Some Sactown mag peeps are going to be in Insight today. I'll try to listen. Maybe I should call in and demand equal time for midtown monthly? The program description says that it is aimed at a "younger, hipper crowd". Does that mean the office lobbies of younger, hipper dentists and doctors? We at midtown monthly are aiming for an even younger, hipper crowd. Like babies. Cool babies.
KW reviews a place in Roseville. Can we at least stick to the city of sac most of the time? This is great for readers in roseville but with a jillion Mexican places in sac that I haven't tried yet (a billion on Franklin alone) I am not heading out to the boonies to try one. The Bites column this week is really good. That's interesting about the SMUD defeat. That seemed like such a clear cut great idea that I was puzzled as to why it didn't pass. It seems like people would catch on that PGandE was spending so much money and spreading lies to defeat it, but I guess most people only knew what PGandE told them.
All you reading types out there, when was the last time you hit up the Book Collector? Don't forget about it. Too bad they don't carry US magazine or I could go there more often.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
breaking news
If you were planning on driving on the freeway today you should change your plans. I hope I can get home tonight. All so some fucking asshole could attempt to get somewhere half a second faster. At least that's the rumor of how it was caused. Supposedly someone cut off the bus and forced it into the guardrail.
RIP Gino Corti
For all the places you can pick up midtown monthly see the comments in the last post.
This place Smaak sounds intriguing, but I can't tell exactly what they serve. They really scored by getting the url europeanbuffet.com. I'm suprised no one else had snapped that up. I am definitely going to go to Stolighniy Russian Ukrainian & American Cuisine for my next article. And I can't wait to eat at Cafe Marika. I've never been there!
Get this-can you believe that tickets to see Jackie Greene at Marilyn's on New Years Eve are sixty fucking dollars! Luckily, tickets to see Jonathan Richman at the same venue are only fifteen. It's on saturday, December 16th.
Lastly, RIP Gino Corti, who was the cofounder of Corti Brothers along with his previously deceased brother Frank.
This place Smaak sounds intriguing, but I can't tell exactly what they serve. They really scored by getting the url europeanbuffet.com. I'm suprised no one else had snapped that up. I am definitely going to go to Stolighniy Russian Ukrainian & American Cuisine for my next article. And I can't wait to eat at Cafe Marika. I've never been there!
Get this-can you believe that tickets to see Jackie Greene at Marilyn's on New Years Eve are sixty fucking dollars! Luckily, tickets to see Jonathan Richman at the same venue are only fifteen. It's on saturday, December 16th.
Lastly, RIP Gino Corti, who was the cofounder of Corti Brothers along with his previously deceased brother Frank.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
becca? becky? same thing.
I have to admit that it's getting under my skin that I am getting some anonabuse for reprinting that letter from the news and review. Why don't you folks write the editor and harangue them for printing that mean letter? That is a seriously rude letter and I was surprised that they printed it. So I would suggest you send you ire to sactoletters@newsreview.com or to the mean old editor at nancyw@newsreview.com
A big reason the blog has been pretty boring and has had little content of late is because I rarely eat out anymore. That's a 180 degree turnaround for me because I used to eat out every single night but I really like to cook so I wasn't always that happy with that. Not to mention that I was spending most of my income on food and wine. I've been doing a lot of cooking and learning new things in that arena, which is exciting to me, but hardly exciting to write about. Also, you try writing a blog for years on end and try to find new things to say. I'm just thinking out loud here because I wonder why it's gotten so boring (for me too). I'll think about packing it in but then there will be a day here and there where everyone is commenting and it's fun so I can't decide.
Hmm..music. The new Joanna Newsom is really growing on me. I am going to see her in Santa Cruz on friday with Bill Callahan (or as she calls him in the record "dear Billy") opening. I'm also excited about the upcoming Alela Diane show at Delta of Venus. For those of you in the Bay Area, J. News is playing there mid-month. I also heard she's playing in London with the London Philharmonic, which is insane. I want to get the new White Magic album because I liked Quixotic (I won't spell it the right way) more than they probably deserved. I guess it's because I saw them live before I knew anything abou them. The Finches have a show midweek next week in SF. I really wish I could go, but I probably won't. They are entreating people for shows this winter. Who can help them get a show in Sac? Not it. Seriously, click on that link and listen to Last Favor. I love it!
The new Midtown Monthly will be out this weekend. I apologize in advance for the corny jokes in my column. Sorry if they make you groan. I am hatching some sort of Eastern European column for next month, if people have suggestions. I can't believe there is no Polish food in the Sac area! That is insane. Standard hangover food.
A big reason the blog has been pretty boring and has had little content of late is because I rarely eat out anymore. That's a 180 degree turnaround for me because I used to eat out every single night but I really like to cook so I wasn't always that happy with that. Not to mention that I was spending most of my income on food and wine. I've been doing a lot of cooking and learning new things in that arena, which is exciting to me, but hardly exciting to write about. Also, you try writing a blog for years on end and try to find new things to say. I'm just thinking out loud here because I wonder why it's gotten so boring (for me too). I'll think about packing it in but then there will be a day here and there where everyone is commenting and it's fun so I can't decide.
Hmm..music. The new Joanna Newsom is really growing on me. I am going to see her in Santa Cruz on friday with Bill Callahan (or as she calls him in the record "dear Billy") opening. I'm also excited about the upcoming Alela Diane show at Delta of Venus. For those of you in the Bay Area, J. News is playing there mid-month. I also heard she's playing in London with the London Philharmonic, which is insane. I want to get the new White Magic album because I liked Quixotic (I won't spell it the right way) more than they probably deserved. I guess it's because I saw them live before I knew anything abou them. The Finches have a show midweek next week in SF. I really wish I could go, but I probably won't. They are entreating people for shows this winter. Who can help them get a show in Sac? Not it. Seriously, click on that link and listen to Last Favor. I love it!
The new Midtown Monthly will be out this weekend. I apologize in advance for the corny jokes in my column. Sorry if they make you groan. I am hatching some sort of Eastern European column for next month, if people have suggestions. I can't believe there is no Polish food in the Sac area! That is insane. Standard hangover food.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
post for niki
hope her boss will let her have a minute away to read this interview. I think that Tony Bourdain is really inspiring. Those are a couple of his yearbook photos.
spin magazine
Has anyone read Spin magazine lately? It is so bad that I get secondhand embarrassment for anyone involved in it. All I can think of as I'm flipping through it (there is nothing to read anymore, it is mostly just pictures and blurbs) are the endless focus groups and meetings that got it where it is today. It is now like a hybrid of US magazine and a music mag. And I'm not even saying this because of the bands they cover. Just because I don't know anything about bands like Panic! At the disco and My Chemical Romance doesn't mean that I think they shouldn't write about them. But everything is so snarky and dumbed down. I guess that mainstream music mags will be the next to go now that Tower is dead. Everything is so fractured that I think that mags like that are obsolete. And I won't even mention Rolling Stone.
Monday, November 27, 2006
not even worth clicking on the publish post button
Scott has entreated me to post but I don't really feel like it. The outlaw bike thing that can't be named was rad. A top local chef was there dishing up pork tenderloin and biscuits and gravy. But wait, why would smiller be amused by this, he was there. Something else, hmmmm...
I just noticed this letter in the news and review from last week:
Whine whine baby
Re “Ice ice baby” by Becca Costello (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, November 9):
I’m going to just come right out and say what thousands of SN&R readers are no doubt thinking: Becca Costello’s weekly column is as annoying as hell.
I think I’ve given it more than a fair shake. I’ve been reading it nearly every week since its inception, waiting for the turnaround, but at this point it is quite apparent that none is forthcoming, so I will no longer bother. You should rename her column “Nothing Ever Happens Because I Am Too Busy Whining and Being Insecure to Just Let Go and Have a Good Time.”
The premise of this regular feature is good, but the execution is poor. Here’s an idea: In doing a column about happenings around Sacramento, choose a columnist who actually enjoys doing things! Otherwise, you get what we have now: A person who approaches four out of five activities with fear and trepidation, complains about discomfort during the whole experience, resents those who appear to be enjoying themselves, then wraps it up by copping out. What exactly are her qualifications for writing this column?'
Ed LaFrance
Sacramento
That reminded me to check the column and it was gone. Temporary hiatus or has it run its course? How's this for an exciting blog post?
I just noticed this letter in the news and review from last week:
Whine whine baby
Re “Ice ice baby” by Becca Costello (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, November 9):
I’m going to just come right out and say what thousands of SN&R readers are no doubt thinking: Becca Costello’s weekly column is as annoying as hell.
I think I’ve given it more than a fair shake. I’ve been reading it nearly every week since its inception, waiting for the turnaround, but at this point it is quite apparent that none is forthcoming, so I will no longer bother. You should rename her column “Nothing Ever Happens Because I Am Too Busy Whining and Being Insecure to Just Let Go and Have a Good Time.”
The premise of this regular feature is good, but the execution is poor. Here’s an idea: In doing a column about happenings around Sacramento, choose a columnist who actually enjoys doing things! Otherwise, you get what we have now: A person who approaches four out of five activities with fear and trepidation, complains about discomfort during the whole experience, resents those who appear to be enjoying themselves, then wraps it up by copping out. What exactly are her qualifications for writing this column?'
Ed LaFrance
Sacramento
That reminded me to check the column and it was gone. Temporary hiatus or has it run its course? How's this for an exciting blog post?
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
no narcs allowed
I would like to clarify that I would never willingly use the phrase turkey day. I just wrote that to fuck with Scott. I am going to be out until monday, when I will return I will probably have taken on some of the characteristics of all the turkey I've eaten (plumper? certainly. golden brown? probably not. putting people to sleep? business as usual). I'm going to Vientianne tomorrow for lunch. On Thanksgiving I will be riding some sort of two-wheel apparatus attached to a seat somewhere with a few other like-minded people but that's all I'm at liberty to say because of all the NARCS that read this blog.
Turkey Day Bike Ride
This week is all about the anticipation of the Thanksgiving bike ride! It starts at a different place this year. I'm not sure I should post about it. Can anyone involved give me the go-ahead?
Monday, November 20, 2006
crap
This Bee headline is making me laugh. It has awkward phrasing. Sadly, the Experience motel in West Sac (picture stolen from this flickr set) is going to make way for-da da da*-Luxury motherfucking lofts. Will West Sac continue to be the best sac (as some, not me, have termed it) or will it revitalize itself into blandness? Stay tuned.
You probably already know this, but Joe Sun is toast. At least they got a big payoff. I'm glad to read that "the breakthrough on the payoff was greeted warmly". If they mean warmly as in intense, heated anger that it is going to be replaced by a Z gallerie (that's not how you fucking spell gallery!) then they got that right. Which Z Gallerie will I shop at, the one in the mall, or the one right next to the mall (I know, I know, they are probably closing the other one)?
*that is supposed to indicate some sinister music
carnitas monday
Wow. Twisted 88s on a friday at one am was quite an experience. I have to try to put it into words for midtown monthly but it will be hard. I'm not sure my descriptive powers are up to the task. That Jack Rose/Peter Walker show was cool. There was an enthusiastic, smallish crowd.
I ate at Tres Hermanas for the first time in years last night and it was fucking good. Better than I remembered. They've done some remodeling and they now have a full bar. I got a chicken enchilada with a very rich mole and a chili verde burrito that was the bomb. I got a taste of the carnitas taco and without ever having had the Vallejos carnitas (which I hear are the best) I'll say that the Tres Hermanas carnitas are the best I've had. So many crispy bits! And their house salad dressing is delicious also, although they could try a bit harder than strictly romaine and small tomato bits.
I ate at Tres Hermanas for the first time in years last night and it was fucking good. Better than I remembered. They've done some remodeling and they now have a full bar. I got a chicken enchilada with a very rich mole and a chili verde burrito that was the bomb. I got a taste of the carnitas taco and without ever having had the Vallejos carnitas (which I hear are the best) I'll say that the Tres Hermanas carnitas are the best I've had. So many crispy bits! And their house salad dressing is delicious also, although they could try a bit harder than strictly romaine and small tomato bits.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
come to your senses again for the first time
Has anyone else seen the giant Senses mag billboard in west sac? Who is bankrolling this venture. They haven't updated their myspace but a new issue must be out. I can't wait to read about how cool and sophisticated Sac almost is!
get lost, creep
Oh yeah, ADK sent me this link. This guy is a total D. The mayor and others like her would probably be embarrassed by this and think it's not cuz we're world class but I bet this guys idea of a world class city is Phoenix so this should make us happy.
sexxeee snr
Wow, the news and review has really stepped things up in the sexy department (which is on the third floor, behind the housewares). To counter, I would like to announce in this forum that the cover of Midtown Monthly next month will feature me, naked as a jaybird, eating the mixed grill from Yummy Guide. There will probably be some pepper gravy covering the critical bits, but wait till you see what I'm doing with the hot dog! R.V. Scheide has really broken new journalistic ground with this piece. To sum up:
1) many of the men who frequent strip clubs are lonely and searching for intimacy
2)he used the word "perineum", shaved perineum, no less, maybe this is a little clinical, but I don't know that hair usually grows there, not that I have one or anything (OK, I do and it's pierced) also, he used "fuck-me pumps" which is a loathesome phrase.
3)lap dances give you boners
Pulitzer prize, here he comes!
I kid, they gotta do something to shake things up, however, I'm as liberal as they come but it makes me cringe just a bit to think of little kids picking this thing up. Just a little.
However, I would like to give props to DB's blurb on the movie Sweetie. Succinct, informative, stylish, as always. Soak that in and then read this one (I have no idea what else this guy writes so I'm just using this to illustrate how difficult it is to give good blurb). Huh? Did he like this album or not? What does it sound like? The Beatles and the Eagles, but not? See, it's hard.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
A travesty
I can't confirm it because it's not online, but an alert reader just tipped me that the Sac Biz Journal is reporting that Starbucks, Quiznos and Subway are in negotiations to take over the former site of Earl of Sandwich. I say we cover the responsible party in Earl sauce, if only we could pinpoint him/her.
And here is an article that is online, Arena round 2 (isn't it more like round 15?)
And here is an article that is online, Arena round 2 (isn't it more like round 15?)
it's twisted all right
There are some yelp reviews of the new Pho place downtown on J. None of them really make me rush out and try it, everone seems to think it's just ok, but it's good to have a Vietnamese place in this area. I went to Lee's sandwiches again this weekend and got the meatball banh mi which was dynamite as always and I decided that next time I'm bringing in ketchup because that it what it really needs.
I was hoping to check out Twisted 88's late tonight for my Midtown Monthly thing, but looks like it's only open Wed thru Sat so friday night it will be. It's open until three on wednesday thru saturday(!?!?). Check out the website, this is without a doubt the weirdest and most ill-conceived food-serving venue to open in Sac since America Live (hey, remember when that was going to be the thing to revitalize Sacramento?). C-Webbs new restaurant (Center Court) comes in a close third. Maybe I will go to Mr. Perry's instead. Or Original Perrys, across the highway. They are both open 24 hours and you can't get any later than that. Any Perry fans that can recommend anything? The Armeniac likes the chicken fried steak but I refust to order that.
I watched Age Of Innocence and now that I have recently seen that and Casino I can stand even more firmly behind my assertion that The Departed is the best since Goodfellas. Scorcese failed to solve the problem of converting a book into a movie by having some chick just read long portions of the book over the scenes. I guess that's one way to do it. Daniel Day Lewis was really good in it, though.
I was hoping to check out Twisted 88's late tonight for my Midtown Monthly thing, but looks like it's only open Wed thru Sat so friday night it will be. It's open until three on wednesday thru saturday(!?!?). Check out the website, this is without a doubt the weirdest and most ill-conceived food-serving venue to open in Sac since America Live (hey, remember when that was going to be the thing to revitalize Sacramento?). C-Webbs new restaurant (Center Court) comes in a close third. Maybe I will go to Mr. Perry's instead. Or Original Perrys, across the highway. They are both open 24 hours and you can't get any later than that. Any Perry fans that can recommend anything? The Armeniac likes the chicken fried steak but I refust to order that.
I watched Age Of Innocence and now that I have recently seen that and Casino I can stand even more firmly behind my assertion that The Departed is the best since Goodfellas. Scorcese failed to solve the problem of converting a book into a movie by having some chick just read long portions of the book over the scenes. I guess that's one way to do it. Daniel Day Lewis was really good in it, though.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Getting koozie
First things first, those are koozies. Stupid name, worthless product. I hate them too. And forthwith I am banning them from heckasac. Also, the Ethiopian coffee from Old Soul is quite good.
Secondly, the Four Eyes are the best, they have always been the best, and they will always be the best. They can play any band under the table. Five minutes into their Dirty Dancing medley any band (be it Panic! At the disco, Chin Up, Chin Up, Tapes n' Tapes, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to name just a few) that deigned to challenge them would be curled up in a fetal position on the floor sobbing. I was mentally and physically exhausted after the show and had to be given both oxygen and intravenous fluids. And that was before the first encore! Too bad they forgot to play Oldest Dude In The World.
Went to Chita's late on friday night and it was officially off the chain. It is like Benny's inside only brighter and with Mexican food. This makes it a bit scary but the food is pretty good. You can read my real review in which I will use phrases more creative than "pretty good" if you finally mail that check for your subsciption to Midtown Monthly. It's on 75.99 a year, which is 180% off the newsstand price.
Friday, November 10, 2006
hello?
I forgot to mix up some formaldehyde solution yesterday (you don't wanna know) so I had to come into work for a few hours today. Poor me, lucky you. Oh wait, none of you are working either.
I checked out Old Soul today and got some coffee. The owner (Jason) is super busy roasting up a shitload of coffee for the True Love, which has its grand reopening wednesday. I'm happy that it's finally re-opening. It's going to do blockbuster business.
I got a rotisserie chicken at Sampinos yesterday (btw I am eating their roast beef like it is going out of style and have yet to have even a bite of gristle, it's sooo good). That guy is so nice and his two little kids (I think) were hiding behind a rack and telling me that they sleep behind there at night. Awww, it's so cute when kids lie like that. Going to Old Soul and Sampinos made me think about how I love it that in Sac when a small business that is clearly rad opens up people fall all over themselves to support it and get to know the owner. I love hearing all kinds of types of people, in suits even, brag to their friends that they've been supporting Temple since the beginning. It warms my heart.
You know I love the freak folk and I checked out this lady and liked her songs and was so stoked to see that's she's playing at the Delta of Venus on December 19th. Delta of Venus books so many good shows!
Tonight is the Shiny Objects screening of a horror film called Graveyard Alive. Tomorrow is the party with the Bananas, Four Eyes, Megacools and someone else. Four band party? Insane.
Oh yeah, I'm also going to try to check out that new Denios-style auction at Fruitridge and Florin. And I'm going to check out that new Mexican place by Benny's for the article on late night eating. Hmm...it feels weird to write this like I'm talking to myself.
I checked out Old Soul today and got some coffee. The owner (Jason) is super busy roasting up a shitload of coffee for the True Love, which has its grand reopening wednesday. I'm happy that it's finally re-opening. It's going to do blockbuster business.
I got a rotisserie chicken at Sampinos yesterday (btw I am eating their roast beef like it is going out of style and have yet to have even a bite of gristle, it's sooo good). That guy is so nice and his two little kids (I think) were hiding behind a rack and telling me that they sleep behind there at night. Awww, it's so cute when kids lie like that. Going to Old Soul and Sampinos made me think about how I love it that in Sac when a small business that is clearly rad opens up people fall all over themselves to support it and get to know the owner. I love hearing all kinds of types of people, in suits even, brag to their friends that they've been supporting Temple since the beginning. It warms my heart.
You know I love the freak folk and I checked out this lady and liked her songs and was so stoked to see that's she's playing at the Delta of Venus on December 19th. Delta of Venus books so many good shows!
Tonight is the Shiny Objects screening of a horror film called Graveyard Alive. Tomorrow is the party with the Bananas, Four Eyes, Megacools and someone else. Four band party? Insane.
Oh yeah, I'm also going to try to check out that new Denios-style auction at Fruitridge and Florin. And I'm going to check out that new Mexican place by Benny's for the article on late night eating. Hmm...it feels weird to write this like I'm talking to myself.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Trattoria Bohemia review
Here's a rad review of Trattoria Bohemia. I'm so glad their success is growing. My only quibble? He kinda disses the wine list (which deserves it) but doesn't mention they have an above-average beer selection, which goes better with the Czech side of the menu.
No time to blog!
I wrote this heading and was going to write something and then didn't have time for half and hour so I guess it really is true.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
yes, boring
Well...that arena thing didn't do so well. I can't wait to hear what "Share the Vision" has to say in the future. I don't understand why the SMUD annexation didn't pass, besides that people got fooled by PGandEs ads. Maybe someone can explain that one to me. On the plus side, I will never get lost in the woods now that I'm going to be forced to wear GPS for life. Or will a chip be implanted under my skin? I'm not sure of the specifics, I'm going to call my parole officer right now.
I haven't been up to much this week, as you can tell. There is a Bananas/Four Eyes gig at a soiree this weekend and maybe the involved party wants to post the details? Maybe not. You can just hack into my GPS coordinates and find out where it is I guess.
I haven't been up to much this week, as you can tell. There is a Bananas/Four Eyes gig at a soiree this weekend and maybe the involved party wants to post the details? Maybe not. You can just hack into my GPS coordinates and find out where it is I guess.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
votevotevotevotevotevotevotevotevotevotevotevotevote
written in the style of Voisin:
Sacramento
Here we are. At the crossroads. Which way will you turn? Towards the past, a dark past of a Sacramento with no valet parking, nary a Hummer to be seen on the street, affordable rentals, and without an Urban Outfitters. And. No. Luxury. Lofts. Do you want to live in a place like that?
Or, will you turn to a bright, shining future? A real city where you can hold your head high when you're traveling to...wherever it is you can afford to travel to once your rent has doubled, let's say Fresno. Yes, you're in Fresno and you can finally say "I live in Sacramento, cow-town no more. And we have an arena, a great gleaming new arena that I have never been to but I have heard that the luxury boxes are the most luxurious available. With soft couches upholstered in baby seal fur and red bull and Grey Goose on tap". And you will see this hypothetical Fresno person look at you with respect. And envy.
It's up to you.
Pull the lever, or fill in the bubble, or touch the touch screen, whichever way you vote in your particular neighborhood.
Yes on Q and R.
Sacramento
Here we are. At the crossroads. Which way will you turn? Towards the past, a dark past of a Sacramento with no valet parking, nary a Hummer to be seen on the street, affordable rentals, and without an Urban Outfitters. And. No. Luxury. Lofts. Do you want to live in a place like that?
Or, will you turn to a bright, shining future? A real city where you can hold your head high when you're traveling to...wherever it is you can afford to travel to once your rent has doubled, let's say Fresno. Yes, you're in Fresno and you can finally say "I live in Sacramento, cow-town no more. And we have an arena, a great gleaming new arena that I have never been to but I have heard that the luxury boxes are the most luxurious available. With soft couches upholstered in baby seal fur and red bull and Grey Goose on tap". And you will see this hypothetical Fresno person look at you with respect. And envy.
It's up to you.
Pull the lever, or fill in the bubble, or touch the touch screen, whichever way you vote in your particular neighborhood.
Yes on Q and R.
Monday, November 06, 2006
what a weekend!
Quite a weekend. Some idyllic time in the country was bookended by the Shiny Objects screening on friday, which was well attended, thanks in part to the Midtown Monthly cover story, and was followed by a lively Q and A with the director, complete with semi-heckling by Dave Smith.
Then on sunday, Midtown Monthly pulled some strings and I was able to get into the booked-for-months sunday portion of the weekend-long celebration of the ten year anniversary of the Waterboy. There was so much love in the air that I'm getting choked up thinking about it. I finally got to meet Rick Mahan and he was so friendly and rad! I'll be writing about it in Midtown Monthly in the December issue. I think I'm going to the very reasonably priced thursday night dinner that they have once a month the menu is under events on the website). This month it's on november 16th, early cuz of Thanksgiving.
I missed Olsen's bday celebration cuz of the Waterboy thing but I'm guessing it was very fun. Any party reports? Hope it's ok I stole this photo to post.
Friday, November 03, 2006
this weekend
The doc on Israeli punk will be at fool's at 7 tonight. The director will be there!
Besides that, I don't know. It's the Waterboy's tenth anniversary this weekend. There will be an old-timey birthday party on sunday for you-know-who. Borat opened and I'm glad because NPR has been like the all-borat-all-the-time station for about two weeks now and I feel like I've already seen the movie. This is like how every fashion magazine has been all atwitter about Marie Antionette for a year and it opened and it's a big dud. Hopefully Borat will not be such a dud. The Tower now has an all-monarchy lineup with "The Queen" (snoresville) and "The Last King of Scotland" (goresville).
Besides that, I don't know. It's the Waterboy's tenth anniversary this weekend. There will be an old-timey birthday party on sunday for you-know-who. Borat opened and I'm glad because NPR has been like the all-borat-all-the-time station for about two weeks now and I feel like I've already seen the movie. This is like how every fashion magazine has been all atwitter about Marie Antionette for a year and it opened and it's a big dud. Hopefully Borat will not be such a dud. The Tower now has an all-monarchy lineup with "The Queen" (snoresville) and "The Last King of Scotland" (goresville).
suck it, Taro, you suck
Before I say some negative stuff about Taro, let me first say that I went to Malooufs (1433 Fulton Ave, get off at Arden and turn right on Fulton and you're there!) this week and it was excellent as usual. I got the kafta kabob sandwich for the first time and the meat was wonderfully spiced and a bit rare in the middle.
Now on to Taro, a meal that cost 4 times as much and was one zillionth as good. I didn't go in there with any axe to grind, I used to like the old Mikuni on Fair Oaks and I was hoping that this place had it together. It is so fucking tacky that the menu has ads in it. I think the one at the Mikuni downtown does, too, but this one has more. Taro's (the link is to his webdiary, he is such a nut!) picture is on the front and this is his pet restaurant in the sense that he has more creative dishes. We ordered a mix of traditional nigiri and more out there stuff and the quality was very consistent. Consistently poor, that is! My sister got a spicy asparagus dish for six bucks. It was FOUR SPEARS OF ASPARAGUS. Cutting them in half did not fool us into thinking there were more than four, but nice try, Taro. They were normal steamed asparagus, not especially good quality (I have blanched tender young asparagus and come up with much more tender, tastier, brighter-colored spears) with, surprise! some sort of spicy mayo sauce. I tried the hokkaido scallops for nine bucks, because I remembered mikuni has a special scallop dish that was great. This was four scallops topped with some mayo sauce, some black tobiko and some crispy fried bits. It was not very good and mostly tasted like, you guessed it, mayo. My sis got the flamin shrooms or some stupid name like that. They were fried balls filled with mayoey crab salad and mushrooms. They were OK, she liked them. Both kinds of nigiri I got were gross. I got the toro, which, as my sister remarked, looked like it had varicose veins. Please don't serve me a mangled looking cut of fish with visible red veins! It was nasty and fibrous and I couldn't eat the veiny part. The fresh salmon nigiri was also tough and fishy. I know fresh salmon is often fishy but this was in a bad way. The sake at the all you can eat place (Nobu) in Davis was better! It was my sister's bday so we got a dessert. Green tea tiramisu, her choice. Nasty fridge-tasting green tea creamy glop in a martini glass with a teeny bit of cake floating in the glop. I am never going to any branch of any Mikuni restaurant again, unless the original one is still good.
Now on to Taro, a meal that cost 4 times as much and was one zillionth as good. I didn't go in there with any axe to grind, I used to like the old Mikuni on Fair Oaks and I was hoping that this place had it together. It is so fucking tacky that the menu has ads in it. I think the one at the Mikuni downtown does, too, but this one has more. Taro's (the link is to his webdiary, he is such a nut!) picture is on the front and this is his pet restaurant in the sense that he has more creative dishes. We ordered a mix of traditional nigiri and more out there stuff and the quality was very consistent. Consistently poor, that is! My sister got a spicy asparagus dish for six bucks. It was FOUR SPEARS OF ASPARAGUS. Cutting them in half did not fool us into thinking there were more than four, but nice try, Taro. They were normal steamed asparagus, not especially good quality (I have blanched tender young asparagus and come up with much more tender, tastier, brighter-colored spears) with, surprise! some sort of spicy mayo sauce. I tried the hokkaido scallops for nine bucks, because I remembered mikuni has a special scallop dish that was great. This was four scallops topped with some mayo sauce, some black tobiko and some crispy fried bits. It was not very good and mostly tasted like, you guessed it, mayo. My sis got the flamin shrooms or some stupid name like that. They were fried balls filled with mayoey crab salad and mushrooms. They were OK, she liked them. Both kinds of nigiri I got were gross. I got the toro, which, as my sister remarked, looked like it had varicose veins. Please don't serve me a mangled looking cut of fish with visible red veins! It was nasty and fibrous and I couldn't eat the veiny part. The fresh salmon nigiri was also tough and fishy. I know fresh salmon is often fishy but this was in a bad way. The sake at the all you can eat place (Nobu) in Davis was better! It was my sister's bday so we got a dessert. Green tea tiramisu, her choice. Nasty fridge-tasting green tea creamy glop in a martini glass with a teeny bit of cake floating in the glop. I am never going to any branch of any Mikuni restaurant again, unless the original one is still good.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Yummy Guide!!
The new Midtown Monthly is really good if I do say so myself. I was especially stoked to see Dani's story on Time Bandits, a store I have to admit I've kinda forgotten since they moved to 36th and Broadway. But as soon as I move into a place with more space I'm going to drop some dough there. The guys that runs it are awesome and one of them even says in the article that he is glad to yak with you about the furniture even if you aren't buying.
The new article is off to an auspicious start because I ate at Yummy Guide on Halloween. Holy crap! That's all I'll say...FOR NOW! Too bad it's a chain, but I think it's a very small chain. In fact, all I can find is a branch in Oakland and a branch in Sac, so that doesn't even qualify as a chain in my book.
The new article is off to an auspicious start because I ate at Yummy Guide on Halloween. Holy crap! That's all I'll say...FOR NOW! Too bad it's a chain, but I think it's a very small chain. In fact, all I can find is a branch in Oakland and a branch in Sac, so that doesn't even qualify as a chain in my book.
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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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!
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Happy Birthday Ella!!!!!!!!!
This is a grainy but nice photo of Ella in one of her favorite places, Willy's arms (aww...cute JK it's at Poinsettia) Hope you are having a good one!
write about charles!
well......I'm leaving on vacation tonight (or vacay as I like to call it) so I won't be blogging that much for a couple of weeks. Me and smiller are taking that red eye to New York on Jetblue that many of you have probably taken. After that it's Montauk and Montreal. I'm just crossing my fingers that there won't be too much rain! I have plans to eat at Al Di La and probably the Fatty Crab in New York and hopefully some Chinatown eating because we didn't have time last time. We (meaning Scott, and probably me some of the time) will be hitting up Spuyten Duyvil, Bierkraft and maybe eating at Cafe Alsace. I have printed out the tips people gave me on Montreal and of course I have the Gourmet mag devoted to that city. So I think I'm all set.
I dined at Chada Thai again last night with a friend that hadn't been there before and she was remarking on how good it is and that she'll be going back soon. The green pumpkin curry with tofu was off the special board but we asked for it and they made it. It's so spicy and tasty. We also got a baby back ribs special that was fucking great. The only problem is that we wished we had gotten two orders! We also flagged down a friend walking by who always goes to Taste of Thai and urged them to try Chada and they said they would.
I don't know if anyone from the News and Review reads this virtual rag anymore, but if they do I'd really like to urge someone to do a feature on Charles Meyers and Harbor Winery. Yes, I'm writing something for Midtown Monthly that will be out on October 1st, but there is a way bigger story to tell there than I can tell in the little space I have with my meager reporting skills. People are lining up to tell me stories about this guy and I don't have the space to print them all. This winery is an unheralded gem and I keep finding out about more and more wines that he makes or has made in the past. KW? Anyone?
I dined at Chada Thai again last night with a friend that hadn't been there before and she was remarking on how good it is and that she'll be going back soon. The green pumpkin curry with tofu was off the special board but we asked for it and they made it. It's so spicy and tasty. We also got a baby back ribs special that was fucking great. The only problem is that we wished we had gotten two orders! We also flagged down a friend walking by who always goes to Taste of Thai and urged them to try Chada and they said they would.
I don't know if anyone from the News and Review reads this virtual rag anymore, but if they do I'd really like to urge someone to do a feature on Charles Meyers and Harbor Winery. Yes, I'm writing something for Midtown Monthly that will be out on October 1st, but there is a way bigger story to tell there than I can tell in the little space I have with my meager reporting skills. People are lining up to tell me stories about this guy and I don't have the space to print them all. This winery is an unheralded gem and I keep finding out about more and more wines that he makes or has made in the past. KW? Anyone?
Monday, September 18, 2006
Centro and Taka
Capital public radio had a report on local sushi chef Taka Watanabe, who is an interesting guy.
After reading Mike Dunne's new review of Centro I wanted to give it another try so GW and I went last night. He notes that they finally decided to start giving free chips after twelve years of customer complaints. I agree that this was a good decision because this town has an abundance of super cheap Mexican food and if they want you to pay three times as much they can throw you a few free chips for God's sake. I always order the same thing when I go there (the grilled squid salad and some tortilla soup) but this time I decided to branch out. They have a taco/burrito combo deal that I had never noticed before that is a good deal by the price standards of this restaurant. It's 10.25 for any combo of burrito and taco from a list that includes fish tacos, shrimp tacos, carnitas, chicken, and a few tasty burritos that I can't remember (you know what, as I was typing this I looked at the menu on the internet and this is indeed a new things for them to offer) and it comes with rice and beans. You have your choice of three types of beans, whole black, refried and some kind of whole bean with bacon bits that I got cuz heaven forbid I could eat a menu without bacon. Looking at the menu changes I think they must be consciously changing the menu to make it a better deal. You got so much food with this combo that GW and I were remarking that you could just order two burritos and two people could split it at prices approaching Los Jarritos. I'd probably feel sorry for the waiter if I do this but that won't really stop me. Anyways they have tons of expensive drinks (including the drunk-making fruit infusions) to pad the check.
I'd also like to recommend The Black Dahlia, but only for fans of vintage Brian De Palma. Or fans of seeing Scarlett Johanssen stuffed into ill-fitting bras.
After reading Mike Dunne's new review of Centro I wanted to give it another try so GW and I went last night. He notes that they finally decided to start giving free chips after twelve years of customer complaints. I agree that this was a good decision because this town has an abundance of super cheap Mexican food and if they want you to pay three times as much they can throw you a few free chips for God's sake. I always order the same thing when I go there (the grilled squid salad and some tortilla soup) but this time I decided to branch out. They have a taco/burrito combo deal that I had never noticed before that is a good deal by the price standards of this restaurant. It's 10.25 for any combo of burrito and taco from a list that includes fish tacos, shrimp tacos, carnitas, chicken, and a few tasty burritos that I can't remember (you know what, as I was typing this I looked at the menu on the internet and this is indeed a new things for them to offer) and it comes with rice and beans. You have your choice of three types of beans, whole black, refried and some kind of whole bean with bacon bits that I got cuz heaven forbid I could eat a menu without bacon. Looking at the menu changes I think they must be consciously changing the menu to make it a better deal. You got so much food with this combo that GW and I were remarking that you could just order two burritos and two people could split it at prices approaching Los Jarritos. I'd probably feel sorry for the waiter if I do this but that won't really stop me. Anyways they have tons of expensive drinks (including the drunk-making fruit infusions) to pad the check.
I'd also like to recommend The Black Dahlia, but only for fans of vintage Brian De Palma. Or fans of seeing Scarlett Johanssen stuffed into ill-fitting bras.
Friday, September 15, 2006
rethinking Davey D
Davey D has always bugged the crap out of me BUT he has been so excited about this bomb reggae concert and this morning he was spinning an AWESOME set of reggae and dancehall and he kept toasting over the tracks and talking about how excited he is and I just can't hate him anymore. Plus it totally cracks me up that the bomb reggae party and the fm 102 tamale contest are the same day and that the bomb keeps dissing on it like "Why pay to eat stale tamales in heat, when you could be partyin’ by a pool at the Bomb’s reggae Summer Splash FOR FREE! "
There's a new Ice Cube/Snoop track that I can't help but like. Snoop's part is weak of course cuz he's completely lost it, but the Ice Cube part is classic. It's called Go To Church but it's not religious. You can hear it here. You probably already have icecube.com bookmarked anyway.
Heckamax beat me to it but I was going to post about the Spiral States/Knock Knock/Pets/Didley Squat (I finally get to see them) show at Marilyn's on saturday at ten to benefit the Maloofs and the Downtown arena (JK it's to buy kids instruments). Christian Kiefer has a show that same night at the Fox and Goose so I wish I could be in two places at once but I caint.
And of course tonight is the big Shiny Objects screening at the Fools at 700. Don't miss this!!! The director will be there. Here's a description:
Once known as the "California Riviera", the Salton Sea is now called one of America’s worst ecological disasters: a fetid, stagnant, salty lake, coughing up dead fish and birds by the thousands. Yet a few hardy eccentrics hang on to hope, including a roadside nudist waving at passing European tourists, a man building a religious mountain out of mud and paint, beer-loving Hungarian Revolutionary Hunky Daddy, and the real-estate "Ronald McDonald" known simply as The Landman. Through their perceptions and misperceptions, the strange history and unexpected beauty of the Salton Sea is revealed. "Accidentally" created by an engineering error in 1905, reworked in the 50’s as a world class vacation destination for the rich and famous, and then suddenly abandoned after a series of hurricanes, floods, and fish die-offs, the Salton Sea has a bittersweet past. Congressman Sonny Bono himself was once dedicated to saving the lake, until he went skiing one day... Now amongst the ruins of this man-made mistake, these few remaining people struggle to keep a remodelled version of the dream alive. However, this most unique community is now threatened by the nearby megalopolises of Los Angeles and San Diego, as they attempt to take the agricultural run-off that barely sustains the sea. The fate of this so-called ecological time bomb and the community that surrounds it remain uncertain, as the Salton Sea might just dry up.
I have to miss it because I'm going to see this band in San Francisco. They are real good, cereal.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Sac Bee does some real reporting
Did anybody catch this infuriating article in the Bee on sunday? It's weird, the Bee seems have done some for-real investigative reporting. It's amazing how free people will be with money when it's not theirs.
I ate at the new Bernardo yesterday. I liked it. It's pretty much the same as all the Bernardos. I caught a glimpse of celebrity chef Kurt Spataro. This branch seems to be more vegetarian friendly which is good news for some.
I ate at the new Bernardo yesterday. I liked it. It's pretty much the same as all the Bernardos. I caught a glimpse of celebrity chef Kurt Spataro. This branch seems to be more vegetarian friendly which is good news for some.
stop it kdvs!
Dear KDVS deejays-
I know that you are 20 but someday you will realize that just because a song is in Japanese or French does not make it interesting or good. This is only true for songs in Portuguese.
A prize to the heckasac reader who can make it to the end of this essay and tell me what the hell it is about.
So the news and review has a new editor. Maybe she will step things up a bit. And by that I mean hire the Barnseyard as the full-time movie critic. With lines like this, what's not to love?
Ben Affleck plays Reeves in flashbacks, and while he may be well-cast in the part, bringing the right mix of charm, melancholy, and shallowness to the role, he manages to throughly botch his New England accent. This despite the fact that Affleck actually hails from the Boston area, while George Reeves was born in Iowa and raised in Pasadena (interesting choice on the bad Boston accent, Affleck)!
or this (I can't pick just one):
Cage tries fairly hard, considering that it's Cage, but he looks worse than I've ever seen him - he's become emaciated to an alarming degree, perhaps taking his upcoming role as a CGI skeleton in "Ghost Rider" too seriously.
I know that you are 20 but someday you will realize that just because a song is in Japanese or French does not make it interesting or good. This is only true for songs in Portuguese.
A prize to the heckasac reader who can make it to the end of this essay and tell me what the hell it is about.
So the news and review has a new editor. Maybe she will step things up a bit. And by that I mean hire the Barnseyard as the full-time movie critic. With lines like this, what's not to love?
Ben Affleck plays Reeves in flashbacks, and while he may be well-cast in the part, bringing the right mix of charm, melancholy, and shallowness to the role, he manages to throughly botch his New England accent. This despite the fact that Affleck actually hails from the Boston area, while George Reeves was born in Iowa and raised in Pasadena (interesting choice on the bad Boston accent, Affleck)!
or this (I can't pick just one):
Cage tries fairly hard, considering that it's Cage, but he looks worse than I've ever seen him - he's become emaciated to an alarming degree, perhaps taking his upcoming role as a CGI skeleton in "Ghost Rider" too seriously.
maloofs quit talks
Maybe you guys have all heard about this but it was news to me. It's crazy! The Maloofs are like petulant children who want it their way or they're going to take their ball and go home. There is so much wrong in this I don 't know where to start but how about this quote from assistant city manager John Dangberg, "We still consider them part of our team, but it is our arena, and we will decide where it goes, and the public has said loud and clear that the best place for the arena is in the railyard," He's putting the ASS back in ASSistand city manager. When did the public ever say that? Isn't that what we're supposed to be voting on soon?
I had also missed this column from the public editor. This sucks. So Graswich gets dinged for writing about being against the arena over and over yet somehow Voisin escapes criticism? How can that be?
I had also missed this column from the public editor. This sucks. So Graswich gets dinged for writing about being against the arena over and over yet somehow Voisin escapes criticism? How can that be?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
trousersnake is back
For anyone who's interested, you can stream the whole Justin Timberlake album here.
don't forget about the Trattoria
I had dinner at the Trattoria last night and was gratified to see that it was hecka busy, with a short wait at times. It is an island of reasonably priced food in a sea of...overpriced food (this sentence isn't turning out all that well). The pizza is really good, I like their salads even though in their simplicity they veer uncomfortably close to a salad I could make at home in ten minutes (but I am lazy so I would rather eat out) and I like their Bohemian potato pancakes with the smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and sour cream. AND smiller declared it his favorite place in town to get a beer, which is a big deal coming from a beer lover of his caliber. By the way, he recently got the loko moko at Junes for the first time so perhaps he could describe it in the comments for those who are curious?
Mike Dunne tackles the problem of oaky chardonnay in todays column. I recently had the misfortune of trying to choke down some of this swill so I agree with him. It's so unrefreshing compared to so many other kinds of white wine. I think for the most part many California viogniers can be lumped in with the chardonnays and shoved out to sea.
Mike Dunne tackles the problem of oaky chardonnay in todays column. I recently had the misfortune of trying to choke down some of this swill so I agree with him. It's so unrefreshing compared to so many other kinds of white wine. I think for the most part many California viogniers can be lumped in with the chardonnays and shoved out to sea.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Pronto review
I really hate to say this and I wish it wasn't true but Pronto really sucks. The menu is pretty weird. They're really emphasizing their rotisserie. OK, but every supermarket now has good, whole rotisserie chickens for like 6 or 7 bucks and if I buy one of those I get to keep all the leftovers so what's my enticement for getting one at a restaurant? And then their pride and joy is their "authentic Italian rotisserie roast beef". Since when is that an Italian specialty? Roast beef? Oh yeah, I loved that roast beef pizza I got in Naples. Then they have a bunch of sandwiches, a bunch of salads with tons of bacon and cheese the way everyone likes, but which bummed me out because I wanted something healthy. It was tough but I managed to find two things which didn't sound totally bad for me. I got the polenta pomodoro. If I'm not mistaken (which I often am) pomodoro is usually a sauce that has pretty large chunks of fresh tomatoes. This was three big pieces of polenta with raw, grainy orange Roma tomato chunks on top, giant chunks of RAW garlic, and thin ribbons of basil. The only visible sauce was some thin tomato water at the bottom. Mmm soggy polenta. I like garlic OK (I think it's pretty overused) but I hate eating raw garlic. I had also gotten a tomato soup (I wanted the white bean soup but it had bacon and I was trying to eat just one goddamn meal without bacon in it). It was a gorgonzola tomato but I asked for no cheese on top. Well, from the orangy look of it it either had cheese in it or it was a cream soup. GW got a chicken sandwich and asked for dark meat. They rang her up but then came over to inform her that the sandwich could not be made with dark meat. At a place that has visible whole roast chickens spinning behind the counter? She doesn't like white meat so she got a grilled proscuitto sandwich which was really good and came with house made potato chips. Good, but a greasy gut bomb.
They offer beer and wine. On tap they have Fat Tire, Blue Moon, Bud Light and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (I can feel the rage boiling through Smiller right now). They offer a few red and white wines by the glass and they're reasonably priced. They also have sangria for four bucks a glass (aahh, I remember the day in Naples that I washed down that roast beef pizza with a tall glass of sangria, the Italian national drink), so I had one of those. It was OK. One glass got me a little buzzed.
The place was pretty empty and we were there from seven to eight so it may go the way of Hukilau eventually. If they were smart they would offer more cheap pasta. They barely had any on the menu. I'll go back one more time to try one of their salads.
They offer beer and wine. On tap they have Fat Tire, Blue Moon, Bud Light and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (I can feel the rage boiling through Smiller right now). They offer a few red and white wines by the glass and they're reasonably priced. They also have sangria for four bucks a glass (aahh, I remember the day in Naples that I washed down that roast beef pizza with a tall glass of sangria, the Italian national drink), so I had one of those. It was OK. One glass got me a little buzzed.
The place was pretty empty and we were there from seven to eight so it may go the way of Hukilau eventually. If they were smart they would offer more cheap pasta. They barely had any on the menu. I'll go back one more time to try one of their salads.
Monday, September 11, 2006
moistest tamales evs?
We Jam Econo at Fool's totally ruled. I have never liked the Minutemen before but that movie was really inspiring. I have posted the picture of Mike Watt as a monday morning treat for the ladies. The second picture is not so much a treat but is funny because those are bottles of pee. (oh never mind, piece of shit blogger won't upload. I'll try later maybe). This friday is a documentary about the Salton Sea with the director there. Don't miss it! Unfortunately I have to.
I hit up Denios this weekend with pretty good results. I got a menorah necklace charm thingy made of "real" "layered" 24 carat gold. Well, it doesn't turn my neck green so that's good. I also ate those bomb-ass tamales at Auction town. Moistest tamales ever!
I also finally made two of the recipes that I collected for Midtown Monthly, the beet salad from P. Mulvaney and the fish stew from M. Thiemann. They were both the bomb, but the real standout was the stew which was one of the best things I have ever made or tasted and was so simple to make. I will print that recipe here sometime this week and I urge you all to try it out! Seriously it is a mind-blower. Lime, cilantro, beer, Spanish chorizo, sea food, etc., what's not to like?
Lastly on a weekend where I ate everything that came into my sight, we finished up our day of yachting on the Delta (by the way we saw a giant sea lion chilling on a dock, has anyone else ever seen this there? wikipedia says it happens sometimes.) by eating a gargantuan meal at the Freeport bar and grill. If you want a ton of seafood I heartily recommend the critter platter. Watching someone eat it is not a pretty sight as you end up covered in debris from the various crab claws, lobster tails, etc, but it was good. The baby back ribs were really good and tender, too.
I hit up Denios this weekend with pretty good results. I got a menorah necklace charm thingy made of "real" "layered" 24 carat gold. Well, it doesn't turn my neck green so that's good. I also ate those bomb-ass tamales at Auction town. Moistest tamales ever!
I also finally made two of the recipes that I collected for Midtown Monthly, the beet salad from P. Mulvaney and the fish stew from M. Thiemann. They were both the bomb, but the real standout was the stew which was one of the best things I have ever made or tasted and was so simple to make. I will print that recipe here sometime this week and I urge you all to try it out! Seriously it is a mind-blower. Lime, cilantro, beer, Spanish chorizo, sea food, etc., what's not to like?
Lastly on a weekend where I ate everything that came into my sight, we finished up our day of yachting on the Delta (by the way we saw a giant sea lion chilling on a dock, has anyone else ever seen this there? wikipedia says it happens sometimes.) by eating a gargantuan meal at the Freeport bar and grill. If you want a ton of seafood I heartily recommend the critter platter. Watching someone eat it is not a pretty sight as you end up covered in debris from the various crab claws, lobster tails, etc, but it was good. The baby back ribs were really good and tender, too.
Friday, September 08, 2006
birthday wishes
Happy Birthday Scott!!!!!!!!! (or as I like to refer to it, the tragic events of September 10th). I included this picture because I was looking for a picture to go along and I googled nar images and the title of this photo was "nar backstage" and that made me laugh. Is it possible that you're the best? I think it is.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
News and review weighs in
So the News and Review has FINALLY weighed in on local development, only it's...restaurant development! Oh well, this is an interesting article, and I understand the point is fine dining, but I still wish that there had been some small mention of the fantastic diversity of restaurants in the outer areas of Sac. Especially in the context of a quote from Mike Dunne saying Sacramentans aren't "adventurous eaters". Well, that depends on who you're talking to. Tell that to someone digging into a bowl of tripe at a local Mexican place or a dish of crispy duck intestines at a Chinese restaurant. You see what I'm sayin'?
Also, KW follows my lead and reviews Birriera Bugambilias. We pretty much concurred on the quality but this review did make me turn a little green with envy at the creativity a real restaurant reviewer can have when writing about food. I feel stymied by that at times. However, I feel that I'm better at a more free-wheeling approach than straight-up reviews. Look now I'm rambling.
Also, KW follows my lead and reviews Birriera Bugambilias. We pretty much concurred on the quality but this review did make me turn a little green with envy at the creativity a real restaurant reviewer can have when writing about food. I feel stymied by that at times. However, I feel that I'm better at a more free-wheeling approach than straight-up reviews. Look now I'm rambling.
sad summer
I told you and now it's official. The New York Times agrees that there have been no good summer hits. I totally agree with this except that they neglected to mention "Blow the Whistle" by Too Short, which should have been the hit of the summer. That album must be out now.
vashti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vashti Bunyan is tonight at the Great American and I'm very excited. I'm already wearing my Jesus headband and have grown a freak folk beard. Well, actually I just glued some cat hair to my face in an attempt to blend in at the show. Let's hope it works.
Fool's Foundation is showing a movie on friday that I'm going to see. It's a documentary on the Minutemen. It starts at seven and it's five bucks. I ran into J. Greenberg and he said Kabinet would be back this month. Is that true, J? The website hasn't been updated if so. I will be yachting on the Delta that day so I can't attend anyway.
The new Midtown monthly is out with Dave Jones on the cover. My things on the Firehouse and Nopalitos are in there. I'm working on the Harbor Winery article for this month. OK, that's a lie, I interviewed the guy and have done nothing more but it's all up here (I am tapping my head right now). If you are interested in trying an aged white wine go to Cortis and pick up a bottle of his 1989 Semillon for only nine bucks! It is a very interesting wine.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
the death of the earl
I also had another superb meal at Mason's on sunday. They are doing some wonderful things with tomatoes there right now and you should go if you can. My favorite things were an amazing cold golden tomato soup with dungeness crap (a lot) and avocado. Another delicious dish is the salmon tartare.
This link comes from Guphy, it's a cap radio piece on a local restaurant being revitalized right out of business. So that makes at least two, this place and Earl of Sandwich, that have been driven out of business by rising rents. I wonder what's going on with Joe Sun right now.
This link comes from Guphy, it's a cap radio piece on a local restaurant being revitalized right out of business. So that makes at least two, this place and Earl of Sandwich, that have been driven out of business by rising rents. I wonder what's going on with Joe Sun right now.
lee sandwich
A friend mentioned that she had seen some sandwich travelogue (anyone know about this?) where Sac was in the segment on banh mi. That got me obsessively thinking about banh mi until I could go get one. So yesterday me and smiller headed out to Stockton Blvd. We were planning on going to Huong Lan, BUT I noticed a big sign that said baguette factory, quickly ascertained it was a Vietnamese sandwich shop and flipped a bitch. It was a local installment of the Lee Sandwich chain (relax, Huong Lan is a chain, too). This place just opened a few days ago and it is sparkling clean and seems to already be packed. They don't have the insane abundance of food that Huong Lan offers, but they do have more kinds of sandwiches. Smiller got the bbq pork, I got the meatball. They were both sooooooooooooooo good. The meatball tasted just like delicious meatloaf. They have all kinds of drinks like tapioca and avocado shake and such. I want to go back and get the tuna, almond, cheese on croissant. Smiller is having the veggie for lunch today so maybe he can tell you veggies how it is. They also had a French-influenced pastry called pate "chaud" which I hadn't heard of but I guess it's pate in puff pastry. I wish I would have gotten that!! And as of yesterday they had two-for-one fresh baked baguettes that are the bomb.
banh mi for you
Once again I have no time to post! It sucks but hopefully I can after lunch. I want to write about the brand new Lee's Sandwiches on Florin.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Olipom message
via writegrrl blog:
A message from Olivia/Olipom, via MySpace:
OLIPOMFLATSPOT!! Come by some shit to support!!
OLIPOMFLATSPOT!! Come by some shit to support!!
So we are doing okay, but are starting to really feel the loss of those daily Olipom sales. We've moved a bunch of goods into Flatspot and will be open for business today. If you want to help PLEASE COME BY TODAY AND BUY SOMETHING LITTLE! I feel bad just taking donations, I will get an insurance settlement eventually, but that doesn't help me pay my bills right now, you know.
OLIPOM IS NOT DEAD PEOPLE...SO GO TO OLIPOM/FLATSPOT!!!!!
A message from Olivia/Olipom, via MySpace:
OLIPOMFLATSPOT!! Come by some shit to support!!
OLIPOMFLATSPOT!! Come by some shit to support!!
So we are doing okay, but are starting to really feel the loss of those daily Olipom sales. We've moved a bunch of goods into Flatspot and will be open for business today. If you want to help PLEASE COME BY TODAY AND BUY SOMETHING LITTLE! I feel bad just taking donations, I will get an insurance settlement eventually, but that doesn't help me pay my bills right now, you know.
OLIPOM IS NOT DEAD PEOPLE...SO GO TO OLIPOM/FLATSPOT!!!!!
old timey as hell
I want to take this tour of the underground city.
let's hope that tamarind will be better than plum blossom. also on this link more news about taka's. i'm stoked it's reopening.
let's hope that tamarind will be better than plum blossom. also on this link more news about taka's. i'm stoked it's reopening.
i've lost that fire
Man, I've lost my fire. I was just searching the internet for an mp3 of the Juvenile song I've Got That Fire to bring it back, but alas, all for naught (is that how you spell it). Wow, the words are dirty, though. I always thought he was saying Oscar Mayer and I was right but he ain't talking about baloney!
The Spiral States and Baby Grand are playing tonight. Here's the info
Baby Grand is playing this Friday night, Sept. 1st at the Distillery withthe Spiral States. Erik can't make it so we won't have the piano, but we'llhave our newest member, Christina, rocking the viola. That's right, viola!Come welcome her. It's going to be fun! We'll see you there!
I am probably going to see the hot incest movie at the Tower. Stop looking at me like I am a perv, the trailer is totally salacious and it has the girl from 24 and the weird looking girl from When A Stranger Calls and the cute guy from all those Hal Hartley movies that you loved when you were a teen.
Tomorrow I'm off to Harbor Winery and Bogle, with lunch probably at Dinky Diner. Sunday I'm taking a friend to Masons for her birthday. What are you doing? See, now no one will answer and I'll feel dumb.
The Spiral States and Baby Grand are playing tonight. Here's the info
Baby Grand is playing this Friday night, Sept. 1st at the Distillery withthe Spiral States. Erik can't make it so we won't have the piano, but we'llhave our newest member, Christina, rocking the viola. That's right, viola!Come welcome her. It's going to be fun! We'll see you there!
I am probably going to see the hot incest movie at the Tower. Stop looking at me like I am a perv, the trailer is totally salacious and it has the girl from 24 and the weird looking girl from When A Stranger Calls and the cute guy from all those Hal Hartley movies that you loved when you were a teen.
Tomorrow I'm off to Harbor Winery and Bogle, with lunch probably at Dinky Diner. Sunday I'm taking a friend to Masons for her birthday. What are you doing? See, now no one will answer and I'll feel dumb.
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