Ever wanted to sit down with your neighbor and chat about that weird old lady down the street who has 60 cats and a volume-control problem? Or share tuna noodle casserole recipes with your cul-de-sac buddy while lounging side by side on a Pottery Barn porch swing?

Well, knock yourself out with that. But if you want to throw back a few while taking in art and music with your fellow midtown dwellers, a very different kind of block party is coming your way.

This Saturday starting at 6 p.m., the entire 2700 block of J Street is throwing the 6/9 Block Party, with local bands, DJs, art, music and food mingled together in concert with Second Saturday.

It all goes down at these locations: Momo's, Harlow's, GV Hurley's, Gianni's, Grind on J, Centro and Blue Cue.

All you need is a spare cup of sugar.

Lots going on in the wine scene this weekend. But really, who needed the excuse?

First, 58 Degrees & Holding is celebrating its one-year anniversary by offering 10 percent off wine-shop sales and 15 percent off cases. The deals extend into the bar next door, where they'll be offering specials on wines by the glass all day and complimentary appetizers from 2 to 5 p.m.

Also, the L is offering a couple lovely new ways to enjoy a nice glass. Starting Monday, the new wine lounge will debut "UnScrew," its version of happy hour, with specials on glasses of wine and plates of food from 3 to 6 p.m. And every Tuesday, wine director Jonathan Klonecke (who, by the way, is a certified wine professional, so there) will take customers on a wine flight, which is pretty much as fun as it sounds. Each week, he'll be exploring three reds and three whites of a different region or varietal.

Let's see. More wine + less money = more wine. That's fuzzy math. And the good kind.

Some days, a girl gets out of bed, goes about her habitual activities and decides that her life simply won't be complete unless she takes that evening's repast at The Old Spaghetti Factory.

Know what I'm sayin'?

It's a feeling I get, oh, about every couple months or so, and like a house on fire or a super cute skirt, it's not something that can be ignored.

Because I love The Old Spaghetti Factory. A lot. And not in an oh-isn't-it-hilarious-that-I'm-in-love-with-a-restaurant-with-the-word-'factory'-in-it kind of way. No, my love for The Spag Fac does not involve irony. My love for The Spag Fac is pure.

I've been ordering the same thing since I was 8, and come hell, high water or a more refined palette, I will never deviate. I don't even bother to look at the menu anymore. I know where my loyalties lie, and they are with The Manager's Favorite with meat sauce and mizithra cheese, and my creamy pesto salad dressing on the side. And you better believe I'm going with spumoni.

I was getting my fix on Friday night, wishing my usual silent wish that I get seated in the trolley car, when I remembered that I'm not actually 8 and that there is a bar inside that glorious, joy-giving manufacturer of spaghetti. Now huh, I thought to myself. I like bars. I like The Old Spaghetti Factory. Combining the two just seemed to make sense.

So next time I've got a hankering for a heaping plate of nostalgia, I will most definitely start the evening out in the bar. Leah Beneze, a manager at the J Street location, says that they've got a pretty sweet happy hour from 4:30 to 7 p.m. weekdays, when drinks are a dollar off and the bar seats are full of regulars.

But I'm not sure I'll be dropping by without plans for dinner. It's not called The Second Cheapest Glass Of Wine Factory, after all.

Back before Jennifer Grey rhinoplastied herself into obscurity, she starred in a little film we like to call "Dirty Dancing." Because, well, that its name.

And it was love. What hard-hearted misanthrope wouldn't love the story of a naive teenager on a family vacation in the Catskills who meets a rebellious, um, dancer who teaches her not only a mean pachengo, but several valuable life lessons to boot? I still think it was robbed at the Ocsars. Oh, you say it wasn't nominated for an Oscar? You hush your mouth. Nobody puts "Dirty Dancing" in the corner.

And, if you, like me, hold the firm belief that there aren't enough "Dirty Dancing" viewings in the world, then you're in luck. In honor of the movie's 20th anniversary (gah, has it really been 20 years?), a special edition DVD is being released May 8 AND 300 movie theaters across the country will be hosting a special, two-night-only showing of the classic.

And, of course, I would hardly be getting you all worked up if there weren't some screenings to take place in Sac and its environs.

The scheduled area theaters: the Regal Natomas Marketplace Stadium 16, the UA Laguna Village 12, the UA Olympus Pointe 12 in Roseville, and the Regal El Dorado Hills Stadium 14. Show dates and time: May 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Hey, at $10, it's a few cents more than your average movie, but then, DD has never been average. I can still sing every lyric of "She's Like the Wind."

And I do. Every morning. At my shrine to Patrick Swayze. Because I've had the time of my life. And I owe it all to you.

Word on the street is that there have been some recent muggings going down on K Street between 19th and 21st streets, right around clubs like Faces, Badlands and Headhunters. Seems some ne'er-do-wells are targeting club-goers for their wallets and employing some tricky tactics to boot.

Like: A few weeks ago, around 2 a.m., a man was robbed of his wallet after two dudes stopped him, asking for help, and a few days before that, a woman was purse-snatched after two dudes (maybe the same ones) asked her for her ID, which she presented, thinking they were bouncers.

If you're carrying on around that area in the wee hours, be cautious. You may have emptied your wallet at the club, but you don't want to lose it entirely.

Whoever was the first to make that quip about knowing your audience should take a page out of the Active 20-30 group's fund-raising plan. So, there's this local service organization, right? And they've been around since 1922. Though the group is national, the men's and women's Sac chapters are the biggest and strongest in the country, and have been for years. This organization is dedicated to getting 20- and- 30-somethings out in the community, networking, raising tons of money for local charities, and generally doing good things for good people. The stuff they do is impressive, especially for a group of people in two notoriously selfish decades.

Well, in order to give money, they've got to raise it. Bake sale? Car wash? Selling magazine subscriptions at the Arden Fair mall? Oh, no. That's the stuff of high school bands. No, those smarty-pants over at Active 20-30 know their audience.

What, they asked themselves, will 20- and- 30-somethings shill out for - without fail? And the answer, as always, is booze.

So. The group's biggest fundraiser of the year is a party. A great big, huge party. They've been doing it for years, and raised tens of thousands of dollars for carefully chosen local charities. This year's is set to be as big a blowout as in year's past. The theme is "A Wild Night in Cabo," and for $35 ($45 at the door), attendees get a night of beloved band Wonderbread 5 and - brace yourselves - all you can eat Mexican food and all you can drink beer and margaritas all night.

If you break it down, it's a heckuva deal.

The whole thing goes down this Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. So show up, pay up and drink up for a good cause. After all, it's for the children.

Oh, and for more information, go here.

It wasn't until someone pointed it out that I realized that I have a deep and abiding love for Kurt Russell. First, I guess I talk a lot about his movies. Second, I guess I own a bunch of them, as well. Eh. Who knew? Not I, that's for sure. But I will go on the record as saying that "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of my favorite movies of all time and when you commence to mock me, I'll reply that "When some wild-eyed, 8-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye and asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: 'Have ya paid your dues, Jack?'

'Yessir, the check is in the mail.' "

But, I digress.

Fortunately, another of Russell's greatest hits, "Tango & Cash," is playing at the United Artists Arden Fair on Thursday at 10 p.m. in a one-time-only showing. That's right. All the Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone you can handle - on the big screen.

I literally squealed with delight when I passed the marquee and saw that my dream had come true. BT in LC has got to be coming soon.

Oddly, I had the recent opportunity to test my Kurt knowledge on quiz night at Streets of London, when quizmaster and, apparently, man after my own heart Ken Koch decided to make that evening's movie questions center on the man, the myth, himself. Again with the squealing. But much to my deep embarrasment, I only got one of them right, which made me question whether I could justifiably utter another Snake Pliskin-ism again.

Guess I'd better brush up. Luckily, I know exactly where to go.

If you're mentally singing "hamburgers that talk / Chicken McNuggets you can take for a walk," then you've been brainwashed by '80s-era McDonald's commercials, too.

And if the '80s also bring to mind a certain tall and talented basketball player from that golden decade, well then, here's an event just for you.

Magic Johnson will be in town for the grand opening of a Starbucks on the corner of El Camino and Del Paso from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday. His Johnson Development Corporation, which aims to bring restaurants, retail centers, etc., to underserved communities has teamed up with Starbucks to bring the coffee shop to the the area.

It also will be host to career-development assistance, parenting classes and family homework help via the Saca Community Learning Center.

Way to go, Earvin!

Much to report in my ongoing quest to only accidentally discover the deal with the Town House on 21st. (See my last posting here.)

So, I'm walking by the other night and I hear music inside. Being the forward and nosy gal that I am, I try the door. Locked. Drat. I go about my business, which happens to include a dinner thing with a bunch of people I don't know.

So I'm telling my Town House locked-door story (I am an excellent conversationalist) and lo!, I happen to be telling it not 10 feet away from the very man who owns the place.

And then! (yes, there's more) - I'm walking back to work from lunch at Zocalo the other day and I pass the lovely and talented DJ extraordinaire Shaun Slaughter, who informs me that he's doing a pre-opening private party on Saturday, that I should totally go and invite my friends and here's the flier for it and oh, by the way, it's at the Town House.

Fate or coincidence? I'm going with the former. Because it's way more fun.

A while ago, I wrote about a fabulous Scotch tasting at local swill merchant Gallagher's Irish Pub. "Man alive!" all you Scotch lovers wrote in to say. "Tell me more about this delicious opportunity, for I simply must partake!"

Well, dear readers, I'm pleased to report that now you can. Master of Scotch Stephen Beal is back at Gallagher's for one night only (Ha! Now you can have that song constantly stuck in your head, too!) on Tuesday to give another crash course in single malt satisfaction. For $25, you get a tour of the good stuff from a guy who knows, as well as some snacks to keep things in check.

The tasting goes from 5 to 7 p.m. Me? I've already been properly schooled, but methinks a refresher course is in order. Repetition is an important part of education, after all.

OK, so I meant to post this forever ago, but I was walking past the Town House on 21st, home of what is possibly the largest neon bar sign, ever, and - insert gasp here - it was open. Like, door ajar, people smoking out front, and open.

Now, I don't know what the deal is with that place, but it looks like it's been deserted for ages and then all of a sudden that neon sign lights up and you can practically see it from outer space.

So I asked the door guy what was going on and he said there was a private party inside, but that the bar was going to open again within the next few weeks.

Since it's been a few weeks since I walked past, I won't hold my breath, but hey, that bar is two blocks from my apartment, and you know I'm a fan of stumbling distance.

Last night, I broke what has become an unofficial rule of mine to not patronize clubs unless I'm working. Bars? Certainly, and often. But, there's something about it being socially acceptable for a strange man to rub up against me on the dance floor that makes me want to pass on the whole club thing. I don't know - maybe I'm just overly fond of my personal space.

But last night I hit up The Park, and maybe I won't be so quick to nix that kind of going-out night in the future. First of all, DJ AM was spinning, and I've been wanting to hear him for a long time. Famous more for being the ex-fiance of Nicole Richie than for his spinning skills, I wanted to know if he should quit his day job, and I'm pleased to say the answer is no. He was pretty awesome. I was super-impressed with the deep cuts he busted out, and the way he had an ear for incongruous songs that nonetheless shared a beat, like when he played "Last Dance With Mary Jane" with "Dani California," which, by the way, I just Wikipedia'd and discovered that there's actually a "Don't Look Back in Anger/Imagine"-type controversy there because they are, in fact, so similar.

But I digress.

I interviewed AM about a week ago, which was cool. But what was equally cool is that he brought new girlfriend Mandy Moore to the show last night. She sat with her posse behind a screen just offstage and looked like she was having a pretty good time, though my own posse was pretty crushed that she didn't make an appearance out in the crowd. In case you were wondering, she is really tall and has good hair.

AM is coming back to The Park on March 29 with special guest Travis Barker, so it seems we're starting to get a little celebrity action up in this place. Let's just hope Paris stays home.

I am, as I'm very fond of declaring, a tea person. I made the switch from coffee, oh, back in 2001, and I've never looked back. Such is my affinity that I carry bags around in my purse like an old lady does Kleenex, and I'm proud to say that I've converted at least two people to the softer side of caffeination. So I'm particularly pleased to see a new teahouse in town, Hina's Tea at 24th and K.

I've been meaning to check the place out, and finally stopped in today. The decor is very zen and minimalist, with sparten white walls and a cool, pebbled floor. I was browsing the selection when I was approached by a delightful saleslady who told me she loved me when I told her that my tea of choice is Irish breakfast. I like being told that I'm loved, so now I officially love her back.

Unsolicited statements of affinity aside, I would have liked her anyway based on her ample product knowledge and clear love of the leaf. I walked away with four ounces of loose leaf Irish breakfast and a smaller bag of green tea with lychee and jasmine, both of which I can't wait to try. Bring on the crumpets.

Lest you think that the Grammys are only littered with the Diddys and the JT's of the world, Sacramento was represented at the who's who of music fests on Sunday night, and with a coveted gold statuette, to boot. Local flutist/singer Mary Youngblood won the second Grammy of her career for best Native American music album ("Dance With The Wind").

For Youngblood, of Fair Oaks, it was a career-affirming honor that only meant that much more because she got to share it with her family - her fiance and four children.

And she was still ecstatic the day after.

"The true gift of this was being there with them," she says on the phone earlier today while making the drive back to Sac. "The whole experience was like a big smile. And I'm still smiling."

This being her second win (and her third nomination), Youngblood has experienced the glitz and glamour of the Grammy scene before. For Sunday night's gala,Youngblood - who is half Chugach Aleut and half Seminole - wore a black ensemble by Native American designer Dorothy Grant with accents of her tribal colors of red and black.

She's hoping the double accolade of two Grammys will present opportunities to work with artists she admires, such as Sting and Anoushka Shankar. She is just beginning work with a new ensemble called Mary Youngblood and the Sisters of the Earth. She continues to give flute lessons locally and is looking forward to releasing a new album at about this time next year.

"It's really wide open at this point," she says. "It's a really exciting time."

To read more of The Bee's coverage of the Grammys, go here.

I can think of about 47 things that Sacramento doesn't need more of, but another wine bar ain't one of them. So yay for a new one that's set to open in March on L and 18thish called The L Urban Wine Lounge. I got a peek inside and it looks to be a cozy, cool option for the the vine-inclined, and I can't wait to give it a try.

This just in: Well, Ok, it's not just in, but it's close enough. Twisted 88s, the much-adoed new dueling piano bar, will play no more. After just a couple months throwing out all the Billy Joel that Sacramento could apparently take, Twisted 88s has been transformed into Azukar, a purportedly chic, Miami Beach-inspired lounge at the J Street location. The limited grand opening is this weekend, and unless I'm otherwise engaged, I'll be there with bells. Or, at least, a cocktail.

Check it. There's a fundraiser going on at Faces tonight that sounds like a good time for a good cause. It's for a guy named Kyle Bryant, who has a muscular degenerative disease called Freidreich's Ataxia. Though it affects his coordination and speech, he, unlike most people with the disease, doesn't have to use a wheelchair and he's celebrating that fact by biking across the country to raise awareness and, hopefully, some funds.

That's where Brennon Moore comes in. A local singer who recently auditioned for "American Idol," he organized the fundraiser after meeting Kyle through a friend. So. For $5, you get a performance by Moore; proceeds will go to Bryant's trip.

The whole thing goes from 5 - right about now - to 9 p.m., and though I never need a good cause to raise a glass, it doesn't hurt to have one.

There are so many fun things going on for New Year's that I couldn't possibly mention them all, but I did forget to include one hotel party in my roundup of fun things to do. So. In the interest of attempting to be marginally encyclopedic, here's the scoop:

The Hyatt Regency Sacramento’s New Year’s Eve gala, hosted by Y92.5, will feature an Absolut martini bar, a fantasy casino and cover band Full Motion.
Prices: $59 for party only, $259-$329 per couple for party packages. Dinner seating at 6 p.m. For more info: (916) 321-3620 or www.sacramento.hyatt.com.

Happy New Year!

But it doesn't mean I don't want a free pair. My plans for the evening are pretty well centered on R15, but if I were to, say, be heading to Rebounds, Harlow's, Zokku, Monkey Bar, Cabana or Avalon, my dreams of promotional panties might come true. Each of the bars are slated for a "panty raid" tonight, where the good folks at sendapantygram.com will be handing out a free pair of red lacies to pimp their online service. It works like this: You sign up and, for $24.95, your fella gets a hot pair in the mail (um, NSFW?), which includes a secret note leading them to an online, private message, which presumably is totally hot. Me? I'm thinking of purchasing the service for Britney Spears, and not for the note.

I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch. And if you read my night life column today in Weekend Ticket, you'd know that I recently went to a tasting of the finer stuff at Gallagher's Irish Pub and watched it go down, down into my belly.

As there is a finite amount of space in the newspaper, I couldn't issue the missive I would have liked on all the whiskey I tasted, so I thought I'd provide a little rundown if you, like me, don't really know what the heck you might like. Here are the ones I took note of:

Bushmills 21 year (that means how long it's been aged): All I wrote in my notes was "yum."

Connemara: Very intense and smoky, it tasted like a day-old forest fire to me.

Dalwhinnie: Aged in a sherry cask, it tasted a little sharper than its predecessors.

Clynelish 18-year: Yum! Very smooth and delicious, and apparantly made near the castle where Madonna got married. Which, of course, makes it taste better.

Oban: My personal fave, it was smooth and bite-less, but with a burn.

Here are a few more, recommended by Master of Whisky Stephen Beal and some of the wonderful Scotch aficionados who have been calling me all day:

Talisker
Cragganmore
Johnnie Walker Black
Lagavulin
Highland Park
Trader Joes house brands, which one reader swears by. Say hello if you pass me and my cart full of bottles.

Y'all know I love to pub crawl, so you'll be particularly pleased to know that tonight marks yet another occasion for me to rove from bar to bar with my fellow adult-beverage enthusiasts. But lest you think me exclusive, I'm gonna let you in on the plan so that we lovers of light beer may increase our ranks and go on to rule the world.

The crawl, organized by the good folks at the East Sac Crazy Hat Pub Crawl Committee, is to start right about now, that is to say, at 7 p.m., at the Pine Cove and then moves north into east Sac. There aren't any specific times, but the list of bars are as follows: Limelight, the Raven, Bonn Lair, Club2Me and Chargin's. The rules - and there are rules, because we love nothing if not order - are that you have to wear a crazy holiday-themed hat and that you bring a new, unwrapped toy or kid's book to the kickoff at Pine Cove.

Me, I'll be a little late, but if you see me there, you should buy me a beer. Or if you see me anywhere, for that matter.

For more information, go to www.eastsacpubcrawl.com

Sacramento Bee/Brian Baer

OK, so Wednesday night, I hit up a red carpet event at the California Museum, where Arnold and Maria (above) were inducting the inaugural class into the California Hall of Fame. It was pretty fun to attend such a fete right here in Sac, because there is nothing so fun as seeing famous people in real life and then gossiping about them later. So. In the spirit of idle water cooler fodder, here I go.

Arnold and Maria, 'cause they count: Arnold, as always, was very tan. Maria, as always, was wearing a very cute outfit. This time, it was a black ensemble with the most adorable flared lace sleeves. If I had to wear a lady suit, which I have vowed never to do, it might look like that.

Clint Eastwood: Wow. He is exactly like you'd imagine - tall, old and handsome. But man, getting him to talk is like pulling teeth. He is indeed a man of few words.

Alice Walker: I know Clint was supposed to be the big draw and all - and if the red carpet groupies were any indication, he was - but I swear, I saw Alice Walker, whom I love, love, love, and I almost couldn't speak. She is just so dignified and obviously about 30 times smarter and more insightful than everyone else, I was blown away.

Sacramento Bee/Brian Baer

Billie Jean King (above): Love. Her. What a sweet pea. Even after all her accomplisments and fame, she's still delighted and a delight. I want to go over to her house and have her feed me a casserole or something.

Frank O. Gehry: Love him, too. Of all the inductees, he gave the funniest speech by jokingly plugging one of his buildings, as if the most-celebrated architect of our time needs the publicity.

Ron Reagan: Should follow in his father's footsteps and be a politician, if only for his marvelous speaking voice.

Sacramento Bee/Kevin German

I was reintroduced to the joys of the board game on Thanksgiving. It had been far too long since I'd sat down for a competitive parlor-game session, and I must say, I enjoyed it immensely. Oddly, since then, I've come across no fewer than five gaming opportunities, and most of them have taken place at my new favorite caffeine establishment, the True Love Coffeehouse.

Re-opened after a two-year hiatus, True Love is that perfect little home away from home where you could conceivably drop in with three dollars and stay for three hours. And speaking of "three," that's all I could manage to connect as I engaged in a mean round of Connect Four, which I repeatedly lost.

Check out my review of True Love in today's Weekend Ticket. Though, of course, if you're reading this, you already know the punch line.

With Thanksgiving being today and all, I thought I'd give myself a little challenge to see if I can unearth some delicious cocktails that incorporate all the elements of the traditional holiday menu - nominally, at least. Here are my hard-won findings, just in time for your post-feast feast:

The Dirty Bird (Not so much a cocktail, but my very favorite thing to order at one of my favorite bars in Seattle, and I just had to share):
One shot of Wild Turkey
One tall boy of Pabst

Almond Gravy:
One part coffee liqueur
One part Amaretto almond liqueur

Cranberry Apple Martini:
Two parts cranberry vodka
One part Sour Apple Pucker
3/4 part cranberry juice

Pumpkin Pie:
2 parts Kahlua
1 part Bailey's Irish Cream
1 part Goldschlager
Cinnamon

Sadly, I couldn't find anything that remotely involved green bean casserole. Or stuffing, but I hoped you wouldn't notice.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another day, another new bar comes to Sac. Which, of course, I love.

I’m going to a press event to check out Cabana, which used to be Buddha Bar, which used to be K Bar. We’ll see if this one sticks. It’s supposed to be a tropical-themed place, which might be a welcome motif as winter approaches. In any case, I think the occasion will call for a margarita.

I’m also going (finally) to check out Twisted 88’s, the new dueling piano bar in midtown, this weekend. I can’t say that the prospect of a piano bar exactly thrills me, but I’ve heard from several people of discriminating taste that the place rocks. And not just musically.

Wow. It's hard to believe it's finally here. Today, a big day, a huge day, really - a monumental event, if you'll indulge a gal a little well-meant hyperbole.

It's something that this country has been waiting for since that dark day in 2004, when fate handed us something so shockingly unacceptable and asked us to stand behind it, to support an agenda we couldn't possibly believe in, and to watch as everything we knew and loved came predictably crashing down.

Yes, this is a day that will go down in history as the day that we, the people, were finally heard, and our country - nay, the world - belatedly got what they had been so desperately seeking: Britney Spears is divorcing Kevin Federline.

It's been a long time coming, to be sure. Two long years, in fact. And now, we will rise up in vindication at justice finally being served, as a girl (still not yet a woman, IMHO) who happens to be a fabulous dancer (not so much at the singing) finally comes to her senses and does what we all know to be the right thing.

It's a good day, this first Tuesday in November, and a little celebration is certainly in order. I feel like there was something else going on today, but I can't really remember what.

In any case, if you want to know where to find me, I'll be out on the town, pounding the pavement to bring stories of this democratic victory to the people. In a land this free, a home this brave, it's the least I can do.

OK, so here's a little something to put in the old random-information file. Apparently Tuaca, the Italian liquour, is wildly popular in Sac. According to the PR dude, we're one of the top 10 markets for the citrus-y, vanilla-y spirit, which I suppose comes as no surprise given that it seems to be in every bar in town.

Personally, I've never tried it, as my libational tastes tend to run to the extremely traditional trifecta of beer, vodka and whiskey, but I think now I'll have to give the stuff a try. I actually considered it while at my regular football-watching bar on Sunday, but it's hard enough to take down a Pabst after a wild Saturday night without bringing hard alcohol into the mix.

But hey, today is Monday and the Patriots are taking on Minnesota, and my man Jeff, who bartends over at Cheaters (and who is a Vikings fan and with whom I am theoretically not speaking because his team beat mine last week), is making clam chowder. And nothing washes down a bowl of soup like an Italian liquour? Yeah. Maybe for dessert.

Hey, an fyi for anyone wanting to take a break from the Halloween shindigs this weekend: The Randies, an L.A. power-pop quartet, will be playing at the Hard Rock Cafe at 10 p.m. Saturday. The whole thing is a benefit for breast cancer research, and proceeds from CD sales and breast cancer awareness pins will go to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation.

The show is $10 at the door and is all-ages; doors will open at 9:30 p.m. I like the band if only for a how-we-met anecdote on the band's Web site. Apparently, two of the bandmates met when one witnessed the other dumping a Bud Light on a "well-deserving scenster's" head. 'Cause that's just awesome.

This just in on the "Real World" front - and you know you totally want to know.

The MTV reality show was casting in Sacramento a while back, and rumor has it that at least three people had what it takes to move on to the next round, which I guess is more than usual from just one casting. No word yet on who they are (MTV keeps that very under wraps), but I'll keep my ear to the ground to see if I can hear who represents our fair city in the inevitable hot tub.

Meanwhile, the latest incarnation of the show, shot in beautiful Denver, Colo., premieres Nov. 22. And yes, Sacramento will be represented - this time in the form of a guy named Stephen. A Sac native, he's now a D.C. resident who fills the always-important household role of the uber-conservative who is deeply religious and against gay marriage. And - surprise! - there's a gay guy in the house.

But really, would it really be a reality show without absolutely predictable, manufactured conflict? Methinks not.

The unofficial after-work bar for many - Ok, for at least me - is, alas, not currently in the business of providing thirsty folk with after-work drinks. Benny's - also inexplicably known as the Q Street Bar & Grill - was shut down on Oct 17 by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for not complying with its business license, according to a spokesman.

Apparently, Benny's was supposed to serve a certain amount of food to wash down those drinks - and it kinda really wasn't. So the bar will be shut for a minimum of 10 days, provided the always-delightful guys there can come up with some eats. And here I thought it was so awesome that I could bring in food from the taqueria next door.

So, I checked out the new bar, R15, on Wednesday. Then I checked it out again on Thursday. Today being Friday, I think I might just head on over to R15 and check the place out again.

Did I mention that I've been spending a lot of time at R15?

To be fair, my Wednesday visit was for a press conference - a rather unorthodox to-do for a bar opening, but shoot, I'm not complaining. Then last night, I arrived with my adult kickball league and we proceeded to swill our $2 Pabsts in our dorky team T-shirts until closing. Tonight, I'm officially going under the auspices of my night life column, so I swear I don't have a sleeping bag and toothbrush there. Yet.

Though I do know a lot of folks who might as well. A bar/club hybrid, people dig the fact that they can feel classy sipping their martini at the bar, or slum it back by the pool tables with a pitcher of fine domestic ale. It should be no suprise what catagory I'm in - they even let me make a playlist on their sound system that contained nothing but butt rock, and they let me play a good five or six songs of it.

For more, check out my official review in Weekend Ticket next Friday. And, if you ever see me there, buy me a drink, cause I'm obviously wasting my rent.

... of several hundred strangers, trying to get picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite, and start getting real.

Whew. That was really hard to exhume from my TV memory. And I must confess, I had to Google it to make sure I got it right, which should give you an idea of how long it's been since I watched MTV's "The Real World." But that's OK. I figure the audience is primarily made up of people who could ostensibly be on the show, and I moved out of the 18-24 category when I starting thinking about how it would really be very sensible of me to start a 401(k).

But for those of you who spend countless hung-over Saturdays watching "Real World" marathons - and you know who you are - you might be interested to know that the show is having a local casting call at the Library (7042 Folsom Blvd.) on Thursday.

That's right - you could be the next slutty/religious/gay/girl-next-door/uptight stereotype to ever hop in a hot tub on the show! The casting goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and hopefuls should bring a photo ID, a picture that they don't expect to get back, and like I said, be between 18-24.

As always, they're looking for the kind of people who can't be ignored, the kind of people who really take over a room, and give examples like Teck, Pedro and Melissa as past alumni who really stood out.

The casting coordinator said they try to get up to Northern California each time they're casting, but didn't think they'd been to Sac in quite some time. Which means now's your chance.

Plus, stay tuned for an upcoming 21Q look at where some of the past cast members are now, cause that's just fun.

Dang. Viewers of the "Today" show sure have good taste. For the past couple weeks, they've chosen a lovely wedding dress, a classy tux, a fabulous cake, gorgeous rings and all manner of beautiful elements for Sac native Molly Mouchka's upcoming live, televised wedding - and they did it fast.

The ceremony will be held in Rockefeller Plaza on Friday morning, and many of Molly's friends and family will be there in New York to share it with her. In a freakish, totally Sacramento moment, I was standing in line on Saturday at Macy's Arden Fair (buying the cutest, red patent-leather heels, I'm sure you wanted to know), and who is standing in front of me but Molly's sister, Cathy? I know - right?

I recognized her from her appearance on the show when she was there, viewing potential bridesmaid dresses - and she is just the sweetest, ever. She was getting her bridesmaid shoes, and said she can hardly wait for the big day.

Tune in beginning at 8 a.m. Friday to see the wedding yourself. And hey, even if you miss it, KCRA Channel 3 is taping a viewing party for local friends and family, which we'll presumably see on the news.

Oh, but first, you can see my article in Tuesday's Scene.

... is called a suit. But first....

Today on the "Today" show, we all learned the outcome of America's choice for Molly Mouchka's dream wedding dress and, lucky for her, it was the one she wanted. (How terrible would it have been to have to wear some gross dress you hated for your wedding that will be viewed by millions?) The very smart viewers chose a lovely lace Christos gown, strapless, A-line and with the most precious train. Naturally, I think it's a fabulous choice because that's the one I voted for, but I would have been happy with the very chic gown that I have to think came in second and that I would wear, if only to own something by Oscar del la Renta, who makes the most beautiful dresses that I would only be able to purchase if I won the lottery and that always make me sigh with both bliss and envy and about which I can rhapsodize in blog posts for way too long.

Anyway, Sac native Molly expressed some hesitation about its unforgiving fit, and though that girl is totally slim, I don't know any gal who is compeltely sure she can pull off what is basically a really expensive nightgown. So.

This morning, we checked out the various suit options for fiancé Jason, and I hereby encourage you to go to the show's site and vote for the last one. You could totally tell that's the one Molly likes most, and we all know who makes the real decisions when it comes to the groom's attire, and it ain't the groom.

Meanwhile, for those of you looking ahead, here's the schedule for the rest of the show's voting segments:

Wednesday: Bridesmaids dresses
Thursday: The cake
Friday: The ring
Monday: Molly's hairstyle
Next Tuesday: The honeymoon, Part 1
Oct. 4: The honeymoon, Part 2
Oct. 5: The rehearsal
Oct. 6: The wedding!

We'll be back here at 21Q to update and dish. And look for our upcoming story in Scene, where we talk to some of Molly's friends and family.

Sac native Molly Mouchka was on the "Today" show this morning in the first of a two-weeks-long segment in which viewers get to plan all the details of her wedding, and they started things off big by revealing the four dresses that folks can vote on for her to wear.

Hard to imagine leaving such a huge decision to people who are probably wearing pajamas as they watch the show (or is that just me?), but them's the rules and props to Molly - who just recently had a birthday, by the way - for braving it.

The four dresses were selected for consideration by the gal behind The Knot and, if my opinion counts, which, ahem, it does 'cause I voted, I say viewers should go for the simple elegance of the Oscar de la Renta shift or the lovely lace Christos gown. The other two? Not cute, I say. And it looked like Molly might agree.

If you want to put in your two cents, go here. And tune in Tuesday for the choosing of the regrettably not-as-fun tuxedo.

For those of you who heard that the Distillery got closed down this weekend, here's the deal, according to police: Officers checked in on the bar on Thursday night and found that the business was in violation of a couple provisions on their entertainment permit. The bar didn't have at least two licensed, uniformed security guards and didn't have a person present who is on file with the police as the permit holder.

They issued a warning, but were called back on Saturday due to music that was apparently so loud it was setting off car alarms. The bar was given a ticket and told that the venue would be shut down if it didn't lower the volume, which it did.

So, there you have it. I called the day bartender, who said she hadn't heard about the to-do, but that the bar was definitely open for business.

Local Reporter Very Happy For Her!

For those of you who missed it this morning, Molly Mouchka, a Sacramento native, and her fiancé, Jason Waggoner (pictured), have won a dream wedding on the "Today" show. (Read my earlier Q&A with them.)

The couple beat out six other couples in a very entertaining series of competitions that involved Molly and Jason dressing up as Sonny and Cher to sing a rousing rendition of "I Got You Babe," learning to salsa dance and actually taking it public, playing a version of "The Newlywed Game," modeling first-date attire in a fashion show, tearing through a wedding-themed obstacle course and decorating a wedding cake.

The two garnered enough votes to win the big prize, and starting Monday, will appear on the show every day as viewers vote on the tiny, inconsequential details of their big day like, oh, the dress, the cake and the honeymoon. No biggie.

Molly, who gave the most adorable little shriek when Matt Lauer pronounced them winners, called me from the airport tarmac on her way back to Playa Del Rey, where she and Jason will have just a couple days to pack and get ready for the events leading to their wedding on Oct. 6. She was elated and says the fact that they've won hadn't sunk in yet, although she wanted to thank everyone here in Sacramento for voting for them over the last several weeks.

Tune in to the show on Monday morning for the first of the big decisions - Molly's dress. And check back here at 21Q - I'll be blogging as things progress 'cause, well, who doesn't love a wedding?

Ahoy ye scurvy landlubbers! Today be National Talk Like a Pirate Day, and methinks it's the best idea for a random holiday that ever sailed the seven seas! In addition to affixin' a blusterin' 'yarg!' to every utterance, thar be a local outing in the works that I'll bet me peg leg will be a yarg of a good time. The Sacramento Walking Sticks Volksmarch Club will be havin' a couple o' walks this evenin', a 5K and a 10K that start between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. in Olde Sacramento, a port full of knaves if ever I laid my one eye on one. Any of you wenches and mates that want to join need only practice yer best 'avast!' and yer in. All the scurvy walkers are meetin' at Joe's Crab Shack, and don't ye be late or it's the plank fer ye! Pirate attire is encouraged and thar'll be plenty o' booty along the way.

Fer more information on Talk Like A Pirate Day, or fer a few suggestions on how best to speak with a silver tongue and a hook to match, go here.

Yarg!

Well guys, I did it. I finally went to Burning Man. Been thinking about it for years, talking a mean game about how I was TOTALLY going to go this year and omg it was going to be so awesome. And then the end of summer would roll around and there would be no Burning Man in my datebook, if I were organized enough to carry such a thing. Part of it was because I'm kinda lazy, but I also had a nagging little suspicion that I would either love it or hate it, and there aren't too many worse places I can think of to be miserable than in the middle of the Nevada desert, choking on playa dust, reeking of Porta Potty and looking at the saggy parts of aging hippies. All of which I did, by the way.

So I'm particularly delighted to report that I came, I saw and I'm a total convert. I heart Burning Man, and The Man hearts me.

I went under the auspices of work - something I do not recommend and probably won't do again. It is just too hard to work in an environment like that, and my notebook started to feel like a mean little shackle. I thought working while at bars was distracting, but there aren't 5 million absolutely bizarre and fabulous things to see and do at the local dive.

I wanted to make my own tutu, do yoga with bellinis and windsurf the playa, and I wanted to do it immediately.

So I worked, but I found time to play. A Bee photographer (to view more of Autumn Cruz's photo gallery go here and I stayed at a theme camp called Kairos - a wonderful, welcoming, friendly, naughty, fun, random theme camp organized by some guys down in San Diego. The best part was the food, which was absolutely gourmet and, best of all, not prepared by me. Power bars do not a meal make, and when I'm roughing it in every other aspect, I want a thick slice of pork loin for dinner, dammit. With ice cream cones for dessert.

Having arrived alone and friendless, with no time to rally my peeps, who do not have an extra $300 lying around for admission, I was initially concerned I would be bereft of companionship and flying a sad sack solo. Not even Partner in Crime, who is bound by marriage to accompany me on such excursions but currently bound by a broken foot to the couch, could attend.

I needn't have worried. The instant community of Burning Man enfolded me, and I spent the rest of the week running around with The Brooklyn Boys - three hilarious and entertaining fellas who were not, to my knowledge, from Brooklyn - and The HoneyBurners, two fabulous Canadians who came south for their post-wedding celebration. I almost cried when we had to say goodbye.

It's a funny thing, really. I formed these incredible connections and never knew a single person's last name. I would be riding my bike by myself (one of my favorite things to do there) and people would just usher me into their camps, offer up a drink or a story and send me on my way. Gifts and favors are exchanged like greetings, and "the nice thing to do" is always the default rather than the exception. At the risk of waxing poetic for too much longer, Burning Man is kinda like a party full of only people you like. And that's a rare thing.

Two more points and then I will wrap up The Longest Blog Entry Ever. First, the city. Coming into a vast, teeming, crazy city of 40,000 people is like nothing I've ever experienced. My first ride out to The Man was a lesson in disorientation, and the distance between my camp and the outer playa seemed hopelessly long. I got there surprisingly fast and learned how distance and time meant nothing there. And then I turned around and realized I had no sense of where I'd come from, or where I should go from there. I should note, by the way, that the very first thing I did when I set out was get completely lost from my group, and with not the smallest shred of hope of finding them, was on my own. Which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened, as this is how I learned the delight of the solo bike ride. Anyway. It's funny how that first glance back at the city was like peering over the edge of something dizzyingly tall. Then, as I spent more time there, the fact that I was in a city (the fifth largest in Nevada, by the way) finally hit me. I knew, for instance, that the guitar/hammock guy was a block and a half down the way from my camp, that my camp was located between the giant red heart and the twinkle-lit tree, and that the non-nasty bathrooms required a bike ride and five minute's notice from my bladder. It's funny how quickly you adapt.

Finally, the most incredible thing about Burning Man is what it brings out of yourself. I was going through some stuff, as so many who make their pilgrimage there are, and Burning Man provided me a surprising forum to work it all out. I drove out of there with a clarity that had been eluding me for months, and it had nothing to do with the art or the music or the naked people or the all-night parties. It's as if there was so much stimuli that my brain was able to go silent for awhile, allowing the rest of me to figure things out.

Now that I'm back, I'm still cleaning playa dust off of my bike and out of my ears and seeing and smelling traces of it on everything I own. But I'm not throwing away the irreparably dusty pair of boots that kept me going out there in the desert. I'll be walking in them next year.

You know you've always thought you have a face for television, so here's your chance to prove it.

The Crocker Art Museum is looking for extras for an upcoming TV commercial and it could be you, kid. They want a diverse group of people, and potential stars have to be able to give a one-hour commitment Monday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; contact Kathleen at (916) 264-5157 or kconaty@cityofsacramento.org.

Anyone who actually makes the grade will be given a family pass to one of 24 museums as thanks. Hey, it's no Underoos commercial, but Oprah's gotta have something to embarrass you with when you make it big.

I feel like a thief for writing this entry, as cupcakes and sugary confections are unarguably Rachel Leibrock's domain, but - what the heck? - she's on vacation.

So, legendary local artist Wayne Thiebaud has been putting Sacramento on the map for years, and now we're giving back some of the love. The California State Fair will be honoring him with a Visual Artist of the Year award.

As part of that, there will be a rare Thiebaud exhibit in Expo Center Building 7. The unveiling of said exhibit is at noon on Friday. I'll definitely be checking out Thiebaud's famous cake paintings, although I'll definitely be avoiding the heart attack that is the fair's Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich. I prefer my calories to be visual.

If you, like me, often feel oddly soothed by Five For Fighting's song "100 Years," you're in luck - especially if you're quick.

The band is coming to Sacramento's Hard Rock Cafe today to play a short set exclusively for listeners of The Zone (KZZO 100.5 FM). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the 45-minute set starts a half hour later. A hundred listeners will even get to meet the band.

Win tickets by tuning in and being the 10th caller after the cue to call. But start listening now, 'cause most of the seats are already gone.

Turning 1 is nothing. Now turning 2, well, that's something to celebrate.

This weekend marks the second anniversary of Zocalo, everyone's favorite midtown Mexican hot spot. So maybe the zocalo in Mexico City is still teeming with protesters, angry over Andrés Manuel López Obrador's apparent loss of the Mexican presidency, but hey, our hometown version will be a bit more on the partying side.

The festivities start at noon Friday, and salsa band Humbria will usher in the evening. Saturday's party, with mariachi band Jalisco, starts at 5 p.m.

Zocalo (at 18th and Capitol) is famous for its mojitos, but methinks this calls for a round of margaritas.

Neither my carefully cultivated sense of irony nor my jaded journalistic sixth sense has managed to stamp out the fact that I freakin' love the fair. The rides, the food, the unnaturally large farm animals - I heart it all. I am even dubiously proud to say that I attended the California State Fair an incredible FOUR times last year. Admittedly, a couple of those times were work-related, but that Huey Lewis concert I attended with my family was all voluntary and, yes, I even partook in their infectious enthusiasm for a man who has looked 50 since he was 25 and still looks 50 now that he's a nearly a decade past it. Aaand that tangent just may haunt me for life. Anyway....

Fellow Bee person and fair lover Manny Crisostomo has been hitting Cal Expo for the past three years to bring photographic fair coverage to you, dear readers, and he's compiled a pretty awesome multimedia presentation called "Postcards From the Fair" for those who just can't wait to hit the hay (ha!) on opening day Friday. Or who would just rather enjoy the event from afar. Either way, it's totally worth a check-out here.

Of course, we will also have all the fair particulars in our guide in Friday Ticket. You can check that out, too.

Sacramento residents will be pleased to know that we've been given top honors in a completely obscure, meaningless contest that will change absolutely no one's life. But hey, awards are fun. We've been voted a top "chill" city by Bailey's, the maker of the liqueur. What this means, I don't know, but the company based the whole thing on the amount of opportunities for people to hang out. Apparently our coffee shops and parks sealed the deal, and I'm pretty sure Concerts in the Park played some kind of role.

The irony of this award is, of course, that I can't imagine anything worse than drinking a Bailey's and coffee in the park when it's 107 degrees.

People, I have arrived: I am the subject - not the author - of a blog!

See, I wrote an article for The Bee on Monday about the delicious rumors surrounding Suri Holmes Cruise, the thus-far invisible progeny of Tom and Katie. I was reporting what all the celebrity bloggers were theorizing, and someone scanned the article, sent it in and now it's a post on my very, very favorite source of trashy gossip, Pink is the New Blog! Woot!

So, thanks Roberta, whoever you are. And now, of course, I'm blogging about someone who blogged about an article that I wrote about bloggers. It's, like, so meta.

Check it out at www.pinkisthenewblog.com

-- Lisa Heyamoto

I like movies. I also like beer. What I really like is when I can watch a movie while drinking beer - a feat of dexterity for which the mainstream movie houses sadly do not currently accommodate.

Luckily, Pyramid Alehouse does. The folks there have been running a series of movies at their K Street location since May, when folks began showing up at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays to get a flick with their suds; tonight, they'll be able to see "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." The deal runs through Aug. 1, when they'll be showing "Wedding Crashers."

Just try to ease up if you start seeing two of every star. Unless, of course, you're watching "New York Minute." But, really, who would be watching that?

-- Lisa Heyamoto

Sacramento Bee/Florence Low
The to-die-for chandeliers at Bistro 33 would look just as good in anyone's living room.

OK, so I checked out Bistro 33 for the first time last weekend, and I gotta say, I likes. First of all, the decor was positively drool-worthy and I wanted to snatch up everything and put it in my living room. First to be loaded into the back of my sensible Camry would be the clutch of chandeliers suspended over the bar -jet-black plastic that had been molded into twisted horns and gathered at the base until they fanned out in a circle; they were simply gorgeous.

Unfortunately for me, my tendencies toward the mod are routinely thwarted by my not-so-mod-loving husband, and my living room will likely always be bereft of such a fabulous fixture, alas.

Speaking of Bistro 33, I just have to be super-obnoxious and mention one small quibble with the menu. The cuisine is inspired by the Pacific Northwest and has the requisite salmon and clam offerings to prove it. However. Hailing as I do from The PNW (which is what no one but myself calls the region, but I'm confident it will catch on), there happened to be a panini on the menu called the Pike's Market that requires attention.

Now, this seems a reasonable moniker for a pressed sandwich, given that it's one of Seattle's most popular landmarks. However. The home of the flying fish is actually called Pike Place Market - no possessive - and calling it otherwise just so happens to be the biggest pet peeve of die-hard Seattlites.

Now, I can't say that I've ever personally been spittin' mad over such a thing, but I used to work with a guy who made it his business to point out such inconsequential oversights and, oh my god, I just became him.

By the way, for more on my take on Bistro 33, check out my nightlife column in today's Friday Ticket.

-- Lisa Heyamoto

DJ AM made his Sacramento debut at The Park Downtown in March, and I was totally sad to have missed it. But fate and promoters have been kind, and it looks like my second chance is nigh. AM, nee Adam Goldstein, is spinning at The Park Ultra Lounge on July 6. Pre-sale tickets are $25, a fee I might just be willing to pay given that I've always been curious about the skills of the sometime-fiance of Nicole Richie.

-- Lisa Heyamoto

Check it out: The Rage nightclub is trading in its admittedly dated decor for a fresh new look and a new name, to boot.

As one of Sac's longest-running clubs, the Rage has been slowly changing over the last few months, and starting the week of July 12, it will be reborn as Barcode.

The concept is sort of a mini version of The Park Downtown, but with a more modern, red and silver lounge-y feel and a more open layout. That's according to Mason Wong, owner of both The Park and the soon-to-come Barcode.

And, don't worry, kids - it'll still be all-ages on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, although Saturdays will be 21-and-over only.

Sounds cool to me. I'm heading out to check it out, and you can read all about it in my nightlife column in an upcoming issue of Friday Ticket.

See how I did the tie-in thing? Not just a hat rack, my friends.

-- Lisa Heyamoto

Not being a dog owner myself, I can't attest to this, but I hear that dogs and fireworks don't generally mix. However, what I can attest to is: There are at least two dogs out there who have mixed with fireworks and lived to tell the tale. Or tail. Ha!

Anyway, as part of The Bee's annual fireworks review, hosted by yours truly, a bunch of people and the aforementioned pair of canines went out to a fire station in Rancho Cordova recently to set off and judge this year's lot. (Check out the video).

You can see the human opinions on the cover of Wednesday's Scene section and in a special video at sacbee.com. But for those of you just dying to know what the doggies thought, their three favorites - based on the bark-o-meter - were TNT's Laugh Out Loud, Phantom's New York Harbor Fountain, and TNT's Pink Diamonds.

As for my cats, they could care less about fireworks. But the box they came in is quite popular.

-- Lisa Heyamoto

Anyone who has ever tried to make their own mojito at home can testify to their inexplicable grossness. I mean, I had the lime, the sugar, the fresh mint - I followed the Internet recipe to the hilt. OK, so maybe my muddling stick was the back end of a hammer, but a blunt object is a blunt object.

Anyway, after choking down a pitcher of my homemade swill recently, I felt a call to the experts was in order. And Cristian Lara, bartender at Zocalo, had a few tips that I feel confident will turn my life around. Instead of using sugar, he recommends triple sec, which is pretty ingenious if you think about it. And don't squeeze the lime, he adds. Crush it when you're going to town with that ice. Now where'd I put that hammer?

-- Lisa Heyamoto

In yet another example of how it takes me forever to notice things right under my nose, Hukilau - the Hawaiian-themed joint at 16th and O - has closed its doors and morphed overnight (in my mind, at least) into Pronto, a fast-service Italian eatery from the guys who brought us Paesanos.

In real time, Hukilau served its last meal in late April, and Pronto's public debut is scheduled for later this month. So maybe I'm not as unobservant as I thought. The new place will offer salads and panini on-the-run, but reportedly, no drinks. I guess wine just doesn't go well in a to-go cup.

-- Lisa Heyamoto

Every day on my way home from work, I experience a small heartbreak. There it is - my neighborhood bar, Joe Marty's, its windows boarded up, its ratty little canopy singed from the fire that closed its doors last summer. I feel I simply can't go on without the sound of dice being slapped on the cozy little bar, or the feel of a $2 can of Olympia in my hand. I have waited, yes, but hopefully for not much longer. Owner David Garibay told us that he's hoping to re-open the much-loved haunt by the end of this month. Until then, it's tears in the beers for me. And considering I have yet to see a single worker repairing my beloved bar, it's looking like I may be shedding quite a few before the month is done.

-- Lisa Heyamoto