The grid aug 2016

AUGUST 16

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 Jian Wang

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THE GRID AUG n 16

RICH CAZNEAUX CLASSIC BRICK TUDOR!

Nestled in the heart of East Sacramento, this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home affords the appeal of an idyllic brick Tudor.

This 2,571 square foot home features elegantly traditional living and dining rooms. This home hosts an impressive master suite with sitting area, gas Àreplace, multiple closets, and a remodeled bathroom. Boasting an outdoor Àreplace and mature plantings, the backyard is ideal for entertaining! $1,265,000

TWO STORY CRAFTSMAN! It’s all in the details in this well appointed 4-5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2940 sq/ft cottage bungalow. The inviting Master Suite with sunroom/ofÀce opens to an outside patio that overlooks the backyard, while the master bath has a steam shower and his/her walk-in closets with custom built-ins. $1,225,000.

CLOSE TO MCKINLEY PARK! Lovely Tudor-style CHARMING EAST SAC HOME! home just steps from McKinley Park.This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom is very spacious with its large arched entryways leading into the dining room and living room. The updated kitchen has granite counters and Wolf appliances making this a cooking enthusiast’s dream come true. $719,950.

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Only a block away from the UCD Med Center. This adorable 2 bedroom,1 bathroom home has been completely updated. Features include dual pane windows, hardwood Áoors, cherry wood cabinets in kitchen and bathroom, large living and dining area with arched entryways.

Come be part of the north Oak Park Renaissance! $319,950

Charming 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home within walking distance to East Portal Park. Classic details of hardwood Áoors with mahogany inlay, lath and plaster walls with arches and rounded corners, large living room with brick Àreplace and beamed ceiling. It also features a 2 car garage which is hard to Ànd in the area. $449,950

PENDING

BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMAN

You won’t believe the curb appeal of this beautiful East Sac home. With lots of original character, this 3 Bed/2 Bath, home boasts a full second story master suite and a spacious backyard for your family. Original Ànishes in the dining room lead you into a completely updated kitchen with SS appliances and a beautiful glass tile backsplash. $659,950

BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILD IN EAST SAC!

A full renovation has brought this house back to life and ready for your buyers. Marble countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen accompany two separate living spaces and a dining room downstairs. Three upstairs bedrooms and a downstairs ofÀce/ bedroom will make this a cozy home for any family. $1,065,000

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INSIDE THE GRID AUGUST 16

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COURTYARDS

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AUGUST 16 EVERY DAY IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE THIS CITY A LITTLE BETTER

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TO DO LIST

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DIVIDED WE FALL

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FROM EYE SORE TO EYE-POPPING

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SNEAK PEAK

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A BANNER YEAR

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CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

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ONE MAN, ONE VOTE

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WHAT'S ON TAP

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SECOND THOUGHTS

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ART FOR MASSES & CLASSES

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BERRY SPECIAL

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EXPENSIVE OVERHAUL

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CHANGES FOR ALHAMBRA Photo by Aniko Kiezel

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TO DO

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Take Cover “The Human Façade” featuring artwork by John Titus Krempel Aug. 11 through Sept. 6 ARTHOUSE Gallery, 1021 R St. arthouseonr.com

Throughout history, humans have been motivated to hide behind their own façades.

Painter John Titus Krempel addresses our emotions and motives in a creative and colorful display of oil paint embedded with metal, paper, fabric and found items. These pieces have been in process for the last five years of his career and are on display to the public for the first time. Meet Krempel in person at the opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13

Don't miss the “The Human Facade,” a mixed-media exhibit by John Titus Krempel at ARTHOUSE

jL

By Jessica Laskey River City Previews

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Sacramento Sizzle Fire Spectacular: The Ring of Fire Saturday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m.

William A. Carroll Amphitheatre, 3901 Land Park Drive, 505-5115

The Fire Spectacular is quite literally Sacramento’s hottest festival of the year. Jump into the Ring of Fire to experience an inspiring, mesmerizing, captivating and memorable fire and dance show featuring an epic display of circus arts, fire dance, interesting oddities and enthusiastic feats fit for all ages.

The Party of the Year!

Sacramento Walk of Stars Inaugural Gala Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St. 491-3161, SacramentoWalkofStars.com

Sacramento Walk of Stars is celebrating its first year of stars with a bang. Tickets are limited.

Experience great food and enjoy the rare opportunity to hear from the five inaugural stars, gathered together in one place together for the first time, as they share their inspirational stories, accomplishments and what Sacramento means to them.

Guests will hear from entertainer LeVar Burton, Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit, three-time Olympic gold medalist Debbie Meyer, world-renowned painter Gregory Kondos and breast cancer surgeon and groundbreaking fundraising advocate Dr. Ernie Bodai.

Art for All Selections from the Short Center Exhibit Through Aug. 3 WAL Public Market, 1104 R St. 329-8569

Artistic expression is universal for all of humanity and this selection of artworks from the Short Center South proves that tenfold. From rich layers of texture and color to the simple content of the human person, these aweinspiring artworks will steal your heart. Works are for sale and can be purchased inside Old Gold at the WAL Public Market.

Clockwise from the top: Dr. Ernie Bodai, Timothy B. Schmit (photo courtesy of James Glader), LeVar Burton, Debbie Meyer and Gregory Kondos (center) are the inaugural stars appearing at the Sacramento Walk of Stars Gala

Off the Wall Sacramento Mural Festival and ArtJam Aug. 20-28 (festival); Saturday, Aug. 27, 6:30-10 p.m. (ArtJam) 2015 L St. sacramentomuralfestival.com

Get ready to take in some amazing artistic eye candy during the inaugural year of the Sacramento Mural Festival, a week-long event that will raise money for arts education through the Friends of SMAC. More than a dozen murals will be painted by local and international artists throughout the city to activate the alleys in downtown and midtown. Tours, lectures and conversations about public art will take place throughout the week.

End the week on a high note at ArtJam, where you can create interactive art, indulge in artisanal food and libations, revel in extraordinary pop-up art installations, engage with distinctive art experiences and party into the night—all to benefit arts education in local schools.

Fire Spectacular: The Ring of Fire performs on Aug. 13. Photo courtesy of Cedric Sims.

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Capital Dance Project performs at the Crest this month

Behind the Barre Capital Dance Project’s “Behind the Barre: Made in Sacramento” Aug. 26 and 27 at 6:30 p.m.

Group Effort Suzuki International 10-Piano Concert Sunday, Aug. 14, at 2:30 p.m.

Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., 476-3356, capitaldanceproject.org

Sacramento Community Center Theatre, 1301 L St., 966-8893

As Sacramento’s independent, nonprofit collective of professional ballet dancers from the Sacramento Ballet and beyond, Capital Dance Project is bringing its fancy footwork back to the Crest Theatre after its sold-out performance last year. The group has teamed up with some of our city’s most exciting visual artists and musicians to create a mind-blowing, multi-media performance featuring nine new works.

This one-of-a-kind concert will be a treat for the eyes and ears. Featuring several series of 10 performers—each on a grand piano playing the same musical piece simultaneously—the event brings together 10 grand pianos, 200 students and 30 teachers from around the world, including the United States, Japan, Canada and Holland.

“Over the past 20 years, this event has become a much-anticipated cultural exchange between Japan and the United States for our students as well as for us teachers,” says Dr. Hagberg-Drake, president of Suzuki Piano Basics Foundation. “Dr. Suzuki and Dr. Kataoka (the founder of the Suzuki Piano Basics Method) both viewed the ultimate goal of their teaching to be world peace.”

Feel the Burn ArtMix “Combust” Thursday, Aug. 11, 5-9 p.m.

Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerartmuseum.org

Ready to get your burn on? At the Crocker’s first Burning Man pre-party, dance the night away to electronic beats, ogle awesome art cars, shop the Burning Man Marketplace to help you prep your burner style, meet and mix with local groups to check out their projects for the playa and get a dust-free peek into this city in the desert. Enjoy food and drink discounts during happy hour from 5-6 p.m. and $5 drink specials all night (21 and older only).

Enjoy a 10-piano concert at the Suzuki International Piano Concert on Aug. 14

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For Art’s Sake Race for the Arts 5K, Fun Runs & Arts Festival Saturday, Aug. 27, at 7 a.m.

William Land Park raceforthearts.com

Rack up some pledges for your favorite California nonprofit visual, performing, cultural, literary arts organizations and school music, drama, literary and art programs and break a sweat to support the arts in your community.

The scenic race course is sure to get your blood pumping with performances, characters and plenty of fun along the way. Stop by the Sacramento Philharmonic booth and try out a wind or string instrument, create a hat, get your face painted, learn some new dance steps, experiment at the hands-on activity booths, visit the Sacramento County Library Bookmobile, check out the art for sale, bring a picnic or sample some food, then grab a seat and relax and enjoy the entertainment on the amphitheater stage.

“Bangles,” a solo exhibition by artist Lisa Rybovich Crallé, will fill the vertical space of Verge Center for the Arts main gallery this month. Photo courtesy of Makoto Hawkins.

Broadway in Your Backyard

Crocker Concerts

Music Circus presents “Nice Work If You Can Get It” Aug. 9-14

Classical Concert: Mobius Trio Sunday, Aug. 14, at 3 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 18 Jazz Night featuring the Shawn Thwaites Rebel Quartet (5:30 p.m.) and Anton Schwartz Quintet (6:30 p.m.)

Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H St., 557-1999, californiamusicaltheatre.com

After a smash hit revival run on Broadway in 2012, the song-and-dance spectacular featuring the music of George and Ira Gershwin comes to the “big top” in Sacramento. A songbook of some of the greatest American standards (including “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “Someone To Watch Over Me”) combined with a cast of bootleggers, chorus girls, playboys and politicians creates a hilarious romp in a Long Island mansion in the rip-roaring 1920s.

On the Verge “Bangles,” artwork by Lisa Rybovich Crallé, and “Rehearsals,” artwork by Richard Haley Through Aug. 21 Verge Center for the Arts, 625 S St. vergeart.com

Talk about a two-fer! “Bangles,” a solo exhibition by Bay Area artist Lisa Rybovich Crallé, will fill the vertical space of Verge’s main gallery with an immersive installation composed of large, suspended sculptures of elongated looping forms that incorporate denim, pleather and coiffed synthetic hair (alluding to an archetypal 1960s “girl gang” aesthetic). Juxtaposed with Crallé’s work is that of “Rehearsals,” a solo exhibition by Detroit-based artist Richard Haley that investigates the use of surrogates in performance as he documents staged events being performed by inanimate proxies such as digital threedimensional renderings. A number of works employ handcrafted miniature sculptures of everyday objects to be used as stand-ins for the original.

This exhibition is one of four shows being held in celebration of the partnership between Verge and the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis.

Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St. crockerartmuseum.org

To celebrate the innovative, 21st-century art of the exhibition “Glass for the New Millennium: Masterworks from the Kaplan-Ostergaard Collection,” the three musicians of the dynamic Mobius Trio guitar ensemble will awaken your ears with quick juxtapositions and mixtures of disparate styles, including classical, jazz, metal and folk.

Then Jazz Night at the Crocker heads to a new level with acclaimed tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz’s modern jazz that connects groove with intellect and Shawn Thwaites’s steel drum that pushes the limits of innovation, bringing together elements of jazz, R&B, hip-hop and calypso.

Chip In Buffalo Stampede 10 Mile Run/Walk, a Buffalo Chips Running Club Event Sunday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 a.m.

Rio Americano High School, 4540 American River Drive buffalostampederun.com

The race that kicked off Sacramento’s road-racing tradition turns 42 this year! Grab your sneakers and celebrate with music, running-related raffle prizes, finisher medals, a beautiful athletic bag and cash awards for the top finishers. As the sister race to the Urban Cow Half Marathon, the Buffalo Stampede is the perfect training distance, plus it benefits Rio Americano High School’s Track and Cross Country teams, Fit for Girls and the Youth Chips.

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

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Divided We Fall CAN DISCOURSE IN OUR PUBLIC SQUARE BE LESS TOXIC?

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n more than two decades of publishing, we’ve covered local issues facing our neighborhoods.

Looking back, I’m saddened by what were, in many cases, bitter fights that left both sides of an issue hopelessly divided. Sometimes, large parts of the community took sides and joined the debate. Other times, small groups of loud voices took over and tried to give the impression that the public was in their camp.

So my ears perked up when I heard author James Hoggan being

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By Cecily Hastings Publisher

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interviewed about his new book, “I’m Right and You’re An Idiot.” The title is tongue-in-cheek, but the subtitle, “The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How To Clean It Up,” expresses the book’s real message.

Hoggan, a Canadian, is a seasoned public relations consultant. He’s seen his craft change in recent years from one of persuasion to polarization. He calls these newer PR methods “attack dog” techniques.

This is the age of the sound bite, fueled by faster and more frequent

media cycles that now are on steroids with social media messaging.

Social media by design insures you rarely hear a disagreeing voice.

This surely isn't a step forward for our republic, given that traditional journalism at its best seeks to provide contrary opinions.

Viciousness is also rampant on Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, as well as in publications’ online comment sections, especially those that allow people to comment anonymously.

My experience reflects what Hoggan says happens when one side

is losing the argument or feels it’s outgunned. When someone can’t make intelligent argument, they often resort to name-calling and ad hominem attacks. Most local issues we’ve covered—or that I have been involved with personally—are complex and warrant deep discussion.

Five years ago, my partner Lisa Schmidt and I decided to run McKinley Rose Garden and Clunie Community Center under a nonprofit model rather than see them closed by the city. We worked diligently to develop a detailed business plan that

Social scientists say that humans are designed by evolution to divide up into teams, then fight with other teams. This type of tribalism can blind us to the truth.

When I refused to join the chorus vehemently against the project, an opponent came up to me at a public meeting and said I must be in favor of what was surely going to become a “ghetto.” I’ll never forget my shock and sadness that the debate had fallen to that level.

would work for us, the community and the city. Despite almost universal support in the neighborhood for our actions, criticism came from a couple of loud voices over social media before we could even explain our plans. We were accused of personally profiting from a “sweetheart” deal.

That was laughable, as we have easily invested thousands of hours of our time as volunteers. And I’ve donated thousands of dollars of advertising from my business. A sweetheart deal for everybody … but us!

Public discourse on land use decisions is probably the greatest source of strife in our neighborhoods and communities. The most divisive ones in the past decade include Mercy General Hospital’s expansion, Curtis Park Village and, most recently, McKinley Village. The development of Golden 1 Center and the city’s controversial financing plan for it in partnership with the Sacramento Kings posed perhaps the biggest civic

point of division in recent history. But dozens of smaller projects have had similar polarizing effects.

Hoggan says that as public discourse has become less tolerant and coarser, the gentler art of persuasion has been lost. Rather than giving thoughtful and factual explanations of the issues, some people go into attack mode. If they can’t argue the facts, they offer personal insults instead.

This develops out of what Hoggan calls “the advocacy trap.” Let’s say you care deeply about an issue and speak out publicly. You inevitably start to get criticized. When this happens, it is easy to go from thinking your critics may be wrong to thinking they are wrongdoers or evil. At that point, it becomes intensely personal.

My own example of this was during the debate over McKinley Village, a 300-plus home development near East Sacramento. When I refused to join the chorus vehemently against the

project, an opponent came up to me at a public meeting and said I must be in favor of what was surely going to become a “ghetto.” I’ll never forget my shock and sadness that the debate had fallen to that level.

Hoggan writes that the public mind is beleaguered due to today’s pace of change. When we are filled with fear, we aren’t in the best position to open up our minds. That also reflects what I’ve seen watching many folks who oppose development. They often try to stir up fears of what can go wrong.

Sometimes the sound bite takes over, and people react with emotion rather than logic. My point isn’t that the opposition isn’t at times right about negative effects. Rather, I’m concerned about the techniques used to polarize the debate.

Social scientists say that humans are designed by evolution to divide up into teams, then fight with other teams. This type of tribalism can blind us to the truth. Robust debate is

necessary in a free society. But when a debate is won, hatred should not follow.

Hoggan’s book offers suggestions on how to improve the quality of debate in the public square. When you are being criticized, maintain your dignity. Try to respect other people and their positions. That’s just basic good manners.

But the best thought comes from a Zen Buddhist monk who once said about disagreement: “Speak the truth, but not to punish.” With strife and division at every level of discourse from world affairs to our own families, we can best make change by starting with ourselves.

Correction: In last month's column I referred to Washington Elementary School as the Midtown's only public elementary school. I failed to note that William Land Elementary School is at 12th and V streets. n

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Walking around Midtown and downtown offers residents and visitors a chance to discover colorful artwork

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from eyesore to eye-popping MURAL FESTIVAL SUPPORTS PUBLIC ART, ARTISTS AND ARTS IN EDUCATION

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s long as there have been walls, people have decorated them with each muralist will have a team of helpers, including local artists, working day murals. Now, Sacramento will get a healthy dose of this form of art and night. with Sacramento Mural Festival.

The assistants learn from working with more established muralists.

During the weeklong festival (Aug. 20-27), local and international artists “Assistants can shine,” says LeBasse. “We had an assistant helping with a will create murals on J and K streets, largely centered on Jazz Alley. It’s a project in the Philippines. He learned lessons and how to move forward and unique opportunity for the public to witness murals being made. soon found himself as a lead muralist in New York. It’s amazing stuff.”

The festival will conclude on Aug. 27 with Art Jam 2016, an interactive party The international muralists get to showcase their talents while turning held in an industrial warehouse in Midtown. Proceeds will help support arts eyesores into beautiful art. “When you take space and add art, it becomes education in local public schools. activated as a place for people,” says Sobon, who is involved in Sacramento Guiding the project is David Sobon, founder and co-chair of Sacramento arts, nonprofits and Midtown activities. “Buildings become known for their Mural Festival, which is produced by Friends of the Arts Commission, a art. They are landmarks and attract business, restaurants and customers. nonprofit that supports Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and is a Developers get it. It immediately adds value to any development.” proponent of arts education.

Sacramento has many murals already. Some have been around a long time.

Coordinating the mural work and selection of muralists is Beau LeBasse of “It’s a very old art form,” says Shelly Willis, executive director of Sacramento LeBasse Projects, an international arts consultancy that partners with artists Metropolitan Arts Commission and director of Friends of the Arts Commission. and clients to develop large-scale experiential exhibitions “Sacramento has always had a trend to support murals. You and ideas. He specializes in public art and has done similar can see that by all the murals that have popped up over the weeklong large mural projects around the world. years.”

“We are looking to activate public places,” says LeBasse.

Willis, who directs Sacramento’s Art in Public Places “We can reinvigorate alleys and side streets with world-class program, is excited about the Sacramento Mural Festival art from world-class artists. We want to capture the local vibe, and what it means for the community. voice and culture of Midtown and downtown.”

“This is going to be really interesting. It’s like a Most of the muralists are nationally and internationally performance, as muralists need to complete their work in a

By Scot Crocker renowned artists. To complete their murals within a week, concentrated time,” she says. “The public can witness the art

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FROM page 15 being created. It will reveal the artistic process. There will be different styles and techniques, and that’s exciting.”

Willis also thinks the festival will help draw attention to the need for arts education and more art in schools.

The Art Jam party, now in its second year, will raise money for the arts-ineducation program.

Good murals complement the local culture and the surrounding architecture. Sobon and LeBasse expect the project’s local and international muralists to do the same. Some murals will stay up forever, while others will last only six months or a year before being painted over.

“We may see some stand-alone murals and some covering an entire block and up to 18 feet high,” says LeBasse. “It’s amazing what these artists will do in such a short period of time. It will be fascinating for the public to watch it unfold.”

While walking through Midtown and downtown, you probably don’t fully recognize the building murals

you see every day. They blend into the tapestry of architecture, businesses and neighborhoods. But as Sacramento continues to add more murals, neighborhoods will come to life and draw people into places that activate

and engage the senses. That’s the ultimate goal of Sacramento Mural Festival.

Volunteer artist assistants are needed to work side by side with the muralists.

To be an art assistant, you must be 18

years old, comfortable with heights and have painting experience. Forms are available at SacramentoMuralFestival. com Scot Crocker can be reached at scot@ crockercrocker.com n

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Inside Sacramento Sneak Peek Have you ever wished you could hold something in your hands that would tell you exactly what and where to eat? To shop? To explore? Consider your wish granted! This September, “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital,� will hit bookstores and boutiques near you. This visually stunning 8" by 10" soft-bound photo-driven book will act as your own personal guide to Sacramento’s restaurants, boutiques and activity hubs, efficiently presented by neighborhood—so no matter where you are in town, you know where to go. We thought you might want a sneak peek, so check back here each month to read about a few of the 101 businesses featured in the book.

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I NS I D E

East Sac

CHOCOLATE FISH COFFEE Small-batch coffees brewed from beans harvested within the past 12 months are the rule at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters, where the bean is king. Founded in 2008 by husband and wife team Andy and Edie Baker, Chocolate Fish Coffee

EAST SAC HARDWARE Sheree Johnston is called “The Hardware Lady.” Equal parts teacher, problem

takes its product to extremes. The Bakers and their coffee-loving team travel the world to bring the best beans back to Sacramento. Among the regular stops are Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador. On the road, the Chocolate Fish crew builds personal relationships and tracks the integrity and

solver, business manager and team leader, Johnston owns East Sacramento

sustainable farming practices of purveyors. The coffee beans that find their way to

Hardware with her husband Rich. Sheree holds a Master’s degree in education

Sacramento have passed inspection for microclimates, quality assurance and care

and ran the local, independent hardware store’s paint department in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so she’s well qualified for her multiple tasks. The shop has served East Sacramento and the surrounding area since 1951 and features

in handling. The Bakers even created Specialty Coffee Week to introduce more unique flavors. A “chocolate fish” is a New Zealand confection given as thanks for a good deed. The name reflects the result at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters

the essentials – tools, fasteners, plants, plumbing supplies, key cutting, tool sharpening, screen and lamp repair services and, naturally, paint – with a focus on products made in the U.S. The Hardware Lady conducts classes on the Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint system, antiquing, household repairs and general strategies for hands-on home improvement.

East Sacramento Café & Roastery 4749 Folsom Boulevard 916.451.5181 Downtown Coffee Bar 3rd and Q Streets chocolatefishcoffee.com

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Aimal Formoli and Suzanne Ricci own Formoli's Bistro in East Sacramento

r a e Y r e n n a AB

A DECADE Y L R A E N R ELLENCE FO C X E IN T IS S SULLO PER A M D N A BISTRO FORMOLI’S

T

he year 2008 was a tough one. The markets were sagging (if not outright slumping). The housing bubble had burst.

Sacramento and the rest of California were at the forefront of a massive economic dip.

Seems like a strange time, then, to open a restaurant. Yet two restaurants opened in 2008, and they remain two of the best restaurants in Sacramento.

These two restaurants share a trajectory. Both opened in small, unassuming spaces in quiet neighborhoods that hadn’t seen an aggressive push in fine dining.

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Both were opened by locals who had left the nest, then returned with entrepreneurial aspirations. Both restaurants opened with modest aims of sourcing locally, pleasing their neighborhood regulars and trying to make near-perfect food.

Both restaurants succeeded. For the residents of East Sacramento, Formoli’s Bistro continues to succeed by maintaining high standards and an eclectic menu. For the locals of Land Park, Masullo continues to put out world-class pizzas and a host of other gorgeous dishes straight form its wood-fired brick oven.

I wrote a review of Formoli’s back in ’08, when its cozy confines were

home to great food and fantastic vibes. Since then, Aimal Formoli and his wife, Suzanne Ricci, have moved their petite bistro to a larger space on J Street. While the new space isn’t quite as cozy as the old, the menu remains solidly excellent and beautifully executed.

Some of the same menu favorites from 2008 can still be found at Formoli’s, including the fantastic stuffed dates and endive. The recipe has changed little over the years. The dates are lightly fried and stuffed with goat cheese and crispy pig bits, beautifully perched on ruby-hued endive from Rio Vista.

Another holdover from the early days is the whiskey burger, which has won its share of local awards. A rare and rarified patty soaked with an indulgent, high-proof sauce and topped with a significant plank of cheddar, it alone is worth making the trip to Formoli’s. The one time Formoli removed the dish from the menu, his regulars raised a first-class

GS

By Greg Sabin

Two restaurants opened in 2008, and they remain two of the best restaurants in Sacramento.

ruckus. Odds are this burger will be a fixture on that menu till the end of days.

Many rotating summer dishes are lovely, such as the perfectly prepared lamb chops. The chops rest on an indulgent pile of wilted kale with green harissa and a smattering of fried chickpeas. The summer pasta, a fresh fettuccine with cream sauce and a host of fresh vegetables, hits the spot.

The skill in the kitchen hasn’t waned at Formoli’s, and neither has the service, which is attentive yet leisurely. Prices remain (mostly) reasonable, with entrees in the $20plus range and small plates in the mid-teens. For food of this quality prepared with this amount of skill, that’s more than reasonable.

Masullo, the namesake restaurant of Robert Masullo, is, at its heart, a pizzeria. A large, wood-fired oven dominates the kitchen, just as pizzas dominate the menu. It is not, however, a traditional pizzeria. The space is ultramodern in design, sparse but effective in decoration, nearly invisible from the street.

Each course comes from the kitchen quickly and efficiently, a delight to the eye and a pleasure for the palate. The watermelon salad, a mixture of achingly sweet summer watermelon, feta cheese and roasted seeds, is divine, especially in late summer when the ingredients are at their peak. Meatballs the size of

tennis balls, smothered in house-made sauce, are unparalleled. They may be a little heavy for a hot summer day, but they’re exceptional all the same.

The pizzas are deftly handled.

Each thin-crusted Neapolitan-style creation is delicately crafted, visually delightful and elegantly flavored.

A standout on the menu is the 4 Quarters, a doubly bisected pie featuring the best of the season in each quarter, such as roasted red peppers, zucchini and prosciutto.

Another treat is the Jacqueline, a sauceless pizza layered with tissuethin potato slices, fontina, cubes of slab bacon and oregano.

In its eight years in business, Masullo has received the kind of accolades that garner most chefs TV contracts and earn them Michelin stars. Yet the small neighborhood eatery remains a bit of a mystery to those outside Land Park. If you haven’t solved this mystery yet, it’s about time you do. This casual spot is much more than a local pizza joint. It might be one of the best restaurants in California. Trust me, it’s a mystery worth solving.

Formoli’s is at 3839 J St.; 4485699; formolisbistro.com.

Masullo is at 2711 Riverside Blvd.; 443-8929; masullopizza.com.

Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com n

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Change Is in the Air

A TOUR OF MIDTOWN SHOWS THE ARENA ISN’T THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN

S

acramento is changing, but then change is the currency of every healthy city.

Buildings go up, buildings come down, and so the cycle goes forever and ever, amen. Sure, we know development trends, but we still hold to hope that this time, this project will be a harbinger of cultural renaissance, the savior of economy and growth. Or maybe growth is already here?

Right now, Sacramento has a laundry list of new development, with Golden1 Center written in bold. A new arena, new theater, hotels and mixed-use spaces promise our city a return in the form of entertainment and jobs and an atmospheric je ne sais quoi. We buzz about these projects because they’re big and sexy, but urban activist William Burg suggests that equally significant

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JV

By Jordan Venema

development—essential to our growth and urban health—is happening under our noses.

The author of multiple books about Sacramento history and a current board member of various nonprofits (including urban planning nonprofit Preservation Sacramento), Burg is first and foremost a Midtown resident. I asked him about the state of development in Sacramento, but he didn’t really talk about the arena or the railyard. Instead, Burg took me on a short tour of the area between Q, T, 19th and 26th streets, pointing out

new duplexes and fourplexes, vacant lot infills and preservation projects— the smaller development that gets little attention but predicates urban growth.

His tour takes us past 2500 R Midtown, Whiskey Hill Lofts on S Street near 22nd, Tapestri Square at 21st and T streets—all recent developments. Burg points out a dirt lot, the site for the new mixed-use project Q19, a four-story residential building at the corner of Q and 19th streets. It’s not far from The Sacramento Bee, where developers

are building a four-story apartment building on top of the parking garage.

We couldn’t walk half a block without passing an empty lot, a remodeled home or some example of residential development. Even more surprising, “you can do the same orbit in any part of the central city and I could show you the same things,” says Burg.

“Since 2010, 70 percent of all housing in the city of Sacramento has been built in downtown and Midtown. That’s four square miles of a 98-square-mile city. And since the end of 2014, we’ve had about 600 new housing units built, and they’re filling up like that,” says Burg, snapping his fingers.

Between 1990 and 2010, central Sacramento’s population decreased from 32,000 to 30,000. (According to Burg, a 2014 estimate put the

Whiskey Hill Lofts on S Street near 22nd

population back at 32,000.) But that dip was insignificant compared to the plunge in central Sacramento’s population from 58,000 to 28,000 between 1950 and 1970, a direct result of the 1959 demolition of West End, a 200-block neighborhood located roughly between the waterfront and the Capitol.

West End remains something of a cautionary tale for Sacramento that new and large-scale development doesn’t necessarily translate to growth: Fifty years later, the central city is still rebuilding its population, and residents create more economic growth than do visitors filling arena seats.

“About a decade ago, Midtown Business Association did a survey of their customers—people who came into restaurants, came into stores.

They found that half of customer receipts came from 95816 or adjacent ZIP codes. The remaining half came from the entire rest of the region, or 95 percent of the population,” says Burg. “In the winter, that number changed to two-thirds.”

So though local residents made up only 5 percent of the region’s total population, they accounted for half of Midtown’s business.

“Downtown and Midtown are an urban ecosystem. It’s resilient, but that resilience has its limits,” says Burg. “By planning our growth to work with the neighborhood, instead of treating the built environment like an obstacle or the neighbors as an

inconvenience, we can grow our urban core while keeping the qualities that made it a desirable place to live.”

West End was an inconvenience and consequently bulldozed, and though it’s unlikely that another Sacramento neighborhood will be so completely gutted, it’s safe to say change is inevitable. But that change doesn’t have to be dictated solely by the city or outside developers, Burg suggests.

As new projects move into existing neighborhoods, there must be dialogue between developers and residents. “By opening up a dialogue within the neighborhood, neighbors begin to take ownership of a new idea, so by the time the final plans come out, it’s not that guy’s building; it’s our building,” says Burg.

People who live in central Sacramento want something different from the suburbs. They want the urban quirks and idiosyncrasies, the walkable neighborhoods rooted in a historical context where people got around by foot or streetcar. Sure, space is tight, but we’ve got vibrancy, that je ne sais quoi.

Which is why new development must consider a neighborhood’s identity and residents. New, smallerscale development “doesn’t have to use the same [architectural] vocabulary, but it should function the same, function like the hundredyear-old houses already in the neighborhood,” says Burg. “They’re narrow, close together, check by

Urban activist William Burg

jowl”—much like development we saw during our tour—“and it’s real urban repair. We’re seeing historic buildings fixed up, and that becomes a signal that these vacant lots are opportunities to build in. We can learn the same lessons downtown.”

Lessons we should learn quickly, because growth is here, it’s happening, and its direction largely will be shaped by public discourse. But few of us participate in that discourse.

We rarely attend city meetings or pay much attention to all the new

construction around town. I’m guilty, and my job is to write about it.

Compared to the average Sacramentan, Burg seems downright heroic in his activism. But he says “it’s just a part of life, part of being in the community. So when someone says somebody should do something, I’m someone. Living here brings that out.”

Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com n

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INSIDE

Bastille Day

OUT

The goal of the Bastille Day Waiters’ Race is to make it to the finish line without spilling water or dropping the tray.

In France, “Le Quatorze Juillet” is celebrated every July 14 with military parades, fireworks and festivities throughout the country. The date marks the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, when a mob of angry Parisians stormed the Bastille prison, a symbol of the monarchy’s tyrannical rule.

CONTRIBUTED BY ANIKO KIEZEL

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THE GRID AUG n 16

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One Man One VotE WHAT AWAITS THE NEW MAYOR AT CITY HALL

RG

By R.E. Graswich

bout seven years ago, the current occupant of Sacramento mayor’s office, Kevin Johnson, decided his desk was too low. To make the mayor happy, city staff designed and built a wooden frame that was wedged beneath the desk to raise its height about 4 inches.

Darrell Steinberg will presumably want the elevated mayoral desk restored to its original height when he takes over in December. And Steinberg will need new art to cover wall spaces filled with pictures of Johnson conversing with presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

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But beyond such trivial matters as desk height and vanity photos, Steinberg will settle into a job that could be at once underwhelming and maddeningly elusive to the former leader of the California State Senate.

In many ways, the new assignment will be vastly more simplified than Steinberg’s previous job, where he was supposed to keep watch over 39 fellow senators and work with the governor and Assembly leadership to approve and set policy for a state budget of about $120 billion. The city’s budget runs below $1 billion, making it a mere appetizer in the dinner house formerly ruled over by the new mayor.

While Steinberg may be overqualified for the task, he will likely discover significant frustrations with the city’s provincial menu. Chief among his obstacles is the strict limit on his authority. Beyond his willingness to pound the table, the mayor has no extraordinary authority under the city charter. He has one vote, same as his eight city council brethren.

Boundless executive power was Johnson’s dream, but that dream was crushed by voters in 2014. Steinberg remembers that outcome, and he’s not in denial. He knows he must respect the voters’ decision to let the city operate under a system led by a

professional, unelected manager: the city manager.

And here is where Steinberg’s frustrations begin. This summer, the city council has been busy with the process of hiring a new city manager to replace John Shirey, who is retiring. The new mayor will not be part of the process, at least officially, and will inherit whomever the council hires. Steinberg has complained about the timing of the process, but the city council has so far chosen to move ahead without the mayor-elect’s formal participation.

Not that his participation means much. Johnson was the lone vote against hiring Shirey, and for months,

Without direct power, Steinberg’s success will be based on his persuasive skills. His leadership will be essential in dealing with public safety challenges.

the mayor refused to meet with the new city manager. But the chill gradually thawed. Shirey’s patience and maturity prevailed. The mayor and city manager worked well together on the biggest project during their tenure, the new arena.

Steinberg won’t be building any arenas, but he faces a project almost as big and possibly more risky to the city’s long-term financial stability: the Sacramento Convention Center expansion and retrofit of the Community Center Theater.

The combined task of tearing out walls and replacing floors at the east end of K Street Mall will exhaust the city’s bonding capacity and add more

than $200 million in debt for future generations. And unlike the arena, where the city is partnered with the Kings, any cost overruns at the convention center and theater will be absorbed by taxpayers. At Golden 1 Center, premium upgrades are on the Kings.

Without direct power, Steinberg’s success will be based on his persuasive skills. His leadership will be essential in dealing with public safety challenges. Police and fire services swallow 57 percent of the city’s general fund budget. Both have diversity and pay issues.

The fire service, which basically operates on a 1950s-era model, has

been a moving target for a half-dozen city managers, all of whom sought organizational overhauls to reflect the agency’s modern function as primarily an ambulance company. Led by a powerful union, the fire service has resisted disruption.

On the police side, the agency has ongoing challenges with recruitment and retention. Sacramento has too many cops who don’t look like the people they police, and too many who quickly defect to other communities.

Steinberg was endorsed by neither the fire nor police unions. He proved he didn’t need their money or doorknocking support to coast to an easy victory in June. Now he has the rare

ability to support a city manager who can shake the cloistered fraternity of public safety without catering to special interests. But Steinberg still has just one vote.

Attention to homelessness was prominent in Steinberg’s campaign.

No doubt he will devote considerable energy toward finding roofs and counseling for the city’s roughsleeping population.

But the financial risks raised by the convention center expansion and organizational challenges with public safety will rise higher on the mayor’s newly lowered desk.

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

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HAVE INSIDE, WILL TRAVEL 1. Alex Ives and Joan Vondracek at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul 2. Deby Driscoll and Bob Ghiselli at the windmills on Mykonos Island, Greece 3. Gina and Colton Fippin at Chillon Castle in Montreux, Switzerland with husband and picture taker Brian Fippin 4. Michael and Ellen Green enjoying their honeymoon at Paradise Point in St. Thomas 5. Wayne and Lynn Stokes enjoying the California State Fair with their grand kids Franklin Gephart, Remy Garrigan, Camryn Albertalli, Nate Garrigan and Sadie Albertalli 6. Hailey Luistro at Hogsmeade in Universal Studios Hollywood City, CA

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

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THE GRID AUG n 16

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What’s on Tap

W

hen Bobby Mull says that he and his business partner Zac Nelson have “zeal” for what they create, he’s not exaggerating. He and Nelson are the two-man band behind Zeal Kombucha, a local company that brews the specialty fermented beverage.

Now in their third year of business, Mull and Nelson started out small in a commercial kitchen in Placerville but soon discovered that the demand for their uniquely flavored kombucha was going to require them to have more space.

jL

By Jessica Laskey

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THEIR KOMBUCHA IS MORE

LIKE BEER THAN SODA

The pine needles in the vanilla pine kombucha are harvested by hand

by Mull and Nelson themselves from a farm in the foothills.

“I started home brewing kombucha about 10 years ago,” says Mull, who learned the trade from friends. “I got really into fermenting beverages. I’d brew mead, beer, tea. I taught Zac to brew around that time. Four years ago, he approached me about starting a business.”

Both Mull and Nelson were working in restaurants, which gave them time to perfect their flavors while enjoying the relative security and flexibility of their day jobs.

“We could really tinker to get things dialed in and just right,” Mull says. “We really like to experiment.”

This experimentation is a big part of what sets Zeal Kombucha apart.

Most kombucha contains fruit juice that, when fermented, has a slightly vinegary taste that some find delicious and others … not so much. Mull and Nelson achieve fruitlike flavors by using herbs, botanicals and teas for a beverage that drinks less like a soda and more like a beer. The lack of fruit juice also means that there’s no added sugar in Zeal products—a bonus for health-conscious kombucha imbibers.

“Brewing kombucha is similar to how people develop perfumes,” Mull says. “You start with one main ingredient and build from there.”

Zeal currently offers six flavors.

Most contain six to eight ingredients derived from herbs and flowers sourced from international and locally based suppliers as well as local farms. The pine needles in the vanilla pine kombucha, for example, are harvested by hand by Mull and Nelson themselves from a farm in the foothills.

“There are so many forgotten, edible ingredients that have been used throughout human history,” Mull says. “Pine needles were actually used in beer before hops because they help ward off scurvy, and each species of pine tastes slightly different.

Some taste like grape skin, some like tangerine, mandarin and guava.

The age of the needle will change its flavor, too. With spring tips, you can chew on them like a salad green.

Older needles are firmer and have more oils and take more time to break down.”

If the idea of guzzling pine needles sounds intimidating, Mull says the best cure for the curiosity and confusion many people feel around kombucha is to try it.

“There are still so many misconceptions about what kombucha is,” says Mull, who likens the diversity of kombucha flavors to those of beer. “The best way to convince people is to give samples. That’s primarily what we do at the farmers market. We’re educating people about what kombucha is, letting them try it, explaining how it’s made. There’s a lot of outreach involved.”

The education effort is clearly paying off: Zeal is now served on tap at several local eateries, including Insight Coffee Roasters, Mother, The Mill and Old Soul. It’s also available in bottles at all the Magpie restaurants, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and Elliott’s Natural Foods.

For more information about Zeal Kombucha, go to zealkombucha.com n

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Second Thoughts THEY PLANNED TO REMODEL AND SELL—UNTIL THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE HOUSE

A

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

jF

By Julie Foster

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After remodeling the house, they would sell it. But now that the job is complete, they aren’t so sure they want to move.

Construction began in 2015 and took nine months. Built in 1940, the two-bedroom house was in good shape but needed updating.

“The previous owners took good care of this house,” Mrotek says.

“There were no major issues like dry rot or anything like that.”

Barker, a designer and an agent with Lyon Real Estate, designed the 860-square-foot addition. The couple completely remodeled the existing interior while adding a large family room, laundry room, master suite and front courtyard along with a new roof, windows and landscaping.

The original bath had green and black tile and a green tub, sink and toilet. Barker chose Carrara marble and beveled subway tile for the room

and used the same classic finishes in the new bath and the kitchen.

“The beveled subway tiles make such a difference compared to the flat ones,” she says. “It makes the whole room sparkle.”

Beveled mirrors add a touch more sparkle, and two not-side-by-side sinks make the bathroom extremely convenient.

“I think men and women use vanity areas differently,” she says. “This way you are not bumping into each other all the time.”

The kitchen, formal dining room and family room were artfully designed with a semi-open layout. The intimate dining room exudes a formal feeling due to the beautiful coffered ceiling and crystal chandelier. The kitchen is all white with subway tile, Carrara marble and white appliances.

“When Colleen said we were going to have an all-white kitchen, I was skeptical,” Mrotek says. “Now I really love it.”

Instead of stacking the two ovens, Barker separated them.

This way, two people can cook at the same time without bumping into each other. Barker also had the nifty idea of installing more than one sink. This kitchen boasts three: one main sink and two smaller ones. Barker says she loves sinks and would recommend having at least two in any kitchen.

“With three sinks, everyone has room to work, chopping veggies or making cocktails,” she says. “And they always have disposals.”

Adjoining the kitchen is a semicircular breakfast banquette.

This was the only feature that caused Barker’s construction crew to question her judgment.

“

THE FRONT YARD’S

NEW WALLED COURTYARD WORKS AS A CHARMING

SEATING AREA, OFFERING THE PERFECT SPOT FOR VIEWING LAND PARK’S STREET SCENE.

"

INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

33

“They thought it was odd to have this banquette out in the middle of the family room,” she says. “But I said, ‘Just wait. You will see that it works.’”

The banquette provides the perfect transition between the intimate formal dining room and the family room with its vaulted tongue-andgroove ceiling.

They couple extensively landscaped the front and back yards. “The only things in the back were an overgrown mock orange and bit of grass,” Mrotek explains.

The garage was redone with new windows and shutters designed

by Barker so it appears to be an extension of the house. The family room’s French doors open to a cozy passageway tucked between the main house and the garage. The couple nicknamed the space, lined with plants and a gurgling fountain, “the

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THE GRID AUG n 16

“THERE IS SO MUCH WE LOVE ABOUT LAND PARK. IT’S LIKE GOING BACK IN TIME WHERE PEOPLE KNEW THEIR NEIGHBORS. PEOPLE TAKE WALKS AND STOP AND CHAT. IT’S SUCH A FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD.”

sanctuary.” Another set of French doors in the master bedroom lead to a covered patio. A pergola on one side of the yard and a cover over the master bedroom patio help define the spaces. New fencing, plants and hardscape complete the scene.

The front yard’s new walled courtyard works as a charming seating area, offering the perfect spot for viewing Land Park’s street scene. Whenever Barker and Mrotek are outside working in the yard, they feel the urge to rethink their original plan to sell and move.

“There is so much we love about Land Park,” says Barker. “It’s like going back in time where people knew their neighbors. People take walks and stop and chat. It’s such a friendly neighborhood.”

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

INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

35

DAVID SOBON

Art FOR

MASSES & CLASSES

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THE GRID AUG n 16

CHERYL HOLBEN

B

eing creative fills you up,” says Ingrid Foster. “Getting to participate in the arts reminds you how it feels to be a child.”

Local residents will get to release their inner child at Art Jam, a party on Aug. 27 that will include interactive art, pop-up art installations, food, music and dance.

Art Jam will be held toward the end of Sacramento Mural Festival, a weeklong arts event designed to “activate” the alleys around town. Proceeds from the party will go toward hiring art administrative staffers—aka “art leads”—at local public schools.

“Of the 13 school districts in Sacramento, only five have an arts lead,” explains Cheryl Holben, who co-chaired Art Jam with Foster last year and co-chairs this year’s inaugural festival with charity auctioneer David Sobon.

“Without an arts lead, there’s typically no arts education in that school. Most of these schools don’t even offer the art classes kids need to apply to the UC or CSU system, which means we can’t keep them in state for college.”

Holben, Foster and Sobon serve on the board of Friends of the Arts Commission, an organization that supports the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. The board created Art Jam to involve donors in new and exciting ways.

“Usually at fundraisers, you just sit still, have a standard chicken dinner, maybe bid at an auction, but it doesn’t really involve you,” says Foster, who came up with the idea for Art Jam after attending a similar event in Napa. “I was excited that I went to an event and actually got to do something. When you get hands-on, it brings out your playfulness, which is not only more interesting. It’s a direct reminder of why

By Jessica Laskey we’re raising money for arts education.”

jL

THEATRE GUIDE HIGGINS IN HARLEM

Thru Aug 7 Celebration Arts Theatre 4469 D St, Sac CelebrationArts.net Set in Harlem in 1938 – a time when the affluent black society of Sugar Hill found itself at odds with the uneducated blacks of Harlem. Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, discovers Eliza Doolittle, a homeless Harlem girl whose speech is nearly unintelligible. Appalled at her dialect, Higgins declares that with six months of training she could pass as a university-educated African princess.

ANTHONY and CLEOPATRA

INGRID FOSTER

Art Jam’s first year was a big success: More than 400 people attended. So it seemed natural to build upon its momentum by planning it to coincide with the mural festival.

“The festival was a concept I thought of two years ago,” says Sobon, who runs DSA Events, a benefit auction and event company. “I live in Midtown, and my wife and I like to walk our dog all over the Grid. I got this wild hair to change our focus and walk the alleys instead. Some of the alleys are developed, some of them are still dirt, but I noticed that there was art and graffiti in some of them. I thought it would be cool to ‘activate’ the alleys and make them more of a destination.”

Sobon brought his idea to Shelly Willis, executive director of SMAC and the Art in Public Places program. SMAC put out feelers to see if businesses in and near the alleys would be interested in participating in an event in which artists from all over the world would grace the outdoor walls with murals.

“The interest from the business owners has actually been a little overwhelming,” Sobon says. “We’ve had great buildings all over the place coming out of the woodwork to participate, so we’ve decided that every year we’ll have a focus on a specific area.” This year’s focus is Jazz Alley, the alley between J and K streets.

After the festival, the murals will remain. There will be trolley tours of the alleys, serving as an educational tool for visitors and residents and a reminder of the significant impact public art can have on a community.

“I’ve seen a little of what’s coming. It’s really going to be world class,” Foster says.

Art Jam will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at 2015 L St. Tickets are $100 per person, $175 for two. For more information, go to sacramentomuralfestival.com n

Aug 5 – Sept 3 Big Idea Theatre 1616 Del Paso Blvd, Sac BigIdeaTheatre.org Following the action of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, now one of the triumvirs of the Roman Republic, neglects his duty to rule the eastern provinces so that he may indulge his insatiable desire for Cleopatra, the alluring Queen of Egypt.

Their scandalous love affair, pitting personal obsession against political imperative, leaves Rome vulnerable.

Shakespeare’s tragic historical drama of infatuation, power, jealousy and betrayal.

SHREK: THE MUSICAL

Aug 18 – Sep 18 Runaway Stage Productions at 24th Street Theatre 2791 24th St, Sac RunawayStage.com Based on the animation film, Shrek: The Musical is this year’s must-see show for all the family. Join the unlikely hero and his loyal steed Donkey as they embark on a quest to rescue the Princess Fiona from a fire breathing, love-sick dragon.

Featuring all new songs, The Musical brings all the loved characters to life, live on stage, in an all singing, all dancing extravaganza.

GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY

Aug 6 – Aug 27 Sacramento River Train 400 N Harbor Blvd, West Sacramento SacramentoRiverTrain.com Take a ride on the wild side and live out your own Western showdown.

Each ticket includes a three and a half hour train ride, a Western show, and a barbecue buffet lunch.

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Aug 23 – Aug 28 Music Circus at Wells Fargo Pavillion 1419 H St, Sac CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com This brand new musical is the only stage collaboration from two masters of American musical theatre, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.

With a lush, emotionally rich score and beautiful choral.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT

Aug 9 – Aug 14 Music Circus at Wells Fargo Pavillion 1419 H St, Sac CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com This song-and-dance spectacular features the music of George and Ira Gershwin in spirited, high-stepping musical comedy.

To a songbook of the greatest American standards ever sung, with “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL

Aug 18 – Aug 21 Harris Center for the Arts 10 College Parkway, Folsom HarrisCenter.net CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: knockout dancing, a ripped-from-the-headlines story about fame and scandal and one show-stopping song after another. Honored with six Tony Awards, a Grammy, and thousands of standing ovations…..Chicago is coming to the intimate Harris Center.

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37

Art Preview GALLERY ART SHOWS IN AUGUST

The b. sakata garo gallery will exhibit paintings by Tom Schultz. Shown above: Untitled, a 42” by 48” oil on canvas. Through Sept. 3. 923 20th St.; bsakatagaro.com

Tim Collom Gallery will exhibit works by Keith Bachmann, Deborah Ashley and Melinda Cootsona through Aug. 30. Shown above: “Hissing of Summer Lawns I,” 24” x 24”, oil on canvas by Cootsana.

915 20th St.; timcollomgallery.com

DaDas Art Gallery Boutique, in cooperation with microARTCollection, is showing new micro-sized paintings by Kathy Dana; curated by Robert-Jean Ray. Two of Dana’s 2” x 2” works are shown above. Through Sept.3. 3655 J St.

John Natsoulas Gallery will feature “The Hills Are Alive: The 15th Annual California Landscape Exhibition.” Contemporary artists such as Pat Mahony, Marti Walker, Philippe Gandiol, Julie Smiley and Boyd Gavin have taken the multifaceted nature of California and brought new ways of viewing landscapes.

Shown above: “Delta Boats” oil on canvas, by Boyd Gavin.

521 First St. in Davis; natsoulas.com

38

THE GRID AUG n 16

Beatnik Gallery presents “Vittu Saatana” featuring work by Sacramento artists Kerry Cottle and Jose Di Gregorio. Shown: Portrait of Life Floating in the Wind, Jose Di Gregorio, 2016, mixed media on wood panel, 20 x 30 in. Through Sept. 22.

723 S St.; beatnik-studios.com

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Berry Special A FOOD REVOLUTION IS TAKING PLACE IN SACRAMENTO

As

By Amber Stott

40

THE GRID AUG n 16

VICTUAL INNOVATION IS CONTAGIOUS.

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, SOMETHING EVEN NEWER WILL BE LAUNCHED, MORE CHANGE SET IN MOTION.

A

t the farmers market, I hold a tiny berry gently between thumb and forefinger, careful not to apply too much pressure so the fruit won’t burst. I fail. Dark ruby juice spreads across my thumb.

I’m coddling the tiniest flavor bomb from Patrick’s Garden, a berry and vegetable farm in Apple Hill. It’s a Black Hawk berry that combines the flavor of blackberry and raspberry with the faintest wisp of lavender.

It’s something fit for a fairy princess, and I feel lucky to have a pint of them resting in my tote bag.

This berry is a single, bite-sized example of the victual innovation that’s taking place in the Sacramento area. We live in the heart of an ever-advancing food system that feeds the nation—and the world. The Sacramento region is experiencing a rhubarb revolution.

Food improvements taking shape locally reflect the diversity of skills and passions in our region. In my work at Food Literacy Center, I’ve been fortunate to meet nonprofit leaders rethinking urban land use for city-based agriculture projects, county employees harnessing technology to improve food distribution to the hungry, chefs rethinking proteins through insect-based recipes, and farmers breeding unique berries and peppers.

Even our local basketball business has announced commitments to reshaping sports arena food.

Executive chef Michael Tuohy has pledged to source 90 percent of his ingredients from within 150 miles of the arena—a feat that will far exceed the reach of nearby UC Davis Dining Services, which itself has been awarded for sustainable food service and as best college dining program for efforts to source cafeteria ingredients from farms as close to campus as possible. Twenty-nine percent of all their food purchases are from sustainable, often local food sources.

Our hometown grocers are leading the way, too. Raley’s was the first store in the nation to commit to reducing food waste by launching a line of “ugly” fruits and vegetables, produce that isn’t perfect enough to otherwise find its way to retail shelves yet is completely consumable and often unblemished to the consumer eye.

Meanwhile, our community also benefits from innovations in human services. At the Oak Park Farmers Market (and others), CalFresh recipients can not only spend food stamp dollars at the market, but they can also double those dollars through matching grants provided by nonprofits.

Sacramento also loves its micro beer, with brewers innovating to grow their own hops, create brews made

with local produce and bring home top beer awards, like Track 7’s silver in the Best of Craft Beer Awards last year. Thirty-three percent of all beer sold here is a microbrew. Whether you live in East Sacramento, West Sacramento, Oak Park or Land Park, you can claim a neighborhood brew that’s fit to quench your thirst.

If you like to read about food, you’re also in luck. At least two local authors (Elaine Corn and Hank Shaw) have received the coveted James Beard Award, the highest honor in food writing. Meanwhile, Shaw broke records last year by stepping out on his own to self-publish a cookbook called “Buck, Buck, Moose.” His Kickstarter campaign exceeded his fundraising goal the same day he launched it.

On the legislative front, community organizers united last year and inspired the city council to pass an urban agriculture ordinance, allowing home gardeners to sell what they grow. This year, organizers are hoping to expand the ordinance, which is being considered by county supervisors.

The changes at any one of these institutions are notable. Combine them regionwide and we become a remarkable model for food systems change.

Victual innovation is contagious, just like the berries I found at today’s farmers market. By the time you read

this, something even newer will be launched, more change set in motion.

There’s still place at the table to join the rutabaga revolution. I’ll be standing by to report it back to you— and I hope you’ll be inspired to pull up a chair.

As I leave this morning’s farmers market, I reach into my bag and pop open the pint of berries I’ve purchased. I can hear the farmer shouting to other shoppers from his stall.

“Don’t wait on these berries!

Last year, our supply lasted only 30 minutes. As soon as local chefs found out about these, they were gone,” she warns.

I shake a dozen of the pencil erasersized fruit into my palm, admiring them, then toss them into my mouth.

Sweet, subtly perfumed and oozing with juice, these berries dazzle.

Sacramento truly is America’s Farmto-Fork Capital, and the revolution around our food system provides proof we can taste.

Amber K. Stott is founder and chief food genius of the nonprofit Food Literacy Center, inspiring kids to eat their veggies. She’s a freelance food writer and has been named a Food Revolution Hero by Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, Food Tank’s 20 Innovators Protecting the Planet and a TEDx Sacramento Changemaker Fellow. She can be reached at amber. stott@gmail.com n

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Steve Hammond is the president and CEO of Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau

EXPEN$IVE OVERHAUL Upgrades Pondered for Convention Center, Community Theater

RG

By R.E. Graswich

42

THE GRID AUG n 16

B

arely two years after borrowing $212.5 million to build a new arena, the Sacramento City Council is ready to return to Wall Street money lenders and beg another $200 million or so, this time for some cultural cosmetic surgery at the east end of K Street

Mall.

With almost none of the controversy that accompanied the city’s investment in Golden 1 Center, the council has quietly and unanimously agreed to move ahead with consultant studies and architectural evaluations to renovate and enlarge the Community Center Theater and Convention Center.

The buildings are physically separate and unique in purpose and ambition. Yet the city is determined to bind them together, not just philosophically and in the minds of taxpayers but literally.

“We are looking at this as one project,” says Steve Hammond, president and CEO of Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, an organization funded primarily by the city with layers of tourist and hotel taxes. Hammond says some experts have suggested connecting the buildings, making the convention center and theater a singular asset.

Hammond’s task as SCVB leader is basic. His staff tries to book big events into the convention center. And they try to sell blocks of hotel rooms to groups that organize big conventions.

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Those visitors are heavily taxed when they pay their hotel bills, buy meals and rent cars. The SCVB’s work generates millions of dollars for the city’s hospitality industry, which includes hotels, restaurants and parking garages.

Without a larger convention center and modernized theater, Hammond argues, the city will fall further behind competitive cities such as San Jose and Long Beach, which are similar to the Sacramento market.

When other cities improve their tourist facilities, big conventions looking for midsized California markets will avoid musty, outdated Sacramento, leaving vacant hotel rooms and empty tables at restaurants downtown.

“We’re already way behind the competition,” Hammond says. “If we stand pat, we’re going to start losing business, and that will hurt a lot of people.”

That’s one side of the argument.

The flip side, advanced by people who believe the city is overtaxed and

headed toward an unsustainable wave of debt, is that Sacramento can’t afford to spend upward of $200 million—which will be more like $600 million when the 30-year loan is repaid—on a bigger convention center and fancy theater. Together, the convention center and theater, plus the arena, will max out the city’s credit card for decades to come.

Central to the cautionary argument is the fact that the convention center, which was most recently expanded 20 years ago, runs a deficit. Each year, the asset falls about $16 million short of its obligations. The deficit is backfilled by the city’s tourist taxes.

“Your fiscal house is not in order with this convention center,” Craig Powell, president of the watchdog group Eye on Sacramento (and Inside Publications columnist), told the city council. “It’s bleeding red ink.”

So the debate becomes philosophical, a battle between keeping pace with San Jose and Long Beach versus fear of a tourism arms race to fiscal oblivion.

Hovering above the argument is the larger question of whether the city should even be involved in such nonessential businesses as conventions and hospitality when police are short-staffed and roads crumble from deferred maintenance.

And despite the city’s eagerness to link the convention center expansion and theater upgrade, the differences between the buildings should not be forgotten.

The theater, which generates far fewer hotel room blocks than the convention center but presents unique cultural opportunities to local residents, is under court-ordered mandate to become compliant with the American With Disabilities Act. ADA work and renovations to the 1974 building are estimated to cost about $52.4 million. The expanded convention center next door could run anywhere from $150 million to $200 million.

The theater’s mandate for renovation has caused fear among arts groups, led by Broadway

Sacramento. The arts groups worry about being locked out of the theater for months while its floor is removed, its lobby relocated, its elevator replaced and new bathrooms built.

Arts groups may have to dance their way into Memorial Auditorium when the theater becomes a construction zone.

No matter, the city council has set its course: It green-lighted $1.34 million for consultants and architects for the combined project. Says Councilmember Steve Hansen, “The harmonization of the two projects is a win-win, or probably a triple win, because it’s smart from an urban land use standpoint, it’s smart from a money standpoint and it’s smart from a facilities standpoint. We will leave a huge legacy with this opportunity.”

We will examine that opportunity against the risk in upcoming columns.

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

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43

Changes for Alhambra THE BOULEVARD IS JOINING MIDTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

A

lhambra Boulevard was once a thriving commercial area, but it has suffered decline over the past two decades. It has been my desire since taking office to reverse that trend and take action to restore the area to its full potential. Working with property and business owners, we came up with a plan to form a property and business improvement district (PBID) to stimulate cleanliness and safety upgrades and positively impact business in the corridor.

In March, the owners of commercial property along Alhambra and 30th Street between J and S streets (roughly), as well as parts of Folsom and Stockton boulevards formally approved joining the Midtown Business Association PBID as an expansion of the existing Midtown PBID. A PBID is a special benefit assessment district formed to raise funds within a defined geographic area. The funds are pooled and used to pay for improvements identified by property owners to improve the boulevard. Joining the existing successful PBID in Midtown allowed the relatively small Alhambra business corridor to take advantage of this financing tool without the significant costs required to start from scratch. We also get to take advantage of the very talented team currently working for the Midtown PBID. A significant amount of the resources in the first year will go toward security and maintenance of the boulevard. The security program will likely include evening security patrol with a mix of private security company personnel and on- and offduty Sacramento police officers. It will also include a daytime homeless outreach “navigator� to work with the homeless community to get them off the streets and into services. The maintenance program may include graffiti and litter abatement, sidewalk power washing and other services prioritized by property owners to make the street more inviting. The specifics

A significant amount of the resources in the first year will go toward security and maintenance of the boulevard.

44

THE GRID AUG n 16

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU!

“ I ’ m Yo u r

f a v o r i t e Realtor”

Like my FaceBook Page: ReardonRealEstate

Julie Reardon Executive Associate

(916) 799-0246 JReardon@GoLyon.com

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will be determined when property owners start to convene and make decisions on details.

The Midtown PBID has been in place for several years with tremendous success. We intend to replicate that positive experience and momentum on Alhambra Boulevard, and to stimulate new investment in building and retail, and perhaps in a marketplace and hotel.

Additionally, after the first few years, the PBID will have resources to leverage additional public and private investment to improve the boulevard.

These could include streetscape enhancements, Alhambra Historical District signage, art elements and other amenities to enhance the overall feel of the area.

PBIDs have been operating in Sacramento for many years. Examples include Downtown Sacramento Partnership, the River District, Power Inn Alliance, Oak Park Business Association and many others.

These organizations have been very successful at improving the areas

within their jurisdiction, which is the goal of the Alhambra PBID. Starting later this summer, the stakeholders will begin meeting and planning the future of the Alhambra corridor. The Alhambra PBID will formally start at the beginning of 2017 when the revenue becomes available. For some property owners, this is a significant investment in their business and the neighborhood.

They recognize the potential. This is the turning point for Alhambra Boulevard, with better times ahead!

I am grateful to the business leaders who worked with me to make this happen. These include the Mikacich family, the Selland family, Harris Liu and leadership at Sutter Health. They share my vision for what a revitalized commercial district will mean for our community.

855 57th Street (Between J & H Streets)

A PBID is a special benefit assessment district formed to raise funds within a defined geographic area. The Midtown PBID has been in place for several years with tremendous success.

City Councilmember Jeff Harris represents District 3. He can be reached at jharris@cityofsacramento. org n

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45

This Month @ the Market

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

46

FIGS

OKRA

PLUMS

This Mediterranean fruit is sweet and chewy, with tiny, crunchy seeds and a smooth skin. It’s a great source of dietary fiber and potassium.

To eat: Sacramento’s now-defunct Fat Face restaurant used to serve poached figs inside a grilled brie sandwich.

This vegetable gets a bad rap for its sometimes-slimy texture.

It’s a staple in Southern cuisine, particular gumbo. It’s low in calories—as long as you don’t fry it!

To eat: Grill, roast or pickle.

This delicious stone fruit is a relative of the peach, nectarine and (surprise) almond. When dried, it’s a prune.

To eat: Eat out of hand, or slice and bake for a cobbler, pie or upside-down cake.

GRAPEFRUIT

CARROTS

CANTALOUPE

Pucker up: This citrus fruit is tart and tangy. It’s rich in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. It comes in white, pink and red varieties.

To eat: Broil grapefruit slices until warm for a quick, healthful dessert.

This root vegetable is packed with beta carotene. Classically orange in color, it also comes in white, red, yellow and purple varieties. Look for tender baby carrots at the market.

To eat: For a cooling summer soup, make carrot vichyssoise.

This melon has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

It belongs to the cucurbit family of plants, which includes cucumbers, pumpkins and squashes.

To eat: Using cantaloupe, Food Network’s Giada De Laurentiis makes an unusual and tasty dish called Spaghetti al Melone.

THE GRID AUG n 16

Have a

Sensational Sustainable Summer

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™

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

Every city has its own unique story. Sacramento’s story begins with Sutter’s Fort and the Gold Rush and has evolved over the years to include a mélange of attractions including easy access to shopping, fine dining, theater and museums, lively Sacramento Kings basketball games, scenic biking and jogging trails along the American River Parkway and more. Today, Coldwell Banker is proud to be a part of Sacramento’s continuing story by providing homebuyers with the necessary resources, connections and expertise to make their home buying dreams a reality.

photographer Thaddeus Thompson @goodthompson

Shouldn’t you love where you live? Find your happily ever after by contacting Coldwell Banker today.

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