May-June 2011, Volume 8, Number 3

Let There Be Light

by Linda Childers

Alameda Artisan Graces the East Bay with Stained Glass Masterpieces

Do-gooders

by Christopher Danzig

On a crisp February afternoon after a morning of hard rain, large swaths of Oakland smelled damp and fresh. But the air in West Oakland, as it often does, reeked faintly of diesel exhaust.

A Haven in Hard Times

by Ann Leslie Davis

During the Great Depression, from 1929–39, America’s million or more homeless survived in “Hoovervilles,” flimsy shantytowns of cardboard and wooden crates, often located close to a soup...

Houses of Worship

by Christopher Danzig

Passing by Temple Sinai — even without knowing what it is — you might subconsciously notice something grand and historic about the large beige dome near Webster and Broadway.

Charismatic Keeper

by Christopher Danzig

Zachary Dupra grew up an animal lover, with lots of pets, safari wallpaper and holidays spent in the Adirondack Mountains.

Where It's At

by Kimberly Chun

It takes a brave rapper to dub himself a jerk, but then Erk Tha Jerk (nee Kevin Allen) has plenty of reason to swagger.

Media Shelf

by Judith M. Gallman

New Releases from the Bay Area

Just Desserts

by Anna Mindess

After a long run in San Francisco, Just Desserts quietly slipped into a 65,000-square-foot baking facility near Oakland airport in 2003 that currently turns out 6,000 cakes a week in classic...

Secret Eats

by Kimberly Chun

How to reconcile the many-splendored wilderness of cuisines in the Bay Area? Oakland restaurateur Kanitha Matoury has found a way.

Picture This

by Christopher Danzig

Dozens upon dozens of hiking trails cut their way across the Oakland hills, each with its own natural surprise. But the quarry hidden within Sibley Regional Park offers one of Oakland’s...

The Six Questions

by Ginny Prior

He’s a husband, father and an avid cyclist who, along with his friend and business partner Thierry Attias, owns one of the world’s top professional cycling teams – UnitedHealthcare Pro...

Taking Back the Pole

by Karen T. Hartline

Once upon a time, a strip club owner decided to put a pole on a dance floor and forever stigmatized twirling around in a circle. But thanks to Kinetic Arts Center, the strong, confident and...

Maddie's Fund to the Rescue

by Susan E. Davis

East Bay residents thinking of adopting a dog or a cat in the near future may want to wait until the weekend of June 4th and 5th, when the second annual Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon will be...

She's Got the Whole World in Her Hands

by Anna Mindess

As reference librarian of the Main Library’s Oakland History Room, Dorothy Lazard’s job description should read: detective, historian, mediator and family therapist.

Education

by Ann Leslie Davis(Photography by Kim White)

Robles-Wong Lawsuit Challenges Education Funding

Spaces

by Christopher Danzig(Photography by Tom Biggs)

Eco-Friendly Sustainsia Reshapes the Home Office

Taste of the Town

by Derk Richardson(Photography by Susan Burdick)

Hudson Destined for Success as a New-American Brasserie

Wine

by Jeff Diamond

A Primer on the Wines of the Loire Valley

In the Kitchen

by Roy Creekmore

Good and Good for You

Out on the Town

by Linda Leonard

Grammy Award-winning composer, arranger and conductor Maria Schneider brings her superb, 21-piece jazz orchestra to Zellerbach Hall.