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Love Local: Welcome to the Best of East Bay 2026
We know what we like. And—hopefully—we know what we stand for. In the East Bay, it’s often hard to separate the two. That’s why, I think, it’s particularly alarming when our favorite spots close. How can that...
Oakland’s entheogenic churches build community through psychedelic healing
On 10th Avenue in Oakland, a gated door stands with nothing marking it but a sign the size of a postcard depicting little mushrooms. Downtown, a nondescript glass storefront with a small camera monitoring its exterior gives...
East Bay arts scene fills fall with music, theater and more
One of the best things about living in the East Bay is the blessed ubiquity of arts year-round. Ah, but autumn and its abundances! This transitional season of harvest and cooling climes downright begs for artful outings....
Oakland Pride’s biggest Latin stage celebrates queer artists and allies
Before Jamie Awad, of Club Papi Productions, introduced the concept of a Latin dance stage to Long Beach and San Francisco Pride in 1998, he’d never heard Latin music played at festivals of this kind. At first,...
Why artists leave San Francisco for Oakland
Dresher Ensemble Studio is in a seemingly endless building, which takes up an entire block on Poplar Street in West Oakland. Within its white, unlabeled exterior and massive multi-panelled windows lies a rehearsal space dedicated to performing...
How the SAVE America Act could complicate voting for women
As President Trump pushes to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and photo identification to cast a ballot, many fear...
Gen Z adults redefine family relationships
In the past year, a rising number of Gen Z adults decided to go “no contact” with their families. Their decisions were due to their mental health, favoritism and control, abusive and harsh parenting, differences in values...
