Bocce Bar Lands in Uptown

by Jeff Swenerton(Photography by Mitch Tobias)

Media Shelf

by Judith M. Gallman

New Books from the Bay Area

The Six Questions

by Christopher Danzig(Photography by Deborah Sherman)

Streetcolor is the renowned anonymous yarn-bomber of the Bay Area.

Bright and Bold

by Kyrsten Bean

Amy Doan, proud owner of successful DIY fashion line Shrinkle as well as a makeup line called Sugarpill Cosmetics, delights in garish colors, eschewing the natural look.

Where It's At

by Kimberly Chun(Photography by Lori Eanes)

Somewhere west of Indian dholki beats, east of Arnold Schoenberg atonality, and pivoting in a realm where jazz, rock, Eastern European folk and electronica find common ground dwells Oakland’s...

Literary Notes

by Elise Proulx

Chinaka Hodge wrote her first poem at 4 years old. The 27-year-old Oakland native says, “My dad used to give me a writing journal every year.

Up on the Roof

by Erika Mailman

Once only the secretaries’ secret, a place for brown baggers to catch some peace at lunchtime, today the Kaiser Center Roof Garden actively advertises its presence with a concert series.

Secret Eats

by Kimberly Chun(Photography by Lori Eanes)

At a time when so many drive-ins that once sang the praises of America’s forward-drive, jet-age optimism — so evident in the curvaceous, soaring lines of their fun, flirtatious Googie...

Stalk Bicycles

by Jeff Swenerton(Photography by Lori Eanes)

Bamboo is a natural material to make bikes out of — it’s strong, it’s lightish and it comes ready-made in a tubular shape.

Crop Swaps

by Keri Hayes Troutman(Photography by Lori Eanes)

Overabundance of kale? Mountains of zucchinis? Gather up your homegrown bounty and head to the North Oakland Farmers Market (57th and Market streets) the first Saturday of every month, and you can...

Jumpin’ Juniper Berries

by Judith M. Gallman(Photography by courtesy of Rory Earnshaw)

What’s a local distiller do once it competently turns out single-malt whiskey, bourbon, vodka, tequila, liqueur, eau de vie and even absinthe? Distill gin.

Negative Nancys

by Julia Park Tracey

Women have a lot on their plates — busy careers, kids, pets, families, health and all the other to-dos on the list.

Real Estate Wrap Up

by Elise Proulx(Photography by Chris Duffey)

3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,700-square-foot Craftsman bungalow with a detached studio cottage

Itsy Bitsy’s Tea Room

by Anna Mindess(Photography by Lori Eanes)

Slipping into the College Avenue jewelry shop Itsy Bitsy for a little earring therapy, you may be puzzled to find an authentic Japanese tea room nestled cozily in the back of the store.

Fresh Spin

by Kimberly Chun(Photography by Al Wright)

Berkeley Ironworks staffer Scott Frye has been an avid rock climber for more than 30 years, but when his climbing cohorts laugh over his relatively new passion, table tennis, he has one response...

The Zen of Zinn

by Andrew Gilbert(Photography by Lenny Gonzalez)

Like the old violinist giving a curbside recital in Manhattan, Dann Zinn knows how you get to Carnegie Hall.

Crazy for CAKE

by Erika Mailman(Photography by Robert McKnight)

Named for the buildup that adheres to the bottom of your shoe (or your life), the band CAKE certainly has experienced similar staying power.

Urban Media Madness

by Marcus Thompson II(Photography by courtesy of YAK Films)

Kash Gaines sat sprawled on a couch in the lounge of Youth Uprising in East Oakland.

Taste of the Town

by Derk Richardson(Photography by Lori Eanes)

The twinkle lights in the sidewalk trees give Fourth Street a celebratory radiance at dusk.

Fortified Wine

by Jeff Diamond(Photography by © istockphoto.com/Massimo Angelo Rossi)

Sherry is one of the world’s most misunderstood and under-appreciated wines.

Out on the Town

by Linda Leonard

What's going on in the months of January and February