The Sacramento River Cats played a memorable game Thursday night at Raley Field with two home runs and no runs from the New Orleans Zephyrs until the fifth inning. Despite losing the first game of the series against the Zephyrs on May 23, it was the third win for the River Cats this week. Michael Taylor (LF) scored his first home run of the season during the second inning and Josh Donaldson (C) hit one in the bottom of the seventh. With 6,111 people in attendance, the crowd had high energy and enthusiasm, with children yelling “Dinger! Dinger!” and KISS fans singing “I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night.” There were several mistakes made by the Zephyrs that kept the River Cats in the lead t

Husband-and-wife team Randall Selland and Nancy Zimmer, who are the co-founders, executive chefs and owners of The Selland Group, will celebrate the 20-year success of The Kitchen restaurant by opening up another Selland’s Market-Café in El Dorado Hills on Nov. 24. The Kitchen started in May 1991, offering Sacramento the revolutionary demonstration dinners while providing a personal and intimate experience by talking with guests while cooking in front of them. Prior to cooking, Zimmer and Selland were both involved in art. Zimmer worked at an art gallery when she and Selland first met, Zimmer said. “I always had an interest in cooking, and I just loved to cook. (Selland) was always just

It was an evening filled with food, wine, music and Sacramento Ballet Company dancers and supporters at the Tapas and Tutus fundraiser. The event, which was held at House Kitchen and Bar Sunday evening, helped raise money for the Sacramento Ballet. Sacramento Ballet Company event planner Natalee Pecorelli said that the money raised at the event will help support the operations for the Sacramento Ballet Company. “I don’t think people realize how much it costs to run a ballet company,” Pecorelli said. “There are so many things, (from) music, shoes, costumes and choreographers. $500 takes care of shoes for one dancer for one month.” Several dancers were in costume, greeting and talking to

About 600 people wearing blue T-shirts walked and rode bicycles, searching for clues in downtown Sacramento at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ third annual Race for the Ring event Saturday. Food Bank communications director Kelly Siefkin said the money raised will help support all eight programs, from providing food and clothing to education and women’s resources. “I think it’s a way to involve part of the Sacramento community and people who don’t really know about the programs,” Siefkin said. “We make it a fun day. They want to come back with their families, volunteer and be motivated about the programs.” The event provides a fun way for people to get an “Amazing Race” expe

Looking for a way to impress your friends or date with your intelligence? Take them out to a trivia night or pub quiz in Sacramento. The Sacramento Press has your guide to local bars and pubs that will test your knowledge on trivia in a friendly, yet competitive environment. The Depot 2001 K St., Ste. A Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Free De Vere’s Irish Pub 1521 L St. Mondays, 7 - 8 p.m. Free Christopher Scott, the director of Cardio Pulmonary Services at Methodist Hospital, has hosted trivia for eight years. Currently, Scott hosts trivia nights at The Depot and de Vere’s Irish Pub. “The presenting is the most fun – the experience with the people that are playing,” Scott said. “It’s getting tha

Locals boogied to music from Miss Lonely Hearts, Keri Carr and The Golden Cadillacs at Cesar Chavez Park for Concerts in the Park Friday night. The host said that several audience members shook their hips like “country zumba dancers” to each of the bands. Mothers danced with their sons and daughters, couples boogied down and children ran in front of the stage. Around 1,000 people came out to buy food and drinks and enjoy the music. Miss Lonely Hearts band is an experimental country and roots band from Davis. The band includes Wyatt Hesemeyer as the lead singer, Patrick O’Connor on suitcase percussion, Doug Keen on bass and vocals and Keith Cary on lap steel and mandolin. Hesemeyer’s lo

Many local country music fans donned in cowboy hats and boots cheered and clapped for the Zac Brown Band concert at Raley Field Thursday night. Throughout the concert, fans cheered at lead singer, guitarist and Georgia native Zac Brown as he hollered at the crowd to rile them up. The band is known for its hit “Chicken Fried,” a song about loving the important things in life and, of course, having your chicken fried. “Chicken Fried” was first recorded in 2003 and later re-recorded to be included in their first album, “The Foundation,” in 2008. In 2009, the single won “Breakthrough Video of the Year” from Country Music Television and USA Weekend. In 2010, the Zac Brown Band won the Grammy

Calling all Disney lovers! Stage Nine’s “The Vault” and the California State Railroad Museum are hosting the worldwide debut of The Pixar Collection at the museum Sunday. The collection will include artwork inspired by the first 11 films created by Pixar Animation Studios. Stage Nine, located at 102 K St., is an entertainment store that carries unique collectibles and pop culture memorabilia. Stage Nine owner Troy Carlson said that he is honored to have the collection’s debut in Sacramento. “I definitely expect collectors, and there are people traveling from Los Angeles and San Francisco.” Carlson said that they voiced their interest in hosting the event in Sacramento. Stage Nine gall

The fourth annual A Toast to Music food and wine benefit helped raise money for the Camellia Symphony Orchestra at the Old Sugar Mill Saturday night. The event was sponsored by Carvalho Family Winery. Camellia Symphony Orchestra executive director Roberta McClellan said the money raised at the event will help fund the orchestra’s 2011-2012 season, although they won’t know the total amount raised at the event until Thursday or Friday. “(It will help pay for) brochures, production, purchasing music, rental space and concerts over the summer,” McClellan said. The orchestra provides free family concerts over the summer, and McClellan said the money will also help pay for all of the expenses

Mother’s Day is coming Sunday, and The Sacramento Press has a few gift ideas that are sure to let mom know how much you love her.   Gift idea No. 1: Send your mom on a relaxing getaway. Super Spa, located at 1722 J St., Suite 1, offers a variety of massage services. Relaxation or therapeutic massages range from $40 to $120 depending on the length of the massage. A warm stone therapy ranges from $90 to $140, and a head and scalp treatment for 30 minutes costs $40. Every 60 minutes of massage includes an organic aromatherapy steam. According to owner Suzanne Saunders, Super Spa's "Treat Mom to 90 minutes of bliss" special includes a L'initié facial care with Univera's super hydrating l

Composer, arranger and pianist Pablo Ziegler will bring his "Beyond Tango" arrangements of jazz tunes infused with tango rhythms to the Mondavi Center at UC Davis Friday night. He is a 2005 Latin Grammy Award winner for “Bajo Cero,” which won Best Tango Album of the Year. Ziegler was born in Buenos Aires and said he worked with the piano first. “I started at the age of 5,” he said. He studied at the Buenos Aires Music Conservatory and graduated as a piano professor and said that he has been playing jazz music since he was 15. In 1978, Ziegler joined Astor Piazzolla’s quintet and toured with the Argentine composer. Piazzolla is famous for his tango music and bandoneón playing and intro

Spring is here, which means the kids have been hibernating all winter and are ready for some outdoor fun. The Sacramento Press recently posed the question, “Where is the best place to take kids to have fun for less than $20,” to people at Westfield Downtown Plaza. Joseph Enriquez, 22, of Elk Grove is a personal trainer. “(I would take them to) Funderland,” he said. Funderland is a small, outdoor amusement park at 1350 17th Ave. for children ages 2 to 12. There are nine child-sized rides. Admission to Funderland is free and each ride requires one ticket. Funderland offers single tickets for $1.75 on weekdays and $1.95 on weekends and has ticket books, wristbands and season passes. For

Whether you are hunting for speckled eggs or spending time with loved ones, don’t forget to stop by local eateries for their special Easter desserts this weekend. Get ready for the cuteness overload. Freeport Bakery 2966 Freeport Blvd. Freeport Bakery has a beautiful display of Easter decorations and a variety of creative and beautiful cookies, cupcakes and large cakes. You can purchase bunny, duck or Easter egg cookies in a bag, box, on a tray or by the piece. You can also purchase rich chocolate or golden buttermilk cupcakes, topped with buttercream or chocolate frosting and Easter decorations.  Each cupcake is $2.95. There are a variety of cakes available on their Easter menu, i

Author Ishmael Reed discussed his latest novel, “Juice!” at Time Tested Books Sunday. According to owner Peter Keats of Time Tested Books, he said this was the first time Reed had made an appearance and was contacted to host the well-known writer at the bookstore. “We sold lots of books,” Keats said. “Juice!” is about protagonist Paul Blessings, a diabetic political cartoonist who obsesses about the O.J. Simpson trial during the early 21st century America. The novel provides a look into how the media distorted Simpson’s trial and reflects on how the media influences present culture and politics. “The one thing that the case did was expose media’s sloppiness of evidence gathering of the

It was a night full of spandex and roller skates during the Sac City Rollers’ Honky-Tonk Hoedown at Foothill Skate Inn Saturday night. The Rude Girls conquered the Sweaty Betties with a final score of 168-159. Both teams previously played at the Sac City Rollers Shamrock Slam opener, where the Rude Girls defeated the Sweaty Betties 146 - 126. The raffle proceeds from the bout go to Horses for Healing, a nonprofit therapeutic riding center to improve the physical, mental and spiritual well being of adults and children with special needs through involvement with horses. Debby Welshons, also known as Dr. Diamond, is the chiropractor for all of the derby girls. “They always put such a good

Four City Council members discussed ways of increasing community gardens in Sacramento on private and public property during the Law and Legislation Committee meeting Tuesday. According to Joy Patterson, the principle planner for the city, the proposed ordinance will lay out how community members can use vacant properties for the development of community gardens where people can come together for the purpose of growing food and personal use. “Several city departments have looked at the issues surrounding community gardens on public property and private property and have prepared a draft ordinance for community gardens on private property for the review and discussion by the Law and Legis

The sixth annual Davis Feminist Film Festival will be featuring international films by lesser known filmmakers at the Veterans' Memorial Center Theater in Davis on April 14 and 15. This is a grassroots festival sponsored by the UC Davis Consortium for Women and Research. The festival will include documentary, narrative and experimental films that explore issues of gender, race, class, sexuality and other aspects of social inequality. “One of the things we really hope to accomplish is to bring people from the Davis community together for these two days of screening,” Andrew Ventimiglia, associate director of the Davis Feminist Film Festival, said. “And the second thing is to get a space f

Saturday, Cafe Au Lait will host Sacramento’s Bake Sale for Japan to raise money for victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami devastation in Japan. The Bake Sale for Japan is a national bake sale held on April 2 at bakeries, restaurants and other places featuring baked goods. Milena Pointer, who works as a nanny, and is one of the also an organizers for the Sacramento bake sale. Pointer viewed videos of the destruction in Japan and said she wanted to find a way to help. “If it happened to us, if it happened to America, we would need help,” Pointer said. “Any person with a heart would feel like they like they need to do something. The difference is some people act on that feeling, an

It was a night filled with drinks and divine desserts for the Sacramento Children’s Chorus’ Wine and Chocolate: A Harmony of Tastes fundraiser at Revolution Wines Friday night. According to Sacramento Children’s Chorus’ executive director Daphne Quist, the event was held in honor of the chorus to raise money for the organization, some of which will go toward tuition scholarships for students. “It was a great success for our organization,” Quist said. This is the first Wine and Chocolate event for the Sacramento Children’s Chorus and Quist hopes to continue it every year. Corporate sponsorships, individual donations, concerts and one large event each year help fund the organization, Quis

Local men will be strutting their stuff in heels April 30 for the first Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event in Midtown, which will benefit the Sacramento County Women Escaping a Violent Environment, Inc. The event will raise awareness about sexual assault. Amber Stott, WEAVE’s director of Development and Community Relations, has been recruiting volunteers and is in charge of making sure that every man has a pair of pumps to wear. “It’s a touchy issue, and we know what a big problem it is. It’s just nice to be able to have an opportunity to come together and raise awareness, but do it in a way that’s fun,” Stott said. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an international organization, and this year ma