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Local gamers, developers make their mark in esports
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Sacramento’S newS & entertainment weekly
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contents
december 5, 2019 | Vol. 31, Issue 34
Plenty of virtual celebrities will be at the Sac Gamers Expo on Dec. 8, including Arlo (right), the lovable puppet who has a YouTube channel dedicated to video games.
editor’s note letters essay + streetalK greenlight 15 minutes news feature arts + Culture musiC stage
04 05 06 08 09 10 16 22 27 28
39 dish plaCe Calendar Capital Cannabis guide asK joey
32 35 37 43 50
Cover design by maria ratinova
N&R Publications Editor Debbie Arrington Associate Publications Editors Derek McDow,
SN&R
Thea Rood
N&R Publications Staff Writers/Photographers Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live.
Editor Foon Rhee News Editor Raheem F. Hosseini Staff Reporter Scott Thomas Anderson Copy Editor Steph Rodriguez Calendar Editor Maxfield Morris Contributing Editor Rachel Leibrock Editorial Assistant Rachel Mayfield Contributors Ngaio Bealum, Amy Bee, Rob Brezsny, Aaron Carnes, Jim Carnes, Joey Garcia, Kate Gonzales, Howard Hardee, Ashley Hayes-Stone, Jim Lane, Chris Macias, Ken Magri, Illyanna Maisonet, Tessa Marguerite Outland, Lindsay Oxford, James Raia, Patti Roberts, Dylan Svoboda, Bev Sykes, Jeremy Winslow, Graham Womack Creative Services Manager Elisabeth Bayard-Arthur Art Directors Sarah Hansel, Maria Ratinova Art of Information Director Serene Lusano Publications Designer Katelynn Mitrano Publications and Advertising Designer Nikki Exerjian Ad Designers Naisi Thomas, Cathy Arnold
Advertising Manager Michael Gelbman Sales & Production Coordinator Skyler Morris Senior Advertising Consultants Rosemarie Messina, Kelsi White
Advertising Consultants Sam Almaguer, Michael Nero, Vincent Marchese, Amy Yang
Director of First Impressions/Sweetdeals Coordinator Laura Anthony Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Assistant Lob Dunnica Distribution Drivers Mansour Aghdam, Rosemarie Beseler, Kimberly Bordenkircher, Mike Cleary, Tom Downing, Marty Fetterley, Chris Fong, Ron Forsberg, Michael Jackson, Calvin Maxwell, Greg Meyers, Jeremy Meier, Jenny Plummer, Lloyd Rongley, Lolu Sholotan, Viv Tiqui,
Anne Stokes, Allen Pierleoni
N&R Publications Editorial Coordinator Nisa Smith Marketing & Publications Lead Consultant Elizabeth Morabito
Development Consultant Greta Beekhuis Marketing & Publications Consultants Julia Ballantyne, Chris Cohen, Joseph Engle, Laura Golino, Sherri Heller, Rod Malloy, Celeste Worden,
President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of People & Culture David Stogner Nuts & Bolts Ninja Norma Huerta Director of Dollars & Sense Debbie Mantoan Account Jedi Jessica Kislanka Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins
put your favorite bands and musicians on the ballot! Nominations start
12.12.19
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The 2020 Census is a big deal. One reason why is that Sacramento will use the numbers to decide new City Council districts. And for the first time, citizens—not politicians—will have the exclusive power to draw the lines. This change was a long time coming. It finally happened because council members made such an embarrassing mess after the 2010 Census that voters took the authority away from them by changing the city charter in November 2016. Now, the process is starting to pick the Sacramento Independent Redistricting Commission, which is similar to a statewide panel that draws legislative and congressional districts. On Nov. 25, the city’s Ethics Commission, which will play a key role in selecting the redistricting panel, discussed the next steps and time line. The first deadline is Jan. 1, when the city clerk’s office must tell the City Council how it will recruit applicants and how it will encourage public participation. Mary-Beth Moylan, an ethics commissioner and assistant dean at McGeorge School of Law, pointed out that that the same redistricting consultants who worked for the Legislature and City Council could also end up helping Sacramento’s new commission. To minimize the consultants’ influence, that makes picking the citizens even more important. They are supposed to be people with analytical minds and a good knowledge of Sacramento neighborhoods. Nicolas Heidorn, a former Common Cause leader, said the goal should be to find a diverse group who can be “honest brokers.” But ethnic diversity may be a challenge, based on a new city audit that found the 33 existing city boards and commissions are not representative of the city’s population. While Sacramento is 31% white, 29% Latino, 19% Asian and 13% African American, board and commission members are 53% white, 12% Latino, 8% Asian and 17% African American. The redistricting commission must be fully established by Dec. 1, 2020, so that it can start work right after the necessary census counts are made available by March 31, 2021. Then, the commission has six months to adopt new districts that must be substantially equal in population and geographically contiguous, and
fo o nr @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m
must keep neighborhoods together and put “communities of interest”—residents who share social and economic interests—in the same district. There will be 13 commissioners. The city clerk is responsible for finding at least 40 qualified applicants, including at least three from each of the eight council districts, by Sept. 15, 2020. But only certain residents will be eligible. You must be a registered voter and have either voted in two of the last three primary elections or lived in Sacramento for at least the last decade. But you cannot have been a candidate for city office, a campaign employee or consultant, an employee of any city elected official or a principal officer of a campaign committee within the last 10 years. You also cannot have donated more than $825 to a council candidate in either the 2016 or 2018 election. And you can’t be a city employee, a registered city lobbyist or an employee of a redistricting consultant, or have an immediate family member in those jobs. From the city clerk’s list of applicants, the Ethics Commission will decide the 25 to 30 most qualified. Then, the ethics chairperson will randomly pick one person from each council district. Those eight commissioners will select the other five members and two non-voting alternates. Yes, it’s a rather convoluted process with a lot of rules. But the goal is worthy—to weed out undue political influence so that the commission draws fair districts. Then again, almost any outcome would be better than the last time. The council appointed a citizens commission, which studied 37 different maps submitted by the public, held several hearings and recommended four maps in 2011. But the panel was only advisory—and the council chose to completely ignore its advice. Instead, after backroom dealing, it approved a map drawn by council members that protected some from potential challengers or put areas they wanted in their districts. The new independent commission, one of a series of good government reforms in recent years, promises to be a vast improvement—but only if enough good people step up. □
letters
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Get on the bus Re: “Do-over on transit tax” by Foon Rhee (Editor’s note, Nov. 14): Am I the only one who reads “Do-over on transit tax” and can’t actually find any transit in it? Buses would be a much faster, cheaper and more reliable way to reach Sacramento International Airport than a meandering light rail route riddled with stops. Tearing up light rail stations to rebuild them for low-floor trains will only have the effect of creating inaccessible stations with raised platforms and fences down the middle. Replacing a few light rail vehicles instead of rebuilding them has the effect of making transit less ecologically friendly. The fact is, the only way we can connect our homes, stores, schools and attractions now is with more buses. Transit works when it goes where we want to go. Only more buses can do that. Do we need to vote “no” again, so that next time we’ll actually be offered a choice of having more transit?
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Child care is crucial
Trump on homeless
Re: “We can prevent child abuse” by Sheila Boxley and Michelle Callejas (Essay, Nov. 21): Thank you for this important essay! And as a side note, we all know CPS workers can’t be available to monitor families on a regular basis, no matter how much they want to be available to help. One way to mitigate this is to use the child care/preschool system. CPS kids get priority for child care subsidies. The CPS system should maximize the child care system by requiring children be in child care/preschool. Preschool teachers having “eyes on” the children every single day is an invaluable resource to all. Not only can preschool teachers spot potential abuse, they may even prevent parents from ever needing help by simply providing a break, or prevent myriad other family stressors by referring families to resources (food bank, rental assistance) and helping parents understand child development. Wrapping high quality early care and education into a family care plan helps everyone.
On Nov. 14, Matthew Doherty, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, was fired by President Trump, signaling a major policy shift in addressing this issue. Apparently “Housing First”—a concept that emphasizes getting homeless persons off the streets so that wrap-around services can be more easily provided—will be replaced by a renewed emphasis on mass incarceration or warehousing of unhoused persons. While the president recently signed into federal law new relaxations on drug crimes, allowing early release for thousands of federal prisoners, this homeless policy appears in direct contradiction. Studies demonstrate that criminalization and incarceration of homeless persons, many of whom are mentally ill or drug dependent, does not lead to solutions but to less effective rehabilitation, lower rates of stable housing and employment, increased recidivism and higher income inequality. One can only wonder what the end game of this policy may be.
melinda geiSer Plumas l ake / via Sn& r ext r a
john mccormack S acr am en t o / v i a e m a i l read more letters online at newsreview.com/sacramento.
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eSSay
by BOB erlenBusch And drew FacTOr
StReetalk
by Oden TaylOr
Asked At Coin-op GAme Room:
Favorite video game?
Childhood trauma lasts a lifetime California doctors need to know more about the effects
bR Andon CAVit t soccer club director
My favorite video game is Street Fighter II. It’s a childhood game of mine I have loved ever since I was young.
VinCent Aneset ti Bob Erlenbusch, left, is executive director of the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness. Drew Factor is an internist with Sutter Medical Group.
an alcoholic or drug abuser and 2.5 times more likely to smoke. In addition to these high-risk “Adverse childhood experiences are the single behaviors, childhood trauma is highly correlated greatest unaddressed public health threat facing with health issues including depression, heart our nation today,” declared Robert Block, former disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, chronic lung president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. disease, liver disease and shortened life span. Yet, according to a study conducted in the According to the National Council for mid-1990s by the Centers for Disease Control Behavioral Health, trauma informed care is “the and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente, adverse expectation, not the exception in behavioral health childhood experiences are common, and the systems.” Yet most American physicians are resulting health and behavioral health issues span a unaware of these findings and do not assess their lifetime. patients for childhood trauma. Even for clinicians What are adverse childhood experiences? who are aware, there are many reasons why these The study identified three types: abuse, neglect issues are not routinely addressed in primary and household dysfunction. Since this study, care settings, including lack of time, tools or the list has been expanded to include living in training; misconceptions and discomfort; lack unsafe neighborhoods, food insecurity, of administrative support; or the fear homelessness, bullying, income that they “just don’t want to open insecurity, discrimination and Pandora’s box.” racism. It should What doctors do not realize is We are proposing legislation that a medical setting is full of be standard to require education on potential “triggers” for people practice for medical childhood trauma in all with traumatic experiences. California medical, dental professionals to screen Invasive procedures, removal and nursing programs. We of clothing, physical touch, and assess for childhood also propose that all major power dynamics, the gender of trauma in a safe medical groups mandate similar the healthcare provider and loss training of their administrators, environment. of privacy may be distressing for staff and clinicians. And we call these patients and keep them from upon elected officials and their staffs seeking medical services. to raise their awareness of the pervasive Trauma informed care must be effects of childhood trauma, especially in the a universal precaution, just like an infectious crisis areas of homelessness and poverty. diseases. It should be standard practice for medical The recent CDC report found that at least 60% professionals to screen and assess for childhood of Americans had at least one adverse experience, trauma in a safe environment. It is critical that while 16% had four or more different types. Ethnic primary and behavioral health systems have ways minorities are most at risk: 61% of black children, to inform each other about a person’s trauma 51% of Hispanics, 40% of white children and 23% and its effect on their mental health and physical of Asian children experienced at least one traumatic well-being. experience. It is time that the major hospitals in our The physical and mental health toll of these communities take a multidisciplinary approach to traumatic experiences is staggering. People who improve health care. California has led the way with experience trauma are 15 times more likely to many great initiatives, and health care should be no commit suicide, four times more likely to become exception. □
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firefighter
Blitzen 99, because I suck at it, and it’s challenging.
Jessie thomAs pottery assistant
Right now, Borderlands 3. It’s really in-depth, because it has different weapons that are more elemental … there’s ones that have fire, there’s ones that are electric.
mARtin sAbonis analyst
I have to say Halo because we used to hang out and play Halo split-screen in high school, and it was the best time.
ARi Codon glass artist
I do have a favorite. I like Call of Duty: Black Ops—super basic, super easy, but it is a fun shooting game, so that’s what I enjoy. Oh, and I like Mario Kart.
ChRis stAnton engineer
I’m going to have to say Pokémon Silver. It has a little bit of nostalgia. I was really good at it as a kid.
building a
HealtHy
Sacramento
Boys & Men of Color Summit Fosters Brotherhood by E d g A R S A n C H E Z
T
hirty diverse young men—most of whom had never met—sat in a circle recently in a room at Sacramento State University, during the 8th annual Boys & Men of Color Summit. The circle is just one of the activities at the pro-education summit organized by local youth with support from The California Endowment. About 200 youth from Sacramento and beyond attended. Two adults, Raymond Garcia and Ryan McClinton, asked the thirty youth in the ring who attended, ages 12 to 23: “How many of you know who Stephon Clark was?” The name resonated like gunshots in the night. “I heard about him on the news,” one youngster said. “He was killed in his grandmother’s backyard,” said another. Clark, a 22-year-old African American, was indeed gunned down in the backyard of his grandmother’s Meadowview home on March 18, 2018 by two Sacramento police officers who mistook his cellphone for a gun. Responding to a call of a fence-jumping man smashing car windows, they fired 20 shots at Clark, killing him instantly. No charges were filed against the police. “When I learned about this incident, I was upset,” McClinton told the youth. “The cops who were responsible for keeping us safe didn’t keep us safe [that night].” As community organizers for Sacramento Area Congregations Together, or the
Endowment supported Sac ACT, McClinton and Garcia, in conjunction with groups like Black Lives Matter, arranged protests against the police over-reaction that claimed Clark’s life.
“I FElt l IkE StEPHoN Clark waS mY BrotHEr.” Josh Harris Student, American River College
Protesters blocked I-5 downtown, closing the freeway. And there were other demonstrations, including two in which picketers blocked Golden 1 Center entrances, resulting in the Sacramento Kings playing basketball before mini-crowds, because most fans couldn’t get in.
During a break at 8th annual Summit at Sac State are, left to right: Speaker raymond Garcia of los angeles; Elijah Scott, 12, an 8th grader at rosemont’s albert Einstein middle School; Josh Harris, 23, a sophomore at american river College and speaker ryan mcClinton. Photo by Edgar Sanchez
model, recently moved to Los Angeles, but plans to return here.
Josh Harris, an American River College sophomore, said he joined the protests “because I have three younger brothers,” and he doesn’t want them shot by police for being black.
Citing the power of protests, Garcia told the circle: “Slavery existed for a long time. But there’s no slavery any more. People like us fought against it. You guys are the next generation” that will fight injustice.
Recalling Clark’s tragic death, Harris added: “I felt like Stephon Clark was my brother.” Other students said they walked out of their classes in protest.
Elijah Scott, 12, of Rosemont’s Albert Einstein Middle School, said the circle was about brotherhood.
Garcia, a formerly incarcerated man who now obeys the law to the point of being a role
“When we walked into this room, we were strangers,” he said. “When we started talking, we were like brothers.”
Your ZIP code shouldn’t predict how long you’ll live – but it does. Staying healthy requires much more than doctors and diets. Every day, our surroundings and activities affect how long – and how well – we’ll live. Health Happens in Neighborhoods. Health Happens in Schools. Health Happens with Prevention.
paid with a grant from the california endowment
BuIlDING HEaltHY CommuNItIES In 2010, the California Endowment launched a 10-year, $1 billion plan to improve the health of 14 challenged communities across the state. over the 10 years, residents, communitybased organizations and public institutions will work together to address the socioeconomic and environmental challenges contributing to the poor health of their communities.
For more info, visit SacACT.org www.SacBHC.org 12.05.19
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greenlight
Lina Fat left Sacramento a better place by Jeff vonKaenel
je ffv @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m
in the Park, helping to start Second I do not know if there is a way to measure Saturday and organizing the JAMMIES, the force of nature, but it decreased last which was a music awards show for high week when Lina Fat left us, after 81 years school students. on the planet. SN&R’s event that was most like Lina’s Born in Hong Kong in 1938, she moved was our Call for Unity. The annual event to the United States to attend a liberal arts started on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 college in Nashville. Later she moved west terror attacks and featured interfaith music to attend the UC San Francisco School of performances by different Sacramento reliPharmacy. After moving to Sacramento, gious groups. Many of those groups would she met her future husband, Ken Fat, son be natural candidates for Lina’s festival. of the famous Frank Fat. Frank Fat’s was So naturally I told Lina that I wanted the Chinese restaurant and bar a few blocks to help. We met for lunch at her Old from the state Capitol where many political deals have been made over the last 80 years. Sacramento restaurant and I soon agreed to sit on the board of the Sacramento World All of us living in the Golden State have Music and Dance Festival. Here been impacted by words written I got to know Lina, whom I on the napkins of Frank Fat’s. came to love and admire. For a few years, Lina Music festivals, worked in her husband Her effort, her especially those involving Ken’s dental practice. passion and her amateur groups, Then for several years, ability to persuade have a lot of moving she focused on her parts: Different sound family and her three people to get involved requirements for each children. In 1974, when were a joy to see and performer, marketing the Fat family started to experience. challenges, weather develop their restaurant problems, artists’ egos—the empire, Lina went into the challenges go on and on. family business, working Lina was not a festival at their original restaurant in promoter. But she was a force of Old Sacramento, then called China nature. Her effort, her passion and Camp. The Fat family now has two other her ability to persuade people to restaurants in Roseville and Folsom. I got to know Lina Fat in 2007 when she get involved were a joy to see and experience. What she lacked in festival was putting together the Sacramento World knowledge, she made up in enthusiasm Music and Dance Festival. The festival and persuasion. Many hands make for had a few famous international artists plus easy lifting, and Lina always made sure numerous local music and dance groups that we had many hands. performing over several days. The World Music and Dance I was thrilled that she was putting Festivals were cool. They put the together this event because I believe we spotlight on dozens of artistic and have so much undiscovered musical and musical groups. They made Sacramento artistic talent in Sacramento. Since moving a better place, as did Lina. She will be to Sacramento in 1989 to launch SN&R, I missed. Ω have tried to find ways that the paper could help support the arts community, including starting the Sacramento Area Music Awards Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority and the Downtown Friday Night Concerts owner of the News & Review. 8 | Sn&r | 12.05.19
15 minutes
by Maxfield Morris
m a x fi e l d m @ne w s re v i e w . c o m
Cara Westin poses with the Zoltar recreation she helped build at MakerHQ. PHOTO COURTESY OF CARA WESTIN
Big makers, tiny space In a 700-square-foot floor plan, you’ve got to use the space efficiently—especially if it’s shared by a dozen creative people working sporadically on various technology projects. Cara Westin is a member-turned-board member of MakerHQ, the petite fabrication space on the edge of downtown and Midtown. She got involved to pursue a passion with robotics, and has since worked on a number of interactive products. For example, MakerHQ’s life-size Tetris game owes 1,200 joints of solder to Westin alone. SN&R chatted with the third-year user of MakerHQ about what it’s like getting to create there.
What’s your background? I actually worked for the city, and when I retired, I opened up a gym. So I have a gym downtown where I do strength training, I coach. So this is just kind of something I’ve been interested in. I’ve been fascinated by robotics my whole life. I was looking for a place to fit in as an older retired person with no knowledge, and I found MakerHQ. One of the projects that Richard [Julian, MakerHQ co-founder,] and I have been kicking around is a robotic lawnmower. Swarm lawnmowers—lots of robotic lawn mowers that would be able to communicate with each other.
How is it working in such a small space? Well, I mean, it’s what we were able to afford. The big places like Hacker Lab, they have either large grants from the city or are supported by Sierra College, things like that. There are really only two maker spaces, Hacker Lab and us. …It’s tough to keep a space like that going, buy the equipment— this is kind of a labor of love.
to voice recognition. … One of the big projects we did for Makers Faire was Wall of Fortune. It was an escape room-themed project with four puzzles that kids had to work through, or adults. We created a replica of Zoltar from Big. One of the other big projects we worked on was a 10-foot-tall Tetris game that’s now down at Worlds of Wonder, a Lodi children’s museum.
What’s the space like? We make the most of it. It’s literally a tiny little wedge of space on the southwest corner of 16th and X. … All the members and founders built in a bunch of benches—we’ve literally made the most of the space.
Is there value to having a smaller space? Well, it’s obviously more intimate. We couldn’t have 100 members even if we wanted to; the value of that it’s affordable to us. We couldn’t keep the space open if it was twice the size or was a fancy space … but y’know, when we’re in there working, we’re all there within 3 feet of each other. When we have a meet-up or something, we’re all sitting around one big table. It’s one big room. We’re small. We have very rarely had someone join that didn’t kind of fit.
Is there a lengthy application process? No. In fact, I just got an email from someone who’s like, “I code video games, would I be able to come in and use the space to code video games as a hobby?” And I emailed back, “Of course, as long as you don’t mind there being people there while you work!”
Any interesting projects coming up? I’m very interested in the interactions— emotional interactions—between humans and robots, so we’re starting to work on building what we call “Hugbot”—which is a robot that’s capable of giving you a hug—and seeing how people react.that. Ω
What do you work on at the space? We’ve built a replica of Deep Thought from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that responded
Learn more about MakerHQ at makerhq.com and check out its Instagram, @makerhq.
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Competitors line up for the 2011 California International Marathon. Photo courtesy of brian baer / creative commons
On your mark, get set, cheat! The California International Marathon returns this weekend—and so does the big race’s biggest problem by James Raia the california international marathon starts at 7 a.m., Dec. 8 on auburn-folsom road next to folsom Dam. for viewing areas and road closures, visit runsra.org.
The California International Marathon allows participants six hours to officially finish the course from Folsom to the state Capitol. But every year organizers face another endurance challenge that takes weeks to complete—identifying the cheaters.
10 | SN&R | 12.05.19
At least several dozen runners who cross the finish line on Sunday, Dec. 8 will have to prove their times are legitimate, or else return the medals hung around their necks. The reasons are plentiful: Runners use performance-enhancing drugs, cut
courses, swap their bib numbers or get assistance from unofficial aid stations. It’s all prohibited—and regularly practiced. The amended official results, including qualifiers’ times for the Boston Marathon, are released about a
month after the marathon. Capital Road Race Management in Sacramento, the marathon’s timing company, and the Ohio-based marathoninvestigation.com are responsible for policing the results. But CRRM’s owner says that’s no easy task. “You want to line up at starting line knowing the outcome of the event is going to come from your training and your DNA and that’s it,” said Rich Hanna, an accomplished runner in his own right. “So many weird things can happen on a course. But as a competitor, you want to know who has an illegal edge. Unfortunately, we don’t know that anymore, not even in local fun runs.”
CheaTers dOn’T always prOsper Contested on a slightly downhill course that meanders through Sacramento suburbs, the California International Marathon is a fair-weather haven for runners trying to get a fast enough time
What if: K.J. edition See neWS
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CruSade againSt oCean threat See neWS
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a duSty deStination?
to qualify for the Boston Marathon—the sport’s epitome of achievement. But the sport has also been in its most dubious spotlight in years. On July 4, Frank Meza, a family physician in Pasadena and a national age-group record-holder at age 70, committed suicide. He jumped into a river while on a training run near his residence. Four months earlier, Meza was disqualified from the Los Angeles Marathon for cheating. He was also disqualified, and then banned, from CIM after cheating in its 2014 and 2016 events. Four days after Meza’s death, Rosie Ruiz, the most infamous marathon cheater, died at age 66. Her 1980 women’s title in the Boston Marathon was rescinded when race officials announced she hadn’t completed the entire course. “Doing a Rosie Ruiz” is now part of running’s lexicon. In October, Alberto Salazar, 61, the four-time winner of the New York City Marathon and a renowned coach at the Nike Running Project in Oregon, was suspended for four years by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for trafficking testosterone infused with a prohibited amount of the amino acid L-carnitine—a performance enhancer. While prestigious marathons in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles and New York get the most attention, cheaters thrive in regional marathons where prize money is offered and organizers lack elaborate timing systems. Slightly more than 800 marathons were held in North America last year. As the country’s ninth-largest marathon, CIM had about 7,800 finishers last year. Cheating is so prevalent in endurance sports that skepticism abounds when outstanding performances are achieved. “It’s human nature,” said Jenny Hitchings, the Sacramento region’s most accomplished runner. “I do it, too. I see a finisher’s time and think, ‘How did they run that time?’” The 56-year-old Hitchings has set five American age-group records in slightly more than a year. Hitchings’ 10-kilometer effort at the 2018 Run to Feed the Hungry in Sacramento eclipsed the mark of Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist. Last month, Hitchings won the 56-60
women’s age group at the New York City Marathon and also broke the former record held by Samuelson. Hitchings has run the CIM for many years. In 2006 at age 43, she finished in 3 hours, 2 minutes and 54 seconds, according to the event’s official results. Last year, at age 55, she was timed in 2:51:50 and won the 55-59 age group. She was also randomly selected for drug testing for the first time in her career and passed the test. Sacramento runner Jenny With her faster Hitchings competed in the New York City Marathon times, Hitchings last month. has received national media Photo courtesy of jenny hitchings attention and vast praise. But she professionals in some marathons, also has skeptics who bombarded an including CIM. It’s also conducted internet running forum with scathing randomly among leading age-group accusations. finishers. “It’s OK to scrutinize. What is not “The integrity of the results is No. 1,” OK is to place blame without proof,” said Cynci Calvin of Auburn, who has said Hitchings, who began running completed more than 60 marathons competitively in her late 30s. and is part of CIM’s results “What I have learned committee. from all of this is that Since the majority “it’s oK to it doesn’t really of marathoners are matter what you say. recreational runners, scrutinize. What is I’ve worked hard. cheating occurs not oK is to place blame There’s nothing more prominently without proof.” I can do to prove because of vanity, myself to people said Hanna, Jenny hitchings that I am a clean Capital Road Race sacramento-area runner who recently runner.” Management’s set five age-group records Like other elite owner. athletes, Hitchings “People want to has also been a victim impress their workmates of cheating. She says she they ran a marathon or did witnessed a competitor receiva certain time or they’re trying ing illegal aid during a race. And she’s to qualify for Boston,” said Hanna, 55. reported a man for wearing a women’s “It’s the biggest thing when it comes bib number. to cheating. People still think that’s the Post-race drug testing by USA be-all of running.” □ Track & Field, the sport’s governing organization, is administered to top
California’s complex and increasingly vulnerable water grid needs a dramatic overhaul to mitigate the effects of wildfires and to protect vital food-growing capacities. That’s the conclusion of a new Public Policy Institute of California analysis. Unveiled last month in downtown Sacramento, the report highlighted “the critically over-drafted water basins” in the Central Valley. Ellen Hanak, the director of the PPIC’s Water Policy Center and a seasoned agriculture researcher, said the best models indicate that warming temperatures will continue to affect California’s shrinking snowpack. Winter seasons are forecast to be more rainy than snowy, with precipitation arriving in shorter, less predictable spurts. More erratic weather patterns also mean that the state will be dealing with increased droughts and floods. Coastal sea level rise is another major consideration, as it could directly affect the so-called “Line X” in California’s Delta—the point where saltwater pushes east into the freshwater estuary. That could impact farming operations. “Modernizing the [water] grid means fixing what’s broken and making the smart plays on new infrastructure investment,” Hanak said. “And getting more water into the ground, so we have more surface reservoirs to manage the floods.” To accomplish this, PPIC recommends state and local officials begin emphasizing more regional water portfolios. It’s also calling for more action to connect water and land-use planning. During her presentation, Hanak said that parts of Central California are already so overdrafted that they may need to get out of agriculture production altogether or run the risk of causing dust and pest issues for nearby farming areas. Issues with soil degradation have become a major global concern: In 2014, the Food and Agricultural Organization warned the United Nations that, if current farming practices aren’t changed, the world’s topsoil will fail to produce any harvests at all within 60 years. (Scott Thomas Anderson)
aPP for deSeCration Well, this won’t help the Brony name. A creep from Orangevale (excuse us, alleged creep) is facing federal child pornography distribution charges after the FBI traced graphic content to his cellphone and learned he was trying to start a my Little Pony-themed birthday business. The FBI was investigating someone in Arkansas who solicited and received image files portraying adults engaged in sexual activity with children, including a toddler, from a Kik Messenger account with the username “hornylonely2005.” Investigators traced the instant messaging account to an Android smartphone and to the home address of 33-year-old Daniel Wayne Benner, a convicted child sex offender. On Oct. 18, agents served a search warrant at Benner’s residence. According to an affidavit signed by Special Agent Scott A.H. Schofield, Benner admitted using the phone to trade child pornography through his Kik account, until the Canadian app company shut it down. Benner claimed he received a trove of illicit files from a Kik user he later blocked, and used them to swap images with other users he found by searching for “send-to-receive” and “yng,” the affidavit states. During the interview, Schofield also asked Benner about a Feb. 28 photo on his Facebook page, showing a plush My Little Pony costume. Schofield wrote that Benner told him he was trying to start a party-planning business with two friends, but that they never found any customers. Benner, whom a grand jury indicted on halloween, is next scheduled to appear in a federal courtroom on Jan. 27. (Raheem F. Hosseini)
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Photo illustration by sarah hansel
The K.J. who would be governor? Not a chance by Raheem F. hosseini
If resurgent child molestation allegations hadn’t dashed his political career, might former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson have risen to become California’s governor? Unlikely. While the height of K.J.’s political popularity spurred water-cooler talk that he could one day move into the governor’s mansion, those who worked for and covered the self-anointed “Little Barack” consider the notion little more than magical thinking. “I don’t think anyone serious thought that Kevin Johnson could be the governor or was destined for higher office,” said Cosmo Garvin, who reported on Johnson’s two terms as mayor for SN&R. “And my theory of it was, he was just not going to get the kind of free ride from the L.A. Times 12 | SN&R | 12.05.19
ra h e e m h @ne w s re v i e w . c o m
[that he got from local media]. He was not going to be able to withstand the scrutiny outside of Sacramento.” The scrutiny inside Sacramento flagged after K.J.’s first election in 2008, despite multiple unresolved claims that he groped teenagers associated with his St. HOPE nonprofit in Phoenix, where he was a superstar NBA player, and in Sacramento, where he segued into politics. Approximately three years after leaving office, Johnson has reinvented himself again—this time as a celebrity investor in a budding restaurant empire (read: “The problem with K.J.’s comeback,” Nov. 14). But by the end of Johnson’s second mayoral term in 2016, his carefully sculpted image was crumbling following a bruising segment months
earlier on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The cable sports news program rehashed the sexual misconduct allegations that had dogged Johnson since he was an All-Star point guard with the Phoenix Suns, but also featured interviews with previously unheard accusers in Sacramento. Their onscreen testimony showed the rest of the country what Sacramento’s press and public shrugged off for eight years. ESPN was forced to shelve a pro-K.J. documentary about Johnson saving the Sacramento Kings and the mayor largely phoned in his final months in office. As a result, we don’t know where Johnson’s ambitions would have taken him next, but his former campaign manager says it wasn’t going to be another election. “Politics were never part of his long term plan,” Steven Maviglio, a local political consultant who ran both K.J. campaigns, wrote in an email. “He was passionate about Sacramento, wanted to do the best job he could, and move on.” But Johnson hasn’t completely shut the door on political life.
nearly $73,000 through the first half of this year, as he chips away at outstanding debts. The committees spent more than $47,000 of that money paying back law firms and other professional services, political consultants and campaign literature companies, the filings show. As of June 30, the committees’ debt totaled just less than $120,000. Even with the abysmal national press K.J. received three years ago, Garvin thinks he could’ve run for a third term as mayor if Darrell Steinberg hadn’t emerged as a clear front-runner. After all, Johnson continued to raise enormous sums of money for his foundations and initiatives in the form of solicited donations called “behests,” even after the Real Sports exposé. Kevin Nagle, a Sacramento Kings board member and Sacramento Republic FC CEO, gave $50,000 to a St. HOPE fundraiser in December 2016, documents show. The Walmart Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank, U.S. Bank, Dignity Health and megadeveloper Angelo K. Tsakopoulos all kicked in large sums of money to K.J.’s interests after the damaging Shortly before episode aired. leaving office, Johnson K.J. joined hasn’t wife Michelle reported any Rhee at the new behests White House since leaving to discuss office. As a possible for whether cabinet posiCosmo Garvin investing in tion with then former SN&R journalist restaurants reprePresident-elect sents a step down or Donald Trump. Lest yet another curveball you think it weird that in an unorthodox career an Obama Democrat could so trajectory, Garvin said it’s probably quickly decamp for his polar opposite, a little bit of both. Being an Oak Park Garvin said: “There is no policy core. restaurateur who presides over grand I’m not surprised at all that he was openings and snaps selfies with diners trying to find a perch in the Trump casts a dimmer spotlight than K.J. is administration.” accustomed to, but makes better use of While Trump selected Betsy his real talent: schmoozing. DeVos over Rhee to be his education “His [political] career has been a lot secretary, Johnson continues of talk and not in the way of a lot of to maintain two active political accomplishments,” Garvin contended. committees under his name—though “It was all just kind of B.S. There was not for the most obvious reason. nothing really there in the end. … But a City clerk filings show that Johnson restaurant, yeah, that seems doable.” □ has loaned his old campaign funds
“He was not going to be able to withstand the scrutiny outside of Sacramento.”
How to fix Prop. 13 Large corporations need to pay their fair share
Racial breakdown of student population
By yvOnnE R. WALkER P r e s i d e n t, s e i U L o c a L 1 0 0 0
P
roposition 13 was passed because the legislature at the time couldn’t agree how to help families stay in their homes and keep their property taxes from rising and pricing people out of their homes. The provisions that protect property taxes from going up for people who own their homes — especially aging seniors — will not be changed by the initiative proposed for the November 2020 ballot. What does change is the provision that allows business property owners not to pay their fair share of property tax. Currently, corporations avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax. This isn’t fair to other companies buying property at market rates in California. And it is especially devastating for schools, firefighters, police officers and anti-homeless funding; all of the things that property tax pays for in California. Now gathering signatures, the Schools & Communities First initiative would restore $12 billion to our local communities and schools. It requires commercial properties to be taxed based on their market value, rather than their purchase price. Exemptions would be made to protect family farms and small businesses. This initiative corrects the then-unforeseen consequences of Prop. 13. For 40 years, commercial property owners have paid taxes based on purchase prices and not on market values. It makes it possible for large commercial legacy landowners such as Chevron and Disney to get a tax break originally meant to keep seniors from losing their homes. For example, Disneyland still pays property taxes at a rate close to what it paid 40 years ago. That’s when admission cost $6.50; it’s now $135 during peak season. Chevron reported one quarter profit last year of $3.7 billion. Clearly, Disney and Chevron are not passing on savings to us. Our schools feel the consequences of Prop. 13 every day. Before Prop. 13, California had an educational system that worked for working class people. Grade schools had programs that actually enriched student learning — after school, summer school, music, vocational education, counseling. In 1977, we spent more than the national average per student. Now, we rank 41st in per student spending.
Who attends California public schools?
California public schools would greatly benefit from the Schools & Communities First initiative.
This issue hurts families of all races across the board. Contrary to public perception, the children most benefiting from public education in California are Latino and white. Prop. 13 didn’t only devastate educational funding. Local governments cut jobs and services across the board. From 1994-2014, firefighter staffing in California was cut 24%. And we see the failed policies to house Californians every time we go to work, go out to dinner, or go to school. We have an opportunity to fix these problems and ensure corporations pay their fair share to strengthen local communities. The next major step in truly building a California for all will take place at the ballot box next November. If we want thriving communities with services that support them, we need to send a clear message to large corporations that in order to benefit from California’s prosperity, everyone (including them) must pay their fair share.
Yvonne R. Walker President, SEIU Local 1000
SPONSORED by SERvicE EmPlOyEES iNtERNatiONal uNiON lOcal 1000
Latino
White
54.3%
23.2%
Asian
Black
9.2%
5.5%
Multi-racial
Filipino
3.5%
2.4%
Source: KidsData.org
SEIU LOCAL 1000 1808 14th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 (866) 471-7348
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We hope you never have to call us. Full Service Cleanup & removal of the following: • Crime Scenes • Unattended Deaths • Hypodermic Needles • Hoarders • …& More
Family owned & operated 916.812.2010 or 707.548.9384 Follow us on Instagram for all the gory details
Photo courtesy of Kimberly Wooten
After the storm Local scientist recalls harrowing moment in voyage to chart how plastics destroy the oceans Local archaeologist Kimberly Wooten sails on the eXXpedition voyage in October.
by Scott thomaS anderSon
14
scotta@newsreview.com
Kimberly Wooten was in the hull of a sailing ship, watching women vomit all around her when a crashing and clamoring suddenly thundered overhead. She heard desperate voices swallowed by the winds. “Everything’s amplified down below, it’s like a horror film,” Wooten recalled. “It’s this echoing, this pounding, this huge flapping sound.” The skipper appeared, screaming for all able hands on deck. Wooten climbed up a ladder and into a storm-swept nightmare. Waves were lifting the bow at a 45-degree angle as towering swells threatened from every side. Wooten saw the ship’s main sail had come down, torn right out of its rigging. One of her crewmates had hit her head on a winch and was knocked unconscious. Wooten began crab-walking through the howling gusts and spraying surf. Before the ordeal was over, there were blood streaks in the hull and sailors warned Wooten and her team that the vessel might go down. “I thought I was going to die,” Wooten admitted. For Wooten, who grew up in El Dorado County and now lives in Jackson, that terrifying moment was the price of being part of an international, all-female team of professional and citizen scientists traversing the globe. Dubbed the eXXpedition, their task was to study the ways plastics are causing catastrophic harm to the oceans. This ongoing effort involves teams of women researchers making some 30 sailing journeys over 21 months. Wooten battened down the hatches for the maiden voyage out of Plymouth, England, in October, sailing to the Azores. By the time the eXXpedition is done in 2021, its members will have seen the waters of the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Arctic. Once Wooten’s thrashed, 70-foot sailing boat made it out of the tail of Hurricane Lorenzo, she |
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was able to start working and take stock of the plastics and microplastics killing ocean life. “We were almost as far out as we were going to get,” Wooten said. “It’s in the middle of nowhere; yet every day we would see—every day—intact plastic refuse floating by.” Trained at UC Santa Barbara, Wooten has spent most of her archeological career excavating California’s early ranches and gold mining camps. In August, she was selected to sail on the eXXpedition, serving as an expert who could compare the environmental damage from 70 years of a plastic-centered society to that from other major shifts, such as the Industrial Revolution. And that damage is great. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, surface-level plastics, microplastics and plastic elements are spreading ever farther across the world’s oceans. It’s a trend that is threatening marine life and ecological systems on unprecedented levels. The center estimates that, at this rate, plastics will outweigh fish in the oceans by 2050. Four days into their voyage, Wooten’s eXXpedition team was no longer fighting for survival. They were finally able to start trawling the water with a fine mesh. Wooten says they netted 80 pieces of plastic in their very first sample. What they found was later sent to Plymouth University in England for analysis. Wooten recalls finding small jelly fish with microplastics embedded in their bodies. Since getting back, Wooten has been following numerous reports of large-scale marine life die-offs, including birds, turtles and even whales. Wooten now plans to use her experience to join a chorus of voices demanding policy action around single-use plastics. “I don’t know what you can say to convince people you have to change your ways,” Wooten said. “And it has to be done right now.” Ω
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story and photos by patrick hyun Wilson
Local gamers and developers make their mark in esports world
Atari Age magazine began in 1982 to promote games released for Atari consoles. Chris Alaimo was sent the poster by a fan after he read the magazine on his YouTube channel, Classic Gaming Quarterly.
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ay Gist grew up on Street Fighter, and he knows what it takes to win that kind of fight—hours spent memorizing button combos and having your spirit broken by human players online. The best virtual fighters can make big money: In August, Japanese player Masato Takahashi won more than $30,000 at the Evolution Championship Series, the world’s biggest fighting game tournament, televised on ESPN from Las Vegas. Gaming tournaments aren’t limited to fighters. The International 2019 tournament in China for the real-time strategy game Dota 2 had a prize pool of more than $30 million, the largest in esports history. Esports are shown regularly on ESPN and other networks. Gist dreams of winning big at EVO, but he also runs his own fight club— Capitol Fight District, a group that has grown to more than 100 button-mashers competing in Northern California tournaments. They’re part of only one Sacramento faction in a booming industry that started in 1972 when Atari released Pong.
In 2018, revenue from video games surpassed subscription-based streaming services such as Netflix in the U.S., $36.9 billion versus $22.9 billion. Playing video games may actually be a career. And some Sacramento gamers are seizing the opportunity. Besides prize fighters, there are streamers on Twitch, who create virtual living rooms where viewers can watch gameplay. There are young indie game developers, dreaming of selling their code to Microsoft or Nintendo. And there are YouTube personalities, imparting gaming’s history and culture to tens of thousands of subscribers. These different factions converged in July at the California State Fair’s Bear Cup, and they’ll collide again Saturday, Dec. 8 at the 5th annual Sac Gamers Expo. Will the local gaming industry level up?
the World builder Nathan Allshouse learned to code on a TRS-80 computer when he was 8. He made his first game in high school in 1984, a nameless Donkey Kong-style platform for the Atari 400.
Selling it would have been impossible. Giant companies controlled the video game market. Now, independent developers can find massive success through digital distribution platforms such as Steam. The retro role-playing game Undertale—written, scored and programmed by indie developer Toby Fox—has attracted more than 3 million players since it released in 2015. But Steam currently sells more than 27,000 indie games, and most aren’t Undertale. For the last six years, Allshouse has been tinkering with his next game, Project Settlement. His 11-year-old son Christian inspired the leap. “I kind of wanted to do this—not just for my own personal stuff—but to show [Christian] that it’s not just a hobby,” Allshouse said. Allshouse founded the indie company Chicken N’ Bits and also leads the Sacramento Developer Collective, with more than 1,200 members. In its 12 years, the collective has helped publish more than 40 games, and is connected with industry giants including Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Nintendo and Amazon.
From left, Colin Mooring and Richard Rivera face off at the Aug. 17 Capitol Fight District tournament in the Capitol Event Center.
Through the nonprofit collective, Allshouse wants to help connect those in the local game industry. “When we went out and formed our company, we really didn’t have a lot of people to turn to because nobody in our community had never done it before,” he said. Members include Jim Niehues, who programs mobile role-playing games for 5th Planet Games in Rocklin and co-developed Dawn of the Dragons: Ascension, where players enter Tor’Gyyl, a fantasy world full of evil dragons, wolves and bandits. Dawn of the Dragons has more than 50,000 downloads on the Google Play Store. Still, developing games can be brutal. “It takes a long time to make a game, and there are lots of games out there that no one has ever heard of because they didn’t become popular,” Niehues said. “You put two years of work in, and do you get the money back or not?” Some local games are developed at the Progressive Game Jam, an event in its fifth year. This year, it culminated in September with the Capital Creative Showcase, which featured dozens of games, including the match-three puzzler Dust and Diamonds, made by father-and-sons trio Brent, Jovan and Keith Bartlett. Dust and Diamonds has been relatively successful, with about 1,000 downloads on Google Play since it launched in September. The Bartletts have also experienced flops. Flamey Boy, which released last year, is a 3-D game in which players battle giant spiders and worms through a fiery avatar.
“I mean, we got 10 installs,” said Brent, the father. “You spend six months on something, and it’s kind of disappointing that ... it’s just silent.” Creative differences have led to some awkward dinner moments. But the trio know what they’re doing. Teenagers Jovan and Keith play Minecraft and Rocket League to study the competition, and they have been developing games since they were 7. “I’ve been fostering an intentional concept of creation over consumption since they were really, really small,” Brent said. “So when they wanted to do games, I was super supportive, and I was excited.”
The loremasTer The shelves are full of early video games—Atari, Nintendo, Playstation. A bug-eyed Robotic Operating Buddy sits in a corner. There is an Atari 2600—the 1977 system that kicked off the home video game revolution—and a Nintendo Entertainment System, which revitalized the market after the infamous crash six years later. The room belongs to Chris Alaimo, a Gen X gamer who never outgrew the adventures of his youth. He hosts Classic Gaming Quarterly, a YouTube channel where he explores obsolete tech. “I’m not like a retro grouch or anything, but that really is what I prefer playing,” said Alaimo, who is on the bill for the Sac Gamers Expo. In one episode of Classic Gaming Quarterly, Alaimo covers the launch of the Sony PlayStation in 1995, the first console he bought with his own money. As an adult YouTuber, the Sega Saturn was the most perfect holiday gift he ever received.
The 32-bit system was one of the most notorious consoles launched in North America, Alaimo said. While games such as Panzer Dragoon and Nights Into Dreams were successful, the Saturn’s complex hardware made game development difficult, so the console had a small library and audience. At almost 700,000 views, Alaimo’s “Launch of the Sega Saturn” video is a hit on YouTube. “I woke up on Christmas morning [in 2015] and uploaded it, and in my head, I’m thinking, This is a stupid idea. who uploads the video on Christmas Day?” Alaimo said. “It had 10,000 views in a couple of hours, which ... I’d never done that before, and all of a sudden, the subscriber numbers started going up.” Alaimo has received fan mail from as far away as Vietnam. In December 2018, Alaimo earned a silver play button from
“Once you go to a tournament … you realize you’re nothing. And I thought that was really fun, to just go and just get slaughtered.” Jay Gist founder, Capitol Fight District
YouTube, given to content creators who reach 100,000 subscribers. “I remember when I found out that that was even a thing, and to me it’s like when you find out that a Lamborghini is a thing,” Alaimo said. “I just figured, well, I’m never going to get one of those.” His early videos were rough. “You kinda don’t want anybody to watch,” Alaimo said. “I’ll watch some of my older videos—even some after the channel has started getting popular—but I’ll look at it now and be like, ‘God, that’s terrible.’” Now he spends months writing, shooting and editing each episode to document video game culture, showcasing games, consoles and magazines from the 1980s and 1990s. He started collecting Nintendo games in 1998.
“When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot of game stores at all, and all of a sudden we got FuncoLand,” Alaimo said. “[My friend and I] went down there, and we came home with a huge bag of games because they were so cheap.” Games aren’t what they used to be, Alaimo says, and mass digital distribution has changed the way players interact with them. He fondly remembers his childhood, when he mostly rented games or got them as holiday gifts. “Even if you didn’t like [a game] that much, you’re like, ‘I’m gonna do my best with it,’” he said. “Now you don’t have to do that. So in a lot of ways, we don’t spend that much time with games anymore.”
The personaliTy The summer of 2016 started out uneventful for Julia, an unemployed UC Berkeley undergrad. She spent every waking hour playing at Kyle Moorman’s house. The television was tuned to Twitch. tv, and they were watching people play Super Smash Bros. when Moorman’s roommate offered some casual advice to Julia: “Hey, you know you could just do that.” They laughed at first. But within 24 hours, Julia and Kyle Moorman Moorman trekked to Best Buy for a microphone, camera and headset. With the help of YouTube, they set up Moorman’s computer for video streams. Beside the camera sat a small, stuffed red panda from the Sacramento Zoo that helped ease Julia’s nerves when, on July 3, 2016, she went live under the pseudonym “Khaljiit,” a reference to the Elder Scrolls race of cat-like people. (SN&R is withholding her last name for her personal safety.) “If you play video games all day, every day, you should try streaming it to find more people to play with,” Julia said. “I just thought it would be fun.” Early on, Julia and Moorman found a card-collecting strategy game called Duelyst, developed by a Berkeley indie studio. The strategy game had a devoted Reddit and Discord fanbase and a niche Twitch following. Through Duelyst, Julia’s Twitch channel viewership grew steadily. “You could see [Julia’s] numbers go from an average of 10 to 15, 20, 25, 30,” Moorman said.
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From left, Keith and Jovan Bartlett of Joathrent Studios show off their latest release, Dust and Diamonds, during the Capital Creative Showcase on Sept. 7.
Now, she has 66,000 Twitch followers. She caught Twitch’s attention, and the company asked her to participate in an event celebrating the release of a special edition of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. That meant a frontpage spot on Twitch.tv and more attention. In February 2017— six months after she began streaming—Julia got “partnered.” That means she could monetize her Twitch channel through ads and viewer subscriptions, which range from $4.99 to $24.99 per month, split 50-50 with Twitch. “It kind of felt like that could be a career path,” Julia said “When I was a kid, I always wanted to play video games for a living, and I knew that wasn’t a possibility.” Explaining the new job to her parents wasn’t easy, but they eventually started their own Twitch accounts. “They watched my stream in the beginning, but now they just go onto my Twitch when they need me to pay attention to them when they text,” Julia said. Julia and Moorman had to find other streamers to learn the intricacies of Twitch, including the software used on the site. So they started Twitch Kittens, a community of 185 streamers who exchange behind-thescenes info to improve their shows. Later, they formed the NorCal Casters, a local version of Twitch Kittens that now has nearly 900 members. One up-and-comer in NorCal Casters is Rachel Sheets, known as “Forkmylife,” who streamed at the California State Fair in August. During a Nov. 8 stream, dozens of viewers volleyed chat messages, excited to watch the local graphic designer play the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2. The screen faded in and revealed Sheets, who opened with a bubbly, “Hi, guys!” She spent the next 15 minutes chatting up her viewers, many of whom tune in every 18 | SN&R | 12.05.19
Key players in Sac video game scene
chance they get: “Hi Tehalemi, hi Ryan, hi Stryker, hi Nighthawk, hi Blu!” Sheets says the games she plays matter less than the connection she has with her viewers. “Sometimes I’ll pause the game for 15 minutes and not move [the character] because I’m sitting there talking to chat,” she said.
“I’ll watch some of my older videos— even some after the channel has started getting popular—but I’ll look at it now and be like, ‘God, that’s terrible.’”
NAthAN AllShouSe, progrAmmer
AKA: NateZGreat
Favorite game: Minecraft
Developed his first video game in 1984 and hasn’t stopped since. Has run the Sacramento Developer Collective since 2018, helping local game developers connect with publishers and see their projects to completion.
Chris Alaimo host, Classic Gaming Quarterly
ChriS AlAimo, Sheets has about 7,000 Twitch followers; her average viewership has increased from 7 per stream in August 2017 to 55. Still, Sheets says she hasn’t considered a Twitch career. Pay is determined by viewer donations, advertising and merchandising, all of which depend on audience. It can also mean too many hours in front of a screen, Moorman said. “It’s very easy to
r etr o b u ff AKA: Classic Gaming Quarterly
Favorite Game: Sonic The Hedgehog (1991)
Grew up playing video games on Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis and Sony Playstation. Hasn’t outgrown the games of his youth and through the Classic Gaming Quarterly channel on YouTube shares his passion with tens of thousands.
spend too much time in it, to take it a little bit too seriously, to the point where it becomes a little bit self-destructive, where you’re streaming 12 hours a day trying to grind,” he said. Julia says she loves playing games more than ever, though she’s stepping back from streaming. “I’ve saved up a lot to get by in case anything happens, but I do want to take it easy and go month-to-month,” she said. “I think I’m gonna enjoy it and just stream when I can, and not stream because I have to.”
The prize fighTer As a kid, at a Florida skating rink, Jay Gist dropped a quarter into Street Fighter 2, calling dibs on the next match. His skates lift him up close enough to reach the controls. The opponents were older, but they didn’t stand a chance.
Julia, TwiTch sTreamer
AKA: Khaljiit Favorite Game: The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Began streaming on Twitch.tv in 2016 and quickly rose in popularity with a fan base of more than 66,000 followers. On Nov. 16, completed a continuous 24-hour livestream playing Red Dead Redemption 2.
“If you play video games all day, every day, you should try streaming it to find more people to play with.” Julia “Khaljiit” Twitch.tv streamer
Jay gisT, TournamenT fi g h T er AKA: CFD Jay Favorite Game: Street Fighter II: World Warrior
Always the best Street Fighter player in his neighborhood, but was destroyed at first in tournaments. Since 2011, has run Capitol Fight District, providing hundreds of Sacramento gamers the opportunity to compete.
Fast forward to 2008, and Gist attended his first tournament, held in a corner of the UC Davis Memorial Union. The game was Street Fighter IV. He got beaten badly, but he was hooked. “When I was younger, I was always the best in the neighborhood,” Gist said. “But then once you go to a tournament … you realize you’re nothing. And I thought that was really fun, to just go and just get slaughtered.” Gist often drove from Sacramento to Davis, Reno and the Bay Area to compete. By 2011, he noticed he was running into Sacramento players a lot. Now, his local Capitol Fight District has grown to become a tournament organization recognized globally. At this year’s California State Fair, Gist organized the first-ever Bear Cup, an esports tournament that drew hundreds of attendees and exposed newcomers to competitive gaming.
“They would see people get excited and they’re like, ‘Oh wow, why are they so excited?’” Gist said. “And once they started learning about what’s going on ... they would start getting excited, too.” Gist worked with NRG Esports, which represents dozens of professional competitors across the United States, and with SF Shock, a team it owns. NRG Esports is owned by Andy Miller, a co-owner of the Sacramento Kings. “I started going to some of the big championship matches and seeing the huge crowds and the engagement and their passion,” Miller said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is really fun. We should do this.’” Investing in esports was a no-brainer, Miller said, since the younger generation is growing up with video games. “If you don’t play Little League baseball, you’re probably not going to grow up a baseball fan,” he said. “These kids are all growing up playing games, and they’re not going to stop playing games later.” NRG represents some of the world’s best esports players, including Garrett Gordon, an 18-year-old Rocket League player from Georgia known online as GarrettG. Gordon is one of the vehicular-soccer game’s highest rated players. Before competing in its Championship Series, Gordon practiced 50 hours a week. “I grasped the concept of the game really, really quickly,” he said. “I was in love with the game, I got a chance to play professionally and I just went forward with it.” Gist’s Capitol Fight District tournaments used to be a one-man show. He scrambled to move players from table to table and curate the game list. Now, he leans on the players. “I look towards my community and see what they want to do,” Gist said. “[If] there’s a certain community that would like to see [a certain] game more, I say, ‘OK, let’s do a tournament for that.’” Recently, Gist contacted Allshouse at the Sacramento Developer Collective to center the competition around locally developed games. On the weekend of Nov. 16-17, they held the Sac Dev Collective Game Jam, where teams made their best fighting game. Gist and his crew will choose the best, which will be the centerpiece for a tournament in April. “It was just a real casual, kind of off-thecuff kind of thought, and we just put it together,” Allshouse said. “We basically thought that’s a great idea, let’s have a game jam, develop a local game and create a tournament based off of that.” Ω
Check out the Sac Gamers Expo, 10am-5pm Sunday, Dec. 8. Tickets are $10, and children are free with paid adult admission. Scottish Rite Center, 6151 H St. Register online at sacgamersexpo.com.
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New & excitiNg additioN to del Paso Blvd… After four successful years on Del Paso Blvd., “That Guy Eyewear” is excited to announce the opening of the North Sacramento Eye Clinic, within our retail location! Slated to open mid December !! Stay tuned for more details
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Dennis Peterson of That Guy Eyewear found the perfect spot for his business on Del Paso Boulevard. Photo by Anne StokeS
Glasses with a difference; making a difference, too Optician combines fashionable eyewear with outreach to underserved by Allen Pierleoni
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alk through the door of That Guy Eyewear and you might think you’re in the wrong place. That’s because the store’s striking decor and dramatic displays of eyewear frames (1,500 of them) make it look more like a designer’s studio or an art gallery than an optical shop. Owner Dennis Peterson is an optician who likes to say, “Glasses are a fashion statement.” He stocks frames from several vogue designers, including Michel Atlan and Jonathan Cate, and
sells one-off vintage frames, refurbished to like-new. “I have frames you won’t find anywhere else,” he said. “I don’t carry the brands sold at the malls.” Counterintuitive to that, however, is Peterson’s community involvement and personal ethos to give back. “We want to reach out to the underserved, providing eye-care services for low-income people in transition, and children as well,” he said. To that end, he contracted with an optometrist who will conduct routine eye exams on site, beginning sometime in January. Part of it will involve “bringing kids over for eye exams” through the Roberts Family Development Center. It focuses on helping underserved families via education, after-school programs and financial empowerment. “Good Day Sacramento” broadcast a spot in October to promote the
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b o u l e va r d fundraiser that helped build-out the new eye-exam office. In 2017, Peterson spoke at an afterschool program at Grant High School and invited students to That Guy for an art project. “I set them up with chips and salsa, gave them art supplies and trade magazines, and told them to paint eyeglasses and people wearing glasses,” he said. “I said, ‘Go for it.’” Today, those vibrantly colored art pieces help decorate the store. A few months later, Peterson recruited artist Gerry Simpson of nearby GOS Art Gallery Studio to supervise a group of Grant High students while they painted an eyeglasses-centric mural on the side of the building. “Kids have a blank slate,” Peterson said. “There’s nothing they can’t do, but it’s what they’re surrounded by that they absorb.” Peterson has been in the vision-care industry since 1985, first in Phoenix and then in Tracy. He moved to Sacramento in 2014 and worked at several optical companies before going into business for himself. His first “office” was his garage. “I decided I needed a place to go to every morning,” he said. “I was driving down Del Paso Boulevard and saw a ‘for lease’ sign. I was going to do wholesale only, but once I put in the retail front, it took on a life of its own. I think the location is a good choice. It’s a changing area and there’s a need here for what I do.” Of course, not all of Peterson’s eyewear is designer-wear. Basic glasses with single-vision lenses sell for $69, and he has bargain-priced close-out frames. His turnaround for a new pair of glasses is usually one to three days. But back to his community work. The question is, Why? Said Peterson, “I guess because I’ve seen so many people who don’t have opportunities for the basic things, like being able to see.”
ThaT Guy EyEwEar 1825 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento 916-925-6747 www.hekaspecs.com.
upcominG EvEnTs thurSDay Dec. 5 - SaturDay Dec. 7 The Clean House 8pm ; 2pm 12/1 Sarah Ruhl’s THE CLEAN HOUSE opened Nov. 15 and closes Dec. 14 at Big Idea Theatre. A romantic comedy about loss, love, change and redemption, The Clean House is both whimsical and touching. THE CLEAN HOUSE performs every Thursday ($12 Thrifty tix), Friday, and Saturday at 8pm! THE CLEAN HOUSE has one $15 SUNDAY MATINEE performance on Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.! Buy your ticket TODAY at: bigideatheatre.tix.com BIT DEALS! Weekly $12 Thrifty Thursday tickets. $15 Sunday Matinee (Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.). $12 tickets to groups of 6+. ADD US ON INSTAGRAM! @bigideatheatre Website: bigideatheatre.org
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(916) 333-2732 2213 Del Paso Blvd • Sacramento
Big Idea Theatre 1616 Del Paso Blvd.
weDneSDay Dec. 11 Job Coaching 2pm Looking for a job? Need help? Come meet one-on-one with a trained job coach who will help you spruce up your resume, build better job searching techniques, learn how to ace the interview, and more! North Sacramento Hagginwood Library 2109 Del Paso Blvd
SaturDay Dec. 12 New eyeglasses line showcase 4-8pm Dennis Peterson will host his next quarterly trunk show from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12, showcasing his new That Guy Eyewear line. Food, wine and beer, and live music That Guy Eyewear 1825 Del Paso Blvd.
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y t i C
IllustratIon by MarIa ratInova
story and photo by
Maxfield Morris
S TO R IES NOVE LS POEM S
m axf i el dm @ n e w s re v i e w . c o m
Writing a novel in 30 days or less
of authors
heir k on t ts wor ra Bread n a ip ic e o part avenue Pan write-in. e 6 NoWriM sacNa at the How ing a Nov. 2 dur novels
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Chris Fairbairn’s hands flew across the computer keys, probing for words and finding them with loping rapidity. The UC Davis psychology major’s focus was pinpoint, as she grappled with the psyche of a man in crisis. She was in a race against the clock—seconds evaporated as she sculpted Andrew Grey’s fate. Until recently, Grey was a typical, middle-aged real estate agent from England. He owned a goldfish and sold homes, until the frenetic Fairbairn decided it was time he had a little “relocation.” Twenty minutes were up, 765 words of Grey’s life set into the record. Grey found himself countless miles from home, sitting on an unfamiliar bed in Vor’usne, utterly unaware of his most profound truth: He would never, ever meet his maker. OK, to be fair, it would be impossible to meet his maker: Grey, his real estate career and even his goldfish are fictional details born from Fairbairn’s mind for National Novel Writing Month—a dash each November to finish a 50,000word novel. With four days to go, Fairbairn was participating in a 20-minute writing sprint, a friendly competition of quick writing with other local authors. The nonprofit that organizes the contest, NaNoWriMo, was founded in 1999, and offers programs to get kids and adults writing more year-round. It also offers the more laid-back, set-your-own-goal Camp NaNoWriMo, as well as the classroom-based Young Writers Program.
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Some of this year’s hopeful authors found themselves facing an insurmountable wall of unwritten words—as well as their own creative demons—while trying to share their voice and stories.
the book palace The Valley-Hi North Laguna Library in South Sacramento—colorful polished concrete floors, airplane hangar ceilings, wide-open scenery visible through enormous bay windows—buzzed with activity. Against the westernmost wall, though, there was a sole, quiet aisle. No one walked through and the metal shelves lining the passage were bare—crying out for some new books. Luckily, some library visitors were hard at work crafting tales. At the opposite side of the library, four writers typed away on their own novels at a NaNoWriMo write-in, organized by librarian Cat Fithian. Crystina Luna and Laura Roberts were returning competitors who’ve both published their own novels. Luna first wrote a novel at age 13. “That one will never see the light of day,” she vowed. At 15, she published a novel that was read by more than 1 million people on the storytelling platform Wattpad. But she said the pressure of an enormous audience was too much. So she took it all down. Now 21, writing is a full-time job; NaNoWriMo was a force for making writing more social. “I’ve just always seen it as writers supporting other writers,” Luna said.
Santa ClaUS Under Siege. See Stage
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“Because there are whole groups of people who don’t even necessarily meet in real life. They just meet online, and they can make so many friends.” As far as writing 50,000 words goes, it’s no small feat. Aside from the sheer volume, other difficulties arise. “It’s hard to figure out how to divide stuff up. Am I writing a scene, or am I writing a chapter a day? Should I just do a chapter a day and see how it shakes out?” Roberts says. “This year I’ve been writing lots more notes than an actual novel.” Her newest story is a romance novel set in Paris. The author got her creative writing degree in 2007, and has written steamy romance and instructional books, including the 2017 Careers in Gaming. “November is always a good time to start,” Roberts says. “So even if you don’t hit the 50,000 words, even if you just get something started and stick with it for 30 days, that’s always a good exercise.” It’s also the mantra of first-time participant Fatima Sahak, who got started on her life story mid-October and used November to get a chunk of the work on paper. “The country I was living in was war for so many years—and I left,” Sahak says. “So many other countries, traveled from cities to cities, countries to countries, and finally I came here. So everyone heard about my story, my coworkers and my friends, and they always told me, ‘Oh, you should write this story, you should write your life story.’” And it’s quite a story. Sahak was trying to leave Afghanistan in the 1980s, along with her daughter, husband, sister, brother and his friend. Young, educated men were being taken into the army, and both her brother and husband had just graduated college. Sahak was working with an American organization at the time, and it was time to leave. Sahak says they left in the middle of the night, Sahak wearing her grandmother’s clothing to appear older and avoid suspicion, and flew from Kabul to western Afghanistan. Then, they traveled to a village near the Iranian border, where they rented three donkeys for the women and children—$200 per donkey.
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And the rest of the story? You’ll have to wait for the book.
Meanwhile, in a coffee shop For Roberts, it’s all about the different stories being told during the month. “It’s the excitement of ‘Everybody is writing!’” Roberts says. “Because you might not know these people, but if you go into a coffee shop, there’s probably people doing NaNoWriMo there.” Panera Breads across the city have been flooded with aspiring authors and sprinting wordsmiths— and Max Christian Hansen is partly responsible. As one of two “municipal liaisons” for Sacramento’s chapter of NaNoWriMo, Hansen organizes meet-ups and coordinates 800 or so registered participants in a region bounded by Elk Grove and Yuba City, Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Last year, 8% of the event’s 287,327 global participants met the word goal. But only about 122,000 people actually started a novel, meaning that an overwhelming majority of those who sign up don’t write a single word. The meet-ups try to address that by offering some shared community. The cafes and bakeries offer a space for authors to congregate, as they did at the Howe Avenue Panera on Nov. 26, the Tuesday before deadline. It was the first storm of the season—palm fronds littered the parking lot, but seven dedicated writers showed up, including Fairbairn and her spouse, Alanna Fairbairn. Alanna teaches middle school English in Fairfield, and made all of
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her students join the Young Writers Program. The kids aren’t required to write full novels; it’s just a way to get them writing, Alanna says. “Some of them write scripts, some write nonfiction stuff,” Alanna said. “It’s interesting to see which of them who basically do nothing else for the class are super into this.” The next table over, Beverlee Cvitanov, Karina Records and Jennifer Thompson had laptops out, and between their many laughs still managed to write. The trio met at the start of the month, and share a combined 12 years in NaNoWriMo. “It’s more toward building your own self habits,” Cvitanov says. “I never feel actually it’s like competing, I feel like it’s just more supportive.” Still, there’s a competitive element; Records won a writing sprint against Chris, with more than 800 words down in 20 minutes. But more than just the mad dash to put words on paper, the month helps bring people together and share their stories. It’s not just about the 50,000 words. It’s about self-discipline, building community and finding time to work on your craft—because you’ll need all three in abundance if you’re going to try to publish your manuscript. “At the end of the evening, I’m walking away with 1,000 that I probably wouldn’t have written if I was at home,” Thompson said. “I know whatever I have at the end of the month is not necessarily going to be a coherent storyline, but I got the words on the page, and now I have something to work with.” Ω
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916-552-5800 www.sAcbAlleT.orG This holiday season, give them tickets to a Sacramento Ballet performance they will remember for years to come! with shows at the sofia and sacramento Memorial Auditorium, tickets for advance shows make great stocking stuffers.
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12/06 • 8:00 PM the holiday 12/10 • 7:00 PM ernest saves christmas 12/12 • 7:00 PM PulP Fiction 12/15 • 4:00 PM the nightMare BeFore christMas
12/22 • 2:30 PM the MuPPet christMas carol 12/22 • 4:30 PM the MuPPet christMas carol In Safetyville USA, no one is safe.
12/23 • 6:30 PM White christmas 12/24 • 6:00 PM it’s a WonderFul liFe 12/26 • 7:00 PM scrooged 12/27 • 8:30 PM hoWl’s moving castle 12/29 • 2:00 PM aladdin 1013 K street downtown sacramento • (916) 476-3356 • crestsacramento.com
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Safetyville under seige Nerf blaster enthusiasts storm Safetyville USA by RAchel MAyfIeld
ra c h e l m @ne w s re v i e w . c o m
A storm is brewing in Safetyville USA. More than 20 people have convened in the town hall for preparations, restless as the rain lashes against the walls outside. Inside, the ground is littered with cases of ammunition. I survey the area from a small corner, watching as people strap on kneepads and double-check their arsenal. Once everyone’s been briefed, they head out with unspoken intention to find their bases and get the lay of the land. The streets, slick with water, could soon be covered in blood—or worse: tiny foam darts. The shriek of a whistle pierces the air. Click! Whir! Thwap! Blaster-wielders duke it out across intersections and behind buildings. It’s an all-out war, and the lives of Safetyvillagers are on the line—which begs the question, where are the residents of Safetyville? A quick Google search reveals that no one lives in Safetyville. It’s actually one of several miniature cities designed by Safety Center Inc. to teach kids how to safely navigate traffic. But when it’s not in use for educational purposes, it can be rented out for birthday parties, party parties or even a Nerf war. That’s what Blaster Town, a local Nerf blaster enthusiast group, did Sunday, Dec. 1. One of Blaster Town’s lead organizers, Brandon Powell, says its creation earlier this year was almost a necessity. “I own over 1,000 Nerf blasters,” he tells me. “If I don’t turn it into a business, then it’s already something with an unsavory name.”
That “unsavory name” is hoarding, and Powell believes if he doesn’t do something productive with his collection, it could become a problem. Powell says his interest in the plastic Hasbro toys first grew out of his involvement with cosplay. “A lot of people use [Nerf blasters] as costume pieces. I used to collect them and paint them and do that for people. And then I started collecting them to play with ’cause I found out people were modifying them to be very powerful.” Powell shows me one of his own modified blasters, which sports a custom shaft made with PETG, a type of thermoplastic. The result is a pretty powerful rig that shoots neon foam at about 175 feet per second. “As a kid, I would watch cartoons, and then I’d watch the commercials for these great toys. And it was never that when I got the toy,” Powell explains. “You could barely hit something across the room. So I want toys to act like they do in the commercials.” Tinkering with blasters to increase range or rate of fire is pretty common in the Nerf community, so common that the first round at Safetyville was restricted to non-modified “stock” blasters, just to keep things interesting. As the second round begins, though, participants are allowed to use their own gear. One gearhead brings out a child-sized, battery-powered jeep that, after some troubleshooting, was driveable by the final round. The day is slowly winding down, and everyone starts gearing up for one final battle—a Purge-style free-for-all, where Nerf-ers abandon friends, teams and the laws that govern civilized society. It’s a rousing success. For Blaster Town’s members, the Battle for Safetyville was just a test run. The group is planning a full season of games next year that will include another visit to the educational city on Feb. 15—as well as a lot more excitement. “More theater, more gaming, more mysteries,” Powell tells me. “I don’t think most of these guys have seen a war like we just did; and this is just us trying stuff on a rainy day!” Ω blaster town returns to Safetyville feb. 15, 2020. Safetyville USa, 3909 bradshaw Road. for more info, visit the blaster town facebook page.
Photo by Rachel Mayfield
12/15 • 6:00 PM the nightMare BeFore christMas
Did someone say
fried chicken?(and bahn mi, and ramen)
Xicana rock tales
Join us everyday for our multi-Asian inspired menu, and reserve for our Chef’s Counter and Kaiseki dining experiences.
Punk’s groundbreaking women by Lindsay OxfOrd
Photo courtesy of Michelle cruz Gonzales
Punk Story and Pipe Bomb for the Soul. In Violence Girl, Bag describes her first impression of the punk scene as “a type of kinship that had been missing for most of my life, a sense of community that I had never known, feeling as I always had [and still often do] like a misfit, a weirdo, an outcast.” Both Bag and Gonzales found a home in punk, yet both were still very aware that as Xicana women, their experiences were still very Michelle Cruz Gonzales, left, and alice Bag lounge on a different. “Alice wrote what couch. The two punk rockers will be sharing their stories is probably the first memoir at a book reading this week. by a Latina in punk, and I wrote the second,” Gonzales says. “We are from different scenes and different punk eras, but we’re both from Los In The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Angeles, and violence in our families shaped our Female Punk Band, Michelle Cruz Gonzales lives—which all probably had a lot to do with describes growing up feeling like an outsider, why we got into punk.” “as a Mexican American, a Xicana in a hick Gonzales, now a professor at Las Positas town, I was never allowed to forget that I didn’t College in Livermore, released The Spitboy fit in, that I muddied their waters. I would show Rule in 2016. It’s comprised of 21 essays that them.” come together to tell the story of how she came Gonzales, drummer for the empowering to punk, and endured years as a drummer 1990s punk band Spitboy, and Alice being told “you hit hard for a girl.” Bag, singer of the seminal ’70s Though their stints in the band The Bags, have each punk scene were decades written memoirs about their apart, Bag says that she and “We are from different experiences being Xicana Gonzales have a wealth of women in the punk scenes and different punk shared experiences. scene, and both will “We’re from differeras, but we’re both from be reading passages ent times and different Los Angeles, and violence in our from their books on places, but we’re both Saturday, Dec. 7 at families shaped our lives—which all steeped in Mexican Phono Select Records. traditions and live by probably had a lot to do with why “We’re excited to our punk ethos,” Bag we got into punk.” come and read,” Gonzales says. “Hearing both of says. “Record stores always us read excerpts from Michelle Cruz Gonzales feel like real places.” our stories can help the punk drummer and author Historically, the punk listener understand the qualscene has been a place where ity and scope of the Chicana people who feel out of place in punk experience.” “normal” circles gravitate, a commuAt Phono Select, their audience nity of people who feel othered. Still, there will have an opportunity to do just that. are biases that seep into punk subcultures, and “In some ways, our books are not about us,” people of color, women and the LGBTQI+ Gonzales says, “but about how others react to community often have othering experiences. people like us.” □ In their books, Bag and Gonzales share stories from within a scene still dominated by heterosexual, cis-gendered white men. readings begin 5 p.m., saturday, Dec. 7 at Phono select records, 2475 fruitridge road. no cover charge, donations accepted. call (916) 400-3164 Bag has authored two books: Violence Girl: for more information. East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana
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Now playiNg
ReviewS
Secret Santa
4
The Clean House
by Jim Carnes
Photo courtesy of rudy Meyers PhotograPhy
Matilde, who works as a maid, really wants to be a comedian. Playwright Sarah Ruhl incorporates elements of magical realism that, while often funny or touching, don’t seem fully integrated into the plot. Lori RussoOcampo directs on a highly utilitarian, pristine white set by John Ewing.
Thu 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 8pm; Through 12/14; $12-$18;
Big Idea Theatre, 1616 Del Paso Blvd.; (916) 960-3036; bigideatheatre.org. J.C.
The only thing worse than learning that santa Claus isn’t real? Having a rodent on the loose.
On an Open Fire
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Wed 2pm & 6:30pm, thu 8pm, fri 8pm, sat 5pm & 9pm, sun 2pm, tue 6:30pm; through 12/29; $25-$42; B street theatre, 2700 capitol ave., (916) 443-5300, bstreettheatre.org.
Each year, Buck Busfield of B Street Theatre pens an original holiday play. This year’s offering is On an Open Fire, a humorous, off-kilter look at a perennial problem: What and when to tell a kid the truth about Santa Claus. Kellie and Dan (Tara Sissom and Hunter Hoffman, respectively) are parents of second grader Max (who remains unseen through the play). Dan believes the boy is ready to hear the “truth.” Kellie, who cherishes the innocence of his youth and wants to preserve it as long as possible, says it’s too soon. This family disagreement comes in the midst of Dan’s run for local drain commissioner, a campaign directed by Kellie’s sister Liz (Stephanie Altholz), who inadvertently lets the Claus cat out of the bag. Trouble ensues at home, in the campaign and at Max’s school, when he reveals his secret. The plot line is more common than many of Busfield’s holiday tales, but it has its own quirks, including the character of Max’s teacher, a freaky guy who travels with a hamster named John Winston (after John Lennon) on his shoulder—until he loses him at Max’s house. The acting is delightfully wacky, and playwright Busfield also directs, so he knows where the thing is going at all times. The only disappointing thing here is the end. The play goes on too long, missing a couple of good potential endings in favor of a sweet, conventional conclusion. Ω 28 | SN&R | 12.05.19
5
Deathtrap
STC tackles Deathtrap’s challenging script and story with wise choices in overall approach, a talented cast, careful direction and spot-on production elements. Director Michael Laun keeps the tone of his cast both light and dark at the same time with a bit of soap opera deliveries and sinister undertones. Wed
short reviews by Jim carnes Patti roberts.
7pm, Thu 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 12/15; $25-$40; Sacramento
Theatre Company, 1419 H St.; (916) 443-6722; sactheatre. org. P.R.
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fouL
faIr
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4 Choir carols It’s difficult to categorize Harlem Renaissance poet, author and playwright Langston Hughes’ holiday musical Black Nativity. It’s not really a play—it’s more like a mash-up of a church Christmas pageant and a gospel choir jam. The first half is the birth-of-Jesus story told with an African influence using Hughes’ lyrics. It includes familiar elements such as Mary and Joseph’s journey, the shepherds and the Maji and watchful villagers. The second half ditches a storyline and offers up hand-clapping church service gospel songs. This is the second year that Celebration Arts has produced this seasonal performance, and they deliver with gorgeous African-influenced headgear and robes, dances and songs. The cast includes more than 20 members, most who are chorus members who portray African villagers in the first half, and a full gospel choir in the second half. Not only do they offer up Langston’s original songs, but also the traditional “Joy to the World,” “Oh, Come Let Us Adore Him” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain.” It’s evident that most of the performers were picked for their vocal talents over their acting abilities, but the production is a song-centered performance. So come with the expectations of song over story, and stay for a rousing Christmas choir concert. —Patti RobeRts
ScReeN pick Follow Jean-michel Basquiat around new York City for a day.
Paint the town The late-artist Jean-Michel Basquiat stars in Downtown 81, a film about a day in the life of a struggling artist. We follow Basquiat as he walks the streets of Lower Manhattan, trying to sell art, raise money and find a place to stay. Originally shot in the years 1980 and 1981, the film ceased production due to insufficient funds, but was later cut together in 2000. Now, it’s flashing onscreen at the Tower Theater in the year 2019, bringing the postpunk culture of New York City back to life. Tue, 12/10, 7pm; Through 12/11; $10.50; The Tower Theatre, 2508 Land Park Drive; (916) 442-0985; readingcinemasus.com/tower.
—Rachel Mayfield Black Nativity: thu 8pm, fri 8pm, sat 8pm, sun 2pm; through 12/22; $10-$20; celebration arts, 2727 B st.; (916) 455-2787; celebrationarts.net.
d e t a v e l You, e aLL r o F e e F n Io t Ia It Z e r o In 19 e x p Ir e s 1 2 / 3 1 / 2 0
916.442.3927 | www.capitalac.com | conveniently located at the corner of 8th &p 12.05.19
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Shawn Williams, owner and designer of Shawn Reginald Clothing Company, offers luxe wardrobe staples at his Midtown shop.
Photo by Anne StokeS
Everybody’s crazy about a sharp dressed man Head to Midtown for stylish menswear classics
Free
Giveaway with a $200+ purchase
Dec 5-24
Great for Hanukkah & Christmas!
Midtown owned & operated House Made Jewelry, Repairs & Local Artisan Gifts 1111 24th Street (Corner K & 24th) • Open Daily 30
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by Anne S tokes
A
good pair of pants can be hard to find. Rather than silently suffering in ill-fitting slacks, Shawn Williams made his own. Now as the owner and designer of Shawn Reginald Clothing Company, he’s there to make sure no one else suffers bad pants either. At his Midtown menswear shop, Williams specializes in service, in particular on-site tailoring customized to clients’ needs and measurements. “The pants that I sell are all unfinished because some people like them short, some people like them long,” he says. “Those are some of the things we’re able to do in the store.” As owner of a small boutique, he says he’s able to offer a more unique selection
of items and can be more responsive to what clientele want. “I ask my customers, ‘What do you like?’ Big box stores aren’t going to do that,” he says. “I’m able to do small quantity stuff, very unique things. … That gives us more flexibility, that makes us a little different.” Shawn Reginald Clothing Company offers a collection of classic wardrobe staples — slacks, denim, Merino wool and cashmere sweaters, dress shirts, long and short-sleeved t-shirts, scarves, belts, bow ties, casual and dress shoes — all of which can make great holiday gifts for the men on your list. “I don’t really do the trendy thing very much. I try to get things that are going to be in-season this year, next year and the year after,” he explains. “Things that don’t go out of style; that’s what I’m focusing on.”
Visit Shawn Reginald Clothing Company at 1729 L St., Sacramento. For more information, visit online at www.shawnreginald.com or call 916-400-4060.
Mi d t o w n Events
Services
thursday dec. 5
JeweLry repair
Deck The Paws Party - Ugly Dog Sweater Night
Call the shop for an appointment 916.346.4615
Midtown BierGarten 2332 K St., Sacramento, CA
Little relics 1111 24th St., #103 Sacramento, CA
friday dec. 6 Queer Sacramento Authors Collective Milk and Cookies Reading Once a quarter, the Queer Sacramento Authors Collective hosts a reading at the Lavender Library - come hang out with us for two hours of milk, cookies, and great stories! Lavender Library 1414 21st St., Sacramento, CA
saturday dec. 7 Autumn Leaves Exhibit Experience the vibrant palette of the changing seasons at Kennedy Gallery as local artists play tribute to Autumn and the magic it brings. The Autumn Leaves Exhibit runs Nov. 5 - Dec. 8 at Kennedy Gallery and features works from over 20 resident artists inside three floors of open studios in the heart of Midtown’s entertainment district. Nov. 9 Second Saturday extended Hours Noon-10 p.m. and a fullservice no-host bar. Free.
shoe shine For more information, go online at www.shawnreginald.com or call 916-400-4060. shawn reginald 1729 L St., Sacramento, CA
shop for a cause 12 Days of Christmas Bring in new or gently used Women’s clothing for donations to MaryHouse (a program of Loaves & Fishes) and receive 15% off at The Pomegranate Boutique or Purpose Boutique. together Midtown 920 24th St., Sacramento, CA
?
Tips & tricks
Kennedy Gallery 1931 L St., Sacramento, CA
saturday dec. 7
parKinG app
together Midtown 920 24th St., Sacramento, CA
now open in Midtown Sacramento, featuring business-casual clothing, and haberdashery items. 1 72 9 L S treet | S a c ra men to | 916.400.4091 | www.Shawn regin aLd.com
Get Cozy with Wild Poppy & Co.! $10 off $50 purchase! (In-store only, mention this ad for discount)
free parKinG Free Holiday Parking The City will offer free parking on weekdays after 4:30 p.m. and all-day on weekends starting Nov. 27 through Dec. 25 in Midtown and Old Sacramento.
Let’s Karaoke Together Enjoy the holidays with karaoke after hours 7-8:30pm and 15% off any purchases from The Pomegranate Boutique and Purpose.
The Shawn Reginald Men’s Boutique is
No Coins Necessary! The City of Sacramento has teamed with Parkmobile to provide more options to pay for parking at select locations using a mobile app! You can set up a free account by calling 916-722-7275 or visiting Parkmobile.com.
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illuSTrATiOn BY SArAH HAnSEl
Moats of cinnamon cinnaMOn rOll, The PaiSley café The Paisley Café in Orangevale is one of those family-owned places with so many made-fromscratch baked items, it’s difficult to know what to choose. When confronted with this pleasing problem, I say go for its best-known item. Paisley Café boasts a ginormous, frosting-drenched cinnamon roll ($4.25) as its signature treat, and proudly displays sheets of the gooey behemoths front and center for all to ogle. Ask for it warmed up, then use a fork to cut through the deluge of cream cheese frosting and squishy dough to find bubbling moats of cinnamon swirling down to the very last bite. 9372 Madison Ave. Suite 1, Orangevale; the-paisley-cafe.com. —aMy bee I’ll Have What She’s Having is the name of this pastrami sandwich-inspired pizza pie with peppery, deli-quality pastrami, pickles and “everything bagel” spice.
For the love of crust Neighborhood Pizzeria 5401 H St.; (916) 706-2561 Good for: Hand-tossed pizzas, hanging with friends and family Notable dishes: i’ll Have What She’s Having, Vegan nacho Tots
$$$
New American, East Sacramento
The Neighborhood Pizzeria yearns to be East Sac’s new local hangout, so it provides a large outdoor deck, oldschool arcade games and daily craft beer and wine specials to complement its pies. Parking can be a nuisance but never fear; it also has delivery and to-go options for those who prefer to imbibe at home. My visits to try its “New American” pizza revealed a pretty good cross-section of locals, including young families, established retirees and beer-sipping hipsters. New American pizza is a mite confusing to define, but it’s basically about the dough, which takes several styles found from Detroit to L.A. and combines everything down to a large, airy crust featured almost as prominently as the toppings. My table’s reaction to the crust was split. Not by the flavor—we all agreed it was delicious, crunchy and salted perfectly. But I felt there was just too much bare crust to contend with—even a gentle brush of garlic butter would’ve gone a long way—while others enjoyed snacking on it like a built-in side dish, especially when dipped into some tangy balsamic dressing. Whole pies are a modest but filling 14-inch round and cut into six slices. Neighborhood Pizzeria offers about 10 different variations of pizza, all with cute names such as its Notorius P.I.G. or Yo’ Mama’s So Vegan. We tried the I’ll Have What She’s Having ($20), a take on a pastrami sandwich I was ready to scoff at because it included 32 | SN&R | 12.05.19
PHOTO BY AMY BEE
by Amy Bee
pickles, but it won me over with its salty-briny mustard flavor, peppery pastrami and punchy “everything bagel” spice. The Truth About ‘Roni ($16) highlighted a robust house sauce that tasted like just-cut-from-the-vine tomatoes, and packed mega marinara flavor without overpowering the mozzarella or pepperoni. Not usually a fan of alternative sauces on pizzas (besides pesto), the garlic cheese sauce on the Papi Chulo ($18) got it right with a soft yet bright pungency that added pizzazz to crispy pancetta and a spattering of pommes frites. The arugula pesto on the Greenpoint ($16) underwhelmed, although fans of sun-dried tomatoes will enjoy the large, juicy chunks found atop this pie. Neighborhood Pizzeria also offers two Detroit-style, granny square slices: The Abuelita ($4) and the Fresh Prince ($5). Turns out, it made all its pizzas as granny squares in the beginning, and the locals complained. They wanted round pizzas, or else. These two versions are what’s left of those dark times. Curious, I ordered both and found them to be superior to the New American-style (same dough, cooked differently). The spongy, almost focaccialike crust with toppings spread from rim to rim made the house sauce pop and delight. I’m sorry, but you’re just wrong, locals. I’d love to see more flavors get the granny square treatment. No pizza review is complete without the all-important breakfast test. Would these pies hold up by morning? Could they be enjoyed not just warmed up in the oven or microwave, but also straight from the box, congealed and cold from the refrigerator? I’m happy to say all the pie flavors maintained their integrity, albeit with a little bit of sag, but tasted great. Surprisingly, the I’ll Have What She’s Having won the breakfast test, pickles and all. □
Warms the soul Organic celadOn Pearl, Old SOul cO. Revive and refresh with Old Soul Co.’s Organic Celadon Pearl by Red Blossom Tea Company. Sometimes the tea options at coffee shops are generic and disapshops are generic and disappointing, but not here. This This soothing green tea has a distinct nutty flavor with soft floral notes. In In addition to its delicious delicious green tea, Old Soul also also offers an Organic Bai Mu Dan (white peony), Keemun for black tea and and Elderflower Osmanthus as Osmanthus as an herbal and caffeine-free caffeine-free option. There’s nothing quite like sipping hot tea on a cold day at a local coffee shop. Try the Organic Celadon Pearl with some steamed almond milk in a ceramic mug for an extra luxurious treat. Various locations, oldsoulco.com. —TeSSa MargueriTe OuTland
PlANET v
Furever homes for the holidays ’Tis the season of giving. On Saturday, Dec. 7, The Plant Foundry in Oak Park will host its Holiday Open House. This all-day event has something for all ages—meet Santa, help animals in need and sample the plant-based menu from Bambi Vegan Tacos. A tree decorated with dog tags belonging to pups waiting for their forever homes is at the center of this event sponsored by 4 R Friends: The Street Vets. 4 R Friends is a free pet clinic that “provides life-saving care [and] basic supplies ... in the areas where intake to the shelters is highest and where access to care is most limited,” founder and director, Jean Rabinowitz, says on the nonprofit’s website. The open house will also include adoptable animals to meet. The Plant Foundry has partnered with Edible Pedal to deliver Christmas trees by bike, the eco-friendly way. Proceeds from tree deliveries will go toward Trips for Kids, which helps kids in need get bikes and teaches them safety tips. 3500 Broadway, plantfoundry.com. —carOline SOTO
dRiNk
Photo by ben IrwIn
Preserve features craft cocktails made from local ingredients preserved into jams and jellies. The barrel-aged cocktails are first made in test batches in the small barrels like the ones seen on the shelf above.
The BesT Burgers
in Town
’19
$5 off purchase of $25 or more
106 N Sunrise Ave Roseville • (916) 783-2874
Barrel-aged, craft made Tucked away west of Davis down Highway 128 in charming downtown Winters sits Preserve, a restaurant and bar whose staff and owners pride themselves on locally-sourced ingredients. Although keeping local ingredients through the winter can prove difficult, Preserve’s bar is stocked for the season. Bar and front-of-house manager Curtis Withnell says the secret lies in its name. “The entirety behind Preserve is when you have an abundance and find a way to have no waste and preserve them for use year round,” he says. “Same concept with the bar and our cocktails. Most of them are cocktails we have created in-house using preserves.” Whithnell says jams, jellies, shrubs and even gastriques—currently a rosemary blackberry gastrique—go into Preserve’s carefully crafted cocktails. When winter comes around, he says champagne cocktails for the holidays and spicy warmer drinks for the weather are on the menu. “You have the spices, nutmeg, clove, anise,” Withnell says. “Local we do a lot with figs … Once I get those in, I typically make a jam out of it right away and we will use the jam in a cocktail as well.” Jams and jellies aside, the Preserve team also specializes in barrel-aged cocktails behind the bar. “The idea behind that is taking some of your classic cocktails, and aging them together,” Withnell says, “so instead of just aging your base spirit, you age all of the ingredients so they blend nicely and you get this nice oak finish to it.”
He says that now that they have the recipes dialed in, they use 20-liter oak barrels to age cocktails for as long as nine weeks. Each barrel is used no more than three times to ensure a proper oak finish. The Vieux Carré—French for “old square” and the original name for the French Quarter in New Orleans— is Preserve’s take on a New Orleans classic cocktail, and Withnell’s personal barrel-aged favorite. “I love the flavors that are in there,” he says. “You do have a bit of sweetness, but none of it comes from a sugar. There’s no simple syrup, no demerara, nothing added to it. It’s going to be the sweet vermouth that we chose … that is going to give you some of the spices and the sweetness, but the oak on the finish helps it tame down so it doesn’t have that lingering sugar bite in the back.” The boozy Vieux Carré—a blend of rye bourbon, sweet vermouth, herbal liqueur, cognac, Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters—is served in a chilled coupe glass, no ice needed. Garnished with a lemon twist, many sweet and spicy sips reveal a fresh dark cherry at the bottom of the glass. Preserve brings local flavor from behind the bar year-round with jams and jellies, barrel-aged blends, an Old-Fashioned to die for—made with Savage and Cooke Bourbon bottled at Muir Island—and a team dedicated to their craft. “We like to make drinks that I can give you the exact recipe, but you will never be able to find it anywhere else, because not a lot of bars are going to have jalapeño jelly behind the bar,” Withnell says. “We take a lot of pride and we have a lot of fun.” □
Thai Food & gluten free options
coconut
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on t
& Veggies ofu T h
Red Curry w it
by Ben IrwIn
’19
Best Thai
10 BEERS ON TAP HAPPY HOUR EVERYDAY: 4:30 - 6PM $4 BEERS, WINE & APPETIZERS 1110 T St. Sacramento, CA 95811 | 916-822-4665
Check
for daily $2 Beer Specials 12.05.19 | SN&R | 33
wiNe
Bogle’s tasting room in Clarksburg displays family portraits on barrel bottoms. Photo by Allen Pierleoni
Bogle honored in big way Join us for live music and wood-fired pizza in the tasting room! Music froM NooN to 3pM December 8 • Misner & Smith December 22 • Doug Pauly
Our rolling hills, oak trees and vineyard provide a spectacular backdrop for your wedding or special event. Contact us today to learn more! open friday, SaTurday & Sunday 11am-5pm family & dog friendly! Join our wine club!
Taber ranch Vineyard & eVenT cenTer • info@Taberranch.com 530.665.3691 • 16628 counTy rd 81 capay, ca 95607 • www.Taberranch.com 34
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Clarksburg-based operation named American Winery of the Year “We are so honored, it speaks to
the contributions of so many people here. It’s a tribute to them.” That’s Jody Bogle reacting to the news that Wine Spectator magazine recently gave Bogle Vineyards its American Winery of the Year Award for “its role in advancing the quality, affordability and sustainability of California wines.” Add to that its 2018 California Green Medal “for sustainable wine-growing leadership.” Jody Bogle and her two brothers are the fourth generation to guide the Clarksburgbased winery. “We’ve been in the wine business for 51 years, ever since our grandfather started with 20 acres of fruit,” Bogle said. “We make a lot of wine, but we do so with small-winery tactics. We’re not throwing 40 different fields of grapes into a 100,000gallon tank and making merlot soup.” Today, the winery is the nation’s 12th largest, producing 2.5 million cases yearly of at least 20 varietals from 1,900 acres in Clarksburg, as well as from fruit sourced
from other California wine-growing regions, including Amador and El Dorado counties, Monterey and Sonoma. Its wines are sold in all 50 states and 42 countries, and are praised by the wine media for their unique combination of value and quality (oak-barrel fermenting and aging are part of Bogle’s model). We crossed the Freeport Bridge and navigated two county roads to reach the tasting room at Home Ranch, the original winery. The two-bar tasting room is warm and comfy enough, filled with fascinating mementos. A flight of four reds (including two reserves) and four whites is $8, or buy your choice of any wine by the glass. Note that the reserve line is sold only at the tasting room. A cold case filled with charcuterie and cheeses (go for the Cypress Grove Purple Haze, spiked with lavender and fennel pollen) satisfies the munchies. Or bring a picnic and spread it amid the serene fall-spangled grove out back, overlooking a vineyard. Children are welcome, but leave your dog home. One nice touch is an “adults only” area. So, is there a wine that embodies the Bogle philosophy? “Our reserve chardonnay,” Bogle said. “It’s hand-stirred twice a month.” Brace yourself for the price: $20. Tasting room: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends. Bogle Vineyards, 37783 County Road 144, Clarksburg, www.boglewinery.com. UPCOMING EVENT Placer Wine Trail’s Holidays in the Hills: Tastings at 16 wineries; food trucks, music and toy drive; noon-5 p.m. Dec. 7-8. Information and tickets ($30): www.placerwine.com
This column is produced by N&R Publications, a division of News & Review separate from SN&R Editorial. For more information, visit www.nrpubs.com
P
gaRdeN
place
Fallen leaves Turn all that foliage into free mulch by Debbie Arrington
Photo by Debbie Arrington
Fall leaves make the best mulch—and it’s free.
“We take them to the Elder Creek Transfer Station,” explained Erin Treadwell, spokesperson for Sacramento’s Recycling and Solid Waste Division. “They’re processed for land applications. Contractors then take them out to farms.” In the farm-to-fork capital, those city leaves will be turned into mulch for Delta farms, completing a circle of life. How’s that for recycling?
“What am I going to do with all these leaves?” Gone natIve? Ankle deep in fallen foliage, that’s a common predicament. Do you pile them into the street (as Do you love native plants? Is your landscape filled many Sacramentans do) or dump them into yard with California natives? Can your garden inspire waste containers? others? There’s another alternative: Recycle your leaves Then, your garden may be a candidate for the into mulch. 2020 Gardens Gone Native Tour. Fall leaves are nature’s best mulch. In forests Hosted by the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the and woods, layers of leaves protect tree roots during California Native Plant Society, the tour has quickly cold months and replenish soil nutrients. This month, grown into a major event, attracting hundreds of take a cue from nature: Instead of raking away this patrons. The 2020 tour celebrates the event’s 10th resource, mulch your leaves. anniversary. Those leaves are good for your soil Organizers are recruiting possible tour and plants. Even better, they’re free stops now. Deadline for applications is and right there, ready to recycle. Jan. 15 with the tour scheduled for Fall leaves Making mulch is easier than April 25. bagging them up. are nature’s “Interest in California native When mulching, use leaves plants continues to grow,” said best mulch. In forests free of disease or pests. For Colene Rauh, a member of the and woods, layers of example, don’t mulch or tour’s organizing committee. compost peach foliage infected leaves protect tree roots “Sharing your own garden with leaf curl. If birch leaves and experiences helps others during cold months are super sticky, they most learn about the aesthetic, water and replenish soil likely harbor aphids. efficient and habitat restoration That still leaves a lot of leaves. nutrients. benefits of California natives.” Small or easily crumbled foliage Gardens on the tour should be works best. It can be applied directly to planted in at least 50% California natives vegetable and flower beds or placed under and located in either Yolo or Sacramento countrees and shrubs. Spread a single layer 2 to 3 inches ties. Both home gardens and private businesses will thick or more. be considered. Chop up large leaves such as sycamore with a If you would like more information or would like lawn mower. Spread the leaves in a single layer on to apply for the tour, visit sacvalleycnps.org/ggn. Or the lawn, then mow over the leaves. After a couple email gardensgonenative@gmail.com. □ of passes, the leaves are mulch ready. Save some leaves for composting, too. Dried fall leaves add the “brown” to balance greens in an active compost pile. If you have space, stash a few big bags of leaves to add to your compost next spring. Debbie Arrington, an award-winning garden writer and lifelong As for Sacramento’s street leaf piles, they’ll gardener, is co-creator of the Sacramento Digs gardening blog and website. become mulch, too.
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put your favorite bands and musicians on the ballot!
Nominations start
12.12.19
Levi Mozes SAMMIES 2019 Nominee R&B/Soul
sammies.com 36
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for the week of december 5
by maxfield morris
Online listings will be considered for print. Print listings are edited for space and accuracy. Deadline for print listings is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Deadline for NightLife listings is midnight Sunday. Send photos and reference materials to Calendar Editor Maxfield Morris at snrcalendar@newsreview.com.
PoSt EVEntS onLinE For FrEE at newsreview.com/sacramento
MUSIC
holiday selections. They will be playing at The Fountains in Roseville and inside Sunrise Mall. 2pm & 5pm, no cover. The Fountains in Roseville, 1013 Galleria Blvd., Roseville.
THURSDAY, 12/5
CaPitoL PoPS ConCErt Band: The Capitol Pops
CrC JaZZ Band PErForManCE: The Cosumnes River College Music Department presents the CRC Jazz Band. 7pm, $5-$10. Visual & Performing Arts Center, 8401 Center Pkwy.
JanE MonHEit dUo: The vocalist-musician from New York is going to share some music in a duo. 7pm, $35. The Sofia, 2700 Capitol Ave.
amazing new album called Bliss out now on Wiretap Records. There will also be performances from Bastards of Young and Blaming You. 8pm, $10. Cafe Colonial, 3520 Stockton Blvd.
Emmys, two Grammy nominations, three gold records, seven public television specials and 8 million records sold—Josh Tesh celebrates Christmas. 7:30pm, $52$72. Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.
Sat
Breakfast with Santa
HARLEM GLObETROTTERS
Catch the absolute best in fake competitive basketball with these incredible performers. 1/12, 1pm & 6pm, $23-$135, on sale now. Golden 1 Center, ticketmaster.com.
with their Mas tour in the winter. 7pm,
$35. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.
JACqUEES The Decatur, Georgia R&B
singer is going to be stopping through on his King of R&B tour—grab a spot while spots remain. 1/27, 8pm, $35, on sale now. Ace of Spades, concerts1.livenation.com.
bLAKE SHELTON The country star
is bringing some friends to Sacramento, including The Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins—plus Lauren Alaina. It’s all a part of Shelton’s Friends and Heroes 2020 tour. 2/22, 7pm, $75-$625,
3/7, 8pm, $27.50, on sale now. Ace of Spades, concerts1. livenation.com.
ExCISION
alternative music radio station’s wintry wonderful of sound. It’s got The 1975, The Head and the Heart, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Local Natives. Check it out while you can. 6:30pm, $40-$75. Golden 1 Center, 500 David J. Stern Walk.
$49.50, on sale now. Papa Murphy’s Park, ticketmaster.com.
OzzY OSbOURNE Osbourne is
definitely going to stop touring after this tour, his No More Tours 2 tour.
7/17, 7:30pm, $31.41-$695, on sale now. Golden 1 Center,
THE DOObIE bROTHERS The
show features Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons, John McFee as well as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. 9/10,
7:30pm, $29.50-$149.50, on sale 12/6 at 10am. Toyota
on sale now.
Take the cake, Blake.
V101 HoLidaY JaM 2019: Ludacris, Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX and Digital Underground all come together to celebrate the holidays with you. 7pm, $40. Golden 1 Center, 500 David J. Stern Walk.
Amphitheatre, Wheatland, livenation.com.
WELLS FarGo HoME For tHE HoLidaYS:
$35. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.
CaroL ManSon: Jazz singer Carol Manson and local singer Jamel Johnson come together to perform, with music director Chet Chwalik and the Blue Skies Band. 7pm, $22. The Brickhouse Gallery & Art Complex, 2837 37th St.
dir En GrEY: The Japanese heavy metal band will not disappoint and will bring the noise. 7pm, $35. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.
JoHnnY CaSH & nEiL diaMond CHriStMaS triBUtE: Celebrate the Christmas season
Lateef the Truthspeaker will be birthing lyrics live and in-person. 7pm, $15. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.
ticketmaster.com.
The Canadian producer-DJ will be performing a concert along with Wooli, PhaseOne and Champagne Drip. 4/16, 7pm,
Grover Anderson is bringing his band, The Lampoliers, with him for a stripped set. 7:30pm, $10. Claimstake Brewing Company, 11366 Monier Park Place, Rancho Cordova.
aLt 94.7 ELECtriC CHriStMaS 2019: Join the
LYriCS Born: The rapper and partner of
Get tickets, get with it.
Hawaii now hails from San Diego, but their rock is universally rocky. Catch them on their Step to the Local Motion tour.
GroVEr andErSon & tHE LaMPoLiErS:
FRIDAY, 12/6
is headed to town on her All is Bright tour. Catch the reggae performance. 8pm,
is orange juice, sausage and pancakes, and Claus will be posing for pix with his fan base. Breakfast is four bucks, a photo is five, you can do both so you won’t be deprived. To top off the morning, you can craft, play a game; if you miss out on Santa, that would be quite a shame. 2201 Cottage Way, facebook.com/FECRPD/events.
PEPPER The rock band originally from
returns for the holidays with special arrangements of “Ave Maria,” “White Christmas” and many more. 7:30pm, $20$59. Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.
X MaS: The punk band X celebrates the season
with a tribute to Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond. 7pm, $30. Sierra 2 Center, 2791 24th St.
tiCkEt WindoW
FoLSoM LakE SYMPHonY: Pasquale Esposito
anUHEa: Anuhea “The Cool Breeze” Jenkins
Conzelmann Community Center at Howe Park, 8am, $4-$10 The stockings are hung by the fire with care, the cookies and milk also are there. Despite the Food & drink good tidings, Santa is peckish—for in place of baked goods, he wants to eat breakfast! You and your child are invited to munch at this Kristopher Kringle Howe Park fun brunch. The menu
PHOTO COURTESY OF SRIKANTA H.U.
07
Concert Band will wrap up its 23rd season with a free, public holiday concert. Expect traditional favorites, seasonal musical hits and carols. 7pm, no cover. Rusch Park Gym, 7801 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights.
dECEnt CriMinaL: Decent Criminal has an
JoHn tESH-aCoUStiC CHriStMaS: Six music
An actor portraying Santa will be paid to have breakfast with you!
Christmas music, a candlelit procession, audience singalong, new and familiar choralorchestral holiday songs, and merriment guaranteed. 2pm, $40-$50. Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St.
SUNDAY, 12/8 rSVP CHoir: The Reconciliation Singers: Voices of Peace are returning to the Crocker for a concert that showcases their mastery of diverse genres, plus some holiday favorites. 3pm, $10-$20. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St.
MitCHELL tEnPEnnY: The country music star famous for the song “Drunk Me” and “Alcohol You Later” is going to be performing. 7pm, $27.50. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.
FESTIVALS
SaC SaFE SPaCE FUndraiSEr: Catch the performance and fundraiser featured on page 38. 8pm, $10. Fox & Goose, 1001 R St.
UnCHartEd PrESEntS LiVinG rooM ViBES: Get some living room experiences in a place as far from your living room as can be: the Arden Fair Mall. The Philharmonik will be performing. 6pm, no cover. Arden Fair Mall by Crocs store, 1689 Arden Way.
SATURDAY, 12/7 1takEJaY & aZCHikE: The pair of hip-hop performers will rock the microphones and the speaker system. 7:30pm, $22$25.77. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.
snr c a le nd a r @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m
THURSDAY, 12/5 PHotoS WitH Santa in tHE EaGLE tHEatEr: Stop by the Eagle Theater and celebrate one of the best holiday traditions by having a photo with Santa captured with just the kids or the whole family. 2:30pm, $25. California State Railroad Museum, 111 I St.
trEE LiGHtinG at CarMiCHaEL Park: Kick off the holiday season at the Annual Tree Lighting event at Carmichael Park, with live music from the River City Concert Band, arts, crafts and vendors. 5pm, no
8tH annUaL SaCraMEnto SaXoPHonE CHriStMaS: A group of more than 50 saxophone players from the greater Sacramento area will be performing some
CaLEndar LiStinGS ContinUEd on PaGE 38
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SEE MORE EVENTS AND SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT NEwSREvIEw.COM/SACRAMENTO/CALENDAR
SATURDAY, 12/7
different sparkling wines. Noon, $65. Old Sugar Mill, 35265 Willow Ave., Clarksburg.
V101 Holiday Jam Golden 1 Center, 7pm, $40-$100
FILM
The radio station V101.1 FM brings its annual Holiday Jam for the holidays. Along with Ludacris, Ashanti, MUSIC DMX and Digital Underground, there’s also a don’t miss performance from Ja Rule. Recently, Ja Rule was dismissed from a $100 million lawsuit over his involvement PHOTO BY wEB SUMMIT, CC BY-SA 2.0 with the infamous 2017 Fyre Festival. Here, the rapper will be performing instead of promoting a disastrous event—but if you get a chance to ask him about the festival, please do. 500 David J. Stern Walk, golden1center.com.
THURSDAY, 12/5 DRUNKTOWN’S FINEST: The Crocker’s Indigenous Voices in Film series concludes with Drunktown’s Finest, the debut feature film of Navajo filmmaker Sydney Freeland, telling the story of three young Native Americans who live on a reservation. 6:30pm, $8$16. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St.
COMEDY B STREET THEATRE: Maximum Occupancy. Company Members Dave Pierini, Tara Sissom, Stephanie Altholz and guests perform classic long-form improvisation for a late-night audience—with a chance of pizza. 6:30pm Sunday, 12/8. $12. 2700 Capitol Ave.
BLACKTOP COMEDY: Roast Battle Insult CALENDAR LISTINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37
MAKING MEADOWVIEW PODCAST PARTY: Cap Radio spent a year in Meadowview getting to know the folks that call it home. Join them as they celebrate the process and meet the neighbors interviewed. There will be food, music and dance. 11am, no cover. Rosa Parks Middle School, 2250 68th Ave.
cover. Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Ave, Carmichael.
WINTER ART FEST 2019: 17 local artists join Winter Art Fest 2019 sharing all kinds of art. 3pm, no cover. Mills Station Arts & Culture Center, 10191 Mills Station Road, Rancho Cordova.
FRIDAY, 12/6
SUNDAY, 12/8 POCKET CANAL HOLIDAY LIGHTS LIGHTING CEREMONY: Join City Councilman Rick Jennings, Parks Commissioner Devin Lavelle and the Pocket Canal Holiday Lights Committee for a short lighting ceremony. 4:30pm, no cover. Rush River Drive.
WILD NIGHTS & HOLIDAY LIGHTS: The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary will soon be ablaze with holiday lights, providing a beautiful backdrop for a unique family experience this holiday season. 5pm, $7-$9. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, 403 Stafford St., Folsom.
SACRAMENTO ANTIQUE FAIRE: 300 vendors from California, Nevada, and other neighboring states selling antiques and collectibles that are 20 years and older. 6:30am, $3. 21st & X streets, 2350 21st St.
SATURDAY, 12/7 ALL NATIONS NATIVE CRAFT FAIR: Come shop for unique gifts at this craft fair sponsored by Cherokees of Northern Central Valley, featuring Otsigeya, the award-winning Cherokee women singers. There will be native dancers, activities for kids and door prizes. 10am, no cover. Sacramento Convention Center Complex, 1400 J St.
SACRAMENTO ROLLER DERBY 2019 SEASON END PARTY: Join Sac Roller Derby for a celebration of their “terrible twos” with a punk-themed party! Cocktail party snacks and drinks provided, but you are welcome to BYOB. 4:30pm, no cover. Neyborly Sacramento Midtown, 817 16th St.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Take a big bite of the season with Santa, featuring photos, games, and breakfast with sausage, pancakes and OJ. 8:30am, $4. Howe Park.
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING: Catch another
Christmas Tree Lighting. 4pm, no cover. El Dorado Hills Town Center, 4364 Town Center Blvd. Suite 310, El Dorado Hills.
FOOD & DRINK THURSDAY, 12/5 HOLIDAY MOCHI SALE: Get your holiday pounds of mochi from this sale. Through 12/14, no cover. Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church, 5191 24th St.
ELK GROVE HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS: Experience one of Elk Grove’s most cherished annual traditions—the Holiday Parade of Lights. 6pm, no cover. The Center at District56, Elk Grove.
SATURDAY, 12/7 AMERICAN RIVER RANCH FARMSTAND: Taste and purchase fresh-from-the-field produce, delicious baked goods and organic coffee. 8am, no cover. Soil Born Farms American River Ranch, 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova.
ART AND CRAFT FAIR: Come out and shop with Sojourner Truth Museum on Museum Day. Noon, no cover. Sojourner Truth Museum, 2251 Florin Road.
FREE LAUNDRY WEEKEND AT SUNSHINE LAUNDRY: Get your laundry done for free at the grand opening of Sunshine Laundry. 6am, no cover. Sunshine Laundry, 4132 Manzanita Ave., Suite 700, Carmichael.
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the weirdness of Craigslist with this podcast live recording. 7pm Saturday, 12/7. $7. 1710 Broadway.
SUNDAY, 12/8 BUBBLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Get
12.05.19
prepared for the upcoming holiday season as Old Sugar Mill breaks down the differences between champagne, cava and
Invitational. It’s time for the Roast Battle. Verbal Insult League brings you the most competitive lineup ever with 12 insulting comedians. 8pm Friday, 12/6. $12. 3101 Sunset Blvd., Suite 6A, Rocklin.
GOLDEN 1 CENTER: Stand Up Sacramento Comedy Show featuring Aida Rodriguez and Lance Woods. Join Aida Rodriguez and Lance Woods for an evening of laughter and heartfelt giving as they come together to support Sacramento neighbors experiencing homelessness. 5:30pm Tuesday, 12/10. $40. 500 David J. Stern Walk.
PUNCH LINE: Tinkle All the Way. The holidaythemed show features Kris Tinkle, stand-up comedian, along with Ta’vi, Diego Curiel, Nick Larson, Sara Rooker, Sammy Solorio and Robert Omoto. 7:30pm Sunday, 12/8. $18.50. Black Laughs Matter. This show features Anthony Robinson, comedian extraordinaire. 8pm Wednesday, 12/11. $16. 2100 Arden Way, Suite 225.
STAB! COMEDY THEATER: CAMP w/ Drew Absher. Drew Absher hosts his take on a campfirestyle scary story share. S’mores will be provided for the crowd. Consume. 9pm Friday, 12/6. $8. Real Live Comedians. Jason Mack hosts the best comics from TV, comedy festivals and local clubs. 8pm Friday, 12/6. $10. Dregs of Craigs. Hop in for a hilarious, disturbing adventure into
ON STAGE B STREET THEATRE: The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, finds herself in the magical world of Oz in this adaptation of the classic story we all know and love. Through 12/26. $19-$24. 2700 Capitol Ave.
CALIFORNIA STAGE: Ladies of the Knight. Four women, four poets, four voices. This talented and diverse group of poets aims to overturn the stereotypical image of poetry. 8pm Saturday, 12/7. $15. 2509 R St.
CAPITAL STAGE: The Wickhams Christmas at Pemberley. It’s Christmas at Pemberley again. This new companion piece to Miss Bennet takes us downstairs where servants are bustling with the arrival of holiday guests. Through 12/29. $25-$49. 2215 J St.
CELEBRATION ARTS: Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity. This musical re-telling of the nativity story features African-American spiritual and gospel music, dance and narration. Through 12/22. $13.60-$20.80. 4469 D St.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: 201.9 KSGMC Holiday Hits with a Splash of Sass. The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus sings a live broadcast at KSGMC 201.9, singing traditional seasonal favorites that you’ve come to expect, plus showstoppers from prior years. Through 12/10. $15-$40. 2100 J St.
HARRIS CENTER: A Christmas with C.S. Lewis Starring David Payne. C.S. Lewis recounts the events and people that shaped his life, his journey from atheism to Christianity and his reflections on the meaning of Christmas. 7pm Sunday, 12/8. $38-$62. 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.
SACRAMENTO THEATRE: A Christmas Carol. This audience-favorite adaptation of Charles Dickens’ time-honored tale returns to the STC stage. Through 12/29. $45. 1419 H St.
THE THISTLE DEW THEATER: ’Tis The Season. Join Kris and Carol Bailey in their 1950s Christmas party as they welcome some very talented guests to the stage. Through 12/8. $16. 1901 P St.
ART ARTFULLY ROOTED MARKETPLACE: Christmas Sidewalk Extravaganza. Between the walkway, patio, first floor shop and upstairs Christmas store, there will be 40 vendors with wonderful gifts items. 9am Sunday, 12/8. No cover. 608 1/2 Sutter St., Folsom.
SACRAMENTO BUDDHIST CHURCH: DandeLion Arts and Crafts Show. The second annual DandeLion Arts and Crafts Show brings arts and crafts that benefit community projects. 9am Saturday, 12/7. No cover. 2401 Riverside Blvd.
THE CENTER AT DISTRICT56: Illumination Holiday Festival. Experience the season with sparkle and shine at the inaugural IllumiNATION Holiday Festival, a new multicultural family celebration. 4pm. Through 12/7. No cover. 8320 Civic Center Drive, Elk Grove.
THE MILL AT BROADWAY: Makers Mart Holiday Fair. Get festive this holiday season with Makers Mart, Sacramento’s premier artisan fair. Shop a selection of more than 70 makers, creators, artists, and entrepreneurs. 11am Saturday, 12/7. No cover. 350 Crate Ave.
BOOKS SATURDAY, 12/7 BOOK CLUB THE 57 BUS: This month the book club will discuss The 57 Bus by Daksha Slater. Next month’s book is Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. 2pm, no cover. Colonial Heights Library, 4799 Stockton Blvd.
FRIENDS OF THE SYLVAN OAKS LIBRARY BOOK SALE: So you like books—can you use a few more? Come shop and show your support for the library’s programs. 11am, no cover. Sylvan Oaks Library, 6700 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights.
SPORTS & OUTDOORS THURSDAY, 12/5 DOCO DISCO: Glide, twirl and spin to your favorite tunes when DOCO brings silent disco to the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink. Your individual headset lets you choose your favorite skating soundtrack from
FRIDAY, 12/6
Sac Safe Space Fundraiser Fox & Goose, 9pm, $10
Join a bunch of local musicians who will be performing at this fundraiser for Sacramento Safe Space TAKE ACTION for Unhomed Youth. You’re invited to bring used items to donate to homeless folks: tents, sleeping bags, jackets and backpacks. The lineup for the evening includes members of Drop Dead Red Carly DuHain and Coday Anthony, plus Justin Farren, Be Bold Brave Robot and John Elliott. 1001 R St., foxandgoose.com/music-and-events.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN HAAKENSON
Sunday, 12/8
Sac Gamers Expo ScottiSh Rite centeR, 10am, $10
If you’ve always wondered what the voice actor who plays the Super Mario Bros. character Bowser looks like in person, you can satisfy your curiosity at this Gamers Expo. Kenny FEStivalS James, who portrays the turtle’s voice, is one of the many guests. If you attend, you could meet Five Nights at Freddy’s actor Kellen Goff, plus YouTube puppet sensation Arlo, pictured above. There are also countless artists, PHOTO By GaGE SKIdMORE, CC By-Sa 2.0 animators and gamers you can interface with, and you can read about some of them in this week’s feature story on page 16. 6151 H St., sacgamersexpo.com.
three channels. 7pm, $6-$13. Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink, 701 K St.
SaTuRday, 12/7 PCOS WalK 2019: Join the Sacramento PCOS Challenge 5K run/walk and support the largest national campaign raising awareness and funds to help fight polycystic ovary syndrome. 8am, $10$25. William Land Park, 3800 W. Land Park Drive.
Sunday, 12/8 HOliDaYS at KOOBS: Join in the fun for the second annual Holidays at Koobs celebration with fun, family, and holiday festivities with live music, ornament making, cookie decorating and visiting with Santa. Noon, no cover. Koobs Nature Area, 5325 Engle Road, Carmichael.
LGBTQ FRIday, 12/6 lGBtQ StaND-UP SHOWCaSE: It’s the Ladies’ Night edition of the LGBTQ stand-up showcase, hosted by Shahera Hyatt with TammyTea Love, Sureni Weerasekera and Melissa McGillicuddy. 9pm, $12. Sacramento Comedy Spot, 1050 20th St., Suite 130.
QUEER SaCRaMENtO aUtHORS’ COllECtivE HOliDaY MilK & COOKiES REaDiNG: Come listen to eight local authors of queer fiction reading their works—and there will be lots of milk and cookies, too. 7pm, no cover. Lavender Library, 1414 21st St.
TaKE aCTIOn THuRSday, 12/5 WiSH UPON a StaR aNNUal GiFt DRivE: Sacramento State’s University Union is pleased to announce the annual gift donation drive, Wish Upon a Star. Ongoing. The University Union at Sac State, 6000 J St.
FRIday, 12/6 WiNtER JaCKEt & SOCK DRivE: Please join Southgate Library in partnership with Southgate Friend’s of Library at this community Winter Jacket and Sock giveaway. 10am, no cover. Southgate Library, 6132 66th Ave.
SaTuRday, 12/7 COMMUNitY tOY DRivE WitH SaNta: Please join the Keep Moving Mama charity effort this season by contributing to the CSD Community Toy Drive. All toys and proceeds will go to the Elk Grove Community Toy Project. 3pm, no cover. Savvy House Coffee Bar, 9630 Bruceville Road, Suite 104, Elk Grove.
CLaSSES THuRSday, 12/5 OBaMa PRESS SECREtaRY Bill BURtON: With the California primary just months away, the Sacramento Press Club welcomes Bill Burton, a strategist who has served as an adviser to political leaders, celebrities, CEOs, corporations and nonprofits in California, Washington, D.C., and around the world. 11:30am, $29-$40. CADA Courtyard, 1322 O St.
SKEtCH 101 ClaSS: Sketch 101 will teach students the basics of writing sketch comedy scripts and developing characters, as seen in television shows such as SNL, MadTV, and Key and Peele. Students will learn Comedy Spot sketch theory and several methods of generating ideas with a clear focus. 7pm, $150. Sacramento Comedy Spot, 1050 20th St., Suite 130.
SaTuRday, 12/7 BaKiNG at BaRRiO: Ready to bake? Barrio Bakery has teamed up with local bakers to host a three-class series where participants will learn the ins and outs of baking during a 2.5-hour hands-on experience. 5pm, $60. Barrio, 1188 35th Ave.
EDGaR GRaNaDOS’ FREE ClOWN WORKSHOP: Come discover your freedom on stage by getting out of your head, into your body and discovering the joy of being a total idiot with Edgar Granados. 11am, no cover. STAB! Comedy Theater, 1710 Broadway.
Sunday, 12/8 vEGaN SUSHi ROlliNG SECREtS WitH tHE COOKERY SaCRaMENtO: Learn the secret to rolling stunning sushi rolls with plant-based ingredients. Learn with The Cookery, and try it at your next dinner party. 4pm, $45$55. The Artisan Gallery, 1901 Del Paso Blvd.
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THURSDAY 12/5
FRIDAY 12/6
ArmAdillo music
New Spell, 7pm, no cover
Tyler Ransom, 8pm, no cover
BAdlAnds
Poprockz 90s Night, 10pm, no cover
207 F ST., DAvIS, (530) 758-8058 2003 k ST., (916) 448-8790
BAr 101
101 MAIN ST., ROSEvIllE, (916) 774-0505
SATURDAY 12/7
SUNDAY 12/8
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 12/9-11
Fierce Fridays, 7pm, call for cover
Spectacular Saturdays, 6pm, call for cover
Industry Sundays, 9pm, no cover
After Hours with Apple, 9pm, M, no cover; Trapicana, 11pm, W, no cover
Nate Grimmy, 9:30pm, call for cover
ZAHR, 9:30pm, call for cover
Blue lAmp
N-Men Party with The Boneless Ones, Fang and more, 7pm, call for cover
1400 AlHAMbRA blvD., (916) 455-3400
The BoArdwAlk
L.A. Guns, The Darbies, Abeyance and more, 7pm, $25
9426 GREENbAck lN., ORANGEvAlE, (916) 358-9116
The BoXinG donkeY PHOTO cOURTESY OF MARA PAlENA
94.7 Electric Christmas with The 1975 and more 7:30pm Friday, $45-$65 Golden 1 Center Indie Pop
300 lINcOlN ST., ROSEvIllE, (916) 797-3665
cApiTol GArAGe
The Holiday, 8pm, $10-$22
Tommy Emmanuel and Jim & Morning Nichols, 8pm, sold out
FoX & Goose
Irish Jam Session with Stepping Stone, 8pm, no cover
1001 R ST., (916) 443-8825
Golden 1 cenTer
500 DAvID J STERN WAlk, (888) 915-4647
GoldField TrAdinG posT 1630 J ST., (916) 476-5076
Lindsay Ell and Amador Sons, 7:30pm, $24-$26
hAlFTime BAr & Grill
Paint Nite, 6:30pm, call for cover
5681 lONETREE blvD., ROcklIN, (916) 626-3600
hArlow’s
hideAwAY BAr & Grill
with Amador Sons 7:30pm Thursday, $24-$26 Goldfield Trading Post Country
hiGhwATer
2565 FRANklIN blvD., (916) 455-1331
Sac Safe Space Fundraiser with Be Brave Bold Robot and more, 9pm, $10
Band of Coyotes, Cuchulain and Alex Walker, 9pm, $5
Open-Mic Night, 7:30pm, M, no cover; Pub Quiz, 7pm, T, no cover
Alt 94.7 presents Electric Christmas, 7:30pm, $45-$65
V101 Holiday Jam, 6:30pm, $40-$100
Thunder vs. Kings, 7pm, W, $8-$333
Backstage Pass, 9pm, call for cover
Let’s Get Quizzical, 7pm, T, no cover; Cornhole, 6pm, W, $10
1takejay and AzChike, 7:30pm, $22-$25
Sacramento City College Ensemble, 7pm, T, $8
country dancing in back with dJ patrick karaoke up front $10 Before 9pm $15 after 9pm
vip pacKages available at stoneYinn.com Balloon drop at midnight champagne toast free late night biscuits n gravy included check out stoneys new remodel and parking lot coming soon in January
1320 Del paso blvD in olD north sac
2 steps from downtown | 916.402.2407 stoneyinn.com for nightly drink specials & events
12.05.19
Sunday Funday, 3pm, no cover
Total Recall, 6pm, $5
Night Swim with Joseph One, 7pm, call for cover
Trivia Factory, 4pm, T, call for cover; Geeks Who Drink, 4pm, W, call for cover
Born Breach, Curb Job and Rise and Strike, 7pm, $12
Liily, Ultra Q, On Drugs and more, 6:30pm, $12-$14
The Aquadolls, 6:30pm, T, $10-$15
Sacramento’S #1 UndergroUnd metal VenUe iS Back!
upComing sHows $10 coVer | doorS at 7Pm | 21+
live MuSic
december 7th newtdick | goreSkincoFFin denUnciation (cd releaSe) december 14th BleSSed cUrSe | chainS oF Belmont next door to heaVen (rUSS.) UnProVoked | we were giantS
HappY Hour
12Pm - 7Pm
12/06
nate Grimmy
12/07
Zahr
12/14
supernaut
12/20
samantha sharp
12/27
todd morGan
12/28
part robot
karaoke
tue 9Pm - 2am, thu 10Pm - 2am ComedY open miC
thu 8Pm - 10Pm
Every Damn Monday, 8pm, M, no cover
Shitshow Karaoke, 8pm, M, no cover; Twisted Trivia, 8pm, W, no cover
Lyrics Born, 7pm, $15
1517 21ST ST.
stoneYs rocKin nYe bash
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Sequin Saturdays, 9:30pm, call for cover
Vinyl Soul/Ska/Punk, 8pm, call for cover
holY diVer
best dance club 2017/2018
SN&R
Absolut Fridays, 9pm, call for cover
1910 Q ST., (916) 706-2465
voted sacramento’s
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Food Truck Tuesdays, 5pm, T, call for cover
Anuhea, 9pm, $35
2708 J ST., (916) 441-4693
Lindsay Ell
David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Ernest Saves Christmas, 7pm, T, $10$22; Jonny Lang, 7:30pm, W, $35-$65 Brown, 7:30pm, $49.50-$69.50
S’mores & Stouts, 5pm, call for cover
2000 k ST., (916) 448-7798
40
Geeks Who Drink, 8:30pm, W, no cover
cresT TheATre
FAces
Unearth, 7pm, M, $20; Adema, 7pm, W, $15 Trivia Tuesday, 7pm, T, no cover
Dinner and a Drag Show, 7:30pm, $5$25; Karaoke, 9:30pm, call for cover
985 RIvERFRONT ST., WEST SAc, (510) 423-0971
The Home Team, Crooked Teeth, Lonely Avenue and more, 7pm, $10
Trim the Tree with the Donkey, 1pm, call for cover
Capitol Fridays, 10pm, no cover before 10:30pm
1013 k ST., (916) 476-3356
PHOTO cOURTESY OF RED lIGHT MANAGEMENT
Oh! The Horror, Americaz Mozt Haunted, 2HK and more, 7:30pm, $10
1500 k ST., (916) 444-3633
drAke’s: The BArn
Open-Mic Night, 7:30pm, W, call for cover
Visit for eVent updates & booking information
Eat. Drink. Be Merry. Repeat.
670 Fulton avenue, Sacramento, ca open daily 12Pm – 2am | (916) 487-3731
1217 21st St • 916.440.0401 www.KuprosCrafthouse.com
101 Main Street, roSeville 916-774-0505 · lunch/dinner 7 days a week fri & sat 9:30pm - close 21+
/bar101roseville
submiT your cAlendAr lisTings for free AT newsreview.com/sAcrAmenTo/cAlendAr thursDay 12/5 Jackrabbit brewing co.
1323 terminal st., west sac, (916) 873-8659
kupros
FriDay 12/6
Cornhole, 6:30pm, call for cover
1217 21st st., (916) 440-0401
Live music with Robert Kuhlmann, 7pm, no cover
Live music with Ross Hammond, 5pm, no cover
old ironsides
Gheni and Kelly Jean, 8pm, $5
Mr. Hooper, a few drinks in, 9pm, $10
1901 10th st., (916) 442-3504
opera House saloon
saturDay 12/7
sunDay 12/8
monDay-weDnesDay 12/9-11
Beer and Yoga Poses, 11am, no cover
Open-Mic Night, 5pm, call for cover
Trivia, 6:30pm, W, call for cover
Triviology 101, 7:30pm, no cover
Live Music With Marty Taters, 5pm, T, no cover
Live Music with Heath Williamson, 5:30pm, M, no cover
Lipstick!, 9pm, $5
411 lincoln st., roseVille, (916) 970-9777
Red Voodoo (Van Halen Tribute), 9:30pm, When Doves Cry (Prince Tribute), $7-$12 9:30pm, $12-$17
palms playHouse
The Steel Wheels, 8pm, $12-$24
George Cole Orchestra Holiday Show, 7pm, $12-$26
placerville public House
One Leg Chuck, 8pm, call for cover
Red Dirt Ruckus, 8pm, call for cover
Sock Monkeys, 10pm, call for cover
Midnight Players, 10pm, call for cover
Mighty Mike Schermer, 3pm, call for cover
Karaoke, 8:30pm, T, call for cover; 98 Rock Local Licks, 9pm, W, call for cover
Pop 40 Dance with DJ Larry, 9pm, $5
DJ Larry’s Sunday Night Dance Party, 9pm, no cover
Monday Vibes, 9pm, M, no cover; Night School, 9pm, T, no cover
13 main st., winters, (530) 795-1825 414 main st., PlacerVille, (530) 303-3792
powerHouse pub
614 sutter st., Folsom, (916) 355-8586
tHe press club
2030 P st., (916) 444-7914
North Forty, 9:30pm, call for cover Dan The Man’s “Music Is Passion,” 8pm, $10
social nigHtclub
1000 k st., (916) 947-0434
Chase Me and SKLTNS, 10pm, call for cover
Julian Pierce and DJ Stylo, 10pm, call for cover
tHe sofia
Jane Monheit Duo with Rabbit Quinn, 7pm, $35
Rob Bell: An Introduction to Joy, 7pm, $45-$95
John Doyle Duo with Mick McAuley, 7pm, $35
Joni Morris (Patsy Cline Tribute), 8pm, $39.50
A Night with Buddy Wakefield, 7pm, W, $10-$17
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for more cannabis news, deals & updates, visit capitalcannabisguide.com.
fda warns cbd companies see ask 420
Coffee & Doughnuts is a nice pick-me-up, especially with a little THC.
These CBD-forward mini cookies by Big Pete’s Treats are great for hours of relaxation.
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NUG’s Matcha White Chocolate Bar blends earthiness and creaminess— with THC and CBD.
a still ocean or sinking into a warm bed. Though they do go fast, the size of these mini cookies doesn’t cheapen their lasting effects. But what if you want a combination? Say, an edible that provides both the psychedelic effects of THC and the soothing effects of CBD together in a satisfying package? NUG, one of California’s most popular cannabis brands, answers with its Matcha White Chocolate Bar. It’s an interesting blend of matcha earthiness and chocolate creaminess, with an equal ratio of CBD to THC. Though there’s a subtle sweetness to the chocolate, the Japanese-imported matcha is dominant and the first flavor to hit the senses. It’s like coating a white chocolate Hershey’s bar in a matcha latte, which makes it a tough sell for those put off by that very prominent and very Photos courtesy of Big Pete’s treats, coda signature and nug pungent earthy flavor. The effects are a different story, though. Each of the matcha bar’s 16 cubes contains 2mg of CBD and 2mg of THC. It’s a little bizarre that this bar is NUG’s first time dabbling in CBD, but the effects highlight a competent balance. Its effects SN&R’s writer reviews three cannabis-infused are a dance between a delicate head high that mixes beautifully with a soothing treats to nibble on during the holiday season muscle relaxation that captures that “flow state” feeling. The effect is meditative by Jeremy WinsloW and clear, supplying focus and vigor to breathe even as that deadline looms above. Getting past the startling matcha flavor there’s scientific evidence that proves gets trickier as the available options only wrangles the mind into focus, providing may be a hurdle, but the payoff is the head cannabis-infused edibles hit harder and become more overwhelming, with each the energy and clarity to see tasks clarity and the body relaxation, last longer than smoking. But dosing brand boasting its formula is “the best,” through to completion—and which makes the initial shock with edibles can be tricky. or each package claiming to achieve “the then some. You may even worthwhile. The breakdown of THC in the liver, perfect high.” find yourself multitasking Matcha is also one The cinnamon where a more potent compound called In search of a true, balanced high, with perceived greater of those trendy ingreand toasted milk 11-Hydroxy-THC is produced, is why your I tried three different edibles in cookie precision while dients as the decade last experience with edibles went awry. and chocolate bar forms. You know, for chewing the chocolate flavors strike the comes to a close, so Finding the right amount of THC science. Besides, during the holiday season bar during the it’s no surprise to see palate like the aroma to give you the right amount of high is it’s always nice to stock up on a few workday. the Oakland-based of brewed coffee or enough of a challenge. Adding CBD to the trustworthy edibles to get you through the In contrast, Big company hopping on mix only increases the difficulty of finding stress of it all. A little nibble here and there Pete’s Treats’ classic steamed eggnog fills the bandwagon. It’s an edible that doesn’t result in a regretful goes a long way between visits with the Mini Chocolate Chip easy to peg the Matcha a room. experience because ingesting CBD can extended family. Cookies are great just Chocolate Bar as being counter the psychoactive effects of THC. Coda Signature’s Coffee & Doughnuts before checking out for the either an exploitation of the While company reports and industry chocolate bar, for example, is a nice little day. Nothing prepares the body matcha trend or a tongue-intrends suggest that anywhere from 5 to 20 pick-me-up in the morning. The cinnamon better for a few hours of relaxation cheek nod to cannabis culture because milligrams is the recommended amount and toasted milk flavors strike the palate like CBD, and the 10mg dosage of CBD of the green color. Whatever it looks like of THC for safe consumption, it’s not like the aroma of brewed coffee or steamed to 1mg THC in each mini cookie sets the on the surface belies what’s underneath: A uncommon to encounter higher dosage eggnog fills a room. Plus, the 5mg of body and mind at ease for taking in the wonderfully-tuned edible that offers clarity edibles at dispensaries. The task of figuring THC in each half of the bar’s 10 squares breeze or catching some ZZZs. The effects and energy in easy-to-dose cubes. □ the right dosage amount for your lifestyle snap the brain awake. Its low dosage are calming and serene, like floating on
sweet highs
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By Ngaio Bealum
as k 420 @ne w s re v i e w . c o m
FDA hits CBD market
ILLuStratIoN By MarIa ratINova
Is CBD legal or what? I hear the feds are cracking down on CBD distributors.
CBD is legal, but with legalization comes regulation—and you know how it goes. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to 15 different CBD companies. According to the FDA’s press release, these companies are “illegally selling products containing cannabidiol (CBD) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).” The FDA also released an online “What you need to know” pamphlet about CBD and the various rules and regulations. This is gonna sound weird coming from me, but the FDA may actually have a point. Buying CBD products from unregulated businesses is a good way to end up with contaminated goods or something that doesn’t even have CBD in it. The FDA also says the manufacturers can’t make any medical claims about the efficacy of CBD and reminds people that while CBD isn’t illegal, the FDA has approved only one CBD-based drug (to prevent epileptic seizures in children); all other applications have not been federally approved. Also, federal regulations prohibit adding CBD to foods, so all you CBD-infused coffee shops and bakeries should pay attention. As CBD becomes more popular, it receives even greater scrutiny. Where the FDA used to place CBD in the “Generally recognized as safe” category, it is now concerned about things such as how CBD interacts with other medications, if CBD is bad for your liver, what are the cumulative effects and a bunch of other stuff. Half of me thinks the agency is overreacting a little, while the other half of me thinks the FDA should overreact a
little. Because while I believe CBD to be an incredibly useful and relatively benign chemical, no drug is completely safe from side effects and there are so many “fly-by-night” companies offering snake oil. So don’t worry about the feds taking your CBD from you, but please make sure you are getting your CBD from a trusted and tested source.
I live in a county where weed is still illegal. Can I get it delivered to my house?
You can, but a bunch of cities and counties are trying to stop you. According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, more than a few counties (Fresno and Santa Cruz, I’m looking at you) have filed a lawsuit challenging the regulations that allow cannabis deliveries in places that continue their backward prohibition policies. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has filed a motion to join a lawsuit brought by a Salinasbased delivery company that has been banned from delivering in Santa Cruz. It’s good to see the state working to expand access to legal weed. They kinda have to since the black market still makes way more money than the legal market. Way more, like $8 billion more. Hopefully, the state will prevail (I can’t believe I just said that) and statewide legalization will actually be a thing. Ω
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Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert. Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.
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Free will astrology
ask joey
by ROb bRezsny
For the week oF December 5, 2019
too hot to handle?
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In composing this
by JOey GARCIA
I’m seeing this girl I’m really into. the problem is, she always flirts with other guys. when I called her on it she pointed out that she flirts with everyone. I said no, just guys. She goes: “You knew I was like this when you got with me. I’m hot. boys want me. I can’t help that.” Like, is she really confident and maybe I’m not? She spins you like a vinyl LP. Don’t get played. Listen to exactly what she’s telling you: You’re in relationship with a flirt who has no plans to stop. She actually considers herself powerless over the men who desire her. Yes, that’s right. She just can’t help herself. It’s unlikely that your girlfriend has a naturally playful or gregarious personality. She seems desperate for male attention. Either way, that’s her business. Your respon sibility is to understand that you can’t change her. Don’t waste your life energy trying. She likes her personality as is, and will continue to push back if you demand that she tuck in her sexual energy. Of course, flirting doesn’t mean she has betrayed you or that she will. It’s also no guarantee that she’s just an extrovert and will be faithful. What you can count on is her drive to get attention from other men. How do you feel about that? If you’re not ready to let her go, decide what would constitute a betrayal. Are you cool with your woman sending flirty texts or sexting another man? Being held or caressed or kissed? Would you mind if she called another guy for help when she needs it? Get clear on your non-negotiable relationship expectations, and then schedule a conversation with her. Give yourselves plenty of time to talk through feelings and concerns. Be willing to admit that you might be attracted to each other but not suited for one another. A partner who shares your relationship values would be a better fit. my husband always has to have the last word. It doesn’t matter whether we’re arguing, or having a random conversation about groceries. It’s frustrating because it feels like a power play. I find myself competing to be the last person to end the conversation. Sometimes I think I’m 50
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@AskJoeyGarcia
being petty. other times, it’s like I’m protecting myself. our marriage is great in so many ways I don’t want this to become a thing. In arguments, the last person to speak is considered the winner. But since most couples argue repeatedly about the same handful of issues, the argument itself extends into infinity. In human-made time, it appears one person has ended the disagreement. In eternal time, there is no last person to speak, only a vacuum until the next person sounds off. Is this perspective too radical? Maybe. It’s waaay out-of-the-box thinking, yet offers a perception shift beyond ideas of winners and losers. Can you inhabit that space long enough to feel free? At that point, it matters little who ends the conversation. What is important is the practice of talking through difficulties so each of you feels heard, understood and appreciated. Couples therapy can help. □
meDItatIon oF the week “Loneliness is the poverty of the self, solitude is the richness of the self,” said poet and novelist May Sarton. Do you know how fabulous it is to be able to spend time with you?
Joey is the featured guest at the Anti-Cooperation League show, 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, at Sacramento Comedy Spot, 1050 20th St. Join in the fun as improv performers interview her then act out her life story. Tickets at saccomedyspot.com.
Write, email or leave a message for Joey at the News & Review. Give your name, telephone number (for verification purposes only) and question—all correspondence will be kept strictly confidential. Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 1360; or email askjoey@newsreview.com.
oracle, I have called on the unruly wisdom of Vivienne Westwood. She’s the fashion designer who incorporated the punk esthetic into mainstream styles. Here are four quotes by her that will be especially suitable for your use in the coming weeks. 1. “I disagree with everything I used to say.” 2. “The only possible effect one can have on the world is through unpopular ideas.” 3. “Intelligence is composed mostly of imagination, insight, things that have nothing to do with reason.” 4. “I’m attracted to people who are really true to themselves and who are always trying to do something that makes their life more interesting.” TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “I’m drowning in the things I never told you.” Famous make-up artist Alexandra Joseph wrote that message to a companion with whom she had a complicated relationship. Are you experiencing a similar sensation? If so, I invite you to do something about it! The coming weeks will be a good time to stop drowning. One option is to blurt out to your ally all the feelings and thoughts you’ve been withholding and hiding. A second option is to divulge just some of the feelings and thoughts you’ve been withholding and hiding—and then monitor the results of your partial revelation. A third option is to analyze why you’ve been withholding and hiding. Is it because your ally hasn’t been receptive, or because you’re afraid of being honest? Here’s what I suggest: Start with the third option, then move on to the second. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’ve got some borderline sentimental poetry to offer you in this horoscope. It may be too mushy for a mentally crisp person like you. You may worry that I’ve fallen under the sway of sappy versions of love rather than the snappy versions I usually favor. But there is a method in my madness: I suspect you need an emotionally suggestive nudge to fully activate your urge to merge; you require a jolt of sweetness to inspire you to go in quest of the love mojo that’s potentially available to you in abundance. So please allow your heart to be moved by the following passage from poet Rabindranath Tagore: “My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars. Your world has broken upon me like a flood. The flowers of your garden blossom in my body.” CANCER (June 21-July 22): Try saying this, and notice how it feels: “For the next 17 days, I will make ingenious efforts to interpret my problems as interesting opportunities that offer me the chance to liberate myself from my suffering and transform myself into the person I aspire to become.” Now speak the following words and see what thoughts and sensations get triggered: “For the next 17 days, I will have fun imagining that my so-called flaws are signs of potential strengths and talents that I have not yet developed.” LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An interviewer asked singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen if he needed to feel bothered and agitated to stimulate his creativity. Cohen said no. “When I get up in the morning,” he testified, “my real concern is to discover whether I’m in a state of grace.” Surprised, the interviewer then asked, “What do you mean by a state of grace?” Cohen described it as a knack for balance that he called on to ride the chaos around him. He knew he couldn’t fix or banish the chaos—and it would be arrogant to try. His state of grace was more like skiing skillfully down a hill, gliding along the contours of unpredictable terrain. I’m telling you about Cohen’s definition because I think that’s the state of grace you should cultivate right now. I bet it will stimulate your creativity in ways that surprise and delight you. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Poet Juan Felipe Herrera praises the value of making regular efforts to detox our cluttered minds. He says that one of the best methods for accomplishing this cleansing is to daydream. You give yourself permission to indulge in uncensored, un-
abashed fantasies. You feel no inhibition about envisioning scenes that you may or may not ever carry out in real life. You understand that this free-form play of images is a healing joy, a gift you give yourself. It’s a crafty strategy to make sure you’re not hiding any secrets from yourself. Now is a favorable time to practice this art. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In accordance with current astrological omens, here’s your meditation, as articulated by the blogger named Riverselkie: “Let your life be guided by the things that produce the purest secret happiness, with no thought to what that may look like from the outside. Feed the absurd whims of your soul and create with no audience in mind but yourself. What is poignant to you is what others will be moved by, too. Embrace what you love about yourself and the right people will come.” SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I swear I became a saint from waiting,” wrote Scorpio poet Odysseus Elytis in his poem “Three Times the Truth.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, you may be in a similar situation. And you’ll be wise to welcome the break in the action and abide calmly in the motionless lull. You’ll experiment with the hypothesis that temporary postponement is best not just for you, but for all concerned. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “My greatest asset is that I am constantly changing,” says Sagittarian actress and activist Jane Fonda. This description may not always be applicable to you, but I think it should be during the coming weeks. You’re primed to thrive on a robust commitment to self-transformation. As you proceed in your holy task, keep in mind this other advice from Fonda. 1. “One part of wisdom is knowing what you don’t need anymore and letting it go.” 2. “It is never too late to master your weaknesses.” 3. “If you allow yourself, you can become stronger in the very places that you’ve been broken.” 4. “The challenge is not to be perfect. It’s to be whole.” P.S. And what does it mean to be whole? Be respectful toward all your multiple facets, and welcome them into the conversation you have about how to live. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You can’t escape your past completely. You can’t loosen its hold on you so thoroughly that it will forever allow you to move with limitless freedom into the future. But you definitely have the power to release yourself from at least a part of your past’s grip. And the coming weeks will be an excellent time to do just that: to pay off a portion of your karmic debt and shed worn-out emotional baggage. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian playwright August Strindberg didn’t have much interest in people who “regurgitate what they have learned from books.” He was bored by stories that have been told over and over again, and was impatient with propaganda disguised as information and by sentimental platitudes masquerading as sage insights. He craved to hear about the unprecedented secrets of each person’s life: the things they know and feel that no one else knows and feels. He was a student of “the natural history of the human heart.” I bring Strindberg’s perspective to your attention because now is a perfect time for you to fully embody it. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “It’s no fun being in love with a shadow,” wrote Piscean poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. And yet she indulged profusely in that no-fun activity, and even capitalized on it to create a number of decent, if morose, poems. But in alignment with your astrological omens, I’m going to encourage you to fall out of love with shadows. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to channel your passions into solid realities: to focus your ardor and adoration on earthly pleasures and practical concerns and imperfect but interesting people.
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