Delicious Gamble
Rohnert Park residents rejoiced this year when the long-awaited casino opened on the outskirts of town. Not because there would finally be a form of entertainment other than miniature golf or theater in the city, but because the $800 million gambling mecca has a top-notch taqueria. The 34,000-square-foot casino is fun and all, but the real draw is La Fondita. The Santa Rosa eatery was hand-picked by tribal chairman Greg Sarris to open another outlet of its popular Roseland restaurants inside the casino. With the incredible response to the opening of a Chipotle restaurant in Rohnert Park (diners sometimes waited upwards of an hour in line), it was obvious that RP residents were in desperate need of a real burrito. Yes, the casino was a source of controversy for over a decade before it was even built, and traffic was terrible on opening day, Nov. 4. But the delicious tortas were worth the wait, as a full parking garage and packed gambling floors littered with drips of crema and guacamole will attest. It’s a mainstay, and even if Amy’s Kitchen does open
a healthy fast-food establishment down the street, it won’t make a dent in La Fondita’s business. A healthy chorizo chimichanga is one that I don’t ever want to meet. And if a strip mall or two opens across the street with a Taco Bell or a Baja Fresh, so be it. Station Casinos bought all the land adjacent to the casino it bankrolled, and it can lease the space to whomever it likes. You know why La Fondita doesn’t give a shit? Because their tacos are the shit—the best little meat bombs a tortilla has ever had the honor of transporting to a mouth. And the elote? That’s no gamble, that’s a sure bet for deliciousness, corn-teeth be damned. Rohnert Park has changed forever, no thanks to the smoky, flashy, loud, moneysucking sensory blitz of the Graton Rancheria Casino, but to the beautiful, rich, spicy carne asada contained within.—Nicolas Grizzle
The Internet Lottery
Out of the thousands of things we post online every year, we’re never completely sure what’s going to capture the imagination of the public at large. But in the case of a mid-July post about a newscast, we at the Bohemian captured eyeballs worldwide. In a post titled “KTVU Reports Asiana Pilots Named ‘Sum Ting Wong,’ ‘Ho Lee Fuk,’” we had the somewhat dubious honor of being first to break the news that KTVU anchors had messed up really, really bad. In just one day, we’d amassed 250,000 views; the post would go on to break the halfmillion mark by the end of the week. What can we say? People all over the world like racist news bloopers.—Gabe Meline
15 NORTH BAY BOHEMIAN | JANUARY 1–7, 2014 | BOHEMIAN.COM
and providing inspiration to working moms everywhere—and a brickbat to the misogynist troll who wrote that Carlstrom should “stay at home with her first child.” This was also the year that the 31-year-old attorney, who’s served less than a year on Santa Rosa City Council, announced that she would run for State Legislature . . . oh wait, no, never mind . . . make that the 10th District assembly seat, currently held by Marc Levine, who last year unseated Michael Allen. Carlstrom hasn’t made the official announcement yet, but maybe this one will stick.—Leilani Clark