so cool

There isn't really any great Tom T. Hall footage on youtube that I can find. Isn't he a badass? Look at that outfit. Classic. And this record has good font.
Sour fest at Sam Horne's! I am writing about it for SNR.
I tried the brunch at Taylor's on NH's recommendation. She was right. Excellent, nice sunny room, and no wait. They serve bloody beers! Man, this corned beef hash was something else. Look at this big chunks.
My sister go this. I didn't taste it but it looked pretty. Kinda weird the benedict has creme fraiche instead of hollandaise.
Do you know about the Nodzzzz/English Singles show on Saturday at The Hub? Now you do.

Pliny, bro

Get ready, I'm about to uh, suck up to the SNR. Cosmo wrote a rant about redevelopment that he probably gets sick of writing but which is worth saying, and resaying, and reresaying. Then he clues readers in to a long article in Harper's by William Vollmann about homelessness in Sacramento. It's not available online so I'm going to have to get a copy. And then, area beer expert Scott Miller is quoted in an article about Pliny.

You're tearing me apart Lisa!

say what? there's a "hub movie club" and tonight they are showing The Room?!!? I might have to go to that. It's at 8. Best worst movie ever! Also there's a Fine Steps tape release at Luigis. If only there was two of me. No, three of me so I could also stay in and do nothing at all.

So beer week is gearing up. There are a few exciting events and a lot of bullshit bars jumping on the bandwagon. Here's a list of the lamest events. The funniest one to me is the four Negra Modelos for 25 bucks offered at the Lair with the bonus being the two pint glasses the Lair got for free.

Swabbies offers 4.50 pints and $3 refills of Sam Adams Boston Lager while you keep the glass and other swag.

It is also Fish Taco Friday, with Corona-battered fish and shrimp tacos on special, and live music from Savannah Blue from 7-10pm with a $5 cover.

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Swabbies has Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat $4.50 pint/$3 refill plus Lost Coast swag! Beer Week breakfast special starts 9:30am and specials on fresh fish or prawn tacos all day. Live music from Skid Roses 7-10pm with $5 cover.

Collect all 5 glasses from Swabbies this week for prizes beyond your wildest dreams!

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Get your brunch on at Sweetwater with the Big Sky Brewery Beer Brunch for $20.95.

§ Fresh Fruit and Muffins with Trout Slayer Ale Mimosa

§ Banana Pancakes with Moose Drool Syrup and a Pint of Moose

§ Steak and Egg Benedict with Cowboy Coffee Porter

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The Pinecove Tavern features a Big Sky Pint Night With $5 logo pints and $3 refills of Moose Drool Brown Ale.

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Feeling nostalgic? Come to Monkey Bar and celebrate the beers that have stood the test of time with Old-School Beer Happy Hour! Choose from a variety of brands… and at $1 each, you can try them all without breaking the bank! 3-7pm every day

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The Hideaway pairs its homemade Chips and Gravy with an ice-cold Bud Light for only $5 from 7-Midnight

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Old Ironsides presents Classic Sounds and Classic Beer featuring Nicki Bluhm & the Grambles w/Walking Spanish and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Come early for your taste of the original, for the first time or the thousandth! 8pm-11pm

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Capital Dawg invites you to enjoy a delicious downtown New York city style hot dog with a cold Lost Coast Downtown Brown for only $5.49. Choose from the Downtown Dawg with New York onion sauce, or Midtown Dawg with sauerkraut. 11:00am-8:00pm

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Capitol Garage pairs three beers from Lagunitas Brewing with three appetizers from 5-8pm

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The Pinecove Tavern features a Blue Moon Pint Night With $5 logo pints and $3 refills of Pale Moon Belgian-style Pale Ale.

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Bonn Lair invites you to kick off the work week on the right foot with your very own Negra Modelo bucket, brimming with four ice cold Negra Modelo bottles and TWO Negra Modelo glasses for only $25. And, as always, the “world famous” BonnLair Irish Tacos will be here for only $1—what a combo!

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The Ten22 happy hour special is Bass Ale with Jalapeño Cheddar Hushpuppy for only $5

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Spin Burger Bar’s craft beer happy hour from 3:30-7:00 features Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight for only $2.

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At 4:20pm, several locations throughout Sacramento will simultaneously tap their kegs of the Sacramento Beer Week exclusive from Lagunitas, ParaDime Sac.

This Black IPA is an extremely hoppy dark ale made with barley, wheat and rye by local restaurateurs and publicans under the guidance of the Lagunitas brewers.

Don’t miss out on this extremely rare beer!

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The Kilt Pub presents A Taste of Ireland with samples of a trio of beers from the Emerald Isle and a special appearance by The Guinness Girls. Discounts on all Irish beers, including Guinness, Harp Lager, Smithwicks Irish Red, and Magners Cider

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Spin Burger Bar’s craft beer happy hour from 3:30-7:00 features New Belgium Fat Tire for only $2.

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Morgan’s Bar and Grill hosts a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Pint Night at 6pm

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Alley Katz parks a Shock Top VW mobile bar inside for your amazement. A beer dispensing car? Inside? Crazy! Check out the debut of the new Shock Top Raspberry Wheat as well as the Shock Top Wheat Ale.

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Come to the Sheepherders Bar & Grill for a Local Beer Bash featuring offerings from local breweries, great food and Better Man – A Tribute to Pearl Jam. 9pm

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The Hideaway Bar & Grill pairs their delicious appetizer combination plate with Shock Top for $10 from 7pm-Midnight

keep the beat

This would be funny if it wasn't so maddening. This drum beat is so tired and stale. I refuse to accept this as a reality no matter how many times Breton, Voisin, and the like say this. I do not concede that an entertainment arena is a financial OR cultural boon to the community. The financial benefits are often equaled or outweighed by the tax breaks and public financing that go into them. There are economists who study these things who conclude that. I'm sure there are other economists who conclude that they are beneficial, but I would not say there is any consensus. So I do not accept that our area needs an arena. Voisin wrote a column recently that we need to keep the team so that Sacramento won't become psychologically depressed. Obviously she has a bit of an interest in keeping them here. I want them to leave so that I can stop hearing about an arena, but if Breton has his way the drum beat will never end.

FUCCCKKKKKK

FUUUUUUUCCCCKKKKK dudes. The Halloween show!!!!! We might as well pack it up and call it a day right now because that is never going to be topped. FUCCCKKKK. That's about as articulate as I can be. Crying in my mask at Flaming Lips.

Can't wait

I just got goosebumps AND teared up while watching this. Is that an extreme reaction? I will drive to SF if this doesn't play here.

pretty darn good

A big thanks to Matias Bombal and John Milne for the help with MidMoMoNi last night. About 35 folks braved the cold and rain to come see the movie and they were rewarded with an amazing, super pro, big screen and better sound system. The Magic Christian was way better and funnier on a big screen. I missed stuff on my little TV. And the 16 mm short that Matias brought was good.

I'm very excited that our next movie (Thursday, March 10th) is going to be "All That Jazz". I'm going to re-read the Bob Fosse biography so I can bust out some crazy facts.

There's a new Ethiopian place, Queen of Sheba (natch) that opened in Davis. It's in the doomed spot where the Pita Pit used to be, and it seems doomed as well. How can a cheap vegan/vegetarian buffet fail in a college town? What is wrong with these kids? I guess they are too busy fucking with their iphones to eat. Also, I guess eating with your hands could make you lose your grip on your iphone if you tried it, or you could get some lentils on the screen or something.

I ate there the other day and it's pretty darn good. One of the best options in Davis at lunchtime.

hellatv?

Awesome, Liv just procured a 16mm projector for tomorrow, so we get to show the short film that Matias wanted to in 16mm! It's a 12 minute short from 1974 called "The Concert". Matias thought it would fit with the general theme. I'm also excited to reveal our pick for next month.

Wow, there is a webisode for a thing called hellatv that some local youngsters filmed. I can't believe I haven't eaten at sugarplum vegan yet.

EPISODE 1 from HellaTV on Vimeo.

The Magic Christian Do

The MidMoMoNi is tomorrow (Thursday) at The Verge. Liv posted about it. That short clip of Matias Bombal is worth watching. I bought 5 different delicious brews for us to sell, I'm kinda excited about that. I can promise more popcorn this time and I finally bought popcorn bags.

it turned out in the end

I got a pretty good 70s Christian LP at Goodwill the other day: Randy Stonehill. Here's the logo of the label.

Valentine's Day turned out well after all. Here's what I did. That's right, drank, what else?
I finally cracked this fortified wine EC gave me and it went sooooo well with these macarons from Ginger Elizabeth.

crappy valentine's day, everybody!

Ugh, I am in a TERRIBLE MOOD. What a crappy day. Bright spots: BAR finally tore Tower Cafe the new one it deserves, with predictable reader comments.

Another bright spot: visited Quan Nemh, which I hadn't done in a while. They've changed the menu. The now have bun, which I am eager to try since their other items are so good. And they had these savory tapioca dumplings wrapped in what, banana leaves? Lotus leaves? My brain is frozen. They imparted a green tea-like flavor to the glutinous tapioca.

Don't forget the MidMoMoNi screening of The Magic Christian this Thursday at The Verge. Presented by Matias Bombal!

say what?

I guess I shouldn't let an article about food that's in a style magazine make me mad, but I kind of take this personally. This is ridiculous. An article about the best banh mi in America that spends the first half of it talking about banh mi in the Northwest? And mentions California as an afterthought? I looked it up and Orange Country has by far the biggest Little Saigon in America, with San Jose bringing up second. Seems like many of the commenters are similarly incensed. I guess I've had sandwiches on the brain lately.

PSA

New Mantles video. Stoked! That's one of my favorite songs of theirs. What a tasty riff. I can taste it.

Cascades - The Mantles from The Mantles on Vimeo.

Here's a public service announcement about the Halloween show:

Halloween Show Particulars.

As of right now, no new bands can be formed. We are full. Here are the
bands I have playing:

Cheap Trick
Pretenders
Steve Miller
The Breeders
The Replacements
Flaming Lips
Alice Cooper
1/2 Japanese
The Stooges
Ike & Tina turner
Insane clown Posse
Ministry
MDC
Hüsker Dü
Bryan Adams
Jackson 5
John Cougar Mellencamp
Reo Speedwagon
Bob Segar and the Silver Bullet Band
The Primatives
Guided by Voices
Devo

I know (hope) some bands don't show. One member of each band has to be
at the super secret place at 6:30 pm so we can get the set list
together.
I may need some people help with some heavy lifting earlier in the day.

There will be a drum set, 2 guitar amps, a bass amp and 3 mics. If you
need anything else, let me/ Charles know. Does someone have a keyboard
for sharing? There isn't much room, so I would like to keep equipment
to a minimum. Other instrument sharing encouraged, talk to your
friends.

There is no obvious drinking at this place. I'll bring some cups. Most
of you should know the rules. Stay off the sidewalk, be fucking cool
or I'll have Bob Stinson regulate. With puke.

You are more than welcome to stay and help clean up.

It's 2$ to get in to pay for the space. I don't care if you are
Michael Jackson, it's still 2 bones. Leftover money will go to
charity. That charity may be a certain Armenian/Italian fella's plane
ticket.

I am pretty sure we will have some emcees. Does anyone want to DJ
between bands?

Any questions? You should be able to find out how to get in touch with me.

Gbomb

I swear I opened my mind.

Do you guys know about this stuff going on at Phono Select? There's the art opening on Saturday with some of our friends playing, and also some of our friend's art. Amanda's stuff seems to sell like hot cakes, and I think it's pretty time consuming for her to make, so better snap it up. Also, Natalie has some really conceptual post-apocalyptic stuff. Also on Saturday is DJ Hayley's night at the Fox and Goose. I am going to be guest DJing that in May along with her, and I'm very excited, even though it's months away. I might be busting some folk shit like the Folklords, which should have people running for the doors. Phono Select is also planning a night time Record Swap with DJs. The booths are only 15 bucks.

My farmer piece is in the SNR today, including my picture of the dreamboat flower and Brussel sprout farmer, Jesus.

Also, my Slice post on Hot Italian is up. I went with an open mind, I swear! It was good, it just can't touch Masullo.

That insane show is tonight at The Hub, there may be a couple of tix available at the door. I can't wait to see Dreamdate and No Bunny and MOM. Uzi Rash I could take or leave.

Rantoullllllsssss!

I heard from a trusted source that Lauren and the G-man sometimes take a peek at this blog and I want to say HELLO! And please clear space in your calendar to play a show for my birthday in late July/early August at an amazing wonderland called Stingrayz. P.S.-love the LP it's great! I wanna live in the village of Rantoul. Hopefully Phono Select has a copy or two?

Lightfoot weekend

Do you guys know about this dessert at Maalouf's? It's one of my faves. Can't seem to find the name online. It's french bread soaked in sweet rose syrup with pudding on top and crushed pistachios.

Pick N Pull was awesome! Here's a picture of Gballs and Jellybean Benitez being badasses. They did all the work, of course I was ready to give up right away when I couldn't locate the right car instantly.
Chill weekend, English Singles were in Portland.
My man was gone so this man had to keep me company
I had an assignment in which I had to go to the farmer's market early and talk to farmers and it was so fun. Farmers are so friendly and nice. Rob from Rob's Produce advised me to make a leek, potato and sunchoke soup so I did. He had these pretty leeks for two bucks a pound. I sliced and washed them and sauteed them in a mix of butter and olive oil.
Then, peeled and sliced some old-ass russets.
Then, threw in some chicken broth made by this guy with a bulbous forehead (fivehead?)
Then, washed and chopped up the sunchokes, no peeling required, which is nice because it's very similar to peeling ginger (aka time consuming)
I added a little of this delicious wine, probably should have added it with the leeks in the beginning.
And finished with a little cream and salt and pepper to taste
Chives on top. I really need an immersion blender. No really.
I got a recipe for roasted brussel sprouts with bacon from Cabrillo Farms.

Mmm...bacon and walnuts.

It was really good, although I don't like relying on bacon to add flavor. It didn't really meld together, it was hard to pick up the walnut and bacon pieces. I think next time I'll try the brussel sprout and white wine recipe he gave me. But the sprouts themselves tasted soooo much better than steamed ones. Roasting is the way to go.

cats!

Friday afternoon video from fourfour

a qualified yes

Last night's screening of Herb and Dorothy at the Crest was super fun. I totally had the wrong idea about those two and figured they were abstract expressionist collectors, rather than minimalist and conceptual collectors primarily. That made it a lot more interesting to me because I learned a lot. I also loved that they were able to trade catsitting for Christo and Jean Claude for a Valley Curtain work that they couldn't afford.

There was a good turnout and I enjoyed the panel. Kaltenbach is a wry dude and I can't get enough Annabeth Rosen because of her style. See above. The Verge is going to be doing these screenings at the Crest every three months, with discussion. I have my fingers crossed to see one potential movie that they're trying to line up.

The new MidMo is out with the adorable Jen on the cover. It's the beer issue. Are you psyched for Sac beer week? I kind of am. A qualified psychedness.

those tricky Alkali Flats

Tomorrow (Thursday) night at The Crest is a screening of the movie Herb and Dorothy to benefit The Verge. Herb and Dorothy is the story of a postal worker and a librarian who amassed one of the worlds great modern art collections. They are cute as the dickens as well. And if that's not dramatic enough, there is going to be a panel discussion with Annabeth Rosenberg, STEVEN KALTENBACH, Robert Arneson, and Renny Pritikin. Those are some local arts heavy hitters. I can't wait! Doors open at 7, movie at 730. 15 bucks or 12 for students.

The Alkali Flats have a Kickstarter campaign to record a new album and the used the dastardly technique of an adorable child to rope me in. Check it out here.

finally!

You know how every girl supposedly has her dream wedding? I never really had that, so it's been hard for me to start planning mine. However, now that Liv brought this picture to my attention I can finally start planning!

Also, Helnwein will be the guest of honor, of course.