August 2008

08/29/08

Art and Soul Fest rocks downtown Oakland all weekend

What do you get when you combine music, art, dance, food and fun? The annual Art & Soul festival in Downtown Oakland of course—and it’s going on this
holiday weekend.
 
To those who plan on staying in the Bay Area for Labor Weekend, this is THE place to be. To those who are leaving for the holiday, I do apologize that
you will miss all the fun.
 
Attendees can catch the Indigo Girls, Stephanie Mills, The Matches, Bobby Hutcherson, Rose Royce and Walter Hawkins as this year’s concert headliners. Or, enjoy other dance, band and choir performances at one of the six stages.
 
If you’d rather walk around, head over to the many artisan booths. There is something for everyone, from jewelry, imported crafts,...

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08/28/08

First Taste: Miss Pearl's Jam House at Jack London Square

I had a fun and delicious dinner at the pre-opening party at Miss Pearl’s Jam House on the waterfront in Jack London Square this week. This lively new spot serves tropical drinks such as the Watermelon-Cachaca “Smash,” and food you don’t find much of in the East Bay: Caribbean specialties Sugar Cane Barbecue Shrimp on corn-griddle cakes, Grilled Skirt Steak with horseradish-garlic puree and onion rings, and a heavenly Island Gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, mango, jicama, and lime. All were fresh and full of spicy, intricate flavors. Plus, they serve Jell-O shots.

The restaurant is a revival of Joey Altman’s original Miss Pearl’s on Eddy Street in San Francisco—which closed on New Year’s Eve in 1996—and Altman...

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08/26/08

Good things going on at Bedford Gallery

Don’t miss your last chance to see the Bedford Art Gallery’s “Local Voices,” exhibition, on display until August 31. The exhibition showcases the work of talented East Bay artists, some well-known in the art world, others new to the scene.

Your best bet to really connect with these works comes tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. when the curator of the gallery along with several exhibiting artists will meet to discuss their work over coffee and pastries. Reservations are required-to reserve your space call (925) 295-1423. The gallery asks for a $7 donation.

Coming up next month at the gallery is “Untold Stories: Early American Quilts from the collection of Susan Brooks.”  Historically, art crafted by women has been largely...

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08/19/08

Hip granola at Danvllle's Domenico's Deli

In many minds, granola equals Tevas with tube socks. But granola has suffered a bad rap, and the best way for you to give it the love it deserves is to head over to Domenico’s Gelateria in Danville. Their granola is homemade with tons of fresh oats, pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame seed, and coconut by Shannon Pace, the daughter of Domenico’s owner, Joe Giacomini. You have not lived until you’ve tasted its tender, toasty richness. Picture this: thick yogurt topped with a fresh peach cut into chunks and a generous sprinkle of this food of the gods. You’ll never experience the tube socks association again. Phew.
Domenico’s Delicatessen and Gelateria, 682 Hartz Ave., Danville, (925) 837-8301

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08/18/08

Bedford Gallery’s Local Voice exhibition

Time is running out to see an outstanding exhibition of works by artists who live and work in Contra Costa County.  Local Voice 2008: Defining Community Through Art closes August 31 at Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery. One artist whose works you can see is part of the Diablo family: Jake Watling. His day job is art director for Diablo Custom Publications. In his spare time, this graduate of St. Paul, Minnesota’s College of  Visual Arts paints, draws, writes, and does photography. His vivid, colorful paintings, which depict people, animals, signs, symbols, and architectural and mythical images, have been exhibited in galleries in the Bay Area, including San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, as well as around the country and in...

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08/18/08

Family Fun: Sunday matinees at Yoshi's Jack London Square

Here’s a sure-fire way to get the kids out of the house and away from the TV and computer.  Yoshi’s Jazz Club Sunday Matinees are back and this year’s going to be better than ever. The series kicks off August 10 for both Yoshi’s Oakland and San Francisco.
 
This marks the San Francisco location’s first year in hosting regular matinees for the family. Yoshi’s Sunday Matinee performances are designed especially for parents who wish to introduce their children to the world of jazz. Prices are $5 (17 and under) and a special kid-friendly menu is provided.
 
Oakland performances include Oliver Mtukudzi, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Maria Muldaur & the Free Radicals. San Francisco’s performers are The...

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08/15/08

Art in the Park in Martinez this Sunday

Music and arts and crafts—Oh my! Martinez residents have been waiting all year for this. Well now it’s finally here: the annual arts and crafts faire at Susana Street Park in downtown Martinez. Going on its 39th year, Art in the Park will feature artists of all sorts as they showcase their goods Sunday, August 17. Displayed arts and crafts will range from original paintings and photographs to one-of-a-kind crafts using ceramic and jewelry. Wood, metal, and fabric artists are also among those attending the faire. For those who want to channel their creativity in another way, by rockin’ out and shaking their bon-bon perhaps, then come out and listen to the live sounds of local musicians as they take the stage. Troy Riggs kicks off the fun-filled event at 10 am with a...

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08/14/08

Updates on East Bay athletes in the Beijing Olympics

Olympic fever is sweeping the globe and we have plenty of athletes to cheer for from Diabloland. The remarkable Natalie Coughlin, who became the first woman to ever defend a gold medal in a swimming event when she won the 100 m backstroke on Tuesday, has been getting the most coverage of the East Bay athletes in Beijing, but there's plenty of others to keep your eyes on.

Sport: Basketball
More info: http://www.usabasketball.com/
Athlete: Jason Kidd-Oakland/UC Berkeley
So far: Team USA has won all 3 games (vs. China, Angola, Greece).

Next up: Vs. Spain on 8/16 @ 10:15 pm and Germany on 8/18 @ 8:00 pm. Team has secured spot in the medal round quarterfinals.

Sport: Volleyball

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08/13/08

Killer Marc by Marc Jacobs sale, August 14–16

Looking for a perfect outfit to usher in the fall season? Well, your best chance to score some designer duds while saving some cash happens this weekend.
From August 14-16, Oakland boutique iniam will be offering its entire line of Marc by Marc Jacobs at 20% off. The store just received a shipment of pre-fall and fall fashion so come early if you want to be the first one on the block with the newest look. You’ll be sure to make a statement with his new cherry red Ridgeback coat or FREE (while supplies last) recyclable canvas tote bearing his name.
Iniam is located at 5902 College Ave in Oakland. For more information, call (510) 597-1558   or go to www.iniam.com

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08/11/08

Natalie Coughlin defends her gold medal in 100 back

Just read Natalie Coughlin has won a gold medal in the 100 meter backstroke in the Beijing Olympics. Big congratulations to the Lafayette resident who continues to step up on the world stage, against spectacular compeition from swimmers like Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry. Coughlin reportedly finished the race in 58.96, and six of the eight women in the race finished under 1 minute. Amazing performances by all.

Sorry if this is a spoiler for those watching network coverage, but its an incredibly exciting moment for East Bay fans of the swimmer.

I spent some time interviewing Coughlin a few months back and she was cool, confident, but also down to earth. She's a dedicated foodie—she's done cooking demonstrations on the Today show—look for her local favorite food...

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