Inside Sacramento

10/31/2025

Happy Spooky Halloween 🎃🐈‍⬛

10/31/2025

Dense Thinking
State makes transit-centric housing a priority
It doesn’t happen often in politics, but sometimes we get the right outcome despite long odds and low expectations. Senate Bill 79, which encourages high-density housing near major transit hubs in Sacramento and other California cities, is a prime example.

In an interview with Inside, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), sponsor of several impactful housing bills in recent years, admits he was lukewarm about SB 79 earlier this year.

“We have done a lot of different housing work over the years, and it’s been fantastic,” Wiener says. “But the idea of rezoning around transit is a very tough one politically because so many cities have zoned for single-family homes around the highest quality transit. And that’s just not sustainable for housing or for these (transit) systems.”

Wiener sponsored a more sweeping transit-oriented development bill in 2018, but it died in committee. A second bill failed after criticism from local governments that resent the state overriding local zoning decisions.

When Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY, a pro-housing group that aligns with Wiener, invited the senator to try again, Wiener hesitated before moving forward.

“I was apprehensive at first because it was so intense last time,” he says.

This year’s bill was amended more than a dozen times. Wiener narrowed its scope to apply only to urban areas. He staggered the effective date for different locations, depending on local planning cycles. The bill passed on bipartisan votes during the session’s final hours.

“This bill cleared every legislative threshold by the bare minimum number of votes,” Hanlon tells me. “It was never easy but the temperature had been turned down somewhat from the prior attempts and it’s a new Legislature.”

The bill establishes tiered zoning standards that allow six- to nine-story buildings in areas closest to major transit stops, with lower density housing for areas farther away. SB 79 also lets transit agencies develop land they own, a potential revenue source.

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“You won’t see a building boom take effect immediately,” Hanlon says. “But over the next 10 years or so this will have a major impact.”

In a statement after the final vote, Wiener said: “Building more homes in our most sustainable locations is the key to tackling the affordability crisis and locking in California’s success for many years to come. Decades of overly restrictive policies have driven housing costs to astronomical levels, forcing millions of people away from jobs and transit and into long commutes from the suburbs.

“Many are being forced out of the state entirely. It has been a long road to tackling these decades-old problems, but today’s vote is a dramatic step forward to undo these decades of harm, reduce our most severe costs, and slash traffic congestion and air pollution in our state.”

With millions of tax dollars invested in public transit, it makes sense to have more housing near transit hubs so people can get around without a car.

As a bonus, SB 79 provides a civics lesson for anyone frustrated with the slow pace of political progress.

“When I talk to younger people about their frustrations with the political system,” Wiener says, “they are sort of very clear-eyed about what changes need to happen to make things better, but they get really frustrated when it keeps not happening. And what I say to them is the secret to success in politics is to build a strong and durable movement and be willing to fall on your face and then just get right back up again.

“You might feel like you’re banging your head against the wall, but if you keep banging your head against the wall long enough, eventually you will break through the wall.”

Written By Gary Delsohn

Gary Delsohn can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .

10/31/2025

Flame On
Old pub makes elegant new statement on L Street
In place of an Irish pub, a sophisticated Mediterranean restaurant has emerged. Field-N-Flame Midtown, open since March, took over de Vere’s Irish Pub with an extensive remodel. What had been a convivial, rustic spot is now an elegant, cosmopolitan dining room.

The 1500 block of L Street has seen significant turnover since the pandemic. The block was once known for pubby good times, drinking at de Vere’s or the Public House, noshing pub grub and catching whatever game was on TV. Now the stretch is home to impressive dining.

David English’s delightful Juju, a cocktail bar and small bite room, holds down the block’s west end. An upscale taqueria is moving into the old Public House at 16th Street. Field-N-Flame shores up the middle.

A former party block is now more professional, cultured and better suited to clientele coming and going to Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center or the adjacent convention halls.

Drawing on a Mediterranean menu, with emphasis on Turkey, Greece and the Levant, Field-N-Flame brings impressive flavor and beautiful plating to a familiar cuisine.

The interior is anything but familiar. Reimagining the former pub, the Field-N-Flame team took a cozy drinking space, heavy with dark woods and frosted glass, and turned it into something swanky.

High ceilings make the space feel limitless. A mural of Cybele, Anatolian mother goddess, blends ancient Greek traditions with socialist realism to stunning effect. It takes up nearly one entire wall and catches the attention of passersby.

Field-N-Flame’s bar, with a dizzying range of potables, brings together big city intensity with communal capacity. Wines from around the world—from Italy and Spain to California—fill a solid wine list. The 20-foot-tall liquor cabinet holds enough spirits to confuse a mixologist. And an impressive lineup of mostly local beers creates an enjoyable spot to hang.

The menu is a fun exploration of Mediterranean cuisine with local California touches. A small plate of skewered octopus is a treat served over a spinach and zucchini cream and finished with a drizzle with chili oil. The octopus, treated with care by the kitchen, is tender with just enough char to let you know that fire was involved.

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Another treat that makes me happy is grilled halloumi cheese. The springy, dense cheese stands up to the grill without melting. When served marinated in orange atop a salad of peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers, it’s hard to beat.

Of the mains, many lead toward Italy. The whole grilled branzino, served with arugula salad and charred lemons, feels like you’re dining on the banks of the Adriatic. Shed your fear of fish bones and skin and dig in. If you can’t smell branzino on your fingers the next day, you’re not doing it right.

Evocative in the Mediterranean category is the half rack of lamb cooked to order and served with Bulgar rice, chard tomatoes and a smoky eggplant purée. This is not California cuisine. It’s Mediterranean splendor.

Field-N-Flame continues to evolve. Lunch is coming into focus. Events such as Thursday night jazz and Sunday football specials extend the vibe beyond upscale dining. I’m excited to see what comes next.

Field-N-Flame Midtown is at 1521 L St.; fieldnflame.com; (916) 497-8911.

Story By Greg Sabin
Photography By Linda Smolek

Greg Sabin can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .

10/30/2025

Flame On
Old pub makes elegant new statement on L Street
In place of an Irish pub, a sophisticated Mediterranean restaurant has emerged. Field-n-Flame Midtown, open since March, took over de Vere’s Irish Pub with an extensive remodel. What had been a convivial, rustic spot is now an elegant, cosmopolitan dining room.

The 1500 block of L Street has seen significant turnover since the pandemic. The block was once known for pubby good times, drinking at de Vere’s or the Public House, noshing pub grub and catching whatever game was on TV. Now the stretch is home to impressive dining.

David English’s delightful Juju, a cocktail bar and small bite room, holds down the block’s west end. An upscale taqueria is moving into the old Public House at 16th Street. Field-N-Flame shores up the middle.

A former party block is now more professional, cultured and better suited to clientele coming and going to Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center or the adjacent convention halls.

Drawing on a Mediterranean menu, with emphasis on Turkey, Greece and the Levant, Field-N-Flame brings impressive flavor and beautiful plating to a familiar cuisine.

The interior is anything but familiar. Reimagining the former pub, the Field-N-Flame team took a cozy drinking space, heavy with dark woods and frosted glass, and turned it into something swanky.

High ceilings make the space feel limitless. A mural of Cybele, Anatolian mother goddess, blends ancient Greek traditions with socialist realism to stunning effect. It takes up nearly one entire wall and catches the attention of passersby.

Field-N-Flame’s bar, with a dizzying range of potables, brings together big city intensity with communal capacity. Wines from around the world—from Italy and Spain to California—fill a solid wine list. The 20-foot-tall liquor cabinet holds enough spirits to confuse a mixologist. And an impressive lineup of mostly local beers creates an enjoyable spot to hang.

The menu is a fun exploration of Mediterranean cuisine with local California touches. A small plate of skewered octopus is a treat served over a spinach and zucchini cream and finished with a drizzle with chili oil. The octopus, treated with care by the kitchen, is tender with just enough char to let you know that fire was involved.

This post has been sponsored by:

Another treat that makes me happy is grilled halloumi cheese. The springy, dense cheese stands up to the grill without melting. When served marinated in orange atop a salad of peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers, it’s hard to beat.

Of the mains, many lead toward Italy. The whole grilled branzino, served with arugula salad and charred lemons, feels like you’re dining on the banks of the Adriatic. Shed your fear of fish bones and skin and dig in. If you can’t smell branzino on your fingers the next day, you’re not doing it right.

Evocative in the Mediterranean category is the half rack of lamb cooked to order and served with Bulgar rice, chard tomatoes and a smoky eggplant purée. This is not California cuisine. It’s Mediterranean splendor.

Field-N-Flame continues to evolve. Lunch is coming into focus. Events such as Thursday night jazz and Sunday football specials extend the vibe beyond upscale dining. I’m excited to see what comes next.

Field-N-Flame Midtown is at 1521 L St.; fieldnflame.com; (916) 497-8911.

Written By Greg Sabin
Photography By Linda Smolek

Greg Sabin can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .

10/29/2025

READERS Near & Far

Dane and Daren Andrus at the Douro River in Porto, Portugal.

Take Inside Sacramento with you on your next tri!! Then snap a photo with us, and email image to [email protected].
We love to see where you go!!

10/29/2025

New Talent
Orchestra, opera welcome musicians and singers

The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera welcomes three new musicians and 17 new singers to its roster this season, which began last month.

New orchestra members are Hui-Chuan Chen (principal piano), Rachel Allen (second trumpet) and Daniel Norris (third trumpet).

The new singers will lend their voices to upcoming performances of “La Traviata,” “Faure’s Requiem” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9.”

“The level of musicianship in this orchestra continues to inspire me,” Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser Ari Pelto says. “I’m thrilled to welcome them, and I look forward to collaborating as we bring the very best in orchestral music and opera to our community.”

For information, visit sacphilopera.org.

10/28/2025

READERS Near & Far

Anthony and Mariella Neuburger in front of the tufas of Mono Lake in California

Take Inside Sacramento with you on your travels, snap a photo and email us a high res file to [email protected]

10/28/2025

Helping Others (and Ourselves)
Lend a hand, strengthen your neighborhood and mind
Look close at any neighborhood and you’ll see it. A neighbor delivers a meal to a friend recovering from surgery. A teenager rakes leaves for an elderly couple. Volunteers stack crates at the food bank or help with park cleanups.

We know these acts strengthen our community fabric. What’s new—and encouraging—is evidence that they strengthen our minds too.

A recent study by the University of Texas and University of Massachusetts in the journal Social Science & Medicine finds frequent helping—whether through volunteering or support to neighbors, friends or family—slows cognitive decline by as much as 20%.

Think about that. The same actions that keep neighborhoods connected may help keep dementia and memory loss at bay.
Researchers looked at more than 30,000 adults over two decades. They found giving two to four hours a week to help others boosts brain health.

The message is clear. Giving back is good for the recipient. And it’s medicine for the giver.

Study author Sae Hwang Han emphasizes the benefits aren’t fleeting. “What stood out to me was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren’t just short-term boosts but cumulative over time with sustained engagement,” he says.

The brain builds resilience from repeated acts of giving. A few hours a week, every week, may be as protective as exercise or diet. And unlike jogging or eating raw kale, helping others brings a dose of joy.

Informal helping—unheralded acts that don’t come with recognition or awards—provide just as much benefit as scheduled volunteering. When you check in on a neighbor or deliver groceries to someone, your brain gets the same boost as volunteering at the library.

The study highlights what happens when people stop helping. Withdrawing from volunteering or community support is associated with worse cognitive function. For older adults, engagement is crucial.

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We see this every day in Sacramento. Retired professionals tutor at schools. Faith groups organize meal deliveries. Neighbors coordinate rides to medical appointments. These acts keep older residents woven into daily life. They transform “aging in place” into “aging in connection.”

What would it look like if we treated helping others as a health strategy? Imagine block captains not just for safety but for kindness. Imagine neighborhood newsletters promoting “helping hours” alongside local events. Imagine civic leaders investing in volunteer centers.

Research suggests these steps can reduce health care costs by delaying or softening cognitive decline. Beyond numbers, they cultivate neighborhoods where people feel known, valued and supported.

Another recent study led by Han found volunteering buffers negative effects of stress on inflammation—a biological pathway tied to dementia. Helping others keeps the brain sharp and helps us handle life’s wear and tear.

The findings couldn’t be timelier. Connection is a public health tool.

Here’s an invitation: carve out a few hours each week to lend a hand. Not just during the holidays or moments of crisis, but year after year.

Local neighborhoods and organizations have lots of opportunities. With food providers, schools, libraries, public gardens, parks and neighborhood associations, there’s always a need.

Start small. Check on a neighbor. Offer a ride. Share your garden’s bounty. Be a friend to someone who needs one.

I’ve volunteered and led volunteer efforts for decades. My late husband dedicated most of his retirement to volunteer work. He was the happiest person I ever knew.

Both of us contributed in ways that suited our skills and left us feeling gratified for making meaningful contributions.

My two best friends are lifelong volunteers. Jane Einhorn has served on more boards and raised more awareness about community issues than I can count. Lisa Schmidt ran the East Sac Chamber of Commerce as a volunteer director for a decade. She took on management of the Clunie Community Center and McKinley Rose Garden for another 10 years with our nonprofit Friends of East Sacramento.

Twenty-five years ago, Inside began publishing monthly volunteer profiles to help encourage others to find rewards in giving back to the community. We started with Bill and Mary Kuyper, role models for volunteering.

Back then, Bill and Mary both had jobs. Retired, they give even more. Every month, our profiles show new ways to volunteer.

Turns out helping others is one of the most powerful ways to help ourselves.

Written By Cecily Hastings

Cecily Hastings can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .

10/27/2025

Small Wonders
A’s prove this town doesn’t need major leagues
I went to a minor league soccer game this summer and had the best time ever. Better than a thousand big league games I watched as a sportswriter freeloading on a press pass.

The game was in Albuquerque at a place called—deep breath—Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. A minor league baseball yard. Newer, upscale cousin of Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.

The home team, strutting in black and gold flecked jerseys, was New Mexico United of the United Soccer League Championship level. Rival to Sac Republic.

I forget the score. Had to look up names for the stadium and league. Nobody at the game mentioned formal names. Names didn’t matter.

The soccer was rubbish. Filled with missed chances and players obsessed with fouls. After any contact, microscopic or incidental, men dropped like sandbags and thrashed in agony. Then they rose and dashed away, miraculous recoveries.

It was all joyfully meaningless. The stadium’s clunky name. The league’s silly English-style appellation. The referee-baiting theatrics.

What mattered was the experience—the fun that comes from cheering alongside 10,000 strangers, the rush fueled by spontaneous celebrations over something everyone knows is pointless and forgettable.

The game was a community party without pretense.

I paid $28 for a ticket and never found my seat. After the beer line, I stood next to a high-top table in Pepsi Porch and was adopted by a local guy and his two teenage kids.

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The kids explained why United was better than its mediocre record. Dad said he liked minor league soccer because of the positive energy. No argument here.

Optimism enveloped the park like invisible fog. The crowd was jubilant without malice or arrogance. The United raced through 90 minutes, sloppy but successful. The crowd bounced away on a cloud, home team winners.

For decades I’ve said Sacramento doesn’t need major league sports. Minor leagues are better. Cheaper, more accessible, healthier, friendlier experiences, lower stress, fewer problems ignited by the rancor that haunts devout fandom.

This summer, the A’s proved the point.

The major leagues spent decades convincing fans to believe games between the A’s and Los Angeles Angels were treasures far more valuable than games between, say, the River Cats and El Paso Chihuahuas.

Sacramento ducked the brainwashing. Fans loved the River Cats. Then the A’s arrived, armed with zero-sum, Major League Baseball economics.

Sharing the ballpark with big leaguers, the River Cats delivered similar entertainment with less anxiety and cheaper buy-in. The minor league advantage: nobody cares who wins.

This summer, I heard from people who learned the brutish realities of Major League Baseball. They were guest services employees at Sutter Health Park.

Before the A’s arrived, guest services crews found pleasure in their jobs. Work was enjoyable. River Cats fans were friendly, appreciative and well-behaved. Customer and employee experiences were safe and fun.

Things changed when the A’s blew in from Oakland. Unpleasant encounters became common between guest staff and rude, aggressive MLB fans.

Ushers told me about getting cussed out when they tried to check tickets. When managers were summoned, the bosses tended to brush aside bad fan behavior and support customers over staff.

Big league sports bring out the worst in many fans. Winning ignites insanity. Behold the shattered shop windows and charred vehicles when a team wins a Super Bowl, World Series or NBA championship.

I was at a hockey game in Los Angeles last October when the Dodgers won the World Series. I saw hundreds of cops flood South Park where the Lakers and NHL Kings play. Cops lined up to confront thousands of converging fans thirsty for mayhem.

Not to be denied, the crowd moved north and torched a city bus.

If the River Cats or Republic or New Mexico United win a championship, the streets of Sacramento or Albuquerque will stay safe.

Those teams are minor league. They’re just for fun.

Written by R.E. Graswich

R.E. Graswich can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .

10/23/2025

10/23/2025

Picture Perfect
Couple’s new home doubles as an art gallery
Gwenna and Dan Howard didn’t plan to move. They lived in a lovely, updated home Gwenna bought more than four decades ago. Dan moved in when they married more than 20 years ago.

The couple made many improvements over the years, even during the pandemic. “Dan owned a family steel company, and he kept his crews busy with the work on our home during the lockdowns,” Gwenna says.

But Gwenna liked to check Zillow for trends. When she saw the listing for a stylish Carmichael home on a bluff overlooking the American River, she was smitten. They went to the open house and realized the place was a hot property.

A bidding war ensued, and the Howards won. “It was just perfect. It required almost zero work, and it had a pool and a gorgeous view,” Gwenna says. “All we had to do was move in. We were thrilled.”

Gwenna is involved in the local arts scene, an advocate for emerging artists. She co-owned Pamela Skinner/Gwenna Howard Contemporary Gallery from 2006 to 2012.

The gallery held museum-caliber exhibitions for multiple mediums, including 80 shows featuring more than 200 artists. It played a key role in Midtown’s Second Saturday art movement. Gwenna continues her arts work at Verge Center for the Arts.

The couple moved into their new home in April.

“We were very fortunate,” Gwenna says. “The previous owners had remodeled the entire house five years ago, including new electrical and mechanical systems. Victoria Tanforan was the lead designer with Pacific Design Group. She did a beautiful job on the home’s design.”

The ranch-style home is 3,266 square feet, painted and trimmed in deep brown with a brown composition shingle roof. From the street there appears a higher pavilion roofline toward the back. Front landscaping is lush and natural with native plants. A low corten steel grid fence provides definition and privacy.

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The lot slopes toward the river and exposes multiple levels of living space, all with huge windows to frame the views.

The main floor holds a gourmet cook’s kitchen, dining room, living area, two smaller bedrooms with baths and master bedroom.

The dining room—one half level up—leads to living, reading and office areas. Downstairs half a level, there’s another bedroom and bathroom. The lower level contains a pool and veranda overlooking the river. The main floor living area has a long balcony with access to stairs down to the pool.

Interior finishes, calm and subtle, ring texture in tone-on-tone natural colors. Wallcovering, custom ceramic tiles and cabinetry coordinate beautifully.

The floors are wide-wood oak planks in a light brown finish. Walls are mostly off-white with window trim in black and redwood ceilings in select areas. The fireplace in the living room has a cream-colored, raked-concrete finish.

As for furniture, a few pieces came from the couple’s previous home. There’s also new furniture, plus some left by the former owner.

For two art collectors, the house is a perfect gallery. “It has less wall space than our previous house,” Gwenna says. “But it has larger areas to display larger art.” The couple used art installer Dave Saalsaa to coordinate and hang their collection.

Many of Sacramento’s finest artists are on display including Gerald Walburg, Anne Gregory, John Yoyogi Fortes and Ben Hunt. “I had good ideas on where things should be hung but collaborating with Dave made everything better,” Gwenna says.

Sacramento’s suburban river landscape never looked as good as what the Howards created for their new home. In the distance, river views are stunning. Fine local artwork fills in the foreground.

Written By Cecily Hastings
Photography By Aniko Kiezel

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10/23/2025

READERS Near & Far

Daciel Galvan in Madeira, Portugal.

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