Suzanne Lo Coco was making pizza with her father Giovanni when she asked a simple question.
“How do you know when to do this, when to do that, when to add this and when to add that?”
The answer opened a philosophical discourse into the countless ways food preparation brings meaning to our lives.
Many beer-focused places around town concentrate on the suds and keep the kitchen out of sight. But some beer joints work hard to highlight their food.
David Sobon has overseen the creation of more than 200 local murals with Wide Open Walls, a nonprofit art organization he founded in 2017. His new passion is creating murals for local schools in underserved neighborhoods.
Murals bring social, cultural and economic benefits. They build a sense of community and offer accessibility to art and creative expression without the cost barriers of museums and galleries.
“Outdoor murals have a proven track record to be a fairly inexpensive way to enhance the image of cities,” Sobon says.
Our city’s murals have been featured in widespread media. The cover of Parade magazine recognized one as best in the state.
California has an estimated 31 million registered motor vehicles, nearly twice as many as Texas, the next closest state. All those cars make the work of Mellissa Meng and her colleagues at North Natomas Jibe vital.
North Natomas Jibe is a nonprofit devoted to making it easier for people to walk, bike and use public transportation. Meng is executive director.
Kids on Foy Reynolds’ YMCA basketball teams learn more than sports skills. They learn life lessons.
“I coach by the Y’s core values: respect, responsibility, caring and honesty,” Reynolds says. “I start getting kids in second grade all the way through seventh, which is an important time in their life. They play hard and they win, but they earn it because they work hard. I bring out the best in a person. That’s my job.”
Christopher Fairman is a walking advertisement for a well-run restaurant. Having been a manager at The Shack and Magpie, he knows how to work with good people who run good businesses and make good food.
When he told me he was going manage a new, buzzy Italian place in Midtown, I couldn’t wait to try it.
The restaurant is Pazza Notte—Crazy Night in Italian—at 18th and L streets. It’s fun, irreverent and inviting.
Black and white photographs line the walls, portraying celebrities and models, cars and kittens. The vibe is old country and new world.
