watch for the surprise

I would like to urge you to watch this at least until you see the giant couch.  Also, there's a special surprise at 3:11

Lesh is more

Yesterday I hung with an ex-Sacramentan who lives in Mill Valley and I asked him if he ever sees Phil Lesh. He replied, "yeah, I saw him last night".   Who do I have to blow to see Phil Lesh walking around? That is one of my ultimate celebrity sightings besides the cast of Criminal Minds or the ghost of Jerry.

too good

Also, this, if you need more info
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tAi46bv1Z4

STD

Wow, the Berryessa event was off the fucking chain! The brewer said it was his favorite event.  I was also very gratified to hear that he loved the article and the pics.  I am on a roll with that and the Stegall article as far as lots of good vibes flowing to me, which is really why I do it.

Bows dealt with the lines and I was worried about the time it would take to get my food but it was fine.  My first IPA went straight to the dome, I guess cuz it was like 740 and I hadn't eaten much.

Good times!

naked mole rat fiesta

ha! here's another invitation I made, just a few years ago.  that's pretty awesome. I'm going to make one of these for my next birthday. the food at this thing was really good

Berryessa!

My piece on Berryessa Brewing is in the SNR. I love the pictures! His wife is so cool, I'm glad she's in the pictures. You can tell she's a big part of the business.  Come meet Chris (and maybe Lori) tonight at Bows!

new job, new me?

 I am cleaning out my desk cuz...I got a new job! Big news in my world. I wont say where, cuz, ya know.  Anyway, this is the invitation I made for my 30th birthday. It's a snapshot of my mind at that time.

 Asian Cafe! Look at this shit! This is the most underrated restaurant in Sacramento!

Berryessa Brewing night tomorrow at Bows with the Alkali Flats

IMHO

Hellsa beer events (that's more than hella) this weekend.  Hot City is having a shit ton of sours, starting tonight. That's a big one.  And the bows berryessa night is: Jesus Christ, does anyone know? That events calendar is not user friendly.  Don't wanna miss it. aha, feb 26th, oh yea, and alkali flats!  the sac beer week website also sux. it takes days to page through it.

oh wait, does hot city start tomorrow?

If I have time today I will list IMHO the best and lamest beer week events (Hoppy Brewing will factor heavily in one of these)

Victoria Dalkey finally mentioned Bows cuz of the Stegall show.  She gave it a really backhanded compliment as a gallery. I think it's weird that her first review there had to be for a guy that's been around the local scene for so damn long.  Surely the Elizabeth Higging O'Connor/Liv Moe show warranted some attention.

resolution failed

 I have been failing miserably in my New Year's resolution to cook more from cookbooks.  In fact, I've hardly been cooking at all! I'll keep trying.  This is just my regular roast chicken that I always tell you about but oh my god the skin is the best! You might spot that the tops of the legs are dry, but it doesn't matter to me because the rest is juicy.

 This was evidence of me eating my half of the skin in about 30 seconds and washing it down with...

 this beautiful Chablis

White beans with a herbs de provence/dijon/chive dressing.  It wasn't that great cuz I underdressed it, as usual.

ultimate props

Awesome! Marie's Donuts got a shoutout from Jan and Michael Stern in the new Saveur.  That is the ultimate compliment for an American homestyle spot as far as I'm concern.  I have to respectfully point to that as another reason why I disagree with BAR about his donut article from a while back.  I know his main point was that donut shops in town (including Marie's) all use the same mix, but they must be using some magic than because I'm sure J and M sampled more than just Marie's.

When Rose M. was in town recently to play she named Marie's as one of the top spots she wanted to take her friend to.

I am taking a dozen to work ASAP.  I still have heard nothing good about Doughbot except that there bacon bread pudding for bacon fest was really good.  I want to try it again soon, though.

Did I imagine this article? I remember we got into a discussion about it in person.

Rip Taylor was here

 Just got back from Palm Springs.  The trip was really, really fun.  And you know, people may lob the word "hipsters" at people who stay at the Ace Hotels, but there was a ton of really awesome fashion and when you see old pictures all the way up to the 80s, what do you notice? The fashion, right?  Well it was nice to see some decked out people.

Joshua Tree was really pretty. I love the desert.

Scott scored a new reggae record.  They have the most amazing covers, bar none.  I guess if you get stoned enough your eyes turn red gold and green.

OMG

How is it fucking possible that I did not know about this?!?!?!?!?  This is my favorite song off the album and I just looked for the video.

pliny, brah

Louis CK was good last night.  He went almost an hour and a half and it flew by.  He didn't lay on the contempt for Sacramento very thick compared to other comics I've seen but I really do get sick of that.  It's dispiriting to pay a bunch of money to see a comic and just have him bag on us for all being tweakers or whatever.  But I guess nobody ever said comedians were nice.  Pretty much what he said was he only came to Sac to practice in a round theater since he's shooting his next special in Phoenix in a round theater.  Phoenix is the real piece of shit city, not us!

BAR did a nice piece on Pliny The Younger insanity in the Bee today.  Sometimes I feel like Pliny (mostly the Elder) is the only beer in the world.  It's insane.  There are plenty of really good IPAs and double IPAs out there.  The people behind me at Louis CK were talking about it.  I cannot believe that so far the few comments on the Bee are totally reasonable! I figured they would all be about people being alcoholics.

can't take the grind!

soo...some of you may have noticed that there was a new food reviewer in the SNR this week: Garrett McCord.  I could not take the grind of the deadlines and using ALL my meals out for reviews.  Scott was about to kill me.  I lasted 6 months.  I will now go to once a month and focus on cheap eats, which I enjoy a million times more than any type of fine dining or "new American" cuisine.

I feel proud that I lasted so long and would like to point out (not that I'm defensive) that the reviewers for at least the last 7 years before me were both full-time freelancers.  As you know I have a full time and somewhat demanding job.

I look forward to my once a month gig and turning people on to new spots.

The English Singles were way intense at the house show yesterday.  They are in cracking good form because they've been practicing a lot for their upcoming UK gigs.  Nacho Business and Rose were really good, too.

yo bro, got any mice?

Tonight! Rose Melberg, English Singles, Nacho Bisness at 723 M st., Davis at 7:30.  It will really start somewhat on time since it's a house show.  You can have an economical meal at Huong Lan first.  Does the new downown Davis Huong Lan escape the Davis restaurant curse? Yes and no.  The grilled pork banh mi is tasty, but the grilled pork is gray and does not even remotely resemble the delicious grilled pork at the one in South Sac.  A TV plays pictures of the sandwiches and in the pictures they have shredded lettuce and tomatoes (?).  I was all like hell naw, but then our sandwiches didn't contain that. 

I have always thought that I will have arrived when I get interviewed.  I've interviewed I don't know how many people, but I do know that my tape recorder has almost 100 files on it right now and that I started out with one with actual mini cassette tapes.  I was interviewed last night with two others for a round table discussion and now I am even more sympathetic to the fact that people often trip out and worry they said something dumb.  Also, every time I interview someone in the food community (or beer) they usually want to talk some crap off the record (as we did), but they often don't really say off the record, it's understood, and I of course always leave it OTR.  However, if you were looking for some dirt you wouldn't have to cut it out and there's not a lot they could do.  And then add a drink or two, which is par for the course and before you know it John Mayer is saying that his dick is like David Duke.  Last night I compared my (metaphorical) dick to Guy Fieri (fat and ringed with bleached blond hair?), no wait Anthony Bourdain (leathery ex-junkie), no wait Paula Deen (chubby and oozing butter), oh god, sorry everyone.

I wanted to ride to Berryessa Brewing AGAIN this weekend, so we did.  From the beginning of the bike trail  on Russell.  The weather was pretty but there was a pretty intense and cold wind at time, which sucked.

speaking of dicks, check out the shadow that my boner is casting!

You ride over this graffitied bridge on the way and this hawk was chilling really close to us.

It's all like "yo bro, see any mice?" Don't you hate it when people pretend that animals are saying dumb things?

Double Tap IPA

cacti on the way

Keith Cary and Co.  This was some very relaxing and pleasant music.  The banjo case has some banjo related humor on it which I don't grok.

ride home! It was 16 miles each way which pretty much killed my soul and it was dark when we got back to the car.  I preferred riding from the beginning of Putah Creek Road, which is a few miles less.

Still, the ride is awesome!

year of the snake

Anybody know what's up in South Sac for Chinese New Year? I can't find any info online.

bao lowdown

Got bao for everyone at work at Lam Kwong.  They have a special with a dozen in a pink box for 11 bucks!  The lady was showing a regular customer CM's article.  I asked about Cheung Hing and she said they were retiring.  The customer said she remembered going there as a kid when it was called I think she said Fu Lan?

Not impressed with the har gao or sui mai.  The har gao wrapper was not cooked enough or something.  Bao is really good. Very fresh and doughy.

Lam Kwong is certainly a lot cleaner than Cheung Hing but I think at Cheung the flavor was leaking out of the walls onto the food.

UK new one

CM has a piece on bao today in the Bee.  I keep hearing about these Lam Kwong bao.  I'm going to pick up some on my way to work tomorrow.  Way better than bringing doughnuts (especially Doughbot donuts!).

To my surprise I found out that there is a Rose Melberg band (Imaginary Pants) show with English Singles and Nacho Business at a house in Davis on Monday. 723 M street, Davis at 730.  It should be over fairly early.  The Singles are in top shape from preparing for their upcoming London PopFest show, so come see them before they tear the UK a new one.

It's not till March but I'm excited about the Peach Kelli Pop/Fine Steps/Croissants show.

grab bag

Well... a police captain called me about my email and apologized so profusely that it was embarrassing.  I definitely accepted it.  She said she doesn't know how it's possible that I was not notified of the video  release and that the responding officer did note the camera in his report but that the detective somehow failed to see it in his supplemental materials.  She said the detective is beating himself up about it.  I know they are trying hard but at this point they seem to  have nothing to go on.

Deadheads, I have one date for you: 11/17/73.  Go to deadnet and get stoked.  It was a Dave's pick, but sold out quickly, unfortunately.  Bill  Walton was there and wrote the liner notes.

 Speaking of the Dead, we went to Berryessa Brewing yesterday and got a little tour of the back and OF COURSE there was a Steelie on the door. The Dead/brewing connection is a given.  I have to tell you, this guy is a fucking GENIUS.  Run, don't walk to this brewery.  Hopefully he is gonna do big things.  He is ambitious and a workaholic so chances are good.  A few spots around town have their beer, notably Bows and Red Rabbit.  He can do almost any style and do it well.  He has a killer IPA and seems to be able to nail Belgian styles so that they taste Belgian.  Genius brewers are few and far between.  Many think they can brew but so few actually can.  I am giving you a sneak peek of my SNR piece on his right now.

 We were walking to Magpie on Saturday and took a route that took us past the new Zia's, which does have some limited weekend hours.  It's right next to Yellowbill.  The Yellowbill concept still confuses me, but I guess if it works for them...As I said, their sandwiches are really good, and they are cheap, around 6 bucks if you can believe it.  They are total old-fashioned deli style, but with a quality twist, like Molinari salame and stuff.

 This one has salame and mortadella and I added pepperoncini.  It's no mayo, just oil and vinegar.  I got wheat sliced to reduce the carbs, obviously!

 It's also like a cute little market with good pasta and canned tomatoes and stuff.  It's actually the closest market for us with stuff like that.

The guy in the green is the son of one of the owners.  It's a proud family business since the 70s, I think, and they are Italians.

I have to say that the Pete Stegall piece was the most gratifying I have ever written.  He was so stoked.

In other  local art news "agitated rocker" Jose di Gregorio has a solo show at the Indianapolis Museum of Contempory Art.  Here's a review.

RIP Cheung HIng?

SAY WHAT?!?!? Scott was just by Cheung Hing and said it's closing! He said the market is 90% empty of stuff.

This is exactly the part of modern food that I hate.  I saw a thing about this chef in Rolling Stone (my inexplicable free subscription is now almost a year in)  Just even watch the first 30 seconds of this to see what I mean.  He makes David Chang look like, uh, I don't know, fill in the blank with some cultured intellectual.  People pretending they're badass for eating three giant burritos.  Did you ever have that trend in elementary school (if you are late 30s) where the cool thing were the Jimmy Zs short sets that had the same print for the shirt and the shorts? He is dressed like that.  He looks like a giant baby.

I tried to not make my challenging foods article like that.  I hope that came through.  Yes, I ate cow dick, but
for one thing, I don't think it's very commonly eaten by Vietnamese people, and for the other, it really wasn't that gross.  Stuff that smells kinda pooey like some tripe is way more challenging.