Rick Kushman

Steve Swatt has his roots in the good ol' days of Sacramento TV news and Capitol politics. His new political murder mystery is fast-moving and satisfying, particularly if you know a little about the state Capitol.

There's a load of good stuff to note around the region, including a new pub coming to Folsom from the folks who own Bonn Lair and a bunch of wine tours.

So here it is, mid- October, and we're still eating outside on lots of days – more lunch than dinner – but the point still stands that this region is huge on outdoor dining.

The relationship between a neighborhood and a restaurant or bar is often a bit complicated and always crucial, and it looks like the new Corner Bar at 57th and J streets is getting its rapport right.

There is, of course, nothing good about tough economic times - except, maybe, one thing. Let's hear it for the reinvigorated happy hour.

The dominant color in the busy backyard scene on a recent Saturday afternoon was purple. There were purple splashes on the ground, on tables, on plants. Hardworking guys had purple on their shirts, their shorts, their socks.

I've got some actual bright economic news today. Local store managers and wine directors say two good trends are affecting area wineries and wine lovers.

The drama of the eastern Sierra is a contrast to what we experience on the western slope -- and it's well worth the drive to see.

I didn't start it. All these people brought up the subject on their own, and that tells you something.

IONE – A drive to this little town from the west is a trip through wide, empty, rippling grasslands. There's a soothing beauty to the expanse, a serenity in the rolling openness.

One trait of a great city is the way people connect to public spaces, like waterfronts, plazas or parks. Another is the way businesses get their own connections to those spots.

Max, a sweet, hyperactive English setter, roamed the "tasting room" at Ophir Wines on a recent afternoon, even when he was dripping from a romp in the pond.

The students at cheese school on a recent night were trying hard to follow instructions. You taste cheese, it turns out, the way you do anything well – with everything you've got.

The courtyard at Slocum House on a recent morning was quiet, except for owner Kerry Kassis, and me, and the chickens.

Two acres of wine grapes slope steeply off the back of the house and barrel room at Lone Buffalo Vineyards near Newcastle, and at this end of summer, they can be hot and dusty.

Evan Elsberry is an energetic, often unconventional chef. And he had an idea for a meal last week that came straight from his unconventional streak.

The recently released film "The Ugly Truth" is set, sort of, in the newsroom of a Sacramento morning TV show.

We're dealing up some good doings on the restaurant scene today, including a gathering Sunday of the Northern California stars from "Top Chef Masters." But let's start with a recent quintessentially Sacramento happening.

One of the fairly astounding things about Sacramento is how, in midsummer, we can consider a 92-degree day to be cool.

It's a Tuesday evening and OneSpeed Pizza is hopping. Seriously hopping. Tables are full. The bar is buzzing. People are waiting outside. It's a midsummer Tuesday and the place is mobbed.

Italy's Tuscany region leaves this traveler stunned by the tastes he encountered.

It seems an odd place to start, but with Karen MacNeil, world-class wine writer and teacher, it helps to know about the chair.

They are civilized, socially acceptable and safe. What wine gatherings and gathering places aren't are places for women to meet a lot of guys.

It's maybe the most common question from anyone who drinks wine, whether they're collectors or just folks who have a glass with dinner: What wine should I drink?

It's a picturesque morning on a softly rolling hill a couple of ridges away from the south fork of the American River. The world here in the low Sierra foothills feels calm and perfect.

There's an odd joy to watching shows like "Top Chef" and "Iron Chef," beyond the eats they whip up. For foodies, it's also the magic of seeing someone great in action.

The first graduates at Sacramento's Health Professions High School are ready to go out and make a difference.

Finally, someone's going to follow Darrell Corti with a camera when he visits another exotic spot on a food-and-wine mission.

This time they really mean it. TV goes all-digital in 11 days and there will be no take-backs, no changies and, if you aren't prepared, no TV.

SAN FRANCISCO – Claude didn't seem to feel the thrill, but my mom sure did, and I couldn't blame either of them, considering their perspectives.

With all this warm-to-hot weather around, and with the backyard furniture in use and the barbecues firing up, it's time for that bracing glass of cold white wine, no?

There are loads of reasons not to be depressed in Calistoga, even if you're just visiting. The stores, restaurants and streets are filled with not-depressed people.

It's time again for our spring public service message of dos, don'ts and no-one-could-be-that-dumbs of the American River Parkway.

We've got some small-but-fun stuff today on the restaurant scene, and it revolves, just as most good meals do, around fresh ingredients and places to find them.

From a turnout in the road just above Salmon Falls Bridge, you can see where the new trail will end after it traipses along some of the most beautiful river canyons in Northern California.

Chill or not, the tasting bar in one corner at Cooper Vineyards was a bastion of warmth and cheer, as much for the energy being shared by the tasters and pourers as for the quality wine list.

Lots of people asked for more about what restaurants consider good service. The short answer is, everything. Lighting, A/C, sound levels, timing the food, being nice, you name it.

In the world of neighborhood bars, Bonn Lair is the holy grail – a genuinely welcoming, low-key but energetic, Cheers-like pub in real life.

Spring doesn't always come easy. The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento opened its celebrated courtyard for lunch Friday, so, of course, it rained into early afternoon.

First the aesthetic point. Don't you hate the word staycation?

It's one of the many quandaries of these times. You're disheartened about jobs or your bank account, or maybe you just could use a nice evening out.

I've got a couple of changes to tell you about today, because isn't everything changing right now?

It was a semi-stormy weekend, with gray, flat light and not much texture to the sky. A friend and I were wandering through the Shenandoah Valley and Amador County wine country – a fine choice on a semi-stormy day – when we were dazzled by brightness.

There was a small, happy little sight in my neighborhood the other day: A new cafe just opened.

The pick this week is the engaging and uplifting adaptation of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Sunday on HBO. But first a warning about some schedule shifts this week – thank you, Mr. President.

That shout you'll hear sometime today, that long whooo-hoooo bouncing off the walls in bars and offices, in dorms and living rooms, will mean our national moment of escapism is here.

We won't spend too much time on "American Idol," but there are a couple quick things, and none is the new Judges Magic Save rule, though I will gripe that it forces viewers to re-watch the song they already hated most from performance night.

See, this is why you have to love reality TV, as long as you don't take the terms "reality" or "TV" too seriously. Think of it more as slapstick.

In ABC's new, cheeky hour tonight called "Castle," a roguish, life-is-good crime novelist gets teamed with a reluctant, life-is-hard cop. Does anyone not expect sparks?