Sacramento, CA

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, I’d recommend that you check out the Sacramento State homecoming game on Saturday. The Hornets will battle it out against Montana beginning with the kickoff at 2:05PM. However, the parties and tailgates will be starting much earlier than that at 10:00AM.

In addition to the big game, it is also Herky’s 60th birthday so there are all sorts of things going on to commemorate the special occasion. The hornet’s birthday will be celebrated from 10:00AM-2:00PM at the pre-game homecoming festival in the Alumni Center. There will be a parade and also a piñata for the kids. His birthday is also being celebrated on myspace and on youtube. Myspace has up baby pictures, drawings, and other goofy fun things like that. Youtube is having a contest where you can make a video wishing Herky a happy 60th and upload it for a chance to win an ipod. All you have to do is join their youtube group. Submission are due by Friday at 12:00PM which doesn’t leave much time to churn out something really fabulous. However, they will also be handing out Java City giftcards to random entries. So, even if your video sucks, you might still get something out of it. Furthermore, when I went there tonight, there were opnly four entries so far so the odds are pretty decent.

There is even going to be a tailgate contest for Herky’s birthday. You just have to decorate your tailgate area in Herky’s honor with bonus points for lots of green and gold. To enter, be sure to stop by the Alumni Association booth (on the southwest edge of parking lot eight) to register your tailgate between 10:00AM and 12:00PM. Judging will take place at 12:30PM to determine who will take home the $200.00 prize.

Tickets for the game will be as follows:
$8.00 for General Admission
$12.00 for Reserved Seating
$15.00 for Reserved Premium Seating

The school is located at 6000 J Street just off of Highway 50. Stop by to show your support and have a good time doing it.

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The 2007 Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is set to run this weekend from Thursday October 11th to Saturday October 13th. The majority of the films on the schedule are repeats from former years. However, there are also six new titles being released at the festival this year.

The first of these, Eddie, will be shown on Thursday night at 7:30PM. The 8-minute Quentin Kruger film offers a glimpse into the life of ten-year-old Eddie who struggles to deal with the early onset of her menstrual cycle and the ramifications it has on her desire to just be one of the guys. Another new film will also appear in Thursday night’s lineup. Andrea Blundell’s 3-minute film Four Feet features a psychic’s intervention in the love life of the main character, Veronica.

There will only be one new film on Friday, October 12th. However it is significantly longer–at 90 minutes–which more than makes up for the lack of other new films. In Jonah Markowitz’ Shelter, portrays a journey of self-discovery and the awakening of sexual awareness for Zach, a recent high school graduate. Critics are already calling it the start of a wonderful career for newcomer Trevor Wright. In addition, the film also features stellar performances by Tina Holmes of Six Feet Under and Brad Rowe of Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. In addition to the cast, critics also are saying that it has an amazing emo sountrack and beautiful sets that make it “a sensory treat.”

The final three new films will be shown on Saturday. Two of them are also short films–Michelle Sperber’s It Was a Saturday and Carolina Roca-Smith’s Members Only. It Was a Saturday is the love story of two dance students. The film’s music is likely to be the spotlight. Some of it was composed by BettyAnn Conner although the film also features music from Rachel Cantu, Tracy Bonham, Lisa Hall, and Cascada. Members Only tells the proverbial story about the new kid in town who can’t get a date. It’s a bit over used, but the director’s website looks fresh and young and hopefully that same joie de vivre will translate over into her film.

The film that is being considered the highlight of the festival though is Amara Stefani’s 10-minute film Being Lisa. This seems a bit bizarre to me since there wasn’t really anything online about either her or her film. Maybe it’s because it stretches the limits a bit further than traditional gay and lesbian films? After all, the main character is transgender and I’ve only heard of one or two other movies which feature transgender characters. Anyway, it’d be worth checking out just because the critics seem to think it’s so worthwhile. It will be shown during the Saturday matinee which begins at 2:00PM.

The festival is going to be held at The Crest Theater which is located at 1013 K Street. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or at tickets.com. Admission for one film is $9.00. You can also purchase a pass for all of them for $30.00. In addition, there will be an opening night reception at Chops Restaurant. The reception costs $25.00 and includes appetizers and one drink. Tickets for the reception can only be obtained by contacting festival officials directly. If you need directions, contact the theater directly at 916-44-CREST or visit their website.

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I was talking to my mom on the phone the other day and she was telling me about how my little brothers had joined a bowling league. It occurred to me then that I had never even seen a bowling alley in Sacramento so I decided to do some research. I found one, Country Club Lanes and Lazer X, which was even listed on Yahoo Travel’s list of the top things to do in Sacramento. Their website also boasts that they have been voted the “Best Bowling Alley” by Sacramento Magazine for four years running.

Their webpage makes it look like a fun place to take kids of all ages as well. They offer 48 lanes–all of which are equipped with automatic bumper bowling–so they are capable of hosting a very large number of visitors. They also have thirteen plasma TV’s strewn about the alley so that everyone has something to do when it isn’t their turn to bowl. The catch is that you will want to go with a big group of people and not just by yourself because they charge per lane and not per person or per game. Prices all include one hour and one lane and range in price from $27.00 to $42.00 depending on the day and time that you go. However, they also offer a variety of discount packages for birthday parties and coporate events if you are going to have a really large party. In fact, their banquet rooms can host agroup of up to 500 people! Their Sky Room includes two dance foors, a stage, a full service bar, and access to a prep kitchen for those events that are a bit more formal. They say that they do wedding receptions there as well–but I frankly think that sounds a bit odd.

In addition to bowling they offer several other means of entertainment–prize and video arcades, a bar/ lounge, and Lazer X. Prices for Lazer tag range from $6.00 to $8.00 although, again, discounts are avialable for large groups. They can accomodate up to 26 people at a time and you get to play for one hour. They even do “team-building” exercises at Lazer X which sounds infinitely better than the regular run-of-the-mill staff meetings we have at work. It sounds like an interesting change of pace if nothing else–especially if you’re looking for a way to increase cooperation without boring your employees to tears.

Anyway, I reccommend that everyone go and check it out sometime during the week when the rates aren’t as high. It’s located at 2600 Watt Avenue on the corner of Watt and El Camino. You can call 916-483-5105 or visit their site for directions. Have a great Monday!

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September looks to be much more exciting concert-wise than August was. The fun starts with Country in the Park on Sunday, September 9th. Country in the Park is the summer’s biggest outdoor country music festival in the area. This year, the concert will be located at Gibson Ranch Park at 8556 Gibson Ranch Road in Elverta, CA. This year there will be five performers including three different American Idol finalists. These will be Sawyer Brown and Gary Allan with finalists Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler, and Carmen Rasmussen. The best part is that tickets are really cheap. They are only $23.00 each and children 10 and under will be admitted for free. In addition, there are a variety of discounts available if you know where to look. There are more than fifty Raley’s and Bel-Air locations that are offering coupons for $3.00 off that are good for up to six tickets. You can also purchase your tickets at Chevy’s surchagre free. Or you can purchase them at ticketmaster for $3.00 off with coupon code CITP. Finally, I believe that KNCI is still giving out free tickets as well, but you might want to call them to verify that. The concert will begin at 12:00PM and run for pretty much the entire day. Be aware that the venue does not allow you to bring video cameras, coolers, or bags into the concert. Also, be sure to visit the Dreyer’s Ice Cream booth to enter a contest to meet Sawyer Brown after the concert. As any country lover can tell you, that is definitely worth waiting in line for!

If you’re not a big country fan, perhaps you would be more interested to see Justin Timberlake at Arco Arena on September 10th. Justin has of course already performed in Sacramento this year back in January. However, due to popular demand, his 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow Tour will be returning to Sacramento. This is largely due to the fact that his last concert here was completely sold out and many fans were unable to buy tickets due to an extremely high demand. This concert will also feature Timbaland and Good Charlotte. Tickets range in price from $56.00 to $152.00. If you’re planning on going though then you better purchase your tickets soon because there aren’t really very many left. In any case, between the two concerts this looks to be a good start to the autumn concert season here in Sacramento. Enjoy…

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As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a tad bit obsessed with movies so i thought I’d let everyone know all of the details for the best place to see Rob Zombie’s reinvention of Halloween. According to people who’ve seen the advance screening of the movie, it’s actually pretty decent too–despite the fact that Rob Zombie directed it! I’m not a huge fan of his–House of 1000 Corpses kind of ruined any good thoughts I may have had for him–but I DO love the Halloween movies. There’s just something very fascinating about our dear old friend Michael Meyers. I’ve always been captivated by him and I’ve always wondered what made him into the monster that we all love to hate. As such, I am very much excited about seeing this latest installment in the series. After all, I don’t think even Rob Zombie could ruin such a brilliant creation as indicated by the trailer…

Anyway, as always I would suggest that you go to Century Stadium 14 to see it. The showtimes for today are as follows: 12:00PM, 1:15PM, 2:35PM, 3:50PM, 5:15PM, 6:25PM, 7:55PM, 9:00PM, and 10:30PM. There’s pretty much a time to fit in everyone’s schedule so you shouldn’t have to settle with a lesser theater like United Artists Market Square. Enjoy, and remember, it’s just a movie…

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Funderland is a relatively small, old-fashioned amusement park geared towards children from 2-12 years of age located in the Land Park Drive area at 1350 17th Avenue. There is no cost for admission to the park. You only have to purchase tickets for the rides. Each ride is one ticket per person. The tickets cost $1.50 each Monday through Friday and $1.75 on weekends and holidays. During the week, you also have the option to purchase an unlimited wristband for $13.50.

The amusement park offers ten different rides and attractions to excite every youngster: The Funderland Train, Dragon Coaster, Airplanes, Oscar the Fish, Himalaya, Back Road Buggies, Tea Cups, the Log Flume, and two carousels. Be advised that there are limitations on who can ride some of the rides. Expectant mothers and individuals who are in casts are NOT permitted to ride any of the rides due to safety concerns. All of the rides also have size limitations at the discretion of the ride operator. The only rides which specified the exact weight allowed were the two carousels–both of which allow riders up to 175 pounds. Many of the rides also have warnings for those who have recently had surgery, those with heart problems and high blood pressure, and people who have had recent back or neck injuries.

In addition to rides, the amusement park also offers a snackbar which is open from 11-5 on Monday through Friday and 10-6 on Saturday and Sunday. They serve a vairety of carnival favorites including corndogs, snow cones, and churros. Just don’t expect to find anything even remotely healthy to eat–it is an amusement park after all. The park also hosts birthday parties for two hours blocks. The price is $124.95 and includes unlimited riding for ten guests and ten free tickets that can be used either at the party or at a later date. You may bring your own food and drinks into the party area, but be advised that you will not be able to cook anything at the park or bring in any alcoholic beverages. For more information, you can contact the park online or call 916-456-0115.

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As a pre-med major, I found a place of particular interest to me here in Sacramento–the Sierra Sacramento Valley Museum of Medical History. The museum was built in May 2001 after the city opted for the closure of the Paul Guttman Medical Library and Information Center. The city wanted to be sure that their rare texts would be preserved so they chose to build the SSVMS to take its place. They decided to keep medical journals dating from the late 1800’s to the 1950’s along with hundreds of medical texts from the 1700’s. In addition to the texts, they have sixteen different displays of medical artifacts that were donated to the society. The displays depict collections of Surgery, Clinical Diagnosis, Infectious Disease, Pharmacy, Radiology, Chinese Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Medical Quackery (which sounds the most interesting to me!). The museum is located at 5380 Elvas Avenue #100 and is open daily from 9:00AM-4:00PM. You can arrange for tours by calling 916-452-2671 or by e-mailing info@ssvms.org.

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Now that the weather here in Sacramento is heating up again and we are seeing those atrocious high-nineties to low triple digits, I figured it’d be nice to find a way for everyone to cool off without having to sell your first-borns to pay your SMUD bills. Normally, I’d tell you to go and check out Raging Waters at CalExpo. However, right now they’re probably extradordinarily busy since the California State Fair is still in full swing. Thus, I decided to do some research and I found another water park in the Sacramento area–Golfland SunSplash in Roseville.

SunSplash has a number of waterslides to choose from. Some of the more popular attractions include Stormrider (the Valley’s first four-person waterslide and the first of its kind in the world!), Master Blaster Water Coaster (the only water roller coaster in California), and the two Dark Holes (where you slide in complete darkness). For the more faint at heart, there are also three pools to choose from. Adventure Island is a three and a half foot deep wading pool with small slides for kids to play on. Thunder Bay is a gigantic wave pool which creates waves the are 84 feet long to board on. The third, Bermuda Triangle, is a lazy inner tube raft where everyone can relax and float along the “river.”

In addition to waterslides, Golfland has a number of other attractions to keep you busy all day long. There are two 18-hole miniature golf courses–Adventure Golf and Lost Continent Golf–which they claim are the best miniature golf courses in California. Since it is a miniature golf park, they also have the standards that seem to come with all parks of this sort. They have Go-Karts at the Fastcars Raceway, Lazer Tag in their 5000 square foot arena Lazer Knights, and an arcade with over 200 games to choose from. You can also grab a bite to eat at either their pizza parlor or Subway.

The park is open Monday-Thursday from 10:00AM-10:00PM, Fridays from 10:00AM-midnight, Saturdays from 8:00AM to midnight, and Sundays from 10:00AM-9:00PM. You can purchase tickets online for special discounted rates. They currently have three internet specials running. You can purchase the 4 For Fun Lazer Tag for $20.00 which will save you $6.00, 4 For Fun Mini Golf for $24.00 which saves you $7.00, or Golf and Games which includes one game of mini golf and 10 arcade tokens for $8.00. In addition, you can also purchase entrance tickets to the waterpark itself. The prices are as follows:

General Admission (48” or taller): $24.99
Junior Admission (under 48” tall): $18.99
Toddlers (age 2 and under with an adult): $1.00
Senior Admission (age 62 and over): $12.99
Evening Admission (from 3:00PM-6:30PM): $18.99

They’re kind of pricey, but in comparison to other parks out there the rates are pretty standard for this area. In any case, it’d be much better to pay them then to try and deal with the crowds at Raging Waters. It’d be less of a hassle and probably more fun in the long run…

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The 2007 California State Fair starts tomorrow, August 17th and runs through Labor Day. The primary theme of the 2007 fair will be the whimsy of childhood, focusing on reminding us all about how and why it was so wonderful to see the world through the eyes of a child. To that effect, some of the new features at this year’s fair include Toytopia: World of Toys, Californian Green Dream, the Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show, Monster Shop Bump’n Breakdancers, and the Treetures. Toytopia looks like the most entertaining as it features interactive displays, costumed characters and celebrities, and of course enough toys to please every child and child at heart. California Green Dream takes a more educational approach, exhibiting new and innovative ideas to improve conseravtion efforts and environmental awareness.

There will be numerous celebrity guests at the fair this year, but the biggest name is probably Guy Fieri from the The Next Food Network Star. He will be cooking with kids on August 31st at 3:00PM on the PG&E Center Stage. Others include Susan Maxwell Skinner (the Royal Family Press Corp member for Princess Diana), Bill Farmer (the voice behind such beloved characters as Yosemite Sam, Foghorn, Bugs Bunny, Goofy, and Pluto), and world-renowned artist Gregory Kondos who is most famous for his beautiful California landscape paintings like the above shown Lily Pond. In order to keep the kids interested, there will also be a plethora of costumed “stars” including characters from Star Wars, Transformers, Superman, Spiderman, and Batman.

There are also an array of activities geared towards all of us adult children. The standard horse races will of course be going on throughout the fair. However, they will also be having a few more abnormal races as well. The 8th Annual Dachshund Derby is on August 25th. The sixty-four canine contestants will be competing for the $500.00 prize. On the Saturday prior to the race, the dogs will compete in harness racing in order to dwindle the group down to eight finalists. I personally think those dogs are kind of creepy, but it still sounds like an intriguing concept nonetheless. The horse races will also be adding a little bit more excitement to the proceedings with a contest allowing fair patrons to name a yearling standard bred racehorse. Whoever suggests the winning name will even receive five percent of the horse’s stakes earnings as a 2 and 3 year old racehorse. In addition, every person who suggests a name will be entered into a drawing to also receive five percent.

Along with all of these, there will also be the typical State Fair exhibits and attractions that keep us coming back for more year after year. Terry Strokes will be performing his famous hypnotist act. The midway will have the same exciting carnival rides for “kids” of all ages. There will be TONS of animals (including my favorites the Budweiser Clydesdales!) and agricultural exhibits everywhere you look. The concert line-up is awesome and features musicians from pretty much every genre. And, of course, the food will be as fabulous as ever with all of the corn dogs, funnel cakes, and fried twinkies you can stomach! Be sure to try out the two newest fares: the Elvis Sandwich (a deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwich) and the fresh fruits and veggies at the Certified Farmers Market. Anyway, have fun and be sure to plan your trip ahead–especially if you have to stay the night in Sacramento as many hotels will be sold out! Get one while you can…

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It looks to be an awesome lineup of concerts this year at the California State Fair. They will all take place at 7:30PM on the Golden1 Stage. All of the concerts will be free with admission to the fair on a first come-first serve basis. However, there are also tickets available should you desire reserved seating. Prices vary depending on who will be performing…

The first concert will take place on opening night–August 17th. Tesla, an early 80’s rock band will be performing. I think this is a pretty appropriate choice as the band orginated in Sacramento in the days when they still called themselves City Kidd. Their music is kind of like Glam metal without the synthesizers, leather pants, and flashy make-up. Touring with huge Glam Metal names like Poison, Def Leppard, and David Lee Roth stuck them into that same category as well–despite their resentment to the classification. These days they’re still recording and touring with the newest member of the band, guitarist Dave Rude. Rude replaced the former guitarist Tommy Skeoch permanently in 2006 when Skeoch’s wife had a baby. Rude also joins them on their newest album Reel to Reel–a covers album which was released in June 2007. As an admitted sales gimmick, they sold it as a double CD album. The first CD came with the purchase. The second recording is advertised as being available for free to concert goers with the price of admission. Tickets.com says that they will be handing out the CD’s at the fair with the purchase of the $45 reserved tickets only. This may not sound expensive (and for a cocnert ticket alone it really isn’t…), however, you must also purchase admission to the fair. General admission to the fair is $10, so realistically you’d be looking at $55.00 per ticket. In the grand scheme of things, that’s still a pretty. Keep in mind though that there are a ton of other performers coming to the venue as well. Many of them are also asking much less for reserved seating.

The August 21st performance of Huey Lewis and the News will be a little bit cheaper at $40.00 for reserved seating. Considering that the San Francisco band has won Grammy awards and even been nominated for an Academy Award this is really a very good price. Hits like If This is It and Jacob’s Ladder made them one of the biggest bands of the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Their nod from the Academy was for The Power of Love which was featured in Back to the Future. They also achieved a degree of fame for a scandal involving the the theme song for Ghostbusters. The group was originally asked to record tracks for the sountrack. When they turned the studio down, Ray Parker Jr. was hired instead. The resulting theme song that we all know and love led to a lawsuit because the band said the song too closely resembled their song I Want a New Drug. They agreed to settle the matter out of court. However, since then Huey Lewis has made statements about the settlement which have led Parker to file his own ongoing lawsuit. In addition to these legal troubles, the band has been busy touring and writing songs that may or may not one day be released. In any case, the sheer drama alone would be worth at least the $10 fair admission price–if only to see if and how it has affected the band’s overall performance.

If you’re willing to pay a little bit more, you can also see Daughtry on August 22nd for $59.00 for reserved seating. Frankly, I think this is a bit outrageous. However, Chris Daughtry has become quite the phenomenon since his stint on American Idol. In addition, he is the newest act to be performing at the State Fair this year. In light of that, I suppose it could be considered worthwhile. Chris Daughtry won instant fame as the fourth runner up during the fifth season of the show. Since then, he has wasted no time in bursting onto the rock music scene. His debut album sold over 1,000,000 copies within five weeks, making it the fastest selling debut rock album of all time. He has a brilliant voice and his single Home is fast becoming one of my favorite songs. In short, while I wouldn’t pay for the advanced tickets in this case, I would still very much reccommend that you go and see him for the nice, cheap $10.00 a ticket. After all, in all likelihood you won’t ever have the opportunity to see him perform for this little again.

Aside from Daughtry, the most popular performer will probably be country music’s mega-group Lonestar. The August 24th performance will have tickets available for $40.00 for reserved seating. Since the release of their first single, Tequila Talkin, the band has had nothing but success and turned out numerous songs that have become immensely popular across various musical genres. This was especially true for their hits Amazed and I’m Already There. Amazed was even covered by rock icon Bonnie Tyler! Sadly, the group’s popularity has begun to decline over the past few years. In fact, lead singer Richie McDonald has even announced that he will be leaving the group at the end of this year to pursue a solo career. This is heartbreaking for the many of us who know that the band won’t be the same without him. For that reason alone, I would highly reccommend that you go and see them before they lose the unique and talented voice that has made them what they are today.

Another performance you won’t want to miss is the August 28th performance of Third Day. It is incredibly rare for a Christian band to appear at a fairgrounds so it is sure to be an undeniable treat. The three-time Grammy Award-winning group has become quite the favorite among Christian music listeners. I’m definitely going to try to go and hear them sing. After all, so many of the songs that we sing in church were first sung by Third Day. My two all-time favorite Christian songs happen to be theirs–God of Wonders and Took My Place. There is just something very raw and honest in their music that puts my more in tune with my own spirituality and I would totally encourage you to go and check them out if you are a Christian. Plus, the reserved tickets are only $20.00 so you really can’t go wrong on this one! =)

Tickets are also only $20.00 for the August 29th performance of KC and the Sunshine Band. They are world famous for their fun (if also a little campy) combination of funk, R&B, and disco. They rose to stardom in the early 1970’s with hits that EVERYONE knows–regardless of whether or not they choose to admit it. Some of the most famous ones include That’s the Way (I Like It), (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, and Get Down Tonight. I so cannot believe I just typed those titles–and even worse, the songs are now running in a continuous loop in my mind like a bad record. In case you couldn’t tell, I really can’t stand them. Their music is the kind that makes all of us cringe and die a little every time it is played. Yet, we keep on coming back for more and they are subsequently just as popular today as they were 30+ years ago. (For that matter, so are The Commodores who will also be performing their own annoying songs like Brick House on August 31st).

On that note, let’s move on to the August 30th performance which won’t make us shudder so violently–The All-American Rejects. For a mere $35.00 you can get reserved seating to see one of the funnest and most hillarious bands around. My personal favorite is their original single Swing, Swing. It has this amazing vibe to it that is just very fresh and fun. Plus, for some strange reason it really just makes me think of Curious George–and let’s face it, who doesn’t love that adorable little monkey?! I’m also pretty fond of Dirty Little Secret because it is very clever and witty–especially compared to some of the other garbage recording artists have been putting out lately. Anyway, they’re fabulous so I order you to go and see them if you’re going to be going to the fair that day anyway.

From that point on, it’s nothing but good singers and good times at the fair. One of my favorite bands of all time–Chicago–will be performing on September 2nd. Reserved seating is $40.00 per ticket and they are worth every penny too. They are one of the longest running and most sucessful rock bands in the United States. Furthermore, in terms of singles and albums they are second only to The Beach Boys and they WERE the leading singles charting band of the 1970’s. They have powerful songs with moving lyrics and unforgettable melodies. I think the best part about them though is that they have stood the test of time over and over again. Everyone can enjoy their music regardless of where they come from or how old they are. My 21 year-old roommate has You’re the Inspiration as her ringtone on her cell phone. My 45 year-old father knows every word of every song–and made sure that we all did too. My 60 year old grandmother and my 10 year-old brother listen to old records together. Chicago is simply amazing and I will sell my limbs if I have to in order to see them play.

Strangely, they’re not even the act that I am looking forward to the most. That honor goes to Weird Al Yankovic–and yes, I know this makes me just as weird as he is. There’s just something very compelling amid all of the insanity. I love that he has no problem poking fun at other people and at himself because it reminds us that music–and life for that matter–doesn’t have to be serious all of the time. In fact, it reminds us that sometimes it’s much more important to just revel in the silliness of the absurd. I guess, in a way, it reminds us that growing up doesn’t mean we can’t still look at the world through the eyes of a child. As for the songs themselves, each one is better than the last. If I had to pick an all-time favorite (as a matter of life or death) it would have to be Weasel Stomping Day. It is the most ridiculous song that I have ever heard in my entire life but the outrageousness just makes it that much more special. I’m hoping that he’s going to sing it at the fair since I am so going to be there. I’m lucky enough to work for Best Western where we contract fair tickets in exchange for rooms to certain vendors. Thus, I plan to use mine so that I’ll only have to pay $20.00 to see Weird Al in all of his glory. I wouldn’t miss it for the world and neither should you!

Anyway, I think I’ve made it blatantly obvious that this year’s State Fair has a concert for everyone. Furthermore, they’re cheap and the venue is nice and small so that you can see and hear everything much better than you could at a bigger place like Arco Arena. Did I mention they’re cheap? So, you have no excuse not to go and pick at least one or two and have a fabulous time now do you? =)

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Tomorrow (August 11th) from 11:00AM to 3:00PM Fairytale Town will be celebrating their 48th Anniversary with a birthday party for Humpty Dumpty. Kids can meet the world famous Nursery Rhyme star and help him celebrate “his” birthday with special activities, party games, and even birthday cake for everyone! In addition, the Hipwaders will also be present from 12:00PM to 2:30PM on the Mother Goose Stage. They will be performing family fun friendly music and helping kids sing “Happy Birthday” to Humpty. It’s sure to be a blast for all of the little ones. =)

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The Jelly Belly Factory is open daily from 9:00AM-5:00PM at One Jelly Belly Lane in Fairfield, CA. Tours are also offered daily from 9:00AM-4:00PM. However, this is one of those rare places that you should really go to during the week. The factory line does not operate on the weekends so instead of getting to see the candy made in person, you have to watch the process on television screens throughout the factory. Part of the magic of visiting a factory is seeing how it functions so it would be best to go when it is actually open.

The tour itself is a 40 minute walking tour and is completely FREE. Tours are scheduled to leave every 15 minutes. Most days there isn’t a very long line, but waiting times can be up to 90 minutes during peak seasons such as summer, Spring Break, and during the Christmas Season. Strollers and wheelchairs are both welcome on the entire tour as everything is accessible. They even have hearing impaired devices available. The tour teaches the secret to baking up their 150+ varieties of candy and explains why it takes up to twenty days to create one jelly belly bean!! They also demonstrate the creation of taffy, chocolates, and wild gummi critters. At the end of the tour, they give out a free bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans as a complimentary gift. The gift shop also offers free samples of any of their candy.

Make sure you also check out the Jelly Belly Cafe. They are open daily from 11:00AM-3:00PM. They have really nifty pizzas and hamburger which are shaped like jelly beans. They also have a variety of decadent ice cream flavors and an espresso bar for when you simply can’t stand the taste of one more sugary substance. There is literally something to please every palate.

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The 8th Annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival is coming to town August 8th through August 11th. All films will be shown on the mammoth screen at Crest Theater located at 1013 K Street in Downtown Sacramento. 2007 event highlights include a special showing of Ryan Eslinger’s When a Man Falls in the Forest and Q&A sessions with Larry Meistrich and Joe Carnahan.

When a Man Falls in the Forest, playing on August 8th at 7:30PM, is a drama detailing the identity crises of three men and one woman…

“Karen tries to create some excitement in her frustrated married existence by going on shopping sprees and breaking taboos. Bill has never been able to interact safely with the world around him - he prefers to exist in a lackluster state of self-imposed exile, a world where his dreams proffer a different sense of self. Frozen in a moment in time, Travis is able to reach to others but not within since he bears the guilt for a terrible tragedy which has scarred him forever. Gary is also desperate to make a connection - he strives to bridge the gaps and find what is lost. In one defining moment he makes a startling and irreversible decision which irrevocably changes everything”

In addition to the film, Ryan Eslinger will be present for a Q&A session. That same night, they will also be presenting Shawn Sullivan with the Inaugural Sacramento Film and Music Festival Arts Service Award. Mr. Sullivan is a teacher at Sheldon High School in Elk Grove. He is being honored for “inspiring the next generation” and for his “exceptional contribution to his students’ success, to the industry, and to the art form.”

Producer Larry Meistrich will be appearing on Thursday, August 9th at 7:00PM. He is most famous for films like Sling Blade and You Can Count on Me. He will only be giving a special talk on Thursday. However, he will also be appearing on Friday, August 10th from 2:00PM to 7:00PM to meet individually with filmmakers and writers to discuss their own prospective films. There are still places available to meet with him yourself if you have a film project that you would love to see produced. The cost for this is quite a bit more than for anything else at the festival, but it is definitely worth it as a foot in the door for anyone interested in beginning (or continuing) a career in the film industry.

Later that day at 9:00PM, director Joe Carnahan will also be speaking. The Sacramento native is famous for his work on films like Narc and Smokin’ Aces. If I weren’t absolutely broke I would definitely be going to hear him speak. I loved Smokin’ Aces and thought it was one of the most brilliantly directed and cleverly thoguht out films of 2006. The tickets aren’t even that expensive at only $10.00 per person. I highly reccommend that you check it out if you are even remotely interested in film.

There are also numerous other films scheduled, including a variety of student films. Throughout the festival, there will be live music performances from Taylor Neal, Hardy Harr, Larisa Bryski, Xenophilia, and Ditching Mindy. In addition, the Sac Music Seen is showcasing some pretty fabulous collaborations between local filmmakers and bands. All in all, it looks like a lot of fun so you should definitely check it out if you have the time…

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There aren’t really that many concerts left for August. Thre are of course the State Fair Concerts which I will be showcasing on next week’s edition of Music on Mondays. Other than that, there are really only four worth noting. The first is India Arie’s upcoming performance at MontBleu in Lake Tahoe. She will be performing on Saturday, August 18th at 9:00PM. Since MontBleu is a casino resort and alcohol is served there, you must be 21 in order to attend the concert. You can opt for either table or booth seating with prices ranging from $44.00 to $60.50. The casnio will also provides free parking and free valet parking as well if that’s your preference.

On Tuesday, August 21st, Marilyn Manson will be performing with Slayer and Bleeding Through at the SleepTrain Ampitheatre in Marysville. Doors open at 5:30PM with the concert itself beginning at 6:30PM. Tickets begin at $25.00 for lawn seating to $47.50 for pit and reserved seating. They also offer a four-pack of lawn tickets for $79.00. I’ll be honest and say that I would so never be there–he kind of creeps me out. However, if you do like that kind of thing is does seem like a pretty good deal.

The Sacramento stop of the Vans Warped Tour is also coming to the SleepTrain Ampitheatre in Marysville. There are a ton of bands who will be performing including Flogging Molly and A Static Lullaby. Tickets will be $29.75 each and are all general admission. Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to bring in any camcroders or cameras…which I believe includes camera phones. The concert will begin at 11:00AM and is kind of an all day kind of thing.

The final big concert of the month will be Beyonce’s August 30th appearance at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena in Lake Tahoe. She will be performing as part of the Ladies of Lake Tahoe performances. Tickets start at $57.00 for bleacher seating and go up to $127.00 for the main floor. The concert starts at 7:30PM and will be outdoors near the lake itself. The venue sucks soundwise, but the views are breathtaking. Again, I’m not really into Beyonce so I won’t be there. August looks to be kind of a blah month for me concert-wise. However, the State Fair performances look like they’ll be infinitely more entertaining. Stay tuned to next week’s Music on Mondays for more information…

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As I’m sure most of you already know, The Bourne Ultimatum comes out tomorrow. This also means that it premiers at midnight tonight in theaters across America. Sacramento will of course be partaking in the usual hype. I really enjoyed the first film, but the second one went way down hill in my opinion. I just couldn’t deal with all of that “shaky camera” Blair Witch Project style. Anyway, it was enough to make me avoid the crowds tonight though I’ll probably still go and see it in the theater at some point. After all, the synopsis on cinemark still sounds alright…

All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. He must travel from Moscow, Paris, Madrid and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne—all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.

Anyway, for those of you who are interested, it will be playing at 12:01AM at Century Stadium 14 at 1590 Ethan Way, Century 16 Greenback Lane at 6233 Garfield Avenue, Century Folsom 14 at 261 Iron Point Road in Folsom, and Century Roseville 14 at 1555 Eureka Road in Roseville.

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