Lake Merritt @ Sunrise

Now that Ive moved to Oakland, its time to come back to this blog. Slowly but surely going to dedicate some time to it.

Some photos of Lake Merritt at sunrise....Walking Bronx always brings beautiful opportunities to enjoy nature. Can you believe I took these on my camera phone? Wow, technology.

 

this Blog is on Hiatus.

And Im on hiatus too.

A Scorcher!

Venue: Torch Club.

Cover: $5

Decor: Dingy and divey.  Sucidal clowns frown from the walls.

Crowd: Severely eclectic; cougars, exceptionally good looking young couples, bikers, gentleman of leisure, nerds, over-the-hill divorcees, college kids, lesbians, everyone else, and a train conductor.

Entertainment: Amazing live band. A bass, drums, guitar and 80's fashion keyboard offering pre-made beats and electronica key tones.  One fabulous cover of Jay Z's Give It To Me/Just Wanna Love You.

Activity: Imagine this crazy, fun-loving crowd dancing together (?)

Drinks: Mediocre to decent.

Surprise Guests: King Kong and Count Dracula

 Overall Satisfaction: High to Very High

A Single Man @ The Crest

Two single girls went to the Crest tonight to see A Single Man. Considering the movie's 1960's setting, there was no better place to see it than the historical Crest Theatre downtown.

The movie was written, directed and produced by fashion designer Tom Ford and has been lingering on my "must see" for months.  Finally, another piece to add to the very small library of films centered on  gay relationships....tackling a time period when gay was much more than taboo.

The emotional depth was both moving and severely relatable.

The men stunningly beautiful.

I urge my readers... all five of you...to make the Crest (or similarly, the Tower Theatre) your first choice for movie venues.  Not only will you be supporting a local landmark, but you might also find yourself to become quite cultured.

Tale of Two Cattles.

I never really explained to my readers why I started a blog with a Sacramento focus. I grew up here, but truth be told, I never had much Sacramento pride in my early days.  In fact, I was quite eager to get out of town at the turn of the tassel. 

With a head full of memories from life in the bay area, east coast, midwest, and southern California, Ive finally developed what is now a very deep appreciation for my city.

While I call it my hometown, others call it a cowtown.  How or when this mockery originated I cant be sure. I always attribute the nickname to the NBA finals (circa 2000?) when Kings fans were ridiculed for ringing cow bells to distract the opposing team. 

The web defines 'cowtown' as synonomous with 'hick town'.  I dont know where these name callers are hanging out, but my Sacramento (especially in recent years), has a little more sophistication.  So sophisticated in fact, that we've proudly embraced our insult and hosted a long successful marathon event of the same title.

This year's Sacramento Cowtown Marathon took place this morning in William Land Park at 7:30am! Though technically the 5th annual, the history of the race dates back to 1977 under another name. 

I hadnt prepared for the 26.2 or the 13.1, so I ran the Cowtown 5k. You couldnt ask for a more serene atmosphere than Land Park. Burnt orange leaves falling listlessly into the dewy grass. Birds fluttering in the duck pond.  Architecturally classic homes whispering "old money" through their grand pillars, second story balconys and open shutters.

I jogged with my dear friend Whitney and finished in about 30 minutes.  Pretty good for an old heifer like me.

Here are some snapshots of my adventure....

 

Somewhere around mile 1.5, Mayor Kevin Johnson caught up to me and said hello (we go way back you know). At the finish line, he asked me for a picture.

To all my Sacramento bull-ies, MOOOOOVE over, this little city aint so bad.

Its My Party

Shame on me for letting so much time pass between blog entries! I suppose I just havent experienced anything interesting lately.  Make no mistake; Ive been visiting plenty of Sacramento places and spaces. But I dont write about just any ol' Sacramento scene.  Only the hidden treasures or worthy hot spots will get attention on this blog.

For this entry, though, I think I will do something a bit different. 

While I dont consider myself much of a homemaker, the Stepford Wives spirit sometimes strikes and transforms me into a domestic diva.  This weekend, the best Sacramento scene was located at my very own home as I threw a lingerie bridal shower for my best friend, Ashley.  Now this woman is Martha Stewart's successor so it was quite a challenge to throw a party that would impress her.

I think I succeeded....

Party Planning 101.

The invite is your introduction to the event.  Its like a first impression.   Would you show up to a first date wearing sweats or a track suit?!?! ( I fear some of you would, but..)  The correct answer is no.   Same goes for a party.  And on that note, never RSVP "yes" to a party that has a lackluster invitation.  You can assume the actual event will be just as drab.

There must be a fabulous focal point. In my case, I made a banner and below it placed a table adorned with favors and activites.

"The devil is in the details" as they say. So everything should hint at the color scheme and theme of the event. In the case of my lingerie shower, all the decorations recalled the 'pink with white polka dots' scheme from the invite.  The favors were satchels of potpurri for the panty drawer.  And the playlist inlcuded sexy songs like Love Game by Lady Gaga; Sex Machine by James Brown; She Wolf by Shakira; and Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band.  What songs would you recommend?

Detail and first impression are also important when bestowing your gift on the bride-to-be.  Ive added a few special trinkets including a "U" made of pearls for what will be the first letter of her new last name!

Here I am frosting my homemade red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Red is so sultry, isnt it?

I also made bra and panty cookies...

...because thats just the kind of girl I am!

The best way to a girl's.... um...heart.... is through desserts!!!  I couldnt resist these sweet treats.

A few silly games helped everyone loosen up. Here we passed a cucumber between our legs in 'musical chairs' fashion.  Dont get caught with it between your legs when the music stops!!

Any if you've done it right, all of your hard decorating work will pay off in the form of beautiful and memorable photos. 

Happy marriage!

italiano bello

After a Haywood housewarming and a bachelorette at Badlands, I was spent.  Sunday morning brought  tired legs, a slight headache, and the general desire never to leave my bed again. Sometime around 4pm, I gained enough strength to accept an invite for pizza with friends.  They too were experiencing a bit of lethargy and were in no shape to dine in, so we opted for take out from HOT ITALIAN on 16th & P.
If you dont recognize the name, surely you would recognize the very distinct storefront.  A sexy couple stenciled on the side of the building protrude upward with European vogue.  Open windows negate the indoor/outdoor distiction and allow passerbys to observe all the beautiful people (and beautiful food) inside.
And if you're really feeling this trendy Italian ambiance, there is a sidewalk parking structure designed especially for your Vespa.

In just a single bite, the Magnini pizza brought me back from my listless state and gave me reason to live again!  But if you dont like salmon, I also recommend the Citterio made with proscuitto and spinach.... slightly orgasmic.

In addition to its sleek, modern design and tasteful eats, this restuarant is also LEED certified! Now that's HOT.

More reasons to love HOT ITALIAN:
Thursday Lunch Concert Series
Bici & Bevi (bikes and wine)
Gelato