THE FRESNAN

20 Seconds With A Fresnan: Alisa Manjarrez

It's time again for our little game/podcast thingy: 20 Seconds With A Fresnan. Playing this time is Alisa Manjarrez. Alisa helps out with TasteFresno, Picture Fresno, Frebby Awards, Paprika Studios - the mother of said websites - and No Network TV.

Alisa is helping with a event involving the Mayor and Fresnans eating locally. We could tell you more but we'd rather listen to Alisa do it herself. BTW, sorry her level is so low, our stupidity!

So if you're mobile right now you can click this: 20SecondsWithAlisa.mp3

If you on your computer, you can listen to this:

20 Seconds With Alisa by thefresnan

Focused On Fresno: Dude, The Food At Mr. Sushi Isn't THAT Bad - Edition

Do not know the story of what happened to Mr. Sushi's window there on Olive in the Tower District. We were totally, like, going to ask and stuff. But the place was closed Monday when we saw this so that's about all the journalisming we're willing to do.

Come on guys, Mr. Sushi may not be the best sushi in town, but it's no reason to go breakin' shit. Or is it?

Taking Bets: At What Time Exactly Will Sudz In The City Turn From Local Brewfest To Douchebag Central?

OVER/UNDER SET AT: 7:38 PM

It's A Dream Day For Fresno Winos!

>>>At the Downtown Club, the Fresno State Enology Society Banquet is going on. Starts at 7:00. Music by Johnny Q, hundreds of wines from all around to sample, catered food, auction, dancing, all kinds of stuff. Tickets are available at the door and are $30 for students, $35 for Enology Society member's and faculty, and $40 for non-members.

>>>And in the Tower District:

If you like wine and little bits of Tower food, then you should be all about this tonight. Tickets are availible at these locations: Chicken Pie Shop, Tower Theatre Box Office, Sequoia Brewing, Irene's, Landmark, Livingstones and under the theatre marque during the event. Heads up: Tickets sold-out around 7:30 last year.

Wine Tasting Locations:

Drunk About Town: Tioga-Sequoia Debuts New Beer At Eureka Burger Tonight

You may know that Tioga Sequoia is brewing downtown now. Tonight they are pouring some new stuff called Mt. Whitney Pale Ale at Eureka Burger. Taste some new local brew and get a glass in the process. Go.

Focused On Fresno: Take That Chico and Paso Robles, We Have A Brewery Too

Another nice edition to Downtown Fresno is officially up and brewing, and they now have the signage to prove it: Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company.

They (and NoTown Roller Girls) even had a beer garden going Saturday, before the Grizzlies game:

INCOMING!: Taste Fresno's Tri-Tip Cook-Off - 2011

Tri-tip. Fresno likes it. Taste Fresno recognized the phenomenon (it's about time somebody did) and started a Tri-tip Cook-off. The 2nd one is happening this Saturday at the SJ River Parkway & Trust (North of Woodward Park). Tickets are $10 adults, $5 under 12, free under 5.

In preperation, Alisa Manjarrez from Taste Fresno did some related interviews on the No Network. One with the ever popular Doghouse Grill. If not the best tri-tip sandwiches in town, certainly the most buzzed about:

Clovis has some representation too with QN4U BBQ House:

To get some background on the location of the cook-off, check this post out by TonyTwoTone.

And word is, La Reina De Michoacan is giving out paletas to the first 100 folks attending!

This will be a nice afternoon in Fresno, no doubt. You can have your stanky-ass garlic, Gilroy. We'll take tri-tip any day.

Shutdown: Dusty Buns Kicked Off The Streets... For Now

The City of Fresneck has told the Dusty Buns Bistro Bus to stay off Fresno streets. Reason: "The trend will grow & affect restaurants." Yet Dusty Buns is permitted, licensed, taxed and health coded.

But somehow, a taco truck parked in a parking lot or a lunch truck parked in the street in front of a construction site, doesn't. But a bistro truck parked along the street (not in front a restaurant) affects restaurants more.

Bistro trucks (like Dusty Buns) pretty much operate in most major cities. Most.

It may not be over though. Dusty B' is "...studying up new Food Truck permits, organized zones & appropriate regulations in SF. Let's hope our Growing City of FRESNO considers them." And, we hear they may have some support within Fresno's city workings.

Dusty has some tasty tasty food and adds some hipness to our city. Hope it works out. If not, Thursday night's on Wishon Row may never be the same.

Goofy As Shit: Chuck Leonard Picketing Sequoia Brewery

Chuck Leonard, host of Central Valley Buzz on Central Valley Talk Network, is fed up with the Tower District's Sequoia Brewery and is picketing the place on Friday. What sparked this? This is what Chuck is saying:

I go to Sequoia Tower with a group last night to see the band and have a beer. As we walk in, we say hi to the band and some other friends. In less than 5 minutes, two different employees tell us we have to leave if we don't order something right then. One was the manager saying "it's not a free concert". This was after we plugged them on our show multiple times last night. You will NEVER see me in there again!

Chuck's group is "Tired of locals being treated like shit!" so they'll be out on Olive Friday night from 7 to 9 with signs in hand.

Call it a publicity stunt. Call it a case of "Don't you know who I am!" Call it Tower Justice. Whatever. All we know is: This will be the most awesome picket line EVAAR and we're going to need a couple Moto Brews to enjoy the hell out of it.

[Photo stolen from here]

TONIGHT!: If You're Going To Eat Dinner, Why Not Contribute To The Local Music Scene While You Do It

UPDATE: We're happy that Nate is able to go to tonight's LTC dinner in our sted. If you're able to go, make sure to get your tixs by going here.

Love The Captive. The music promotion team. If you read this blog at all, you've seen a post about a Love The Captive show. They're good shows (just ask Mike Oz and Joshua Tehee, they'll tell you). Shows that are fun to post about because they're usually with an interesting on-the-rise band that would've never come to town without the help and knowledge of LTC.

They have been trailblazing. But being the first ones to tackle these kinds of shows in a town that is still tuning its ear, can be rough sometimes. Fundage can be tough to come by. So LTC is getting creative and throwing a benefit dinner to recoup from 2010 and to help get things back on for 2011.

The dinner is Monday, December 27th. It'll cost ya $32 (after ticket fees) and its at Veni Vidi Vici's. Really, it's easy to spend that much on dinner at Veni's anyway (always good) so it's a deal. You gotta buy the tickets online, just click here and feel good about helping Fresno's music scene.

But, since we're so appreciative of Love The Captive giving us cool stuff to post about (and go to) and we want to thank you for reading said posts, we're buying one lucky reader's dinner for Monday's event.

Just leave a comment (and place your proper email where it asks) on this post telling us what Love The Captive show you saw this year (or any year) and you're entered. We'd really like it if it's somebody that wasn't going to go because they couldn't afford a ticket. But really, how the hell will we know? The winner will be picked on Friday through our special Name Out Of Hat technology (seriously).

If you can't make it because The Man is keeping you down that night (like us), but still want to put something in for the cause, there is a $10 donation option on the event page.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Johnny, Turtle, Conlan and everybody that's been a part of LTC in one way or another over the years. You've definitely made this blog a little cooler during your stint - not an easy task. Those Capistrano shows at Pizzaland seem like a lifetime ago.

Holding Sway: Dusty Buns Bistro Truck

The dynamic duo of Dustin & Kristin that IS Dusty Buns, are probably the hottest thing going in Fresno the past couple months. They now are so popular that makeshift lines start forming (like the one last week in the Tower District in front of Cafe Carazon), once word comes down from their Twitter posts that they're on their way. The line above let out a loud cheer as the Dusty Buns truck arrived.

Check them on their Twitter to see where they'll be next. It seems they'll be at Kaiser Farmers Market from 8-1:30 on Wednesday. Just check'em out soon before the city of Fresno figures out that this is too awesome and shuts it down.

*The food is quite nice and goes through subtle changes here and there. We'll remember the F.U.S.E. Fest menu with fondness:

Someplace Sorta New To Eat At: Yosemite Falls Cafe

You may have eaten at Yosemite Cafe before. Either the one on Blackstone or the one on Ashlan. But you've never eaten at the one in Granite Park. That's because it hasn't been open there until today. As the Beehive's Joan Obra has posted (*fist shake* damn youuzz 'hive for beating us to a post again!), this new Yosemite Falls Cafe (and sports bar) is opening today where the old Public House used to be. As we peaked in, it doesn't look much different, but who cares. The other Yose' Cafes have consistently good food and service, so if they bring that to this new one, they're gonna due just fine - it's really all Fresnans ask for.

It's just good to see some positiveness happening at Granite Park, especially with an established local business. Maybe Sammy will come by and have some lunch before his gig at the Fresno Fair this Wednesday. No? Alright, we don't blame ya Sam.

Bartender Challenge: Taste Fresno Guy vs. Badger Guy

It's been a year but Creative Fresno's 'Bartender Challenge' returns tonight with a couple of local internets notables: James Collier and Kiel Famellos-Schmidt. 

If you've never been to a challenge, two folks (that don't normally bar-tend) work the bar for a few hours and battle for your tips. Tonight's is at Palomino's. The person with the most tip money wins bragging rights and stuff. All your tip donations go to Creative Fresno's mural fund. This is how we get more sweet public murals around Fresno. Cool? Yes.

If you don't know James, he created Taste Fresno and Picture Fresno (mostly) and does other fancy stuff. And Kiel, he's an up-and-coming local architect, runs Archop, helps put together local parks and (most important to us) keeps Fresno safe from random Badger attacks.

To find out more about Creative Fresno's awesome, check Famous Whitewater's recent related post. For a refresher on CF's Bartender Challenge, check out this classic one with a video done by Will:

What Was This Sambo's Place All About Anyway?

Always hear Sambo's references from older Fresnans, but never took the time to figure out the where & whats. Thanks to pics on the Mid-Century Modern Fresno Facebook page, best we can figure, Sambo's was like a awesomer version of Denny's. Tak a look (now Joe's Steakhouse):

INSIDE:

Not to be a douche, Joe's (cause you're great and all), but the place could use a bit of streamlining/clearing of the clutter - more like what it used to be with Sambo's. Just sayin'.

The original Sambo's on the SE corner of Blackstone & McKinley, looked pretty sweet too (the building is gone now):

If these pics are really impressing ya (shot by Tim Putz), you can go buy them over at Sambo's Photos.

Serious Fresno Blog Questions: Is 'Shooters' A Dive Bar?

It's not scary to walk into. The folks in there are normal (relatively). There's a solid jukebox. Nice and sweet bartender. Yep, we are officially taking Shooters off Fresno's Dive Bar List - or at least saying it's the best (as in nicest) dive bar in town.

Really it's been said before on the Fres-nets: if you feel safe, it's not a dive bar.