Dude



We better get this Nacho Bike (tm) operation rolling soon(literally). Someone has already been peddling a similar idea.

The Scene



I wanted to post this in order to push the fund raiser info down, since it has passed.

Weird show weekend!

So we played that fund raiser. I don't feel like I got my share of wine, but I was busy playing music. I sat my glass down and forgot where I put it.

I was surprised to see some of my peeps at the event. That was nice. In my head, I kept on imagining our performance would be graced by an old 50-something couple dancing in front of us, where the dude would twirl his lady around in a drunken stupor like we were mumbo gumbo or something. Instead, it was just a bunch of kids...and by kids, I mean two year olds.

The next night we played another show. It was free and I didn't know much about it, so I didn't publicize it. Here is the story: There are a couple dudes in town planning on opening up an all ages venue on R street called VOX. Both the guys I met who were in charge seemed real nice, so I hope everything goes smoothly for them. Anyhow, the guys opening VOX are putting on free shows once a month at various locations to promote the venue and get people on their mailing list, and that's what the gig was all about. It was at that Eastern Star Temple across the street from Sutter's fort. I always wanted to see what it looked like inside, even though it seemed like kind of a weird place to play. It was like playing at a church or something. Again, we played for the kids, and by kids, I mean 5 year olds? Major props to Anna, who brought us pizza, and ultra major shout out to Guphy for stocking up a cooler full of ice cold brews in the back of her pickup for the curb-side after-party!

Does the picture at the top of this post imply that I think the music scene is lying in a coffin? No. I just hate pandas. Fuckin' pandas.

Fremont Gardens Fun(d)Raiser this weekend!!
(FNA - Mandella gardens)

Sorry. I made some lazy mistakes. Here are the corrections. Chris, your comments are now irrelevent.

If anyone wants to get me this Star Wars/Transformer, I'll buy you a pizza.

Here is the scooop:

THIS SATURDAY (6/24) Baby Grand will be playing a fund raiser for the community garden formerly known as "The Mandella Community Garden" which will now be "The Fremont Community Garden"

Here is a link to an article in the BEE about the project

And below is more information from the coordinator about the fund raising event.

Hope to see you there!

-Leon

P.S. Feel free to pass this information along to anyone who may be interested.

***********************************

Hello!

We need your help! The new community garden in Downtown Sacramento formerly
known as the Mandella Garden is short of funding to complete the project.
Located at 14th and Q Streets, the ADA accessible organic Fremont Community
Garden needs to raise $40,000 to finish the proposed project. Can we get
your help in raising funds for this?

Here's how you can help! Buy a ticket or two to our Wine Tasting and Silent
Auction scheduled for June 24th at the Capital Athletic Club. Tell your
friends and invite them as well. Tickets are $25 (All but $5 is tax
deductible) in advance or $35 the day of and are available at the CADA
office on 14th and P Streets or call Evan Smestad at 549 Â? 4291 or email:
evansmestad@hotmail.com for more information.

Live performance by Baby Grand and the Master of Ceremonies will be Vice
Mayor Rob Fong.

We will have 9 wineries/distributors providing UNLIMITED TASTINGS:

Grgich Hills Cellar, Napa
Michael David, Lodi
Emmolo Family Winery, Rutherford
Arbios Cellars, Santa Rosa
Wilson Vineyards, Clarksburg
Wofford Acres Vineyards, El Dorado
Epic Wines, Santa Cruz
Henry Wine Group, Benicia
Youngs Estate Group

Local restaurants providing food:

Rio City Café
Aioli
Ink.
Taqueria Jalisco
La Trattoria Bohemia
Freeport Bakery
Tiny's Wine Bar (Coming Soon to 14th and R)

Wonderful local artists providing auction items:

Kira Stewart
Lynne Cunningham
Gustavo Reynoso
Ardis Bow
Suzanne Murray
Kate Anderson
Jane Black
Patris Miller
Susan Silvester
Sharon Zachery
Judith Monroe
Gina Leyton
Allison Johnson
Chuck Moody
Marie Therese Brown
Scott Palmer
Michael DeSantis
Sandy Delehanty

Raffle and Other Auction items include:

4 RiverCats Tickets Behind Home Plate, Tour behind the Scenes and the
privilege to Throw Out the First Pitch!
A NEW! TFR-USA Moped Up To 150 MPG valued at $1,000!!
Wine Country Limo Tour to Amador County valued over $500!
2 Spa Packages worth over $300 each!
Delta River Cruise to/from Sacramento Â? San Francisco and return on Train
including lunch worth $300
$225 gift cert at A S Cycles for a Motorcycle Safety Course
$100 Two Person Wine Tasting at The Supper Club.
$150 Gift cert at Cline Cellars in Sonoma
$100 Gift cert for a 4 person tasting and food pairing at J Vineyards in
Russian River (Healdsburg)
Overnight stay at the Downtown Sacramento Sheraton Hotel
2 cooking classes at the Natural Foods Co-op.
Trader Joe's Gift Bag valued at $50
2 Nugget Gift Bags
$25 Gift Cards at Safeway
$20 Gift Card at the Fox & Goose
Il Fornaio Gift Certificate
Bottles of Wine And MoreÂ?.

FREE 15 MINUTE BACK MASSAGE Provided by ART OF TOUCH - Massage Studio -
http://www.artoftouchmassagestudio.com (first come first serve basis - 2
chairs available during the event!)

We hope you can join us for this fun and important community event! Don't
Miss It!

Growing Communities Together,

Evan Smestad

Fremont Community Garden - Fundraising Chair

Save the internet!!!


Just a few clicks away from getting your voice heard!

The Internet as we know it is facing a serious threat. There's a debate heating up in Washington, DC on something called "net neutrality" – and it's a debate that's so important Google is asking you to get involved. We're asking you to take action to protect Internet freedom.

In the next few days, the House of Representatives is going to vote on a bill that would fundamentally alter the Internet. That bill, and one that may come up for a key vote in the Senate in the next few weeks, would give the big phone and cable companies the power to pick and choose what you will be able to see and do on the Internet.

Today the Internet is an information highway where anybody – no matter how large or small, how traditional or unconventional – has equal access. But the phone and cable monopolies, who control almost all Internet access, want the power to choose who gets access to high-speed lanes and whose content gets seen first and fastest. They want to build a two-tiered system and block the on-ramps for those who can't pay.

Creativity, innovation and a free and open marketplace are all at stake in this fight. Please call your representative (202-224-3121) and let your voice be heard.

• Call Congress at 202-224-3121 or click here to enter your zip code to find your representative



• Sign the Save the Internet petition to Congress for Internet freedom, and write a letter to your congressperson

Good news for us
bad new for Zelda's





From information gleaned from the NAG meeting last night, it looks like my beloved Chicago Fire Pizza is wanting to move into a building on the 2400 block of J street. They are an independently run, Chicago style pizza joint serving pizza that is very similar to Zachary's in the bay area. Let's hope the city allows it. The only thing holding it up is the parking situation (lack of off street parking). Personally, I think they will get a lot of foot traffic from the neighborhoods, so it shouldn't be such a big deal, but I guess technically it is.

BOSS OUT OF TOWN FOR TWO WEEKKS
PARTY!!!!



Dude. I'm coming in late every day this week. I can just feel it! Maybe the IT guys at my work monitor all my internet activity and read this, in that case, JUST KIDDING!!!

For all of yalls interested in the fate of downtown, regarding development (among other things), You should come to this meeting tonight:

Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) June Meeting Agenda
In Partnership with the City of Sacramento Neighborhood Services Department
Monday, June 19th, 2006, 6:15 to 8:30 p.m.
Hart Senior Center, 27th and J Streets
Please note the early start time!

Tonight's facilitator: Paul Harriman, Boulevard Park Neighborhood Association

6:00 Complimentary pizza and soft drinks courtesy of Pampered Pet Salon
* Located at 1422 - 28th Street, Suite C, http://www.pamperedpetsalon.com/

6:15 Welcome and introductions

6:20 Announcements

6:30 Issue updates
Central City Parking Master Plan Sutter Hospital/Trinity Cathedral
Central City 2-Way Conversion Study General plan update
NAG events committee Form-based codes
Mercy Hospital Board and commission openings
Area 1 entertainment and alcohol task force High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes
American River Parkway plan update National Night Out: Tuesday, August 1st
Status of Design Review and Preservation Board restructuring

6:50 Area 1 Police Department activity report: Lt. Don Rehm, Police Department
§ http://www.sacpd.org/index.asp

7:00 Midtown and east Sacramento projects
§ Chicago Fire Pizza, J Street: Eric Schnetz, owner, Chicago Fire Pizza
§ 1801 L and L Street Lofts (P06-081 and P06-082): Al Esquivel, Project manager, SKK Developments
o The applicant proposes to locate restaurants in spaces previously approved for retail uses and seeks special permits to waive parking spaces and for off-site parking.
§ Alhambra at S Condominium Community (P06-076): Brian Holloway Senior Partner, Holloway Rasmusson & Molodanof
o The applicant proposes to construct a mixed-use project at the southeastern corner of Alhambra Boulevard and S Street. It would consist of 278 condominiums, 5,200 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a parking garage. The height would vary from three to five stories.

7:30 Level of Service (LOS): Fedolia "Sparky" Harris, Senior Planner, Development Services
§ Looking at redefining "bad" traffic and the threshold that triggers mitigations.
§ LOS defined: http://www.planning.org/thecommissioner/19952003/spring02.htm

8:00 NAG transportation workshop: organized and facilitated by NAG members
§ Many new projects are slated for the Alhambra corridor, resulting in more residents and their cars. Join your neighbors in considering the cumulative impacts of these projects on traffic and parking and in identifying potential solutions.

8:00 Adjourn

For more information, please contact Julie Sontag in the Neighborhood Services Department (808-5691, jsontag@cityofsacramento.org), or e-mail the NAG at nagarea1@hotmail.com. Items are placed on the agenda based on their time sensitivity and relevance to Area 1 (downtown, midtown, and east Sacramento). Join the NAG agenda committee in setting the agenda at noon on the first Wednesday of the month. Call Julie Sontag for more information. Visit http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/nagevents/clubcal.html for a listing of Area 1 events and meetings.

The Great INDOORS



Show this Saturday 6/17!!!

Baby Grand (with the debut of new member, Chris Olsen!)
Einstein and the Geniuses (featuring real live local music geniuses!)
Dear Nora (from SF...good stuff)

@ the distillery
10pm or something

SN&R lists the wrong bands

The Great Outdoors



Some of you may have noticed, this summer is the summer of hiking for me. I've gone hiking just about every weekend for the past couple months or so. I'd like to camp too, but I don't know of any super great places near by that aren't already booked up.

Anyhow, since Half-Dome, my sister hasn't been as enthusiastic about hiking and Niki is too pregnant to go on some of the super hikes with me, but if anyone wants to tag along sometime, feel free to let me know.

This weekend I'm planning on going out to Feather Falls (leaving at the crack of dawn).

(follow up)
I think I'll be doing this hike next weekend. My conscious is getting to me and I gotta get some tasks done over the weekend on top of all the other crap going on

OK. Maybe not so bad.
(Zelda's update)



Being in denial, and wanting to buy Niki a pizza, I ventured off towards Zelda's once again to see if they were open. Nope. Closed, but at least there was the above note posted out front rather than the cardboard circle as seen earlier.

Maybe they are getting bigger ovens so they can make more pizzas at a time?

My worst case scenario is that they are going to modernize the inside to look like all the other shitty restaurants popping up all over town. Hopefully there won't be any plasma screens or brushed metal decor (and/or valet parking out front)...fingers crossed

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I found this sign on the front door of Zeldas this last Thursday.

This could be bad folks.

The final ascent



I wanted everyone to see ALL the pictures I took on my hike, thus my free flicker account wasn't an option. I put them on the frenchmen server.

Here is the link.