When: Every Friday Night | May 4 – July 27 | 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Cesar Chavez Plaza | 10th & J streets

More Info: 916-442-8575

We are excited to announce the 2012 band line up for the Friday Night Concerts in the Park (CIP). The 21st birthday season of this free, all ages outdoor concert series will be bigger and better than ever – featuring brand new genres, legacy bands, and Sactown’s hottest DJs! The local music festival starts in Cesar Chavez Plaza every Friday night from 5 pm to 9 pm May 4 though July 27. Get a quick glimpse of all your favorite local bands before the season starts!

May 4 : SEASON KICK OFF SHOW!
ARDEN PARK ROOTS
Island of Black and White, Storytellers
Featuring: DJ Shaun Slaughter

May 11: MIDDLE CLASS RUT
Lite Brite, Horseneck
Featuring: DJ Whores

May 18: NICKEL SLOTS
Infamous Swanks, Blackeyed Dempseys
Featuring: DJ ADMJ (pronounced Adam Jay)

May 25: ZUHG
Element of Soul, Playboy School
Featuring: X’GVNR (pronounced Ex-Governor)

June 1: CIP 21ST BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!
OLEANDER
Jonny Craig,  Allinaday, Track Fighter
Featuring: Verdugo Brothers

June 8: MUMBO GUMBO
Todd Morgan & the Emblems
Featuring: DJ Mikey Likes It

June 15: RELIC 45.
Out of Place, Sexrat, Reggie Ginn
Featuring: DJ Shaun Slaughter

June 22: 7 SECONDS
Bastards of Young, City of Vain
Featuring: DJ Whores

June 29: THE NIBBLERS
The Coalition, Diva Kings
Featuring: DJ Fedi

July 6: FULL BLOWN STONE
DOGFOOD, Street Urchinz
Featuring: DJ Nate D ft. Inkdup on drums

July 13: ANOTHER DAMN DISAPPOINTMENT (ADD)
The Walking Dead, A Single Second, The Left Hand
Featuring: Blackheart

July 20: WALKING SPANISH
Jack and White, Autumn Sky
Featuring: CrookOne

July 27: SEASON FINALE SHOW!
THE BRODYS
WRINGS (Formerly Early States), Hero’s Last Mission
Featuring: Chaotic Fusion

Dude if you are still alive please give me a call. It’s been almost 15 years and I miss you brother.

Your Pal,

Mark

sac_pro@yahoo.com

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) has released the 2011 schedule for the Friday Night Concerts in the Park. The 20th season of this free, outdoor concert series will rock Cesar Chavez Plaza every Friday night from 5 pm to 9 pm starting May 6 and continue though August 12. For the latest concert news, visit www.downtownsac.org/concerts.

Cesar Chavez Plaza, 10th & J streets

March 17, 2011 • 10 am – 10 pm

This year de Vere’s Irish Pub and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership have teamed up for the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day Festival. The party in the park will be bigger and better than ever. We’re moving to Cesar Chavez Plaza located in the heart of Downtown Sacramento at 10th & J streets to accommodate our fans.

10:00 AM: Doors Open

11:00 AM: Live dancers on stage

11:30 AM: Nine-8th’s Irish

12:00 PM: Lunch served!

  1:30 PM: Dancers on stage

  2:30 PM: Whiskey and Stitches

  4:30 PM: Black Eyed Dempseys

  6:30 PM: Pipes and Drums

  7:30 PM: Zoo Station

10:00 PM: Park closed. Head to de Vere’s Pub!

Information above came from offical event website. Drink Responsibly and if you’re going to drink at least drink something Irish. Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! @SacramentoMarko

Yesterday while returning from an offsite meeting I got a strange craving for sour Patch Kids. It was barely 11:45 AM and in all honesty I hadn’t had breakfast and barely even had a full cup of coffee. While trying to rationalize picking up a bag of Sour Patch Kids before even having lunch I remembered that I had heard Sour Patch Kid was a flavor on Jamba Juices “Secret Menu”. Awesome, it is much easier to rationalize a smoothie than a sugary bag of little fattening candies! Shortly after arriving at Jamba Juice I sent out a quick tweet about the goodness I was picking up. I was surprised to hear that not many people knew about the secret menu and all the fun off menu items Jamba has to offer so I decided I’d write about it. Enjoy and rationalize juice responsibily! 

Just a warning, some of these sound really made up and even a little strange but I confirmed the list this morning. Unfortunately there is no link for a breakdown on each of the flavors. I searched around and found different explanations for the same flavor. When I asked why at Jamba this morning the cashier told me Jamba Juice wants to keep that secret so it keeps those who are “in the know” feeling special. Enjoy!

My friends Derra and Gabe over at La Vita Bella Organic Spa are offering a sweet New Year’s promotion! Check this out!

Start the weekend right! Organic Spa Specials starting at $99 for a 1 hour massage and facial or $39 for a 1 hour massage ($25 for new clients)! Call to reserve today! 916~456~SKIN  This deal expires after the weekend. La Vita Bella

La Vita Bella Organic Spa 916~456~7546 Located at 706 56th Street Suite #110 Sacramento, Ca 95819  In the Fabulous Forties!

New Years Day is my birthday so I’m pretty happy to live in such a great town with a variety of events to offer. Here are a few links to my picks of great events in and around Sacramento’s Midtown Grid! Happy New Years!

Live Music

• Jerry Perry’s New Years Eve Party at Luigi’s Fun Garden 
• Utz & The Shuttlecocks at Harlow’s
• Stacie Eakes & The Super Freaks at The Torch Club

Family Fun

• The New Years Eve Spectacular & Fireworks in Old Sacramento
• Winter Rollerland at the Midtown Roller Skating Rink
• The Hysterical Magical Mystery Tour in Old Sacramento

Gettin Yo Groove On!

• The Shady Lady New Years Eve Celebration
• MIX DOWNTOWN / NYE Party 2011
• New Years Eve at The Park Ultra Lounge 
• The Buzz 106.5 New Years Eve Party at the Hyatt

If you’re going out tonight please remember that taking a taxi tonight will save you the hassle of parking, a designated driver, a DUI, running over your best friends foot, or simply living the life of Lindsey Lohan. If you plan on drinking please take lots of pictures so you can figure out what happened, whose number is scrawled on your arm, and why you’re wearing some else’s pants in the morning. Have Fun! @SacramentoMarko

PS If you happen to be at Mix Downtown or The Shady Lady Saloon tonight take a look around and you’ll probably see me! ~Marko

Curtosy of Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

Recently I was at a little Wine & Cheese party that my friend Catherine was throwing. Having a conversation with her about cooking is always so exciting because she has such a passion for it! Of course cooking came up and an interesting food was the subject; bacon. It blew me away what people put bacon into aside from topping a burger or tossed in a salad. Turns out you can dip it in chocolate, bake it into peanut brittle, even add it to caramel turtles!  

So today I with bacon on the brain I went to Raley’s Supermarket and bought some Raley’s Fine Foods Thick Cut Bacon to go home and do some experimenting of my own! Below is an interesting recipe I found in the Los Angeles Times. If they’re as good as they look I just might have to add them to my dessert menu this Thanksgiving.

Oh and for you martini purists, I realize it’s not a “real” martini but it looks flipping amazing. Bon Appetit! ~Marko 

Candied Bacon Martini
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Candied bacon

8 slices smoked bacon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Dredge the bacon on both sides in the brown sugar and arrange the slices so they do not touch on the sheet. Bake until the bacon is richly caramelized, 15 to 25 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to transfer the bacon strips to a cooling rack and allow the excess fat to drain. Serve warm as candy or cool until hardened for the martinis.

Candied bacon martinis

6 ounces premium vodka

4 ounces Applejack brandy

2 ounces amaretto liqueur

2 ounces maple syrup, preferably grade “B”

4 thin slices tart apple, such as Granny Smith

2 slices candied bacon, halved crosswise

Chill 4 martini glasses. In a large cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, brandy, amaretto and maple syrup with ice. Shake until combined and chilled. Strain the cocktail into the 4 chilled glasses and garnish each with an apple slice and half a slice of candied bacon. Serve immediately.

Each of 4 servings: 284 calories; 1 gram protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 3 mg. cholesterol; 78 mg. sodium.

Note: The candied bacon recipe is adapted from “The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations From Two Great American Cooks” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. This is a recipe I recently read about in the Los Angeles Times.

It all started during a snow storm in 2008. I was living in Lake Tahoe, California. Cable was out as usual, I was home alone and cooking one of my signature larger than really necessary meals for myself. Scrolling through my iPod I felt like I already over-listened to it’s 4000 plus songs. I needed something different from music, was wishing someone could come by to chat while I cooked, that’s when I remembered I had downloaded a podcast a friend did at Sac State. Hmmm, the Sex-Editors. For the next 2 hours as it played in the back ground I completely forgot I was not alone, it was like over-hearing a conversation friends were having in the next room. I have to admit, I may have even contributed to the conversation a few times. This was my introduction to a podcast.

Fast forward a year… I’m living back in Sacramento and The Adam Carolla Show, my favorite morning radio talk show goes unexpectedly off the air. The following Monday it emerges as a podcast. I make a point now to download the hour-long show everyday and when no one needs me I plug-in and listen in my office. While listening to the podcast I start to feel like I’m not at work. Sure my fingers are moving, spread sheets are populating windows of my laptop, and emails are being returned but magically while the left side of my brain is working the right side is kicking back enjoying some laughs on a sofa somewhere in a garage in Southern California. I used to look forward to lunch but now I looked forward to plugging in for that hour and mentally escaping the four walls of my office.

How can your mind be two places at once? The answer doesn’t matter, while plugged in and listening to a podcast I am a work horse,banking, auditing the previous days financials, nothing distracts me, filing gets done, desk organized, and mundane tasks completed. If someone stops by they get a wink, a snap, a finger point, and leave with a smile. I am addicted, Podcast Crack!

The problem with podcast crack is you start to need more and more because it’s so addicting. Spoiler alert! It’s under control without a 12 step program. If this happens to you, I don’t recommend trying to fake anything more than one conference call a day to feed the habit. Since my introduction to podcasting I have found another podcast that I enjoy just as much as Adam Carolla’s. The Bentnek Podcast is a cool little weekly show that features interesting guests, focus is on music and the local scene around Sacramento and Boise. I would say Bentnek’s podcast appeals to the male demographic and hipster chicks who rock. The other podcast I have found that I like to escape to has been free language lessons you can download on iTunes. Walk by my office around two in the afternoon and you might hear me repeating Russian or Spanish phrases out loud. My rationale is that the language lessons are good for professional growth and help me to improve my communication with my non-english speaking employees.

So if you sit in your office or cubicle for eight hours a day and are growning tired of the same five songs the radio repeatly plays, I reccomend you escape by checking out the free podcasts in Apples iTunes Store. There’s everything from Comedy, News, Lauguage Lessons and History Lessons, to Podcasts about your favorite shows on TV. I found a Gossip Girl Podcast (Don’t judge me).  

Please comment me or send me a message via Twitter if you find a  really great podcast you want to share. I would love to check it out!

Ciao,

Marko

A 5 Guys Cheese Burger

“Five Guys Burgers? I liked it for what it was, another burger joint.” ~ @SacramentoMarko Grubzilla.com

I recently ate at the new Five Guys Burgers in Natomas. “It’s its own deal, it’s not trying to be any place else.” I lied, after much thought, reflection, and letting the food digest for a while I’ve decided that it really is just another burger joint. Think Johnny Rockets or Jaspers. Now think, who eats there?

The quality of the meat was good to normal for a fast food joint, the fries where big ol steak fries. I liked it, it was good, not really amazing, you most likely won’t find yourself savoring every bite but who really does over fast food.

I’ve read a lot of Yelp reveiws that pit 5 Guys againts In-N-Out Burger, I’m guessing because they’re about a stones throw from one another and they are themed similiarly in red and white diner style. A style that has been associated with drive-in burger restaurants since they’re inception.

So what if it cost more than In-N-Out or whatever it’s not In-N-Out? I think comparing the two is a little like comparing Walmart and Target. Both good places to shop, ones just a little more mass produced and value based… Read a few reviews and you’ll see who the majority thinks is a better value.

I’m giving 5 Guys Burgers and Fries 3 Stars because they are about average overall. The customer service was excellent, I even heard an employee tell a customer they loved working there. The only toppings I ordered on my burgers was cheese, bacon, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. I thought the quality was on par with what I was paying for. I was disappointed in was the “Cajun Fries”. They were too over seasoned with a salty cajun seasoning for my taste however I liked how thick the fries were.

One thing 5 Guys did for me: Invigorated my desire for a good quality burger! Made me hungry for a burger from Riverside Club House or Bistro 33.

A Bistro Burger that will make you rethink what a burger should taste like!

Will I be back? Ehh, honestly I probably won’t be making any special trips into Natomas for one of they’re burgers however I am planning on making a trip to 5 Guys for a Milk Shake in the near future. I’ll keep you informed!

Suggestions? If you have some place you think has a mouth watering soul fulfilling burger worth telling me about please shoot me a note here or on Twitter!

Thanks @SacramentoMarko

Just received this email from Amy Jang at Cornerstone Restaraunt in Sacramento! For those of you unfamiliar with Cornerstone, it has been a Midtown restaurant delievering delicious diner style food since 1991. Cornerstone serves breakfast lunch and dinner and has always sported a busy sidewalk diner atmosphere and is a KCRA Nominee for  Best Breakfast in Sacramento. Cornerstone’s move is a plus! The previous location at J and 23rd was convienent and full of character however the actual building had become a victim of time and disrepair. The new location in Head Hunters is very hip, clean, and still offers that great patio dining in an atmosphere that is brimming with character! I highly reccomend you come on down and check them out this week!

Congratulations to the entire Cornerstone Team on your new partnership with such a great place like Head Hunters! I wish you the best!

~Grubzilla

Hello friends,
We are back.  Cornerstone and Headhunters are teaming up.  Cornerstone is taking over Headhunter’s kitchen and dining room.  We will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner starting today, Wednesday, the 29th.  Our new menu will include all of our signature breakfast items, presented to you by the same Cornerstone crew, just at a different location.  Headhunters is located at the corner of 20th and K.  Attached is a coupon with the address and phone number of the new location.  Hope to see you soon.

The Cornerstone Crew

Bob Carter 75 pounds heavier at the beginning of his 50 City Trek

What do two Grammy winning drummers; a 270-pound self proclaimed “Phatboy”, a dog, and a StreetStrider – as seen on TV’s, The Biggest Loser – have in common? A daring ride in 50 cities and a passion to see America turn the tide in the fight against obesity! Bob “PhatBoy” Carter has embarked on a 50 city journey in 50 days. His journey began Sept 13, 2010 in Las Vegas, NV with press mobilized and on the story. Bob will call Sacramento, CA base camp beginning 9/18/2010 for three days, branching out to the Central Valley and Bay area markets from his Sacramento base camp at the Marriott Springhill Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas. Carter will be riding or “striding” rather his StreetStrider ETX 8R as seen on NBC’s hit reality show The Biggest Loser and calls his new ride the “SS Black Dawg”. Carter is riding to battle against Adult and childhood Obesity on the StreetStrider, the world’s first “mobile” elliptical cross trainer, set on a reverse trike platform, allowing for cambering and carved turns. Carter says, “I wanted to ride something that will catch people’s attention. I’m on a mission to get people to get off the couch and doing something healthy for themselves; we have to change the direction our country is going. I want to draw as much attention to this growing epidemic of obesity as possible. You will have to see my StreetStrider.” Having started his mission to improve his lifestyle in Jan ’10, “Phatboy” has already dropped 80 lbs and his goal is to lose another 45 lbs on his journey. Carter realizes this trip means more than a physical and spiritual rebirth. It represents an opportunity for him to raise awareness to the obesity epidemic in our country. According to a recent survey by the CDC 1 out of 3 adults are not just overweight but obese. Others are encouraged to join the movement. “Anyone with a passion for fitness and helping in the battle of the bulge is welcome to join. You can ride a mile, or all day with me. Do something healthy for yourself and families. Come on out and Stride with me.” If I can do it, anyone can! One Man, One Team, One Purpose! Media Contact: Kevin Miller info@phatboyriding.com 760.415.7342

As I begin to write this I realize the people I am writing about will probably never read this because I have no plans on scrawling it on a bathroom wall, scribbling it across a trash can, or spraying it on the side of a beautiful brick building in Midtown. Such a shame. Well in the event that some young person at the crossroads of life reads this please keep the following in mind. Graffiti only angers people, it’s as memorable as seeing someone picking their nose in traffic, and it’s message never gets conveyed.  

Graffiti “artists” please take note of the two examples of graffiti below. Both are very similar yet both are very different.

Similarities may include; a cry for attention, trying to convey a social message to “the man”, and a fourth grade competency to handle a can of spray paint.

Differences may include; literacy / illiteracy, an angry college student / the other never made it out of high school, someone learned how to color between the lines the other not so much.

In this first picture we see an adult childs cry for attention. (Just in case you need help with the translation.)

In this next picture we see graffiti that makes a “statement”. The translation of this graffiti is somewhat controversial and local scholars argue about its exact translation. Translation #1 ”I like pollution and hate fat people.” Translation #2 “I hate you because you have a car and I do not!” Translation #3 “I’m 15 and don’t drive yet.” 

Back to my point. You walk past the alien chicken scrawlings in the top picture and think nothing of it. Why because any fourth grader with a can spray paint can do that and it’s pretty much pointless. It’s also awful and is lacking creativity. If my goldfish could finger paint he would’ve come up with something more creative.

The bottom picture gets a little more celebration because it’s edgy on the surface and is trying to send a message. “Trying” is the key phrase here guys, yes you’re a little more creative and yes you obviously spent a little time at a craft table making your “cool” little stencil but it’s really still only going to catch the eye of the homeless dude who regularly passes out in that alley.

So what do you do? How do you get the man’s attention? Be creative. Take the money you would normally spend on spray paint, baggy pants, and petrolly oil and spend it on a hair cut and a collared shirt. Confuse the man, if you dress like a politician and speak (in complete sentences) with the same authority you think you possess in your graffiti message people will take notice! The next thing you know you might actually get someone to listen to your message for once.

Dude, you might not have to break up with her!

1. I am currently out at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position. I may be a little moody so be prepared.

2. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn’t have received anything at all.

3. Sorry to have missed you but I am at the doctor’s having my brain removed so I can be promoted to our management team.

4. I will be unable to delete all the unread, worthless emails you send me until I return from holiday on 12/27/10. Please be patient, and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.

5. Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first 10 words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.

6. The e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection and is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again. (The beauty of this is that when you return, you can see how many in-duh-viduals did this over and over.)

7. Thank you for your message which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.

8. Hi, I’m thinking about what you’ve just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.

9. I’ve run away to join a different circus.

10. I will be out of the office for the next 2 weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as ‘Lisa’ instead of ‘Les’.

Thank you to whoever originally wrote this. I think we all feel your pain.

From time to time I ask myself, “Where’s Oprah when you need her?”

The 188-acre Bridge District, located on the West Sacramento riverfront is planned for redevelopment into a transit-oriented district with up to 12 million square feet of commercial and residential development. Late last year, the City approved a new specific plan putting in place land use, engineering and financing plans for development of the area. With the receipt in 2008 of a $23 million infill infrastructure grant, the City has the resources to begin construction of the streets and utilities to serve the property there. Some early relocation of utilities has begun, and the bulk of the work will begin later this year and continue through 2011. The first housing and park projects are expected to begin construction in 2011 and build out of the entire district will occur over the next several decades.

Further information about the West Sacramento Bridge District developer and opportunities to develop can be found here! Fulcrum Property  Information regarding or relating to this post came directly from the City Of West Sacramento’s Website.

Hey SacTown if you have a dog that writes or would like to contribute to a doggy blog please have them contact Tuffy at his new Doggy Blog AskTuffy.com. Tuffy will be covering local events that are dog friendly, reviewing new dog foods, dog parks, pet friendly patio dining, and answering any and all questions from a dog perspective.

If this sounds like something your lil pal would be interested in have them leave Tuffy a message at his new blog!

AskTuffy.com