Donna Meadows opens Moxie Steak House in Alameda

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Donna Meadows opens Moxie Steak House in Alameda

Before it closed in 2022, Alameda’s Little House Cafe was one of the island kingdom’s primary brunch destinations. For nearly two decades, Donna Meadows served hearty, dependable, American meals there. To secure that job, the chef was in the right place at the right time. 

When her lease was up, she’d closed Boniere Bakery on Park Street. In the interim, Meadows took on catering gigs. At one of her catered parties, local software entrepreneur Christopher Seiwald offered her a job. His company had purchased property on Blanding Avenue—and a cottage, built in 1904, was included on the lot. Instead of tearing the little house down, he decided to convert it into a restaurant.

Before she accepted the position, Meadows made it clear she was a working mother with certain limitations. The chef told me that during one of her initial conversations with Seiwald she’d said she didn’t want to work on the weekends or on holidays. He agreed to her terms and Meadows managed Little House Cafe for 15 years.

Seiwald also owns the building on Park Street where Meadows opened Moxie Steak House last year. When he asked her to open “a real restaurant this time,” she deliberated over the concept for several weeks before deciding that a steakhouse would work. “Alameda is an old-school town where they like their meat and potatoes,” she said. Now that her children are grown, the chef had no hesitations about starting a new restaurant. “I love cooking. It’s my favourite thing to do,” she said. “What else would I do if I wasn’t in the kitchen 12 to 14 hours a day?”

Meadows’ menu is primarily a la carte. There are several pricey cuts of steak to choose from, including filet mignon ($42 or $58), ribeye ($68 or $72) and New York strip ($64 or $68). The Akaushi Wagyu is from Beeman Ranch and the slightly less expensive Holstein Beef is from Brandt Farms. “We bought a Montague grill, so it’s super hot,” the chef said. “We sear the steak on the flat top then we put it on the grill to get that good caramelization.”

Labor-intensive recipes for the sauces ($4–$6) and sides ($10) contribute to the cost of a fancy steak dinner. The demi-glace consists of 50 pounds of veal bones, 25 pounds of beef tendon, mirepoix, red wine and tomato paste, and it cooks for 30 hours. “You need to have such huge quantities so that it can cook down and slowly reduce for a long period of time,” Meadows said. 

Three of the five diners at our table tried various cuts of steak, but I love a lamb chop. Moxie serves three of them for $45. For my money, they were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I reluctantly relinquished one of them to share with the other guests. Of the five sides we ordered, three were dynamite, two were not and one was smack-dab in the middle.

We started with an excellent batch of crispy chive fritters served with a corn custard that was close in texture to a savory panna cotta. A “cheesy tart” was plated with a bright pesto sauce and filled with thinly sliced layers of squash and chevre. The tart pastry confirmed Meadows’ skill and experience as a baker. But an order of Hasselback potatoes just wasn’t roasted long enough. They looked appetizing but weren’t even al dente. My only complaint about the buttery, luscious mashed potatoes—they should be served out of a trough rather than in a petite side dish.

Everybody responded poorly to the asparagus-and-pea risotto. When I brought its lack of seasoning up to Meadows, the chef gracefully accepted the unsolicited note. “You can’t always catch everything, unfortunately, and I try,” she said. “I go, okay, this wasn’t 100% perfect but next time it will be better.”

Little House Cafe was known for making donuts on the weekends. Moxie has revived that “donut of the day” tradition during its brunch service on Saturday and Sunday. Meadows even honors customer requests for donuts to go. But when she compares her time at Little House Cafe with Moxie, the new space has provided the chef with a higher level of cooking. “I love it,” she said. “It’s so much fun for me.”

Moxie Steak House, 1640 Park St., Alameda. Open Wed-Sun, 5–9pm; brunch Sat-Sun, 10am to 2pm. 510.671.2890. moxiealameda.com

The Fall of the House of Boredom: A guide to arts adventures

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The Fall of the House of Boredom: A guide to arts adventures

Fall in the East Bay is always chock-full of arts adventures, and 2025 is no exception. Take a look at this by-no-means-comprehensive preview of a creative scene with something for everyone.

THEATER

Berkeley Rep revs up its season with The Reservoir, a comedy in which a 20-something, discombobulated queer man copes with “family, memory and the path toward healing,” Sept. 5-Oct. 12. Fall continues with The Hills of California, opening Oct. 31, and Mother of Exiles, opening Nov. 14.

Oakland Theater Project, along with its other season offerings, presents the ultra-timely The Courtroom: A Reenactment of One Woman’s Deportation Proceedings, “an urgent docudrama created from real-life transcripts of a deportation trial.” Oct. 9-19.

Shotgun Players challenges with The Motion, in which “A heated debate on animal testing slips down a kaleidoscopic rabbit hole where the audience is not only voyeur but accomplice,” opening Sept. 13.

UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances continues its tradition of presenting world-class theater with Manual Cinema: The 4th Witch, which follows a young girl, orphaned during wartime, “who becomes unwittingly apprenticed to the three witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth,” explored through shadow puppetry, actors in silhouette and immersive sound design. Nov. 22.

MUSEUMS

BAMPFA presents “Lee Shin-Ja: Drawing with Thread,” the first major retrospective of the acclaimed fiber artist outside of South Korea. The exhibit features more than 40 of the 95-year-old Lee’s monumental weavings and smaller-scale works. Through Feb. 1, 2026.

Oakland Museum of California’s exhibition “Black Spaces: Reclaim and Remain,” developed in collaboration with East Bay residents affected by displacement, draws inspiration from West Oakland and Russell city histories, and features three installations that “reflect the ongoing struggle and success in reclaiming and reshaping self-determined spaces in the face of systemic violence, erasure and urban renewal.” Through March 1, 2026.

The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life in Berkeley opens “Flowing Through Time and Tradition” Aug. 28. The exhibition uses the collection’s extensive holdings to examine how water “has shaped Jewish lives across centuries…[tracing] water’s role in sustaining life, building communities, and influencing Jewish identity and spirituality.” Ongoing.

DANCE

Cal Performances offers the North American premiere of Paris Opera Ballet’s Red Carpet, inspired by evening wear, with costumes by Chanel. Thirteen dancers “transform the stage into a fantastical cabaret setting… immersive, shadowy café-theater pulsating with live music.” Oct. 2-4.

Another fall choice is Sutra, presented by the U.K.’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre and China’s Shaolin Temple. Twenty Shaolin monks combine their traditional kung fu martial arts skills with contemporary dance, choreographed by Belgian dance master Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui in a “humorous fable” about a European learning about their spiritual tradition, performed with live music. Nov. 8, 9.

MUSIC

Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention returns with its concerts, jams, dance parties, workshops and discussions, including many free events. This year’s performers include Jake Blount, Judy Hyman & Jeff Claus, Bruce Molsky, the Ozark Highballers, Sarah Kate Morgan, Blake Miller, the Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellows, Suzy Thompson, Aux Cajunals, WB Reid & Bonnie Zahnow, the Manning Mud Stompers, Susan Michaels and Connor Maguire. For the daily lineup, visit berkeleyoldtimemusic.org/schedule. Sept. 17-21.

Lila Downs, Día de los Muertos. Cal Performances celebrates the holiday with Latin Grammy Award-winner Downs. The Berkeley resident will be backed by an all-star band in a “festive set of original and traditional songs in Spanish and English, as well as Indigenous languages from her native Oaxaca.” Oct. 25.

Kitka & Kurbasy: Songs from the Ukrainian Forest comes to The Freight as the world waits for Ukraine to be free of war. The Bay Area women’s vocal ensemble will open with a set of Ukrainian polyphonic songs, followed by Lviv-based Kurbasy presenting “a dramatic song cycle drawing from Eastern, Central, and Western Ukrainian folk traditions.” The two groups will sing together to close the show. Oct. 28.

Oakland Symphony opens its season with a new conductor and a new commission, Harmony of the Unheard by Dave Ragland, along with Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, and Clyne’s This Midnight Hour. Oct. 17.

FILM

More relevant than ever, the Fist Up! Film Festival is back for its 16th season. Although the list of films wasn’t available by press time, festival materials state: “This year’s themes will be Legacy and Ancestral Knowledge and will focus on the connection between art and social justice activism.” Two venues have been announced, Berkeley’s La Peña Cultural Center and Oakland’s New Parkway Theater. Visit filmfreeway.com/FistUpFilmFestival for updates on films and venues. Oct. 1-5.

BOOK/LITERARY EVENTS

Pegasus Books sponsors “Jazz Stories: Live Music and Stories” at its Solano Ave. location. “Musicians like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Buddy Rich were original, colorful characters artists who said and did astonishing things…we now have a rich repository of photos and anecdotes about these artists, and about the American songwriters and composers who created the raw material of jazz,” reads the event announcement. Pre-registration required. Sept. 15.

The downtown Berkeley location will host author Jeff Chang for the launch of his book Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America. Bestselling novelist and screenwriter Adam Mansbach will join Chang in conversation. Oct. 8.

Mrs. Dalloway’s Library and Garden Arts bookstore in Berkeley hosts mystery writer Elizabeth George, creator of the Inspector Lynley novels, for a discussion and signing for her new entry in the series, A Slowly Dying Cause. Pre-registration required. Sept. 25.

Local author Paul Myers will discuss and sign John Candy: A Life in Comedy, the “definitive biography” of the late comic star. Pre-registration required. Oct. 7.

Books Inc. in Alameda welcomes East Bay poet James Cagney this fall. Cagney will read from his new collection, Ghetto Koans: A Personal Archive. RSVP requested. Sept. 25.

COMEDYJohn Mulaney. Those who enjoy actor/comedian John Mulaney’s Emmy Award-winning hosting gigs on SNL get the chance to see him live at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland during his “Mister Whatever” tour. Mulaney co-created SNL classic character Stefon, who might say, “The East Bay’s hottest comedy night is …” Nov. 23.

The Bay List lifts voices

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The Bay List lifts voices

Earlier this year, The Bay List held a Bay Area Screenwriters Salon at Mama Dog Studios in Oakland. Its purpose was to build a sense of community and encourage participation. By April 8, over a thousand hopefuls had submitted their work. The pool has now been whittled down to 30, with the final 10 to be announced in September. Rafael Casal—best known for his work on Blindspotting with Daveed Diggs—and his cohorts on the project will then announce the final list of screenplays that, ideally, will move into pre-production.

Casal formed The Bay List with Franklin Leonard, the founder of The Black List, which heralds the best unproduced screenplays making the rounds in Hollywood. The Black List also connects writers with established professionals in the film and television industries. Casal, who grew up in Berkeley and Oakland, wanted to start a similar list in the Bay Area.

Before Casal made some opening remarks at the screenwriting salon, he and I talked in a Mama Dog conference room. I asked him why he wanted to start The Bay List. “There’s a point where you get to in the filmmaking process where you have no tools to ask what’s next or what to do next,” he said. “I think what myself and the other partners involved in this are trying to do is to share some information and demystify what the folks who have gone out and paved their own way have learned. 

“When I go to these events, I see myself over and over again trying to figure out how to make an idea work, how to get to the next level and how grateful I would have been if somebody had made it a little easier,” he added. 

Many Bay Area filmmakers who’ve made it to the next level are participating in The Bay List. Boots Riley, Joe Talbot, W. Kamau Bell, Benjamin and Peter Bratt, and Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden are a few of the partners who are reading scripts and, if the stars line up for the right project, will take a hand in the development phase.

Right before the release of their movie Freaky Tales, which was filmed in Berkeley and Oakland, Fleck and Boden told me in an interview that Casal had reached out to them. “We didn’t know Rafael, but he reached out on Instagram and we were fans,” Fleck said. “As someone who grew up there, I would love to see more Bay Area stories told on screen. We wanted to be supportive of that.”

MULTIPHYENATE ARTIST Rafael Casal is best known for his work on ‘Blindspotting’ with Daveed Diggs. (Photo by Nigel Ziyad)

The Bay List has been a work-in-progress since 2023. Leonard had been working on a similar project in his native Georgia when Casal reached out to him. The Georgia List launch left a regionally specific model in place for the rest of the country. “We got on the horn that December [2023] and then we worked until October to lock in all the partners,” Casal said.

Submitting a screenplay for the inaugural Bay List required a few fairly broad stipulations for a writer, including: being born in the Bay Area, growing up here, living here full or part-time, or having lived in the Bay Area “for a significant period of time.”

Casal recalled that while touring the country as a musician and performer in his late teens, he ran into people from the Bay Area all over the world. “There’s a common denominator, a political allegiance, obviously. There’s an understanding of the cultural experience of growing up in the Bay, especially if you’re working class and went to public schools. So I just feel a deep kinship with people here,” he said.  

In terms of cinematic storytelling and representation, Casal feels the Bay Area is an underdog in comparison with cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami. “All these cities have this very national and international identity,” he said. “I want to show what this place is like for me. First, it was in poetry. Then, music. Now it’s in film and television is how it’s evolved for me.”

Casal lives in Los Angeles, but he often runs into people who have ties to his hometown. “Somebody will come up to me and say, ‘You don’t know me, but my best friend’s cousin was in your writing workshop four years ago.’ There’s this interconnectedness that I can’t let go of and a sense of responsibility there.”

The final 10 Bay List writers will be notified in September. thebaylist.org
IG: @thebaylist

[Editor’s note: this story’s opening paragraph has been updated per The Bay List on 8/19.]

Mills College Art Museum celebrates its centennial

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Mills College Art Museum celebrates its centennial

A collection at Mills College Art Museum has long flown under the radar of most people in the Bay Area. To celebrate the museum’s centennial, the “100 Years of Creative Visions” exhibit and related public programming bring forth a cross-cultural selection.

On view from Sept. 13, 2025, to April 2026, the exhibit presents an opportunity to see Asian textiles, ceramics and wood-block prints, as well as art by contemporary California Impressionist painters, Group f/64 Modernist photographers, Mexican Modernists, contemporary European artists and others whose work reflects German Expressionist and Bauhaus traditions.

Stephanie Hanor, the museum’s director since 2009, says the museum’s holdings have been driven by a collection of local and far-flung artists working in collaborative communities in the Bay Area. Support from the institution’s key founder, Albert M. Bender, and subsequent directors expanded the collection. “These folks knew each other, pushed each other, experimented together,” Hanor says.

The artists often drew from each other’s work. Hanor suggests that as their creativity multiplied and boundaries between genres dissolved, the museum became a key partner in the development of artistic ideas in the 20th century. The 12,000-plus artworks are a testimony to the museum having created a vast network of artists.

“It’s not a generic collection of greatest hits of American and European art,” Hanor says. “What I wanted this exhibition to do was tell the story of the museum. It’s about this location, the relationships, the directors who’ve shaped it. These connections were what I focused on; with artwork spanning from 3,000 B.C. to the present. It tells of the relationships the museum’s built with artists over time, and the movements influenced.”

The museum is relatively well-known for its California Impressionist artwork, less so for its holdings in Mexican and European Modernism. The artist-in-residence program brought Latino, Bauhaus and other international artists to the campus. “They would teach for a summer, show their work here,” Hanor says. 

Highlighting in conversation four specific works, Hanor notes Imogen Cunningham’s gelatin silver print of Helene Mayer that the American photographer made while working on campus as the official photographer. The striking image of Mayer, a German-born athlete who immigrated to California, is close-cropped. A foil blade positioned in front of her face “slices” the portrait in half.

“It’s a powerful, simple image,” Hanor says. “It’s also the story behind Mayer, who was Jewish and went back to Berlin to compete as a German in the 1936 Olympics. It was a complicated time, when Germany was only allowed to host the Olympics if they agreed to allow (German) Jewish athletes to be involved.”

Other stories told through art convey personal narratives. Robert Alan Bechtle’s “Albany Monte Carlo” (1990) prompts Hanor to say, “The banality of the image is so clearly San Francisco, Northern California. It’s part of mid-century World War II Bay Area artists who were interested in figurative work. It’s very much against the abstract painting that was happening in New York. Bechtle was interested in precise presentations of everyday objects and experiences that documented his life.”

Winslow Homer’s “Waiting For Dad (Longing),” shows a young boy perched on an upturned wooden fishing vessel, gazing at sailboats. “There’s a sense of nostalgia, the imagery harkens back to an age that was freer than today. There’s a softness to the watercolor that has a kind of sweetness. It’s also indicative of Maine, where Homer was working—and Northeastern whaling that held dangers. Interestingly, it came into the collection by way of Jane Tolman, the sister of Susan Mills, the college’s founder,” Hanor says.

Among other not-to-miss pieces—remarkably, all under one roof—are works by Ruth Bernhard, O.M. France Viana, John Gutmann, René Magritte, Mildred Howard, Faith Ringgold, Henri Matisse, Anne M. Brewer, Nancy Selvin and Antonio Sotomayor. With MCAM’s centennial exhibition, remaining “invisible” is likely no longer an option.

Alameda County OKs $1.8 billion homelessness plan

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Alameda County OKs $1.8 billion homelessness plan

After years of legal delays, Alameda County is moving forward with a sweeping $1.8 billion plan to tackle homelessness and support other essential services. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the spending strategy in July, marking the first time voter-approved Measure W funds can be used since the tax passed in 2020.

The half-cent sales tax, intended for housing, homelessness programs, behavioral health care and other community services, began generating revenue in 2021. But a lawsuit from the Alameda County Taxpayers Association stalled spending until a court ruling in April cleared the way. The county has collected about $810 million so far and expects to raise another $1 billion before the tax expires in 2031.

Under the adopted plan, about $1.4 billion will go directly toward homelessness and housing, $260 million will support other county services, and $170 million will be set aside in reserves to protect against economic downturns and potential state or federal funding cuts. Most of the housing and homelessness money will feed into the “Home Together Fund,” projected to collect $136 million annually for prevention programs, shelter expansion and permanent housing.

The urgency is clear: Between 2019 and 2024, the county’s homeless population rose 18% to nearly 9,450 people, with Oakland accounting for more than half. The number of residents living outdoors or in vehicles nearly doubled during that time.

Community members and advocates packed the meeting to share support and concerns. Some argued the reserve should be smaller, pushing for more direct spending on homeless services. Others defended reserve funds and stabilization measures as necessary to keep affordable housing providers afloat.

The board will revisit certain contested items, including a proposed $15 million fund to assist struggling nonprofit housing groups, at a later date.

Social Eyes: Week of Aug. 21-27

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Social Eyes: Week of Aug. 21-27

THURSDAY, AUG. 21

ROOTS 

ANNUAL FREIGHT FIDDLE SUMMIT

For those who seek a hop in their step, a jig in their dance and instruments that don’t need to be plugged in, the Freight is the place to be this weekend. The annual Fiddle Summit returns to the folk venue this week with a lineup that is sure to transport everyone in attendance to a different era. Hosted by world-renowned Scottish composer and fiddle player Alasdair Fraser, this year features the string-jazz stylings of the Hot Club and the Celtic roots of the Pine Tree Flyers. Joining them is artist Nic Gareiss who uses traditional dancing like clog, flatfoot and tap as musical expression. – MAT WEIR

INFO: Thu, 8pm, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $39-$44. 510.644.2020.

THURSDAY, AUG. 21

JAZZ

RAUL MIDÓN

Raul Midón is a guitarist, singer and songwriter who defies easy categorization, though “one-man orchestra” comes close. Blind since birth, he’s built a career on turning six strings and voice into a hundred textures—a weave of folk, pop, jazz and soul with technical precision and emotional depth. His self-produced 2024 album, Lost & Found, blends what he calls “smooth folk” with unexpected harmonic turns, pairing breezy anthems and blues-inflected pop with banjo-picking detours and a playful, ska-tinged ode to marijuana. A collaborator with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Sting, Midón remains an inventive, uncompromising genre-shifter. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT

INFO: Thu, 8pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $35-$74. 510.238.9200.

FRIDAY, AUG. 22

ROCK

MY MORNING JACKET

When they first hit the scene in 1999 with their debut, The Tennessee Fire, My Morning Jacket received mild success. However, two years later when At Dawn dropped, they were celebrated as one of the heralds of the new wave of alt-country acts that would sweep the nation in the early-to-mid-aughts. Twenty-four years later, the quintet still plays amphitheaters to thousands of fans looking to sing, dance and get weird for a couple of hours. Earlier this year they released their 11th studio album with a special, early listening party at indie record stores across the country. Just another way for My Morning Jacket to prove they are still a band of the people. – MW 

INFO: Fri, 7:30pm, Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Rd., Berkeley. $68-$215. 510.871.9225.

FRIDAY, AUG. 22

JAZZ

NOAH GARABEDIAN QUARTET

Berkeley-reared, New York-based composer/bassist Noah Garabedian makes a Bay Area appearance with the all-star quartet featured on his acclaimed 2022 album, Consider The Stars Beneath Us. While that project was laced with electronic textures, he’s presenting a mostly acoustic program at the Sound Room previewing his third album, which is slated for release next month on Contagious Music. This project features the Stars quartet with pianist Carmen Staaf, drummer Jimmy Macbride and saxophonist Dayna Stephens. With his aesthetic vision shaped by extensive studies and two State Department-sponsored sojourns across the Near East and South Asia, Garabedian is an inventive player with a deep tone. – ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: Fri, 7:30pm, Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland. $39. 510.708.9691.

FRIDAY, AUG. 22

HIP-HOP

SHUBH

Shubh, the Indian rapper and singer based in Canada, has built a global audience with his sleek trap beats, punchy hooks and Punjabi lyricism. “We Rollin” put him on the map in 2021, and now singles like “Supreme,” “One Love” and “Cheques” have racked up millions of streams and charted across India, Canada and beyond. He’s done it all largely solo—no big label, no flashy collabs, just relentless streams, a fierce fan following and a headline-grabbing persona. Now, with an international following built on his own terms, Shubh is stepping into the Supreme Tour, his first North American arena run. – SBB 

INFO: Fri, 8pm, Oakland Arena, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. $107-$337. 510.569.2121.

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

ELECTRONIC

ITCHY-O

A little bit Burning Man, a little bit rave, a little bit 1960s performance art: Itchy O has it all … and then some. Founded in 2009, the Denver-based percussion and performance collective is known for highly immersive shows in which electronics wail, beats pound, and masked musicians weave in and out of the crowd. The groove is positively hypnotic, conjuring primal emotion and futuristic visions at the same time. Their latest exploration in beautiful anarchy, the Split Sigil Rite, enacts a journey from “a Rending in the West” to “a Resurrection in the East.” Attendees can expect the unexpected. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI

INFO: Sat, 9pm, The UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. $35. 510.356.4000.

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

JAZZ

ART LANDE QUARTET

Something of a cult figure whose influence on the Bay Area scene continues to reverberate more than four decades after his departure, Art Lande is an often-astonishing improviser who has nurtured generations of young jazz artists. Based in Boulder since the mid-1980s, he’s kept Colorado’s creative music scene thrumming. In some circles, Lande is still best known for 1970s ECM recordings Red Lanta and Rubisa Patrol. But as a prolific and ingenious composer, he’s recorded an expansive body of work on tiny labels with collaborators both illustrious and largely unknown. Returning to Piedmont Piano with the program “UnStandards,” he performs with New York reed expert Bruce Williamson, bassist Peter Barshay and Oakland drummer Dillon Vado. – AG

INFO: Sat, 5:30pm, Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $25-$30. 510.547.8188.

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

THEATER

‘DRAPETOMANIA’

“Drapetomania” is a term used in the 19th century by Dr. Samuel Cartwright to describe a theoretical madness, a labeling that pathologized Black trauma by suggesting a mental disorder had caused enslaved people to run away from their masters. Wayne Harris, after serving for years as program director for the Marsh Youth Theater in San Francisco, is staying 100% visible in the Bay Area’s theater scene with his highly regarded plays. Among others, his most well-known are Mother’s Milk, Train Stories and The Letter; Martin Luther King at the Crossroads. That last one earned him a trip to Palestine in 2012 to speak on Martin Luther King Jr. on behalf of the U.S. government. His mixed feelings about this trip provides the fodder for Drapetomania. – LOU FANCHER

INFO: Sat, 5pm, The Marsh, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. $25-$100. 415.282.3055.

TUESDAY, AUG. 26

BLUEGRASS

BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES

Banjoist/composer Bela Fleck is a powerhouse as a bandleader, but in his Flecktone “castle” there is no shortage of musicians who rule their domain. Pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy, bassist Victor Wooten and percussionist/drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten bring their majesty to a style impossible to define with one label. Some call it “country.” Some hear within the band’s driving rhythms, magnetic melodies and blazing instrumentalism, a hybrid that includes the best features of classical, jazz, bluegrass, fusion, African, electric blues and Eastern European folk dance music. Their 2025 album, BEATrio, introduces harp into the mix. Gotta love a band that just keeps on keepin’ on. – LF

INFO: Tue, 8pm, The UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. $65. 510.356.4000.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27

HIP-HOP

AFROMAN

What was the best song of the year 2000? Stoners of the world will say, hands down, “Because I Got High” by Afroman. The Mississippi-born, Los Angeles-raised rapper burst onto the hip-hop scene with that unforgettable ode to weed, scored a Grammy nomination for it and has been smokin’ ever since. Combining his distinctive absurd humor with laid-back West Coast beats, Afroman produces golden track after golden track. He also entered politics in the past few years, filing paperwork to run as an independent in the 2024 presidential race. He would have been “Cannabis Commander in Chief.” If only. – AM

INFO: Wed, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $38. 510.214.8600.

Miles Minnick creates ‘slaps for the soul’

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Miles Minnick creates ‘slaps for the soul’

Last month Pittsburg’s own rapper, Miles Minnick, was celebrated by the city for more than just his success in the music industry: He was honored for his community involvement and his journey of transformation. Reflecting on the moment during a video call, Minnick could only smile and laugh as he contemplated his journey.

“That was a dream come true,” he said. “The same streets I used to tag up with graffiti, terrorize and sell drugs in, I get to inspire now.”

It’s a somewhat familiar story in Pittsburg, a city known for producing influential voices in Bay Area rap. Artists like Husalah and The Jacka infused their music with religious themes, often reflecting their Islamic faith while navigating the harsh realities of street life.

“Jacka and Husalah, those were our superstars for real,” said Minnick, who grew up in the same city watching these pioneering artists. He started his own journey into music at 14 years old.

Minnick entered the Bay Area rap scene in 2010, under the name Lil’ Bailey. His early music was deeply rooted in the gritty sound of the Bay, capturing the struggles of his everyday life. But everything changed one night during a hangout with friends. Someone suggested they attend a church youth night, a decision that ultimately altered his life and career.

“We would have real faith-based functions in Pittsburg at church,” Minnick said. “There would be little teen clubs with clean music. I would hear West Coast slaps talking about the Savior when I was 17 and 18 years old. Then I started doing it, and now I get to take it to the world.”

Over the years Minnick amassed a huge following on social media and secured collaborations from Keak Da Sneak, E-40 and G-Eazy. He also formed a close partnership with Christian rapper Lecrae. In May, they released Get Well Soon!, a collaborative EP. Lecrae was a co-headliner at GLO Fest, the annual Christian hip-hop festival that Minnick hosts in Castro Valley. In the fall, they’ll tour together as well.

While Minnick is currently achieving the success he always prayed for, the path that led him to this point was not an easy one. Prior to becoming a Christian, Miles was deeply involved in street life, selling drugs and spending long nights in Pittsburg’s neighborhoods with his friends. He talks about this on his upcoming album, Via Dolorosa, set for release on Aug. 29.

The album’s title is a biblical reference to the route Jesus took on his way to crucifixion in Jerusalem. The journey holds deep spiritual significance for Christian believers, many of whom pilgrimage there to connect with Jesus’ suffering. It’s a fitting metaphor for Minnick’s own story of redemption.

Via Dolorosa, a 13-track project, blends the signature Bay Area sound with Minnick’s signature “inspirational rap.” While the album features upbeat, catchy melodies, Minnick reveals the personal and spiritual struggles he’s had to confront. Songs like “Everything Paid” serve as a perfect bridge, mirroring the album’s theme of overcoming adversity while staying rooted in faith. 

“The song is easy to listen to; it’s fun. It has a melody to it,” Minnick said. “It’s a slap with substance.” 

Despite being labelled a “Christian rapper” or “faith based,” Minnick has a broader vision for his music and message. For him, his music isn’t confined to any one space.

“It’s not my job / Can’t judge you / Live different / But we still gon’ love you,” he sings on “Not My Job,” the opening chorus on the album’s eighth track, which flips a classic Mac Dre sample. His goal is to create “slaps for the soul” that anyone can enjoy—music that can be played in a club or in a church on Sunday.

Authenticity is a large part of the reason why his music resonates with so many people. His Bay Area pride is a consistent boast throughout his songs, but so is his faith and commitment to his family. This genuine approach is part of the reason why he has been able to collaborate with more mainstream artists without having to compromise his message.

“When I’m collabing with these mainstream artists, it’s not me trying to lean in their direction,” Minnick said. “I’m just leaning into my direction, and it seems to resonate with people.”

San Lorenzo son seizes the light

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San Lorenzo son seizes the light

Jesse Daniel said his song, “Son of the San Lorenzo,” has become a fan favorite. When he decided to write an album of autobiographical songs, it was natural to make it the title track.

“I wrote it back in 2018,” Daniel said. “I’ve played it for years and years. It’s become one of my staples. When I decided to write a record about my life, [that song] represented where I’m from and the path I’ve taken. It made a good introduction to my story.”

Daniel cut a folky version of “Son of the San Lorenzo” on his Rollin’ On album. When he recorded it with his touring band for the Son of the San Lorenzo album, he wrote an arrangement with a honky-tonk edge. “I wanted it to sound more country and more rock. That way, it fit into the overall feel of the album. It’s a departure from the Bakersfield sound of my past records. It nods to the influences I had growing up: the Eagles, Neil Young and Creedence [Clearwater Revival].”

Daniel went to Nashville’s Bomb Shelter studio to make the recording. He’s produced his albums before, but this time he took on more responsibility for the sessions. “We recorded to analogue tape, which was a challenge,” he said. “Tape has a warmer, more welcoming sound. I loved ’60s and early ’70s country and rock, and I wanted to reflect that feel and the magic of the stuff I grew up on.”

The band rehearsed before it went into the studio. Daniel wrote out all the parts he wanted them to play and sent out demos to instruct them on what he was hearing for each song. The music evolved naturally at the rehearsal and recording sessions. The engineer, Andrija Tokic, had connections to the Nashville scene and hooked Daniel up with harmonica ace Charlie McCoy (Elvis, Roy Orbison, George Jones), Lynyrd Skynyrd’s keyboard player Peter Keys and banjo player Richard Bailey from bluegrass greats the Steel Drivers.

“I’ve told my story in other songs, but never in the way that I’ve wanted to,” Daniel said. “I dove into those subjects and uncovered some of the things I wanted to tell people: Where I’m from, who I am and where I’m going. 

“We recorded live, together in one room, with a few overdubs for guitar, harmonica and banjo,” he continued. “There were some minute changes, but I had most of it planned out and things stayed true to my vision.”

A love song to his fiancée, “Jodi” is a ballad marked by Daniel’s acoustic fingerpicking, band member Caleb Melo’s poignant, sweeping notes on pedal steel and harmonica accents from McCoy. Daniel sings softly, describing the ups and downs that strengthened their relationship. 

The path from addiction to sobriety is laid out in “One’s Too Many (And A Thousand Ain’t Enough).” It’s a funky country rocker that describes the struggles addicts face on a daily basis, both emotionally and physiologically. Daniel’s matter-of-fact delivery increases the impact of the lyrics.

There’s a lively arc to the story in the songs, as Daniel describes his path from personal darkness to light. “I grew up in Ben Lomond, watching my dad play guitar in rock and country bands, in clubs and bars,” Daniel said. “I had a guitar in my hands since I was a little kid. I started playing in bands when I was 11. I also played drums and sat in with my dad’s band if the regular drummer didn’t show up.”

Playing music in rock and punk bands meant playing in bars. Daniel began drinking and experimenting with drugs. By the time he was 18, he was a heroin addict.

“When I was 25, I was playing country music and developing my sound,” Daniel said. “I met Jodi [Lyford] after a gig at a place called Bandit Town, and we hit it off.”

They became friends, developed a relationship and started writing songs together. Eventually, she told him to choose between her and his bad habits. He chose her. She became his manager and helped him develop his career.

“At one point, I was on the road doing 200 dates a year, all over the U.S., Europe and Brazil,” Daniel said. “It’s been my fulltime job since 2018.”

Daniel and his band will play at 8pm on Thursday, Aug. 28, at The Independent, 628 Divisadero St., San Francisco. 415.771.1421. $20. theindependentsf.com

Diametric double feature delivers catharsis

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Diametric double feature delivers catharsis

Those who want to watch a movie double feature with films so insanely polar opposite from each other that it factory resets their brains need look no further than the mind-melting combination of The Naked Gun and Together.

One is a gruesome, body-horror deconstruction of toxic relationships and codependency, and the other is a goofball comedy that’s so stupid viewers will find themselves caught between belly laughs and eye-rolling the entire time. Across these two movies almost every emotion is covered in one way or another, and by the time they’re both over the audience will feel like it’s had a bit of a spiritual cleanse.

Together is heavenly for those of us missing the dark hilarity of The Substance and how it simultaneously worked as a grody horror movie and a critique of modern American culture. Together is not only a cringe-inducing thriller with two or three of the scariest shots I’ve seen in a film all year, but also a razor-sharp and hilarious metaphor for relationship anxiety and codependency that builds to such dizzying and disgusting heights as to be almost unbearable.

All I’ll say about the plot is this: Tim and Millie—played by real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, both never better—are a long-term couple, still unmarried, who move upstate and out of the city so she can take a teaching job. After settling down in their house in the woods, they go for a hike and fall into a mysterious cave that causes them to become much closer than they have ever been before. 

Go in as blind as you can, as I did, so you can be constantly shocked and blown away by the insanely violent and depraved shenanigans that ensue. While Together might not be an instant horror classic like The Substance, it is easily the next big cult horror classic and the perfect date night movie for couples who feel a little something is missing from their relationship.

RELATIONSHIP THRILLER In ‘Together,’ Tim and Millie (Dave Franco and Alison Brie) are a couple who move upstate and fall into a cave. (Photo courtesy of Neon)

My brain was a little broken and disturbed after Together, so going directly into The Naked Gun, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, is probably what it needed to bounce back to normal. The number of puns in this movie is legendary and when people say “they don’t make them like this anymore,” they’re talking about comedies that are so ridiculous and gleefully stupid that they’re ultimately impossible to write about. 

Everyone’s sense of humor is so subjective that each person who watches Liam Neeson growl his way through 90 minutes of poop jokes, puns, prat falls, sight gags and word play will find completely different bits to love. There’s a five-minute section of the film where through a musical montage, Neeson and Anderson go on vacation together and accidentally bring a snowman to life. It had me laughing so hard I might have developed a snot bubble. Yet, I’m pretty sure I was the only person laughing in the sold-out theater. And there were sections that had the entire auditorium rolling that elicited only a groan from me, so everyone’s mileage will vary.

I grew up watching the original Naked Gun movies with my grandpa Bud, so seeing a new movie set in this cartoonishly ridiculous world hit all the nostalgia buttons for me and kept a grin on my face even when my eyes rolled toward my cranium. Some people will think this is the funniest movie they’ve ever seen, while others will think it’s the dumbest movie ever made and a death-knell for the intelligence of America. Neither is correct.

Still, I want to thank director and co-writer Akiva Schaffer for making the movie anyway. He’s one of the minds behind The Lonely Island, Hot Rod and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and has had a hand in giving me some huge laughs across the last 20 years. A whole new generation will watch this new Naked Gun with someone they love and have nothing but good memories of profound ridiculousness and the sharing of belly laughs.

In a time where everything feels so fraught and serious, there’s something beautifully cathartic about a film so purposefully stupid and hilarious that one can shut their brain off with no negative consequences. It’s so important to have an outlet like that, and art is one of the last places where we can let go of our egos and just exist in someone else’s experience for a few hours. We all need it from time to time.

Together
Grade: B+

The Naked Gun
Grade: B

Melt Me Creamery serves Asian-inspired ice cream flavors

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Melt Me Creamery serves Asian-inspired ice cream flavors

When Pixar featured Fentons Creamery in Up (2009), locals instantly recognized a beloved East Bay ice cream parlor. My memories of Fentons include at least one birthday celebration there and many more late nights standing in line for incredibly large scoops or even larger sundaes. In her semi-autobiographical film Ladybird, Greta Gerwig featured Gunther’s Ice Cream, Sacramento’s equivalent.

Going out for ice cream is a sentimental journey. One that’s tied to childhood and family gatherings. When residents from both areas talk about Fentons or Gunther’s, it’s always with affection.

Nutchapol Phaungjit and his wife, Suphaluk Moontha, were considering opening a boba store before they opened Melt Me Creamery. But when they were living in Sacramento, the couple went to Gunther’s. Phaungjit told me his career-altering reaction to the ice cream parlor was, “Oh my god, this place is so wonderful. It seemed like the place where people came to hang out. They grab a cone and are happy.” That sense of a community coming together inspired the couple to consider making ice cream instead of bubble tea.

With a new plan in mind, the couple bought an ice cream maker to experiment with the process at home. They subsequently secured a lease on MLK, in the same storefront which used to house Ono Bakery and, before that, Secret Scoop. Phaungjit reached out to the owner of Secret Scoop, a Thai gelato shop that closed in 2020, “to get advice about how to turn it back into an ice cream shop,” he said.

Phaungjit and Moontha operate the business themselves, and sleep a few short hours every night while Melt Me launches. Since opening last month, they’ve been selling out of one or two flavors a day. “Our kitchen is small,” Phaungjit said. “We do small batches.” After they make the base, the ice cream is refrigerated overnight. The next day they churn it before freezing it for up to five hours. Then it’s ready to serve.

“Even when you’re done with the day and the last customer walks out of the store, you can’t just clean the ice cream machine and go home,” he said. “We have to start making ice cream after the doors close for the next five or six hours—otherwise, we’d have nothing to sell.”

Moontha thought that 16 flavors was a reasonable starting point for the whole menu. Practically speaking, they’re keeping 12 flavors in the store, which includes a monthly flavor rotated in. Korean Corn Coffee Latte was July’s, and customers are still asking for it. I tried August’s flavor, which just happened to be my favorite: Coffee with Chocolate Chips.

Ice cream is also popular in Thailand. Phaungjit attributes that to the hot climate, which he described as “summer all year.” He added that it’s completely different from what we eat in the United States. “The flavors in Thailand are mostly made from fruit. Our menu is mostly Asian-inspired flavors,” he said. Although the flavor that’s put Melt Me on the social media map is their Cheddar Cheese with Walnut Pralines.

Moontha came up with the idea for the cheese ice cream. She first tried the flavor in her hometown, Chiang Mai. But it wasn’t easy to duplicate the recipe. Each brand of cheddar cheese contains different ingredients, and that affects the flavor and the texture. Moontha is happy with the version they’ve come up with, even if it doesn’t taste exactly like the one she remembers from home.

Pinkberry is really strawberry but they changed the name because, as Phaungjit explained, “we really put a lot of strawberry in it until the color changes to a darker pink.” For now Melt Me isn’t making pandan as its own unique flavor, but the couple does infuse it into the Mango Sticky Rice base. It’s one of two non-dairy vegan options made with coconut and/or oat milk. The other is Thailand’s most popular ice cream, Bangkok Summer Scoop, which combines coconut milk, jackfruit, palm seeds and macapuno.

Melt Me Creamery, 1918 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley. Open Mon-Thu, 3–9pm; Fri-Sun, noon to 9pm. 510.936.6456. IG: @meltme.creamery.

Donna Meadows opens Moxie Steak House in Alameda

Donna Meadows opens Moxie Steak House in Alameda
Before it closed in 2022, Alameda’s Little House Cafe was one of the island kingdom’s primary brunch destinations. For nearly two decades, Donna Meadows served hearty, dependable, American meals there. To secure that job, the chef was in the right place at the right time.  When her lease was up, she’d closed Boniere Bakery on Park Street. In the interim,...
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The Fall of the House of Boredom: A guide to arts adventures

The Fall of the House of Boredom: A guide to arts adventures
Fall in the East Bay is always chock-full of arts adventures, and 2025 is no exception. Take a look at this by-no-means-comprehensive preview of a creative scene with something for everyone. THEATER Berkeley Rep revs up its season with The Reservoir, a comedy in which a 20-something, discombobulated queer man copes with “family, memory and the path toward healing,” Sept. 5-Oct....
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The Bay List lifts voices

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Earlier this year, The Bay List held a Bay Area Screenwriters Salon at Mama Dog Studios in Oakland. Its purpose was to build a sense of community and encourage participation. By April 8, over a thousand hopefuls had submitted their work. The pool has now been whittled down to 30, with the final 10 to be announced in September....
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Mills College Art Museum celebrates its centennial

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A collection at Mills College Art Museum has long flown under the radar of most people in the Bay Area. To celebrate the museum’s centennial, the “100 Years of Creative Visions” exhibit and related public programming bring forth a cross-cultural selection. On view from Sept. 13, 2025, to April 2026, the exhibit presents an opportunity to see Asian textiles, ceramics...
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Alameda County OKs $1.8 billion homelessness plan

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THURSDAY, AUG. 21 ROOTS  ANNUAL FREIGHT FIDDLE SUMMIT For those who seek a hop in their step, a jig in their dance and instruments that don’t need to be plugged in, the Freight is the place to be this weekend. The annual Fiddle Summit returns to the folk venue this week with a lineup that is sure to transport everyone in attendance...
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Miles Minnick creates ‘slaps for the soul’

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Last month Pittsburg’s own rapper, Miles Minnick, was celebrated by the city for more than just his success in the music industry: He was honored for his community involvement and his journey of transformation. Reflecting on the moment during a video call, Minnick could only smile and laugh as he contemplated his journey. “That was a dream come true,” he...
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San Lorenzo son seizes the light

San Lorenzo son seizes the light
Jesse Daniel said his song, “Son of the San Lorenzo,” has become a fan favorite. When he decided to write an album of autobiographical songs, it was natural to make it the title track. “I wrote it back in 2018,” Daniel said. “I’ve played it for years and years. It’s become one of my staples. When I decided to write...
Read more

Diametric double feature delivers catharsis

Diametric double feature delivers catharsis
Those who want to watch a movie double feature with films so insanely polar opposite from each other that it factory resets their brains need look no further than the mind-melting combination of The Naked Gun and Together. One is a gruesome, body-horror deconstruction of toxic relationships and codependency, and the other is a goofball comedy that’s so stupid viewers...
Read more

Melt Me Creamery serves Asian-inspired ice cream flavors

Melt Me Creamery serves Asian-inspired ice cream flavors
When Pixar featured Fentons Creamery in Up (2009), locals instantly recognized a beloved East Bay ice cream parlor. My memories of Fentons include at least one birthday celebration there and many more late nights standing in line for incredibly large scoops or even larger sundaes. In her semi-autobiographical film Ladybird, Greta Gerwig featured Gunther’s Ice Cream, Sacramento’s equivalent. Going out...
Read more
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