Folks hanging out on their porch and greeting friends, family and passersby, has long been part of the nature of West Oakland. A man whose house I regularly walk by on my way to work once called out to me, “How do you make a Mai Tai?” “You’ve got to

We began a tradition of bowing to each other. Back when I started working Monday comedy nights at the Rite Spot, it became a regular habit to stop off at the Uptown on my way via the train from Oakland. Like many long time bartenders, my morning is primarily spent

Step into a world of adventure with the 2023-2024 East Bay Beer Passport! There’s no better way to explore the East Bay than to literally drink it in. Each passport contains 27 coupons to buy one beer, get a second beer FREE at 27 of the finest locally owned breweries,

By Curt Hopkins It took us until our second tenure in San Francisco to figure out how to eat in the city. Here you flee from fancy food like from a rural outhouse. Fancy food in San Francisco is overhyped, overpriced, and overcooked. Like Jonathan Gold advised Angelenos, it’s best

In 1942, San Francisco City Hall employees began to fear their place of work.  Every day, shortly after noon, employees heard five rapping sounds, seemingly emanating from within the walls. This was followed by a brief pause, then another three raps. Nobody could explain the source of these eerie sounds. 

For those who don’t participate, SantaCon is an annual spectacle, mildly disorienting and mostly foul. If you’ve ever seen a cluster of self-saboteurs in Santa costumes collectively heaving over a gutter or stumbling about in a daze, you’ve likely been privy to the awe-inspiring merriment of SantaCon.  As a writer

The Westin St. Francis Hotel looms on the edge of Union Square, bearing silent witness to flocks of tourists and shoppers who likely know nothing of its history. Built in 1904, the St. Francis Hotel is now known to be one of the most haunted hotels in California. Many notable

It all began here in Oakland 55 years ago: the rise of what would become a global movement for equal civil rights under the law, for oppressed brothers and sisters of every stripe. With a “radical” idea of what equality looks like and a 10-point platform, the Black Panther Party

Hi and welcome to the BAS Weekend Wellness Column! My name is Erynne Elkins and I’m a Well-Being Advocate and Certified Breathwork Facilitator. Every Friday I’ll share a holistic wellness modality available here in the Bay Area. Cheers to good health! The art of noodling around:  an aesthetic meditation for