Tuesday, October 31, 2006

yay-DVS

Wow, Breton really let the Maloofs have it in this column, but at this point, could any sane person disagree?

Let's talk for a minute about KDVS. It is such a great community resource and such a gathering place for people who are instrumental in the Sac/Davis musical world (note: I didn't say scene). I don't listen nearly as much as I should, but I frequently go to shows that are organized by people who are either directly involved with KDVS now or were in the past. And of course you can stream past shows if you can't get the signal or can't listen at the time. Soriano has a show, Larry has a show, This Week in Science is always funny and informative, Cool As Folk plays some great stuff and always has interesting guests., Brendan has an eclectic show (look, the Megacools!) and books rad shows at the Delta of Venus, the young firebrand Heather Klinger has a show and there's more! Also, the KDVS record swap is this sunday at Fools from 9-3.

I got crabs at my house last night.


Stupid fucking blogger won't let me upload a picture of a crab. I'm angry this morning because of a few things but one is that people respond to fog on the causeway by driving like complete fucking maniacs. Do most people besides me think they are immortal, or at least very, very difficult to kill? Why don't people understand that speeding only gets you there a few seconds earlier?

Anyways, the good news is it's crab season! They are 3.99 a pound at sunh fish on broadway right now and they are delicious.

Hey, whaddya know, now I was able to upload the blurry picture of a crab clasping his mortal enemies, lemon and butter, to his armored bosom (if a crab has a bosom). He must have heard those wise lines that Benjamin Franklin penned so long ago (like in the 1600s or something) "I keep my friends close, but my condiments closer."

New Midtown Monthly out tomorrow, get it....well, I can't find it anywhere either but I've heard if you go to the editor's house he has a coupla copies. JK, you can get it at Tower Theater and Temple coffee, I think. I don't know who's on the cover either, but I know that Gbomb gets a makeover within the pages. My next article for the December midtown monthly will be late night eating, so tonight after midnight I am heading to Yummy Guide down on Freeport with Smiller and the Armeniac.

For you New Yorkers out there, if I lived there I would go see this exhibit. I am bummed that there doesn't seem to be a poster related to this exhibition as I would give my left nut to have a print of the painting on the webpage.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Lynette "dont' call me Squeaky" Fromme


The Heritage Party 2: Try Burning This One Asshole was a blast. I ended up going home without my shoes, my coat, or my borrowed flask, and with a ripped dress and beer-soaked socks. Now that's a party! Is anyone going to post pictures but please God none of me. In case you saw and didn't know what the hell I was supposed to be because I didn't really feel like being in character, I was supposed to be Squeaky Fromme (on the left) and if you don't know who she is you need to learn your Sac history. The big highlight for me was the old-fashioned sock hop because I never knew how fun it is to spazz out to the Georgia Peach. Also, the appearance by Cat Stevens/Optimus Prime was amazing.

Other than that I would like to tell you that the roast beef at Sampino's market (which they roast there daily) is the best roast beef I've ever had. Either go there and get a sandwich or just buy some and make it at home. I didn't even think I liked roast beef before I tried this. It's tender and rare, and so is my love for it.

Friday, October 27, 2006

fine, I'll just link it

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5fEEzZbvV8o

This video rules!

No comments:

Tip from the Armeniac

Cindy Sheehan joins a war protest across from the Tower today.

No one has commented so...


Trying to look clever in Modesto, CA during the late 1970's
Originally uploaded by Michael Kollwitz.

I'm posting more awesome photos of this guy and his stick. He rules!

TGIF

Tonight there is a Shiny Objects screening of the horror movie Hellbent. It's at Fools, it's five bucks, and it starts at seven, as usual. Tower opens that documentary about the molesting priest that looks pretty horrifying, keeps the Last King of Scotland, which I still hope to see, and opens that movie the Death of the President which looks like some sort of crap exploitation film. Viva Pedro at the Crest has an early showing of Law of Desire and and 8 oclock of Matador, in which Banderas is at his maximum of fineness and that's all I remember about it. There was supposed to be a noise show at the DAM house in Davis tonight so monumental that there was a rumor that Thurston Moore was flying out, but the supergroup that was going to form cancelled but there is still a show and Halloween party there tonight. And saturday? Hmm...well nothing that I know of. I'll probably just sit at home thinking about what America means to me and listening to Toby Keith records.

Sunday is the roaring return of the Kabinet. Get the details on that post below cuz J. hasn't updated the website yet.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Yes, I am bored today


Hmmm...if I only had two more hands I could play even BIGGER chords!- circa early 1980's
Originally uploaded by Michael Kollwitz.

This guy (who I found searching flickr for sac photos) is a Sacramento musician who plays the Chapman stick! Scroll through all his photos he has some rad ones from throughout the years.

Nilsson



Not much to post but I guess I won't let that stop me. I'd like to publicly declare that I'm finally pretty close to finishing my Nilsson Smashing Times. I'm declaring this to force myself to actually finish it because I know an excited flood of requests is going to come...flooding in. I need to write the liner notes. I am listening to him sing "One" right now. Some of you may not know that he wrote this song that Three Dog Night made popular (most of you probably do). He has a less bombastic and better version. More exciting for me is that Scott is working on a Pale Fountains Smashing Times which is really great.

In local news, more arena boners emerge, and David Stern coined (or amalgated?) a new word "quasi-optimistic" which made me laugh in line at Peets. And Scheide has an informative article on the railyards quasi-mess.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

sausage

I think the blog may go down at two, so be prepared. Coincidentally, I may go down at six or so, depending.

Speaking of fra'mani (in the comments of the other post), I think I'll stop by Tucos in Davis on my way home and pick up a couple, they are really sublime. Here's a list of places that carry their products, although it doesn't list Cortis, which has their salami. EC picked some up and it was surprisingly mediocre, despite an icky claim on the package to be like handrubbed with Italian penicillin or something.

Has anyone been to Carol's in West Sac? What's it next to? Seems like I should have heard of it before.

Sooo....sacrag is reporting that supposedly the Maloofs walked away from the arena deal again, but that hasn't been confirmed yet, at least not in the Bee. I think it's rad the way the arena opposition has gotten so much attention despite their lack of funding. Scroll down for a picture (which I can't post) of the very attractive Norma Barajas speaking out about her family's restaurant being run out of town on a rail by fatcats. And it seems like a done deal that Joe Sun is next.
RIP Earl of Sandwich
RIP Texas Mexican
RIP Joe Sun
RIP Records on K?

musselman in hot water

I liked this new column from Marcus Breton, because even though it's overblown (as all sports columns are), I thought that this article about the Kings standing behind Musselman was a real puff piece. And I don't want to gloat at all, because it will suck for the Kings if he gets suspended, but if you try to extrapolate the details of the incident, Musselman was driving his gleaming new Mercedes downtown and cut someone off. Now how often do you see someone ina a flashy car or a Hummer or something driving like an asshole in sac on a friday night and you WISH there was a cop there to bust them but there never is. Well this time there was and he got what he deserved! So I guess it does happen.

something cool from J. Greenberg

this is right up some of your alleys:

Hi folks,
I try hard not to let my various endeavors overlap. But tomorrow
night, Wednesday at 7pm, KVIE will air a program that I produced, and
that I'm very proud of. If you have an interest in Sacramento History
-- particularly the strange stuff that doesn't make it into the history
books -- then I hope you'll tune in to Channel 6 for HIDDEN HISTORY...
In this program, hosted by comedian Jack Gallagher, we visit sites like
the Old City Cemetery and the Sacramento Archives to unearth strange
tales of Sacramento history. Things like...an airship hovering over
the Capitol dome seven years before the Wright Brothers made their
famous flight. Or an amateur filmmakers' club that saved the American
River Parkway...
I'd be eternally grateful if you tune in tomorrow (Wednesday) night at
7pm...and even more in your debt if you'd e-mail me and let me know
what you thought of the show. We're hoping to produce more of these
programs under the same banner, and viewer feedback woudl go a long way
toward helping that cause...
Take care,
J.

Another cool thing is that Sampino's Towne foods on 16th and F already seems to be more successful than the owner had hoped. Smiller went by there yesterday and the guy was stoked that he had made 178 sandwiches yesterday! He sole us some excellent cod and gave smiller half a chicken for free! It makes me happy to see a new, independent business prosper right off the bat.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Boneriffic

Shortbus was good. I'd recommend it. It was a trip to see orgy scenes set to Animal Collective songs. I mean, that's usually what I'm picturing when I'm listening to it but I didn't know anyone else was. The shocking thing about Shortbus is how it's completely not shocking it is to see real sex on screen. I wish I could live to see the day when most people (and the ratings board) stop tripping on boners (which is a good way to hurt yourself) and when sex scenes can just be integrated into a movie in a way that's more like real life. Stupid Janet and her stupid nipple slip means we're farther away from that than we have been since the sixties unfortunately. Tonight and thursday at eight oclock are the only showings of Talk To Her at the Crest. Tomorrow is the Flower of my Secret.

I tried a new restaurant with GW last night. It's-surprise-a sushi place. It's called Sakura Teppan grill and it's on J between 8th and 9th (or 7th and 8th-can't remember). It's across the street from those brand new luxury lofts. Who the fuck is going to live in those places? I was looking at the floor plans and they just look like apartments to me. I don't understand what makes them "lofts". I think the only thing loftlike is that the floor plan is slightly more open and that Nic Offer lives under the stairs. OK, the restaurant. It's hard to find something to say because it's the same as every other sushi restaurant in Sac. Except that they have lots of expensive grilled items (steak, seafood) that absolutely no one is ever going to order. The server was laughably inexperienced, but in a way that didn't really hurt our dining experience. The stuff on the menu has numbers next to it and she forced us to give her the numbers because she was clearly not familiar with any of the names of the food, even basic nigiri. One annoying thing is that we specifically ordered a big roll because of the types of fish it had on it and they sent out a roll that they might as well call the "whatever roll" because it wasn't very closely tied to the menu description and had a bunch of other stuff on it. Like "they won't care let's just put whatever on it". It's a slight big cheaper than most places, so it has that going for it.

So I spied this market in that horrible tiny strip mall in Alkali Flats next to 16th street the other day and I was curious. Smiller checked it out after I sent him this thing off Chowhound and he said it seems really cool. The guy that runs it is a seafood supplier for a bunch of fancy places and he says they are going to get quality fresh fish every day and that he roasts his own roast beef and stuff. One problem is right now he's planning on closing around five, which is a terrible idea for a market. Usually when I'm making dinner after work I do the shopping after work (obvs). Hope he extends his hours.

Monday, October 23, 2006

party report

That's right, I went to a party. Shocking, I know. And there's another party this weekend! The Heritage Party 2: These colors don't run. Anyway it was a birthday party for Ms. M. My first thought (and one of my last of the night) when I entered her apartment was "this chick has some nice stuff". Her apartment will make any thrifter jealous. And just when I was ogling all her dinnerware I spied the best thing of all, which was a picture of the young lass with a smiling (of course) Luis of Luis'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the best things I've ever seen. Other than that things are pretty blurry. There was a game going on in the kitchen with a world map where some geography dorks would turn their back to the map and someone would yell out a country and they'd have to find it. I didn't do too well at this game even though I was given my favorite country, Uzbekistan. It's right under Kasakhstan, so I should have been able to get it. G-bomb was sporting a very flattering makeover courtesy of Midtown Monthly (check the new issue on november 1st). I blurred my way home around midnight and woke up crying from the headache pain. Red wine: my worst enemy and best friend.

Other than that I took a thrifting trip to Stockton this weekend and totally scored! Thrifting there is so fun and you see about as many thrift stores as there are Starbucks in midtown. And Mexican restaurants everywhere! And Vietnamese and Korean ones, too. And it's not as far as you think.

p.s.-has anyone seen shortbus? is it worth going to?

The Kabinet is back!

Hi folks,
Well, our "summer sabbatical" lasted a bit longer than anticipated.
Thanks for your patience. We're well rested now, and eager to resume
our Sunday night screening series. We kick things off this coming
Sunday, October 29th with a special Halloween DOUBLE FEATURE!!!
First up is a film by a true master of cinema: Carl Theodor Dreyer,
best known for the wrenching and austere PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC. But
he followed that film with VAMPYR -- his first foray into sound cinema,
and a genuinely creepy, even disorienting, foray into the supernatural.
A young aristocrat wanders into a sparsely populated village where
time seems to have stood still...and ghosts and vampires hold such sway
that they traipse about even in brightest sunshine. The sketchy,
scratchy soundtrack only adds to the eerieness of the dreamy images;
picture a minor key 78rpm record playing over the film-within-a-film of
THE RING and you get a sense of VAMPYR's mystic power...
Next up is an even rarer flick: the first film directed by the son of
the brilliant and blasphemous Luis Bunuel. Jean-Louis definitely
shared some of his father's outre sensibilities -- but in RENDEZVOUS
AVEC LA MORT JOYEUSE (Rendezvous with Happy Death!) he employs those
talents to scare rather than shock his audiences. This film was
clearly the template for Spielberg/Hooper's POLTERGEIST; seriously,
Bunuel could have easily won a lawsuit... It's also one of Gerard
Depardieu's first screen appearances; all in all, a must-see film for
any fans of French film or horror cinema!
And please note: since we're doing a double feature this Sunday, the
screening will start at 7:00 PM! And depending on the mnood and the
weather, after the films are over, we might just do another installment
of "Ghosts of the Air": a shortwave seance...
Hope to see you there...
Take care,
J.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Kabinet presents a DOUBLE FEATURE...
Sunday, October 29th AT 7PM!
VAMPYR
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer (1930)
...and...
RENDEZVOUS DE LA MORT JOYEUSE
Directed by Jean-Louis Bunuel (1973)
@ HQ: Headquarters for the Arts
1719 25th Street (25th & R)
Midtown Sacramento
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Also, Viva Pedro continues at the Crest (the link has the schedule). Hopefully I'll be seeing one tonight, although I'm still sick!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

city council watch


I've had the flu the last coupla days. That picture you see are some tattoos that a couple of Chicago Bananas fans got recently! How cool is that? Personally, I'm saving up for a full-color banana on my lower back (and a tiny dolphin on my ankle).

While I was recuperating I have been reading the Magic Mountain (no, not the history of the amusement park), which is the perfect book to read when you're sick because it's about a guy in a TB sanitorium in the Alps. I also read the new New Yorker cover to cover (the media issue) and it is a corker, let me tell ya. The Mitford sisters (guphy, take note), an awesome article about Christopher Hitchens (where he declares the four most overrated things in life to be: lobsters, champagne, anal sex, and picnics-which made me laugh really hard). Buy it, it's the best issue in ages. Oh and I saw The Departed, which is Scorcese's best movie since Goodfellas (OK, I haven't seen the Age of Innocence). And possibly the best movie of the year behind Jackass 2 (JK).

Speaking of movies, it's very exciting that this friday the Almodovar fest starts at the Crest. I will be checking some of those movies out, using Dan's article as my guide. Looks like tomorrow All About My Mother is playing at 5:40 and Women on the Verge is at 8:00. Shortbus is starting tomorrow, too, and I don't have very high hopes but I will always take any chance to see a boner on the big screen.

Guess what the city has been sneaking around doing behind everyone's back? Everyone is so distracted by this arena debacle (oh yay the Maloofs have deigned to come back to the negotiating table) that the city was able to give eleven million bucks to a developer who is building a "lavish" (this just in: "lavish" in, "luxury" out-luxury is so 2005) hotel on 18 floors of one of the towers they are building. Why? Because of high construction costs and a "slumping housing market". You might ask what a slumping housing market has to do with a hotel and I wouldn't have an answer for you. You might also ask (wisely) if Sac needs many more hotels (they're already building that "boutique hotel" by Temple) and I would answer "probably not", but I'm not running things around here. Tucked into the last sentence is the note that with this money gone, there is now 12 mill left in the city redevelopment fund. So they just gave away half the fucking fund to some non-local major developer who already fucking started construction on the goddamn behemoth! Are you telling me they would have just shut construction down if the city didn't give them this handout? The city council voted unananimously on this. Other highlights from the article? The developer blaming hurricane Katrina and Rob Fong referring to them as the Twin Towers, which has a pretty ominous ring. This is a fucking joke, this developer is rich as fuck and everyone knows he did not really need this money. What's an 11 million dollar overrun on a 500 million dollar project?

Monday, October 16, 2006

boooring sorry

hmm..no new posts because although I had a very fun weekend, it mostly involved cooking and watching Caligula and who wants to hear about that? Cooking tip: if you are making cranberry sauce at home (it's fun! the berries explode!) put in some orange chunks, orange zest and chopped ginger. I know, you're snoring.

So I have been hearing about this market in ads on the radio and they make it sound like a new Denios. Has anyone been there? It's only been going for a couple weekends. I think it's really funny that a comment on the article is "get your damn kids off your commercials" because the Chevy dealer guy that started the market has annoying commercials that his kids are in.

A sac band is kinda making it big lately, I think I've mentioned them before, they're called Bright Light Fever. Listen to some songs here.

I'm going to see the U.S. vs. John Lennon tonight but no way will it be as good as Jackass 2. There were actually quite a few similarities between Caligula and Jackass 2 but I won't bore you further by going in to them here.

Friday, October 13, 2006

spaghetti factory article

OK, it's not the most interesting article every, but Jenny's mom is quoted in it!

totally wired


I am toooooo caffeinated this morning (thanks to some sort of special kind of espresso large cappucino from Temple that is blowing my mind). How do I know I have had too much caffeine? Because I am furiously making all sorts of hectic plans. Don't tell Miller cuz he doesn't know yet that we are going hiking tomorrow. And possibly butchering a goat and sewing our own pants. Shh, it's a secret. I have also been bidding on absurd things on ebay, including that cat pillow you see in the picture. I'll try to calm my jangling nerves.

I ate at Jamies Bar and Grill last night and it was top-notch. You can read the full story in next months midtown monthly (and hopefully it will have online content soon?). I'll just say this: second best burger in sac, GW gave her burger an 8 out of 10. I will be eating the much vaunted dim sum at New Canton today, also to be reviewed in the rag.

Don't forget that movie tonight at fools and the show! And go see Jackass 2 it's really funny and so is the Science of Sleep. I'd say the second half of the year is shaping up to be much much better for movies than the dismal first half.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

cameltoe contest hopes dashed again

When o when will some porn impresario organize a cameltoe contest so that I (well, my blog, not me personally) will stop being the number one hit for this internet search? There are hundreds of males who anxiously await this sexy fictional contest, mouses clutched in their sweaty fists. Who will quench their thirst to see female (or male, to each his own) genitalia oh so clearly outlined through pants, shorts and/or skorts? I pray it will happen soon.

If anyone is interested, here's a really good recipe for a butternut squash stew thingy. It was easy, and it's not your run-of-the-mill pureed squash soup that everyone makes. Despite the continuing heat I am pretending that it is fall because I want it to be fall and on a color scale I am a fall and it is my time to shine, goddamnit! Necessary modifications to this recipe:
1)used canned kidney beans, for gods sake unless you are the type who makes your own butter and home cures meat in your bathtub
2) this one is the most important, use soyrizo, the fake chorizo, it's probably even better because it won't give your soup a ring of grease on the top
3)if you want to make it veggie, use vegetable broth, i used beef broth and i don't think it made it any better
4)i said fugeddaboutit to the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) because i started shelling them and it was hard and i started eating every other one. it was still good.
5)still reading or have I lulled you gently to sleep? this soup looks really spicy but it's not. add some hot peppers or pepper flakes or something

Dan and Pedro

I guess I can end my hunger strike now that Dan has a big article in the News and Review this week. That's good because everyone I saw was starting to look like a giant turkey and I tried to bite one of my coworkers a few minutes ago. This article is great, and I like how it's not an unqualified rave about every movie. I am very, very excited that these Almodovar films are coming to Sac. This is the kind of film event that should be happening all the time but never does. I am viewing this as an opportunity to understand why everybody gets so worked up over these movies and I will be going intot the theater with an open mind. Funny thing is, I think I've seen every movie mentioned except two or three and I still don't get what the big deal is. But I'll try.

Lets' talk about the weekend. That might be depressing because it's only thursday but I want to make sure you don't forget about another movie series, Shiny Objects at Fools Foundation. It's friday at seven, it costs five bucks (cheap) Here's the description, sounds good:

10/13 Independent America: The Two Lane Search for Mom & Pop
These days, you have to go out of your way if you want to do business with Mom & Pop. One couple has taken that notion a little bit farther, 13,000 miles farther to be exact. Independent filmmakers and award-winning journalists, Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes, take the road less traveled in a thought provoking new documentary, which uncovers the growing opposition to big box retail across the U.S. and the often desperate fight being waged by independent retailers to stay alive. Independent America: The Two Lane Search for Mom & Pop is an entertaining account of Hosein and Hughes’s expedition through 32 states as they look for an America unchained by corporate retail. Self-imposed road rules bar them from major highways and corporate chain retail. Traveling on alternative roads, the duo can only do business with Mom & Pop.
What the filmmakers find during their travels is the re-emergence of independent retail as individuals and communities band together to preserve not only their livelihoods but also their local communities. Pockets of resistance across the country add up to a nationwide opposition: Starbucks is vandalized in Colorado. Supporters of an anti-big box law in Arizona are compared to Nazis. A rebellious Texan city forces Borders Books into retreat. Patriotic residents of America’s "Fourth of July" capital in Nebraska start to turn on their new super center. And an entire town in Wyoming goes into business for itself after it’s abandoned by its chain department store.

After that, get your folk on with the excellent Wooden Wand. Starts at ten at Fools. No cracks about freak folk anybody! It's one of the only things going these days so get with the program.

Wooden Wand is playing again on saturday at Delta of Venus, which will probably be a great show.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

leave the theater alone!

Man, everbody is using the Tower records closing as a chance to bust Tower theater's chops left and right. The womens bathroom is normal, is the mens bathroom still totally nasty? I don't think people understand that the Tower was not built to be a picture palace like the Crest or the Alhambra (remember!). And why does this editorial specifically target the theater but lets Robbie Fong off scott free? That idea about a Powells book store is stupid. Sac can barely supposrt the used bookstores we have! We're not the worlds most literate city if they haven't noticed.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Tower district in trouble

An article in the Bee on the possible effect on the "Tower district" of the closing of the Towers. Let's hope Rob Fong gets off his seersucker-striped ass and does something. I'll remind you once again that I never received even an automated response to my letter about El Chico being an eyesore. Can an area really have too many restaurants? I don't think it can, but we'll see what fills the space. It's too bad that there's already a Starbucks across the street so they probably won't open another Starbucks, but you never know. The mayor probably has her fingers crossed for a Z gallery. Somebody in the comments suggested a Barnes and Noble, to bolster up the instersections strip mall feeling. This article fits well into the topic for my next Midtown Monthly article, which will be an eating tour of Broadway, focusing on some of the lesser known lights rather than the well-established places. So business at the theater is down, eh? First I've heard of it.

short arena bulletin for those who aren't paying attention:
-poll shows that measures Q and R are sucking it
-Graswich reports that the Kings moving to Anaheim is a done deal
-supporters aren't even bothering to spend all their money and Dave Jones is coming out smelling like a rose

lahmajoon!


I was so happy to come in to a few comments during this dry spell that I almost shed a precious tear.

I went to the Armenian food festival this weekend, which was being presided over by the Armeniac's dad, which led to gifts of free lamb skewers (the best thing I ate there) from supplicants. We arrived right in time for the ritual slaughter of the newborn lamb and then all the children took turns making finger paintings in the lambs blood while their moms danced around them. JK, folks, it was really quite a staid event. Suspicially staid, I suspect they were saving the lamb slaughter and the burning of the Turk effigy for later in the evening. I got the kufta, and I will say that DP's pop makes a much superior version, and I got to try lahmajoon (Armenian pizza that has, surpise, lamb on on it) for the first time and that was good. They were also offering the Armenian national drink, Bud Light, so I had a sixer or so of that, which was hard because my goblet made out of a lamb skull kept leaking all over the place.

Last night I tried the new Zen Sushi where the old Zen Toro used to be. So, if I'm right about this (take a deep breath here), the new Zen Sushi is owned by the people who used to own Taka's on 16th and S which had no connection to the actual chef Taka who pulled out as partner years ago but the old Taka's (on 16th and S) will sometime soon become a sushi restaurant at which the actual Taka is the chef (I don't know what this place will be called). Ahem. Well the new Zen Sushi is pretty much exactly like Takas except they classed it up a bit and sadly perhaps did not rehire some of their trashier waitresses? Where is the Kabuki girl? Where is the girl with the 69 tattoo? I did not even see any buttcrack while I was there so it was hard for me to work up an appetite. The most exciting thing that happened was that this guy at the next table (who I'm pretty sure was vegetarian) had talked them into preparing a mushroom dish made with enoki mushrooms steamed in a foil pouch with some broth and he let us try and it was delicious! Very meaty (the highest compliment one can give to a vegetable dish). I will for sure order that next time, but I'm not sure it's on the menu. Also the fresh salmon nigiri was like butter.

Monday, October 09, 2006

R.I.P. Tower

Well of course the big news in Sac is the demise of Tower records, books, and video. It makes me sad especially because I worry about the people in Sac who work for them. Broadway is going to be pretty jacked if those buildings stay empty. With El Chico probably never reopening that strip is going to be like a ghosttown with the exception of the cafe and theater.

I was all set to write about how OpResMaxFreeFour was fun for all (except when certain terrible noise bands were causing me to get extremely angry with them) when I read some rumblings that something very bad happened. The cops shut it down? What happened? Whatever did happened I'm pretty sure Rumsfeld and Cheney were probably involved.

Friday, October 06, 2006

food post


1) A few of us got the chawanmushi at Ricksha last night. This shit is the bomb. If you don't know (which I didn't until last night), it's a savory custard with some broth, some bok choy, and a little bit of pork in it. You have to order two because I think it's labor intensive and it takes a little while, but it's only six bucks total for two cute little individual portions, so try it! We went on dollar nigiri night so we just ate sushi and drank sake while we waited.

2) As the commenter noted, the Armenian food festival is tomorrow. Here's the info:Oct. 7: Armenian Food Festival; 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Greek Orthodox Church, 614 Alhambra Blvd.; free entrance until 5 p.m., $3 after; (916) 443-3633. That's rad that it's free or cheap to get in. I'm going to try to go.

3) If you are in or anywhere near Brooklyn, please go to Al Di La. Go late on a weekday because they don't take reservations. It's comfortable, it's beautiful inside, the food is superb, and it's quite affordable for the quality. Also get bagels at the bagel hole (ignore the idiots that wrote the reviews). I am seriously thinking of having them ship me some bagels because I got so spoiled eating them in NY. Also, I'm happy to say that this place lived up to its review. Sea snails can be delicious, who knew?

3)I don't even know where to start with Montreal as far as food goes, it's pretty much an eating paradise (especially if you're not intimidated to go in the Frenchy places which scared us away). Their unique style of bagels are delicious in their own way (boiled in honey water, baked in wood-fired oven, sesame and poppy only!) This place that Gourmet recommended, Reservoir, served mind-blowingly good salads (how's this for a salad, fennel and greens, lightly dressed, with really good mild blue cheese and all sitting on a fig puree!) and simple entrees. We ate breakfast at Beauty's twice, thanks to Greg's rec.

that's supposed to be a vibe-o-meter


Midtown monthly is looking to hire some more people, and they employ me so you can tell they'll hire almost anyone. Here's the info:

Hey Sacramento People,
The Midtown Monthly is looking for writers and photographers. The mag is in transition, and starting to focus on the cool shit going on in and around Sacramento. Hopefully, the magazine can help cultivate a little more awesomeness -- more bands the basement, more venues, more fucking in the streets. The new issue is out now, with Fools Foundation on the cover, an article on Noisefest, and one on the future of Records on K. It's a work in progress, and only you can make it better.We're looking for people to write about anything and everything. And we're always interested in the photos from your drunk night out. If you're a scribbler or a shutterbug, and you need the world to discover your genius, shoot me an email: monthlies@capitolweekly.net
Keep Hope alive,
Anthony

Now on to other business: You missed out on the Finches show last night. How do I know? Because I was there and Sac was not representing with the exception of Baby Neon who was so stoked that he (or is it she) was clapping from inside the womb. And Larry Rodriguez of course (no, not from inside the womb), but that's a given at any show. I'm not trying to guilt you here but let me just say a fun time was had by all. I can't put my finger on what gives the shows at Delta of Venus vibes that are off the vibe-o-meter but they are usually like that. Bands always seem to remark that it's their favorite show of tour, which gives you a warm glow inside. This guy, Al Duvall played and was quite entertaining in a very old-timey way. The Finches have an awesome new song on their myspace (last favor), check it. I think it's simon and garfunkle-y.

Sooo.....OpResMaxFreeFour is on saturday. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow so it should be fun, but with the exception of th' losin' streaks' I have never heard any of the bands so I can't say yay or nay.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

chez panisse article

There was a rad Chez Panisse article in last month's Vanity Fair. The old chef mentions Darrell Corti in it! Here's a link but unfortunately it doesn't have the rad photos.

I'm baaaaack!

Got back in last night. I have a bunch of stuff to take care of at work so I'll just remind you about the Finches show tonight for now. Seriously, if you like beautiful music then this is the show for you. If you like crustcore or acid jazz then you might want to skip it. Delta of Venus, tonight, nine o'clock, free but you better buy some stuff or donate some money.