TRENDING NEWS
New Home for Young Authors: Chapter 510’s Dept. of Make / Believe inspires
Arlita Bailey started writing two years ago—in sixth grade. Now 13, she published her first novel thanks to the passionate dedication of the team at Chapter 510, the Oakland...
The Streets Stay Talking: Oakland’s pandemic street art, one year later
When I first reported on the artists and murals emerging from Oakland during the summer of 2020—as Covid surged at apocalyptic rates and outraged citizens stormed the streets in...
Virgil Shaw: Country songs that illuminate the heart
Songwriter, singer and guitarist Virgil Shaw loves all kinds of music, but it was the old-time sounds his parents used to play at home that influenced his taste. “My...
Oh, Sister!: Just in time for the holidays, female mischief with ‘Red Pill’ and...
Tonya Pinkins is a much-lauded stage actor who also performs in films. She was evidently so impressed by Jordan Peele’s Get Out a few years ago that she and...
Saying Love Out Loud: Legendary musician looks back with his release of ‘Bruce Cockburn...
I was wrong. Having, in 2014, held Canadian singer/songwriter and guitarist Bruce Cockburn hostage in Berkeley’s Hillside Club during a nearly two-hour interview, previewed/attended his last Bay Area appearance...
Ah, Free Enterprise: Does legal weed mean ‘Big Weed?’
It appears increasingly unlikely that federal legalization of cannabis will happen next year. Most observers, including a majority of the CEOs of large cannabis companies, seem to think legalization...
Free Will Astrology: Week of December 1
ARIES (March 21-April 19): It’s a favorable time to get excited about your long-range future—and to entertain possibilities that have previously been on the edges of your awareness. I’d...
Tickets to The Little Ice Rink
Win 4 tickets and ice skate rentals to The Little Ice Rink in Alameda. Drawing Date is December 15, 2021.
The Magic Touch: Pla Daek accomplishes something more than just serving delicious food
During the course of a single pandemic year, Chef Wawa Maneewan opened her first and second restaurants. When I interviewed her earlier this year, the chef had established Wawa...
No Justice: Uninformed juries produce incorrect outcomes
I was a troubled teen. I remember the day I was summoned to my high school’s administrative office to receive a call. He gave me advice I have never...
Oh, Sister!: Just in time for the holidays, female mischief with ‘Red Pill’ and...
Tonya Pinkins is a much-lauded stage actor who also performs in films. She was evidently so impressed by Jordan Peele’s Get Out a few years ago that she and a few of her colleagues—including...
Pardoner: Good times, good vibes and vigorous noise
Pardoner came together in the dorms at San Francisco State, drawn together by their love of punk rock and a collaborative spirit. “We’re all from different parts of California,” said Max Freeland, one of...
Couture Clash: Would-be epic bauble ‘House of Gucci’ loses its luster in a long,...
Welcome to “Lives and Deaths of the Rich and Famous: Our Italian Cousins,” otherwise known as Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci.
Mega-prolific filmmaker Scott, who released two major films this year—this one and The Last...
Claudia Combs Carty: Songs of darkness and light
Claudia Combs Carty just released her impressive debut, Phases. The nine-song collection by the singer, songwriter and pianist is an intimate look into her passionate heart. The melodies insinuate themselves into the listener’s head...
For the Culture: ‘Alice Street’ captures the history of a once-booming arts district and...
Viewing for a second time Oakland filmmaker and director Spencer Wilkinson’s new documentary, Alice Street, I deliberately push mute. I’m curious to see how the 70-minute film will pan out minus Micah Berek’s energetic...
True West: Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’ runs deep, with unforgettable performances
Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog is one of 2021’s best movies—intelligently written and masterfully directed, with a near-perfect cast and a compelling story line that verges on the mythological while keeping its...
