Inside the grid nov 2017 by Inside Publications

NOVEMBER 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 Phil Gross

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

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Behind your busy life is a doctor who gets it. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big day out or busy day in, your calendar and your life are packed. Having a supportive doctor who understands and partners with you can help you stay healthy amid the reality of life today. The primary care doctors at Mercy Medical Group will keep you on track and enjoying your busy, wonderful life. Find your doctor during Open Enrollment by visiting mymercymedicalgroup.org/openenrollment or calling 877.771.5864.

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NOVEMBER 17

VOL. 2 • ISSUE 6

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

info@insidepublications.com Marybeth Bizjak mbbizjak@aol.com M.J. McFarland Cindy Fuller Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster ads@insidepublications.com Sue Pane sue@insidepublications.com Jim Hastings, Daniel Nardinelli, Lauren Hastings 916-443-5087

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Gross is a former geologist, now a Yolo County painter whose work features the beauty of the natural rural landscape. Visit philgross.net

GRID COVER ARTIST Phil Gross

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

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

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PUBLISHER'S DESK

LIFE ON THE GRID

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RESTAURANT INSIDER

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

HOME INSIGHT

INSIDE CITY HALL

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GIVING BACK VOLUNTEER PROFILE

FOOD FOR ALL

An art installation by Stephanie Taylor

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TO DO THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Artists and Aprons Artspace 1616 Friday, Dec. 1, 5–8 p.m. 1616 Del Paso Blvd. Sixty local artists have painted original art on aprons that will be for sale to raise money for the homeless. The aprons were donated by Dick Blick Art Materials.

“WaistWatchers the Musical” 24th Street Theatre Through Nov. 19 2791 24th St. • waistwatchersthemusical.com After last summer’s successful runs in Sacramento, Walnut Creek and San Jose, and a 40-week national tour, Alan Jacobson’s comedic musical returns to town. Set in a women’s gym and featuring 24 original songs, it takes a lighthearted look at four women dealing with dieting, exercise, plastic surgery and sex over 40.

Annual Quilt Show River City Quilters’ Guild Nov. 17–19 Scottish Rite Center, 6151 H St. • rivercityquilters.org The guild’s 40th anniversary quilt show will feature hundreds of quilts—including traditional, contemporary and art quilts—as well as demonstrations and wearable art made by textile artists.

This apron created by Micah Crandall-Bear will be part of the Artists and Aprons fundraiser on Dec. 1. All the proceeds will beneﬁt the homeless in Sacramento.

jL By Jessica Laskey

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“Enshrouded in Mist: Photos by Donald Satterlee” Ella K. McClatchy Library Nov. 9–Dec. 22 Opening Reception and Talk: Saturday, Nov. 18, 12:30–2:30 p.m. 2112 22nd St. • saclibrary.org Ethereal images of drizzly, foggy and rainy streetscapes in black and white are signature images of Donald Satterlee’s evocative photography. At the reception, he will discuss his methods.

Annual Christmas Boutique and Luncheon Photographs by Donald Satterlee will be on display at Ella K. McClatchy Public Library.

Mercy General Hospital Guild Wednesday, Nov. 15 Dante Club, 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd. • (916) 731-7189 This year’s boutique will include apparel, purses and jewelry, as well as jams, jellies, dips, candles, Tupperware, children’s toys, stationery and handmade crafts. The lunch will feature two menus.

Janet Fitch in Conversation With Beth Ruyak Community of Writers and Stories on Stage Sacramento Saturday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m. CLARA Auditorium, 1425 24th St. • communityofwriters.org The Russian Revolution will be center stage for this evening of literature and conversation with author Janet Fitch, The New York Times best-selling author of “White Oleander.” Capital Public Radio’s Beth Ruyak will explore Fitch’s new novel, “The Revolution of Marina M.” The event will include a reading, a book signing and a reception with Russian sweets, vodka and a roving band of musicians performing traditional Russian and Eastern European folk songs. Books will be available for sale. Proceeds will support the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley, a nonprofit that assists writers and poets with diverse cultural perspectives.

Fall 2017 Concerts Benefiting Shoes4Sacramento Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m., Congregation Beth Shalom, 4746 El Camino Ave., Carmichael Nov. 5, 3 p.m., Journey Church, 450 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom Nov. 10–11, 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1701 L St. rsvpchoir.org, shoes4sacramento.com RSVP’s fall concerts will support Shoes4Sacramento, which collects new and gently used shoes that can be cleaned and redistributed to the homeless and families in need. At each concert, RSVP will collect new and gently used shoes in all shapes and sizes, as well as laundry detergent.

Don't miss the Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace concert series beneﬁting Shoes4Sacramento.

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Sacramento Youth Symphony will perform classical favorites at the Crest Theatre.

“Building Bridges”

Holiday Gifts Auction

Sacramento Youth Symphony Sunday, Nov. 5, 5 p.m.

Witherell’s Wednesday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.

Crest Theatre, 1013 K St. • sacramentoyouthsymphony.org The symphony’s Premier Orchestra will perform classical favorites from Elgar, Verdi and more, with music selections from Azerbaijan under the direction of conductor Michael Neumann and guest conductor Mustafa Mehmandarov. The concert will also feature soprano Marziya Guseynova.

300 20th St. • witherells.com Looking for a unique gift? Don’t miss this 100-plus-lot auction of jewelry, watches, coins and luxury goods, including a quarter eagle gold coin from 1853, a platinum ring with two Old European-cut diamonds surrounded by 29 diamonds, a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk, a rare baseball signed by Jackie Robinson and a Locke golf-themed art-glass liquor decanter.

Crocker Holiday Artisan Market 2017 Creative Arts League Sacramento Nov. 24–26 Scottish Rite Center, 6151 H St. • creativeartsleague.com Crocker Art Museum and Creative Arts League Sacramento will partner for this annual shopping event. The three-day market will feature handmade gifts from more than 100 artists, including glass, textiles, wood, ceramics, paper, photography, paintings, sculptures, fiber and textiles, jewelry and more.

Festival of New American Music Crocker Art Museum Sunday, Nov. 12, 3 p.m. 216 O St. • crockerart.org The annual Festival of New American Music—a project of the School of Music at Sacramento State—showcases musicians performing new works by contemporary American composers. This year’s 40th anniversary festival will feature Andrew Blanton, who combines classical percussion, new-media art and creative coding to offer a unique sonic and visual experience.

The Crocker Holiday Artisan Market will be held at Scottish Rite Center.

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Witherell’s will hold a holiday gifts auction on Dec. 6.

East Lawn Cemetery History Genealogical Association of Sacramento Wednesday, Nov. 15, 12:15 p.m. Belle Cooledge Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive • gensac.org Kayla Delgado will talk about the history of Sacramento’s iconic East Lawn Cemetery. Admission is free.

“Kondos in Conversation” Crocker Art Museum Saturday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m. 216 O St. • crockerart.org In conjunction with the release of a 2018 limited-edition calendar featuring Gregory Kondos’ iconic landscape paintings, Kondos will have an on-stage conversation with Capital Public Radio’s Beth Ruyak. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

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Cities To Emulate SACRAMENTO COULD LEARN FROM INDY, LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE

y husband and I enjoy visiting other cities. Ever since I published a book about Sacramento last year, I find myself wanting to see how other cities market themselves to newcomers. This past summer, we embarked on a short road trip of Midwestern cities. We were headed to Indianapolis for a family reunion, so we decided to expand our itinerary to include Louisville and Nashville, both within driving distance. Indianapolis is a top-tier American city with beautiful, clean, wide streets and friendly people. We spent all our time downtown, where the city planning is most impressive. Indianapolis has a gorgeous football stadium and an arena, called Bankers Life Fieldhouse, for basketball and entertainment. The facilities are adjacent to each other and share parking, dining and other entertainment options. We stayed at a newish boutique hotel, part of a Midwestern hotel chain, a few blocks away from the sports facilities. It was filled with work by local artists. When we asked at the front desk for a local map, a member of the staff pulled one off a stack and immediately circled two blocks in the district featuring locally owned businesses.

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

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The staffer did not mention any national chain restaurants. As we asked questions, it was obvious the staffer was proud of the area’s dozens of neighborhood restaurants and shops, noting that visitors always comment on the local businesses as the best thing “Indy” has to offer. After our afternoon and night out, we had to agree. Both of the historic districts we visited were beautifully preserved and had ample signage to help us navigate. There was even a “cultural trail”: colorful lines embedded in the sidewalk designating historic districts, theaters and public art. Tons of locals were out enjoying the summer evening along with us. Our next stop was Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky. Louisville is similar in size to Sacramento. Compared to Indy, it seemed a bit sleepy in a genteel, Southern sort of way. We stayed downtown in the historic district, in a contemporary hotel built inside a vintage building. It had been developed by a local man as a prototype for a Midwestern chain of hotels called 21c Museum Hotels. The public areas, restaurant and halls resembled the new section of the Crocker Art Museum. Most of the art was by Kentucky artists. Next door to the hotel was the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Throughout downtown were bronze baseball bats and bases honoring giants of the sport, styled like a walk of stars. In the surrounding blocks, there were many small museums, including one dedicated to native son Muhammad Ali. Only about half of the buildings have been restored in a district that started redevelopment a decade ago. But efforts have been

made to restore the buildings’ facades, so the district looked attractive. When we checked in, the hotel provided us with detailed maps and a listing of local businesses in adjacent districts. A few places were excellent; others were marginal. Someone at the hotel suggested we visit the historic district, Old Louisville, which is home to a lovely collection of impressively restored mansions. Sacramento has just as many of these homes, but instead of being located in a small

district around a lovely park, they are scattered all over Midtown. Another fun thing we saw were huge banners hanging on prominent buildings all over town, featuring black-and-white photographs of the faces of Louisville “hometown heroes”—people like actress Jennifer Lawrence, golfer Bobby Nichols and bourbon producer Tom Bulleit. Each banner bears the possessive form of the person’s name, followed by Louisville, such as “Bulleit’s

Tower Bridge. Photo provided by Steve Harriman.

Louisville.” The banners really added a personal touch to the city. Nashville was by far the most impressive city of the trip—and Indy was a tough act to follow! We found a clean, beautiful downtown located on both sides of the Cumberland River. Tennessee’s capital city is filled with legendary country-music venues, including the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium, as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The Johnny Cash Museum was fabulous. Like Indy, downtown Nashville has both an arena and a pro football stadium. A lively collection of bridges crosses the river, including a wide pedestrian bridge that connects the older city with the newer stadium area. Vanderbilt University is located adjacent to downtown. We stayed in the Germantown neighborhood, a small, formerly industrial area where German immigrants lived in cottages while working at nearby factories at the turn of the 20th century. It is just one of more than a dozen neighborhoods the city markets to visitors. We found hundreds of attractive apartment units either recently built or in the process of being constructed. There were easily more units under construction in this small neighborhood than in our entire Sacramento Grid. When we asked about the building boom, we were told that about 100 people a day are moving to Nashville, mostly young folks. This has been going on for a number of years as the music industry has grown and prospered, attracting youthful, creative energy in the process. The small historic inn where we stayed kept a notebook of selected restaurants organized by neighborhood. We enjoyed an excellent dinner in a restaurant, housed in a former industrial building. Local art was proudly displayed throughout the restaurant. In fact, local art was everywhere we went in the city: paintings in cafes and shops, murals on the sides of buildings, public art in civic spaces. The youthful energy was evident in the other neighborhoods we visited, too.

Looking back on our trip, I suggest a few things that Sacramento could do better for those who visit our city. Our business community— including shops, restaurants and offices—needs to do more to support local artists by proudly displaying their original work. Louisville has a great program to commission artists to paint alley and side doors with their art—like murals, but much smaller. Additionally, the map-andbusiness-listing approach at hotels would be useful here for visitors, too. We designed a colorful neighborhood map and list of places featured in our book “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” We hope Sacramento hotels will welcome this curated guide for their guests. We also need to do more to market our city’s neighborhood experience. The city’s visitor guide doesn’t even list many of them on its map. I spoke recently with Mike Testa, the new CEO of Visit Sacramento, and was happy to hear he plans to make changes to our city’s approach to marketing. One thing I know for sure: The folks our publications serve love their neighborhoods. Why wouldn’t visitors feel the same way? One more thing: The day after we returned, I walked through the space between the Community Center Theater and the Convention Center on my way to Esquire Grill for lunch. I found a dusty, dirty space with partially dead trees and bushes and overgrown weeds. I understand we are at the end of a hot, dry summer. But what struck me was the empty, dried-out fountain on 13th Street, which was partially filled with trash that day. With the drought years now behind us, why can’t we get this fountain running again? Think of all those passing through this spot every day. Imagine how refreshing the sound and feel of the water spray would be on a hot summer day. Can’t our city make this happen? Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. n

Councilmember Steve Hansen gives the mayor of Jinan, China, a copy of our book on a sister-city exchange trip.

Dried-out fountain on 13th Street near the Community Center Theater and the Convention Center.

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Stirring the Pot LOCAL FOOD BLOGGER COMES OUT WITH COOKBOOK

outh Land Park resident Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri, a food blogger, recently released her first cookbook, “The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot.” “I’ve wanted to write a cookbook since I was a little girl,” says SunwellVidaurri, who was inspired to get creative in the kitchen early on by her late mom, accomplished home chef and designer Martha Criswell. “I’ve been using an Instant Pot for two years now. It’s such an amazing kitchen tool to make quick, healthy meals, whether you have a large family or are just cooking for two.” The Instant Pot is a programmable cooker that works like a pressure

lifestyle blog, Recipes To Nourish, at recipestonourish.com.

SPRUCING UP WCA On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, volunteers repainted the entrance of the Wildlife Care Association at McClellan Park. Led by Lindsay Ianni, a student at The Art Institute of California, volunteers decorated the entrance with wildlife imagery. In 2016, 6,000 residents and local government agencies brought injured, orphaned and displaced wildlife to California’s second-largest rehabilitation facility to be healed and released back to the environment. For more information, go to wildlifecareassociation.com.

Volunteers came together to spruce up the entrance to the Wildlife Care Association. Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri

JL By Jessica Laskey Life on the Grid

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cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and warming pot. Sunwell-Vidaurri’s book features 80 recipes. The recipes are all gluten-free, but the chef suggests substitutions for those who aren’t allergic to gluten. “We’re all so busy these days,” says Sunwell-Vidaurri, the mother of two girls. “It’s wonderful to have

a safe electric pressure cooker that can speed up the preparation of nourishing, home-cooked food.” “The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot” is available on amazon.com. For more information, go to Sunwell-Vidaurri’s food and

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Fahrenheit 250 barbeque is offering $1 ribs during happy hour.

RESTAURANT OFFERS $1 RIBS Last month, Fahrenheit 250 BBQ added $1 ribs to its happy-hour menu, offered every day between 2 and 6 p.m. “We strive to keep up with what our customers want,” says owner Gino Sardo. “Interest in dollar ribs has increased dramatically since we launched it in 2016.” “It’s taken some trial and error to perfect our dry rub and slow-smoking technique for our ribs,” says chef and pit master Jacob Carriker. “Salt is the key. You can put anything in your dry rub, but you have to balance your ingredients with the right amount of salt.” Fahrenheit 250 BBQ is at 7042 Folsom Blvd. For more information, go to fahrenheitbbq.com.

Sierra 2 is at 2791 24th St. For more information, go to sierra2.org/ thelearnery, call (916) 452-3005 or email program coordinator Katie Byram at katie@sierra2.org.

RAINBOW CHAMBER HONORS LEADERS The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce held its 15th anniversary Crystal Gala in September, raising $22,600 for the LGBT business organization’s youth scholarship program.

Sierra 2 Center's the Learnery offers adult enrichment classes. The event honored 2017 Business Leaders of the Year Steven Walker, founder and CEO of Fast Break Tech, and Jason Russell, owner of Russell, CPAs. Lori Okamoto, SMUD’s supplier diversity advocate, received a Leadership in Action Award. “Together, Jason and Steven did so much to build a solid foundation for our chamber,” says chamber president Richard Hernandez of the now-married couple, who met at a chamber event in 2005. “The growth, the community partnerships, our advocacy and legislative work—none of it would be possible had they not

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AT THE LEARNERY Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community in Curtis Park recently launched an educational program, The Learnery, to offer adult enrichment classes in art, dance, cooking, music, activism, language, gardening, technology and more. “The Learnery is another facet of Sierra 2 Center’s mission to bring together neighbors and the community through the arts,” says executive director Terri Shettle. Class fees range from $20 to $100.

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Steven Walker and Jason Russell were honored by the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce

put the organizational infrastructure into place.” The Rainbow Chamber Foundation awarded scholarships for the 201718 school year to nine students at Sacramento State University, University of Southern California, UC Davis, UC Merced and Sierra College. For more information about the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, go to rainbowchamber. com.

GROUP FUNDS RIPPON EXHIBITION In honor of ceramist Ruth Rippon, the Creative Arts League of Sacramento raised $125,000 to fund a major retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work at Crocker Art Museum. The exhibit opened Oct. 29 and will be on display through Feb. 4. “It is very important to bring together and document all the parts of Ruth’s long career, both as an artist and a teacher,” says CALS member Susan Willoughby. “This exhibition and the accompanying book will ensure that Ruth’s incredible life and work will not be lost.” Founded in 1952, CALS has organized hundreds of invitational and juried exhibitions, supported outstanding craftspeople and raised more than $250,000 for exhibitions at the Crocker. The museum is at 216 O St. For more information about the exhibition, go to crockerart.org.

FLEET FEET KEEPS MCCLATCHY ON TRACK

NEW NEIGHBORS AT CLARA

The owners of Fleet Feet Sports Sacramento announced in September that they would donate $10,000 from their after-school running program, Project Fit, to the track-remodeling project at C.K. McClatchy High School. Project Fit was started 10 years ago by Fleet Feet founders Jan and Pat Sweeney to support youth running through after-school running clubs, providing running shoes to underserved schoolchildren and paying race entry fees for underserved students. When the Sweeneys, now retired, heard that McClatchy planned to construct an all-weather track this year, they decided to donate proceeds from Project Fit. Their son attended the high school. “The track is going to be a crown jewel of the community,” says Fleet Feet co-owner Dusty Robinson. “We are thrilled to support it and hope this inspires other companies to do the same.” Fleet Feet is at 2311 J St. For more information, go to fleetfeetsacramento.com.

On Oct. 10, the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts (CLARA) announced that a new tenant, Southside Art Center, will join its artistic community. Southside Art Center offers a setting where adults with disabilities can learn, practice and advance their artistic talents alongside others in their community. Its studio at CLARA will include rehearsal space for the organization’s music and performing arts programs. “Residency at CLARA literally embeds our programs among a community of working artists and arts educators,” says Southside Art Center’s director of programs, Katherine Wallen. “This is the definition of integrated arts services for adults with disabilities.” CLARA is at 2420 N St. For more information, go to southsideartcenter. com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

PROJECT FIT WAS STARTED 10 YEARS AGO BY FLEET FEET FOUNDERS JAN AND PAT SWEENEY.

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Art Preview GALLERY ART SHOWS IN NOVEMBER

Robert T. Matsui Gallery will feature “Fields of Grain: The Art Collection of the California Rice Commission” through Nov. 14. Shown above: “Summer Rice Fields, Colusa County” by Phil Gross. City Hall, 915 I St. (north entrance)

ARTHOUSE Gallery & Studios presents “Moods & Emotions,” featuring works by Traci Owens and Larry Johnson. Show runs Nov. 10 to Dec. 5. Shown above: “The Judgement” by Owens. 1021 R St.; arthouseonr.com

Through Dec. 1, Sparrow Gallery presents new mixed-media work by Susan Silvester and Sandy Whetstone. Shown above: a collage by Silvester. 1021 R St.; sparrowgallerysacramento.com

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Eliott Fouts Gallery presents “Jeff Myers: Larger Than Life” Nov. 4 to 30. This new body of work thematically explores relationships between technology, land, time and humans. Shown above: “Giant.” 1831 P St.; efgallery.com

Over 14,000 trees planted. In partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation last year, we delivered over 9,000 trees to our residential customers and over 4,500 trees to help beautify your community to help reduce cooling costs. Because we’re community owned and not-for-profit, we keep you at the heart of all we do. Together, we’re brightening the region!

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©SMUD 1614-17

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Simply Stunning WILDWOOD IS THE PLACE TO SIP AND BE SEEN

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

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pen for just a year, Wildwood Kitchen & Bar already cuts a pretty impressive figure. The large indoor/outdoor space in the Pavilions shopping center is truly striking. The newest undertaking by restaurateur brothers Fred and Matt Haines, Wildwood is something of a departure from their other, more casual restaurants, and it feels like a step up in profile from their popular 33rd Street Bistro brand. With a focus on the bar and a keen eye toward design, Wildwood comes across immediately as a destination for conviviality. Tucked away ever so slightly in the Pavilions center, the restaurant isn’t immediately visible from busy Fair Oaks Boulevard. A short jaunt into the interior of the retail center brings you to either Wildwood’s modest front door or its expansive patio. Neither

entrance really hints at the spectacle of design and art that makes up the interior. Immediately inside the front door, a trio of bold, eye-popping landscapes by artist Rozer grabs the first-time visitor right away. From the doorway, most of the notable three-sided bar and expansive dining room is obscured by a gorgeous bottle rack. One step around the rack and you will find the slick bar and substantial dining room, draped in subtle hues, sharp corners and gripping art pieces. The Haines brothers’ other dining spaces have always had lovely elements of artistic design about them, but this new room is really a modern beauty. An airy light sculpture hangs from the ceiling. A drapery of heavy braided ropes obscures a wall-sized mirror, giving the impression of a hidden space beyond the reach of the diner. A framed profusion of Ireland-

green moss hangs (grows?) from another wall. The pieces are uncluttered and unfussy. It’s the type of art that fosters meditation and thoughtful gazes. The large patio offers some nice touches as well but is most notable as a comfortable lounging space, dotted with high-top tables, couches and fireplaces. Spending a fall evening with a well-made cocktail or well-chosen glass of wine next to one of those fireplaces seems the right way to go. The menu is dotted with some lovely small plates and a still-evolving entree selection. Brunch, lunch and dinner are offered. The standout on the lunch menu is, without a doubt, the French dip. Stuffed with shaved prime rib and slathered with horseradish aioli, the soft, yielding bread does an admirable job of soaking up the indulgent peppercorn sauce served in lieu of au jus. I have been quoted as saying

that the dip at Bandera (just a stone’s throw from Wildwood) is the best in town, but my mind may have been changed. On the small-plate side, the chilled smoked prawns are a treat if you like to eat with your hands. They involve peeling. Also, the rather bland-sounding hummus is actually stunning. With bright flavors and gorgeously made naan bread, it’s a surprisingly complex dish. Barbecued Skuna salmon, which shows up on both the lunch and dinner menu, feels like the dish most influenced by the Haineses’ Pacific Northwest roots. A beautiful plate of lacquered salmon outlined by a daring streak of blackberry “paint,” it’s fresh, smoky, sweet and impressive. Also recommended is the rock shrimp risotto. Bright green from the basil pistou and cheesy as all get out from a generous layering of Parmesan, TO page 23

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Jonathon Glus

Gathering Spot OAK PARK TO GET ANOTHER HIP DEVELOPMENT

JV By Jordan Venema Building Our Future

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n Sept. 18, the city of Sacramento hosted a public forum to mark the launch of Creative Edge, a community-driven planning process that will help define Sacramento’s cultural and creative economy. For the next several months, the city will host town-hall meetings before producing a plan that will be submitted to the City Council for approval. City officials say Creative Edge will be a ground-up process, giving Sacramento residents a direct voice in the future of Sacramento’s art community. To facilitate the planning process, the city created a new position— director of cultural and creative economy—and hired Jonathon Glus, who has more than 20 years of experience directing similar programs in cities like Houston and Pasadena. Glus emceed the September forum, outlining the planning process and expressing its goals, which include attracting and retaining creative businesses and making sure the city invests enough in art culture and creative resources. “How does creativity flourish, how do we advance it, support it and bring more resources to you all to make this city a more creative place?” said Glus. In an interview with Inside Publications, Glus said the planning process should engage the larger community in creative endeavors, emphasize the need for investing in art education, and create access and equity. “In the case of Sacramento, we already have tremendous cultural institutions,” Glus said. But he believes the city is ripe for a cultural plan. “There are a lot of creatives here, and we haven’t necessarily embraced them,” he said. “As a community, we haven’t necessarily embraced [art] in all ways, or celebrated it. It certainly isn’t part of our brand.” The planning

process is designed, he said, “so that the artist is a part of telling the story of the city.” This should come as welcome news to local artists. Collaborative groups, venues and nonprofits like M5 Arts, The Red Museum and CLARA (E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts) have helped define Sacramento’s emerging art scene, yet many individual artists feel underrepresented by the city. “It’s a lack of communication and funding support from the city,” said Trisha Rhomberg, an artist and owner of Old Gold, a shop that specializes in locally handcrafted goods. “There are a ton of local artists and nonprofits for arts, but no one knows who they are or what they offer or how to get it. Our microphones are broken.” Rhomberg sought information from the city on resources for artists but came up empty-handed. “You can either go from being an artist who spends four hours a day painting, or you can become an investigative reporter to track down who has the power and money and motivation to help you get your next venue,” she said. “City staff responsible for culture and communication have no clue where to go for the best content because they don’t actually go to emerging-art or fringe-art shows and events.” The lack of communication between city and artists exacerbates an existing paradox: Artists create cool cities that, failing to support their artists, eventually lose their artists. So what is the solution? It’s difficult enough to define art, let alone develop a culture and creative economy around that definition, especially considering Sacramento’s great diversity. But for Glus, moving forward means “that we are ambitious as we can be but realistic. “There will be short-term objectives to move us through a couple years—low-hanging fruit,” said Glus. Grants—and getting artists better access to those grants—are a component of developing this culture, “but it’s also about workforce development, education, access to higher education. It’s about small-business loans, and it’s about economic development,” he said. In

short, the plan should treat the artist holistically. According to Glus, the plan will project seven or ten years into the future and “create an agreed-upon path forward that highlights goals, objectives and tactics to get us to those goals,” which could include code or zoning issues, even grants and loans. Glus encourages artists to show up to future forums. “This is the perfect opportunity to [have their voices heard],” he said. “This is about the creative vitality of the city in all forms and fashions, and this is the forum to steer the conversation.” If the Sept. 18 forum proved anything, it’s that artists will show up. Earlier this year, the city hosted a public art plan workshop that drew maybe two- or three-dozen residents, while Creative Edge had well over 200 attendees filling every seat, standing along walls and pouring out of the entrances of nonprofit CLARA’s gymnasium, which hosted the forum. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who addressed the audience, commented on the energy within the room and called the plan the beginning of an important chapter in our city’s history. He added that the process will give Sacramento an opportunity to “make sure we put our money where our mouth is.” After Steinberg spoke, attendees broke into smaller groups to discuss just that: how to ensure the city puts its money where its mouth is. How will Sacramento support artists in the face of increasing rent and cost of living? How will the city encourage and strengthen small, art-based businesses or a budding film industry? How do we bridge the gap between artists on the streets and councilmembers on the board? For more information on the Creative Edge planning process, go to cityofsacramento.org/creative-edge or visit Creative Edge’s Facebook page. Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com. n

FROM page 21 the dish is a dense, indulgent experience, well suited for an autumn night. Service is quick, friendly and attentive. The only criticism: We were asked to keep our silverware between courses. A gorgeous room with a midhigh price point probably deserves a full clearing of the table between apps and entrees. The star of the show, as mentioned before, is the bar, with a substantial

by-the-glass wine list, a clever cocktail menu and a tap lineup that bounces from standout local brews to international favorites. Between the visually stunning space and the generous drinks menu, Wildwood stands out as a place to while away some hours with friends, relaxing and snacking, drinking fine wines and chatting while the sun goes down. Wildwood Kitchen & Bar is at 556 Pavilions Lane; (916) 922-2858; wildwoodpavilions.com. n

• CEREC one-visit crowns • Implant dentistry • Invisalign • General and cosmetic dentistry • Eco-friendly practice • Children and adults welcome • Sedation available

Dr. Paul Phillips & Dr. Barry Dunn Serving East Sacramento since 1991 1273 32 Street 452-7874

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INSIDE

OUT Dia de los Muertos CONTRIBUTED BY INGRID LUNDQUIST

THE GRID NOV n 17

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Ruth Rippon often demonstrated techniques during her many years of teaching.

Feats of Clay RUTH RIPPON CELEBRATES SEVEN DECADES AS A CERAMIC ARTIST ARTT IST

o say that Ruth Rippon has patience would be an understatement. The celebrated ceramic artist has worked in the complex medium of clay for seven decades, and she’s loved nearly every minute of it. “It’s always a pleasure to work with clay,” the River Park resident says. (She’s lived in the neighborhood since 1956, when she first got hired at

JL By Jessica Laskey Artist Spotlight

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Sacramento State University.) “Clay takes time. A lot of my pieces are coil built, which means I form them one coil at a time and then carve them. It takes a lot of patience to do that work.” It’s work that Rippon seems to have been born to do. When she was growing up in Sacramento, her parents told her they would pay her way through art school as long as she earned her teaching credential as well. Rippon agreed. In one of her required courses—a class on clay with famed ceramist Antonio Prieto—she first encountered the art form that would become her life’s work. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and serving as Prieto’s assistant for a summer at

p ppon took a Mills College, Rippon a State, where ac teaching job at Sac 1 years until she taught for 31 2. (S She’ll be b retiring at age 62. (She’ll At Sacc 91 in January.) At hee State, she was the ty y sole female faculty member in the early days of the burgeoning ceramics err department. Over n the years, Rippon dss inspired hundreds of students with th h her down-to-earth nd d teaching style and m enthusiasm for molding young minds.

“I approac che teaching approached from the root ts u roots up,” says Rippon. “Whe en I’m working “When with begin nnin students, beginning I star rt tthem on start th he wheel. the Ev E Everything de develops from th that. I try to g give them a br broad base to gr grow on.” Rippon’s ow own work is im mp impressively var rie Because of varied. a n ea arly affinity for an early myths an and biblical sayings s, R sayings, Rippon decorat ted her vessel decorated

Ruth Rippon's sculptures can be found in public places, the Pavilions shopping center.

work with figures and text from Greek mythology and Scripture. She even developed her own technique, sgraffitothrough-engobe, in which she would apply a colored clay slip (or engobe) to the form, then scratch through to the base layer underneath.

Whether it was wheel throwing, coil building or slab construction, Rippon excelled in many methods and created everything from bowls and plates to jewel boxes and jars and, more recently, small tabletop tableaux of artists in their studios. She’s also well-known for her large-scale sculptures. “The first large-scale sculpture I ever did was a commission for Anne and Malcolm McHenry of a young girl resting on a bench for their garden,” Rippon recalls. “I had done smaller thrown composite figures before, but I hadn’t done any large-scale work until that commission. I discovered that I liked it. It just took a lot longer.” Rippon created iconic sculptures like “The Lollies” (short for “little old ladies”) who sit fountain-side at Pavilions Shopping Center and the life-sized ceramic reader (entitled “Waiting”) at Sac State University Library. Rippon has exhibited her work all over the country, including in galleries in San Francisco and the wider Bay Area, at the California State Fair and the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York. An

exhibition of her work titled “Exuberant Earth” is now open at Crocker Art Museum. Rippon is pleased that 90 of her pieces from the 1950s through the 1990s will be on display. But she’s most excited to read the essays in the exhibition catalog, which is funded by Creative Arts League Sacramento, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and exhibiting fine art throughout the region. Rippon was one of the group’s first members (it was founded in 1952), and she had her first retrospective exhibition at the Crocker—in 1971—thanks to the league. Talk about coming full circle. “I’ve enjoyed my career immensely,” Rippon says. “I loved working with clay, I enjoyed the students very much and I’ve enjoyed working with a pretty broad palette of techniques. It’s been a good life.” “Exuberant Earth: Ceramics by Ruth Rippon” will be on display at Crocker Art Museum through Feb. 4. For more information, visit crockerart.org. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

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A Holistic Approach NEW PROGRAM WANTS TO TARGET ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY

hen Sacramentans think of their city, they think of farmers markets, farmto-fork restaurants or the American River Bike Trail. Perhaps one of the last things people think of is the lifelong effect poverty can have on local schoolchildren. As president and CEO of United Way California Capital Region, Stephanie Bray is looking to bring about change through the new Square One Project. “We believe that you can end poverty starting in schools,” says Bray. “Education is the one thing that can determine whether or not you live in poverty. The more education you have, the less likely it is that you’re going to be poor.” According to Bray, it isn’t enough to simply graduate from high school. Instead, she stresses the importance of making sure students are prepared to take the next step toward higher education or a sustainable career after high school in order to overcome the cycle of poverty. This idea is the basis of the Square One Project, which aims to support students from kindergarten through high school graduation. The project has four goals: keep kids in school, keep them on track with grade-level

FL By Faith Lewis Meet Your Neighbor

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milestones, set high expectations and create a strong support system. Bray worked with the family court system as a case manager for children who were placed outside of their homes, so she is no stranger to the lasting impact a less-than-ideal childhood can have on a child. Paired with her extensive experience in fundraising, this knowledge helps guide the work she does with United Way California Capital Region, which serves more than 2.1 million people throughout Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado and Amador counties. With a focus on Title I schools (those with a large percentage of the student body coming from lowincome families), the Square One Project aims to connect resources and providers with those who need it most. United Way serves as a middleman of sorts, identifying areas of need and seeking out organizations that can help. “The Square One Project grew out of a relationship that we had been building with the Robla School District and through work that we have been doing regionally,” says Bray. Previously, United Way California Capital Region partnered with nonprofit organizations to make improvements in three areas: education, financial stability and health. “What we found was that in many cases, we were working with the same children and families even though we were siloed in these three areas,” she says. “So we thought, instead of doing it that way, why don’t we put children and families in the center and then wrap those services around them?”

Stephanie Bray

Within each of the four areas the Square One Project focuses on, United Way tries to address the crux of the problem, rather than the symptoms of it. For example, there can be many reasons a child doesn’t go to school, from health issues to hunger. If you don’t first address those underlying factors, says Bray, it doesn’t matter how many resources you pour into correcting the effects of poor attendance. Through Square One, steps are being taken to combat some of these issues, such as serving meals in after-school programs and providing literacy support. Bray admits that Square One, only in its first year, has a lot of growing

to do in order to accomplish its goals for the next two decades and beyond. She hopes to soon expand the program from the Robla School District to other school districts. But for now, she recognizes that it is important to build trust with the community she is serving. “Because we don’t provide direct services, we’re not really visible,” says Bray. “We know that we have to build trust. People need to know who we are and why we’re there.” For more information about United Way California Capital Region’s Square One Project, go to yourlocalunitedway.org. n

INSIDE

OUT DAY OF CARING

CONTRIBUTED BY ANIKO KIEZEL AND UNITED WAY On Sept. 22 more than 40 volunteers from United Wayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day of Caring helped weed and dead head roses in the McKinley Rose Garden. The garden is managed by Friends of East Sacramento.

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Snap Decision SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH A HOUSE AND HAD TO HAVE IT

ove at first sight: That’s what Ione Cutter experienced when she saw a cute Tudor-style house in East Sacramento. It stole her heart. That day in the

JF By Julie Foster Home Insight

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summer of 2016, the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home facing McKinley Park was scheduled for an open house. Cutter made sure the open house never happened. “I walked in and told the Realtor, Chris Little, I would make a full-price offer right now,” Cutter says. “Don’t bother with an open house. I’ll take it.” Built in the 1920s, the 2,400-square-foot house had been owned by the same family for 80 years. Hazel Cramer moved in with

her parents when she was 17 and lived there until her death at age 97. No improvements other than replacement windows and a roof were ever made. In 2015, a pair of local home flippers purchased the house and gave it a refreshing face-lift, gutting the vintage kitchen and bathrooms, and adding modern features. Cutter loved the look of the revamped home. Several walls had been removed to create a more contemporary feeling. New doorways

incorporated arches, which were part of the original design. New windows were installed. Underneath the carpet, the original oak floors were still in great shape. Two built-in hutches with their original leaded glass doors received new hardware. The original front door was repainted. The flippers “did a great job on the house and maintained the integrity of it, which I think is rare,” Cutter says.

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THERE ARE PLENTY OF COZY SPOTS WHERE SHE CAN LINGER AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS. She noticed right away that her furnishings would fit perfectly. “It was just great,” she says. “I didn’t have to buy a thing.” Cutter especially appreciates the house’s many large windows. “I get sun throughout the day,” she explains. “It really is a happy house.” Those windows have given her a sublime introduction to city life. From the living room window facing McKinley Park, Cutter has a grand view of the passing human and canine parade. Activity begins in the early morning with walkers conversing as they pass by. Then, runners, people with baby strollers, and dog walkers make their appearance. Couples amble by. “I like the scene,” she says. “I feel like it is my little urban environment. It is really nice.” One aspect of the home Cutter felt needed improvement was the landscaping—or, rather, the lack thereof. “There was nothing in the backyard except one single camellia bush,” she says. “I have been working on that.” Cutter designed the back and front yards, and Enrique Rodriguez of Enrique’s Garden performed the work. Cutter has worked with Rodriguez for

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years and praises his skill. No matter what ideas she comes up with, Rodriguez gets it and implements the plan in style. “He does it all,” she says. Now, instead of a barren backyard, Cutter has a lush green landscape that includes roses, bottlebrush, crape myrtle and laurel. There are plenty of cozy spots where she can linger and enjoy the outdoors. A new brick wall provides a bit of noise reduction and also serves as a backdrop for a stylish Restoration Hardware fountain. A new brick fireplace allows Cutter and her guests to sit outside on chilly Sacramento evenings. A pony wall of patterned concrete blocks, once overgrown with weeds, was taken down and reassembled at the back of the yard to create an interesting screen and a bit of privacy. On one side of her property, Cutter planted what she hopes will grow into a beautiful sea of flowering hedges. A whimsical topiary stands at one end

of the installation. This stretch of sidewalk is now a horticultural treat for pedestrians. Cutter is making plans for a small vegetable garden in a sunny corner of her front yard. Rodriguez built a low brick wall in the front yard to create an unobtrusive boundary between Cutter’s private space and the public life of the sidewalk. The wall gave Cutter another spot to sit outside and experience her Sacramento neighborhood. “I didn’t want a massive barrier out here,” she explains. “Now, neighbors go by and we say hello.” Everyone is nice on this street, she says. “This is the best thing about this neighborhood.” 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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Budget Checkup SACRAMENTO HITS LIST OF 20 MOST FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED U.S. CITIES

fter devoting my last two columns to Sacramento’s homeless crisis, I figure we’re due for a review of the city’s financial situation since Darrell Steinberg became mayor. Among the more than 3,300 issue files that Eye on Sacramento (the civic watchdog group that I head) maintains on municipal issues is one that is often whimsical: our

CP By Craig Powell Inside City Hall

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city rankings file. We track every time a study or publication ranks Sacramento against other cities on everything from its appeal to millennials to the quality of our coffeehouses. (There’s considerable crossover there.) But the latest ranking, published by JPMorgan Chase, is anything but whimsical. It’s disturbing. Since JPMorgan Chase manages about $90 billion in municipal bonds, it’s pretty concerned about whether cities will be able to pay back their bond debt. So it created what one financial analyst calls a comprehensive guide of “which municipalities haven’t the slightest hope of surviving their multidecade debt binge and lavish public pension awards”—i.e., Chicago, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Cleveland. Without getting

too wonky, the study examines just how financially burdened the country’s 77 largest cities are by their bond-debt payments, their current and accrued pension costs, and their current and accrued retiree health care costs. Note that these are all annual legacy costs, in that they repay a city’s past borrowings or fund employee benefits on services already rendered. These costs are anchors around the necks of U.S cities, sucking up dollars that could otherwise be used to pay for current services. The study ranks each city’s burden by comparing its total legacy costs to its tax revenues. The resulting ratios of legacy costs to revenues are then ranked by city. Sacramento is ranked as having the 20th worst legacy-cost-to-revenues ratio among the country’s 77 largest

cities. It has the second worst in the state, behind only perennial financial basket case Oakland. Think of it in terms of your own family’s finances. The higher the ratio of your family’s annual debt payments are to your family’s income, the more vulnerable you are to personal bankruptcy if you should experience a significant drop in income or are hit with unexpected bills. The same holds true for cities. But wait a minute. The city’s economy has been humming along nicely, with rates of economic and employment growth well above national averages in the past few years. That includes the fresh injection of additional revenues from Measure U, the half-percent city sales-tax hike approved by voters in 2012. Measure U was originally

projected to bring in $27 million a year but is now tapping taxpayers for $46 million a year. How is it possible for the city’s finances to be in such a perilous state when jobs, economic output and city tax collections are all ramping up? Welcome to the story of the city’s self-inflicted financial wounds.

THE DEBT SPIKE In 2010, the city’s total debt (including its bond, pension and retiree health care liabilities) stood at $1 billion. In just six years, the city’s total outstanding debt rose to an eye-popping $2.6 billion (according to the city’s June 2016 balance sheet), a whopping 160 percent increase. The city’s issuance of arena bonds and water and sewer bonds and a major run-up in its pension liabilities are responsible for most of the spike. And each increase in city debt carries with it a corresponding increase in the city’s annual debt-carrying costs. And much more is coming. The city is planning to borrow more than $200 million to fund rehabs of its convention center, community theater and Memorial Auditorium, by pledging the city’s hotel tax to bondholders. The city is also signaling its willingness to subsidize some portion of the cost of a new hotel to the east of the convention center. City leaders hope that another hotel in the area will staunch the river of red ink that’s been pouring out of the convention center for more than 20 years. (EOS puts the convention center’s annual losses at $19 million.) The mayor also announced his desire to have the city borrow another $50 million or so against the hotel tax to fund unspecified projects that would help nurture development along the city’s long-neglected Sacramento River waterfront. Meanwhile, the City Council recently promised to help fund the construction and a portion of the annual operating costs of the long-planned Powerhouse Science Center just north of Old Sacramento. (The city’s total subsidy of around $25 million would also be financed through the hotel tax.)

The city’s hotel tax is the city’s most volatile revenue source: It spikes up when the economy is strong and crashes during recessions. The city’s overreliance on the hotel tax as a source of future financing is akin to a homeowner counting on future stock market gains to make the mortgage payments on his or her house. It’s reportedly giving the city’s treasurer fits. In addition, the city is poised to issue $173 million in additional water bonds to complete the city’s watermeter project. With the city’s plans to issue additional bonds and its ongoing accrual of pension and retiree health care liabilities, the city’s total debt will likely exceed $3 billion in the next 12 months or so.

PENSION COSTS PROJECTED TO DOUBLE At a recent City Council workshop, city finance director Leyne Milstein shared the startling news that the city’s annual pension contribution to CalPERS is expected to double, from $67.2 million to $129.4 million, over the next seven years. (Just eight years ago, the city’s general fund pension bill was just $31 million; six years before that, the city declared a pension holiday and contributed nothing to its pension plan.) There’s no way to sugarcoat the effect of a $62.2 million pension cost hike on the city’s annual general fund budget, which currently stands at $459 million. It far exceeds anticipated growth in city tax revenues. The spike in pension costs will likely lead to layoffs, reminiscent of the layoffs the city made during the Great Recession. Rationally, the city should reduce employee compensation in order to preserve public service levels and avoid layoffs. But city compensation rates are notoriously “sticky,” locked in by labor contracts and highly resistant to reductions, particularly given the strong political influence of city unions. In practice, that means that the city will likely end up closing its looming budget deficits with layoffs and public service reductions.

THE CITY IS CURRENTLY LEGALLY UNABLE TO TRIM THE PENSION BENEFITS IT PROVIDES TO CURRENT EMPLOYEES, EVEN WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE EMPLOYEE SERVICES NOT YET RENDERED.

The city is currently legally unable to trim the pension benefits it provides to current employees, even with respect to future employee services not yet rendered. That’s because of the judicially recognized “California Rule,” which holds that a pension benefit, once granted, cannot be modified after an employee is hired. But the California Rule is being tested in a case currently pending before the California Supreme Court. The court is reviewing an appellate court ruling that held that a municipality can modify pension benefits for current employees prospectively so long as the modification leaves employees with a meaningful pension. Bankruptcy courts have ruled that municipal pension benefits can be reduced in a municipal bankruptcy setting.

GROWING RETIREE HEALTH CARE COSTS The city is legally able to reduce its growing costs and liabilities for health care benefits to its retirees, since such benefits are not subject to the rigid California Rule. Sacramento County phased out its retiree health care benefit entirely in the last recession. While the City Council held workshops last year where it learned of ways it could reduce such costs, it hasn’t exhibited the political courage to pursue any of them, despite the fact that many retired city employees are eligible for health insurance subsidies under Obamacare. The City Council currently appropriates a miniscule $1 million annually toward a trust to cover its $350 million unfunded liability for retiree health care costs. It made a show earlier this year of allocating $5 million in funds left over from the previous fiscal year to the city’s retiree health care trust fund. But

then, several months later, it canceled the allocation because it needed the money to pay for the huge salary hikes the city promised to police under a new labor contract.

BLOWING IT ON THE POLICE CONTRACT The city is in the midst of negotiating new contracts with most of its unions. The first big union contract approved by the City Council was with the Sacramento Police Officers Association. It was negotiated against the backdrop of plunging morale in the police department and an increasing number of officers leaving the department to work elsewhere. (Sacramento police officer salaries have been lagging behind the salaries of their peers in nearby cities.) After approving a one-time, $2,500-per-cop retention bonus last spring, the council recently approved a new two-year labor contract with SPOA that granted unprecedented, budget-busting raises for officers with at least four-and-a-half years of tenure with the department: 17 percent pay hikes over one year. The justification for the raises was to restore flagging police morale and prevent more defections to other cities. Why is morale so bad? Officers feel that city leaders are not sufficiently supportive of them in the face of allegations of police misconduct and implicit racial bias. They perceive a recently reconstituted policy review commission as inherently biased against the police. There is some justification for the charge: The rules adopted by the City Council defining the qualifications of commission members bar anyone from serving who has any prior law enforcement experience, which guarantees that TO page 37

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Telling Stories

INNOVATIVE PROGRAM BRINGS LOCAL HISTORY TO LIFE

Greg Lucas and Joe Lambert

ibraries have been called our culture’s collective living room. On 22nd Street, the description comes to life. There’s a charming little public library tucked into the former stately home of publishing magnate C.K. McClatchy and his wife, Ella. The McClatchy family’s circa 1925 living room is a lovely community reading room. But all is not sweet and nostalgic in library land. As the world gets digitized and books find infinite shelf space in the cloud, libraries fight for relevancy among social media platforms and affinity websites.

RG By R.E. Graswich City Beat

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Smart libraries learn to get creative. They turn themselves inside out and slide away from their image as stale repositories of deep thoughts from mostly white, mostly male viewpoints. They embrace digital opportunities for everyone. And they do what libraries have always done— tell stories—but in a diverse and wireless way. A great example is California Listens, a collection of 220 stories from everyday people across the state. The series was organized by Joe Lambert, a pioneer in digital storytelling, and Greg Lucas, the California state librarian. “California has the most diverse group of people who have ever been brought together to form a single tapestry,” Lucas says. “What we’re trying to do is capture that by making it easy for people to tell their stories.” California Listens is majestic in ambition. It pulls contributions from diverse and extraordinarily unique

individuals throughout the state. But its heart beats in Sacramento, at 900 N St., where Lucas oversees the sprawling research and reference responsibilities of the California State Library—the state’s ultimate house of stories. “Libraries have always been living spaces where people come together and collect materials that are important culturally and socially,” Lambert says. “But they also know they have to change. They have learned about the importance of oral history and digital storytelling, and the possibilities of it.” California Listens is broad yet simple in its application. Public libraries around the state receive an iPad and microphone. The tablet and gear allow for quick and easy movie and audio production. Average, everyday citizens—an infinite category in California—use the equipment to tell their stories. The process is so simple that most

storytellers require minimal technical assistance. The stories are dispatched to the cloud, retrievable with a click or two on a computer. But nothing is ever quite so easy. Libraries are bureaucratic institutions. They are typically overseen and funded by joint-powers authorities, which are run by elected officials. They have budget concerns and limited capacities, not just in physical space but in operating hours and personnel. As a result, gathering oral histories can be more complicated than walking into a library, finding the California Listens table and spilling your heart out with an iPad and microphone. California Listens is a work in progress. Just 24 local libraries statewide have participated in the program. The roster includes no branch libraries in Sacramento, at least not yet. “I’m happy to get California Listens to every library that wants it,” Lucas says. “I think the project is that important.” Lucas and Lambert believe the work can eventually tell California’s story from a special perspective— not academic, not historical, not statistical, but straight from people who create it. “California should be leading the nation when it comes to digital storytelling and oral history,” Lambert says. “Greg Lucas saw that when he first became state librarian. But there are capacity issues with libraries. They don’t all have the commitment for media production. We need libraries to make that commitment.” Lucas is a gifted storyteller. For three decades, he wrote stories about California governors and the state Legislature for the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him as state librarian in 2014. California Listens is a natural extension for the state library,

WELLS FARGO

Home for the Holidays Donald Kendrick, Music Director

Back by popular demand—

Matt Hanscom and the Grinch Puppets! ritone Matt Hanscom, Ba

TWO performances of this Annual Sacramento Holiday Tradition with full orchestra, candlelit procession and audience sing along.

GUEST CHORUS Sacramento Children’s Chorus Alexander Grambow, Director Puppets provided by Green Valley Theatre Company, Christopher Cook, Designer

Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm Sacramento Memorial Auditorium CCT BOX OFFICE

916.808.5181 or TICKETS.COM

SACRAMENTOCHORAL.COM which houses a massive collection of California archival material—the good, great, bad and ugly. The state collection spreads beyond the building on N Street. Priceless materials are stored in the basement, where a tunnel runs from the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building on Capitol Mall to N Street. “I’m nothing but a cynical old newspaperman,” Lucas says. “But I’ve never been more optimistic in my life than I am right now, and

it’s because of this job I have at the library and projects like this.” He recounts a story he saw on California Listens. A father describes being diagnosed with AIDS and raising his daughter alone. Years pass. He regains his health. His daughter thrives. “The video is about how important his daughter is to his life,” Lucas says. “It’s just a peck on the cheek to her, but there's a lot packed into it.” R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com. n

Give Thanks wi

Flowers

Relles Florist & Gifts 2400 J Street

commission members evaluating allegations of police misconduct will lack the critical perspectives and experience of law enforcement. So instead of addressing the underlying reasons for poor police morale, the council opted instead to try to buy morale by approving record raises. Most HR managers will tell you that money goes only so far to resolve serious morale problems, a pricey lesson that the city and its taxpayers are likely to learn. One matter that was glaringly missing in the council’s discussion of the new SPOA contract was the echo effect that such huge raises would have on the city’s already-exploding pension costs and liabilities. The direct costs to the city of the police raises will amount to more than $20 million over the next two years. But because annual pension benefits are based on the “pensionable pay” that a city employee receives in his or her last few years of employment, the raises are very likely to lead to pension costs and liabilities that are several multiples of $20 million. Regrettably, the council voted to approve the new contract with zero analysis of the likely magnitude of the effect of the raises on city pension costs or liabilities.

ONE BRIGHT SPOT: RECREATIONAL WEED

by Relles Florist rellesﬂorist.com

FROM page 35

441-1478

One bright spot in the city’s budget picture is the prospect of the city cashing in on the legalization of the cultivation, distribution and sale of recreational marijuana. It’s expected

that the city will allow its existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational pot beginning Jan. 1 if they have all of their city paperwork in order. More than 200 parties have applied to the city for permits to cultivate marijuana in indoor grows around the city. Sacramento Business Journal reported last month that market rents for industrial space around the city have nearly quadrupled since last year’s passage of the ballot measure that legalized pot under state law. Pot growers are snapping up available space and driving out existing industrial tenants, which are seeking lowercost space elsewhere in the county or beyond. The city is the only government in the region that is throwing open its doors to industrialscale pot growers. No one knows how much tax revenue recreational pot will generate for the city. Currently, the dispensaries generate $4.6 million annually in city taxes. Some see recreational pot as a future bonanza for the city, with tax revenues tripling or even quadrupling in the coming years. Of course, such expectations are based on the uncertain assumption that the Trump administration won’t take legal action to invalidate California’s new pot laws under the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. Craig Powell is a retired attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He can be reached at craig@ eyeonsacramento.org or (916) 7183030. n

INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

Magic Carpet Ride CELEBRATING NEARLY FOUR DECADES IN BUSINESS

his month marks Mansour’s Oriental Rug Gallery’s 38th year in business. Owner Mansour Yaghoubian knows a thing or two about the handmade rugs he sources from all over the world, including his native Iran. He explains what makes his rugs the perfect piece for any home. What factors should a buyer consider before investing in a rug? The most important thing is the quality. All the rugs I carry have a high knots-per-square-inch count—200 and up. But you also want to consider the color and the pattern and how it will fit with your decor. How does someone choose from so many beautiful designs? It’s very important to see how a particular rug will work in your home, so I always encourage clients to bring in photos of their furnishings, the room itself and the color palette. You can choose four or five rugs and bring them home with you to see what looks best, with no obligation to buy. We also offer a consultation service where I will come to your home and suggest the best rug application for each room. Knowing what fits comes with experience. You don’t get it overnight. Why is a handmade rug more expensive than a machine-made rug? Rugs that are machine made are mass produced in different sizes and TO page 41

JL Mansour Yaghoubian

THE GRID NOV n 17

By Jessica Laskey Shoptalk

If it’s creative... it’s here! art supplies custom framing decorative papers greeting cards

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

uniquee gifts nery stationery journals aalsls kidstuff uffffff

YELLOW FIN POTATOES This all-purpose potato has yellow flesh, a creamy texture and a slightly sweet, buttery flavor. Eat it:: Mash them with lots of butter and cream, of course!.

Monthly Market A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN NOVEMBER UArt Sacramento 2601 J Street 916-443-5721 UniversityArt.com

MANDARIN ORANGE This small citrus fruit has few seeds and a loose, puffy orange skin that is easy to peel, making it a popular addition to children’s lunchboxes. Eat it: Peel and enjoy.

CHARD Fashion for good. Beneﬁting WEAVE.™ T RU ECLOT HING.ORG

This nutritious, hearty green, a relative of the beet, can be blanched, braised, sautéed or steamed. Eat it: Make a quick sauté with onions and garlic..

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

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State of the Arts DONI BLUMENSTOCK WEIGHS IN ON THE CITY’S ARTISTIC FUTURE

JL By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Proﬁle

Doni Blumenstock

THE GRID NOV n 17

oni Blumenstock comes from a family of artists: Her mother’s a pianist and painter, her father’s a musician and sculptor, and her brother’s a woodworker, actor and musician. Yet Blumenstock claims she “can barely turn on the radio.” How does someone with little natural artistic talent become an advocate for the arts? “I decided that if I’m passionate about supporting the arts, then the best way I could help would be to work on strengthening our local arts organizations,” says the Pocket-Greenhaven resident, who serves on the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. Blumenstock used her vast work experience in leadership to inform her volunteer arts advocacy. She’s held positions at Advocates for Human Potential in Sudbury, Mass., and the Coalition for a Drug-Free Mobile County in Mobile, Ala. She also served as the executive director of the American Leadership Forum (Mountain Valley Chapter) and, until last June, worked as the consulting program director for the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program. While at ALF, she got involved in Metro Arts, which promotes and supports the arts in the Sacramento region. “One of the requirements to be an ALF member is to sit on a board or commission,” Blumenstock explains. “I was looking at City Councilmember Jimmie Yee’s website for opportunities for my members when I came upon an announcement for a position with Metro Arts. I decided to put my money where my mouth is and sent Jimmie an email. The next thing I knew, I was appointed to the commission.” ALF is also responsible for Blumenstock’s involvement with Professional Arts Leadership Sacramento, a group composed of the heads of Sacramento’s professional arts groups: Crocker Art

Museum, Verge Center for the Arts, all four professional theater companies, Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera and Sacramento Ballet. Between facilitating monthly PALS meetings and serving Metro Arts, Blumenstock began to realize her dream of supporting the arts. “When I first started with PALS and Metro Arts, we had a mindset of scarcity instead of prosperity,” Blumenstock recalls. “There’s this perception that the arts in Sacramento are a black hole into which you chuck money and then the next season, the need is still there. I think this is a product of the fact that we don’t have a lot of institutional funding, like continuing support from large corporations or endowments. Plus Sacramento as a city is very government-focused. There’s a reluctance to invest and it’s difficult to get government employees—who don’t tend to have much discretionary income—to support the arts other than buying a ticket.” Has that changed over the past five years?

“I think it’s shifting,” Blumenstock says. “The political climate that Mayor Darrell Steinberg has initiated is creating more opportunity, and the Golden 1 Center has put a point on a map that we can build around. The fact that the mayor recognizes that Metro Arts has been operating on half of its normal funding and is starting to put that money back gives me hope that we can start supporting more organizations. “The whole point of Metro Arts is to strengthen smaller, diverse arts organizations and raise the visibility of the arts as an economic driver,” she continues. “It’s a big purpose and a small organization, but we have to focus on what a rich array of offerings we have in this community and how much that contributes to our quality of life. It’s a very exciting time to be engaged in the arts.” For more information on the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, go to sacmetroarts.org. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

FROM page 38 usually made of polyester or lowgrade wool. Our rugs are a different kind of value. You can spend just a bit more and get a handmade piece that lasts much longer, is made out of much better materials and is actually easier to keep clean, thanks to the high-quality, 100-percent wool. A handmade rug takes about six months to make, and the dye and design are unique to that specific rug. You’re not getting something that everyone else will have.

We’re holding an anniversary sale from Nov. 10 to Dec. 10, and a percentage of gross sales will go to charity. It’s very easy to buy just any rug, but very hard to buy the right rug. That’s why I’m here! Mansour’s Oriental Rug Gallery is at 2550 Fair Oaks Blvd. and 1113 Galleria Blvd. in Roseville. For more information, go to mansoursruggallery.com. n

How are you celebrating your store’s 38th anniversary? (In 1979, Yaghoubian opened an Old Sacramento shop, which closed in 1989, then opened one on Fair Oaks Boulevard in 1988 and one in Roseville in 2002.)

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Tyler Bond

Fall Fruits S

acramento’s fall harvest brings more than the city’s famed plump tomatoes. It overflows with unique tastes, but you must know where to look. Local chefs serve as regional experts, and eating in their restaurants is a great place to start. What will they be looking for this season? And where do they

S A By Amber Stott Food for All

THE GRID NOV n 17

Ramon Perez

LOCAL CHEFS SALIVATE FOR THE CHANGE IN SEASON

recommend finding it? Here, two chefs share their farm-to-fork secrets:

SWEET TREATS Pastry chef Ramon Perez of Puur Chocolat pines for pears and apples in fall. Perez, named one of the top 10 chocolatiers in North America in 2016 by Dessert Professional magazine, runs a local online chocolate business with his wife, Nicole. They also sell their gourmet creations at the Midtown Farmers Market most Saturdays. Their success relies not only on the couple’s talents but on the bounty of fresh food available in the Sacramento region.

Perez and his wife hunt for apples in Apple Hill and at the Sacramento farmers market under the freeway on Sunday mornings. They look for Cameo or Stayman Winesap varieties to make pies at home. For the business, they want Fuji apples. “I cook [them] down all the way until I can pipe into my chocolate mold,” Perez says. “The natural pectin in it sets up like a delicious caramel apple jelly.” The tempting innovations at Puur Chocolat rely on such creations, which is why Perez and his wife chose the Sacramento area—and its farm-fresh offerings—as home. They make chocolates in adventurous flavors

such as eucalyptus-lemon, raspberryorange, pistachio-lime and lychee-red curry. Sacramento’s fall fruit provides Perez with a playground of new options. He’ll use Pink Lady apples to create apple butter, which he’ll emulsify to use in ganache.

TRANSITIONAL PRODUCE Kru’s chef de cuisine, Tyler Bond, also draws inspiration from the changing seasons. In fact, he believes creative people thrive on it. There is always something new to be discovered and to cook with.

LOCAL CHEFS SERVE AS REGIONAL EXPERTS, AND EATING IN THEIR RESTAURANTS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.

THEATRE GUIDE I’M THE KING OF NEW YORK: A SALUE TO SHOWBIZ LEADING MEN

KINGS OF AMERICA

Sacramento Theatre Company November 1 – December 10 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722 Sactheatre.org

November 9 - 12 Sacramento Theatre Company 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722 Sactheatre.org

From Jerry Orbach to Neil Patrick Harris, from Zero Mostel to Ben Vereen, there is nothing like the captivating voices and dynamic personalities of the leading men of showbiz. From classics to contemporary favorites, from comedy numbers to soaring anthems, you’ll enjoy a salute to the many men who’ve made the lights of the Great White Way shine bright.

LUNA GALE In fall, Bond looks forward to the last transition fruits from summer. Twin Peaks Orchards, which sells fruit at local farmers markets including the Sunday market under the freeway, has two varieties he has his eye on: the September Bright nectarine and the Angeleno plum. During this shift from summer to fall, Bond finds his creativity spike. “We celebrate the peaches and peppers and the tomatoes and pole beans and melons,” Bond says. “And then there’s this little time between September and October that’s a bit odd.” The Angeleno plum (also known as a cellar plum) is one fruit that grows during this period. Eaten straight from the tree, says Bond, it’s only good. What takes this variety from good to great, he says, is its ability to keep until winter. The stone fruit can be stored in a cellar to be eaten in the dreary days of winter. “You eat plums in winter!” Bond says with excitement. The chef likes to mash, ferment and pickle Angeleno plums. At Kru, Bond works for one of Sacramento’s top restaurants, where chef/owner Billy Ngo, himself a culinary innovator, has earned high praise for his gastronomic excellence. Staying on top of local farm trends

is part of Bond’s job. You’re likely to find him exploring local farms on his days off. This work is fun for him, feeding his creative spirit. On the day I interviewed him, Bond had just spoken with the owner of Twin Peaks. He couldn’t wait to talk about the September Bright nectarine, which the farmers call a “farewell to stone fruit” because it’s the last nectarine variety to be harvested. Bond describes it as “acidic, firm, bright and not supersweet or jammy.” Bond will serve them fresh. “When fruits are perfect, I don’t do a lot to them,” he explains. “I’m not a pastry chef, so I can’t get too fancy.” As fall brings summer produce to a close, Bond still celebrates some of the standards, like Sacramento’s famed tomatoes. Yet instead of serving them fresh, he turns them into sauces to serve as winter specials. He looks forward to the change in culinary seasons that makes Sacramento so uniquely delicious. “It’s a beautiful transitional period,” he says. Amber Stott is founder of the nonprofit Food Literacy Center. She can be reached at amber.stott@gmail. com. n

Capital Stage Thru November 19 2215 J St, Sac 995-5464 Capstage.org Caroline Cox has been working in the Department of Human Services for twenty-five years. She thinks troubled teenagers Peter and Karlie, the parents of newborn Luna Gale, are a typical case. But she discovers an array of unspoken motives amongst all the parties with an interest in Luna’s future. With events accelerating, and Caroline uncovering more of the truth, her conclusions begin to look startlingly unconventional – even to her.

Through the recurring dreams of a struggling teenage boy named Noah — dreams which happen to be populated exclusively by former presidents — this timely new play explores presidential figures of American history, their flaws, and the legacies they have left behind. But, for Noah, these episodes might be more than just fantasy; they could be a means for forgiveness and personal healing.

MARAT/SADE: The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat

Harris Center for the Arts November 3 – 19 10 College Pkwy, Folsom 608-6888 Falconseyetheatre.com This play has been called a major modern theatrical innovation. This “total theatre” event engages the eye, the ear, and the mind with every imaginable theatrical device fused in one breathtaking experience. Revolution is the driving force of this tale, which asks the questions “Are the same things true for the masses and for their leaders? And where, in modern times, lie the borderlines of sanity?”

R&B JAM NIGHT

DotHigh Entertainment at Crest Theatre November 10 1013 K St, Sac 476-3356 Crestsacramento.com DotHigh Entertainment present R&B Jam Night, featuring Michel’le. She has many hit songs like “Something In My Heart,” “No More Lies,” to name a few. Also performing: Adrian Marcel, Netta Brielle, Rocky Charlene and Lecsi Tomorrow.

A MOVING DAY

B Street Theatre November 11 – December 24 2711 B St, Sac 443-5300 Every building has a history. Every building has a secret. When one man is forced to move out of his family home, he must confront the history and secrets buried in the building. With the help of a moving company and a mysterious companion, our hero sifts through the mystery of the past and reconciles with his future in this funny warm story for the holidays.

SUBMIT EVENTS TO ANIKO@INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

READERS NEAR & FAR 1. Stephen Weinberg and Art Zimmerman in the bunkers on the beaches of Normandy, Pointe du Hoc, France 2. Ryan Fong on Komodo Island in Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, with one of their more famous carnivorous local inhabitants 3. Becky Newland and Ron Temple on the Athabasca Glacier, located between Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada 4. Jacob Brezinski and Evan Quam atop a rock overlooking Huntington Lake, California 5. Amie Brousseau and Shaun Abitz at Weston Park watching the kangaroos lounge in Canberra, Australia 6. Sacramento Kings VP, Scott Moak, Councilmember Steve Hansen and former Councilmember Steve Cohn in Jinan, China, on a sister city trip 7. Bruce Hester, Otto Saltenberger, Pam Saltenberger, Elfrena Foord, Susan Sheridan and Larry Sheridan in Egypt

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. Find more photos on Instagram: InsidePublications

THE GRID NOV n 17

Celebrate the Holidays at Fat’s Open Christmas Eve

Frank Fat’s

A Sacramento Tradition Since 1939

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

INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

INSIDE’S

DOWNTOWN

OLD SAC

Cafeteria 15L

Fat City Bar & Cafe

1116 15th St. • (916) 492-1960

1001 Front St. • (916) 446-6768

L D $$ Full Bar Classic American lunch counter with a millennial vibe • cafeteria15l.com

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

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters

Rio City Cafe

400 P St. • (916) 400-4204

1110 Front St. • (916) 442-8226

Small-batch coffees brewed from beans harvested within the past 12 months • chocolateﬁshcoffee.com

L D $$ Wine/Beer Bistro favorites with a distinctively Sacramento feeling in a riverfront setting • riocitycafe.com

De Vere’s Irish Pub

MIDTOWN Biba Ristorante 2801 Capitol Ave. • (916) 455-2422

1521 L St. • (916) 231-9947

The Firehouse Restaurant

L D $$ Full Bar Family-run authentic Irish pub with a classic menu to match • deverespub.com

1112 Second St. • (916) 442-4772

L D $$$ Full Bar Upscale Northern Italian cuisine 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

Ten22

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Casual California cuisine with counter service • cafebernardo.com

Downtown & Vine 1200 K St. #8 • (916) 228-4518 Educational tasting experience of wines by the taste, ﬂight or glass • downtownandvine.com

Ella Dining Room & Bar 1131 K St. • (916) 443-3772 L D $$$ Full Bar Modern American cuisine served family-style in a chic, upscale space • elladiningroomandbar.com

1022 Second St. • (916) 441-2211 L D $$ Wine/Beer American bistro favorites with a modern twist in a casual Old Sac setting • ten22oldsac.com

Willie’s Burgers

1213 K St. • (916) 448-8900 L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Outdoor Dining Upscale American fare served in an elegant setting • paragarys.com • esquiregrill.com

Firestone Public House 1132 16th St. • (916) 446-0888 L D $$ Full Bar Sports bar with a classical American menu • ﬁrestonepublichouse.com

Frank Fat’s 806 L St. • (916) 442-7092 L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Chinese favorites in an elegant setting • fatsrestaurants.com

Ma Jong’s Asian Diner 1431 L St. • (916) 442-7555 L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Cuisine from Japan, Thailand, China ad Vietnam. • majongs.com

Grange Restaurant & Bar 926 J St. • (916) 492-4450 B L D $$$ Full Bar Simple, seasonal, soulful • grangerestaurant.com

Hock Farm Craft & Provision

R STREET Café Bernardo 1431 R St. • (916) 930-9191 B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Casual California cuisine with counter service • cafebernardo.com

Fish Face Poke Bar L D $$ Humble Hawaiian poke breaks free • ﬁshfacepokebar.com

Iron Horse Tavern

L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Timeless traditional Southern cuisine, counter service • weheartfriedchicken.com

Easy on I L D $-$$ Bar & grill with American eats, including BBQ, local brews & weekend brunch • easyoni.com

Federalist Public House 2009 N St. • (916) 661-6134 L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Wood-ﬁred pizzas in an inventive urban alley setting • federalistpublichouse.com

Hot Italian 1627 16th St. • (916) 444-3000 L D $$ Full Bar Authentic hand-crafted pizzas with inventive ingredients, gelato • hotitalian.net

1801 15th St. • (916) 448-4488 L D $-$$ Full Bar Gastro-pub cuisine in a stylish industrial setting • ironhorsetavern.net

Magpie Cafe

Mulvaney’s Building & Loan 1215 19th St. • (916) 441-6022 L D $$$ Full Bar Modern American cuisine in an upscale historic setting

1601 16th St. • (916) 452-7594 L D $$-$$$ Wine/Beer Seasonal menu using the best local ingredients • magpiecafe.com

Shoki Ramen House

The Red Rabbit 2718 J St. • (916) 706-2275 L D $$ Full Bar All things local contribute to a sophisticated urban menu • theredrabbit.net

1201 R St. • (916) 441-0011 L D $$ Japanese ﬁne dining using the best local ingredients • shokiramenhouse.com

THE HANDLE 1801 L St. #40 • (916) 441-7463

2005 11th St. • (916) 382-9722

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

1104 R St. Suite 100 • (916) 706-6605

The Rind South

2730 J St. • (916) 442-2552

1725 I St. • (916) 469-9574

1415 L St. • (916) 440-8888 L D $$-$$ Full Bar Celebration of the region’s rich history and bountiful terrain • hockfarm.com

Centro Cocina Mexicana

110 K St. • (916) 573-3897 L D $ Great burgers and more • williesburgers.com

Esquire Grill

2726 Capitol Ave. • (916) 443-1180

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Cheese-centric menu paired with select wine and beer • therindsacramento.com

Paragary’s 1401 28th St. • (916) 457-5737 L D $$ Full Bar Fabulous Outdoor Patio, California cuisine with a French touch • paragarys.com

Revolution Wines 2831 S St. • (916) 444-7711 L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Urban winery and tasting room with a creative menu using local sources • revolution-wines.com

Zocolo 1801 Capitol Ave. • (916) 441-0303 L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Patio Regional Mexican cuisine served in an authentic artistic setting • zocolosacramento.com

THE GRID NOV n 17

Skool 23195 K St. • (916) 737-5767 D $$ Inventive Japansese-inspired seafood dishes • skoolonkstreet.com

Suzie Burger 2820 P St. • (916) 455-3500 L D $ Classic burgers, cheesesteaks, shakes, chili dogs, and other tasty treats • suzieburger.com

Tapa The World 2115 J St. • (916) 442-4353 L D $-$$ Wine/Beer/Sangria Spanish/world cuisine in a casual authentic atmosphere, live ﬂamenco music • tapathewworld.com

Thai Basil 2431 J St. • (916) 442-7690 L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio Housemade curries among their authentic Thai specialties • thaibasilrestaurant.com

The Waterboy 2000 Capitol Ave. • (916) 498-9891 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 Third Ave. • (916) 400-4676 L D $$ Full Bar Authentic Mexican cuisine with simple tasty menu in a colorful historic setting • lavenaditasac.com

Oak Park Brewing Company 3514 Broadway • (916) 660-2723 L D $$ Full Bar Award-winning beers and a creative pub-style menu in an historic setting • opbrewco.com

Vibe Health Bar 3515 Broadway • (916) 382-9723 B L D $-$$ Clean, lean & healthy snacks. Acai bowls are speciality. Kombucha on tap • vibehealthbar.com n

THANKSGIVING CATERING ALL THE LOVE WITHOUT THE WORK

HAPPY HOUR $10 PIZZAS $5 COCKTAILS, WINE & BEER $10 PIZZAS AVAILABLE MONDAY - FRIDAY 3PM TO 6PM

www.oboitlian.com AVA I L A B L E F O R D I N E - I N O N LY

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE COMPLETE DINNER MENU ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017, 3PM

WWW.SELLANDS.COM EAST SACRAMENTO

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ICONIC EAST SAC TREASURE Gracious entry, common rms, gorgeous architectural details. 4bd+den & 4.5ba. Wide .3+ acre lot w/pool. THE WOOLFORD GROUP 916.834.6900 CaBRE#: 00680069 / 01778361 / 00679593

BEAUTIFUL SACRAMENTO HOME Lovely neighborhood, beautiful bckyrd, upstrs loft/bdrm, newer windows, hrdwd ﬂrs in bdrms, bonus rm added w/permit. $479,900 BETTY BRODY 916.300.5202 CaBRE#: 01415304

CUSTOM BUILT BEAUTY IN CARMICHAEL! 4bd/2ba, 2435sqft. Gourmet ktchn, vaulted ceilings, hrdwd ﬂrs, fresh paint, new carpet. Move in ready. $479,000 ANGELA HEINZER 916.212.1881 CaBRE#: 01004189

NEW PRICE

LUXURY RIVER PARK! Custom built, prime location, huge kitchen, master suite & so much more. Close to Glenn Hall and Caleb Greenwood. $749,950 TOM LEONARD 916.834.1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

ELEGANT TWO-STORY TUDOR Stately 4BD/3.5BA, 3083sq Tudor. On 1/3 acre w/lrg patio w/blt-in BBQ & ground pool perfect for entertaining. $1,695,000 RICH CAZNEAUX 916.212.4444 CaBRE#: 01447558

BEAUTIFUL SOUTH LAND PARK HOME 4BD/2.5BA. 3 bd dwnstrs, mstr ste w/gas frplc upstrs, lrg loft. Rmdld ktchn, lrg bckyrd, detached garage w/ofﬁce. $689,000 SUE OLSON 916.601.8834 CaBRE#: 00784986

SIERRA OAKS! Resort style living in one of Sacramento's ﬁnest neighborhoods. 3-4-BD/3.5BA, 2647SF w/ sparkling pool & backyrd oasis. $759,000 MARK PETERS 916.600.2039 CaBRE#: 01424396

BEAUTIFUL EAST SAC TUDOR 2,300+ SF w/huge lot, 2 car garage. Remodeled top to bottom. Quartz counters in ktchn w/beautiful tile backsplash & din bar. $1,174,900 SCOOTER VALINE 916.420.4594 CaBRE#: 01896468

GRAND CLASSIC CRAFTSMAN Lovingly renovated for today's modern living! 3 bdrm 2.5 bath beauty w/gourmet kitchen and loaded with Old World charm! $749,900 STEFFAN BROWN 916.717.7217 CaBRE#: 01882787

SACRAMENTO METRO OFFICE 730 Alhambra Boulevard #150 • 916.447.5900

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©2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each ColdwellBanker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.