Bodega ballads
Before Hamilton, before Bring It On: The Musical, there was In the Heights. By Jim Carnes It’s easy to see where Hamilton came from. He was born In…
Read MoreArts+Culture
Sticks and stones
Use mulch, not rocks, around lawn trees Rocks in a garden can be attractive. They can form paths or add accents. But rock mulch around…
Pure preservation
Torchbearers of New Orleans jazz flash a searing side of themselves in Folsom Local crowds have flocked to bands offering a little taste of New…
Review: Mariachis and Micheladas
Lively violins follow along to the thumping rhythms coming from a large acoustic bass and an upbeat Spanish chorus as four men dressed in traditional,…
A haven no more?
A bee sanctuary at UC Davis faces funding crunch Honey bees aren’t the only ones at risk. So is their Yolo County haven. Officially named…
Season of the Wiz
Music Circus’ The Wiz leaves a brilliant, green-tinted impression. By Jim Carnes You’ve only got until Sunday afternoon to follow the Yellow Brick Road, so…
Can bananas grow in Sacramento?
See for yourself at Harvest Day Set for Saturday at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, Harvest Day is a chance to pick up a cornucopia of…
Neighborhood hop spot
A neighborhood that drinks together stays together. And in Tahoe Park, Sac City Brews Neighborhood Tap House is doing its part to fortify the community….
Farm to cocktail
Our House in Davis creates weekly seasonal cocktails with fresh muddled fruit from its local farmers market The swelter of summer may be here, but…
Gardening the Grid
Midtown residents squeeze plants into tight spaces While gardening in Midtown, you never know what you’ll dig up. “These homes were built before they had…
Review: Burger cravings
For vegans, the prospect of a restaurant where we can eat everything on the menu is dizzying. In most places, we’re lucky if there’s one…
California’s ‘Un-American’ history
A unique digital exhibit unearths a dark chapter in state’s history—one that echoes today The California Un-American Activities Committee’s first red-baiting report, all 445 pages…
Hitting the jackpot
Old school gangsters bet on horse races and love in Music Circus’ latest show. By Patti Roberts Guys and Dolls, a classic Tony-award-winning American musical,…
A little frog shall lead them
Regional Water Authority hopes free moisture meters get customers to conserve How do you persuade people to save water when there isn’t a drought? That’s…
Down on the farm
One place at the State Fair stays true to agricultural roots How does a kiwi grow? What do hops look like on the vine? Can…
Catching a few winks
Bruce Vilanch shows us what a real musical theatre fan looks like. By Jim Carnes You’d have to be seriously sleep-deprived to get drowsy during…
Field to vase
American Flowers Week promotes locally grown For Amanda Kitaura, it started with a bag of dahlia tubers from Costco. “I’ve always loved flowers,” she said….