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SACRAMENTO’S NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

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VOLUME 31, ISSUE 35

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019

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NEWSREVIEW.COM

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contents

december 12, 2019 | Vol. 31, Issue 35

The local drag king community forges its future.

editor’s note letters essay + streetalK greenlight 15 minutes news feature place arts + culture music

04 05 06 08 09 10 16 23 24 29

24 stage calendar capital cannabis guide asK joey

32 33 39 46

cover design by sarah hansel

N&R Publications Editor Debbie Arrington Associate Publications Editors Derek McDow, Thea Rood

N&R Publications Staff Writers/Photographers Anne Stokes, Allen Pierleoni

Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live.

Editor Foon Rhee News Editor Raheem F. Hosseini Staff Reporter Scott Thomas Anderson Copy Editor Steph Rodriguez Calendar Editor Maxfield Morris Contributing Editor Rachel Leibrock Editorial Assistant Rachel Mayfield Contributors Ngaio Bealum, Amy Bee, Rob Brezsny, Aaron Carnes, Jim Carnes, Joey Garcia, Kate Gonzales, Howard Hardee, Ashley Hayes-Stone, Jim Lane, Chris Macias, Ken Magri, Illyanna Maisonet, Tessa Marguerite Outland, Lindsay Oxford, James Raia, Patti Roberts, Dylan Svoboda, Bev Sykes, Jeremy Winslow, Graham Womack Creative Services Manager Elisabeth Bayard-Arthur Art Directors Sarah Hansel, Maria Ratinova Art of Information Director Serene Lusano Publications Designer Katelynn Mitrano Publications and Advertising Designer Nikki Exerjian Ad Designers Naisi Thomas, Cathy Arnold

Sales & Production Coordinator Skyler Morris Senior Advertising Consultants Rosemarie Messina, Kelsi White Advertising Consultants Sam Almaguer, Michael Nero, Vincent Marchese, Amy Yang

Director of First Impressions/Sweetdeals Coordinator Laura Anthony

Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Assistant Lob Dunnica Distribution Drivers Mansour Aghdam, Rosemarie Beseler, Kimberly Bordenkircher, Mike Cleary, Tom Downing, Marty Fetterley, Chris Fong, Ron Forsberg, Michael Jackson, Calvin Maxwell, Greg Meyers, Jeremy Meier, Jenny Plummer, Lloyd Rongley, Lolu Sholotan, Viv Tiqui,

N&R Publications Editorial Coordinator Nisa Smith Marketing & Publications Lead Consultant Elizabeth Morabito

Development Consultant Greta Beekhuis Marketing & Publications Consultants Julia Ballantyne, Chris Cohen, Joseph Engle, Laura Golino, Sherri Heller, Rod Malloy, Celeste Worden

President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of People & Culture David Stogner Nuts & Bolts Ninja Norma Huerta Director of Dollars & Sense Debbie Mantoan Account Jedi Jessica Kislanka Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins

1124 Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95815 Phone (916) 498-1234 Fax (916) 498-7910 Website newsreview.com Got a News Tip? sactonewstips@newsreview.com Calendar Events newsreview.com/calendar Want to Advertise? Fax (916) 498-7910 or snradinfo@newsreview.com Classifieds (916) 498-1234, ext. 5 or classifieds@newsreview.com Job Opportunities jobs@newsreview.com Want to Subscribe to SN&R? sactosubs@newsreview.com Editorial Policies: Opinions expressed in SN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permissions to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. SN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. Email letters to snrletters@newsreview.com. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form and to edit them for libel.

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The city has not changed any of its parking vendors, and says parking operations are generating the revenue needed as its part of the arena financing. It is counting on $5 million more a year from parking meters and city-owned garages to cover about 10% of its debt payments.

Still, it’s trying to lure more people to use city parking. On Nov. 7, SacPark (the city’s parking reservation system) announced a partnership with Arrive, Ticketmaster and Waze. People attending Sacramento Kings games, concerts at Golden 1 Center, Broadway Sacramento plays and other events can find, book and pay in advance for parking spaces in lots and garages. A trip planner from Arrive and Waze is designed to ease traffic congestion around the arena. If it works, it would be good for downtown residents and state workers trying to get home, as well as Kings fans and concertgoers.

Sacramento’s parking situation could be worse.

In the early number-crunching on financing a new arena, the city counted on more money from parking. At one point, it even looked at auctioning off its meters and garages to a private company. That terrible idea was scotched after officials heard horror stories from other cities, most notably Chicago.

In 2008, that city leased its parking for 75 years for $1.16 billion to dig out of a budget hole. But the private company increased meter rates, and the city’s inspector general warned that it was a bad deal.

It was. In 2018, meters brought in $132.7 million and four garages another $34 million, which the Chicago Sun-Times reports puts the private investors on pace to pay off the lease by 2021. After years of complaints, the Chicago City Council voted in September to overhaul parking tickets, including ending driver’s license suspensions for unpaid tickets.

Sacramento does not suspend licenses over unpaid tickets, and the city says that of more than 5 million transactions a year at meters, fewer than 3% result in parking citations.

So, yes, it could be worse. □ PHOTO BY FOON RHEE

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It’s free parking for the holidays in parts of downtown, Midtown and Old Sacramento, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Otherwise, commuters and visitors alike are paying more at street meters to help pay for Golden 1 Center at the same time City Hall is still trying to get 4,500 “smart” meters to work as designed.

The meters are more convenient for motorists; they take debit and credit cards (accounting for 80% of transactions), and there’s also a mobile payment app. They’re also more lucrative for the city because they let motorists stay beyond the normal time limit, for a higher price. In December 2015, the city increased regular rates from $1.25 to $1.75 an hour and extended meter hours later into the night.

But after hundreds of motorists were wrongly ticketed for expired meters in late 2017, the City Council ordered an audit.

While there was no evidence the errors were intentional, the city auditor did confirm that nearly 20% of payments made with a mobile app failed to register with the meters in a four-block area around Golden 1 Center.

In his final report delivered in February, the auditor also found that the vehicle detection sensors and battery life of the meters needs to be improved to prevent erroneous citations.

The city’s public works department, which oversees parking, agreed with the audit’s findings. It said it had given hand-held devices to parking enforcement officers to check on mobile payments, and also promised to keep improving technology and service, but said the new technologies mean a transition period.

fo o nr @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

LETTERS

EMAIL TO SACTOLETTERS@NEWSREVIEW.COM @SacNewsReview

@SacNewsReview

Facebook.com/SacNewsReview

Selective outrage?

Re: “Morality play” by Foon Rhee (Arts & Culture, Nov. 28): The LGBT+ community objected to the renaming of Broadway Sac’s Wells Fargo Theater to Dignity Health Theatre, and rightly so because of Dignity Health’s discrimination, particularly against transgender patients. Yet we gaily glided on the ice of the downtown ice rink sponsored by Dignity Health on “Drag Queens on Ice” night.

JERRY SLOAN S acr am e nt o / v i a e m a i l

Rainy and wet

“official” season of Thanksgiving, but every day of our lives.

Re: “Sacramento is no Portland” by Jeff Doll (Essay, Nov. 28): I just moved back to Sacramento a few months ago. Portland was wet and cold, and even though the people are nice, it was nearly impossible to start teaching there.

Since moving back, I’m happier than ever.

KYLE HOFF via F aceb ook

Natural beauty Re: “Sacramento is no Portland”

by Jeff Doll (Essay, Nov. 28): Portland has rivers, a waterfront, forest and a whole lot more. I’ve lived in both for 18 years. While Sac has Portland beat in many areas, nature is not one!

I’d also take the colder, wetter weather right now.

JASON MOLAY via F acebook

Not very diverse Re: “Sacramento is no Portland”

by Jeff Doll (Essay, Nov. 28): I love Portland, but it is wet, wet, wet and can get pretty depressing. Also, there’s nothing there close to the diversity of Sac, which I think is one of our greatest strengths.

MARK BEACH via F aceb ook

Reasons for thanks Re: “Saying ‘thank you’ is powerful” by Alan H. Jones (Feature, Nov. 28): Thank you, Rev. Jones, for your reminder to be thankful and the many things we have to be thankful for, not only in this

ESTHER HUSTON S acr am en t o / v i a e m a i l

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Buyer beware Re: “Under the wire” by Foon Rhee (Editor’s note, Nov. 28): The proponents of the Sacramento Children’s Fund Act should be aware that even if this measure passes, funding for youth programs could still be cut through a reduction in general fund money.

Look at the city’s Urban Forestry program. In 1996, voters passed Measure O, a citywide Landscape and Lighting Benefit Assessment.

At that time, Urban Forestry was operating on $3.2 million of general fund money. Skeptics were concerned that this measure’s additional funds would replace, and not augment, the general fund money. Unfortunately, over time the $3.2 million of general fund money was siphoned off and currently the majority of Urban Forestry’s operating budget comes from the Landscape and Lighting Benefit Assessment. Some food for thought.

DAN PSKOWSKI S acr am en t o / v i a e m a i l

Clarification Re: “Under the wire” by Foon Rhee (Editor’s note, Nov. 28): The City Council has not taken an official position on the Sacramento Children’s Fund Act on the March 3 ballot. Voters will receive a ballot argument against the measure written by two council members.

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ESSAY

BY DAVID MOGAVERO

STREETALK

BY GRAHAM WOMACK

ASKED AT OLD SOUL AT THE WEATHERSTONE:

Favorite unusual food?

Moment of truth on climate

BOB DREIZLER investment consultant

Mashed potatoes and a chocolate malt … I love ’em both and it doesn’t bother me to have ’em together.

ANTHONY VILL A

2020 sales tax plan must focus on transit, not freeways In the next several weeks, our elected officials are writing a measure for the November 2020 ballot to levy a sales tax for transportation funding in Sacramento County.

Will the expenditure plan for this measure support transit to get more people off our highways; make walking and biking safer; offer mobility assistance for disabled, kids and elderly; and maybe support affordable housing at transit stations?

Or will the plan simply add to our dependence on expensive automobiles by making roads wider and more hazardous and increasing congestion? (I understand that new freeway construction increasing congestion is counterintuitive, but it is true; it is called “induced demand” or “build it and they will come”).

The Sacramento Transportation Authority will meet Thursday, Dec. 12 and Jan. 9 to discuss the expenditure plan.

We know that spending money on widening roads also increases air pollutants, including those that cause climate change, and reduces funds to support mobility for those who can’t drive, such as making suburban roads safer for pedestrian and bicyclists and supportive of new infill development on transit.

Too often, road projects also use taxpayer money to subsidize infrastructure for land speculators who make hundreds of millions of dollars promoting more sprawl development.

The vast majority of Sacramento County residents believe the science that climate change is caused by human activity. We would love to do things in our daily lives to lessen our personal impacts, including where we live and how we move around. We know that reducing car trips is the most important piece of a California climate change strategy. Our regional urban designs and transportation systems, however, often foreclose our ability to make those choices.

That majority would very much like a vision for our community’s future that enhances accessibility, is safer and gentler on our lungs and more affordable. The average car costs about 6

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graduate student

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David Mogavero is a Sacramento architect and past president of the Environmental Council of Sacramento.

$10,000 per year. If a family can eliminate a car, the savings could make them eligible for $150,000 or more towards a home mortgage.

Our ironic political challenge is that a possible majority of elected representatives on the STA board likely do not reflect such a vision. Some of them are stuck in the bankrupt transportation paradigms of the 1950s and 1960s.

Los Angeles County has passed two ballot measures that are generating nearly $150 billion focused on transit, biking, and walking. If L.A., the land of cars, can begin the path to an economically more sustainable future, so can Sacramento.

Go to sacta.org/a_board.html, find the name of your elected representative who sits on the board and call, email, text or ask them for a meeting.

Tell them: You don’t want more roads, but want more transit and safer streets for bicycling and walking.

You won’t be fooled by a measure that funds the road project down the street (that your neighbor told the pollsters they like) but sacrifices the quality of our county’s future.

You will only support a transportation measure that moves our community to a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future.

This is most critical for those who live outside of the city of Sacramento, including in Citrus Heights, Arden Arcade, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove and North Highlands, etc.

Please contact your representative now and voice your concerns. By February, it may be too late. □

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TAYLOR K AISER barista

A peanut butter burger. Peanut butter, hamburger patty, bacon and then like all the fixings …

There’s something about that melted peanut butter and bacon.

SALLY TURKEL ballerina

My sister and I—it was a childhood treat—we would make macaroni and cheese sandwiches, but the bread would be cucumber—slices of cucumber.

JERRID BERNHARDT solar salesperson

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Be a leader,

find the light Ending poverty in California starts with shared vision By yvOnnE R. WALkER P r e s i d e n t, s e i U L o c a L 1 0 0 0

T

he purpose of SEIU Local 1000 is to have the power necessary to give our members — and all Californians — the opportunity to have a good life, live in sustainable communities and enjoy the fruits of social, economic and environmental justice.

But to achieve this, we need to engage and develop our members by creating strategic alliances with key leaders and organizations who share our purpose and values.

It won’t be easy. And we can’t do this alone. In order to achieve a California for all, it will take hundreds of thousands of people sharing a vision about ending poverty, providing shelter for all, eradicating institutionalized racism embedded in our fabric, and creating a health care system where health care is truly affordable.

I feel fortunate to have spent so much time talking to other leaders who are on a similar path, working to create opportunities for people to step into their leadership, solve problems and create a better society.

One such leader is Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest in Los Angeles, who spoke at a Sacramento ACT breakfast a few years ago. Father Boyle is known for founding Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. His stories about spending time with former gang members resonated then and have continued to stay with me ever since, but one in particular stands out.

In this particular story, Father Boyle talked about mistakenly trying to save young men and women trapped in gang life. However, over time, he realized that wanting

a young person to have a different life would never be the same as the gang member wanting a different life.

He further recounted a dream told to him by one of the young men who was in rehab. The young man told him about the dream while they were on their way to the funeral of the teen’s brother, who had shot himself. In the dream, the young man and Father Boyle were in a pitch black room together, at which point Father Boyle shined a thin light on the light switch. When the young man flipped it on, the room was bathed in light.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

— Helen Keller

At Local 1000, we’re on a never-ending journey to shine a light with our members — and to serve as a beacon to draw non-members in. We’re constantly searching for new ways to be the flashlight that helps people find their own light switches and guides them through the darkness.

And we’re constantly exploring how to give state workers the opportunities to envision themselves in the role of change makers within their worksites and their communities alike.

SPONSORED by SERvicE EmPlOyEES iNtERNatiONal uNiON lOcal 1000

There is a scourge of homelessness in Sacramento, and it will take many of us fighting in order to commit precious resources to shelters, to point the way so others may see the light, and to finally see people off the streets and onto a healthier path.

We have a new saying: Because I lead, California can.

Can what? Anything!

Because I lead, California can end poverty.

Because I lead, California can have thousands of state workers who invest in their union.

Because I lead, California will have thousands more people represented by a union with better wages, benefits and a voice at work.

Because I lead, California can have a brighter, better future for all.

As we wind down this year and think about the year ahead, ask yourself: What does your leadership look like?

Take a look in the mirror. That person staring back at you; that’s the face of leadership.

We have the power within all of us to step up and lead. I encourage you to find the leadership in yourself and to join me in working to create a California for all.

Yvonne R. Walker President SEIU Local 1000

SEIU LOCAL 1000 1808 14th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 | (866) 471-7348

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Mayors’ commission links climate change, social justice

We want to hear your

voices Do you havE somEthing important to say?

WritE a lEttEr or an Essay!

Email your letters and essays to foonr@newsreview.com

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by Jeff vonKaenel

I went to the Dec. 2 Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change public hearing without knowing the agenda.

I knew that the purpose of the commission created last year by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon was to develop “a common vision and set of strategies for both cities to achieve Carbon Zero by 2045.” And I knew that the mayors had assembled an all-star team of commission members, including the heads of all of the regional government environmental agencies and other key community leaders from Raley’s, the United Way and Sacramento State University. To head the commission, they drafted the former CEO of CalPERS, Anne Stausboll. The firepower of the commission is overwhelming.

But so is its task. Two cities, one large and one small, are working together to set the standard for other American cities on reducing greenhouse gases. It’s a wonderful goal for those of us who like living on our planet.

Then I heard the agenda for the meeting: Equity in the context of climate change. I wondered: Isn’t solving climate change a tough enough problem, without adding social equity into the equation?

But the speakers—including Jose Bodipo-Memba, director of sustainable communities for SMUD, and Alex Ghenis from the World Institute on Disability— made a strong case for linking climate change and economic justice, arguing that efforts to address global warming must benefit all residents, especially the poor, communities of color and those who have historically borne the brunt of climate impacts.

Throughout the two-hour hearing, speakers had smart, cost-effective plans to make things better for those in need while helping save the planet. For instance, Sacramento has a wonderful tree canopy that reduces energy costs, absorbs carbon

je ffv @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

and increases property values in certain parts of the city, like my Land Park neighborhood. But we have a crappy tree canopy in some poorer parts of town. One of the proposals was to plant an additional 550,000 trees by 2045, giving priority to marginalized communities.

Another idea was to develop more urban farming on vacant lots, rooftops, and small farms to help with greenhouse gas reduction and to provide more healthy food to those in need, along with a community-wide program to reduce and compost food waste. Part of this program would have our unused backyard fruit and vegetables ending up at food banks instead of the landfill.

Providing more support for Regional Transit is key for both climate change and economic justice. Having people get from point A to point B without a car should be the centerpiece of the commission.

At the core of many of the carbon reduction plans was the use of local labor. All of the tasks—planting trees, driving buses, recycling food waste, putting in solar units and installing insulation—require local workers. These are good jobs that will not require a four-year college degree.

The climate commission’s proposals would give our local economy an extra boost. Money that is currently being sent overseas to oil and coal producers would instead go to people in our own community, and then be spent in our stores and our restaurants. The resulting local tax revenue would support our schools, our hospitals and other local infrastructure.

The Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change can only succeed with widespread community support and involvement. It deserves our support, as does the planet. □

Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority owner of the News & Review.

15 MINUTES

BY ASHLEY HAYES-STONE

Gina Coyle shows off some of her costumed delights.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY HAYES-STONE

A costumer’s outfit The show must go on—but maybe not without the proper attire. That’s where local costume designer Gina Coyle comes in, crafting outfits for B Street Theatre and Sacramento Theatre Company. She doesn’t sew just anywhere; she has made her very own costume shop in the middle of her family dining room, and enjoys some unique perks of working from home. “[My family] are like my living mannequins where I force them to put on costumes I’m working on,” Coyle says. “My poor husband has worn every male outfit I ever made, and my poor son—I have put him in more dresses than I would like to admit.” Coyle has been making costume magic for more than 20 years, working on a 1960s sewing machine given to her by grandmother. She has designed costumes for more than 125 plays, including Les Misérables, Legally Blonde and most recently The Wizard of Oz at B Street.

The master seamstress set aside her needle and thread to chat with SN&R about her creative influences, her rockin’ hobby and some garment mishaps.

What led you to design costumes for a living?

I learned how to sew when I was about 10, and my mom made costumes for the singing group that we were in. She made the costumes for us in exchange for tuition for me, my brother and sister. So I learned how to sew then, and that’s where it came from. I first started costume designing at a performing arts school in Fresno in 1999. I knew theater and they needed somebody to help with costumes, so I just started doing it and it’s grown since then.

What inspires you when designing?

I love color, and I love how it adds to the story that the actors are telling. I love that certain actors when you put them in costume, [the color] brings their character to life.

When you’re not designing costumes, what are your hobbies?

I’m in a band, and we are actually just getting ready to release our second album. The name of my band is Mikey LP & The Krooks, and I’m a vocalist with my best friend Kate Richardson.

We’re the backup singers; sometimes we help build some of the lead parts, but the rest of [the band] are just a bunch of fellas. And then of course, I have my kids, and they are into all sorts of activities, so they’re a lot of fun. I very rarely have a lot of down time, but that’s all right.

Have your costumes ever encountered wardrobe malfunctions?

I’ve had at least probably half a dozen incidents where somebody has completely blown their crotch out of their pants onstage, doing some kind of dance moves. So yeah, stuff like that happens all the time in live theater. That’s probably the biggest one, is people tearing the crotch of the pants onstage.

Do you have any advice for future costume designers?

Unfortunately, I don’t have a degree in costume design. I have a degree in criminology and sociology, so I just did it through experience. Even though I went to college and graduated, just that basic skill has gotten me where I am. … [Costume design] is one of those jobs where there’s not a lot of people that do it, so it can be an invaluable skill to have. If you’re determined, there’s opportunities in Sacramento. Ω

Catch The Wizard of Oz at B Street Theatre through Dec. 26, and for custom costuming needs, email Gina Coyle at willcostumeyou@yahoo.com. Plus, check out Mikey LP & The Krooks on Soundcloud.

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Kids find themselves through music at the Sacramento Performing Arts Conservatory, which may have to leave the Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative.

Photo courtesy of sacramento Performing arts conservatory

Soldiering on Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative will keep working, though two members may no longer play a part

by Scott thomaS anderSon

For nearly five years, the Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative has been a fortress of hope within one of Sacramento’s most struggling areas. It is a place where 25 different nonprofits came together under one roof and pooled their resources and expertise to combat a history of disinvestment and disparity that’s long plagued the streets of South Oak Park.

At the start of December, however, two of those nonprofits—Girls SelfEsteem Program and the Sacramento 10

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Performing Arts Conservatory—ran into problems with their leases.

G-SEP’s leader Kandice Kelly shared her concerns on social media, which unintentionally led to widespread confusion about who owns the unique campus, who operates it and whether it’s in danger of closing all its doors. It was a Facebook flare-up that left many in the community speculating that the entire collaborative—and all the work it does—was in peril.

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Last week, a tenants’ group representing a majority of the Collaborative’s members said there is no threat of the campus being shuttered, even as the fate of the two groups with lease challenges is less clear.

WoRking-claSS heRoeS According to a special Sacramento County commission tasked with erasing African-American child deaths,

the neighborhood around Stockton Boulevard and Fruitridge Road has struggled with disproportionately high rates of poverty, infant mortality, gang violence and child abuse and neglect.

In recent years, the groups working at Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative have slowly changed that grim trajectory by providing addiction treatment, prenatal care, assistance with family health, court-mandated parenting classes, gang prevention strategies and a host of support networks designed to empower and strengthen the community.

Lately, there has been reason to believe the Collaborative’s frontline service providers are making a difference, especially with their work through the Black Child Legacy Campaign. That multifaceted initiative is now credited with lowering black infant sleep-related deaths by at least 29% across Sacramento County in the last three years. The county also experienced zero child murders throughout 2018.

Kamala Harris drops out see NEWs

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beatS

moNstErs uNdEr tHE microscopE The elementary school grounds housing the Collaborative are owned by the Sacramento City Unified School District, while the lease is held by a Bay Area nonprofit, the Social Good Fund, which collects rents from the nonprofits and pays SCUSD. It’s an arrangement that was carefully crafted to keep rents low, thus maintaining the Collaborative’s vital work. But it was also an experiment that a number of nonprofit leaders say had to evolve.

In making those adjustments, G-SEP and Sacramento Performing Arts Conservatory found themselves in a bind.

NEW stratEgy for surViVal According to the Collaborative’s Interim Tenant Board, it became clear in 2017 that the cost of managing and maintaining the building was running an annual deficit of roughly $90,000. This was partly because rents had been kept at very low levels.

The tenant board confirmed in an official letter last week that, in 2017, rents were raised by roughly Photo courtesy of her health first

$300 per month for all groups in the director of Her Health First and a Collaborative. For reasons that aren’t member of the tenant board. entirely clear to the tenant board, the Recently, the rents were raised by building’s former on-site management the Collaborative to be consistent. neglected to raise the rents for Girls Self-Esteem Project and the Sacramento a Hard dEcEmbEr Performing Arts Conservatory On Dec. 1, Kelly took to Facebook at that time. It was this to announce that her Girls inconsistency that led to Self-Esteem Project’s so much online concern rent, along with that this month. of the Sacramento Some of the Performing Arts nonprofits in the Conservatory, was Collaborative being raised to asked fellow similar rates as the Sacramento Collaborative’s service provider other 23 nonprofits PRO Youth and was leading to Shannon Read and Families to eviction notices for Her Health First take over as the both groups. Kelly Collaborative’s building noted this coincided with leader and site manager.

PRO Youth and Families The organization, which helps taking over as the manager. young people overcome trauma and other Kelly also described these disadvantages, agreed to that in 2018. developments as contributing, in her “They’re a longstanding agency in view, to the continued “gentrification of our community with a great reputation Oak Park.” for serving youth, so it made a lot of The Collaborative’s tenant board sense,” said Shannon Read, executive strongly pushed back against that assertion in an open letter. “We are pleased to share that, of the 25 agencies who are tenants at [the Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative], 21 are led Toni Johnson, a pregnancy coach for Her Health First, by people of color and 13 of those holds a client’s new born agencies are African American-led,” its inside the Collaborative. members wrote.

Kelly confirmed to SN&R this week that her organization was in talks with potential donors to make up the difference in rent, though she added that it wasn’t clear if that help could get the Collaborative’s management to rescind its notice to vacate.

She said she was not authorized to do a full interview at this time.

For her part, Read wants South Sacramento neighborhoods to know that the vast majority of the Collaborative’s groups will keep providing the assistance and support that residents expect.

“The benefit of the Collaborative is that it’s seated in the heart of the South Oak Park community and is in walking distance of a lot of peoples’ homes,” Read said. “This is a one-stop shop where people can come and get services.” □

“It’s a onestop shop where people can come and get services.”

The best way to catch a serial predator may be to prevent him from becoming one in the first place. These days, that work often starts in the lab, though it doesn’t end there.

In June, a jury convicted Amit Bharth of beating and raping a developmentally delayed woman he picked up outside of a grocery store in January 2017. According to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, Bharth imprisoned the stranded victim for a week, shuttling her from hotel to hotel and promising retribution if she talked.

A sexual assault exam recovered DNA evidence that was later matched to Bharth, and helped result in his conviction on four felony counts. The crime was one of 387 sexual assaults reported to Sacramento County law enforcement that year, but only 83— less than 22%—were solved.

Improving those figures could hinge on the availability and examination of biological evidence. In October, the DA’s office received a $380,891 grant from the National Institute of Justice to chip away at its dNa backlog. That backlog is never-ending at the county crime lab, which the DA’s office oversees.

“Since we are continually receiving cases from law enforcement agencies and completing cases in the lab, the number of backlogged cases is fluid,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Grippi wrote in an email.

It can take an average of 60 days to finalize a DNA analysis with peer review, Grippi explained. The crime lab defines a case as backlogged if it takes more than 30 days to complete. Lab technicians completed more than 1,400 analyses last year. As of Nov. 22, the lab was working through a total of 229 unfinished dNa cases—173 of which were more than 30 days old.

Grippi said the DA’s office plans to focus the federal backlog reduction grant, which it’s received since 2006, on unsolved homicides and sexual assaults, and wants to whittle down the 60-day average by at least five days. Grippi said Sacramento’s crime lab still needs to analyze approximately 200 rape kits collected between 2009 and 2011. (Raheem F. Hosseini)

maKiNg oursElVEs sicK An aggressive flu strain has already hospitalized a dozen people and contributed to the deaths of a 7-year-old and 66-year-old in Sacramento County this year, its public health department announced Monday.

Statewide, at least 16 people have died from the flu since Sept.

29, according the California Department of Public Health. The Sacramento child, who had underlying medical conditions, is the second pediatric death in California this flu season, prompting public health officials to once again plead with residents to get their flu shots.

“Everyone in the community who can get vaccinated should get vaccinated,” Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s public health officer, said in a statement. “As the number of vaccinated individuals in a community increases, it decreases the transmission of the flu virus to those who have not, or cannot be vaccinated resulting in fewer hospitalizations and deaths.”

The “can” group includes able-bodied residents at least six months old, including pregnant women. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slightly more than half of these people got vaccinated last year.

Upcoming vaccination clinics will be held Dec. 10 at the Galt Library and Jan. 25 at Hagginwood Community Center. Visit flu.gov for more locations. (RFH)

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Sen. Kamala Harris appears at a Planned Parenthood event in San Francisco on May 31, when she was still running for president.

Photo by ben ChristoPher for CalMatters

Harris quits, so who benefits?

by Ben Christopher

this is an abridged version of the full story, which is available at CalMatters.org.— a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

California Sen. Kamala Harris seemed all but destined to be a front-runner when she launched her Democratic presidential campaign before a cheering throng of 20,000 supporters in downtown Oakland last January.

A prosecutor to take down President Donald Trump, a black woman in a party that relies on black female voters, a U.S. senator from the country’s largest state—on paper, she looked formidable.

This was before former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race. Before Mayor Pete and Elizabeth Warren rocketed to the top tier. Before Harris proclaimed that she was “moving to Iowa” (expletive deleted) and before the campaign adopted and then discarded a handful of ill-fitting slogans (“Dude gotta go.”) Before the campaign’s internal drama found its way into Politico and The New York Times, which headlined its story “How Kamala Harris’s campaign unraveled.”

On Dec. 3, Harris announced that she was throwing in the towel, leaving a field of 15 Democratic candidates— many of whom are still polling below

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her. Her “political pragmatist” label failed to resonate with the mood of her party’s electorate, and calling herself a “progressive prosecutor” served to dredge up questions about just how progressive she really was as San Francisco’s district attorney or California’s attorney general.

But according to Harris, it simply came down to money.

“I’m not a billionaire. I can’t fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it’s become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete,” she said in a press release—a final dig at Tom Steyer, Michael Bloomberg and John Delaney, three billionaires who remain in the field.

Harris’ decision to drop out two months before the Iowa caucuses isn’t just a national story. It’s also a California one.

Her Senate term extends through 2022, assuming she isn’t tapped for a vice presidential slot or potential Cabinet position in a Democratic presidential administration.

It’s unclear how appealing that would be to her; what is clear is that she is ambitious and has plenty of years to try for higher office again.

Ca lMa tte r s

Here’s what else the end of her 2020 bid means for the Golden State: Our votes, cash and endorsements now up for grabs.

If polls are anything to go by, Harris’ sudden departure from the race is probably good news for Warren, the senator from Massachusetts. A recent Capitol Weekly poll of likely Democratic voters in California showed 45% of Harris supporters back Warren as their second choice. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg took another 16% and 13%, respectively.

But the race is still so “neck and neck and neck,” said Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc.,who conducted the poll, that the distribution of Harris’ relatively small share of the electorate in California isn’t likely to crown any one candidate the clear frontrunner. It could provide a bit of leverage for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has prioritized voter mobilization in California and now boasts 80 in-state staffers, as well as Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York who is skipping the early states entirely and instead plowing millions of dollars in advertising into

California and other states that vote on March 3.

Where Harris had a more commanding presence in her home state was in endorsements and big money fundraising. Despite months of lackluster polling, Harris was still the top beneficiary of large dollar donors (those who give more than $200 per year) in California this year. In 2019, according to the most recently available filings, she raised more than $11.5 million from the Golden State’s donor class.

The runner-up for California’s Democratic dollars thus far? Buttigieg.

California donors played a major role in the campaign this year precisely because “they didn’t coalesce around Harris as a favorite daughter and instead provided millions to keep other candidates viable,” said Rose Kapolczynski, a Democratic political consultant.

Harris also earned most of the state’s high profile endorsements—including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and President Pro Tem Toni Atkins.

When state lawmakers decided to bump up California’s primary election to March 3, it was with the hope that the nation’s largest state would play a more decisive role in choosing presidential nominees.

It’s not clear that an early vote from California would have helped Harris much anyway. Despite being the junior senator of the state, she was floundering in the low double digits here—only a few points higher than her polling in other states. According to a new survey that the Institute of Governmental Studies conducted for The Los Angeles Times, 61% of California’s likely Democratic primary voters felt that Harris should drop out.

Critics—both outside and inside the Harris operation—have blamed the campaign’s leadership for poor financial management.

But Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus, said critical coverage of the Harris campaign and its inability to raise enough money was in part the result of “sexism” and “misogynoir” (misogyny aimed at black women).

Reporters were writing “post-mortems before there was even a mortem,” she said.

“The money was just absolutely insurmountable and you can’t raise it if people come to assume that you can’t raise it. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” □

California raises taxes on Cannabis Cultivation LegaL businesses face greater hurdLes than the iLLegaL market

I

n a move that bewilders the state’s cannabis industry, California’s Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) adjusted the tax on cannabis plants upward by 4.1%, and increased the markup rate for wholesale cannabis from 60% to 80%.

In simple terms, it means the price of legal cannabis is going up on Jan. 1, 2020.

As growers mark up their prices and pass along the increases, manufacturers and dispensaries will mark up the retail price. “As our regulated and taxed industry struggles to compete with the unregulated and untaxed industry, a tax raise is the last thing we need,” said Kimberly Cargile, owner of Sacramento’s A Therapeutic Alternative dispensary.

“We are losing customers at the retail level and this move just ensured that in 30 days from now, we will lose even more.”

Jacqueline McGowan Sacramento cannabis consultant Californians will pay more for legal cannabis products beginning on January 1st.

According to the CDTFA’s press release, the 4.1% increase is not necessarily a tax increase, but rather an adjustment for inflation (note: current 2019 inflation rate is only 1.76%). The change in markup percentages is based on “an analysis of statewide market data was used to determine the average markup rate between the wholesale cost and the retail selling price.”

“We are losing customers at the retail level and this move just ensured that in 30 days from now, we will lose even more,” said Jacqueline McGowan, a Sacramento cannabis consultant. Dispensaries across the state have recently conducted staff layoffs, while others have put a hold on expansion plans. “Every business owner that I speak to right now feels utterly defeated and without immediate intervention, it might be time to abandon ship,” said McGowan.

licensed dispensaries. As a result, consumers are finding their way back into the illegal market they originally came out of.

Assembly members Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) and Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) argued that lower taxes would both increase revenue via greater sales, and simultaneously put a dent in the illegal market. But their bid to reduce the cultivation tax, AB 286, was defeated in the last legislative session. “Right now, it’s an uneven playing field that we can’t even out,” said co-author Lackey.

“For every storefront that closes their door, it will inevitably trickle down the supply chain and we will see multiples of cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors go under as well,” said McGowan.

“Totally get it,” said Alex Traverso, Spokesperson for the Bureau of Cannabis Control, “but we’re leaving all comment on this issue to the CDTFA.” The $12 billion California cannabis market is dominated, 3-to-1, by an illegal market that pays no license fees, collects no taxes and offers dramatically lower prices than

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The COMFORT

FOOD Issue

Family recipes and home cooking

Grandma Ofilia’s tamales makes 2 dozen

FOR THE MASA:

G

rowing up, this time of year meant getting together with family and making dozens of tamales. As a child, I was only allowed to help a little as the grown-ups wanted to get done quickly so I mostly treated the masa like Play-Doh. But the memories of hojas (corn husks) soaking in water, shredded meat bubbling on the stove in deep red spices and the condensation dripping down my grandmother’s windows brings me much comfort.

Inspired by those moments, SN&R’s Comfort Food issue explores how nostalgic dishes from our past connect us all, no matter what culture. This special food issue is also filled with original recipes from local chefs, plus features on what makes soul food sing. There’s even room for pie.

-STEPH RODRIGUEZ stephr@newsreview.com

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RECIPE COURTESY OF STEPH RODRIGUEZ, Dish editor

8 cups Maseca instant corn masa flour 2 2/3 cups lard 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 5 cups chicken drippings

CHICKEN SPICES: 1 tablespoon cumin powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 4 tablespoons pasilla powder 2 teaspoons red chile powder 2 teaspoons paprika 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon black pepper

INGREDIENTS AND TOOLS: 25 dried hojas (corn husks) 5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, leave skin for more flavor 8-quart steamer pot 1 rolling pin 1-gallon plastic bag cut in half, or

Steph Rodriguez shows her son Elliot how to roll masa.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE RODRIGUEZ

a plastic grocery bag cut in half 1 stove-top safe ramkin

DIRECTIONS: Place dried hojas in warm water to soak, remove silk. Once clean and pliable, set aside. Simmer the chicken thighs on medium heat in a large stock pot with water and spices for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove chicken from broth and place on cookie sheet to cool.

Once cool, remove meat from skin and bone. Shred chicken with forks (or by hand) and place into a large bowl. Add about 1 cup of drippings to shredded chicken and more spices to taste if desired. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add masa flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well incorporated. Next, add lard in small chunks, similar to making pie crust.

Then, slowly add in 1 cup at a time of warm chicken drippings to melt lard into the masa. Mix by hand until

a dough-like consistency is formed.

Let masa rest. Create an assembly line on the kitchen table: Hojas, masa, meat. Spoon a small ball of masa onto the hoja. Cover with plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, spread masa evenly over hoja to desired thickness leaving 2 inches bare toward the bottom. Peel off plastic bag, fill the middle of the tamale with desired amount of chicken. Roll the tamale like a cigar and fold the bare flap at the bottom up to seal. Repeat process until ingredients are gone.

In an 8-quart steam pot, fill water until it just kisses the steam basket.

Place ramkin face down inside.

Arrange about a dozen tamales in a teepee-shape. Cover and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour until masa sets. Enjoy with fresh salsa, rice and beans. To freeze: seal tamales in Ziplock bags raw to steam fresh year round.

Tastes of home

BY STEPH RODRIGUEZ

fter a long shift on the line and once the last order is sent, chefs go home and still need to feed themselves and their families. If it’s a Tuesday night, chances are they’re not basting expensive fillets in herbs and butter, or plating freshly made pappardelle with cream and shaved black truffles. At home, chefs often eat very simply.

A

What might also surprise diners is that the chefs who cook some of the most indulgent meals in Sacramento also grew up eating all the basic pantry staples that most of us did. Simple meals such as spaghetti and garlic bread, bowls of steamy white rice with clear broth soups and leafy vegetables, mounds of buttery mashed potatoes—and

the occasional takeout. But no matter what culture, upbringing or style of cuisine a chef specializes in at their restaurant, they each have their own concept of comfort food—and what dish, as simple as it may be, draws a direct line to a memory that wraps them up like a warm blanket.

Sacramento chefs share what dishes conjure feelings of comfort from their past RECIPES COURTESY OF MATT BROWN

WARMTH ON A COLD DAY Matt Brown recalls visiting Apple Hill with his father MATT BROWN when he was 8 years old, pickhead chef at Golden Bear ing dozens of crisp apples from its rolling orchards. The father and son then went home to make fresh batches of cinnamonspiced applesauce from the day’s pick. His mother, a seasoned cook, baked soft rosemary focaccia laced with thinly sliced potatoes. Taking note from the original Chez Panisse Café Cookbook, on cold fall evenings, a large pot of potato leek soup simmered on the stove, ready to warm her three sons before they headed back outside to play.

“That all built a ground layer of what I’m into,” says Brown, who’s the head chef at Golden Bear in Midtown.

“That soup for me is some nostalgia food right there. That’s “It’s one of those one of the best comfort foods,” he meals where I’ll says. “It’s one of those meals where I’ll have my third bowl and I’ll be have my third like, ‘Yeah, I’m full.’ Then I’ll get bowl and I’ll be up and have a fourth bowl and be comatose.” ‘ ’ like, Yeah, I m Besides his mother’s recipes, full.’ Then I’ll get Brown’s 20 years of kitchen experience inspires some of the creative up and have a specials featured on Golden Bear’s fourth bowl and lunch and dinner menus, including pork belly carnitas served on yucca ” be comatose. root or savory rabbit agnolotti.

But as much as he enjoys creating his own dishes, he also sticks to what he knows and shares his mother’s potato leek soup and rosemary focaccia with customers seeking a little warmth on a cold day.

“It’s warming, it’s good, it’s salty and you can say you’re eating vegetables. But, I also like the idea of making a really rich chicken broth,” he says.

“It’s a process throughout the day. It’s nothing that’s going to happen really quick. And since it’s cold outside when you usually make these dishes it warms the house.”

Rosemary potato focaccia serves 5 to 6

5 ounces olive oil 2 cups cold water 1 pound potatoes, sliced very thin 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

Y EAST STARTER: 1 tablespoon baker’s yeast 1 tablespoon flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 ounces warm water Whisk all ingredients together and let sit for 5 minutes.

FOR DOUGH: 36 ounces flour 20 grams sugar 28 grams salt

DIRECTIONS: This dough can be done by hand, but having a mixer is nice. In a mixing bowl, add cold water and olive oil. Then add flour, sugar, salt and yeast starter and mix at medium speed for 7 minutes.

Remove from bowl and roll dough into a ball, add back to a greased bowl covered and let proof for 1 hour. Once dough is proofed, lay dough out on greased half sheet tray or a 12-by-16-inch cookie sheet, cover and let proof for 1 hour. Make sure dough is spread evenly on tray. Combine thinly sliced potatoes with rosemary and lay potatoes on top of focaccia.

Salt top of potatoes and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400 F.

Potato leek soup serves 5 to 6

INGREDIENTS: 4 leeks trimmed, cleaned and diced 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, small dice 3 tablespoons chopped garlic 4 quarts good chicken broth 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Goat cheese

DIRECTIONS: Turn 6-quart soup pot on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Once a little brown on garlic, add leeks and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add potatoes and stock and bring to high heat, allowing soup to come to a boil. Once soup has boiled and potatoes are fork-tender, remove approximately 1 quart of soup and purée in blender. It’s important to start blender on slow and remove cap from blender lid and replace with towel when blending hot liquids. Add blended ingredients back to soup and reduce heat to low. Salt and pepper to taste (I recommend more pepper than usual).

Ladle soup in a bowl and garnish with crumbled goat cheese.

"Tastes of home" continued on page 18 PHOTO COURTESY OF DISRUPT MARKETING

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PHOTO BY NICOLE FOWLER

"Tastes of home" continued from page 17

BILLY ZOELLIN co-owner, executive chef, Bacon & Butter

COMMIT THIS TO MEMORY In East Sac and Tahoe Park, Bacon & Butter serves up breakfast staples such as buttermilk pancakes with warm syrup, or bacon gravy-ladled biscuits with fried sage. It’s California farm food with highlights from using fresh herbs and locally sourced ingredients.

But once the kitchen is closed, executive chef and co-owner Billy Zoellin says he goes home and figures out what’s for dinner for he and his 15-year-old son.

When Zoellin was a kid, a bowl of spaghetti and side of garlic bread was a regular meal after school.

SIMPLE, Y ET SATISFY ING Across cultures, many parents create meals made from minimal ingredients, often what’s left in the fridge or pantry. For Takumi Abe, executive chef and co-owner of Kodaiko Ramen & Bar, a typical breakfast growing up was made with the same flavors as dinner the night before. Simple, but for him satisfying.

“Whenever we had salmon for dinner, there was always ochazuke, usually for breakfast, with leftover salmon and these little flavor packets which had dried green tea in them and green onions,” he says. “It walks the line between a Japanese kind of rice porridge or soup. Traditionally, it’s pretty simple.”

He says his mom would take leftover white rice, some vegetables and pour hot water over the top, letting all the components

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“We tie into our memory with our smell, our sights, our sounds, our tastes and that, to me, being able to touch a memory, is what creates comfort food whatever culture you’re from.”

He remembers his mother tossing quarter-sized shell noodles in butter before letting them sit on the stove as the sauce finished. Hungry, Zoellin would sneak into the kitchen and snag a few starchy noodles—bonus if they stuck together.

“Those are some of my big memories that I have with food and what brought me comfort. But I also have some things with my son and I,” he says. “We love our mashed potatoes. We love ’em. I make really light, whipped potatoes and it goes with anything from chicken to a pork chop to a steak.”

For him, there are no rules on what makes a particular dish comforting. But there are certain

soak up the earthy green tea bitterness.

“The most essential are these little toasted rice crisps in the packs.

It’s making a meal around a piece of a meal, but it’s definitely comfort food for me,” Abe says.

Now with a 4-yearold son and 6-year-old daughter, ochazuke is often a quick, light meal he prepares at home, topped with a fried egg.

“We all need to eat, but at least for me, there’s nothing that really satiates or fills the void like food does,” Abe says. “When you use the word comfort, what’s more comforting than being a kid at home, maybe when it’s raining outside or when you’re sick and

elements he says that many nostalgic meals have in common: they’re often served hot, they’re affordable and, most importantly, they’re tied to a memory.

“Typically, it’s peasant food.

It’s not some elaborate lobster tail that’s comfort food. Garlic bread is on mine. That’s a huge part of my comfort foods because we would love to eat our spaghetti out of bowls with garlic bread on the side,” he says. “We tie into our memory with our smell, our sights, our sounds, our tastes and that, to me, being able to touch a memory, is what creates comfort food whatever culture you’re from.”

Mom’s catfish in clay pot, cá kho to serves 4

If there’s one dish that best represents Vietnamese home cooking, it’s cá kho to. Made with catfish (or any white fish) and caramelized fish sauce, it’s simmered in a clay pot until the sauce becomes bubbly sweet, salty and gooey. If you don’t have an Asian clay pot (also called sand pot), which is available at many Asian grocery stores, a regular pan will also work. Serve this with steamed rice, broth soup and a vegetable side.

TAKUMI ABE executive chef and co-owner, Kodaiko Ramen & Bar

INGREDIENTS: 3 tablespoons sugar 2/3 cup boiling water 3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons canola oil 2/3 pound fresh catfish fillet or any white fish, cut into 4-inch pieces 2 tablespoons canola oil 1/3 cup chopped scallions/cilantro 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Freshly sliced Thai chiles or jalapeños (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

you really need something to comfort you. There are many things that can do that: your parents or your grandmother, but food is on a different level.”

Place the sugar in clay pot and heat on medium high. Cook undisturbed until sugar dissolves and begins to smoke and brown. When it turns almost dark brown, carefully add boiling water. Using a long-handled spoon, stir a few times. The liquid will look like dark coffee. Add oil to sauce, along with fish pieces, and stir to evenly coat. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until fish is done and sauce is thickened. Garnish with scallions, pepper and chiles if using. Serve this dish bubbly hot.

RECIPE COURTESY OF MAI PHAM

CONJURING FLAVORS OF THE PAST If you were to eat at the dinner table of chef Mai Pham’s mother, or of her grandmother, she says there would always be a main dish in the middle with big bowl of broth and lots of little bowls of rice.

Everything was to share.

“It kind of conjures the idea of a family meal. Really, an Asian family meal, a Southeast Asian family meal, a Chinese family meal, would never happen without soup,” said Pham who’s the owner of Lemon Grass, a beacon for Vietnamese and Thai cuisine for more than 25 years. “That’s the iconic and the quintessential comfort food.”

Pham’s journey with food began when she moved to the U.S. with her parents after the Vietnam War. She was 16 when her mother and her younger brother boarded a plane leaving everything they knew behind, even her father who was a high-ranking official and stayed in Vietnam until he believed it was appropriate to leave.

In a new world, Pham says she lost her sense of identity.

Cooking became a way she reconnected to her culture.

“In the beginning—I didn’t know what this would all mean later—but cooking began to feel “Cooking began to feel really comforting and it gave really comforting and it me hope that our lives in this country would be OK,” she said. gave me hope that our “Cooking was the healing part. lives in this country It was therapeutic. It helped me would be OK. Cooking think about what I was doing with my life in this country.” was the healing part.

Pham’s storied career is It was therapeutic. It accented by many shining helped me think about moments. She’s nationally recognized as an expert in Asian what I was doing with cuisine. In 2001, she hosted the my life ...” series My Country, My Kitchen on the Food Network, where in one episode, she took viewers on a culinary tour of her native country. The author of three awardwinning cookbooks, Pham also wrote a food column on Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine with the San Francisco Chronicle for a decade.

And she’s also the founder of Star Ginger, a fast-casual dining concept with 25 locations nationally that offers healthy and authentic Asian flavors found at venues such as the University of Notre Dame to the lounges of Delta Airlines.

“I think for me food is very special. The evolution of my career was very closely intertwined with my own personal life, my family’s life and my family coming over here. It was all very, very connected,” she said.

One dish that reminds Pham of the days she loved to remember and wished lasted longer in Vietnam is her mother’s catfish in clay pot.

“Ours is a smoky, caramelized fish MAI PHAM sauce flavoring and you just put it in head chef the pot and you cook it and it bubbles and owner, Lemon Grass and it caramelizes and it gets really sticky. You eat that with rice and soup.” she said. “It also smells good and the clay pot stays hot for a long time. I think heat has a lot to do with emanating fragrances and so you remember that. You’re in that moment with a smoky clay pot dish on the table.” □

SAVE ROOM

The COMFORT

Diana Shockley shows off her traditional apple pie.

FOOD Issue

for

PIE

BY AMY BEE

A

ll the best pies start with a scrumptious dough. Form your dough. Make a disk. Wrap it up and place it in the fridge.

If you’re Diana Shockley, the “Pie Lady” of Carmichael, you add a few extra steps: PHOTO COURTESY OF DIANA SHOCKLEY Hold the pie dough high in the air, and say, “All hail the disk of dough.”

Have your family join in. Then place the “Sometimes I get people that come in, dough gently into the fridge. Know your and they’re like, do you put pudding you dough will be the star of the show. buy in your chocolate cream pie?” Shockley Shockley began selling home-baked says, laughing. “We don’t.” pies almost two years ago at local farmers From handmade cream pies and salted markets with her 11-year-old daughter, caramel in her apple variety, down to handKatelyn Caudill. She recently quit her 9-to-5 tossed coconut flakes, Shockley places high job to go all-in as the Pie Lady. Her new importance on making every detail from brick-and-mortar shop opened earlier this scratch. year with a name coined by Katelyn Pie ingredients are also as that gets straight to the heart: locally sourced as possible, I Love Pie Bakeshop (with which means seasonal “love” represented by a fruits have sweetened red heart). on the vine instead of “I knew when [peoon a truck. “When we ple] saw the heart, get our berries from they would remember local farmers, there’s us,” Katelyn says. nothing comparable.

One bite of ShockThey have more flaley’s impossibly rich vor,” she says. crust, and it’s easy to Once her pies are see why she’s so reverassembled, aesthetics DIANA SHOCKLEY ent about her dough. owner, I Love Pie are the next focus.

Nowadays, she and her Bakeshop “It’s not just the flasmall staff no longer “hail the vors,” she says. “You want it dough,” but Shockley still has to look good. You want it to look like a few tricks up her sleeve for making you can eat it with your eyes.” her pies stand out above the rest.

Shockley is continually experimenting “We use an all-butter crust. That’s what with new pies, which is good news for her makes it so flaky and flavorful: butter,” she daughter who works with her mom partconfesses. time.

Words such as margarine and short“I love the salted caramel apple because ening make her cringe. She hand rolls her you can taste the caramel in the pie. I love dough every morning, working with it, apricot pluot and I like blueberry. Every pie rolling it out, trimming the edges before is my favorite,” Katelyn says. crimping each pie. All that love and attenFrom fruit stand to her brick-andtion shines through in a strikingly delicious mortar in Carmichael, the pie business has finished dessert. been sweet for Shockley as she has plans to “Everyone tells me it’s the crust, for expand next year. Still, the magical ingredisure,” she says. ent remains the same—talk to the pies. Tell A quality pie takes time, so no shortcuts them they’re gorgeous. Tell them they’re allowed at I Love Pie. Nothing is pre-made or going to a good home. So says the Pie Lady. □ pre-mixed, not even the silky cream pies.

“It’s not just the flavors. You want it to look good. You want it to look like you can eat it with your eyes.”

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The COMFORT

FOOD Issue

A doorway to

DISTANT COMFORT The gumbo at Tori’s Place brings Gulf Coast greatness to the Capital City

BY SCOTT THOMAS ANDERSON • scotta @ newsreview�com

F

or nearly three centuries, gumbo has been warming mouths and spirits across Louisiana’s cultural kaleidoscope.

Historically, it’s not considered California food, but thanks to Find comfort the hands-down in a piping hot bowl of Victoria mastery Victoria Haggins has with Haggins’ gumbo at Tori’s the dish, this New Place,1525 Orleans staple Grand Ave; is now offering (916) 646-6038.

Sacramantans a whole lot of transporting comfort—and showing them why gumbo is such a vital centerpiece in Gulf Coast traditions.

Haggins is the cook and creative eye behind Tori’s Place, a small, whippedfrom-scratch food operation tucked away on Grand Avenue near Grant High School in Del Paso Heights. Since opening in 2013, Tori’s has become known as a hidden pearl of mouthwatering experiences: There’s the brass-colored bliss of its crispy-fried chicken. There’s succulent, Southern-touched catfish. Its collard greens and black-eyed peas also harken to the best touches of a Louisiana shrimp shack. But, as any fan of Tori’s Place can attest, it’s what Haggins does with gumbo that has built her cult following.

Gumbo first appeared in New Orleans in the early 1800s, with roots steeped in okrainfused stew and rice dishes from West Africa, beautifully complicated by inflections of French, Cajun and Choctaw Indian cooking. For Louisianans, finding one’s favorite gumbo to dig into every fall is a rite of passage, not to mention a unifying obsession for all walks of life.

For a long time, authentic gumbo in Sacramento was a pipe dream. That all changed when Haggins opened Tori’s Place—and got a pot bubbling

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Heart and soul

Soul food’s roots are rich in African-American culture BY DESTINEE LANG

aking up in the morning to the aroma of sweet potatoes and the savory spices of fried chicken are some of my fondest childhood memories. Growing up in the AfricanAmerican community, soul food is an existential part of our heritage. Soul food originated in the South during slavery, when oppressed families found happiness through sharing food that warmed the heart and captivated the soul.

Soul food brings us together to laugh, to cry and to socialize with relatives and friends we haven’t seen in awhile.

“Some of my fondest memories come from soul food,” said Victoria Haggins, the owner of Tori’s Place in North Sacramento. “I remember being 12 years old and watching my father and aunt in the kitchen. I was amused by it and loved growing up around soul food.”

With soul food’s storied history and its roots in treasured family recipes, Haggins says the most important part is the love that goes into each dish.

“Soul food comes from the heart.

Doesn’t matter if its Southern food or soul food, as long as it’s made with love,” she said. “Soul

W

with her flavorful juggernaut of juices and spices.

Initially, Haggins only planned to cook gumbo a few times a week. But customers need its comfort more often than that.

The reason is Haggins uses family recipes that she’s expanded over the years. Her gumbo is filled with shrimp, sausages, soft chicken bits and a perfect sprinkling of peppers, onions and okra. If that sounds easy to replicate, think again. There’s nothing simple about the sensational array of elements Higgins conjures in her gumbo. It has a savory sharpness that’s not overpowering. It has briny hints perfectly balanced against its pepper punch. And, if all that didn’t already make for hot comfort in bowl, she pairs the gumbo with spongy, slightly sweet, pan-seared cornbread pancakes. These cakes soak up the gumbo and offer even more naturally nuanced tastes to the experience.

Another warm element to eating gumbo at Tori’s There’s nothing Place is that simple about Haggins and the sinisterly her staff greet sensational array customers like family. It’s of elements Higgins not surprising. conjures in her Haggins says her gumbo. own family has been a huge influence on her cooking, which she’s been working at since she was 12.

“My Aunt Mattie was a huge inspiration to me,” Haggins says, stirring her gumbo.

“Her and my father.”

As for what the secret is to her gumbo’s success, Haggins tends to talk philosophy rather than ingredients.

“You have to put love in it,” she notes with a smile. “No matter what you do, if you put love in it, that’s going to go beyond everything.” □

12.12.19

food should bring people together, put a smile on their face and inspire them to be kind.”

While Sandra Dee’s downtown closed recently, Sacramento has welcomed a new soul kitchen, Fixins, located in Oak Park. The restaurant opened in August and is founded by Kevin Johnson, the former mayor and neighborhood native.

Customers are greeted by beautiful African-American art hanging on the walls. Each piece has an expression written in a black Southern dialect that

“Soul food comes from the heart.

Doesn’t matter if its Southern food or soul food, as long as it’s made with love. It should bring people together, put a smile on their face and inspire them to be kind.”

VICTORIA HAGGINS owner, Tori’s Place

relates to the food such as “Eye recall the sweetest sound eye can remember is ma-dear in the kitchen cookin’ Friday night for the Saturday morning church bake sale” and “Big mama said that us youngins never studied no waffle until she put some chicken with it.”

Fixins offers a fried chicken meal, either two pieces ($14) or three ($18), with a biscuit with grape jelly butter and customer’s choice of two sides such as mac and cheese, charred okra or candied yams. Other add-ons include collard greens, potato salad and black-eyed peas are $5 each.

On my visit, the food definitely lived up to Fixins’ slogan: “Without soul, it’s just food.” The most important step to successful soul food is the seasoning and the fried chicken had just that. It was crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside with each bite leaving a lingering taste of flavor. The candied yams and mac and cheese complemented the dish perfectly. The yams were delicate with a sweet cinnamon aftertaste while the mac left me yearning for more after every cheese-filled bite. To quench a thirst, Fixins offers Kool-Aid ($4), much like when I was a kid. It was refreshing, served with a paper straw and was ideal to tie the whole experience together.

Frequent customer Xayvion Mitchell says he enjoys the food at Fixins and tries to come every Tuesday and some Sundays after church.

“My mom was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, which is the heart of the South. So I was raised on soul food,” said Mitchell as he ate his mac and cheese. “Soul food can be hard to get right, but Fixins has done a great job in bringing soul to Oak Park.” □ Victoria Haggins' gumbo is full of mouthwatering experiences.

PHOTO BY SCOTT THOMAS ANDERSON

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Something is missing Follow us

t’s Thanksgiving 2010 and I’m in a state of panic. I’m supposed to make green beans almondine for the family dinner but, staring at the green beans on the kitchen counter, I’m certain I didn’t buy enough.

Did I have time to brave the store? How many green beans could people eat anyway? Had I ruined our meal before it even started?

Upset, I called my mother and rattled off my worries as I tried to break down the calculus of the recipe applied to a dozen people.

Finally, as I paused for a breath, she interjected.

“It’ll be fine,” she said. “And if there’s not enough, after dinner go out in the front yard and check to make sure the Earth is still properly rotating on its axis.”

In other words, calm down and have a little perspective. In the moment, I laughed.

Now, a decade later I’m thinking of my mom’s words as I stare at the ingredients I’ve assembled.

I’m trying to recreate a vegetarian version of a dish she used to make. Known in our family as “Betty’s Meatballs,” they were a favorite. I haven’t eaten meat in more than 20 years, but sometimes I still crave them.

Something is missing, though.

Fresh garlic? More onion? Freshly chopped herbs? I’m certain I’ve forgotten something essential, ruining the meatballs before I’ve even started.

I long to call my mother for advice but can’t. She was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in mid-February. Ten weeks later she was gone.

After her death, as my family cleaned out her house, it was my brother who whisked away her cookbooks and a beat-up recipe tin. Of her three kids, he’s the one who likes to cook the most. Still, at times, the loss of the recipes feels like an added, fierce strike of grief.

Over the months, my mind keeps returning to the idea of Betty’s Meatballs. Maybe, I could make a meatless version.

Maybe I could recreate that past taste of home.

I

A few weeks ago, I texted my brother for the recipe.

His message back: Ground beef, tomato soup and rice.

I stared at the phone, frustrated.

That’s it? Three ingredients? What about measurements or cooking times? Surely, there had to be more to them than this.

Then again, my mother wasn’t a fancy cook in the slightest. I’m not even sure she really liked to be in the kitchen. As single parent she relied heavily on convenience foods that were popular. TV dinners—the kind with little advent-sized slots for each portion—and Hamburger Helper were staples in our house, along with canned peas and sloppy Joe mix, Rice-a-Roni and mashed potatoes from a box.

Indeed, my mother was never really one for domesticity.

Cooking, like dusting and vacuuming and scrubbing floors, likely seemed futile. This endless loop of slicing and chopping, sauteing and baking—when would it ever end?

Or perhaps I’m projecting my own complicated relationship with cooking onto her memory. I like to cook, but I think I share my mother’s impatience for it. There’s always so much to do but so little time. Even so, I wanted Betty’s Meatballs again. But how?

What I remembered, specifically, was the sum of their parts: the crunch of the rice that studded the meat and the thick and hearty tomato broth.

How difficult could they be?

I interrogated the internet. As it turns out, the recipe isn’t unique.

More commonly, they’re known as “porcupine meatballs” and variations of the recipe abound.

Now, though, standing in my kitchen, I feel that same slight sense of panic that had overcome me a decade ago. There are so many ways to make them. Garlic powder or freshly minced bulbs?

Fresh herbs or just a dash of pepper? Canned soup or a homemade sauce of long-simmering diced tomatoes?

BY RACHEL LEIBROCK rachell@newsreview.com

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If anything, my mom’s cooking style was unfussy so I decide to keep it simple.

I chop an onion, combine it with a quarter-teaspoon of garlic powder and a package of defrosted Beyond meat, the popular meat alternative.

The mixture makes approximately two dozen meatballs, which I then sear in olive oil.

Next, I mix a can of Campbell’s condensed tomato soup with a cup of water and a dash of balsamic vinegar, the latter a vegan stand-in for the Worcestershire sauce in most of the recipes.

I arrange it all in a casserole dish, remembering with a flash of nostalgia, the yellow and white flowered baking pan my mother used. I wish I had it now.

An hour later the meatballs are done and a richly fragrant aroma of onions, garlic and tomato fills my kitchen.

The result is better than I expected, if not exact. The crunch of the rice is just like I remembered even as the tomato sauce seems to lack something. A mystery spice she added? More onion? I can’t decide.

Still, they taste like home.

Imperfect, but satisfying.

My mother is gone, yet the Earth still properly rotates on its axis.

Somehow. □

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Head brewer Alex Tonello at New Helvetia’s brewery.

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in r v by John flynn

page 12

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Eat, Drink and Be Merry Want to uber-impress your guests

this year? Pair local craft beer with fresh, seasonal food.

Alex Tonello, head brewer at New Helvetia Brewing Company, is uniquely qualified to give this advice. “I worked at a wine bar in San Luis Obispo and learned food and wine pairing,” said the Roseville native, who took that palate with him when he moved into the world of craft beer – first at Knee Deep Brewing Company for four years, and now at New Helvetia. “Wine is historically paired with food, but honestly, beer works even better than wine.”

Appetizer: Baked brie topped with pan-fried pancetta in puff pastry and an ale-apple glaze. Pair with a red ale like Molly American, New Helvetia’s flagship beer (also use it in the glaze).

“Hands-down this is my favorite appetizer to make – and you will eat it all and there’s a good chance of ruining your dinner,” Tonello said with a laugh. “The beer is soft but has enough body to stand

up to the decadence oozing out, but won’t overpower the delicateness of the pastry.”

Salad: Spring mix with olives and fresh mandarins, rosemary and parsley, in a white wine and honey dressing. Pair with an IPA like New Helvetia’s Nobody Cries on a Jet Ski. “This allows you to pair the freshest beer on tap with the freshest local produce,” he said. “The peppery flavor of the greens matches the intensity of the beer, which has a 45 IBU (on the bitterness scale).”

Entrée: Butternut squash gnocchi in browned butter and sage with toasted pecans and braised pork. Pair with a Belgium tripel (New Helvetia’s new one is on tap).

“My family is Italian … and my mom cooks the potatoes and rices them, and my sister and I roll it out,” Tonello said. “The savory sweetness of the dish cuts down the tripel, and the higher alcohol stands up to the braised pork.”

Dessert: Sea-salted chocolate peanut toffee clusters. Pair with a Russian stout, like the peanut-brittle-inspired stout New Helvetia is brewing now.

“It’s 13 percent alcohol,” he said. “It pairs well for obvious reasons – we put in a massive amount of lightly toasted nuts.”

By Thea Marie rood

New Helvetia Brewing Company, 1730 Broadway, Sacramento, 916-469-9889, newhelvetiabrew.com. Look for the return of New Helvetia’s backyard hops growing project, HIMBY, this spring.

This column is produced by N&R Publications, a division of News & Review separate from SN&R Editorial.

For more information, visit www.nrpubs.com

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P

GARDEN

PLACE

Pruning time You can’t smell the roses if they’re way over your head

BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON

PHOTO BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON

And, as we’ve seen recently, there’s no predicting when wet weather will hit. Get out the pruners while the sun shines.

“The best time to prune is when the last frost has passed, the buds are swelling and the extended forecast is warming,” said T.J. David, founder and curator of the World Peace Rose Garden at Capitol Park.

Using the last frost as a milestone, that would be sometime in late February, but that’s long after most roses are pruned in Sacramento. It’s better to prune here while the bushes are still sleeping in the dead of It’s time to tell your roses: Knock it off! winter.

November’s mostly dry and relatively warm “I usually recommend it’s a great time to weather coaxed bushes to just keep flowering. prune in the Sacramento region from approxiAlthough I appreciate the bonus December mately Dec. 15 to Jan. 31 or, if really necessary, blooms, that makes it hard to winter prune. up to the first week in February,” David said.

Roses need pruning to revitalize the How do you get a rose bush to slow bush and reset their biological clock. down and take a winter break? Allow Otherwise, canes sprout atop canes, rose hips—the rose fruit—to ripen. creating tangled messes 10 feet Instead of clipping off spent tall (or more) with blooms way Roses need blooms, let the hips that swell out of reach. at the base of each flower turn pruning to You can’t smell the roses if deep red-orange. That cues the revitalize the bush they’re way over your head. plant that its work is done for I know from experience. and reset their this year.

As a gardener, roses are my After the hips mature, the biological clock. specialty; I’m a “master rosarbush will drop its leaves and stop ian,” a designation awarded by pushing out fresh growth. That the American Rose Society. I grow makes winter pruning much easier. about 140 bushes in my own garden, all “You’ve got to remember to strip off of which need pruning. They give me plenty of any remaining leaves,” David explained. practice.

Remaining foliage, even if it looks green and Local public rose gardens have already healthy, may be harboring fungal disease such started clipping away, trying to get a jump on as rust, blackspot or powdery mildew that can this annual chore. infect fresh leaves in spring.

“Our pruning actually starts in November Learn more about pruning at several upcomby pruning out dead wood from the roses,” said ing events. The biggest is McKinley Park’s Lyn Pitts, who oversees the Memorial Rose Prune-a-thon, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Jan. 4. That’s Garden at McKinley Park. “When you have when volunteers tackle the remaining 600 over 1,200 roses to prune, it really helps to get bushes. that old dead wood out of the way!

This time, there may be more; renovations at “Then in December, I normally have lots McKinley Park have slowed pruning progress. of hands-on pruning clinics for rose bushes, Said Pitts, “January will be a very busy month, climbing roses and tree roses as well as many catching up the pruning!” □ opportunities for volunteers to come and prune the western half of the McKinley Rose Garden,” Debbie Arrington, an award-winning garden writer and lifelong Pitts said. “We try to prune the western half— gardener, is co-creator of the Sacramento Digs Gardening blog approximately 600 roses—before Dec. 25.” and website.

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The

monarchs of masculinity

Jade Jacobs transforms herself into her drag king persona, Bram stroker.

With a tip of its make-up brush to the past, the local drag king community forges its future

story and photos by Ashley hAyes-stone

Victoria Augusto tapes down their breast to give the illusion of pecs as part as their transformation into their drag king persona, sir Vix, during the Kings’ night out Benefit show at sidetrax.

24 | SN&R | 12.12.19

I

t’s 6 p.m. on a Thursday night as Jade Jacobs begins her ritual under the fluorescent bathroom lights. An abundance of cosmetics including Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade and a purple NYX lipstick litters her makeup-stained counters.

For Jacobs, her cosmetics has more than one use. “Makeup has no rules,” she says.

She dips her brush into the pomade and applies an angular U-like shape a few inches above her brows. When she’s finished, it gives her face a more masculine definition. She then moves the brush down to her neck and, in circular motions, creates the appearance of an Adam’s apple.

For the final touch, she grabs another brush, swipes it across the purple lipstick, raises it to her upper lip and draws a mustache.

Finally, Jacobs stands back from the bathroom mirror and admires her transformation into her drag persona, Bram Stroker, a nod to the Dracula novelist.

“I enjoy this mask I [can] put on because it allows me to express the thing that’s inside that really wants to be seen and heard and connected,” Jacobs says. “Having that with an audience is very fulfilling.”

Jacobs is a drag king—a character who creates the performance of masculinity—and part of the growing drag king community in Sacramento. The trend isn’t just local; recently, a drag king took home top honors on a popular reality TV competition.

It’s also not without a little drama. More on that later. But, first, a little local drag history.

In 2005, Tina Reynolds—owner of the marketing and design firm Uptown Studios and self-proclaimed “oldest drag king in the

universe”—hosted events. Reynolds was inspired to create a drag king group during a fashion show where women wore men’s clothing, “It was a real social statement,” Reynolds says. “We could be who we are and have fun with it.”

According to Reynolds, who performed under the drag persona Louie Luxury, there wasn’t much of a scene in Sacramento before she launched her 16-member group, the Sacramento Kings of Drag. Ticket sales from their shows benefited local LGBTQ+ based organizations such as the Lavender Library and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.

During that time, Sacramento boasted an array of lesbian bars, Showtime’s The L Word was all the rage and the Sacramento Kings of Drag enjoyed success with sold-out shows in front of hundreds of people.

The whole thing felt empowering, Reynolds says: “There’s nothing like dressing up, lip syncing and having 300 women screaming at you.”

Other groups formed, too. The Slickk Bois, a more politically focused group, aimed to raise awareness on various topics including the transgender community. Former member Debbie Chang remembers rocking the name Mr. Wu Her while lip syncing to a variety of bands such as Nine Inch Nails and ’NSync.

“As drag kings, we did a lot of cool work in the community,” Chang says. “It was a positive and beautiful thing, both art, gender and social justice related.”

By 2009, however, the region’s oncethriving scene had fizzled out due to the high demands of time and energy to put on a good

Becoming Hipster santa see arts & culture

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cHanneling a lost idol see music

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Jane austen strikes again! see stage

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sacramento kings go nerdy see calendar

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show, according to Reynolds.

Despite the pressure or maybe because of it, those who perform as drag kings do it for the joy they feel while on New audiences, new outlets stage.

At Sidetrax, the audience sits, silently engrossed, as the Now, a decade later, the drag king scene is finding power chords of the Darkness’ “I Believe new life. in a Thing Called Love,” starts to play Samantha Bourgeois, the founder and Jade Jacobs finally takes the floor as and booker for Drag Kings’ Night i k s a m is th Bram Stroker. y jo Out, says crowds enjoy their shows’ “i en When the beat kicks in, Jacobs twirls it e s u a choreography, music and lip-syncing c [can] put on be around lip syncing the lyrics, “Can’t prowess. press explain all the feelings you’re making Bourgeois, whose drag persona allows me to ex me feel.” Audience members sing along, e is Lez-he West, has run the event at id s in handing her tips. the thing that’s Sidetrax for almost a year. It recently to ts Jacobs says she’s grateful to have an n a w y hosted its first benefit show, raising that’s reall outlet where she can do drag but would money for the Sacramento LGBT d rd an like to expand her performance outside Community Center’s youth program, be seen and hea Sacramento’s Lavender District. .” d Q Spot. connecte “I would like to have my own “Benefit shows are important drag king to en am [show] someday and push it to cr Sa , bs because they spread awareness to Jade Jaco a crowd that hasn’t seen drag causes, and those donations can really before,” Jacobs says. help those in need,” Bourgeois says.

Wherever she ends up, Jacobs says it’s about finding Since its launch, the show has gained loyal fans. self-expression in a way that defies any and all so-called Rachel Powell, a regular attendee, says the energy is gender norms. inviting.

“I can be ugly, funny, charismatic and loud, and those “It’s like Cheers where everyone knows your characteristics are things that people don’t want to see in a name. You feel welcomed and the more people that woman.” Ω go the more fun it is,” Powell says.

The show features an array of kings of different backgrounds and genders. Melissa Preston, aka Cali Sweets, is a cisgender woman who says she enjoys Catch Drag Kings’ Night Out at Sidetrax, 2007 K St., at 9 p.m. first doing drag for fun. Victoria Augusto, aka Sir Vix, is Thursday of the month. Admission is $5; sidetraxsac.com. non-binary and says being a drag king is an outlet for Catch Landon Cider, 10 p.m., Dec. 22 at Badlands, 2003 K St.; gender expression. And, as a transgender man, Jaxon sacbadlands.com.

Uribe’s Jax Labido persona provides an authentic way to express himself.

Local drag queen Teal Death says she views drag as a performance art anyone can do regardless of gender. “A performer is a performer,” Death says. “If Drag kings thank the crowd for coming you perform, sell it and you’re living your fantasy.” during a Kings’ Night In addition to Sidetrax, performers have also Out, a show where perfound a home at Badlands’ After Hours, a weekly formers dance and lip open-mic show with the motto “come as you are, sync, at Sidetrax. perform like a star.” Each night has a different theme and the winner gets a cash prize.

One Lavender District venue that the kings can’t seem to tap into, however, is Faces. “[They] just won’t do a drag king pageant like they have a Miss Faces pageant,” Bourgeois says of Faces. “[The owner] doesn’t really want to book us and that’s why we use After Hours [at Badlands] or we have my little show at Sidetrax.”

SN&R reached out to Faces for comment, but did not receive a reply.

Even without the support of a bigger venue, the local drag scene continues to grow. Later this month, Badlands will feature an appearance from one of the nation’s most famous faces, Kristine BellaLuna, aka Landon Cider. BellaLuna recently made history as the first drag king to win a U.S. drag reality TV competition when she was crowned America’s Next Drag Super Monster on OutTV’s Dragula.

BellaLuna says the victory represented something meaningful to her in a world where drag queens usually get all the attention. “It was a very emotional, gratifying, validating experience, but also stress filled because the pressure is on,” BellaLuna says.

Victoria Augusto adds the finishing touches to their glitter beard as they transform themselves into their drag persona, Sir Vix, for Kings’ Night Out.

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d e l

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pa a ss o o

Dennis Peterson of That Guy Eyewear found the perfect spot for his business on Del Paso Boulevard.

Photo by Anne StokeS

Glasses with a difference; making a difference, too Optician combines fashionable eyewear with outreach to underserved

by Allen Pierleoni

Due to a production error, an incorrect address and phone number appeared Dec. 5 with this column.

This is the corrected column.

Walk through the door of That Guy Eyewear and you might think you’re in the wrong place. That’s because the store’s striking decor and dramatic displays of eyewear frames (1,500 of them) make it look more like a designer’s studio or an art gallery than an optical shop.

Owner Dennis Peterson is an optician who likes to say, “Glasses are a fashion statement.” He stocks frames from

several vogue designers, including Michel Atlan and Jonathan Cate, and sells one-off vintage frames, refurbished to like-new.

“I have frames you won’t find anywhere else,” he said. “I don’t carry the brands sold at the malls.”

Counterintuitive to that, however, is Peterson’s community involvement and personal ethos to give back.

“We want to reach out to the underserved, providing eye-care services for low-income people in transition, and children as well,” he said.

To that end, he contracted with an optometrist who will conduct routine eye exams on site, beginning sometime in January. Part of it will involve “bringing kids over for eye exams” through the Roberts Family Development Center. It focuses on helping underserved families via education, after-school programs and financial empowerment.

“Good Day Sacramento” broadcast a spot in October to promote the

Come discover the Boulevard or visit us online at dpbpartnership.com 26

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b o u l e va r d fundraiser that helped build-out the new eye-exam office.

In 2017, Peterson spoke at an afterschool program at Grant High School and invited students to That Guy for an art project.

“I set them up with chips and salsa, gave them art supplies and trade magazines, and told them to paint eyeglasses and people wearing glasses,” he said. “I said, ‘Go for it.’”

Today, those vibrantly colored art pieces help decorate the store.

A few months later, Peterson recruited artist Gerry Simpson of nearby GOS Art Gallery Studio to supervise a group of Grant High students while they painted an eyeglasses-centric mural on the side of the building.

“Kids have a blank slate,” Peterson said. “There’s nothing they can’t do, but it’s what they’re surrounded by that they absorb.”

Peterson has been in the visioncare industry since 1985, first in Phoenix and then in Tracy. He moved to Sacramento in 2014 and worked at several optical companies before going into business for himself. His first “office” was his garage.

“I decided I needed a place to go to every morning,” he said. “I was driving down Del Paso Boulevard and saw a ‘for lease’ sign. I was going to do wholesale only, but once I put in the retail front, it took on a life of its own.

I think the location is a good choice.

It’s a changing area and there’s a need here for what I do.”

Of course, not all of Peterson’s eyewear is designer-wear. Basic glasses with single-vision lenses sell for $69, and he has bargain-priced close-out frames.

His turnaround for a new pair of glasses is usually one to three days.

But back to his community work. The question is, Why? Said Peterson, “I guess because I’ve seen so many people who don’t have opportunities for the basic things, like being able to see.”

ThaT Guy EyEwEar 2203 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento 916-226-0257 www.thatguyeyewear.com www.hekaspecs.com

upcominG EvEnTs ThurSDay Dec. 12 Fatherhood is Forever 6:30 p.m.

Celebrate dads and fatherhood with guest speakers, music, food, empowerment and fun. Free Center for Fathers and Families 920 Del Paso Blvd.

FriDay Dec. 13 New eyeglasses line showcase 4-8 p.m.

Owner Dennis Peterson will host his next quarterly trunk show from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13, showcasing his new That Guy Eyewear line. Food, wine and beer, with live music.

2203 Del Paso Blvd.

916-226-0257, www.thatguyeyewear.com and www.hekaspecs.com

SaTurDay Dec. 14 Broad-Spectrum 2019 6 p.m.

Attend Broad Room’s first annual year-end art show! This rad show was expertly curated by Art Director Ashton Bohm and includes an eclectic collection by 26 artists. Enjoy bites by Bambi Vegan Tacos, craft beers and a live DJ. Free admission, $5 donations encouraged!

Broad Room Creative Collective 1409 Del Paso Blvd.

New & excitiNg additioN to del Paso Blvd…

After four successful years on Del Paso Blvd., “That Guy Eyewear” is excited to announce the opening of the North Sacramento

SaTurDay Dec. 14

Optometry, within our retail location!

Teen Game Night 5:30 p.m.

Join the North Sac Teen Advisory Board for an after-hours teen night the 2nd Saturday of every month.

Teens, ages 13-19, come enjoy video games, movies, computers and more! Snacks are provided. Free Sacramento Public Library — North Sacramento-Hagginwood Library

Stay tuned for more details

n

North Sacramento Optometry

That Guy Eyewear Look good. See well. Pay wholesale.

2203 del paso blvd • 916.226.0257 • thatguyeyewear.com 12.12.19

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Catfish & the Bottlemen’s lead singer Van McCann shares the stage with the band’s beer-drinking toucan at Electric Christmas.

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Electrifying Christmas The heart of Alt 94.7’s annual holiday concert

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12/12 • 7:00 PM PulP Fiction 12/15 • 4 & 6 PM the nightMare BeFore christMas 12/22 • 2:30 & 4:30 PM the MuPPet christMas carol

12/23 • 6:30 PM White christMas 12/24 • 6:00 PM it’s a WonderFul liFe 12/26 • 7:00 PM scrooged 12/27 • 8:30 PM hoWl’s Moving castle 12/28 • 2:00 & 7:30 PM selena 12/29 • 2:00 PM aladdin 1013 K street downtown sacramento • (916) 476-3356 • crestsacramento.com

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It’s that time of year when waistlines expand, attendees of gift exchange parties get unwanted junk and holiday tunes about misfit reindeer saturate the airwaves. Sacramento’s local alternative station, Alt 94.7, helped alleviate one of those problems with its 7th annual Electric Christmas show. It featured wellknown indie rock bands, giving Sacramentans’ ears a break from the holiday noise.

Hundreds upon hundreds of hipsters decked the halls of the Golden 1 Center on Friday, Dec. 6, snug in ugly Christmas sweaters and facial piercings and ready to rock out to bands Local Natives, Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Head and the Heart—plus The 1975 as headliners.

What exactly is an Electric Christmas? Well, over the years, it’s evolved to engage its effortlessly cool crowd directly with the show. Alt 94.7’s assistant director Andy Hawk says the radio station sprinkles festive components into the concert experience, giving it some atmosphere.

“We try to incorporate different elements in a couple hours to give a festival feel to a winter show,” Hawk said. “We try to make this a mini Christmas festival, and there’s a classic Christmas sing-along— and there’s Hipster Santa.”

That’s right: Hipster Santa. Alt 94.7 brought back the Chuck Taylor-clad elf for the third year running, posing for photos with fresh arrivals.

The Entercom-owned station first started its alternative spin on the giving season in 2013. The first show, held at Sleep Train Arena, featured six indie rock bands including Grouplove and Capital Cities. After another

year in Natomas and a 2015 show at the Memorial Auditorium, Hawk says folks from the Golden 1 Center asked 94.7 to bring the party downtown.

At this year’s show, Local Natives warmed up the crowd with the song “When Am I Gonna Lose You” from their 2019 album Violet Street, and made Christopher Walken proud with the 2017 single “I Saw You Close Your Eyes” that prominently features a cowbell. Catfish and the Bottlemen took the stage and played “Longshot” under the neon green projection light of their 2019 album art for The Balance, featuring a toucan drinking a beer through a straw.

In between acts, audience members’ tweets appeared on screens. Lucky fans also had a chance to sit in a red sleigh onstage during each band’s set.

Hipster Santa wasn’t done for the evening. He opened for The Head and the Heart, appearing on stage throwing T-shirts into the crowd, perfectly setting the mood for the band’s “All We Ever Knew.”

After their set, lyrics to “Holly Jolly Christmas” projected on the screen above the stage and some audience members sang. OK, so you can’t get completely away from the holiday tunes.

The 1975 had everyone moving the moment they entered the stage, with killer projections and light show and backup dancers that didn’t miss a beat.

The star of the evening, of course, was Hipster Santa. Drew Newbold, the former creative director for the radio station, has played the character for the past three years.

Newbold says he first played a non-hipster Santa in 2015. His father was portraying Santa Claus for the Biggest Show on Snow when he fell, injured himself and left a pair of boots to fill. Newbold stepped in.

In 2016, his father died. It had been a tough time for Newbold, he says, and the next year, Hawk asked him to take on the role of Santa for Electric Christmas.

“I became Hipster Santa kind of reluctantly,” Newbold said, “Sometimes, when we get opportunities to get out of our comfort zone—especially if it makes someone else happy—rather than push that notion aside and saying, ‘No, that’s not who I am,’— lean into it.”

Everyone has a lesson to learn from Hipster Santa—even Hipster Santa. □

SN&R

Honoring the Queen A tribute band pays homage to late singer-songwriter, Selena.

by Norma Huerta

Photo courtesy of music zirconia tribute band agency

like her, started singing at a young age.

“I grew up with Selena. All my family listened to her, so I grew up listening to her music.

She was part of my childhood,” Perez Ruiz says.

She also happens to look a lot like Selena. “People started suggesting that I do a tribute to her,” Perez Ruiz recalls. “They said, ‘You resemble her voice and her image, so you should give it a shot.’”

In 2017, she officially joined the Como La Flor Band revives the music and the spirit of Selena. as lead singer of Como La Flor.

But there’s more to performing a Selena tribute than just singing her songs. There’s also the matter of stage presence.

An icon in Latin communities across the “I started practicing her videos and her moves country, Selena Quintanilla was known for to emulate her on stage, not just vocally, but in crossing cultural boundaries and breaking every sense,” Perez Ruiz says. “What we aim to records. do is to try to give the people that didn’t have Topping the Latin charts in the early ’90s the chance to see her live to get that experience.” with singles including “Como la Flor” and “Bidi She, along with the rest of the band will be Bidi Bom Bom,” her career changed the performing at Ace of Spades for Selena music industry and opened doors Fest, where attendees can dress up for female Latin singers when in their favorite Selena-inspired there were very few artists that outfits, hit the dance floor and “I’m blessed to be looked like her. On stage, she honor the career of a woman styled with bold red lipstick able to do what I do. who redefined Tejano, and long dark hair, and Not only do I enjoy myself cumbia and Latin pop proudly flaunted her signamusic. as a musician, but I enjoy ture curves in costumes of Although it may seem her own design. myself as a fan” like big shoes to fill, for Selena’s life was Perez Ruiz it’s an honor to Nira Perez Ruiz tragically cut short when, imitate the late icon. Each lead singer, at 23, she was shot by the performance is done with a Como La Flor Band president of her fan club, lot of love and respect.

Yolanda Saldívar. Her death “I’m blessed to be able to do made international news and what I do. Not only do I enjoy myself forever immortalized Selena in pop as a musician, but I enjoy myself as a fan,” culture history. she says. “People actually say, ‘Wow, I’m reliving More than 20 years since her passing, my childhood,’ or, ‘I never got to see her, and I Selena’s music lives on through tribute acts such feel like I’m actually seeing her.’ So that means as the Como La Flor Band, which plays Ace of a lot to me.” Ω Spades in Sacramento on Friday, Dec. 13.

Founded in 2011 in Holtville, a small city in Imperial County, the eight-member group has spent the last few years touring the country and performing a medley of the late singer’s hit celebrate selena fest with the como la flor band 7 p.m., friday, dec. 13 at ace of spades, 1417 r st. tickets are $25. songs to sold-out audiences. Lead singer Nira Perez Ruiz is a lifelong fan of Selena and, just

put your favorite bands and musicians on the ballot! new categories this year: • Revival/back from the dead band, • Spoken word (with music)

Nominations end

01.18.20 Levi Mozes SAMMIES 2019 Nominee R&B/Soul

Nominate your favorites now at

sammies.com 12.12.19

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The Shawn Reginald Men’s Boutique is now open in Midtown Sacramento, featuring business-casual clothing, and haberdashery items.

Mention this ad for 10% off

Owners Cory Pensky and Jacqueline Greene have brought their popular fashion boutique to Midtown.

Photo courtesy of Wild PoPPy & co.

172 9 L St re e t | Sacr a me n to | 9 16 .400.409 1 | www.S hawnr eg i na Ld.c o m

Get Ready for NYE with Wild Poppy & Co.! $10 off $50 purchase!

Fashion for here or to-go!

Wild Poppy & Co. Boutique opens shop in Midtown

(In-store only, mention this ad for discount)

by Anne S tokes

G

ood news for fans of Wild Poppy & Co. mobile boutique: Your favorite shop is open in Midtown! While you can still find the popular fashion truck at local events, you can glam it up at their J Street location any day of the week.

“We see clothing and accessories as a form of art, ourselves as curators and our customers as a blank canvas!” says Co-owner Cory Pensky, who opened Wild Poppy & Co. with Jacqueline Greene three years ago. “We love finding pieces that truly speak to our customers that are different from what you would find in big box stores. We are also huge fans of staple

2315 J Street • 916-500-3079 www.shopwildpoppy.com @wildpoppyandco 30

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items — sweaters that you want to live in year after year, denim that just gets better with age and delicate jewelry that can stand up to everyday wear.”

With the holidays coming up, check out Wild Poppy & Co. Boutique for great gifts for your loved ones. Keep them warm and cozy in a comfy sweater or scarf, grab matching beanies for you and your bestie or get them some sparkle with a statement necklace or a locally handmade wrap bracelet that can be customized in their size and favorite color.

Can’t decide? Pick up a gift certificate and let them find that perfect piece for themselves!

Wild Poppy & Co. Boutique is located at 2315 J St., Sacramento. For more information on what’s in stock or the latest events, check them out online on Instagram, Facebook or at www.shopwildpoppy.com, or call 916-500-3079 .

Mi d t o w n Events

Services

Saturday, dec. 14

JeweLry rePair

Floral Design for Beginners In this hands-on experience, learn basic floral design principles to create flower arrangements that last! 11 a.m., $55.

Call the shop for an appointment 916.346.4615

Hacker Lab Startup coworking Maker Space 2533 R St. Suite 120, Sacramento, CA

Saturday dec. 14 A Very Merry Dinner at the Propagate Plant Shop Pop-up family style dinner prepared

by Nomad Roaming Kitchen. BYOB. Find the menu and tickets on eventbrite.com. 7 p.m., $60.

Propagate 1700 I St., Sacramento, CA

Saturday, dec. 14

Little relics 1111 24th St., #103 Sacramento, CA

SHoe SHiNe For more information, go online at www.shawnreginald.com or call 916-400-4060.

Shawn reginald 1729 L St., Sacramento, CA

SHoP For a cauSe 12 Days of Christmas Bring in new or gently used Women’s clothing for donations to MaryHouse (a program of Loaves & Fishes) and receive 15% off at The Pomegranate Boutique or Purpose Boutique.

Maker’s Market at Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Shop local for the holidays. Over 25 makers and vendors will attend and offer unique goods, including reiki-infused skincare, upcycled bluetooth speakers and handmade dog blankets! 10 a.m., Free.

together Midtown 920 24th St., Sacramento, CA

Sacramento Natural Foods co-op 2820 R St., Sacramento, CA

Free Holiday Parking The City will offer free parking on weekdays after 4:30 p.m. and all-day on weekends starting Nov. 27 through Dec. 25 in Midtown and Old Sacramento.

tueSday dec. 17 Holiday Ravioli Workshop (Hands-on, Vegetarian) Impress your holiday guests with homemade ravioli! Make fresh pasta from scratch and prepare two decadent ravioli dishes.

Participants 21 and over will also receive a complimentary glass of wine. 6 p.m., $0 - $65. community Learning center & cooking School 2820 R St., Sacramento, CA

?

Tips & tricks

Free ParkiNg

Free

Giveaway with a $200+ purchase

Dec 5-24

ParkiNg aPP No Coins Necessary!

The City of Sacramento has teamed with Parkmobile to provide more options to pay for parking at select locations using a mobile app!

You can set up a free account by calling 916-722-7275 or visiting Parkmobile.com.

Paid advertisment

Great for Hanukkah & Christmas!

Midtown owned & operated House Made Jewelry, Repairs & Local Artisan Gifts 1111 24th Street (Corner K & 24th) • Open Daily 12.12.19

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NOW PLAYING

REVIEWS

3

Black Nativity

‘Wickham’-ly good fun

BY TESSA MARGUERITE OUTLAND

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARR CRAIL

Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes’ holiday musical is less of a play and more of a mash-up of a church Christmas pageant and a gospel choir jam. This is the second year that Celebration Arts has produced this seasonal performance, and its delivers with gorgeous African-influenced costumes, dances and songs. Thu 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat

8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 12/22; $10-$20; Celebration Arts, 2727 B St.; (916) 455-2787; celebrationarts.net. P.R.

4

The Clean House

Matilde, who works as a maid, really wants to be a comedian.

Playwright Sarah Ruhl incorporates elements of magical realism that, while often funny or touching,

The contents of this letter may be shocking, but the beautiful penmanship more than makes up for it.

4

The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley

Wed 7pm, Thu 2pm & 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm, Tue 7pm; Through 12/29; $30-$42; Capital Stage, 2215 J St., (916) 9955464, capstage.org.

Capital Stage’s Sacramento premiere of The Wickhams is the latest installment of the Christmas at Pemberley series by playwrights Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. Admirers of Jane Austen will find this delightful production charming and, dare I say, an essential accompaniment to Pride and Prejudice.

It’s Christmas at Pemberley House and downstairs the servants are busily working to prepare the house and conceal Lydia Wickham’s scoundrel of a husband, George Wickham, who arrives unannounced and unwanted. Family secrets are revealed and questionable loyalties are exposed in this witty, romantic and redemptive tale.

Lydia Wickham (Melissa Brausch) is immediately recognizable by her exuberance and silly giggles.

And George Wickham (Colin Sphar) seems to naturally encapsulate an air of deceit and egotistical chauvinism.

But the characters who tug the heartstrings most are Mrs. Reynolds (Stephanie McVay), Brian (Noah Thompson) and Cassie (Kate Morton). Morton, in her professional debut, exudes ease and natural stage presence. It’s refreshing to have so many intelligent and solid female characters in one show.

With its focus primarily on the servant’s of Pemberley, the play could accurately be described as Jane Austen’s Downton Abbey. The simple set is beautifully contrasted with intricate 1800s-era costumes with bright colors and patterns. □ 32

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5 Ghastly gifts

don’t seem fully integrated into the plot. Lori RussoOcampo directs on a highly utilitarian, pristine white set by John Ewing.

Thu 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 8pm; Through 12/14; $12-$18;

Big Idea Theatre, 1616 Del Paso Blvd.; (916) 960-3036; bigideatheatre.org. J.C.

5

Deathtrap

STC tackles Deathtrap’s challenging script and story with wise choices in overall approach, a talented cast, careful direction and spot-on production elements. Director Michael Laun keeps the tone of his cast both light and dark at the same time with a bit of soap opera deliveries and sinister undertones. Wed

7pm, Thu 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 12/15; $25-$40; Sacramento

Theatre Company, 1419

H St.; (916) 443-6722; sactheatre.org. P.R.

4

On an Open Fire

Writer-director Buck Busfield’s latest holiday play is a humorous, off-kilter look at a perennial problem: What and when to tell a kid the truth about Santa Claus.

The acting is delightfully wacky, but the play goes on too long, missing a couple of good potential endings in favor of a sweet, conventional conclusion.

Wed 2pm & 6:30pm, Thu 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm & 9pm, Sun 2pm, Tue 6:30pm; Through 12/29; $25-$47;

B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.; (916) 443-5300; bstreettheatre.org. J.C.

Short reviews by Patti Roberts and Jim Carnes.

1

2

3

4

5

FOUL

FAIR

GOOD

WELL-DONE

SUBLIME DON’T MISS

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHIA-CHIA LIN

Sacramento Theater Company’s musical production of A Christmas Carol was commissioned by the company 32 years ago, and it has become an annual Sacramento holiday tradition. Written by Richard Hellesen with music by David DeBerry, it’s easy to understand the play’s popularity.

The quality of any Christmas Carol show is set by the actor who plays Scrooge. Matt K. Miller is playing the role for the eighth time, and it’s clear why he’s invited back year after year. He’s perfect—completely believable as the curmudgeon, as the frightened man dealing with the supernatural and as the reformed grump with the enthusiasm of a child realizing that he has not missed Christmas Day after all.

Directed by Michael Laun and Miranda D. Lawson (who also plays the wife of Bob Cratchit), the show has a recorded musical track, so the action is kept lively and crisp.

There is a cast of 35, some of whom share roles with one or two others. Characters deliver descriptions of what is about to take place, and then step seamlessly into the scene itself.

In addition to Miller, special kudos to Ryan Blanning, who plays both The Ghost of Christmas Present and Scrooge’s first boss, Fezziwig, and to Mike DiSalvo as Bob Cratchit.

Sacramento Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol is a long-standing holiday favorite and this 32nd anniversary production does it proud. It’s the Christmas show that everyone should see at least once.

—BEV SYKES A Christmas Carol: Wed 7pm, Thu 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 12/29; $30-$45; Sacramento Theatre Company, 1419 H St.; (916) 443-6722; sactheatre.org.

STAGE PICK Listen to Chia-Chia Lin’s short story, and maybe meet her afterward.

Narrative imperative Let yourself be whisked off to new realms at Stories on Stage Davis. This month features two short stories centered around father-daughter relationships. There’s “Practicing” by Chia-Chia Lin, which details a girl’s encounter with a stranger in the woods. There’s also Yalitza Ferreras’ “You Must Be This Tall,” about the boardwalk-based exploits of a father-daughter team.

Each will be read aloud by actors Joy Ding and Monica Vejar, respectively. Afterward, you can meet and greet the authors themselves, maybe even ask them to sign a book or two. The possibilities are endless. Sat, 12/14, 7pm; Through 12/14; Admission is free; The Pence Gallery, 212 D St., Davis; (530) 758-3370; storiesonstagedavis.com.

—RACHEL MAYFIELD

foR the week of decembeR 12

by maxfield morris

Online listings will be considered for print. Print listings are edited for space and accuracy. Deadline for print listings is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Deadline for NightLife listings is midnight Sunday.

Send photos and reference materials to Calendar editor Maxfield Morris at snrcalendar@newsreview.com.

POst eveNts ONliNe FOr Free at newsreview.com/sacramento

MUSIC

tHe eNGlisH Beat: The continually touring band from England will be bringing their eponymous beat. 7pm, $20. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

THURSDAY, 12/12

FOlsOM laKe COlleGe YOUtH CHaMBer OrCHestra: It’s fall, so it’s time for the

aNtWON viNNie: Sacramento rapper-musician Antwon Vinnie is having an album release party and show to celebrate the release of his second studio album NUMB. 7:30pm, $5. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

fall concert of FLC’s YCO. 7pm, $13.50$15. Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.

NOr Cal eXP CHristMas PartY: Catch the Spazmatics as they decide to blow the roof of their party off this year at the annual eXp Christmas party. 4pm, $20. Powerhouse, 614 Sutter St., Folsom.

DUKe elliNGtON’s NUtCraCKer: The ARC Studio and Community Jazz Ensembles will perform Duke Ellington’s arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite. 7:30pm, $8$10. American River College Theatre, 4700 College Oak Drive.

SUNDAY, 12/15 GUitar sOCietY HOliDaY CONCert: Catch the

tHe eXPeNDaBles: Not the ensemble action

Fri

PHOTO BY WILLIAM TUNG, CC BY-SA 2.0

13

Catch some of the actors behind the Star Wars creatures at the Golden 1 Center.

intergalactic expo Your Friday night is planned. West Sacramento’s Intergalactic Expo is holding a Star Wars night with the Festivals Sacramento Kings. That means that not only can you catch Kings (hopefully) make quick work of the worstin-the-Eastern-Conference Knicks, but also attend a pre-game Q&A session with some of the best Star Wars actors you never knew you could meet. We’re talkin’ C. Andrew

tiCKet WiNDOW BRIAN POSEHN The funny character

with some roots in Sacramento is coming back to pay homage to those roots again.

Grab a ticket and see what laughs draw you to Brian Posehn. 1/9-1/11, various times, $25-$35, on sale now. Punch Line, concerts1.livenation.com.

THEO KATzMAN The man of many

instruments and also of the band Vulfpeck is coming to town to perform with Rett Madison. Get a ticket while you can, because life marches ever forward. 1/18, 10pm, $22.50-$25, on sale now. Harlow’s, showclix.com.

EARTHGANG The Atlanta hip-hop duo is

coming to Ace of Spades for a show. Expect Olu and WowGr8, plus additional support from Mick Jenkins, Wynne and Jurdan

HellYeaH: HELLYEAH, Nonpoint and Deepfall

Hip Hop Helps toy drive, where the Sacramento hip-hop scene comes together to raise donations for Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center. There’s Mr. P Chill, Mr. Hooper, Poor Majesty, Ms. Vybe, Mahtie and more. 8pm, no cover with donation of new, unwrapped toy. Cafe Colonial, 3520 Stockton Blvd.

all come together for a celebration of music and of life. 6:30pm, $29.50. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

MaJel CONNerY: Majel Connery, Bay Area troubadour, is making her Sacramento debut. 6:30pm, $10-$15. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

lil’ BOOsie: The rapper and all-around musical powerhouse is coming to electrify Ace of Spades. 7pm, $45. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

Nelson, who portrayed Darth Vader’s body in some versions of the films; Tim Donaldson, who was a 5-year-old Jawa; Alan Fernandes, who played a Tusken Raider; and Mark Dodson, aka Salacious Crumb. Maybe you don’t know the names, but you might know the characters. Get their unique takes, and some proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish.

500 David J Stern Walk, kingsgroups.com/ starwars.

Bryant. 1/20, 8pm, $22.50, on sale now. Ace of Spades, concerts1.livenation.com.

TACOCAT The punk rock quartet from

Seattle is going to bring their absolute best in art and musicianship for your enjoyment. 2/15, 9pm, $15-$17, on sale now now.

Harlows, showclix.com.

V101 HEART OF HIP HOP Catch the Catch the concert with performances from E40, from E40, Fat Joe, Fabolous, Xzibit, Baby Bash, Bash, N2DEEP and J.J. Fad. 3/28, 7:30pm, on sale 12/13. Golden 1 Center, ticketmaster.com. the Titanic theme “My Heart Will Go On” on piano on repeat for hours? Stop for a second to buy a ticket to see Dion in Concert. 4/7, 7:30pm,

HiP HOP HelPs 2019: It’s time for the annual

on his Ascend tour. Catch him if you possibly can. 8pm, $47.14-$52.38. Golden 1 Center, 500 David J. Stern Walk.

Want tickets? Get some, you plumber’s cousin!

CELINE DION Do you play

Guitar Society’s tribute to the holidays with this strung concert of a featured artist and the guitar orchestra. 3pm, no cover. CLARA, 2420 N St.

movie—the rock reggae group from Santa Cruz. No Stallones here. 7:30pm, $22. Goldfield Trading Post, 1630 J St.

illeNiUM: The music producing DJ musician is

Golden 1 Center, 7pm, $19-$58

Center, ticketmaster.com.

GABRIEL IGLESIAS The

comedian is going on his Beyond the Fluffy World Tour. Catch the phenom-comedian as he the phenom-comedian as he branches out. branches out. 5/9, 8pm, $45.50Golden 1 $475, on sale now now. Golden 1 Center, ticketmaster.com.

Center, ticketmaster.com.

be performing in town. 7pm, $20. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

ZePParella: Zepparella, the all-women

at Ambiance Lounge for sounds from DJs Epik and Racer. 8:30pm, no cover. Ambiance Lounge, 910 2nd St.

MONDAY, 12/16 jazz series with Die Gesiter Beschworen, Crowey, and Klondike & York. 7:30pm, $10. Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar, 1414 16th St.

TUESDAY, 12/17

Led Zeppelin tribute band, is coming to Harlow’s to play the hits. 7pm,

rileY!: Catch Riley! on tour from Texas, plus

$20. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

the Seafloor Cinema, Paper Airplanes, Silly Lung and Predisposed. 7pm, $10. The Colony, 3512 Stockton Blvd.

FRIDAY, 12/13 MONiCa PasQUal: The Blame Sally member Monica Pasqual will be playing with the Handsome Brunettes, plus a show from Dear John Love Renee. 7pm, $35. B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.

FESTIVALS

will be featured at the Sac Blues Society Holiday Party. Not a member of the society?

You can join. 6pm, $25. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

seleNa Fest FeatUriNG COMO la FlOr: Catch

Defuse, Gabriel.

sOUl tHeraPY sUNDaYs @ aMBiaNCe lOUNGe saCraMeNtO: Catch Soul Therapy Sundays

NeBrasKa MONDaY: Catch the experimental

MYles ParrisH: The American rap artist will

saC BlUes sOCietY HOliDaY PartY: Nikki Hill $121-$849—yes, really, on sale now. Golden 1

snr c a le nd a r @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

this tribute to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, full story on page 29. 7pm, $25. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

teO, BeaNe, & CrOW aND JOHN DeNeCOCHea: Get a bunch of folk and rock covers all in one place from Teo, Beane and Crow, plus Americana from Denecochea. 9pm, $5. Fox & Goose, 1001 R St.

SATURDAY, 12/14 aUtHOritY ZerO: Since ’94, Authority Zero has brought their unique blend of anthemic melodic-punk, ska, and reggae tone to the masses. Catch a sip of the blend. 7pm, $12. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

THURSDAY, 12/12 tHe alMOND CONFereNCe: If you’re a member of the almond-growing industry, you’re invited to this almond conference with all kinds of industry networking and sessions. 7am, no cover. Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd.

FatHerHOOD is FOrever: Celebrating dads and fatherhood with guest speakers, music, food, empowerment and fun. 6:30pm, no cover. Center for Father and Families, 920 Del Paso Blvd.

PHOtOs WitH saNta iN tHe eaGle tHeater: Stop by the Eagle Theater and celebrate the holidays by having a photo with Santa. 2:30pm, $25. California State Railroad Museum, 111 I St.

CaleNDar listiNGs CONtiNUeD ON PaGe 34

12.12.19 | SN&R | 33

see More events And subMit your own At newsreview.com/sacramenTo/calendar

sunday, 12/15

Community Clubhouse, 7997 California Ave., Fair Oaks.

eco Holiday Market the AtriuM, noon, no Cover

saTurday, 12/14 bArter ’n’ brunCH: Come to Sol Collective

There’s no shortage of holiday gifts this season, and with them comes the abundance of holiday waste.

FestivAls At least one holiday market is making it a goal to be zero waste: Upcycle PhoTo courTesy oF uPcyclePoP Pops’ Eco Holiday Market.

You can shop for gifts that have found second or higher lives and give them good homes, all while perusing and having some bring-your-ownreusable-cup drinks. There will also be a fashion show, a panel discussion and much more. 7300 Folsom Blvd., upcyclepop.com.

and swap your usable belongings with the community this holiday season. Bring your still usable clothes, household items, art supplies, books and whatever else you don’t need that someone else will enjoy. 12:30pm, no cover. Sol Collective, 2574 21st St.

CrAFts + drAFts: Come out to Drake’s: The Barn for beer, food and holiday shopping from the best local creative vendors. More than 60 local artists, makers and small businesses. noon, no cover. Drake’s: The Barn, 985 Riverfront St., West Sacramento.

sunday, 12/15 CoQuito wArs: Catch the Battle for the Best Coquito live and in-person, the only way to take in a coquito war. 7pm, $30. Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Company, 1630 S St.

monday, 12/16 brewer v distiller beer dinner: It’s a battle

CAlendAr listinGs Continued FroM PAGe 33

Friday, 12/13

down 14th and N streets along Capitol Park. 10am, no cover. California State Capitol, West Steps, 1315 10th St.

winter wonderlAnd: Celebrate the holiday season at Fairytale Town with festive décor and a dazzling display of lights! Visit with Santa in his workshop from 3 to 6 p.m., don’t miss a flurry of snow falling nightly at 7 p.m., step inside a giant snow globe and enjoy elf-themed hands-on activities. 1pm, $3.50$7. Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive.

lA FAMiliA’s PosAdA nAvidenA: Celebrate the Holidays with La Familia Counseling Center with fun for the whole family. This event features holiday crafts, games, pictures with Santa, hot chocolate and sweet Mexican bread. 3pm, no cover. Maple Neighborhood Center, 3301 37th Ave.

wild niGHts & HolidAy liGHts: The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary will soon be ablaze with holiday lights, providing a beautiful backdrop for a unique family experience this holiday season. 5pm, $7-$9. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, 403 Stafford St., Folsom.

saTurday, 12/14 JinGle bell PuP CrAwl: It’s time to grab your pup and holiday spirit for the Sacramento SPCA’s Jingle Bell Pup Crawl. Your ticket purchase supports the animals at the Sacramento SPCA. Enjoy drink and food specials, photos with Santa Paws and holiday activity stations at each stop. noon, $35. Truitt Bark Park, 1818 Q St.

snowFAll! 11tH AnnuAl HolidAy soiree: Shaun Slaughter and the Shady Lady celebrate 11 years at Shady Lady, an evening of glitz, glamor and spirits. 8pm, no cover. Shady Lady, 1409 R St.

Tuesday, 12/17 torCH Club no Cover CHristMAs PArty: Torch Club is getting its annual Loaves & Fishes donations together. Join the annual “warm” drive and enjoy some great music, tasty food and drink specials, and donate blankets, warm coats, gloves, scarves and socks for the local homeless shelter. 5pm, no cover. Torch Club, 904 15th St.

Food & drinK Thursday, 12/12 GreAter sACrAMento 2019 AnnuAl dinner: Join the celebration of economic successes of the Sacramento region over the last year, and look forward to set the vision for 2020. 5:30pm, $225. Hyatt Regency, 1209 L St.

looMis bAsin HolidAy HoMe tour-2019: Get to know Loomis the only way you can—by visiting homes decorated for the holidays.

Benefiting the Loomis Basin Education Foundation and the Loomis Union School District. 9am, $35-$40. H Clarke Powers School, 3296 Humphrey Road, Loomis.

oblivion binGo niGHt: Join Oblivion Comics and Coffee every Thursday for a fun night of Bingo hosted by Dayo, their Friday trivia night host. 7pm, no cover. Oblivion Comics & Coffee, 1020 11th St.

MAKer’s MArKet: More than 25 makers and vendors will be attending this market on the second level of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. Get all kinds of hand-crafted goods. 10am, no cover. 2820 R St.

sACrAMento sAntA PArAde: The Sacramento

Friday, 12/13 sAntA’s worKsHoP: Cookies with Santa?

Santa Parade is a traditional holiday parade, featuring music, floats, marching units and Santa himself. The parade travels

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Tuesday, 12/17 An eArly CAliForniA CHristMAs dinner And sHow: Join the Sacramento Historical Society for a special Sacramento Christmas holiday celebration dinner show featuring members of the Sacramento Theatre Company performing live readings on stage. 6pm, $35. Columbus Hall.

sunday, 12/15

lAst-CHAnCe HolidAy bAZAAr: All are invited to Hacker Lab’s Last-Chance Holiday Bazaar! Jingle your way to this free and all-ages event with live music, all the locally made gifts you can imagine, cocoa, food and photo booth! Well-behaved dogs are welcome. 11am, no cover. Hacker Lab, 2533 R St., Suite 120.

of the beverages. Join Drake’s Brewing and Griffo Distillery for a beer, booze and food pairing extravaganza. 5:30pm, $60. Drake’s: The Barn, 985 Riverfront St., West Sacramento.

12.12.19

Yes—enjoy a hot cocoa and dessert bar, holiday crafts, letters to the North Pole, hot cocoa bar, and pictures with Santa. Please bring your own camera. 6pm, $10. Fair Oaks

Film Thursday, 12/12 CoFFee, donuts And A Movie: A classic movie, fresh donuts and hot coffee or tea. The Thin Man is about a husband-and-wife sleuthing duo investigating the disappearance of an inventor who later is implicated in murder. They have a dog, too. 1:30pm, no

cover. Sylvan Oaks Library, 6700 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights.

s.A.C. A stePHon ClArK doCuMentAry: Watch the premiere documentary screening of S.A.C., A Stephon Clark Documentary from The Sacramento Bee. 5:30pm, no cover. Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts, 2700 Capitol Ave.

PulP FiCtion: Catch the 1994 movie as it returns to a theater in beautiful stereoscopic vibraphonic sound. 7pm, $10$22. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

saTurday, 12/14 Movie stArdust: To celebrate author Neil Gaiman’s forthcoming Sacramento visit, join us and watch the delightful film Stardust based on his 1998 fantasy novel. 1pm, no cover. Colonial Heights Library, 4799 Stockton Blvd.

KrAMPus AFter Hours Movie niGHt: This unsettling comedy-horror comes to Jackrabbit Brewing. Tickets include a beer, popcorn and candy. Bring a chair. 9:30pm, $20. Jackrabbit Brewing Co., 1323 Terminal St., West Sacramento.

sunday, 12/15 Movie niGHt 3615 Code PÈre noËl: Join Red Museum for the weirdest, wildest, most obscure killer Santa movie of all time. With a plot suspiciously similar to Home Alone, 3615 code Père Noël was never even seen in the U.S. until 2018. 8pm, no cover. The Red Museum, 212 15th St.

comedy 24tH street tHeAtre: Vicki Barbolak’s Trailer Nasty Comedy Show!. Vicki Barbolak brings her “Trailer Nasty” show to Sacramento. Opening acts include local comedians Suzette Veneti and Melissa McGillicuddy. 7:15pm thursday, 12/12. $25$55. 2791 24th St.

lAuGHs unliMited CoMedy Club: Holiday Funny Jam. Celebrate the season of funny with Steph Sanders, Tay Livingston, Ricco da Great and more. 8pm thursday, 12/12. $10. Big Pine Festival Industry Showcase.

Big Pine Comedy Festival is held in Flagstaff,

AZ. Check out this showcase for comics interested in performing at the Festival. 8pm tuesday, 12/17. $10. 1207 Front St.

lunA’s CAFe & JuiCe bAr: The Tella Novella Variety Show. A night of comedy and improv.

Janay Lovering, Emily Pedersen, Emma Haney, Tella Novella and more fun comedy happenings. 8pm saturday, 12/14. $10. 1414 16th St.

PunCH line: Shawn Wayans. Catch arguably one of the funniest Wayans brothers in town for a few nights. through 12/14. $27.50. Rivest Dunlap. Catch the Los Angeles comedian and podcaster for one night only. 7:30pm sunday, 12/15. $16. 2100 Arden Way, Suite 225.

stAb! CoMedy tHeAter: The Bat-Improv in the Dark. If old-time radio shows and modern improvisation got together in a moment of passion, the result would be The Bat. This is long-form improvisation taking place completely in the dark. 9pm Friday, 12/13. $6. 1710 Broadway.

sACrAMento CoMedy sPot: The Gateway Comedy Show. Stand-up comedians take to the stage and tell their BEST jokes, then they go to an undisclosed location to get WAY too high, only to come back to the stage and ATTEMPT to tell more jokes completely baked. 9pm Friday, 12/13. $15-$25. The Hanukkah Special. Celebrate the holidays early with The Imported Comedy Show’s Hanukkah Special. 7pm saturday, 12/14. $8. 1050 20th St., Suite 130.

on sTaGe Auburn stAte tHeAtre: The Amazing Bubble Man. Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences around the world for decades and with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. 3pm saturday, 12/14. $9-$20. 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

CAPitAl stAGe: The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. Catch the greatest Christmas story ever told that revolves around the servants at Pemberley, review on page 32. through 12/29. $25-$49. 2215 J St.

Crest tHeAtre: Broadway Holiday Princess Party. Have you ever wanted to be a princess? Well, come watch some sing some songs. 7:30pm Friday through 12/13. $29.50$69.50. Murray The Magician. The YouTube

Thursday, 12/12 ArtMix Futuristic CroCker Art MuseuM, 6pM, $10-$20

In case you were wondering when the future was going to arrive, the answer is Thursday night at 6 p.m. at MuseuMs the Crocker. At least, that’s when the museum’s ArtMix series will present Futuristic, an evening of new sounds and sights that will delight and potentially frighten you. Sac Dance Lab will perform, as will Obsidian Butterfly, and Bells Atlas will provide the soundtrack. Dress as someone from the future and be ready for the new world that awaits you at the museum. 216 O St., crockerart.org.

PhoTo By Joshua sorTino

Sunday, 12/15

All About Sandhill Cranes EffiE YEaw NaturE CENtEr, 7pm, $20-$25

How much do you know about sandhill cranes, a species of crane that makes a home in the Delta during the winter?

If you’re like most SN&R Calendar editors, the answer is ClASSeS likely “not a whole lot, but I’d like to learn more.” Join crane biologist Paul Tebbel for more than four decades of crane experience distilled into some helpful facts about the birds, their young and the best way to appreciate their annual sojourn in the area. 2850 San Lorenzo Way, sacnaturecenter.com.

magician takes his tricks off the screen and onto the stage. 7:30pm Saturday, 12/14. $30$40. 1013 K St.

GReeN VAlleY THeATRe COMPANY: The Vertefée Cabaret. Green Valley Theatre Company has revived the time-honored tradition of cabaret for the holidays. Through 12/14. $20. 1520 Terminal St., West Sacramento.

PHOTO By LILLIan GRaCE

works exhibition featuring a variety of media. Through 12/31. No cover. 915 20th St.

WASHINGTON NeIGHBORHOOD CeNTeR: City Collective Art Show. Come out and join the Washington Neighborhood Center for a huge collection of all kinds of art, food, drinks and music. 6pm Saturday, 12/14. No cover. 400 16th St.

HARRIS CeNTeR: Ballet Folklorico de Sacramento. Catch Sacramento’s premier folk dance company in Folsom. 8pm Friday, 12/13. $32-$47. 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.

MeMORIAl AUDITORIUM: Sacramento Ballet presents The Nutcracker. Potentially the most beloved of all Sacramento traditions, The Nutcracker is back again for yet another year of cracking good ballet. Through 12/22. $25-$97. 1515 J St.

SACRAMeNTO CITY COlleGe: Alice in Wonderland A British Panto. Sacramento City College professor Christine Nicholson has written this family-friendly play specifically for Sacramento. Through 12/15. $10-$18. 3833 Freeport Blvd.

SACRAMeNTO THeATRe: A Christmas Carol. This audience-favorite adaptation of Charles Dickens’ time-honored tale returns to the STC stages. Through 12/29. $45. 1419 H St.

WIllIAM J. GeeRY THeATeR: Swing of the Sea by Molly Hagan. Produced by new team Loose Thread Productions, Molly Hagan’s Swing of the Sea paints a beautifully poetic ode to the frustration and angst of puberty while also tackling a type of grief usually reserved for adults. Through 12/15. $15. 2130 L St.

aRT AXIS GAlleRY: The Resistant Gesture. Group exhibition, The Resistant Gesture, curator Tavarus Blackmon, brings together an interdisciplinary immersive installation. Through 12/22. No cover. 625 S St., Sacramento CA.

BROAD ROOM: Broad Spectrum 2019. You’re invited to Broad Room’s first annual year end art show, curated by Ashton Bohm and includes 24 artists’ work. 6pm. Through 12/14.

No cover. 1409 Del Paso Blvd.

TIM COllOM GAlleRY: Wrap It Up. Tim Collom Gallery presents its 7th annual small

MuSEuMS CROCKeR ART MUSeUM: ArtMix Futuristic. Join Crocker Art Museum for a futuristic ArtMix filled with the sounds of Bells Atlas and a dance of lights by Obsidian Butterfly. 6pm.

Through 12/12. $10-$20. 216 O St.

SPORTS & OuTdOORS SaTuRday, 12/14 JINGle Bell RUN: The Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run is the original festive race for charity. Strut your stuff in your favorite holiday costume and feel good doing good. 7:30am, $35. Crocker Park, 211 O St.

Sunday, 12/15 UNSIleNT NIGHT 2019: Join the 5th annual Unsilent Night in Sacramento, Phil Kline’s free, outdoor participatory sound sculpture. 6pm, no cover. Fremont Park, 1515 Q St.

TaKE aCTIOn SaTuRday, 12/14 POZOle DINNeR FUNDRAISeR: NorCal Resist invites you to its Second Annual Pozole Dinner Fundraiser. 6pm, $20. Maple Elementary.

TuESday, 12/17 INTeRNATIONAl DAY TO eND VIOleNCe AGAINST SeX WORKeRS: The Sex Workers Outeach Project, Sacramento presents this potluck dinner, march, and vigil to remember the

12.12.19 | SN&R | 35

THURSDAY 12/12 ARMADILLO MUSIC

207 F ST., DAVIS, (530) 758-8058

BADLANDS

2003 K ST., (916) 448-8790

Poprockz 90s Night, 10pm, no cover

FRIDAY 12/13

SATURDAY 12/14

SUNDAY 12/15

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 12/16-18

Dave Nachmanoff, 8pm, no cover

Numb Mouth, 8pm, no cover

Sissy Brown, 2pm, no cover

Learning Stages, 7pm, M, no cover

Industry Sundays, 9pm, no cover

After Hours with Apple, 9pm, M, no cover; Trapicana, 11pm, W, no cover

Liquid Therapy, 5:30pm, no cover; Fierce Spectacular Saturdays, 6pm, call for Fridays, 7pm, call for cover cover

BAR 101

Old Roseville’s Santa Pub Crawl, 5pm, $12-$45

101 MAIN ST., ROSEVILLE, (916) 774-0505

BLUE LAMP

Omni, Ghostplay and Grave Lake, 8pm, call for cover

1400 ALHAMBRA BLVD., (916) 455-3400

THE BOARDWALK

9426 GREENBACK LN., ORANGEVALE, (916) 358-9116

Dead Crown, Avoid, Whitewolf and more, 6:30pm, $10-$15

Illenium

1500 K ST., (916) 444-3633

7pm Thursday, $47.14 Golden 1 Center EDM

CREST THEATRE

Pulp Fiction, 7pm, $10-$22

DRAKE’S: THE BARN

S’mores & Stouts, 5pm, call for cover

1013 K ST., (916) 476-3356 985 RIVERFRONT ST., WEST SAC, (510) 423-0971

FACES

2000 K ST., (916) 448-7798

FOX & GOOSE

Trivia Tuesday, 7pm, T, no cover

Capitol Fridays, 10pm, no cover before 10:30pm

Dinner and a Drag Show, 7:30pm, $5-$25

Geeks Who Drink, 8:30pm, W, no cover

Broadway Holiday Princess Party, 6:30pm, $29.50-$69.50

Murray the Magician, 6:30pm, $30-$40

The Night Before Christmas, 4pm & 6pm, $10-$22

Crafts & Drafts, 12pm, call for cover

Brewer v Distiller, 5:30pm, call for cover

Absolut Fridays, 9pm, call for cover

Sequin Saturdays, 9:30pm, call for cover

Sunday Funday, 3pm, no cover

According to Bazooka and The O’Mally Sisters, 9pm, $5

1001 R ST., (916) 443-8825

Steve and Laurali’s Christmas Party, 8pm, no cover

Teo, Beane & Crow and John Denecochea, 9pm, $5

GOLDEN 1 CENTER

Illenium, 7pm, $47.14

Knicks vs. Kings, 5:30pm, $15-$198

500 DAVID J STERN WALK, (888) 915-4647

GOLDFIELD TRADING POST 1630 J ST., (916) 476-5076

The Expendables, Riotmaker and Island of Black and White, 7:30pm, $22

The White Buffalo, Chuck Ragan and Sim Williams, 3pm & 6:30pm, $25

HALFTIME BAR & GRILL

Paint Nite, 6:30pm, call for cover

Bad Santa/Naughty Elf/Ugly Sweater Party, 8pm, $7

5681 LONETREE BLVD., ROCKLIN, (916) 626-3600

HARLOW’S PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHITE BUFFALO

Piper’s Folly, 9pm, call for cover

300 LINCOLN ST., ROSEVILLE, (916) 797-3665

CAPITOL GARAGE

Ben & Spanky’s Party, 8pm, call for cover

The Fall of Troy, Strawberry Girls, Sufferer and more, 6:30pm, $22

THE BOXING DONKEY PHOTO COURTESY OF NAINOA LANGER

2708 J ST., (916) 441-4693

Zepparella (Led Zeppelin Tribute), 7pm, $20-$25

Open-Mic Night, 7:30pm, W, call for cover

Nikki Hill, 6pm, $25; Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, 10pm, $0-$10

A Night of R&B with Charitte and Michel’le, 8pm, $25-$30

with Chuck Ragan 3pm & 6:30pm Saturday, $25 Goldfield Trading Post Country

Open-Mic Night, 7:30pm, M, no cover; Pub Quiz, 7pm, T, no cover

Let’s Get Quizzical, 7pm, T, no cover; Cornhole, 6pm, W, $10 The Darling Clementines: Gotham Girls, 6pm, $15-$20

Shitshow Karaoke, 8pm, M, no cover; Twisted Trivia, 8pm, W, no cover

2565 FRANKLIN BLVD., (916) 455-1331

HIGHWATER

1910 Q ST., (916) 706-2465

HOLY DIVER

Rittz, Dizzy Wright, Ekoh and more, 7pm, $23

Vibe with Basi Vibe, 6pm, no cover

Night Swim with Joseph One, 7pm, call for cover

Trivia Factory, 4pm, T, call for cover; Geeks Who Drink, 4pm, W, call for cover

Authority Zero, Knocked Down, Black Crosses and more, 7pm, $12

Pete Yorn and Rain Phoenix, 7pm, $35-$285

Local $5 Showcase, 6:30pm, T, $5; Local $5 Showcase, 6:30pm, W, $5

get more, spend less.

snrsweetdeals.newsreview.com

1517 21ST ST.

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SN&R

Every Damn Monday, 8pm, M, no cover

HIDEAWAY BAR & GRILL

The White Buffalo

36

Love Actually, 7:30pm, T, $10-$22; Blind Boys of Alabama, 6:30pm, W, $40-$75

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12.12.19

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Triviology 101, 7:30pm, no cover

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Antoine Vinny and The Good News Club, 8pm, $5

The Comedians, It Looks Like a Black Hole and Vasas, 8:30pm, $8

Full Metal Hippies, Anarchy Lace and Banger, 8:30pm, $8

Press Play, 9:30pm, $10-$15

Bay Company, 9:30pm, $10-$15

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Golden Bough: A Celtic Christmas, 7pm, $12-$26

Lucy Kaplanski, 7:30pm, $12-$29

placerville public House

Christopher Gene, 8pm, call for cover

Frankie and the Defenders, 8pm, call for cover

Metalachi, 10:30pm, call for cover

Frankie Hannon, 10pm, call for cover

Shana Morrison, 3pm, call for cover; Industry Night, 6pm, call for cover

Karaoke, 8:30pm, T, call for cover; 98 Rock Local Licks, 9pm, W, call for cover

Pop 40 Dance with DJ Larry, 9pm, $5

DJ Larry’s Sunday Night Dance Party, 9pm, no cover

Night School, 9pm, T, no cover; Emo Night, 8pm, W, call for cover

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Live Music with Heath Williamson, 5:30pm, M, no cover

A Night with Buddy Wakefield, 7pm, $10-$13

Monica Pasqual, 6pm, $35

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Charlie Hunter and Lucy Woodward, 7pm, $20-$25

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Boot Juice, 6:30pm, M, $10-$12; Quiqué Gomez, 5:30pm, W, $18

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West Coast Swing, 7pm, $5

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For more cannabis news, deals & updates, visit capitalcannabisguide.com.

PHOTO BY KEN MAGRI

These zucchini bread loaves make great gifts for those who enjoy a little THC with their sweets.

Nana’s zucchini bread, slightly elevated Winter coziness with THC and a pat of butter

BY KEN MAGRI

It’s a cold, rainy morning. The cats want to go outside, but quickly retreat into the house once their paws feel the temperature. The coffee maker gurgles as I place two slices of Nana’s zucchini bread into the toaster oven to warm.

Ding! chimes the timer as news headlines echo from the television.

I open the portable oven’s door to a familiar aroma that creates a sense of nostalgia. Butter pats melt before I can spread them across each slice of bread.

When the coffee is ready, the cats want to cuddle, my favorite program is on and the day is open—that’s what eating Nana’s zucchini bread feels like.

And by adding a little THC to her recipe, I’ve elevated the winter coziness.

Although she called it bread, it more closely resembles the sweetness and texture of unfrosted carrot cake. But, oh, what a unique taste the zucchini creates.

It’s the kind of comfort food that is gobbled up quickly and then everyone wonders where it all went.

Nana is the late grandmother of my wife, Teresa. As a child, Teresa baked cookies and cakes alongside her beloved Nana for the annual Christmas day feast.

“We would make ranger cookies with cornflakes, and tassies [walnut tartlets] and buckeyes [peanut butter dipped in fudge], and of course, zucchini bread,” she said. “Nana would make a loaf for everyone in the family. She also made a bunch to freeze.”

Because Nana’s bread was most often eaten in the weeks following Christmas, it became the family’s favorite wintertime comfort.

When Teresa was an adult, Nana let her write down the original recipe, scribbled on two index cards and framed and hanging on our kitchen wall. Over

the years, Teresa has carried on the tradition of baking during December.

In a daylong performance, she hauls the big stand mixer across the kitchen and begins preparations. My job is to buy groceries, grate zucchinis and wash cookware between batches.

Then the lobbying begins.

“Can you make a loaf for the letter carrier?” “What about a few loaves just to freeze?” I ask.

She always says yes.

On one occasion, Teresa was procrastinating. When I offered to bake a batch, she cautioned that I didn’t know the secret ingredients “that aren’t in Nana’s recipe.” I said that it wouldn’t be Nana’s recipe with secret ingredients.

“Mine’s better,” Teresa answered.

But Teresa recently relented and let me bake, after she saw the framed recipe laying on the counter and me grating zucchinis for a THC-infused batch.

“The secret ingredients are an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract and a little maple flavoring,” she said.

Knowing I hate maple flavor, she reassured me that it wouldn’t be noticeable. But when she said to add nutmeg, I protested.

To include THC, I used 1 gram of liveresin concentrate from the Monterey Kush Company. Concentrates leave no detectable cannabis smell or taste. Preheating the oven to 200 F, I cooked the live resin for a half hour. This crucial process, called decarboxylating, boils off inert ingredients while activating the THC. Heating also allows the concentrate to blend in evenly with warmed cooking oil.

My tray of a dozen tiny zucchini bread loaves turned out great, except I had to shorten the baking time. Perhaps there was too much concentrate as well.

These loaves were hella potent.

I want to caution readers trying the THC option: Everybody reacts

differently to edible cannabis, which can take as long as two hours to kick in.

There is absolutely no comfort in overdosing family or friends, so the baker should sample every batch before offering it to others. For those who want to make a straight batch alongside a loaded one, one way to distinguish them is by adding chopped walnuts to one batch.

Nana’s zucchini bread 3 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup cooking oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups grated raw zucchini 3 cups flour 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Teresa’s version: 1/2 teaspoon more vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon maple extract 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Ken’s version: Add 1 gram of cannabis concentrate, or a 1/2 gram for less potency.

Instructions: Beat eggs in mixing bowl until foamy.

Add in sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, zucchini and flour. Mix well at high speed. Pour into well-greased 9-by-5inch loaf pans, and bake at 350 F for 90 minutes. Reduce baking times for smaller loaf pans. □

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BY NGAIO BEALUM

as k 420 @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

Like more money with your weed? See online-only discounts at: capitalcannabisguide.com.

Nerd it up, stoner Hey yourself. Happy Holidaze.

Let’s start with the obvious: Weed is always a good gift. Spice it up though. Give a subscription box from a company such as MonthLeaf (monthleaf.com) or Lucky Box Club (luckyboxclub.com), and they will be well stocked and hella stoked. Ask your local dispensary if you can buy a gift card.

If your stoner friend is the sort of person that likes table games, Weed The Game from the Stoner Brothers is fun. If you can find a vintage copy of Dealer McDope from counterculture legends Last Gasp Press (creators of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers), the Boomer Stoner in your life will love you forever. Also, Lords of Cannabis is a great game. It’s like Settlers of Cataan, but with weed. Nerd it up, stoner.

Does your friend like books?

Longtime activist fighter Ed Rosenthal is also a prolific author.

Check his website for strain guides, how-to manuals and cookbooks.

Speaking of cookbooks, world-class cannabis chef Andrea Drummer (seen on Netflix’s Cooking on High and the executive chef at L.A.’s Cannabis Cafe) just published a book called Cannabis Cuisine: Bud Pairings of a Born Again Chef. Get two copies because you are gonna want to keep one for yourself.

Maybe your stoner friend is a gearhead. Zam grinders (@Zamgrinder on Insta) are efficient and easy to use. Chameleon Glass (chameleonglass.com) pays their blowers a living wage and they make cool pipes and bongs. The dabhead in your life could probably use a new silicon mat and some dab tools.

Your homie who has a few plants in the backyard most likely needs a drying rack and maybe a bubble hash-making kit. Bubblebag Dude (bubblebagdude.co) has a variety of well-made kits.

Listen, you don’t even have to give your stoner friends a cannabisthemed gift.

Maybe you can give them snacks, or tickets to Star Wars, or even just the simple gift of time.

Stoners love to hang out with their friends, especially when it’s cold outside.

Have a good season.

I’m curious about purchasing seeds online. Is there a safe (legal) way? Where does one get seeds? Thanks!

It is illegal to ship seeds through the U.S. mail. Weed is still federally illegal. The odds of getting busted are low, but it could happen. Since this is California, you can buy seeds at your local dispensary, and I’m pretty sure you can get seeds delivered as well.

I know that the I Heart Cannabis delivery service will deliver seeds all over NorCal. Check out Leafly and Weedmaps for a delivery service in your area. Enjoy your time in the garden. □

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

ASK JOEY

FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 12, 2019

Tinder shame

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Nobody knows really

BY JOEY GARCIA

@AskJoeyGarcia

Don’t want to look back with 20/20 Scrolling through Tinder, I see this hot girl and realize that it’s my coworker’s hindsight, kicking yourself for hooking up 18-year-old sister, who I know for a with a coworker’s kid sister, a connection fact is a high school senior. Like WTF?! you feel compelled to hide? End it now. For So I swipe right and ask if it’s her. We your sake, and hers. start flirting and it’s on. She asks when I’m single and it sucks. Everyone worth I’m going to ask her out. I invite her to being with got married in their 20s. Dating my apartment because obviously we apps are a joke. Why is dating so broken? can’t go out. She comes over and she’s Dating has always been challenging. really into me. Bottom line: We hook In prior generations, people primarily up. And that’s what we’ve been doing heard about love, sex and heartbreak ever since. Now I’m a 28-year-old loser from a close-knit circle of friends. Their because I’m dating an 18-year-old girl perspective was limited. Now with more and can’t tell anyone. Any advice about ways to connect, we’re inundated with how to handle this? everyone’s struggles. Gender Be honest about the rush you get dynamics are also in flux. from this secret. It’s clearly While that’s a good thing, addictive, potentially it sparks confusion: destructive and the kind Most 18-year-olds Who should initiate of thing most people the date? Pay the look back on with would think you’re old bill? Is being regret. Why not stop and therefore gross, exclusive still cool? while you’re ahead? far too gross to hook up Another issue: At 18, this girl People don’t speak is of legal age to with. You must have up about what they use the app. But as considered this. want or where their a high school senior, boundaries are. They she might be hooking up think attraction is magic with you for reasons you’re and a true love would already not prepared to admit. Most know how to please them. It’s crazy, 18-year-olds would think you’re old but rather than diss dating, think of it as and therefore gross, far too gross to hook an activity to practice, like snowboarding up with. or public speaking. Have fun, get to know You must have considered this. If she’s yourself and build your love expertise. □ not acting out in rebellion against her parents or culture, she might be exhibiting early signs of a mental health condition.

If not, then she’s one of the extremely MEDITATION OF THE WEEK rare 18-year-old high school students who mature early, have no patience for the “We are what we pretend immature antics of peers and feels ready to to be, so we must be careful explore her sexuality. However, 18-year-old about what we pretend to be,” girls who fall into that category aren’t said novelist Kurt Vonnegut. sneaking around. Although their parents Don’t fake it, ’til you make it. Be may not like it, these teens are very direct the person no one else can be. and honest about who they are and what they’re doing. They’re usually also in therapy.

The fact that you’re hiding this relationship is significant. At some level, Write, email or leave a message for Joey at the News & Review. Give you know you should not be hooking your name, telephone number up with an 18-year-old but refuse to stop (for verification purposes only) and question—all yourself. The shame creeping along the correspondence will be kept strictly confidential. edges of your conscience will flood it soon, Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento, CA if it hasn’t happened already. When it does, 95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 1360; or email expect your life to implode. askjoey@newsreview.com.

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BY ROB BREZSNY

what they’re doing,” says Aries comedian Conan O’Brien. “And there are two ways to go with that information,” he continues. “One is to be afraid, and the other is to be liberated, and I choose to be liberated by it.” I hope you’ll be inspired by O’Brien’s example in the coming weeks. I suspect that if you shed your worries about the uncertainty you feel, you’ll trigger an influx of genius. Declaring your relaxed independence from the temptation to be a know-it-all will bless you with expansive new perspectives and freedom to move.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Creativity expert Roger von Oech tells us, “Everyone has a ‘risk muscle.’ You keep it in shape by trying new things. If you don’t, it atrophies. Make a point of using it at least once a day.” Here’s what I’ll add to his advice. If your risk muscle is flabby right now, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to whip it into better shape. Start with small, modest risks, and gradually work your way up to bigger and braver ones. And what should you do if your risk muscle is already well-toned? Dream and scheme about embarking on a major, long-term venture that is the robust embodiment of a smart gamble.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Many people engage in laughably feeble attempts to appear witty by being cynical—as if by exuding sardonic irony and sneering pessimism they could prove their mettle as brilliant observers of modern culture. An example is this lame wisecrack from humorist David Sedaris: “If you’re looking for sympathy you’ll find it between shit and syphilis in the dictionary.” I bring this to your attention in the hope of coaxing you to avoid indulging in gratuitous pessimism during the coming weeks. For the sake of your good health, it’s important for you to be as open-minded and generous-spirited as possible. And besides that, pessimism will be unwarranted.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “You can shop online and find whatever you’re looking for,” writes pundit Paul Krugman, “but bookstores are where you find what you weren’t looking for.”

That’s a good principle to apply in every area of your life. It’s always smart to know exactly what you need and want, but sometimes—like now—it’s important that you put yourself in position to encounter what you need and want but don’t realize that you need and want.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Bachianas Brasileiras” is a nine-part piece of music that blends Brazilian folk music with the compositional style of Johann Sebastian Bach. The poet Anne Sexton relied on it, letting it re-play ceaselessly during her long writing sessions. My painter friend Robin sometimes follows a similar method with Leonard Cohen’s album Ten New Songs, allowing it to cycle for hours as she works on her latest masterpiece. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to select a new theme song or collection of theme songs to inspire your intense efforts on behalf of your labors of love in the coming weeks. It’s a favorable time to explore the generative power of joyous, lyrical obsession.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “I’ve spent my life butting my head against other people’s lack of imagination,” mourned Virgo musician Nick Cave, who’s renowned for his original approach to his craft. I’m bringing this to your attention because I suspect you will be endowed with an extra fertile imagination in the coming weeks. And I would hate for you to waste time and energy trying to make full use of it in the presence of influences that would resist and discourage you. Therefore, I’ll cheer you on as you seek out people and situations that enhance your freedom to express your imagination in its expansive glory.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A scholar counted up how often the Bible delivers the command “Fear not!” and “Don’t be afraid!” and similar advice. The number was 145. I don’t think that approach to regulating behavior works very

well. To be constantly thinking about what you’re not supposed to do and say and think about tends to strengthen and reinforce what you’re not supposed to do and say and think about. I prefer author Elizabeth Gilbert’s strategy. She writes, “I don’t try to kill off my fear. I make all that space for it. Heaps of space. I allow my fear to live and breathe and stretch out its legs comfortably. It seems to me the less I fight my fear, the less it fights back.” That’s the method I recommend for you, Libra—especially in the coming weeks.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Isaac Newton (1642-1726) was one of history’s most influential scientists and a key contributor to physics, astronomy, mathematics and optics.

His mastery of the nuances of human relationships was less developed, however. He had one close friendship with a Swiss mathematician, though he broke it off abruptly after four years. And his biographers agree that he never had sex with another person. What I find most curious, however, is the fact that he refused to even meet the brilliant French philosopher Voltaire, who reached out to him and asked to get together. I trust you won’t do anything like that in the coming weeks. In fact, I urge you to be extra receptive to making new acquaintances, accepting invitations and expanding your circle of influence.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): How did humans figure out that a luxurious fabric could be made from the cocoons of insect larvae? Ancient Chinese sage Confucius told the following story. One day in 2460 B.C., 14-year-old Chinese princess Xi Ling Shi was sitting under a mulberry tree sipping tea. A silk worm’s cocoon fell off a branch and landed in her drink.

She was curious, not bothered. She unrolled the delicate structure and got the idea of using the threads to weave a fabric. The rest is history. I foresee a silk-worm’s-cocoon-fallingin-your-cup-of-tea type of event in your future.

Be alert for it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “It is the soul’s duty to be loyal to its own desires,” wrote Capricorn author Rebecca West. “It must abandon itself to its master passion.” That’s a high standard to live up to! But then you have substantial potential to do just that: Become the champions of devoting practical commitment to righteous causes. With that in mind, I’ll ask you: How are you doing in your work to embody the ideal that West articulated? Is your soul loyal to its deepest desires? Has it abandoned itself to its master passion? Take inventory—and make any corrections, if necessary.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I would never try to talk you into downplaying or denying your suffering. I would never try to convince you that the pain you have experienced is mild or tolerable or eminently manageable. Who among us has the wisdom to judge the severity or intractability of anyone else’s afflictions?

Not I. But in the coming months, I will ask you to consider the possibility that you have the power—perhaps more than you realize—to diminish your primal aches and angst. I will encourage you to dream of healing yourself in ways that you have previously imagined to be impossible.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “You owe it to us all to get on with what you’re good at,” wrote Piscean poet W. H. Auden. In other words, you have a responsibility to develop your potential and figure out how to offer your best gifts.

It’s not just a selfish act for you to fulfill your promise; it’s a generous act of service to your fellow humans. So how are you doing with that assignment, Pisces? According to my analysis, you should be right in the middle of raising your efforts to a higher octave; you should be discovering the key to activating the next phase of your success—which also happens to be the next phase of your ability to bestow blessings on others.

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For the Persephone: Juice of 1 lime 1/4 cup lavender crystals 2 ounces mango elixir 2 ounces pomegranate juice 2 ounces simple syrup 9 ounces soda water Ice PreParatIon Make the lavender sugar crystals: 1. In a food processor, process the lavender and sugar until fully combined, about 1 minute—the mixture will look like a fine powder.

DO AHEAD: Lavender crystals can be prepared in advance and stored, in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.

Make the mango elixir: 1. In a small saucepan, bring the mango juice and distilled or tap water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Mango elixir can be prepared in advance and refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

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Make the Persephone: 1. Pour the lime juice onto a small plate and spread the lavender crystals on a second small plate. Dip the rim of a 12-ounce glass into the lime juice, then dip it into the lavender crystals to lightly coat. Repeat with a second 12-ounce glass.

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