On Saturday, April 27, the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library celebrated spring with its second annual spring after-hours celebration. The event was open only to the Friends of the Library. The event featured books, food, wine, art, music and fun.

The following are bios of the local artists and authors who showed their works at the celebration.

Mary Highstreet is a Californian fine artist. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and later attended to college at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.  She graduated in 2009 with a BFA in Art & Design.  Following her graduation, she spent eight months in Los Angeles studying concept design for film under visual development artists and animators currently working in the film industry. Mary has worked in a variety of media and is currently working in oils, acrylics, and digital painting. Her subject matter delves into the deciphering of the human mind, literature, dreams, spirituality, and capturing the sublime.  Her style is primarily illustrative and impressionistic.  Visit www.maryhighstreet.com.

Twenty-three years old, Michael Panush has distinguished himself as a promising young writer. He has published numerous short stories in a variety of e-zines including:  AuroraWolf, Demon Minds, Fantastic Horror, Dark Fire Fiction, Aphelion, Horrorbound, Fantasy Gazetteer, Demonic Tome, Tiny Globule, and Defenestration. He published his first novel, Clark Reeper Tales, for his high school senior project. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz, Michael currently serves as a City Year Corps Member at Rosa Parks Middle School. His books with Curiosity Quills include The Stein and Candle Detective Agency, Volume 1: American Nightmares, Volume 2: Cold Wars, and Volume 3: Red Reunion, all featuring a pair of occult detectives in the 1950s, Dinosaur Jazz– where The Great Gatsby meets Jurassic Park — a story about a Lost World battling against the forces of modernization; and El Mosaico, Volume 1: Scarred Souls and Volume 2: The Road to Hellfire, a Western about a bounty hunter whose body was assembled from the remains of dead Civil War soldiers and brought to life by mad science. Dinosaur Dust and El Mosaico, Volume 3: Hellfire are expected to be released soon. Read excerpts from his work at http://curiosityquills.com/published-authors/michael-panush/ and follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/Michael_Panush

Eighteen-year-old Sierra Brown is a senior at CK McClatchy High School in the Humanities and International Studies Program. She has won numerous awards over the years for her photography, writing, and art. She enjoys traveling and has visited every state in the U.S. (except Hawaii) and has also traveled extensively throughout Europe and the British Isles. Last summer Sierra spent a month in Rwanda, Africa, as part of a cultural and community service program with other McClatchy High School students.Many of photographs were taken during her travels. Sierra will attend UC Berkeley this fall and plans to study integrated biology.

Carol Ng has played the piano since she was 4 years old and has taught piano for more than 28 years.  Her second instrument is the harp, which she has played for more than 19 years and has taught it for eight years. She has been employed as a clinical certified music practitioner at Mercy General Hospital since 2008 where she has brought therapeutic harp music to the patient’s bedside.  Carol is the resident harpist for the Lutheran Church of the Master and an active member of the choir and bell choir.  Carol received her music teaching diploma from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in Hong Kong.  She composes and arranges music for both the harp and piano.  She is a freelance harpist and pianist for weddings and special events.  She has played before large audiences in Hong Kong and intimate settings in Sacramento. During her tenure as a piano and harp instructor, she has intimate musical one on one interaction with her students and has modified her teaching to accommodate their interest and learning abilities.  She has been an active member of the California Associate of Professional Music Teacher Association (CAPMT-MTNA), the Sacramento Capitol Valley Harp Circle, Harper’s Hall and was Vice President of the Association from 2004-2006. She can be reached at 391-2560.

In addition to her work in public relations and communications in Sacramento, Annette Kassis is a historian specializing in the Western United States, particularly the Greater Sacramento region and Northern California. She recently received the Sacramento County Historical Society’s Award of Excellence in Publications for her book, Weinstock’s: Sacramento’s Finest Department Store (The History Press, 2012), an examination of the history, people and innovations of the Sacramento landmark department store that began at 4th and K Streets in 1874. Kassis serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento History Foundation, and her background includes nearly 20 years as co-owner of Sacramento-based advertising and public relations firm K&H Marketing, LLC. Kassis studied journalism and history at Louisiana State University-Shreveport, and continued with graduate studies in United States history at California State University-Sacramento and the University of California-Santa Barbara. She and her husband Rich Kassis live in the Sacramento area.

Ravenous Café owner Wade Sawaya fondly remembers the wonderful dishes his mother made for her family and the love and care she added to make each meal special.
Born in the Azores Islands in Portugal, Sawaya had his first experience in the restaurant business washing dishes at the air base where his father worked as a civilian.
“When I decided to join the Air Force years later, I still had a part-time job waiting tables,” Sawaya says. “I decided to keep on that path.”
Sawaya has been in the restaurant business for over 20 years and is a certified Sommelier. Sawaya worked for the world renowned Broadmoor Hotel and many other fine establishments before buying his own restaurant. He believes what is most important is making sure the diners have a good time. Sawaya is completely dedicated to his business and doesn’t mind working 24/7.
Ravenous chef, Roberto Lainez has been preparing appetizing dishes for close to seven years and Sawaya says he is incredible.
“I can pretty much do what I want here, making my own twist on the food,” Lainez said. “If someone comes into the restaurant and wants something a little different than what is on the menu, I try to remain open to their ideas.”
Lainez is from New York and started his career there. He said he has always enjoyed trying new restaurants to see what other chefs are making and still enjoys going to new places.
Sawaya moved to Sacramento from Boulder Colorado after he bought Ravenous in August 2011. Sawaya likes the fact that Sacramento is in the heart of good wine. He said the Pocket is a great neighborhood and the people are friendly.
“This is your restaurant,” Sawaya says. “It’s Pocket’s fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere and people don’t have to drive too far.”
A specialty offered by Ravenous is the endless mimosas for $10 when ordering an entrée for Sunday brunch. The signature dish at Ravenous is the risotto. There is a different risotto every day in addition to the fish of the day. Arctic Char and Barramundi are a couple of the chef’s favorites. There is a European influence in most of the dishes prepared. Ravenous changes their menu each season to provide the freshest ingredients in their food.
“I love it!” says Karen Waring, a Pocket resident for 22 years. “This place stands up to any restaurant downtown.”
Waring said it’s nice to have a restaurant so close that serves gourmet food. There’s a good wine selection and Waring said it’s also a nice place to just order appetizers and wine with friends.
Ravenous believes in supporting small businesses and buys everything locally. As part of their wine selection, they carry Scribner Bend wines, a local winery from Clarksburg, Bella Bru bakery breads, produce from Produce Express, which are all the local farms with an 80-mile radius and their meats from Preferred Meats out of Oakland.
A native of Sacramento, Skip Lee provides the art on the walls at the restaurant. The art adds warmth.  Sawaya wants people to feel cozy, like they are at home.
“I feel like I’m entertaining folks every night in my dining room,” Sawaya says. “Great music, great food and great wine.”
“Over the years I have learned the importance of beginning with the freshest ingredients, preparing them with care, and serving them with love so that people do not just have a good time at a restaurant, but they felt like they were treated like family.”
Sawaya highly recommend reservations.
Ravenous Café is located at Pocket Road and Greenhaven Drive.
The hours are as follows: Thursday through Sunday dinner 5-9 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 pm., Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday dinner (no lunch) 5 to 9 p.m. (Endless mimosas for $10 with purchase of entrée).
Ravenous is closed Mondays. The restaurant will serve a five-course prefix menu on New Year’s Eve for $75 per person. Reservations are required. Visit  http://www.ravenouscafe.com/ or call 399-9309 for details.

Everyone can participate in Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' annual Turkey Drive! Photo courtesy Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.

‘Tis the season for turkey, carolers, gingerbread men, friends and family – and giving back.
“For a lot of people part of their holiday tradition is the giving back and the instilling the spirit of service in their children and we love it,” says Nicole Elton, marketing and communications officer for Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada. “It’s such a wonderful jump-off point – we’ve had so many volunteers who have come back to us year after year.”
“It’s the most popular time of year when people want to volunteer,” adds Frank Kennedy, executive director of the Volunteer Center of Sacramento. “It’s the holiday season and people want to help people less fortunate than them.”
Whether you want to give of your time or money, there are lots of ways you can help out those in need this holiday season right here in your own community. Here’s a look at just a few!

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
You can start giving through the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) Turkey Drive, to be held Friday, November 16, at 3333 Third Avenue (corner of 3rd Avenue and 33rd Street in Oak Park). According to Communications Director Kelly Siefkin, donations of fresh and frozen turkeys will be accepted from 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., which are then distributed to those in need the following Monday.
“It’s so great – we have moms driving vans full of kids and after soccer practice they all go in and buy some turkeys, bring them down, and all the kids unload and drop off the turkeys,” Siefkin says. “That may be the easiest way a family can start their holiday giving.”
Then on Thanksgiving Day, families can get involved in the annual Run to Feed the Hungry. “That’s a really good community thing to do with your entire family – it’s truly become a holiday tradition for so many area families,” Siefkin says. Both participants and volunteers are needed for the race, however, Siefkin says the minimum age to volunteer at the Race is 18, and the minimum age to volunteer on Nov. 8 and 9 for race preparation is 16. Editor’s note: For more information on the Run to Feed the Hungry, see page 16.

Volunteers at last year's Family & Teen Volunteer program through the Volunteer Center of Sacramento get ready to decorate the Adopt-A-Family gift distribution center. Photo courtesy Volunteer Center of Sacramento.

And on the Teen Service Day on December 10, teens ages 12-17 can help sort and organize clothing donations for SFBFS’ Clothing Program. Siefkin says this is a great way for teens to spend time together, but also serve the community. “They really enjoy spending that time here and making an impact in our community,” she adds. Siefkin says volunteers ages 12-15 need to have a parent on-site during the event, and volunteers ages 16-17 can volunteer on their own with a parent’s signature.

For more information:
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
Oak Park – Main Campus
3333 Third Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 456-1980
www.sacramentofoodbank.org

Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada
Part of Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada’s giving opportunities includes a number of drives community members can donate to. For example, from now until Nov. 18 they will hold a Turkey and Turkey Dinner Food Drive for the clients living in their programs, says Elton. That includes donations of fresh or frozen turkeys and ingredients needed for a holiday meal, such as stuffing and mashed potatoes.
Following, VOA will be holding both a Hats, Gloves, and Scarves Drive to provide warm clothing for those living in its shelters, as well as a Stocking Drive. “We’re asking people to purchase a stocking and stuff it full of a variety of things that would make life a lot easier and more pleasant for the men, women, children, and youth in our program, things like pens and pencils, lip balm, flashlights, batteries, and a gift card so people who have specific needs can go and get those needs fulfilled,” Elton explains.
VOA is also looking for families or groups to come and throw a holiday party for its various shelters. “It’s the time of year when people are used to going and doing the family holiday parties, so this is a fun opportunity where a family can plan and host an entire party,” Elton says. “We’d love for a family or group of families to come together, work with our volunteer coordinator, and plan just a fun holiday event.”
In addition to giving, there’s volunteer opportunities as well. Elton says in December VOA will hold Wrap-Up Parties where families can come and help wrap gifts and stuff stockings for the children, adults and youth living in their shelters.

There's lots of ways to give back this holiday season through Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada. Photo courtesy Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada.

For more information:
Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada
Point West Plaza
1900 Point West Way, Suite 270
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 442-3691
www.voa-sac.org

Volunteer Center of Sacramento
The Volunteer Center of Sacramento (VCS) offers monthly Family & Teen Volunteering opportunities for kids ages 0-17. Kennedy says VCS developed this series after realizing it was difficult for youth to become involved in the community, since there can be liability issues or training involved. The monthly events are normally held on a Saturday for about three to four hours. “It’s basically a great way for people and families to show up and volunteer – there’s not a lot of prep work, not a lot of training that needs to go on,” he explains. “It allows everybody an opportunity to get involved in the community.”
On Saturday, Nov. 17, families and teens can volunteer at Harvest Sacramento, which Kennedy says is a program of Soil Born Farms that goes into parts of the community that have unharvested fruit trees or vegetable gardens. Once the food is harvested, it’s then distributed to families in need.
On Saturday, Dec. 8, the Family & Teen Volunteer opportunity will focus on VCS’ annual Adopt-A-Family program, which provides food and gifts for local, low-income families during the holiday season. On this day, Kennedy says volunteers will work on organizing and decorating the gift distribution center.
Kennedy says they are also looking for those that would like to adopt a family in need this year. “This year our goal is to get 500 families and 75 foster youth adopted, so we have a big chore ahead of us,” he says. Community members can visit www.adoptafamilysac.org for more information on the program and to select a family to adopt.
And for youth and families that want to volunteer all year round, they can search for volunteer opportunities just for youth 18 and under on VCS’ website, www.volunteersac.org. Additionally, Kennedy says on the site families can download the Youth Volunteer Directory, which lists nonprofits that accept youth, as well as a “how to” volunteer guide for parents and teachers.
For more information:
Volunteer Center of Sacramento
1300 Ethan Way, Ste. 600
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-567-3100
www.volunteersac.org
www.adoptafamilysac.org

Socks for Seniors
Socks for Seniors is an annual community service project where new socks are collected to be distributed to elderly in local area nursing homes around the holidays.
The program began Oct. 27 and runs thru Christmas. Community members can help by hosting a Sock Drive. Additionally, local area coordinators near Sacramento are needed to help with collecting socks this year.

For more information and to register, visit www.socksforseniors.com/register.html.

Francis High School students pack up 131,216 food items for Foodlink and Elk Grove Food Bank / Photos courtesy of St. Francis High School

Sacramento Emergency Foodlink and the Elk Grove Food Bank got a big boost from the St. Francis High School student body, which collected 131,216 cans and packages of nonperishable food items, breaking last year’s food drive record by 30,000 items.

Each fall St. Francis High School’s Homecoming festivities involve numerous activities designed to build class spirit and unity, from pseudo-sports competitions to creating elaborate, theme-based decorations, skits, dances, songs and cheers. The annual Food Drive is part of the competition among the classes and serves as an amazing display of the power of young women to optimize their resources and serve their community.

St. Francis High School students in the gym, displaying a portion of the 131,216 good items collected for Foodlink and Elk Grove Food Bank / Photos courtesy of St. Francis High School

Family connections in the food industry, grocery store requests and going door to door in their neighborhoods helped St. Francis students gather the extraordinary quantity of food, which included 1,008 ounces of baby formula, 17,328 cans of food from Raley’s, 9,952 cans of fruits and vegetables, and 77,000 boxes of Mac and Cheese.

The main beneficiary of the food drive, Sacramento Emergency Foodlink, serves over 150 local agencies and food closets throughout the Sacramento community. Thirty percent of the food collected will be donated directly to the Elk Grove Food Bank.

St. Francis High School students also raised money through recycling, bake sales and a portion of sales from Leatherby’s Family Creamery to raise $2,441 for Catholic Charities of Sacramento, Inc., an agency that provides a wide variety of social services to people and families in need throughout the 20 counties of the Diocese of Sacramento.

Editor’s note: Students from JFK High School traveled to Sacramento’s Sister City Jinan, China over the summer to learn about Chinese culture. Here are some first-hand accounts of their time.

Students from JFK High School traveled to Sacramento’s Sister City Jinan, China over the summer to learn about Chinese culture. These are photos from their trip. / Photos by Deion Sugianto

Daniel Li (JFK Senior): I had a very unique opportunity of traveling across the world to Sacramento’s Sister City Jinan as a youth ambassador. It was inspiring to me because I was enlightened by this extraordinary culture. I am very gratified for the opportunity that the Jinan-Sacramento Sister Cities Corporation provided me, this opportunity allowed me to experience China’s educational system and culture first hand.

Spending time with my host family allowed me to experience the authentic Chinese culture. They brought me to several different places so that I would have a solid understanding of Chinese history and culture. It was completely different from what I had learned in the classroom. All the textbooks and class time could never amount to how much I learned from actually being therein the ancient streets of China, or Wutongs. Although it was quite embarrassing, it was a great experience keeping a conversation with my host family going with the Chinese I learned from my teacher Mrs. Hatamiya. I learned so much even in the simplest conversations with my host family because I had to actively listen and form a response with my broken Chinese. The trip was filled with fun and learning.

China changed me as a human being.  I definitely recommend all students to at least give Chinese level 1 a shot because Mrs. Hatamiya is the best teacher ever. Without her, I wouldn’t have gotten the scholarship to go on this trip that changed my life forever.

Ariel Heim (JFK Sophomore): The trip to China was a very good overall experience. The food was great; the best food I tasted while staying there were the dumplings and dough balls. The cultural aspect of it was also unforgettable, for example the Great Wall of China was very fun to climb although it was extremely hot. Now I can tell my friends and family that I climbed part of the Great Wall of China and show them my t-shirt. The Forbidden City was also an amazing experience. I even got to walk on the bridge that was originally made only for royal people. The Jade Museum was fun too, I got so much stuff for my family that was made out of jade and it was by far the best experience. I also visited community sites. I had a chance to visit the park, which was very big with a lot going on. It had great games and a huge monument that was beautiful. I also had the chance to visit the Zoo, I got to see animals that you wouldn’t normally see here and I also had the opportunity to feed bears which was so much different. The zoo even had water rides and a Ferris wheel. I had the fortune opportunity to see the whole park from the top of the Ferris wheel and it was a jaw-dropping sight. Lastly, the shopping was something to die for. The malls were very expensive but fortunately, we were able to go into underground market that had stores with amazing prices. I brought back a handful of good from China for a memory. This was one of the eye-opening experiences in my life; I was able to see a whole different culture through this trip.

Hey you, what’s on your plate?
“Really good chicken fajitas, salad, strawberries,” said Allie Stewart, freshman at CK McClatchy High School bright and early on Thursday, Sept. 20.

You’d think she got her meal from off campus at a nearby restaurant, but no, she was one of many other students who taste-tested food off the school’s new cafeteria menu, which included freshly picked produce from local farmers.  The food served at McClatchy is representative of the new meals being served at schools across the district.

The quad was set up before school even began with cafeteria workers grilling up meat and warming corn tortillas, as students and invited community members ate and listened to brief speeches by their principal Peter Lambert, Sacramento City Unified School District Trustee Patrick Kennedy, and Christine Tien, Program Manager for The California Endowment.

While this is the first time the food program has been reformed in 30 years, Kennedy said just three years ago, a group of educators were at a farm with chickens running around. He said at that moment, they decided to focus on a goal to deliver more sustainable, local foods to district schools.

“What you see here today is the culmination of that dream,” he said.

Besides the warm tacos, students got fill their plates with produce from two salad bars: one dedicated to veggies and the other to fruit.

“Tell your friends. The food’s better here now. We don’t need open campuses anymore because we want to stay on campus. We have grill stations. We’ve got good food. It’s not only better for you, it’s better tasting,” he said.

The district’s focus on improving the food at its schools began in 2010 with the formation of the Healthy Foods Task Force, which has already, according to a press release: added fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms, expanded “from scratch” style entree items and involved students in taste-testing menu items.

The SCUSD cafeteria menu was revised to adhere to new federal guidelines for school lunches as part of the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was signed into law in December 2010, according to a press release. The new guidelines were developed by nutrition experts at the Institute of Medicine and the United States Department of Agriculture. The guidelines must be followed by all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

The new guidelines include:
-Increased produce options, ensuring that students receive both fruits and vegetables every day of the week
-A ban on unhealthy trans fats
-Portion size guidelines and calorie limits based on the age of children served
-Increased emphasis on whole grain products
-Limits on the types of milk served, with an emphasis on low fat (1 percent) and non-fat varieties
-Reductions in sodium levels to be phased in over several years.

editor@valcomnews.com

Members of the community gathered on the weekend of August 11 and 12 to enjoy wonderful food, Taiko drum groups, dance performances, and demonstrations to further acquaint the community with Japanese culture and heritage. Hundreds turned out for the 66th Annual Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar at The Buddhist Church of Sacramento, 2401 Riverside Boulevard. More than 750 church members volunteered to bring this event to the community.

How many times have you walked past a home garden overflowing with ripe fruits, luscious berries and leafy vegetables, wishing you could sink your teeth into just about everything?
Soroptimist International of Sacramento, Inc. (SIS) is giving you the chance with the 2nd annual Edible Gardens Tour. The tour will take visitors through six different edible gardens in East Sacramento.

Get growing
Susann Hadler, who has lived in East Sacramento for more than 30 years and chairs the Fund Development Committee and Edible Gardens Tour for SIS, said an edible garden is balanced landscape that combines edible plants, such as fruits and vegetables, with purely ornamental plants.
“You’re incorporating plants that you can actually eat into your landscaping,” she said.
For example, one of the gardens on this year’s tour is the home garden of interior designer Amanda Fossum.
Fossum was inspired by the Edible Gardens Tour last year to not only do more with her garden, but also become part of the tour this year.
“I thought if we could show what we’ve done in just two years of owning our house, it would encourage other people to start their own gardens or even be on the tour themselves next year,” Fossum said.
Fossum’s garden includes a covered patio, fire pit and raised beds made from recycled cedar and redwood. It also extends from the backyard to the front.
For the second year of their garden, Fossum said she and her husband decided to “double down” and plant as much as they can. The garden’s bounty includes four different fruit trees, zucchini squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, two different varieties of tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, peppers and cucumbers.
Another garden on the tour this year will feature what Hadler called a “sustainable English cottage garden.”
Hadler said the home itself looks like an English cottage with gardens in both the front and backyards featuring sunflowers, artichokes, tomatoes, beans, strawberries and blueberries. And then there’s a more whimsical garden that features a two-story chicken coop and raised beds for growing vegetables and herbs.
Also on the tour for 2012 is the Science Alive garden at Theodore Judah Elementary School, which features edible gardens, native plant gardens and a butterfly pavilion.
“What they have done is amazing – they’ve really taken science out of the classroom and put it in what you could call a living laboratory,” Hadler said. “They’re excited about being one of the featured (gardens).”

Coming up green
Although edible gardens are the focus of this event, the main purpose is for SIS to raise money for its philanthropic endeavors. SIS is a service club for professional business women whose mission is to improve the lives of women and children.
Last year, Hadler said their first-ever Edible Gardens Tour saw about 600 attendees and raised almost $10,000 for the Guardian Scholars Program at California State University Sacramento.
The program provides a campus-based program to support current and former foster youth successfully complete a college degree. The funds raised also went toward scholarships SIS gives out each year to high school and college students.
This year, funds raised through the Edible Gardens Tour will again go toward scholarships, as well as two main charities, Hadler said.
The first is the Children’s Receiving Home Independent Living Program for Foster Youth, which Hadler said focuses on helping foster youth become independent members of the community once they become young adults.
“There are programs that they go through that guide them on such things as renting an apartment, how to go to the DMV to get your driver’s license, and how to make sure you’re getting the right cell phone contract,” Hadler said.
The second charity is the Lilliput Children’s Services Emergency Kinnect Program.
Hadler said this program provides clothing, toys, formula and diapers to children to have been removed from a home due to an emergency situation until they can be placed in a stable environment.
Fossum said she is proud to be a part of this year’s Edible Gardens Tour to help support SIS in its fundraising efforts for others, and she benefits as well.
“I’m considering opening my own small business right now, so in terms of having other women in the community as a support network, I think it’s a great organization,” she said.

corrie@valcomnews.com

Anniversary gala dinner In celebration of Taylors’ 50 years in Land Park, an anniversary gala dinner will be held at Taylor’s Kitchen on Sunday, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. The event is a benefit for the Sacramento Children’s Home. For additional information regarding Taylor’s Market and its anniversary dinner, call (916) 443-6881 or visit www.taylorsmarket.com. The telephone number for Taylor’s Kitchen is (916) 443-5154.

Land Park’s cherished specialty grocery store, Taylor’s Market, is celebrating a very special anniversary.
It was 50 years ago this August that the business opened at 2900 Freeport Blvd.

Land Park roots
The roots of the store predate its Land Park location, as original owner Roy Taylor had previously operated Roy Taylor’s Market at 3101 33rd St. at 6th Avenue in Oak Park.
At that address, the Lynn & O’Neil grocery store began operating at the site in 1911 and was replaced at the same location by Roy Taylor’s Market in the late 1940s.
Taylor, who resided with his wife Bernice at 893 Perkins Way in Land Park, relocated his Oak Park business to Land Park in 1962, and shortened the store’s name to Taylor’s Market.
The store’s present Freeport Boulevard building had become available following the closure of a Safeway grocery store that had opened at the site in 1940.
In establishing this now-classic Land Park business, Roy Taylor leased part of the building to Ed Schell for the operation of his market, Bird & Schell Meats.
This lease was arranged upon a simple handshake.

Grand opening
The grand opening of Taylor’s Market in Land Park was held on Aug. 11, 1962.
With the opening of the Freeport Boulevard market, some of Taylor’s former Oak Park customers traveled to shop at his Land Park store.
Since its inception, the popularity of this neighborhood store has continued to increase.
And in a world where a person often passes through a business as just another face in the crowd, Taylor’s Market remains as a sort of time capsule where people are continuously referred to by name by Taylor’s ownership and staff.
In 1987, Taylor decided to retire and he negotiated a sale price for the business with Schell.
Soon afterward, Taylor sold his market to Ed Schell, Ed’s son, Kevin Schell, and Dan Johnson, who had worked at the store since 1983.
Following this transfer of ownership, the market was remodeled and upgrades were made to its grocery offerings.

A new store
Initially, Kevin operated the grocery side of the store and Dan ran the meat department.
Ed Schell, 87, has continued to work in his trade as a meat cutter, despite attempting to retire from the meat department at Taylor’s in 1996. He can still be seen working at the market for about five hours every Saturday, beginning around 6 a.m.
“As long as I feel good and they want me, and I can do some good, I’ll be here,” Ed Schnell said.
Ed’s wife, Colleen, who worked at the Land Park store as a bookkeeper, was able to make a full departure with her retirement from the market in 1996.
Altogether, Ed, who resides with Colleen in the Pocket area, has been working in the grocery and meat business for more than six decades.
And most importantly, this work is a labor of love for Ed. He can often be seen with a smile on his face as he socializes with customers and works with some butchers who are less than half his age.

Transfer of ownership
In 2007, Ed and Kevin Schnell sold their interests in Taylor’s Market to Dan and his wife, Kathleen.
One of the most recent major additions at Taylor’s Market is its on-site Taylor’s Kitchen, which is a restaurant featuring a seasonal menu, wines and desserts.
Certainly, it is not difficult to locate people to speak endearingly about Taylor’s Market, whether they are connected with the store as employees or as customers.
Ed, for instance, is quick to acknowledge Taylor’s current anniversary in Land Park and the presence of many loyal customers at the store.
“I think it’s a big achievement to be in business for that long and every year seems to get better,” he said. “And it’s nice to see the people year after year after year who have been loyal customers and to watch their families grow up.”
Pocket area resident Jessica Reed, a cashier at Taylor’s for the past three years, describes the store as a “home away from home where everybody knows your name.”
And when it comes to Taylor’s offerings, Reed is quite knowledgeable.
“We are a specialty market and we have an amazing selection of wines and beer, and we do carry the infamous Pliny the Elder, which is a very supple, cult-following beer,” Reed said. “We have great, fresh local produce. We have a big emphasis on local, sustainable products. We have (some) nice organic things and the best meat in Sacramento that you can buy, hands down. The best meat, the best seafood. We’re proud of what we sell here and we stand behind what we sell.”

Happy customers
Sacramento resident Manny Mulé said he likes shopping at Taylor’s Market.
“It’s very simple,” Mulé said. “I do weight training, so I usual cook my meals on Saturdays for the week and it’s probably the only place where I can find produce that will last that long. (The produce) is very fresh. Everything is all local. The butcher shop is really good at taking care of you. (Taylor’s is) really good at (selecting) local produce, local, grass-fed, healthy cows. That’s why I come here. And the price is right.”
Autumn Lumibao, who recently moved to Sacramento from San Antonio, Tex. to attend the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, said that the existence of Taylor’s Market in Land Park was influential in her decision to become a resident of the area.
“(Taylor’s Market) is a big draw for me,” Lumibao said. “Between the two – this little shopping area and the light rail – it’s the perfect location. I like (Taylor’s). It seems like they have taken the time to pick their items carefully. There’s a wine selection with (wines) that I have never even seen, so that’s pretty cool. I noticed that (with) their meat selection, they are trying really hard to be more conscious of how their meat is produced. That’s admirable to me.”
Alice Schnaidt, a 36-year resident of the Land Park area, was also quick to compliment Taylor’s Market.
“Growing up in New York and having Zabar’s, this is almost like having Zabar’s (in Land Park), as far as the customer service, the gourmet food options and the specialty food items,” Schnaidt said. “The customer service is superb, and you go in there and you know that you are going to get quality (food). If you want quality, that’s where you go here. And if you want something special, they’re willing to work with you to see if they can get it for you.”
Schnaidt, who shops at Taylor’s at least once a week, added that she believes that Taylor’s longtime operation in Land Park is “a testament to their business model.”
“They knew what they had to do to stay open and solvent and they do that,” Schnaidt said. “Happy birthday, Taylor’s, and here’s to 50 more years.”

Lance@valcomnews.com

Earlier this year, Land Park resident Whitney Roberts decided to put up a Facebook page devoted to Sacramento Whole Foods fans who would like to see a store in the planned project area of Curtis Park Village.
“We are a neighborhood of people who value healthy eating options, and we’re willing to pay for them,” Roberts said. “We are using social media because people are too busy to go into the stores and fill out comment cards. It’s much easier to click a button and know that you’re heard.”
The proposed project is at the abandoned Western Pacific rail yards off of Sutterville Road, behind Sacramento City College via a traffic roundabout at Donner Way and 24th Street.
The property is owned by Paul Petrovich of Petrovich Development Company, Sacramento’s largest retail developer.
While Whole Foods has made no formal announcement that it plans on moving into the area, Roberts says the high-end, natural foods retailer at Curtis Park Village would be an ideal fit.
“It’s centrally located, easily accessible from two freeways, near a college campus, nestled in an affluent neighborhood and nowhere near another one of their locations,” she said.
In the last few months, the “Bring Whole Foods to Land Park” Facebook page has collected nearly 300 “likes” from people stating that they “strongly want a Whole Foods Market.”
Even some city leaders are using their own social media profiles to support the cause.
“It’s a great area,” said Joseph Devlin, spokesman for District 5 Councilman Jay Schenirer. “Who wouldn’t want to move in to Curtis Park Village? Whole Foods would be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.”
District 4 Councilman Rob Fong was one of the first city leaders to post his support on Facebook. He was also one of the “yes” votes for Curtis Park Village, a mixed-use urban infill project with retail spaces and housing.
“Councilman Fong believes the vision put forward by Petrovich Development will add many amenities and residential options to Curtis Park and other surrounding neighborhoods,” said Lisa Nava, spokeswoman for Fong. “Whole Foods would be a wonderful addition.”
The question that remains is whether Whole Foods is right for an area that is already served by two similar markets offering high-end, organic products — Taylor’s Market, which is celebrating 50 years of doing business in Land Park, and newcomer Sunflower Farmers Market in South Land Park.
“Whole Foods, as far as I’m concerned, is a high-end grocery store,” said Curtis Park resident Robert Palmatier. “If you bring a Whole Foods Market here to Curtis Park, it’s like placing a Super Wal-Mart smack in the middle of a small hometown with mom-and-pop stores. It’ll take everything away.”
Courtney Clendenin disagrees. She and her sister Jaime Silva own The Sandwich Spot on 18th Street in Land Park, just a couple of blocks from the proposed area.
“We’ve just celebrated our third year at this location and we welcome the new business and new customers that Whole Foods would bring,” Clendenin said.
Terri Shettle, Executive Director of the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, declined to comment only to say, “We have not taken a position on the issue regarding bringing a Whole Foods Market to the area.”
Whole Foods Market announces new store openings with its quarterly financial earnings and, for now, has not announced plans for Curtis Park. The next Sacramento-area Whole Foods is set to open in October in Davis.
“Whole Foods Market appreciates the interest and excitement that our current and potential customers have around a store in the Curtis/Land Park area,” said Jennifer Marples, Whole Foods Market spokeswoman.
Whole Foods Market currently has locations at 4315 Arden Way in Sacramento, 1001 Galleria Blvd. in Roseville and 270 Palladio Drive in Folsom.
Trace L. Johnson, Vice President of Leasing for Patrivoch Development Company, did not return phone calls seeking comment about the latest developments on Curtis Park Village as of press time.

elizabeth@valcomnews.com