmember Eric Guerra. “I just hosted two open houses for the neighborhoods in my districtElmhurst and Tahoe Park/Colonial Heights/Oak Park- and received positive feedback on the City’s preparation and transparency around this effort.”

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? - Meters Matter notices will be mailed in advance of construction. Additional notices will also be distributed by construction crews approximately one week and one day before construction is expected to start. - Crews will give residents a 4-hour time frame when water will be shut off to their home or business, but most work is done in about 30 minutes. - Crews may start as early 7 a.m. by staging the area near your home. They will not shut off your water until after 9 a.m., and only after knocking on your door to make sure you’re not running a load of wash. - Before work is to begin on your meter, the city will provide a 24-hour phone number for the construction inspector responsible for your property. Any

questions or special concerns can be directed here. - All landscaping associated with the digging will be replaced as it was. In the unlikely event any plants are destroyed, the city will replace them. - Digging can occur at various locations depending on where the water main and line to home exist. Crews may dig in the side yard, back yard, park strip between the street and sidewalk or behind the sidewalk. - Crews will make individual arrangements with businesses such as restaurants, spas and office complexes so that work is done at the most convenient time. Extended, after-hours arrangements are possible to minimize impact. - Traffic will be shut down only where necessary and in such a way as to leave at least one lane open for through traffic. - Some water mains and worn pipes may need to be replaced, but not all. This will take additional time in the areas where its deemed necessary. All crews will notify homeowners if more time is needed for water to be shut off. - Approximately three months after the meter is installed, customers will begin receiving a “comparative bill.” The comparative bill shows the flat rate amount due, as well as the actual water usage and what the metered bill would be. Customers will receive a comparative bill for 12 months, and then will be automatically rolled over to metered billing. Any time during the 12-month comparative billing period, customers can opt in to metered billing. Water meters are important to create overall water use awareness and conservation as well as helping establish fair billing practices so that customers pay for the water they use, said Rhea Salvador of the City of Sacramento. “Replacing worn out 100-year-old pipelines and water mains will also help the city continue to offer a reliable water source for years to come,” she said.

Water Main & Meter Construction in Sacramento Neighborhoods WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION During construction, you could experience: • Water shutdown for up to 4 hours • Temporary street parking restrictions • Sidewalk closures and trafﬁc delays • Construction-related dust and noise

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE Spring 2017 Tahoe Park – Colonial Heights – Oak Park – Elmhurst

Summer 2017 Land Park – North & South Sacramento – Valley Hi

Fall 2017 Richmond Grove – Meadowview – South Land Park – Golf Course Terrace – Fruitridge – Glen Elder – East Sacramento – Tradewinds – Midtown – Downtown – College Glen Some residences in these areas will have construction in 2018 & 2019. Visit the website for the latest details.

STAY UPDATED! www.MetersMatter.org watermeter@cityofsacramento.org facebook.com/SacramentoCityUtilities/ 916-808-5870

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Pam Whitehead HELPING CANCER SURVIVORS TRIUMPH THROUGH EXERCISE

Pam Whitehead (holding the yellow sign) on Mount Tallac

am Whitehead’s screensaver is a photo of eight people on a mountaintop, all grinning and holding signs that proclaim “I am triumph.” Those ear-to-ear smiles aren’t just because the climbers reached the top of Mount Tallac some 9,700-plus feet above sea level, but also because they’d achieved something far greater: beating cancer.

JL By Jessica Laskey Giving Back

THE GRID MAY n 17

Whitehead is the executive director and founder of Triumph Cancer Foundation. It supports the work of Triumph Fitness, which she started to help adult cancer survivors regain their strength and stamina through exercise. After being diagnosed in 2000 with uterine cancer (caught early thanks to a pap smear), Whitehead realized that the struggle for survivors lay not in the physically, emotionally and often financially taxing cancer treatment itself, but in the misconception that after treatment, your life goes back to normal. “The more rigorous the cancer treatment, the more difficult it is on

your body and the more difficult it is to recover,” Whitehead explains. “There was nothing out there when I started developing the Triumph

back into life.’ There was no notion of the benefits of exercise for survivors.” Whitehead discovered the power of exercise when she took up road biking

“THE MORE I RODE MY BIKE, THE MORE I FELT I WAS REGAINING CONTROL OF MY LIFE AFTER TREATMENT. IT WAS VERY EMPOWERING.” Fitness program to help survivors regain their strength and give them back their confidence. The common language at the time was ‘just rest and take it easy and then assimilate

to help raise funds for Livestrong (the cancer organization formerly known as the Lance Armstrong Foundation) after her diagnosis and radical hysterectomy.

“The more I rode my bike, the more I felt I was regaining control of my life after treatment,” she says. “It was very empowering. I realized I had this opportunity to create something to help people recapture their lives.” Whitehead set about creating a program for small groups of survivors to work out together under the guidance of professional instructors trained in cancer recovery. “It’s incredibly important that our instructors understand the issues that survivors face—they’re not dealing with the ‘normal’ population,” says Whitehead. “Survivors deal with a host of issues like neuropathy (pain, numbness or weakness in the hands and feet), lymphedema (swelling in the arms and legs) and the loss of muscle tissue, in addition to the general loss of confidence.” The program started in 2005 as a partnership with UC Davis. Through the 12-week program, twice-weekly classes are offered at no cost to survivors.

To raise money, Triumph Cancer Foundation will hold its seventh annual Triumph Uncorked event on Saturday, June 17, at Helwig Winery. There will be live music, a gourmet picnic dinner and live and silent auctions. Proceeds will go toward the fitness program and other activities, like assembling teams of Triumph graduates to run local 5k and 10k races or summit peaks like Mount Tallac. “Everyone knows someone who’s been diagnosed with cancer,” Whitehead says. “When they’re picking up the pieces after treatment, that’s where Triumph comes in. We put them on a proper path and give them that boost of confidence. It’s incredibly transformative.” For more information on Triumph Cancer Foundation and the Triumph Uncorked fundraiser on June 17, go to triumphfound.org. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

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ana Din’s life changed the day someone set fire to her car. Din, a lifelong Pocket resident and a popular teacher at Galt High School, recalled the long-ago event that started her spiritual and healing quest. We were in one of the treatment rooms at the Tao Center for Healing, the Sacramento-based business she co-founded with her husband. The center offers a range of services, from acupressure to chiropractic treatments. On that life-changing day, someone snuck into Din’s Galt High classroom and took the TV/VCR, the photocopier and her purse. The thief also stole her car and later torched it. Although the police never found the culprit, Din says, “I felt terrible that someone who knew me would do this.” That event, which happened around the fouryear anniversary of her mother’s death from cancer, altered her life. Around that time, Din started a six-year apprenticeship with a shamanic healer. Her mother’s death, along with the trauma from having her car stolen, compelled her to explore alternative healing practices. In 2005, she began offering shamanic sessions to clients, often using a percussive instrument along with guided imagery to promote healing energy in the mind, body and soul. She had found her second calling even though she never pictured herself doing healing work. Before that eventful day, Din, now 55, said her life was “traditional.” She grew up with her sisters in a house on Seamus and Fruitridge. “We used the river as a playground,” Din said. She attended John F. Kennedy High

Healed by Healing

AK By Angela Knight

was left brain-dead after a car accident, and his parents had to remove him from life support. Here’s Xavier; he was born with Type 2 Gaucher disease and spent his short life attached to a ventilator. Xavier’s parents devoted his last days to holding him close, something they were not able to do when he was on the ventilator. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve witnessed,” Din said. Din understands that many people are skeptical about alternative healing. “I was really uncomfortable about the parents at school finding out,” she said. “What I realized was that it was my own discomfort at acknowledging that this was something I was called to do, just like teaching. They actually wove themselves together pretty easily.” She shares her patients’ stories with her students, and they create get-well cards for the children and their families. Before he moved out of the area last fall, Steinhorn praised Din in a letter: “While it is not yet a traditional part of institutional medicine to write a medical ‘order’ for a ‘shamanic practitioner consultation,’ you were able to effortlessly win over all of the families I saw you work with as if you were simply part of their extended community.” In 2015, “Healing Quest,” a television program that airs on public television stations, filmed an episode featuring the collaboration between Steinhorn and Din. The show, called “Shamans in the ICU,” told the story of Lauren, a young girl placed in an induced coma after kidney failure. Din said she used guided imagery and drumming to lower Lauren’s blood pressure. Lauren is healthy now, the recipient of a new kidney. She is one of the lucky ones. Din would say she is lucky as well, despite the traumatic event that changed her life. She considers it a privilege to help others through lifealtering events. “I wasn’t able to do this with my mother,” she says. “I get to do it with other people.” n

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A WOMAN FINDS HER NEW CALLING School and received a teaching degree from San Francisco State University in 1984. In 2011, the Galt Joint Union High School District named her teacher of the year. She has taught there for more than 30 years. Dr. David Steinhorn, who was an attending physician at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, contacted Din’s healing mentor three years ago. He wanted to start a volunteer program to provide alternative healing services to his critically ill patients and their parents. Din fit the bill.

Din started volunteering at UC Davis, working with Steinhorn to “treat the whole person” by integrating Western medicine with ancient shamanic practices. She uses her drum to induce a relaxed state of mind, which has a calming effect on patients, and guided imagery to promote healing. Din showed me a scrapbook she’d made for Steinhorn. It is a heartbreaking and heartwarming collection of photos and stories of children she and Steinhorn worked with. Here’s a photo of Raiden. He

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Fraternal Filmmakers THESE SIBLINGS CREATE MOVIE MAGIC FOR THE YOUTUBE GENERATION

rville and Wilbur Wright. The Marx brothers. Camille and Paul Claudel. Donny and Marie Osmond. The Andrews Sisters. All of these famous names ring a bell for most of us because they’re, well, famous. But what else do they all have in common? They’re siblings. Ask Sarah and Paul Kreutz, the duo behind Saul Films (a clever amalgamation of their names), what it’s like to work with your sibling and you get a couple of wry smiles followed by an immediate outpouring of respect for the other’s strengths. “Sarah is excellent at cutting the dross,” Paul says, referring to his sister’s editing skills as a writer and director. “Paul can build anything,” Sarah says, complimenting her brother’s ability to construct everything from homes (he’s a former contractor) to theatrical sets. It’s clear from spending just a few minutes with the Land Parkbased artists that they feed off each other’s energy and admire each other deeply—an amazing feat for most siblings, especially when you consider that they grew up two of six kids and

Paul and Sarah Kreutz, the duo behind Saul Films 14 years apart in age. But lucky for them, that seems to work to their advantage.

jL By Jessica Laskey

THE GRID MAY n 17

“We’re able to compare notes because we see things from different perspectives,” Sarah explains. They share an affinity for the spooky and the supernatural, as evidenced by their visually stunning web series “Gardner & Wells,” an animated gothic ghost story that

launched on YouTube in 2015. It’s the product of years of work. After Sarah completed a full-length screenplay in 2003, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to make a live-action film. When that stalled out, the resourceful pair ended up creating an animated web series.

“Gardner & Wells” manages to thrill without resorting to blood and gore. “I was very influenced by Disney’s Haunted Mansion,” says Paul, who has worked as an art director for films in the area as well as a contractor, architect and finish carpenter. “Starting in junior high, I

THEY SHARE AN AFFINITY FOR THE SPOOKY AND THE SUPERNATURAL, AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR VISUALLY STUNNING WEB SERIES “GARDNER & WELLS.”

would build mechanical displays for Halloween outside our parents’ house in El Dorado Hills. The kids would come up to the house and say they didn’t want to be grabbed or scared, so I found a way to create things that were spooky, like a floating teapot that poured its own tea, instead of guts and gore. I like to create things that go bump in the night.” Paul’s knack for bringing beautiful if eerie ideas to fruition jibes well with his sister’s love of storytelling. In 2002, Sarah wrote, produced and directed the independent local film “Elsa Letterseed,” an experience that gave the former model and wardrobe specialist a taste for more. “I’ve always loved film,” she says. “Paul and I would study Hitchcock films together and discuss every detail. ‘Gardner & Wells’ has tapped into our roots in pure cinema. It’s all about mood, style, architecture, color. Every drawing tells a story.” When their attempts to raise money for a live-action feature-film version of “Gardner & Wells” didn’t pan out, the team decided to make a short animated series, putting the emphasis on drawn visuals instead of a spoken script. “We were watching a behindthe-scenes video about the Disney movie ‘Tangled,’” Paul recalls. “And we realized, instead of making a movie with people, why not make an animatic (animated storyboard)? I got the software and started

experimenting with the images, figuring out how it should look and feel. The more I got into it, the more we realized there should be no talking.” Without any dialogue, the Kreutzes had to make sure that the story would come through—and that it wouldn’t be, in Sarah’s words, “a snoozefest.” The result is a lush visual landscape full of sharp lines, cool colors and elaborate architecture (thanks to Paul’s construction background) that’s heightened by an attention to aural detail that keeps the viewer absolutely rapt for each 4-minute episode. “We’re really making movie magic,” Sarah says. “We’re focusing on what the images are conveying and engaging people’s imaginations.” The web series eventually will feature 10 episodes. Though their ultimate goal is to create the liveaction film they initially envisioned, the Kreutzes couldn’t be happier with how the project has turned out. “Now that we have the parameters of what we want to do, we’re starting to really hone in and know ourselves,” Paul says. “It never ceases to amaze me what we can do.”

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Check out “Gardner & Wells” on YouTube. For more information, visit gardnerandwells.com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

926 J Street | Sacramento, CA 95814 | grangesacramento.com | 916 492 4450

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IT’S NOT EASY TO BE A KINGS FAN

Kings game at Golden 1

s the clock ran out on the Kings this spring, people rich or connected enough to have floor seats at Golden 1 Center might have seen something ominous when they walked the hallways beneath the concourse. The concrete is cracking. Not tiny cracks, but long, jagged cracks, lots of them. As anyone who lives near a sidewalk knows, just about all concrete cracks. But Golden 1 Center’s polished floors didn’t survive six months without fissures.

RG By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

THE GRID MAY n 17

The cracked concrete is probably due to the building’s settling and fast construction schedule. Concrete needs months to set up properly, but the Kings’ work crews didn’t have months to spare. They did a remarkable job getting the new arena up in two years. Instantly cracked concrete is one fate the owners must endure. Cracked floors are an appropriate metaphor for the team. The Kings are now selling season tickets for the fall campaign, which will memorialize their 33rd season in Sacramento. Ticket prices have never been higher and the team has never been worse. The ball club is cracked and broken, cluttered with depreciated assets. If the NBA ran a pick-and-pull scrap yard, the Kings would be the best customers. This past season, the Kings gained immeasurable box office momentum

from their new home. Aside from the cracked concrete, the building performed brilliantly. It was far more than just a backdrop for the show—it was the show. From the arena’s classic Sacramento neon sign collection and diverse food options, flavored with marquees from local restaurants, to the sparkling jumbo video screens, Golden 1 Center rewarded the community for its faith and support. The community responded by paying good money to watch some truly awful basketball. I attended a Golden 1 game in late March against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was one of the worst I’ve ever witnessed. And that’s saying something, as I’ve attended around 700 Kings games since 1985 and traveled with them during the Bill Russell and Dick Motta years, when

the Kings set league records for inept play. The Milwaukee game was reminiscent of those miserable campaigns. The Bucks encountered token defensive resistance. A perceptive observer could see the visitors laughing at the Kings, who weren’t trying to be funny—or trying at all. Milwaukee laughed its way to a 116-98 victory after running off with a 19-point lead in the second quarter. Fans who paid to attend the Milwaukee game (and other games like it) were victims of a cynical phenomenon that haunts professional sports. It happens when teams make no real effort to win, but instead play to lose. They rest their stars, or seek to enhance their status in the upcoming draft, which rewards failure by letting the worst actors pick first.

2431 K Street • lovelaundry.com • 469-9840 Open Everyday 5am-Midnight (last wash 10:30pm)

The Kings have deployed this strategy for three decades. It might be excusable if it worked. But it never works. This much is certain about the 2017 draft: The Kings’ choices will be irrelevant, cursed by the doomed legacy of a franchise that hasn’t won an NBA title since 1951. Even when the Kings manage to land a decent prospect (remember DeMarcus Cousins?), the hopeful resurrection soon collapses amidst personality defects, coaching mistakes, bungled maneuvers by the front office and clumsy interference by the owner. Once the Kings traded Cousins, their best and most valuable player, at the All-Star break, they abandoned their pride, relapsed into their worst habits and began the familiar descent to rock bottom. Not that they should have kept Cousins—the Kings were perpetually mediocre with him. But they should have traded him sooner, when his value was inflated. Kings guard Darren Collison admits it’s not easy to play for a team that elects not to compete, but he

tries to appreciate the larger goal, whatever that may be. “Each day, it’s very frustrating and hard to deal with because I’m a competitor and I want to be out there on the court at all times,” he says. “I want to play at all times, but I have to look at the bigger picture. That’s why I’ve got to have more patience.” Victimized by all this nonsense is the loyal customer: the person who buys or shares season tickets, collects and wears Kings gear, supports the sponsors and pays $13 for a can of beer at Golden 1 Center. That March night reminded me about the wondrous tenacity of Kings fans, and how lucky the team is to have them. Fans heckled Milwaukee players and celebrated the communal atmosphere, enjoying themselves despite the score. I could imagine people happily jumping over the cracks in the concrete floor. When the home team won’t play, invent your own games. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com. n

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Art Preview

JAYJAY presents the work of Mary Warner and Kris Lyons through May 27. Shown right: Mary Warner’s “Through the Trees,” an oil on linen. 5524 Elvas Ave.; jayjayart.com

GALLERY ART SHOWS IN MAY Sparrow Gallery presents mixed-media photography by Dianne Poinski through June 2. Shown left: “Iridescence.” 2418 K St.; sparrowgallerysacramento.com

B. Sakato Garo presents the work of Robert Brady through June 3. Shown left: “Return #2.” 923 20th St.; bsakatagaro.com

Through May, Tim Collom Gallery will exhibit the ceramic work of Cindy Wilson. Shown above: “Canoe Girl.” 915 20th St.; timcollomgallery.com

THE GRID MAY n 17

Northern California Arts presents a juried membership show called Artistic Journey through May 14 at Sacramento Fine Arts Center. Shown above: 2017 Best of Show “Song of the Woods” by Daphne Stammer. 5330 Gibbons Drive; sacﬁnearts.org/nca

Sacramentoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Antique & Design Center Over 120 Dealers 45,000 sq ft

IN BUSINESS SINCE 1977

4 Star Dining

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& Design Center

Amorini Antiques 455-1509 Aquila Fitness 207-7500

Fifty-Seventh Street Antique Mall 451-3110

The Ruralist 761-6442

Evanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen 452-3896

Nephesh Pilates 220-7534

Mike & Greg The Pottery Guys 731-4556

The Lighting Palace - Sales and Repair Picket Fence Antiques 817-9625 455-6524

Brunch C H A M P A G N E

Sassi Salon 739-0878 Sekulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 712-8303 Design Alchemy Deborah Costa 337-4434 Dance â&#x20AC;&#x153;10â&#x20AC;? 769-4857

855 57th Street (Between J & H Streets)

Inside Sacramento book available for purchase at The Ruralist

F A T 'S

CHAMPAGNE BUFFET BRUNCH

ASIA BISTRO

Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, May 14, 2017 Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, June 18, 2017

MODERN ASIAN CUISINE. TIMELESS TRADITION.

Make your reservations early.

Folsom 916-983-1133|Roseville 916-787-3287 www.fatsbistro.com

Sunday â&#x20AC;˘ May 21 â&#x20AC;˘ 10am - 3pm American River Ranch Âˇ Next to Hagan Park Âˇ Rancho Cordova

Classes & Workshops Farm Tours & Nature Walks Garden Activities & Games Face Painting & Entertainment Community Education Tables Live Music with Mind X Fun for Babies & Toddlers Morning Food, Snacks & Lunch Opening Day! American River Ranch

Farmstand

6DWXUGD\V DP SP Âˇ May 27-Nov. 18

Create the garden of your dreams! Select from a host of organic vegetables, culinary PHGLFLQDO KHUEV Ă RZHU VWDUWV DQG QDWLYH SODQWV

Fashion for good. BeneďŹ ting WEAVE.â&#x201E;˘ T RU ECLOT HING.ORG

Directions & Parking â&#x20AC;˘ 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova 95670 Â&#x2021; 5RDG OHDGLQJ WR WKH IDUP ZLOO EH FORVHG WR WUDIĂ&#x20AC;F â&#x20AC;˘ Walking & bicycling encouraged (bike valet available) â&#x20AC;˘ Parking available at the Soccer Field or in Hagan Park

Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 1900 K STREET

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HAVE INSIDE, WILL TRAVEL 1. Leigh Rutledge and Bill Hambrick in Cat Cat Village near Sapa, VietNam 2. Gloria Terk with her nieces, Cristy Bacani and Diane Maristela Bacani, taking a break from dune bashing in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 3. Evelyn Lovato & Mark Naves salmon ďŹ shing in Sitka, Alaska 4. Skiers Frank Poelman, Bob Tilly, Carol Poelman, Ann and Jim Peck descend into Banff, Alberta, Canada 5. Cecily Hastings at Rancho La Puerta in Baja California 6. Michael Sestak and Dennis Mangers on Tavenui Island, Fiji, at the international dateline

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

THE GRID MAY n 17

INSIDE’S

THE HANDLE

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

The Rind

L D $$ Full Bar Fabulous Outdoor Patio, California cuisine with a French touch • Paragarys.com

1801 L Street #40 441-7463 L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Cheese-centric menu paired with select wine and beer • therindsacramento.com

2831 S Street

Zocolo

L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Urban winery and tasting room with a creative menu using local sources • rwwinery. com

1801 Capitol Ave. 441-0303

DOWNTOWN Cafeteria 15L 116 15th Street 551-1559 L D $$ Classic American lunch counter with a millennial vibe • cafeteria15l.com

DeVere’s Pub 1521 L Street L D Full Bar $$ Family-run authentic Irish pub with a classic menu to match • deverespub.com

Downtown & Vine 1200 K Street #8 228-4518 Educational tasting experience of wines by the taste, ﬂight or glass • downtownandvine.com

Ella Dining Room & Bar

Rio City Cafe

2315 K Street

Biba Ristorante

1112 Second St. 442-4772

served a la carte • Biba-restaurant.com

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

Café Bernardo

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

Ten 22 1022 Second St. 441-2211 L D Wine/Beer $$ American bistro favorites with a modern twist in a casual, Old Sac setting • ten22oldsac.com

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

L D $ Great burgers and more. • williesburgers.com

110 K Street

R STREET

2726 Capitol Ave. 443-1180 B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Casual California cuisine with counter service

Centro Cocina Mexicana

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

1725 I Street 469-9574 L D $-$$ Bar & grill with American eats, including BBQ, local brews & weekend brunch • easyoni.com

Federalist Public House

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

2009 N Street

Frank Fat’s 806 L St. 442-7092 L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Chinese favorites in an elegant setting • Fatsrestaurants.com

Ma Jong’s

L D $$ Humble Hawaiian poke breaks free • ﬁshfacepokebar.com

Iron Horse Tavern

1431 L Street L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Cuisine from Japan, Thailand, China ad Vietnam. • majongs.com

Grange

Old Soul & Pullman Bar

926 J Street • 492-4450 B L D Full Bar $$$ Simple, seasonal, soulful • grangerestaurant.com

Hock Farm Craft & Provision

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Wood-ﬁred pizzas in an inventive urban alley setting • federalistpublichouse.com

Hot Italian 1627 16th Street 444-3000 L D Full Bar $$ Authentic hand-crafted pizzas with inventive ingredients, Gelato• hotitalian.net

Mulvaney’s Building & Loan 1215 19th St. 441-6022 L D Full Bar $$$ Modern American cuisine in an upscale historic setting

12th & R Streets B L D $ Full-service cafe with artisan coffee roasts, bakery goods and sandwiches • oldsoulco.com

Magpie Cafe 1601 16th Street L D $$-$$$ Wine/Beer Seasonal menu using the best local ingredients • magpiecafe.com

1415 L St. 440-8888 L D $$-$$ Full Bar Celebration of the region’s rich history and bountiful terrain • Paragarys.com

Nido Bakery

South

L D $ Bakery treats and seasonal specialities • hellonido.com

2431 J St. 442-7690

The Waterboy 2000 Capitol Ave. 498-9891

1116 15th Street L D $-$$ Full Bar Gastro-pub cuisine in a stylish industrial setting • ironhorsetavern.net

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

Easy on I

1431 R St. 930-9191

1104 R Street Suite 100

2115 J St. 442-4353

Thai Basil Café

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

Fish Face Poke Bar

Tapa The World

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

Café Bernardo

Firestone Public House

29th and P. Sts. 455-3300

2730 J St. 442-2552

1213 K St. 448-8900

L D $$ Full Bar Sports bar with a classical american menu• ﬁrestonepublichouse.com

D $$ Inventive Japansese-inspired seafood dishes • skoolonkstreet.com

MIDTOWN

Suzie Burger

1131 K St. 443-3772

1132 16th Street

Skool

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

The Firehouse Restaurant

Willie’s Burgers

Esquire Grill

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

1110 Front Street 442-8226 L D Wine/Beer $$ Bistro favorites with a distinctively Sacramento feeling in a riverfront setting • riocitycafe.com

Revolution Wines

Red Rabbit 2718 J Street L D $$ Full Bar All things local contribute to a sophisticated urban menu • theredrabbit.net

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

OAK PARK La Venadita 3501 Thurd Ave. 4000-4676 L D $$ Full Bar Authentic Mexican cuisine with simple tasty menu in a colorful historic setting • lavenaditasac.com

Oak Park Brewing Company 3514 Broadway L D $$ Full Bar Award-winning beers and a creative pub-style menu in an historic setting • opbrewco.com

Vibe Health Bar 3515 Broadway B L D $-$$ Clean, lean & healthy snacks. Acai bowls are speciality. Kombucha on tap • vibehealthbar.com n

Relles Florist & Gifts

1409 R Street Suite 102

2005 11th Street 382-9722 L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Timeless traditional Southern cuisine, counter service • weheartfriedchicken.com

OLD SAC

Shoki Ramen House 1201 R Street L D $$ Japanese ﬁne dining using the best local ingredients • sshokiramenhouse.com

Fat City Bar & Cafe 1001 Front St. 446-6768 D $$-$$$ Full Bar American cuisine served in a casual historic Old Sac location • Fatsrestaurants.com

Mothers LOVE ﬂowers and SO DO WE... Gift offerings include locally made sweets, bath & body products, art, pottery & more. 2400 J Street 441-1478 rellesﬂorist.com

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May: Farm-to-Fork

WHAT’S FRESH THIS MONTH AT OUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

FAVA BEANS

ARUGULA

ENGLISH PEAS

A member of the pea family, these beans have a nutty taste and buttery texture. Look for sturdy green pods with velvety fuzz. They need to be shelled and peeled before eating. Favas are high in protein and dietary fiber. Eat it: Steam them until tender and serve with olive oil, salt and lemon.

This edible annual plant, sometimes known as rocket, belongs to the same family as mustard greens and kale. Its peppery green leaves are green in salads. Arugula is a rich source of certain phytochemicals as well as vitamin A. Eat it: Tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice and topped with shaved Parmesan.

Also known as shell peas or garden peas, these sweet legumes enjoy a short season in late spring and early summer. Their pods aren’t edible, so shell them immediately before cooking. High in protein, they’re also low in fat. To eat: Boil them briefly until crisp-tender, then add to a pasta salad

GREEN GARLIC

ASPARAGUS

ENDIVE

This perennial is one of the first plants of spring. Its tender young shoots are delicious when steamed, roasted or grilled. Nutrient dense, it’s rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium and iron. Eat it: Toss the spears in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then roast outdoors on a hot grill until charred.

Sown in spring, chicory seeds produce a root that’s harvested and placed in a dark, humid “forcing room.” The result: endive, the second growth of a chicory root. Crisp, with a sweet, nutty flavor, it’s a good source of potassium. To eat: Separate the leaves and top each one with a spoonful of chicken salad or edamame with miso dressing.

Also known as spring garlic or baby garlic, this young plant is a highlight of the spring farmers market. It looks like an overgrown scallion and has a mild yet garlicky flavor. Plants in the garlic family are known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Eat it: Use it raw in a salad or cooked in a frittata.

THE GRID MAY n 17

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PRIME POCKET LOCATION! Steps to Sac River & Didion Elementary. Upgrades galore. Designer finishes. Open floorpln, office/bonus rm, dual mstr suites and pool sized yard. $795,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

GREAT EAST SAC HOME! 3br/1.5ba, hdwd ﬂoors, living rm w/stone frplc, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, bonus room w/plantation shutters. $509,950 RICH CAZNEAUX 212-4444 CaBRE#: 01447558

PERFECT TIME TO CALL THIS HOME! Cute Meister Terrace 3bd/2ba close to Compton’s, Orphan Restaurant & Roxie’s Deli w/hdwd ﬂrs & 2 car garage. POLLY SANDERS & ELISE BROWN 715-0213 CaBRE#: 01158787, 01781942

GORGEOUS! 3br/3ba + ofﬁce, extensively remodeled, close to American river.Lrg great rm w/arched wood beams & ceilings. Kit w/marble Island. Beautiful pool $1,365,000 RICH CAZNEAUX 212-4444 CaBRE#: 01447558

MIDTOWN DUPLEX! Each unit is spacious 1br/1ba approx. 800sf. Updated & fully occupied. Laundry facility & storage avail on site. Close to McKinley Park. $529,000 MICHAEL OWNBEY 616-1607 CaBRE#: 01146313

GORGEOUS MEDITERRANEAN! 4br/4/5ba wremote upstrs ste, pool/spa w/waterfalls, gas ﬁre pit, outside kit & frplc. $1,065,000 ANGELA HEINZER 212-1881 CaBRE#: 01004189

CURTIS PARK DUPLEX! Near Gunther’s, Pangea & Dantorels. You are sure to fall in love with this great property. 2br/1ba uptrs, 1br/1b dwnstrs. Deep lot w/alley access. MARK PETERS 600-2039 CaBRE#: 01424396

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PRIME RIVER PARK LOCATION! 3br/2ba remolded in 2008. Chef’s kit, liv/fam/din rms, hugh yd w/pool & garden. New plumbling, electric/tankless/sewer,HVAC. $639,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

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