I love being an urban girl. I really do. But sometimes I long for the suburban megastores of my childhood, places that will sell me furniture AND popcorn AND a set of picnic plates AND the DVD of The Way We Were. When this happens, I [more...]

Once upon a time, it was possible to see Shakespeare performed at Stinson Beach. A few years ago, sadly, the company had to move to Novato, but you can still see the Bard in all his silly, hapless glory over a picnic dinner and under a [more...]

Though Mount Tam holds a firm grip on the imaginations of our city dwellers, Bay Area natives have another mountain they can turn to in times of trouble: Mount Diablo. Many aren't aware that in addition to creating a pleasing skyline, [more...]

Marin is becoming more closed to dogs every year, it seems, but Rodeo Beach is still a great place to don your skimpiest swimsuit and take your dog [more...]

Point Isabel Regional Shoreline is one of those great, rare places that caters to dogs and their humans at the same time. The 21 acre park has plenty of [more...]

Benicia (pronounced ben-EE-sha, NOT ben-IH-sha) is a little undiscovered jewel box in the East Bay. With its clean streets, smiling families and beautiful views of the water every way you turn, this would be the perfect place to settle [more...]

I was raised on Kinder's sandwiches, and now I wish to pass the tradition on to a new generation. This small chain of world-class delis (pronounced to rhyme with [more...]

The Pacific Coast Brewing Company in Oakland is one of those independent places that feels like a chain. Is there a "Build Your Own Brewery" kit that these [more...]

Just because you love ping pong doesn't mean you need to skulk in your dad's basement. Head over to the Marin Table Tennis Club to let loose your inner [more...]

Though it's just a few doors down from another popular spot, Venus never seems to lack patrons. Their fresh, organic ingredients and fusion of flavors attracts [more...]

It is widely agreed that the best way to feel French without actually going to France is to have brunch at La Note in Berkeley. The menu is dripping with [more...]

If you live in Sonoma County, or if you just love horses, you should check out CHANGE. The name stands for Coins to Help Abandoned and NeGlected Equines, [more...]

Girl Army offers self defense classes in Oakland. Fees are on a sliding scale; students pay what they feel they can afford, and no one is turned away for lack of [more...]

Nothing is sexier than someone who can fix stuff around the house. This is true for men and women, by the way. There is no human on earth who can resist someone who fixes their car for free, or makes to door actually fit in the [more...]

They say chivalry is dead...so why not return to a time when it was everywhere? Take a quick trip to the Renaissance when you attend the Northern Californian Renaissance Faire. Co [more...]

If you want to go wine-tasting without all the yuppie frills, check out Thomas Coyne Winery in Livermore. The people who pour the wine have a cheerful, "just [more...]

Recently opened under new management, Ruby Hill Winery has been in Pleasanton since 1887. (That's 1787 in Napa years, and 1408 in Europe years.) After a successful [more...]

Though your inner gourmand might balk at the idea of a massive chain of sushi restaurants, shove some eel in his mouth and ignore him. Unlike many -- I might say most -- sushi restaurants, Todai off [more...]

The Oakland Raiders are so locally beloved that their fans have formed their own country: the Raider Nation. On game days you're bound to see hoards of the Nation [more...]

Fentons is one of the last great creameries in the Bay Area. Set up to look like a diner with wrought-iron chairs and a hearty onion-ring-inclusive menu, the [more...]