While other students are scrambling to finish their Senior Projects, Otto Ducey will be at ease, since he finished his Senior Project in late July, before his senior year even began, by raising funds for the Sacramento Police Department K9 Unit.

“Our goal was to raise $998, to purchase two cooling units and a fan for the dogs,” Ducey said. “We ended up with $1,032.”

Money was raised by selling “Bandit’s Buddies” bracelets and local businesses Dude, Where’s My Yogurt and Subway (both in the Promenade Shopping Center) gave a portion of proceeds from one night to the fund. In addition, many friends and neighbors made cash donations.

Bandit is a four-year-old German Shepherd who was shot in the line of duty in March of this year. He returned to work a month later and served, with his partner Officer Gary Dahl, as Grand Marshal in the Pocket neighborhood’s 4th of July parade.

“Of course, we will always accept donations,” Dahl said. “We’ll be getting two more K9 officers in September, and possibly a third. That third officer will need a vest. And the vests don’t last forever. After about five years the Kevlar doesn’t protect you like it should, so new vests have to be purchased.”

“I’m really grateful that so many people contributed, and that businesses like ‘Subway’ and ‘Dude, Where’s My Yogurt?’ were able to take part in such a great experience that will benefit the dogs who serve everyday in the police force,” Ducey said. “I would also like to give a special thanks to my friends, neighbors, and family, and of course to Kathi Windheim, who came up with the idea and helped me the whole way.”

For more information, or to donate, visit www.spdk9.org.

Dorothy Casalegno celebrated her 103rd birthday with cake, ice cream and a room filled with friends and family members at the Merrill Gardens retirement community on Aug. 23.

Bright, sharp and alert, the centenarian-plus-three smiled and laughed as everyone made much over her.

Née Dorothy Howe in Santa Ana, Calif., she moved to Morgan Hill where she grew up. She received her degree in nursing from San Jose Nursing School in 1929. One of her first jobs was as a member of the medical team that cared for the workers who built Boulder Dam – now known as Hoover Dam.

She worked in the first Sutter Hospital in Sacramento, just two years after it opened.

Dorothy was married for 60 years to the late Alfred Casalegno. Together, they raised three children, Bob Casalegno, Michael Casalegno and Carole (Casalegno) Dell’Agostino. Today, Dorothy has eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

In 2005, she moved to Merrill Gardens at the young age of 98. She still lives independently and loves her make-up, cute outfits, friends, social and physical activities as much as ever. In fact, with her dazzling smile, she could easily pass for a youngster of 75.

When asked the secret to a long life, Dorothy laughed and said that, in addition to having a great family, “I’ve always been interested in nutrition. I never smoked or drank, either.”

At the conclusion of the festivities, Dorothy thanked one and all.

“Everyone has been wonderful to celebrate my birthday,” she said.

As a community newspaper reporter, it is my ongoing quest to continuously gain a more thorough knowledge and understanding of the past and present businesses of local communities. And it was just last week, for instance, that this quest led me to Three Sisters Mexican Kitchen and Cantina.

Three years ago, while covering a Cinco de Mayo story at Tres Hermanas Restaurant at 2416 K St., I learned from this midtown Sacramento business’s co-owner, Sergio Saenz, that there really were “tres hermanas” or “three sisters” behind the naming of the restaurant.

Sergio explained to me that the midtown restaurant, which opened its doors for the first time on Oct. 18, 1996, had been named after his sisters.

And it certainly came as no surprise to me when Sergio revealed to me how many sisters were in his family.

After telling me that his “tres hermanas” were Norma, Dora and Sonia, he also informed me that Three Sisters restaurant at 5100 Folsom Blvd. was also part of his family’s restaurant endeavors.

In an attempt to enhance my Cinco de Mayo story, I asked Sergio if I could arrange a meeting with all three sisters.

Sergio informed me that it would be best to leave such a meeting to another time, since Norma and Dora were operating the East Sacramento restaurant and Sonia was working with him at the midtown restaurant.

Although my Cinco de Mayo Tres Hermanas story was successfully completed without the presence of all three sisters, the idea of one day gathering these sisters together for one interview continued to intrigue me.

Undoubtedly, there were many people in Sacramento who were familiar with Tres Hermanas and Three Sisters restaurants, yet had no idea why these restaurants received these names.

Being that my travels often take me past Three Sisters restaurant, it recently occurred to me that it was about time to make an effort to obtain my desired interview with all three sisters.

In my attempt to secure an interview with all three sisters, Dora informed me that I would have to wait until the following week in order to conduct my “tres hermanas” interview.

Considering that in a way, I had already waited 181 weeks for this interview, I figured that it would not be too much trouble on my part to wait just another week.

When the day of my interview finally arrived, it was nice to see not una hermana or dos hermanas, but actually tres hermanas.

After confirming that these women were the three sisters that I had arrived to meet and not just three unsuspecting women at the restaurant who I suddenly sat down with – that could be an awkward moment – I began to learn about these local business women.

Born in the northern Mexico state of Chihuahua and raised in the town of Cuahtemoc – a place of about 80,000 people that is comparable to Stockton, with a downtown, suburbs and orchards – the three sisters are among the seven children of Guadalupe Saenz and her late husband, Simon Saenz.

After arriving in the United States with their family in 1988, Norma, Dora and Sonia worked in different restaurants in Sacramento for eight years prior to making the decision to open their own restaurant.

The sisters’ search for a restaurant ended when local real estate broker Angelo Tsorakis of Elk Grove offered them the K Street restaurant site that had formerly housed Food for Thought.

After the three sisters acquired their midtown business location, Tsorakis presented the idea of naming the restaurant, Tres Hermanas.

Norma admits that the name was initially rejected, but was later reevaluated and accepted.

Dora, who often enjoys telling young visitors of Three Sisters restaurant that she is the real life character from the animated children’s television series, Dora the Explorer, recalled how challenging it was to operate a new restaurant for the first time.

“We thought we knew everything, but we’re still learning, actually,” Dora said. “It was funny. Everybody thought, ‘I’m going start my own business and I’m going to be the boss.’ It is not exactly that way.”

The sisters quickly learned that owning the business also meant performing just about every duty that was necessary to operate a successful restaurant.

As the sisters’ midtown business progressed, Tsorakis approached Norma about the possibility of moving the restaurant to East Sacramento.

After Norma told Tsorakis that she was happy with the midtown site, the topic arose about the sisters acquiring a second restaurant location.

Norma related the humorous scenario in which the sisters purchased the East Sacramento restaurant site, which formerly housed the Irish pub, Gallagher’s Bar and Grill.

“Angelo said to me, ‘I think you need a second restaurant,’ and I said, ‘Oh no, Angelo,’” Norma recalled. “I told him I didn’t want to see it, but he didn’t take no for an answer. It was only about five minutes away, so I finally went and looked at it. The building already looked Mexican with the arched windows. I later called Angelo and said, ‘Nice, but no.’”

Since Tsorakis remained persistent about the sisters acquiring the second site, Norma offered $30,000 on the location, which was being offered for $65,000.

Norma said that it was her way of easing out of the situation with Tsorakis.

“I offered him $30,000, because I knew they were not going to take it,” Norma said. “(Tsorakis) came back like two days later and said, ‘Norma, they think the offer is too low.’ I said, ‘I’m not going to offer any more, Angelo.’ He later came back and told me they took the offer. Instead of being happy, I was like, ‘Oh no, don’t tell me this, Angelo.’ And here we are and thank God, because we’ve been very, very successful.”

With the notoriety of Tres Hermanas, Three Sisters was more easily able to establish itself as a popular restaurant.

In addition to having similarities to the midtown restaurant, Three Sisters was established with different characteristics, including a few different food items, a distinct décor and a full bar, including many tequilas, as opposed to the midtown site’s small, beer and wine bar.

But one undeniably similar aspect about both locations is the Saenz family’s concentration on presenting a friendly atmosphere.

“We’re doing what we love and we love to entertain people,” Norma said. “This is our life. The customers become our friends. The greatest friends we have, we found in here at the restaurant.”

Sonia added, “I like to see people happy. It’s so nice just to see people when they’re eating and on their faces they look happy.”

But certainly, a great aid in having people look happy when they’re eating is presenting quality food, which is something that both restaurants understand quite well.

Already having high expectations for Three Sisters’ food, since I have great memories of enjoying the carnitas entrée at Tres Hermanas, I decided to try out the Chicken Mole Poblano ($13.99).

And what a wise choice this was, as with my first bite, the many wonderful flavors of the mole sauce instantly danced upon my taste buds.

The sauce, which takes almost a whole day to prepare and includes about 35 ingredients, is undoubtedly one of the best mole sauces that I have ever tasted.

Furthermore, the chicken, which was topped off with thin strips of onions and sesame seeds, was extremely tender and the entrée was complimented with homemade beans and rice, fresh tortillas, chips and salsa.

But the quality of both restaurants’ food should come as no surprise for those who have heard the passion in which the business’s owners speak about their love for using high quality, fresh ingredients and creating all their dishes from scratch.

New guests of these excellent Sacramento restaurants will discover that these eating establishments offer different tasting, more spicier foods, since these restaurants are inspired by the northern Mexico cooking of Guadalupe, her mother and her nine sisters.

Norma said that these notable differences in tastes are due to the fact that most of the Mexican restaurants in the Sacramento area present food derived from recipes from Jalisco and Michoacan in the south part of Mexico.

Other popular dinner entrées at both restaurants include: Camarones (shrimp) a la Three Sisters/Tres Hermanas ($14.99), Carne Asada ($13.99), Beef Chimichanga with Chipotle Sauce ($13.99), Vegetarian Tamales ($12.99) and Navajo Chicken Salad ($11.99) with house creamy cilantro dressing.

Welcoming the community to visit Three Sisters Mexican Kitchen and Cantina and Tres Hermanas Restaurant, as well as the family’s other restaurants, Sabores Mexican Cuisine at 10341 Fairway Drive in Rocklin and Tres Hermanas Restaurant at 805 2^nd St. in Davis, which opens this month, Dora said, “Everybody should come and try our restaurants. If you give us one chance, you’ll be coming back.”

And based on my visits to the Saenz family’s Sacramento restaurants, I couldn’t agree more.

Three Sisters and Tres Hermanas restaurants, which serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, are open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For additional information about these restaurants, call (916) 452-7442.

lance@valcomnews.com

Some 2,000 runners and walkers came out to the 12th annual Race for the Arts on Saturday, Aug. 28 at William Land Park in Sacramento. The 5 K (equal to 3.1 miles) fun run/walk and children’s fun runs began at 8:30 a.m. The goal of the annual event is to do three things when it comes to the local arts: first, raise funds; second, raise awareness and third, increase audiences.

 Race for the Arts is a nonprofit organization that works to accomplish the three aforementioned goals for school music, drama and art programs. Event coordinator Sally Rice talked about some of the history of the event.

“We provide the vehicle to help everybody,” Rice said. “Every cent pledged to a program goes to that program.”

This year’s pledges are not due until Sept. 26, but in 2009 the event raised nearly $70,000 and Rice is confident that a similar number will be raised this year. In the past, according to Rice, recipients of pledge money have used it to purchase instruments or pay travel fees in order to take their acts to different parts of the world. All told, the event has benefitted an estimated 168 arts organizations since the event’s inception.

Along with the runners, some of whom show up in costumes, the event was decorated with 43 interactive booths designed to educate the patrons on different art programs in the Sacramento area. Among the activities for young and old alike was an instrument “petting zoo” where people thinking about taking up an instrument could go and physically feel what the instrument is like in their hands.

As far as the race itself, awards were given to the top three male and female finishers in 15 different age categories. All children’s fun run finishers received an award regardless of time. Anyone who missed picking up their award can pick it up at Fleet Feet Sports at 2311 J Street. To check and see if you won an award, go to www.raceforthearts.com and click the tab titled “Results, Awards, Photos.”

Steven Schenck, a 27-year-old from Sacramento, posted the best overall time of 15:54.5. The top women’s finisher was 34-year-old Sunnyvale resident Suet-Fei Li with a time of 17:44.9.

benn@valcomnews.com

The 140th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming to ARCO Arena on Sept. 9-12 and among the many features of “The Greatest Show on Earth” will be performances by Andre McClain, who is known in the circus world as “America’s Favorite Cowboy.”

Those who have never had the opportunity to observe Andre’s performances, however, should be advised that Andre is far from a one-dimensional entertainer.

In an exclusive interview with the Valley Community Newspapers, Andre explained that he is much more than a cowboy performer.

America’s favorite cowboy

“Of course, I am  America’s favorite cowboy,” Andre said. “I’ve done a lot of things around the United States as far as the rodeo, going from a kid riding in the rodeo and into performing and being this Roy Rogers-type of guy. Everything I do was self-taught. I do quite a bit of different things. I do trick roping, I do whips, I do fancy gun twirling, action shooting and trick riding. A lot of people out there, a lot of cowboys, a lot of western entertainers; they do one thing or the other. They either do trick roping or they do trick horses or they do country singing. That’s what separates me from everybody else. I do a little bit of everything.”

When Andre brings his act to Sacramento this September, he will also be bringing many years of experience along with him.

Raised in Kansas City, Mo., Andre is part of the three generations of cowboy history in his family.

When asked when  he first rode a horse, Andre responded, “I started riding when I was around four (years old) and I started riding mutton busters – we called it – when I was about seven years old. I was riding small steers, like a kids’ rodeo.”

Self-motivatedIn being very self-motivated, Andre taught himself to twirl a lasso as a child by practicing with his mother’s clothesline and water hose.

Remembering these days, Andre said, “It’s so funny. I would get spanked almost every other week. But it was still worth it.”

Andre, 33, said that he also started riding bucking horses during his youth.

“A friend of my dad had 37 wild mustang horses and I used to go over to his place and help him break mustangs,” Andre said. “Back then, you wore them out, then you would get on them and buck them out. That’s one thing that always encouraged me to rodeo and ride bucking horses in rodeos.”

Andre, who grew up as one of six children, received his first experience competing in a rodeo in the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, America’s first all-black touring rodeo, which was founded in 1984 by his father, Lu Vason.

Save a car, ride a horseSo connected was Andre to horses during his youth that he even rode a horse to high school, which even in Kansas City was not something that other students would do.

Chuckling after being asked to discuss this experience, Andre explained that he has fond memories about these times.

Following his rodeo days, Andre began training trick horses, an activity that would lead to his employment with the circus.

Andre said that he attributes a pair of individuals to his drive to achieve high levels as a cowboy entertainer.

“I watched a guy, named (Nathaniel) “Rex” Purefoy, out of Kansas City and he had the western duds, the fancy saddles, he did trick roping and whips, gun twirling and all this stuff. I said, ‘You know what? That’s what I want to do.’” Andre recalled.

Additionally, Andre said that he is extremely thankful to his mentor, Kenneth Barrett, who bought him his first rope, so he could retire his mother’s clothesline and water hose.

“(Barrett) was always about me pushing myself and telling me, ‘You can be anything you want to be’ and ‘you can do anything you want to do.’ That’s what I believe and that’s what I try to encourage in people and kids. There’s no such thing as I can’t and I want people to know that you can always do the things you want to do. You just focus and work hard.”

Hard work pays off

And Andre’s hard work surely paid off, as he was eventually hired by the circus.

But auditioning for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in order to obtain his current position, was not a simple task, Andre explained.

“On my way (from Denver, where he was residing at the time) to audition for Ringling, my truck’s trailer broke down (in Oklahoma),” Andre said. “I called my brother and he came over and picked up the horses and took them over to a friend of his. I rented a car and jumped in the car and drove to Austin, (Texas) to audition. I was so embarrassed. I pulled up and I had no horses. All I had was a rope and a whip and a voice.

“I stood in the middle of the ring and I said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I’m Andre McClain and this is my horse, Jonas.’ It was my invisible horse, Jonas. I had no horse. I sat up on him, I did my tricks, I did my singing, everything. They cracked up laughing through the whole thing and as soon as I finished and explained to them what happened, (the circus’ producer Kenneth Feld) just came to me, shook my hand and said, ‘Hey, if you want this position, you’ve got it. We’ll send a contract to you.’”

Nearly eight years after joining the circus – a move that he refers to as “going from the greatest show on dirt to “The Greatest Show on Earth” – Andre said that he continues to enjoy every one of his 500 days per year working at the circus.

“Oh, it’s great (working for the circus),” said Andre, whose involvement with the circus also includes various announcing during the show and working with exotic animals such as camels, llamas and even a Watusi cow. “It’s a blast for me. I probably have just as much fun as the audience, so it’s a fun time for me. I wouldn’t trade this in for anything in the world.”

Guests have the opportunity to meet Andre and other circus entertainers at Arco Arena prior to the start of each circus program.

Meet the stars

All-access shows, which will be held one hour prior to show times, allow ticketholders to meet the circus stars, receive autographs, view animal training and see an elephant paint a picture. A sign-up to win the painting at the beginning of the show will also be held during the pre-show event.

Andre personally invites the community to attend this year’s circus, which is being referred to as “FUNundrum!”

“This is truly the biggest show that you’ll see and I encourage everyone, anybody to come out,” Andre said. “It’s truly amazing and it’s action-packed throughout the show. We’re coming to shut Sacramento down. I love the city of Sacramento. The arena there is great and the area that we play in is great. We just plan on coming there, having a great time and having one big party for all the people of Sacramento. And that’s what it’s going to be.”

For additional information about this year’s edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, visit the Web site www.ringling.com.

lance@valcomnews.com

September 2010 is bound to be a very busy month in the life of long-time Sacramento area resident Lawrence Tom as he begins an intensive local speaking schedule to promote his newly-published book, “Sacramento’s Chinatown.”

At least eight public library presentations are scheduled for him in September at branches throughout Sacramento County, including talks at the Belle Cooledge library in South Land Park (Sept. 18 at 3 p.m.), and the Robbie Waters branch in the Pocket area (Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.). Other dates include Sept. 8 at the McClatchy library in the Midtown area and Sept. 15 at the main library downtown.

The 73-year-old Lawrence Tom wrote the text and assembled the 200-plus photos in his book with his younger brother, Brian Tom, an Oakland-area resident who graduated from UC Berkeley and the UC Davis School of Law. The younger Tom practiced law for 25 years and served as an administrative law judge.

The book marked their second collaboration to compile the story of Chinese immigration to Northern California, which began with the Gold Rush in the mid-19th century. Their first book, “Marysville’s Chinatown,” was published in 2008.

The Tom brothers were born in Marysville, which in the early gold rush days was an important way-station for Chinese newcomers flocking to the gold fields.

Lawrence Tom moved to Sacramento in 1957, when he enrolled at Sacramento State and emerged with a degree in business administration. He then settled down in the capital, married and raised a family. He spent 40 years in state government, mostly as a career executive with CalTrans, and close to half a century with his family as a Greenhaven resident.

Tom said the early-day immigrants, most of whom came from southwestern China centering around Guangdong province and the Hong Kong area, were attracted by stories of gold discoveries, “and like most of those who emigrated to America, were seeking a better life for themselves.”

Among the early-day Chinese, Tom said, Sacramento was known as “Yee Fow,” which translates to “second city.” The “first city” was San Francisco, where the immigrants made their first landfall, he added.

The book also reviews the intensive discrimination that early-day Chinese immigrants encountered when they arrived here, including the enactment of laws in California that barred them having the same legal protections as other newcomers to the U.S. Tom said the anti-Chinese discrimination continued in one form or another until the mid-20th century.

Tom said a number of Chinese organizations are currently working together to establish a Sacramento Yee Fow center as an historical memorial for the days long gone by.

“We hope the book will generate a greater interest from the public in increasing awareness of the history of the Chinese pioneers in California and the Sacramento area,” he said.

Tom noted that the original Chinese community along I Street between 2nd and 6th streets was mostly torn down over the years and redeveloped, and that descendants of the original settlers now live throughout the community.

“This book is dedicated to the Chinese of Sacramento,” Tom said, “who for over 150 years have turned adversity into opportunities and in the process have succeeded in building better lives for their families and future generations.”

The book is profusely illustrated, with many scenes of life in Sacramento during the 19th century, followed by more recent photos depicting the role of Chinese-American soldiers and sailors during 20th and 21st century wars, plus the role of local community leaders in business and politics among descendants of the 19th century Chinese immigrants. Many of the book’s photos will be shown as slides during the library presentations.

“Sacramento’s Chinatown” was published by Arcadia Publishing, a South Carolina-based firm that specializes in books that expand readers’ knowledge of America’s people and their places in history.

Sometimes the allure and novelty of trying out a Tempranillo is to travel to the Rioja region in Spain where it was made and get the whole experience of the terroir there. The same could be said for going to Chile for Carménère, or to the Bordeaux region of France for a good Bordeaux wine.

 

Assuming that international travel for wine tasting is not in the cards at the moment, many are convinced that, regionally speaking, good wines are made in Napa or not at all. The Shenandoah Valley south of El Dorado Hills seems to be getting some great reviews lately, especially with Zinfandels and other wines made from grapes that do well in warmer climates. But making wine at home? Most people still shake their heads in disagreement. “It can’t be done,” they say.

 

I have to disagree. My evidence: Michael Cardenas, a River Park resident.

 

Cardenas has been making wine since 1992 and, in my opinion, his wines can really compete with most of the good wines I’ve tasted – and if you don’t trust my opinion, one need only inspect the awards, medals and ribbons Cardenas has received as further proof of my claim. Among his fans are the judges at the El Dorado County Fair, the Orange County Fair, the Santa Cruz County Fair, the Los Angeles County Fair and the California State Fair.

 

It’s been a journey to his award-winning status, and Cardenas said he’s learned a lot over the years to help him improve his craft.

 

What sparked his interest: Some of his neighbors, Troy Armstrong and Joe Kramer, were making wine, so he started asking them questions, got involved helping out whenever possible, and learned what he could. He considers them his mentors, and said he learned most of what he knows from them.

 

“My wines are good,” he said, “but when I go to Joe Kramer’s house and taste his wines, I’m still humbled by his gift.”

 

When he first started out, he really enjoyed entering competitions at fairs throughout California. After winning “Best of Show” in Orange County and Amador with his Petite Sirah, he decided he’d rather just focus on winemaking.

 

Cardenas said that one of his best critics has been Darrell Corti, a friend, neighbor, local wine connoisseur and the owner of East Sacramento’s Corti Brothers grocery store. He would stop by, try the wine, and say, “Better check the acid,” or “What was the pH on this supposed to be?” then pour it out on the grass. Kramer, Cardenas’ mentor, would often do the same. It meant a lot to Cardenas when these guys finally took a sip of his wine and gave a nod of approval. He credits his wife Denise for helping him to improve his wines too, with her refined palate and ability to identify imperfections in the wine.

 

Over the years, he’s experimented with several different varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Syrah, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. These days, he tends to prefer making Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Tempranillo blends. His favorite wines to make are called “Spanish Dos Amigos,” Tempranillo blends made with Tempranillo/Cabernet or Tempranillo/Cab Franc.

 

Although Cardenas’ Tempranillo blends were previously my favorite, I was sipping on some of his 2008 Petite Sirah while I was interviewing him, and I have to say I have a new favorite. The Petite Sirah is bold with berry flavors and a rich, complex taste; I am in love with this wine. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no wine connoisseur, but as with art, when it comes to wine, you like what you like, and in my opinion, this wine is among the best I’ve had.

 

Making wine is a labor-intensive hobby, and nobody can do it alone, so when it is time for picking up grapes, the crush, or bottling, Cardenas has his right hand guys like Wayne Alamo and Jim Truso to help him out. Bottling the wine is the part he enjoys most. When the bottling is done, his wife Denise puts on a big meal, and it’s all about good friends, good food, and, of course, wine. In the end, it’s having the camaraderie and the friends and family to enjoy it with that makes the work all worthwhile.

 

E-mail Jeneka Sanford at jeneka@valcomnews.com.

 

The timeless themes of tradition, love, faith and a world rocked by change come to the theater at C.K. McClatchy High School, as the students open their musical production of “Fiddler on the Roof” this week.

This compelling, hilarious and poignant musical centers on the life of Tevye, a poor dairyman, as he tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of their tight-knit Jewish community of Anatevka. It is a time of changing social mores and growing anti-Semitism in Tsarist Russia, circa 1905. The musical’s universal theme of “tradition” cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion.

Musical theater programs such as the one at C.K. McClatchy bring valuable teaching moments to students, as well as providing great, affordable entertainment to the community at large. Students in the production say that the musical has taught them teamwork, acting skills and a realization that generations and times are not always set in stone – that adapting to new circumstances can be a tremendous struggle.

“‘Fiddler on the Roof’ has made me more aware that all cultures are dynamic, they are changing,” said Malcolm McElheney, a junior who portrays the lead role of Tevye. “In the show, the Jews in Anatevka are very secure in their culture and are not very susceptible to change. We can learn that a change for a better future is a step in a good direction.”

“This play addresses the tug of war between a culture’s traditions and the changing ideals of a new generation,” said Adrianna Gonsalves, a senior who portrays Tevye’s eldest daughter, Tzeitel. “It encourages kids to question the rules of society and decide which ones are well-founded and which ones are out-dated. ‘Fiddler’ is about self-discovery.”

The production is under the direction of Patrick Stratton, who directs the Lion’s Pride Players in the CKM Theatre Arts program at the school. He believes that “Fiddler” is a musical that challenges students to examine themselves and to stretch their talents.

“In order for the actors to truthfully portray these characters under these circumstances, students have to pose ‘as if…’ questions,” Stratton said. “‘What would I do if …,’ ‘how would I react if…,’ and so forth. Using their creative imaginations, combined with script analysis and research, they can inject their own humanity through these characters. In so doing, it would be almost impossible not to examine themselves while trying to find the truth of the characters under these circumstances. It’s pretty much technique and surrendering themselves emotionally to take themselves through these experiences.”

The students have noticed personal growth and the development of important life skills during the process of learning how to put on a professional quality musical.

“I have definitely matured as a performer in the process of doing this show,” McElheney said. “Challenging roles, in my opinion, are what make actors work harder to make their craft more enjoyable to their audience. I have grown as a person because having a lead role hones one’s leadership skills and that is a valuable skill to have.”

“This is one of thirteen shows I’ve been in so far, and it has taught me the importance of cooperation between the cast members and the director and choreographer,” Gonsalves said. “The established relationship of a boss and his workers is similar to that of working in a show, and in this sense it helps me prepare for the real world outside of high school.”

The theater arts program is a vital part of the educational programs available at C.K. McClatchy, and those involved in the program are passionate about the values such a program brings to students and the community at large.

“The arts in general and theater in particular teach commitment, teamwork, play study and analysis, and any number of transferable skills and critical thinking and problem solving,” Stratton said. “As well, of course, acting, singing, dancing, orchestra and other performing skills and work habits. It is a continual process of learning at critical mass.”

“Having a musical theatre program gives actor, dancers and singers (or a combination of the three) a creative outlet that enables each of its members to work hard to produce a final piece that they can be proud of,” McElheney said. “I have been in multiple productions at C.K. McClatchy and they have been all amazing experiences. When I see a fellow actor performing and their face just starts beaming after they’ve finished, you know that something has touched them deeply. Performing arts programs in schools show their value in this form every day.”

Audience members might be surprised to learn that putting on any theater program requires students who are willing to learn skills that are beyond acting: the so-called “Techies.”

“We have several student technicians who will be learning from professionals,” Stratton said. “These include: Lights, Sound, Scenic Painting, Set Construction, Props, Costumes and moving set pieces during performances.”

C.K. McClatchy High’s production of “Fiddler” is produced and directed by Stratton, with musical direction by Chris Congdon, technical direction and set design/construction by Christi Galela, choreography by Heidi McLean, light design by Isaiah Leeper, stage management by Chaunte Singleton, makeup design by Orlando Perez and sound design by Erik Carey.

“Fiddler on the Roof” runs through April 24. C.K. McClatchy High School is located at 3066 Freeport Boulevard in Sacramento. Performances are April 16–17, and April 21–24. Curtain time is at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Special community group nights are: Friday, April 16 (High School Student Night); Saturday, April 17 (Senior Citizen Community Night); and Thursday, April 22 (Jewish Community Night). Tickets are available at the door or can be reserved by visiting www.LpPlayers.com.

 

E-mail Susan Laird at susan@valcomnews.com.

There are several reasons people choose to go vegan. Some are driven to it due to food allergies; others do it to stay away from processed foods; and some just think it’s wrong to use animals as a food source. Thanks to a new vegan cafe in midtown near East Sacramento, there might be many more vegans in our neighborhood.

The Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe opened as a rousing success on March 14 during Second Saturday festivities. Co-owner Khyem Amri said that the line was out the door with folks ready to try all manner of baked goods and other vegan delicacies.

During the nearly two weeks since it opened at 2315 K St. in midtown, business has been good for Amri and his wife Melissa Wilhelm. Together, they hope to bring a taste of something of which Sacramento just doesn’t have much.

The idea, however, did not materialize overnight.

Khyem and Melissa met in a farmer’s market in Brentwood three and a half years ago. Melissa, who is the head chef and baker at the Sugar Plum, was there selling some of her vegan delights. Khyem remembers his initial reaction to seeing Melissa that day.

“I had just gotten out of a relationship, so I tried to ignore what I was feeling when I saw her,” Amri said. “But I couldn’t ignore the fireworks.”

He helped Melissa develop her business, which was a vegan food company called Jivana Vegan. They were a natural fit as far as business went, as Melissa did all the food preparation while Khyem drove the attention-getting portion that got people to stop at their booth. Eventually they went on to sell their products in a much more lucrative Los Angeles farmers’ market where they soon quadrupled their profits.

 

Sugar Plum in Sacramento 

One of the early signs that they might have a chance at starting a restaurant was when one of Melissa’s gluten-free carrot cakes took a silver medal in a culinary competition. Impressive considering it was the only vegan entry. While still in Los Angeles, Melissa became pregnant with the couple’s first child. The business went on hiatus and the two thought about where they wanted to raise their son. Amri, who grew up in Sacramento and graduated from El Camino High School in 1999, suggested moving back up north.

Both have held a number of jobs since the birth of their child, but a fortuitous meeting set in motion what would one day become the Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe.

Melissa spoke at a meeting for the Sacramento Vegetarian Society and was immediately approached by an investor. They found a place in midtown that could accommodate all they needed and six months later, they were moving in.

The two-story Victorian house-turned-business was formerly a restaurant that featured Mediterranean cuisine. A temporary sign hangs above the entrance, making it difficult to know the café is there unless you knew beforehand.

“I think people are finding us pretty well,” Wilhelm said. “We’re working on a permanent sign to put out front.”

Since the opening, there has been little rest for either of them, but both are quick to acknowledge that being too busy is better than not being busy enough.

Moving back up to Sacramento allowed the couple to be close to Amri’s family and they saw it as an ideal place to raise a child. But they also saw it as an opportunity to open up a place in an area brimming with vegans, vegetarians and quality-conscious foodies. In fact, the Sugar Plum is the first vegan bakery in Sacramento.

So far, it looks like the cafe might have found a permanent home.

“There are a lot of excited vegans around Sacramento,” Wilhelm said. “There have been a lot of curious people coming in because they want to try a healthier way to eat.”

Unlike vegetarians, vegans choose not to eat any animal products in food preparation – no milk, cheese or the like. It is a lifestyle choice for a growing number of people who are worried about what they are putting into their bodies.

Wilhelm went over a number of things having to do with veganism and why it may be a good idea for people to consider it as an alternative.

“Everything is fresh and organic,” she said. “There are no preservatives or pesticides, so obviously that is good for your health.”

 

The Menu

While you may notice that everything on display in the front of the store is of the dessert variety, the cafe does have a lunch and dinner menu featuring panini sandwiches, salads and nachos. They also recently featured a Portobello mushroom meatloaf.

The most popular lunch/dinner item is the nachos, according to Wilhelm. It consists of corn chips topped with black beans, olives, vegan meat alternatives, vegan cheese, avocados, salsa and vegan sour cream. A plate of them will cost you $11, but will comfortably serve three.

As far as the dessert menu is concerned, the Sugar Plum has your sweet tooth covered. The cafe features 12 different types of dessert items ranging from cinnamon rolls to cookies, cupcakes and muffins, all made fresh daily.

Also on the menu are a number of gluten-free products for people who have problems digesting it.

The cafe also features a catering service for all kinds of private functions.

 

Visiting the Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe

The Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe is located at 2315 K St. Business hours for the café are Mondays, closed; Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call (916) 706-3302 or visit sugarplumvegan.com. Free wifi Internet access is available.

 

E-mail Benn Hodapp at benn@valcomnews.com.

In the life of a journalist, no day is ever the same and certainly there are those days that are much more unique than the others. And Sunday and Monday, March 14 and 15 was undoubtedly a pair of these more unusual types of days.

Invited to celebrate Ettore’s European Bakery and Restaurant’s 25th anniversary by stepping into the role of a baker for a day, I was intrigued by the idea of receiving a crash course in bakery science from the business’s owner and Swiss native, Ettore Ravazzolo.

And those who question whether creating bakery goods is a science have likely never spent a single day as a baker.

After arriving at Ettore’s at 9 p.m. for my graveyard shift – by far the most common shift for a baker – Ravazzolo gave me a quick tour of the bakery before explaining to me why he refers to baking a science.

“Baking is a science,” said Ravazzolo with his endearing Arnold Schwarzenegger-like accent. “If you do cooking, for example, and you make a sauce and the recipe says a half of cup of tomatoes, a cup of celery, a half of cup of onions or whatever, if you forget the onions, it’s still okay. It maybe doesn’t taste the same, but you don’t have to throw away the sauce. In baking, you have to follow all the steps. If you have 10 steps, every step has to be perfect. Even if you forget one step, the whole product is shot.”

So, talk about pressure going into the first day on the job.

With this science lesson, I was undoubtedly determined to not miss a single baking step.

But as a rookie baker working alongside one of the city’s finest professional bakers, I felt confident that I would fair well.

This confidence was enhanced by the fact that I was presented with a traditional, white baker’s apron that made me look the part of a baker, thus giving me perhaps a false sense of security that in the appropriate baker’s uniform, learning to work in a bakery would suddenly become much easier.

I would soon gain a strong understanding, however, that baking is not only a science, but also an art.

 

A dash of wisdom

My first lesson was learning how to roll dough in a rolling machine – one of the few processes that I would see during my time at the bakery that was not performed by hand.

Having never prepared anything in a kitchen that required about a 5-foot-long by 2-foot-wide strip of dough, I knew that I was in for an interesting experience.

After placing a few ingredients on a counter, Ravazzolo said, “We’re going to make cinnamon rolls.”

He then taught me to brush a light layer of a buttery-like spread on the dough and add the correct amount of ingredients.

Next, I tightly rolled the dough and its contents together to arrive at a product that looked somewhat like a very long burrito prepared to serve a small army. I then cut many 2-inch sections from the main roll and placed them on cooking trays.

This entire act was repeated again, since with Ravazzolo’s assistance, I made both raisin and fresh apple cinnamon rolls.

Among my other training, I learned how to make plain, ham and cheese, and turkey and cream cheese croissants.

I also had the opportunity to participate in an experiment to create a new bakery product – various flavors of bread puddings with different ingredients such as cinnamon rolls, croissants, brioche, chocolate and fresh berries.

Ravazzolo said that creating new products that are enjoyed by his customers is one of the most satisfying parts of his job.

After placing the cinnamon rolls and croissants in proof boxes that combine heat to develop the yeast and moisture so the product does not dry out, we then put them in the oven.

One of my most delightful experiences at the bakery was smelling the wonderful aroma of the freshly-baked and very large cinnamon rolls as they were being glazed.

But even more delightful was tasting the very goods that I took part in creating.

Of course, it is always an important part of the job at a bakery to taste test for quality assurance and since I was new on the job, I figured that it was the right thing to do to volunteer to do the “dirty work.”

 

Visiting Ettore’s

The cinnamon rolls and croissants are certainly worth a trip to Ettore’s, but furthermore it is a good idea to visit the Web site www.ettores.com to preview descriptions of many of the business’s other tasty treats.

Following a long night of baking, I sat down with Ravazzolo to discuss the history of his business and other interesting elements of his life and soon afterward it was 4 a.m., marking the end of my seven-hour shift at the bakery and one of the more interesting and memorable experiences of my career.

 

E-mail Lance Armstrong at lance@valcomnews.com.