Sacramento Scene Blog

Come walk for wishes this Sunday at the best time of day, twilight! Fox40 is helping to sponsor the local Make-A-Wish chapter's annual walk, not only a great time to enjoy the beautiful mini lake that's adjacent to Swainson's Hawk Park in Natomas, but also chow down on bbq and ice cream. All proceeds go to grant wishes to kids with life threatening illnesses in our area. The festivities kick off at 5:30pm Sunday and the walk starts at 6:45pm. If you don't care to walk, just stop by and say hi, maybe donate a few bucks... every little bit helps. It's a 3K walk.
Here are directions to the park: 5-N to Arena Blvd, take a left. Continue on Arena Blvd. through El Centro Dr. Take a left on Sardinia Island Way and follow this to the crossing of Lentini Way. Park along the perimeter of the park.

As promised... the winner of the First Annual Fox40 Morning Show Cookie Rumble...
First Place: Me "Thumbprint Cookies"
Second Place: Photographer Mark Willis' wife "Snickerdoodles"
Third Place: A Tie between Jamie Soriano "Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies" and Producer Tiffany Yasus "Cookie Sandwiches"
Congratulations to all 8 contestants. But as predicted... I win. That's how the cookie crumbles my friends... so brush that (chocolate) chip off your shoulder.
Below are recipes for my cookies and Jamie's...

Natalie's Thumbprint Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:
1 c. sifted confectioner's sugar
2 c. flour
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter

*******Allow butter and cream cheese to soften slightly before beginning. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and flour. Chill a bit to firm up dough. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Make a thumb-print indentation in center of ball. Fill hole with a tiny bit of jelly, jam or preserves (we used baby food spoons in a couple of little custard cups with about 2 Tbsp. of jam in each cup). Bake at 375°F for 10 min. They will not be brown. I used the tiniest measuring spoon I could find to make the little imprints in the dough. I bought whipped buttercream icing to put in the center when the cookies cooled. On top, I put a small strawberry slice and blueberry. Yum! People at work said they tasted like a pastry with a light icing. The fruit on top made it very summery.

JAMIE'S CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Grape-Nuts cereal
2 cups quick-cooking oat
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
Beat butter or margarine in a large bowl, with sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
Stir in cereal, oats and cranberries.
Drop by rounded tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Have fun!

There's some competition festering here behind the scenes of the Fox40 Morning News Show...
And the end result isn't going to be pretty...
I'm already predicting a calorie intake that's off the charts, a spike in blood sugar and ultimately a fight... food fight that is.
So here's the deal... the crew is putting together a "Cookie-Off", a competition that pits the best cookie recipes head to head, or mouth to mouth. Obviously everyone should just toss their cookies (out) now because I am the silent victor. I have the recipe no one saw coming... the Godzilla that defeats the other Cookie Monsters.
Now I can't release the details of this secret recipe... but it does include an oven temperature of 350 degrees.
That said... the competition is tomorrow. Following said competition I will release the winning recipe. Stay tuned.
On a lighter (musical) note, tomorrow kicks off the beginning of the 2008 Friday Night Concerts in the Park, in Sacramento. It runs from 5 to 9pm at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets. The featured performance is "Bucho". Live music, food and beer. Click here for more information: http://www.downtownsac.org/index.php?mvcTask=events&id=17644 Ole!

If you're stressing about that upcoming project (trust me, I feel your pain) you HAVE to take some time out to admire the bright, beautiful and blossoming roses outside our great State Capitol Building. I took some time out on Sunday to swing by on my way to lunch and started the week a much better (and less crabby) person for it. There are benches dotted throughout the garden, so bring a book if you have the time.

Looking for a ruckus party this weekend? Or, maybe that's not your style... but what about Sacramento Fashion Week!!

Here are the details...
First things first, Sacramento's Active 20-30 Club is hosting their Annual Spring Party. This year's theme is "Vegas, Baby". They're taking an empty warehouse (at 4600 Florin-Perkins Road) and transforming it into the Vegas Strip. If you're a single lady... or gentleman I highly recommend attending this. It's from 7:30pm to 12:30am this Saturday night. I'll be there up on stage. Advance tickets are $45 and at the door it's $60. A hunk of cash, but you get drinks and food all night long (beer, "Vegas Punch", soda, water) and get to take part in some daring events (i.e. Gladiator Jousting and a Mechanical Bull). And... you get to sway to the beats of DJ Rigatony and the "we play everything that's cool" band Wonderbread 5. All the money goes to local children's charities like the Crisis Nursery. The club also hosts a picnic each summer for special needs children and their families, all with the help of your party admission.
Click here for tickets and more information http://www.sacspringparty.com

Okay... for the fashionistas... Sacramento Fashion Week: April 18th-25th
It's all taking place at local lounges... with the big party at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria.
Click here for details http://www.sacramentofashionweek.com/fall2008/index.asp

I don't care what they say, I'm still wearing leggings and skirts... a fashion trend that feels comfortable even if you have sampled every food selection at the Rivercats game (see my last blog entry:)

Tune in to Fox40 Morning News from 6-8am every Friday for an extended list of "Your Weekend" events.

Together, we CAN make a difference... in the quality of your weekends.
I've been given the daunting task of helping you find fun, exciting and frankly not-lame things to do on your time off. And, considering my idea of a good time is hitting the bowling alley with a "Governator" t-shirt, and some spiffy rented shoes, I need your help.
If you've watched Fox40 Morning News in the last month... (everyone should be doing this by the way)... you've seen my fabulous "Sacramento Scene" feature, detailing what's hot and new in our city by the river(s).
What I'm hoping to establish here is an idea exchange... I scratch your back, you tell me and our viewers where to hang out on the weekends. You get the idea.
I'll tell you where I've been and what I think of those places... and you, if you'd be so kind, do the same.
I pride myself on checking out new restaurants, activities and nightclubs and giving reviews of each to my friends. Now you get the benefit as well... try to contain yourself.
That said... so I checked out the Rivercats Home Opener Friday night. My first semi-pro baseball experience. And I must say, I loved every minute of it. The game, even though the Cats lost, was thrilling. The food, especially those garlic fries, quite tasty. (I sampled the jumbo dog, nachos with chili and cheese and garlic fries). My favorite part was watching the fans. People really got in to the game. And I also liked the activities between each inning. I'm always up for a chance to win free stuff!
After that I scooted over to "Rick's", that dessert diner on K Street in mid-town. Delish! Although it was a tad overcrowded, there was adequate seating. I had the chocolate caramel mousse pie with the oreo crust.
So, how was your weekend? Go anywhere I might want to check out?