CLIMATECHANGER DANGER!
CLIMATE CHANGER
INTRODUCTION
ARTS & CULTURE
BEAUTY, HEALTH & WELLNESS
CANNABIS EVERYDAY
FAMILY p24
Garbageisamanufacturedproduct,created whenotherwiserecoverableresourcesare mixedandmashedtogether.Mostroomsin everybuildingin thewholecountry haveabasket wherethis manufacturing begins.Discarded resourcesareput inonebyone, thendumpedinto alargerbin,and thenintoatruck withamore modernbodybasedonthisone.A hydraulicpistonsmasheseverything together.Theobjectiveistopackinmore cargobeforethetruckhastobedrivento whereitcandumpontotheland,tobe covered ina“sanitary“way.Liquidsleach outandmaketheirwayintotheplanet's
Garbage is a manufactured product, created when otherwise recoverable resources are mixed and mashed together. Most rooms in every building in the whole country have a basket where this begins. Discarded resources are put in one by one, then dumped into a larger bin, and then into a truck with a more modern body based on this one. A hydraulic piston smashes everything together. The objective is to pack in more cargo before the truck has to be driven to where it can dump onto the land, to be in a “sanitary“ way. Liquids leach out and make their way into the planet's
water eventually. These “sanitary” methods of filling the land (hence “sanitary landfills”) also provide for anaerobic decomposition of organic materials – which makes
water—eventually.These“sanitary” methodsoffillingtheland(hence“sanitary landfills”)alsoprovideforanaerobic decompositionof organicmaterials –whichmakes methane.
Landfills are the largest source of methane. In the short term methane is 80-100 times
more powerful than carbon dioxide to warm the planet.
Landfillsare thelargest human-created sourceof methane.Inthe shortterm methaneis 80-100times morepowerfulthancarbondioxideto warmtheplanet.
Makinggarbagechangestheclimate!
Making garbage changes the climate!
Ifyou'renotforZeroWaste, howmuchwasteareyoufor?
If you're not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?
NASA'sAstronomyPictureof theDayfromFebruary12, 2002,coloredthemethanein theEarth'satmospheregreen, andananimationshowedhowit spinstothepoles.NASAsaid, “Methane(CH4)issecondonly tocarbondioxide(CO2)in creatingawarminggreenhouse effect…. ThelargestabundancereleasedbytheUS…is createdwhen anaerobic bacteriabreakdowncarbon-based garbage inlandfills.” [Emphasisadded.]
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day from February 12, 2002, colored the methane in the Earth's atmosphere green, and an animation showed how it spins to the poles NASA said, “Methane (CH4) is second only to carbon dioxide (CO2) in creating a warming greenhouse effect The largest abundance released by the US … is created when bacteria break down carbon-based in landfills.” [Emphasis added.]
UrbanOrehasbeensalvagingforreuseinBerkeley since1981.Wehave3acresofsecondhandgoods, open360daysayearuntil5:00PM,900MurraySt. near7thxAshby.Comeshop.
Urban Ore has been salvaging for reuse in Berkeley since 1981. We have 3 acres of secondhand goods, open 360 days a year until 5:00PM, 900 Murray St. near 7th x Ashby Come shop
ASSOCIATE
Karen Klaber
EDITOR
Samantha Campos
COPY EDITOR
Suzanne Michel
CONTRIBUTORS
Je rey Edalatpour
Janis Hashe
Bill Kopp
Lisa Plachy Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
PRODUCTION OPERATIONS MANAGER
Zk Bradley
SENIOR DESIGNER
Jackie Mujica
EDITORIAL DESIGNER
Phaedra Strecher
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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Lisa Santos
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Danielle McCoy
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Lynda Rael
CEO/EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Dan Pulcrano
Realistic optimism
COMPLICATED BEAUTY
A walk around Lake
can illustrate the many joys and complexities of Oakland.
A handy guide to accentuate the local positives—of which there are many
We’re in a time of transition. Between summer and fall. Between vacation and the start of a new school year. Not to mention the ongoing roller coaster between now and the November election. Locally, it also seems we’re at a critical juncture for Oakland, in terms of public safety, local governance and economic stability.
Recently, I attended a housewarming party for a close friend and her wife. A family member chatted with me about growing up in Oakland, and her warm memories of picnicking at Lake Merritt, playing at Fairyland, visiting the zoo, and seeing concerts and games at the
JEFFREY EDALATPOUR writes about arts, food and culture for SF Weekly, Metro Silicon Valley, East Bay Express and KQED Arts.
Coliseum. “It makes me sad what’s going on there now,” she said. I knew what she meant. But there’s so much more to Oakland than what’s presented in mainstream media.
I’m choosing to highlight the good here.
For me, our annual Best Of issue is a reminder of the great work our neighbors are doing in the realms of arts & culture; beauty, health & wellness; cannabis; family; food & drink; goods & services; home improvement; and recreation. Now more than ever, it’s time to celebrate the East Bay.
In this issue, we also feature a few local folks and their innovations. Sam Anderson-Moxley and his AI teaching tool, Roborubrics. Chef Mark Liberman
JANIS HASHE regularly contributes to the East Bay Express and other Bay Area publications.
BILL KOPP writes about music for Spin, Grammy.com, Record Collector, Goldmine and alt weeklies in the Bay Area and across the U.S.
and his California-casual take on Colombian fine dining at Mägo. Musician and music producer Gregory Howe’s indie label, Wide Hive Records, and starpowered Daggerboard collective making post-bop jazz and funk.
“Hope just means another world might be possible, not promise, not guaranteed,” writes Rebecca Solnit in Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power. “Hope calls for action; action is impossible without hope.”
We have work to do, bills to pay, challenges to overcome. May this issue provide some inspiration to appreciate the good that’s already here and give us hope for more to come.
– Samantha Campos, Editor
LISA PLACHY is a San Francisco-based writer who covers arts, community and culture in the Bay Area.
PANASHE MATEMBAMUTASA is a Bay Areabased journalist who covers technology and studies at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CAMPOS
Merritt
Roborubrics
Meet the AI grading assistant combating teacher burnout
BY Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
There’s a robot takeover happening in some American schools.
Don’t worry; they’re not the Hollywood anthropomorphic bots that respond in “beep boop.” These ones are far more intelligent, and they’re making teachers’ lives easier.
When Oakland-born educator Sam Anderson-Moxley began building his first essay grading app, he had envisioned a more streamlined workflow for his colleagues. A 2022 study published by the EdWeek Research Center found that teachers spend an average of five hours per week grading papers, totaling 140 hours for a 28-week school year.
Between meager wages and juggling class time duties with out-of-class responsibilities, today’s teachers are on the brink of burning out; 44% of K-12 teachers and 35% of university professors report “frequent” feelings of burnout, according to Soni Agrawal, associate professor at the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur. As a result, more teachers are stepping
away from the classroom for good.
Enter Roborubrics, the Google Docs compatible grading software that’s cutting teacher grading times down to mere minutes. Before building the app, Moxley spent a year teaching himself to code. Having become proficient in a variety of programming languages, he finally launched the app in February. Roborubrics is now being used in classrooms on the island of Hawaii, where Moxley is based. His plan is to bring the program to Oakland schools when he relocates back to the city next year.
“It would be a dream to have school districts in the Bay Area using Roborubrics,” Moxley said.
Roborubrics works by reading rubrics and delivering evaluations on academic writing based on their criteria. Once Roborubrics is purchased, a teacher can make their rubric in a document and have the plug-in grade an essay in just a few clicks. The grading comments come in quickly, but not at the expense of quality.
Teachers using the software at West Hawaii Explorations Academy (WHEA)—where
Moxley teaches—say they are impressed by the depth of feedback that’s being delivered to their students.
“Giving good feedback is not always easy to do, especially when you have a lot of classes or longer pieces of writing to grade,” said WHEA high school teacher Liana White. “So I think it’s good that it takes on such a complicated task.”
White can now have a single student’s paper graded in three to five minutes, whereas before, the task would take her around 45 minutes.
Shortly after the leading AI chatbot, Chat GPT, was launched in November of 2022, it was quickly integrated into academic culture, causing controversy as cheating scandals began to mount in schools across the country. While some school districts have banned the use of AI completely, others are finding ways to incorporate it productively and explore new teaching and learning methodologies.
Roborubrics is one of a growing number of AI applications that facilitate academic grading. Apps such as Chat GPT, GPT-4 and EssayGrader are
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory: Leadership and Service in Action
Sacred Heart Cathedral’s story is one of innovation and purpose, of serving Bay Area youth since 1852. Today, we continue to welcome the Bay Area’s brightest students to our inclusive community, preparing them for success with a dynamic curriculum, integrated technology and engagement with dedicated and innovative teachers.
Students and their families choose SHC for the strength of our academics, our faith and values, our extensive array of cocurricular opportunities and the warmth of our inclusive and nurturing community. Our students are compassionate, motivated, resourceful, independent, serviceoriented leaders who give life to our motto, Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve.
‘I became a teacher to inspire and nurture curiosity in my students, not perform time consuming repetitive tasks. Thanks to Roborubrics, I can focus on the best parts of teaching.’ SAM ANDERSON-MOXLEY
« increasingly being used by teachers as reports of burnout increase. There is no formal tracking for which schools are employing AI and to what extent, but some states are developing guidelines. In California, the Department of Education issued a report outlining responsible use of AI in educational institutions, listing mainly “administrative tasks” such as data analysis, scheduling and lesson planning.
As he continues to expand into new schools, one of Moxley’s selling points is affordability. The cheapest Roborubrics subscription tier is $10 a month, but he plans to have it lowered to $5 a month by the fall. Taking into account the burden educators bear of having to fund classroom supplies, the entrepreneur made it his mission to ensure Roborubrics was as accessible as possible.
But the debut of Roborubrics isn’t without pushback. Some teachers have sour feelings about using AI in classrooms, often saying it lacks the human touch necessary to connect with students over their assignments. A poll published by Forbes Advisor revealed that 62% of teachers’ concerns with AI are around reduced human interaction, while 30% worry about job displacement.
This hesitancy is most common among senior educators, who Moxley says often prefer traditional teaching modalities and are less likely to integrate technology than their younger colleagues. But he believes that these negative attitudes can change as long as people have an open mindset, noting that most teachers he encounters who do not like Roborubrics lack experience with the app or artificial intelligence in general.
“To that, I say, try and push these tools to their absolute limit, be creative and have fun with it,” he said.
Despite the naysayers, Moxley believes in his product, his testimony being the students’ reactions. In addition to having less stressed teachers, he reported that young learners are enjoying the faster feedback on their work. Seeing them so adaptable to the new technology has given him the idea of expanding Roborubrics to a student-facing application, where kids can use the software directly on their own.
“It’s been interesting seeing the students more receptive to it than some of the teachers,” Moxley said. “It’s definitely a generational thing.”
Addressing concerns about job loss, Moxley emphasizes the mission of Roborubrics to work with teachers rather than replace them. The hours he once spent grading are now hours he has available for his students. Plus, he said he feels he can better support them now. Many other teachers at WHEA feel the same way, according to him.
“I became a teacher to inspire and nurture curiosity in my students, not perform time consuming repetitive tasks,” Moxley said. “Thanks to Roborubrics, I can focus on the best parts of teaching.”
Una Burns is a high school teacher at WHEA who embraces Roborubrics in her classrooms. She teachers a variety of subjects in humanities and the sciences, and said she uses the software whenever she can. At first, it was an adjustment, she said, as she’s taught for 20 years without using much technology. But she’s since grown to appreciate the benefits she and her students have experienced.
One aspect of Roborubrics Burns said she admires is the objectivity in grading. Researchers at the University of Southern California in 2021 found that teachers were five percentage points less likely to rate writing samples by a student named
“Deshawn” on grade level or above, compared to writing samples by a student named “Connor.” Roborubrics eliminates the potential for these unconscious biases by using strictly the rubric the educator feeds it to grade student work.
“It’s fair and transparent, just an amazing development we’re lucky to have,” Burns said.
As he prepares to return to the Bay Area next year, Moxley is hopeful for the future of Roborubrics. Before he leaves the island of Hawaii, he plans on launching a local professional development event on AI usage for teachers. By next year, he wants to have Roborubrics in 1,000 schools across Hawaii and the mainland.
He also wants to pursue a learning sciences and technology design degree at Stanford University, believing it would complement his experience.
Eventually, Moxley wants to see Roborubrics expand, possibly into multiple teacher and student-facing applications that would address complex issues in education. When he thinks about his initial decision to learn computer programming as a teacher with a background in history, he says it’s comical how difficult it was. But it was a decision that gave him back his precious time, and could do the same for teachers nationwide.
“In the end, it was worth it,” he said. ❤
SCHOOLWORK Sam Anderson-Moxley built an app to help teachers grade essays.
Heart Smart & Head Smart
Aurora School is a progressive K-8 school which cultivates academic excellence and critical thinking skills. Our emphasis on social-emotional learning fosters self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Aurora features multi-grade classrooms, where teachers loop with their students for two years. This creates stronger relationships which support academic growth, and students learn empathy, leadership, and self-confidence mentoring younger peers.
To learn more, please visit auroraschool.org or contact admissions@auroraschool.org
E
cole Bilingue de Berkeley (EB) has been a leader in bilingual education for nearly 50 years. We offer a unique immersive dual curriculum in French and English, from Preschool through 8th grade, with multiple entry points for students with no prior French. EB’s program foregrounds bilingual fluency, STEM integration, critical thinking, experiential
★ Elementary School Campus
1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710
510 549-3867
learning and individualized student support. Our vibrant community welcomes families from all backgrounds, celebrating the rich traditions of both the Bay Area and global Francophonie. Admissions for 2025-2026 are now open. Schedule your on-campus visit today!
★ Middle School Campus 901 Grayson Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 510 549-2851
admissions@eb.org www.eb.org
TThe Child Unique Montessori School and Montessori Elementary Intermediate School of Alameda
he Child Unique Montessori School and Montessori Elementary Intermediate School of Alameda serve children at three campuses from 18 months through 8th grade. Renowned for its adherence to Montessori philosophy and social justice emphasis, we offer a sensorial, living experience to learn and honor the people within the world around us. We create a student-centered environment which fosters curiosity, love of learning, critical thinking,
and an understanding of identity, belonging, diversity, inclusion, and justice. The arts (music, performing and creative arts) and culture (second language lessons and inclusion) are bookends to our curriculum. And although our school seeks continual diversity, we recognize that diversity alone is not inclusion. With carefully crafted scaffolding, we help children learn in real time how to care for living things, including those who are different from them.
• Award winning school
• Award winning students
• Award winning principal
• Small classes/tight ratios
• 2 bilingual immersion classrooms: Mandarin/Spanish
Bentley School is an intellectually curious and inclusive community where teachers embrace the strengths of every student to help them rise to their full potential. In a challenging academic environment, we meet students where they are, encouraging them to cultivate their unique talents, skills, and perspectives. At Bentley, we foster a culture where students support and bring out the best in each other. And we prepare every individual for success throughout their lives by balancing intellectual achievement, personal growth, and self-advocacy.
bentleyschool.org
ARTS ´ CULTURE
Art Funky
We’ve all seen oil on canvas and pastel on paper, but few have seen acid on copper. That’s the signature medium of choice for local East Bay artist Stephen Bruce. Originally from Sacramento, Bruce now resides in Richmond, where he says he enjoys the vibrant arts community.
Bruce has been experimenting with the concept of color-specific oxidation since 2003, and his artworks have been featured in popular Hollywood productions like Law & Order and The Avengers, as well as local shows and galleries.
His studio is not the conventional
One man’s dipping sauce is another man’s…art supplies?
BY Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
art studio; bottles of ketchup, hot sauce, pickle juice and Dole pineapples are laid out on tables with tools and metal sheets. It somewhat resembles a chaotic kitchen. But each item present is intentional.
As a part of the acid-on-metal painting process, Bruce has studied the chemical reactions of various astringent properties (mostly foods and condiments) on an array of metals, and they all produce a di erent artistic e ect. Some of his most popular work has featured di erent sources of acid on copper, brass and steel. He defines the majority of his work as “abstract landscape.”
“I want you to feel like you’re experiencing something that you may
have found in nature,” Bruce says.
Walking down the corridor of his gallery, one can find earth-colored paintings depicting local geography hanging on the walls. Staring long enough at one of his cyan and turquoise pieces can feel like looking into the Pacific Ocean, the subtle carefully placed textures creating “waves.”
Like many artists, Bruce is always on the go, either touring the country showcasing his work in galleries or hosting educational art classes for local elementary students. But those who can catch him in the East Bay should be sure to see some of his paintings. They’re a refreshing reminder of the unique creativity of the region.
CONDIMENT PAINT Richmond artist
Stephen Bruce works with color-specific oxidation using acid on copper. PHOTO
SCalifornia Crosspoint Academy
Preschool through 12th Grade
ince 1979, CCA has provided a world-renowned educational program that is college-preparatory in rigor, Christian in philosophy and comprehensive in scope.
• Two-Time National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, 2003 and 2016
• Small class sizes
• Preschool: warm and friendly, creative academics and play
• Elementary: hands-on academic activities, foreign language, music, art and more
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• High school: college preparatory
• 100% college or military bound
• Award winning music and art programs
• Foreign languages: Mandarin and Spanish
• 20+ AP and Honors classes; 20+ student clubs
• Sports: basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country, track and field, badminton, swimming, golf, esports, colorguard
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• Scholarship program available
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CALIFORNIA CROSSPOINT ACADEMY
Transforming Lives for the Glory of God 25500 Industrial Blvd. Hayward, CA 94545 510-995-5333 | crosspointacademy.org
ARTS ´ CULTURE
BEST ART GALLERY
RICHMOND ART CENTER
NIAD ART CENTER
SLATE CONTEMPORARY GALLERY
BEST CHARITABLE EVENTS
PINTS FOR PAWS, BERKELEY HUMANE
SAVOR THE SEASON, ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
TOYS FOR TOTS
BEST CLASSICAL MUSIC ORGANIZATION
OAKLAND SYMPHONY
BERKELEY SYMPHONY
AWES O ME ORCHESTRA COLLECTIVE
BEST COMEDY NIGHT
COMEDY AT THE FACTORY
CRITICAL HIT COMEDY AT IT'S YOUR MOVE
ALAMEDA COMEDY CLUB
BEST COVER BAND
SHAKE IT BOOTY BAND
FLEETWOOD MACRAM E
LUNAFISH
BEST DANCE CLUB
ASHKENAZ MUSIC & DANCE COMMUNITY CENTER
QU E RICO NIGHTCLUB
ZANZI OAKLAND
BEST DANCE COMPANY
BANDALOOP
OAKLAND BALLET COMPANY
ROGELIO LOPEZ & DANCERS
BEST DANCE INSTRUCTOR (AND STUDIO)
MOMO LEBEAU, BODYWERK DANCE
ANN FISHER, CONSERVATORY OF CLASSICAL BALLET
CARA BODE YOUNG, FUNKMODE
ANDREW MERRELL, SHAWL ANDERSEN DANCE CENTER
MARY ARMENTROUT, DANSPACE
BEST DANCE SCHOOL
SHAWL - ANDERSON DANCE CENTER
BALLET FOLKLORICO NETZAHUALCOYOTL
CONSERVATORY OF CLASSICAL BALLET
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NOIR CITY
DRUNKEN FILM FEST
BEST KARAOKE
FREAKYOKE @ STORK CLUB
MEL - O - DEE
JAGUAR KARAOKE, OAKLAND
BEST LARGE MUSIC VENUE
FREIGHT & SALVAGE
FOX THEATER
GREEK THEATRE
BEST LATIN MUSIC CLUB
LA PE N A CULTURAL CENTER
ZANZI OAKLAND
BEST LGBTQ EVENT
OAKLAND PRIDE
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EL AFTERS
BEST LOCAL BAND
JOE RUT & THE SUNSHINE SHOVELERS
SKIP THE NEEDLE
CHELLE! AND FRIENDS
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FRIDAY NIGHTS AT OMCA
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BLUES, BREWS & BBQ, WEST END ARTS DISTRICT, ALAMEDA
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(AND MEDIUM WHERE THEIR WORK APPEARS)
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AMOEBA MUSIC
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 GO! RECORDS
ECONO JAM RECORDS
Sailing Current against the
BY Bill Kopp
Out of the ashes of a groundbreaking Bay Area music collective comes another group. Musically di erent but built upon the same creative values, Daggerboard is forward-looking and rooted in tradition. And at the same time, its founder helms an important indie record label.
Applying a punk musical aesthetic to the jazz idiom, Gregory Howe launched Throttle Elevator Music in the early 2010s. Over its lifespan, the collective featured a rotating cast of musicians, but at its core was a rising star: tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington.
Howe handled songwriting, arrangements and production; his label, Albany-based Wide Hive Records, would release no less than seven Throttle Elevator Music albums between 2012 and 2021. Parallel with that project, Washington’s status as one of the most innovative and compelling forces in jazz was solidified. Inevitably, there came a point at which Washington would move on to focus on his own work as a bandleader.
“Everything we had done with Throttle really pertained to Kamasi,” Howe says today. “Every track had him.” But the restless spirit that gave birth to Throttle Elevator Music continued to burn. Howe and trumpeter/composer Erik Jekabson
believed that the project’s underlying concept still had stories to tell. “We wanted to keep working in that vein, so we started thinking,” Howe recalls.
There’s a track called “Daggerboard” on 2021’s Final Floor, the last Throttle Elevator Music album. “The daggerboard,” Howe explains, “is the part of a ship that allows you to go against the current.” That idea provided a foundation for a new group of that name. “The whole premise is to make music that’s outside the mainstream, but thought-provoking,” he says. Explicitly picking up right where Throttle left o , the new group would feature many of the players involved with the earlier collective.
The core of Daggerboard is Jekabson and Howe as writers, plus drummer Mike Hughes and Ross Howe on guitar. Daggerboard debuted on record with 2021’s Last Days of Studio A. The group expanded with each release; by the time of 2024’s Escapement, they counted five o cial members and multiple guests. Acclaimed upright bassist and jazz veteran Henry “The Skipper” Franklin joined in 2022. Howe says that the unifying theme at the heart of Escapement is time. “We were toying with time—the concept of time and music—the whole time we made the album,” he explains. The music shifts meter constantly, from five beats per measure on “Centrifugal” to seven beats on the title track. The orchestral-natured “Climbing in the Cocoon” employs multiple time signatures, and “Shiva’s Mode” features what Howe laughingly calls “a very weird four.”
Speaking of time, the composers considered it very much of the essence when creating the music for Escapement “Eric is pretty much the fastest literary musician I’ve ever met,” Howe says. “So when we are working on a composition, it’s written as fast as we’re thinking about it.”
Though Daggerboard is a continuation of the mindset at the core of the Throttle project, the character of the new music is substantially di erent from what came before. “Throttle was counter-cultural,” Howe says. “Jazz can be so passive sometimes, so we were trying to make
POST THROTTLE
Daggerboard’s music appeals to both head and heart, equally celebrating musical precedent and adventurousness.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREGORY HOWE
TIME AND MUSIC By 2022, Daggerboard included (from left) Henry Franklin, Matt Clark, Erik Jekabson, Mike Clark, Gregory Howe and Alberto Hernendez.
something cathartic and angry.” In contrast, there’s a hard- and post-bop sensibility at work within Daggerboard. The music retains the fearless approach of the previous project, but roots it in a more traditional context. Music that appeals to both head and heart results, equally celebrating musical precedent and adventurousness.
Howe is effusive when discussing Daggerboard. “Escapement features one of the most powerful rhythm sections I’ve ever worked with,” he says. “One of the most sampled drummers, Mike Clark; one of the most interesting bass players, Henry Franklin, on bass; Babatunde Lee on congas.”
Asked to cite musicians whose work influenced the direction of the album, he repeats those names. “They bring their bags with them,” he explains. “I look to them for what they can do.” And Howe says that he’s inspired by their approach to music, noting, “Mike’s almost 80; Henry’s in his 80s. Their commitment is what really resonates with me, not just as a producer, but as a human.”
While Daggerboard is an all-consuming project, it’s merely one of the irons that Howe has in the proverbial fire. Wide Hive Records is Howe’s label, so his daily routine is a balancing act between his role as label head and as leader of one of its signed acts. When working with groups, he says that he tries to “temper the label aspect and encourage the production.” But the duties often overlap.
“I always tell people that when you’re making a record, you can’t just make a record,” he explains. Howe compares album-making to parenting. “You’ve made a child, but now you’ve got to educate that child. You’ve got to make sure it has friends, send it to college.”
During the process of making a record, Howe is all-in, as are the musicians with whom he works. He recalls his days working with Kamasi Washington. “He would sit in a chair, hear the song once, and then go in [to the studio] and play it with all of the key changes memorized,” he enthuses. And such vitality brings out the best in Howe the producer. “When you see that kind of intensity, you’re like, ‘OK, let’s track 52 tunes in two days!’ And we’d do that,” he recalls.
Once an album is done, Howe turns his attention back toward running a label, with responsibility for getting physical product manufactured and promoted. “And then the marketplace decides,” he says. As a slice of the music sales pie, jazz represents a tiny sliver; according to recent analysis, jazz accounts for about 1% of music sales. Only a quarter of that represents physical product sales (CDs, vinyl). Against that backdrop, Wide Hive Records is faring remarkably well.
“At least half of what [we’ve released] is making money,” Howe notes. “And that’s amazing, because, y’know… we’re not pop music here.”
Howe mentions an album scheduled for release on Wide Hive in 2025. That as-yet-untitled record is from cellist Ben
Davis, one of the musicians on Escapement. “It’s an instrumental hip-hop record,” he says. In fact, Howe’s vision for Wide Hive Records has always been an expansive one, never limiting itself to one style of music.
The label got its start as a means for Howe to continue in music after the breakup of Liquid, his popular Bay Area funk band. He remembers thinking, “I want to do music, but I don’t want a band, a group of people that’s always fighting.” He asked himself, “How do I make the best records I can make with the best people?” Wide Hive Records was the answer.
Since its start in 1997, the label has released dozens of albums and 12-inch singles, showcasing the work of a dazzling array of artists. Soul jazz guitarist Calvin Keys, fusion legend Larry Coryell, experimental trombonist Phil Ranelin, producer DJ Quest and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell are among the musicians who have released music on Howe’s label. And the jazz aesthetic of exciting ad hoc assemblages continues through projects like the Wide Hive Players.
“I really love making records,” Howe says. “That’s what I came on this Earth to do. And given all the human error, frailty and indecision in that process of making something out of nothing, I wouldn’t change anything in this path so far,” he notes. “And as long as I feel that way, I’m going to keep making records.”
For more info about Wide Hive Records visit widehive.com.
PRODUCER PLUS Gregory Howe launched Throttle Elevator Music in the 2010s, featuring the then-rising star, tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington.
WIDE HIVE STUDIO ‘Escapement’ features ‘one of the most sampled drummers,’ Mike Clark.
PHOTO
BEAUTY, HEALTH ´ WELLNESS
Take Care
These days, nail art has no limits. That’s been the experience of Alice Kincade anyway. The Oakland-based nail artist started her work in her dorm room at UCLA in 2019 while recovering from a car accident. Since then, she’s seen the possibilities of the art form expand exponentially.
“People had an idea of what nail stu could be. They didn’t know you could put literally anything on your nails,” she says.
Today, Kincade is known for being willing and able to put that literal anything on anybody. Flowers. Terrariums. Political
Nail art is about more than self-expression, says Oakland artist Alice Kincade
BY Lisa Plachy
statements. With the resurgence of ’90s and Y2K fashion, airbrushed designs. And recently, for a music video for the singer Raveena, “something her 16-yearold self would have wanted.” When following her own vision, Kincade likes to experiment with patterns and mixed media. Inspiration often comes from the present moment in culture.
“I often try to see what’s popping right now,” she explains. “Like, what can I get into for the vibe of ‘what’s going on right now’?”
As to why people treat themselves to Instagram-worthy nails, Kincade says it can be an opportunity to show o their
style. Though for many, it’s an act of self-care.
“There’s just a serotonin aspect to it that people really prioritize. I think that’s a really positive thing when it comes to taking care of yourself and investing in things that make you feel beautiful,” she notes.
Kincade is deeply connected to this feeling. She remembers the days of going to the nail salon with her mother and grandmother, how it was always fun to take care of themselves in that “womanly” way together. Now it’s Kincade who does her mom’s nails—who treats her and her clients to that act they find essential.
ANYTHING GOES Alice Kincade will put almost anything on her clients’ nails—charms included.
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DR. ANNA GOLD
CARA BROCKBANK
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ARCTIC RESTORE
SUPPLE
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DERMATOLOGY CENTER OF THE EAST BAY
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PLEASANTON DERMATOLOGY
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JILL MARTENSON
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BEAUTY SALON
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CENTER FOR BETTER HEARING
BERKELEY HEARING CENTER
BEST LOCAL HOSPITAL
KAISER PERMANENTE
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ALTA BATES SUMMIT MEDICAL CENTER, ALTA BATES CAMPUS
JOHN MUIR HEALTH WALNUT CREEK MEDICAL CENTER
BEST MASSAGE SERVICES
SUPPLE
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KUME SPA, GRAND AVENUE
BEST NAIL SPA
MARLOWE
NAVEANA NAIL SALON
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BEST OB/GYN
PATRICK DAWKINS, KAISER PERMANENTE OAKLAND MEDICAL CENTER
RAMA POLISETTY, STANFORD HEALTH CARE
LISA M. DESMOND, SUTTER HEALTH
BEST OPTOMETRIST
SOLANO EYECARE
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ALL EYES ON ME
BEST PEDIATRICIAN
EAST BAY PEDIATRICS, ORINDA
PAULA BRINKLEY, STANFORD CHILDREN'S HEALTH
ANNA R. KAPLAN, SUTTER HEALTH
BEST PERSONAL TRAINER
TNT STRENGTH
GET BENT
STONG ISLAND FITNESS
BEST PILATES STUDIO
PLANK + POWER
HEAL: PILATES
X ˙ CORE STUDIO, OAKLAND
BEST PSYCHOTHERAPIST
LUCIA GRAUMAN
SUSAN RYAN
ZONYA JOHNSON
BEST SKIN CARE SPA
SUPPLE
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KINTSU MEDSPA & WELLNESS
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BEST URGENT CARE CENTER
CARBON HEALTH, OAKLAND
WALNUT CREEK URGENT MEDICAL CARE
BEST WAXING STUDIO
SUPPLE
SANCTUARY WAX STUDIO
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BEST YOGA STUDIO
ADELINE YOGA
GREEN YOGI, TELEGRAPH
YOGA KULA
Berkeley’s ApothE carium
Top-tier products, personalized service and a welcoming atmosphere
BY Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
Most cannabis users have a dispensary that suits their needs. But anyone looking to explore new options should look no further than one Berkeley store.
The Apothecarium Dispensary is worth a visit for both those easing into the high-life and the established recreational smoker. In addition to o ering a variety of products from vapes and edibles to flavored flowers and prerolls, the Downtown Berkeley shop provides comprehensive cannabis consultations and free educational events to the public.
Regular workshops and informational sessions are held to educate the community about the benefits and uses of the plant, in an e ort to foster a sense of informed consumption.
The store’s ambiance arguably makes the experience. Elegant interior design, characterized by sleek lines and modern decor, creates a relaxing and upscale shopping environment. It’s a far cry from the clinical or overly commercial settings found in many dispensaries.
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by choice upon walking in, seeing the shelves lined with stylish product boxes. Fortunately, customer service is a highlight
of this business, and experienced sta can quickly guide visitors to products that suit their tastes. Newcomers feeling adventurous can order their newly released Valhalla edible gummies, handcrafted by local sta and currently available in Strawberry Lemonade, Sour Watermelon, Blue Raspberry and Tropical Twist. And if one becomes a fan of the place, they can even snag some merch.
The Apothecarium Dispensary is open to anyone looking to get their weed fix every day of the week between 10am and 9:30pm. This East Bay gem promises an experience that is both enlightening and enjoyable.
HIGH LIFE The Apothecarium’s ambiance makes the experience.
CANNABIS
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EMBARC, ALAMEDA
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7 STARS HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER
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PARK SOCIAL
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EAZE
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BLÜM
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420 AT 7 STARS HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER
EMBARC, ALAMEDA
HIGH ON FLAVOR
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ROOT'D IN THE 510
BEST CBD SELECTION
7 STARS HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER
EMBARC, ALAMEDA
PARK SOCIAL
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7 STARS HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER
BIG AL’S
EMPIRE SMOKE SHOP
BEST SELECTION OF EDIBLES
7 STARS HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER
EMBARC, ALAMEDA
PARK SOCIAL
CERTIFIED GREEN Richmond’s 7 Stars HHC wins… well, everything!
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Bug bites and bunk beds. Fireside stories and cafeteria food. Sunburn, sweat and sand in the cracks, all under the care of counselors who are usually strangers. For stretches of daytime or overnight stays, kids are subjected to a litany of discomforts in exchange for something so satisfying, so fulfilling, so wonderful, it o ers a salve for any anguish: freedom.
Summer camp is where kids get to find themselves, untethered from parents and past. Free to roam in body and spirit—and free to play. But why should kids get to have all the summer fun?
Back in 1993, Jeremy Steinkoler and Steve Gibson co-founded BandWorks to help musicians find other musicians to play with. Today, they run seasonal adult
In School’s
At
BandWorks,
adults get a way to play while kids are away
BY Lisa Plachy
band workshops, matching musicians with each other to form bands that rehearse together over eight weeks. While it’s not exactly “camp” (and they do run more traditional summer camps), the atmosphere is similar. People come together to learn the dynamics of collaboration, hone musical skills and have a great time.
Like any camp worth its salt, the program ends with a performance—a showcase of all the bands in concert. Since 2017, BandWorks bands have performed at The Ivy Room, the renowned independent venue in Albany (that also happens to be one of our Best Of winners). This past June, 12 bands debuted onstage, while the August session bands will perform in October. After that, the show goes on.
“People don’t graduate away from BandWorks,” says program manager Stace Wright. “They build their bands and stay with us, eventually spreading out to their own gigs and parties as well. Before they know it, the band is a big part of their life, and they are better for it.”
Those bands include Flea Circus, Free Association, Key Change, Semi Competent, Doll Parts—the list of epic names goes gloriously on. Some of these may seem unserious. However, the core concept is quite the opposite.
“BandWorks is literally the fountain of youth,” says Wright. “A strong social group that requires lots of focus, cooperation, communication, adaptation, flexibility and so much more. Bands become family.”
After eight weeks of rehearsal, the vibe is all party when bands like Doll Parts debut their set.
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BERKELEY HUMANE
EAST BAY SPCA
OAKLAND ADOPTION CENTER
CAT TOWN
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BERKELEY DOG & CAT HOSPITAL
ABBEY PET HOSPITAL, EL CERRITO
EAST BAY SPCA OAKLAND ADOPTION CENTER
BEST ANIMAL RESCUE GROUP
BERKELEY HUMANE
THE MILO FOUNDATION
ROCKET DOG RESCUE
BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY PLACE FOR KIDS
CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND
OAKLAND ZOO
PUMP IT UP
BEST CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL CENTER
CHABOT SPACE & SCIENCE CENTER
THE SCHOOL OF ROCK, BERKELEY
HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
BEST DOG TRAINER
BERKELEY HUMANE
HAPPY HOUND
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BEST DOGGIE DAY CARE
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METRO DOG
DOG SOCIAL CLUB
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HIGH TIDE AQUATICS
PET CLUB
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BEST PET-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
THE BACKYARD, RICHMOND
DRAKE'S DEALERSHIP
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BEST PLACE TO BOARD YOUR PETS
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METRO DOG
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THE WATERMARK BY THE BAY
ELDER ASHRAM
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THE CRUCIBLE
CAMP WINNARAINBOW
THE CHILD UNIQUE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
BEST TOY STORE
MR MOPPS’ TOY SHOP
FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS
TOY SAFARI
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VCA BAY AREA ANIMAL HOSPITAL
THE GRAND LAKE VETERINARY HOSPITAL
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SHELLY ANDERSON, CAGE AND AQUARIUM
ZOE LARKIN PHOTOGRAPHY
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CLAREMONT CLUB & SPA
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THE OVERLOOK, PORT KITCHENS
BEST WEDDING VENUE
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN
REDWOOD GROVE AMPHITHEATRE
FOOD ´ DRINK
Aracely Lounge
Theoretically, diners crossing the eastern span of the Bay Bridge have two opportunities to eat at Linda Edson’s Aracely restaurants. Aracely Cafe has been open for a decade on Treasure Island, where the clientele drops by for brunch from both sides of the bay. During the week, Edson, who previously worked at Gary Danko, said the lunch crowd there is primarily construction workers, small business owners and developers.
For the most part though, the chefowner said the cafe has survived by hosting weddings and corporate events. Yerba Buena Island, she added, is continuing a sustained period of growth. “They just opened Panoramic Park, which has 360°
Argentinian flavors abound on Linda Edson’s Danville menu
BY Je rey Edalatpour
views and all this landscaping—it’s like we’ve watched a little city being built,” Edson noted.
After a cafe brunch on the island, followed by a detour for shopping on 4th Street or a walk around the Berkeley Marina, diners will find Edson’s second restaurant, the newly opened Aracely Lounge in Danville. She describes the food they serve as California cuisine. For Edson, that means using local, seasonal ingredients. The flavors that come out of the kitchen are often influenced by her childhood in Argentina.
“We have dishes like empanadas, steak with chimichurri, dulce de leche on French toast and a chicken milanesa sandwich, which is a traditional Argentinian dish,” she explained.
Opening the second restaurant in Danville has been a completely di erent experience than the Treasure Island location. A decade ago, she was part of a three-person skeleton crew. Now Edson has a full-time sta in place to draw upon.
Opening a restaurant in Danville has been a kind of homecoming for Edson. She lived there when she was 17 years old. “I wasn’t actively trying to open a restaurant there, but I just love the small town vibe,” she said. “A lot of people go out to eat—there’s definitely a foodie crowd.”
Aracely Lounge, open Mon to Sun 8am–3pm, Sun to Wed 5–9pm and Thu to Sat 5–10pm. 148 E. Prospect Ave., Danville. 925.392.5717. aracelylounge.com.
CALIFORNIA CUISINE Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients drive the menu at Aracely.
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CAFE
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BEST CIDER SELECTION
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REDFIELD CIDER BAR & BOTTLE SHOP
TOP SHELF The Factory Bar’s Michelle Silva wins Best Bartender.
PHOTO BY SHELLY WALDMAN
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MASSE’S PASTRIES
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SAUL’S
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DELICATESSEN
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COMMIS
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FOB KITCHEN
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TIPUNAN
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TOKYO FISH MARKET
MONTEREY FISH MARKET
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SE N OR SISIG
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FOOD ´ DRINK
«
BEST HOT DOG
TOP DOG
CASPERS, OAKLAND
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STUDY HALL ROOFTOP LOUNGE, RESIDENCE INN BERKELEY
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VIKS CHAAT
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AJANTA
BEST INTERNATIONAL FOOD MARKET
99 RANCH MARKET, RICHMOND
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KP ASIAN MARKET
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KIRALA
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SOBA ICHI
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JONG GA HOUSE
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GANGNAM TOFU KOREAN CUISINE
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PARCHE
M AGO
BEST LGBTQ BAR
WHITE HORSE INN
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
CLUB 1220
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CATAHOULA COFFEE COMPANY
COLE COFFEE CAF E
THE CAFF E BY MR. ESPRESSO
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RED BAY COFFEE
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MONTEREY MARKET
PIEDMONT GROCERY CO.
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WINDCHASER WINE CO.
DONKEY AND GOAT
BROC CELLARS
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URBAN LEGEND
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CHICKEN LIVER
PAT E , THREE STONE HEARTH
HAM AND CHEESE TURNOVER, ACME BAKERY
SALSA MACHA, KUALI
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BEST MARGARITA
DO N A
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LA MEDITERRANEE
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COMAL
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DO N A
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DRAKE’S BREWING COMPANY
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ZAYTOON
MEDITERRANEAN
RESTAURANT & BAR
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THE NATURAL GROCERY COMPANY, BERKELEY
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DOLLY’S TAVERN
PHO NATION
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ACRE KITCHEN AND BAR
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NIDO’S BACKYARD
THE FACTORY BAR
ARTHUR MAC’S TAP & SNACK
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ASHA TEA HOUSE
YI FANG TAIWAN FRUIT
TEA, BERKELEY
MR. GREEN BUBBLE, OAKLAND
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ALBANY AO SEN
TAY HO OAKLAND
RESTAURANT & BAR
MISS SAIGON
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ZACHARY’S CHICAGO PIZZA
ARTHUR MAC’S TAP AND SNACK
BENCHMARK PIZZERIA
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DONATO & CO.
SUMMER SUMMER
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THE STARRY PLOUGH
SL A INTE
UP AND UNDER PUB AND GRILL
BEST RAMEN
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RAMEN SHOP
MENSHO
IPPUDO BERKELEY
BEST RESTAURANT
JUANITA & MAUDE
ACRE KITCHEN AND BAR
PARCHE
BEST RESTAURANT VIEW
SKATES ON THE BAY
THE LAKE CHALET
SAILING GOAT RESTAURANT
BEST RESTAURANT WINE LIST
MAMA OAKLAND
GREAT CHINA
M AGO
BEST SALADS
MEZZO
MARKET HALL FOODS
POMELLA
TOWNHOUSE
BEST SANDWICH SHOP
OK’S DELI
IKE’S LOVE & SANDWICHES
LUCCAS ITALIAN DELICATESSEN
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THE DEAD FISH
SCOTT’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILL
THE SALTY PEARL
BEST SOUTHERN FOOD
BRENDA’S OAKLAND
ANGELINE’S LOUISIANA KITCHEN
BURDELL
BEST SPORTS BAR
THE ATHLETIC CLUB OAKLAND
MAD OAK
STADIUM PUB
BEST TAKE-OUT
BURMA SUPERSTAR
COMAL NEXT DOOR
HAWKING BIRD
BEST TAQUERIA
TACOS OSCAR
EL TUCA N
RICO RICO TACO
BEST TEA SHOP
ASHA TEA HOUSE
BLUE WILLOW TEA
TEA ON PIEDMONT
MALAYA TEA ROOM
BEST THAI RESTAURANT
FARMHOUSE KITCHEN THAI CUISINE, BERKELEY
CHAMPA GARDEN
FUNKY ELEPHANT BERKELEY
BEST VEGAN MENU
THE BUTCHER’S SON VEGAN DELICATESSEN & BAKERY
ARTHUR MAC’S TAP AND SNACK
TAQUERIA LA VENGANZA
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ENSSARO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT
GOLDEN LOTUS
THE BUTCHER’S SON VEGAN DELICATESSEN & BAKERY
BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
ALBANY AO SEN
TAY HO OAKLAND RESTAURANT & BAR
DRAGON ROUGE BISTRO ALAMEDA
BEST WINE SHOP
ORDINAIRE
VINTAGE BERKELEY
OAKLAND YARD
BEST WINE TASTING ROOM
BANTER WINE
BUON VINO
OAKLAND YARD
COLOMBIAN
The thought of taking part in a multi-course tasting menu evokes a certain degree of formality.
White tablecloths, German composers haunting the dining room with piano concertos, rows and rows of cutlery, flowers arranged like avant-garde sculptures. But more than the décor, what really sends a restaurant into the upper echelon of fine dining is the unspoken yet agreed upon attitude that permeates the atmosphere.
At the point of entry, an hauteur springs to life when the host and servers start to interact with the well-endowed wallet of a paying customer. The snootiness, once engaged, surreptitiously tiptoes across
the room all evening, like an elegantly choreographed pas de deux. When the illusion of exclusivity is exhausted at the end of the meal, both parties—the servant and the served—head home with sore feet and a hankering for fresh air, respectively.
Chef Mark Liberman’s tasting menu at Mägo consists of many consecutive mini courses. When I visited the restaurant earlier this summer, the first course signaled the start of a fine dining meal—blackberries bathing in tamarind water and topped with the fleshy leaves of charred onion. Disconcertingly sour and yet strangely refreshing! Liberman and his small but e cient sta are making and serving dishes like these, but the self-important snobbery is, by and large,
checked at the front door.
Soft rock and pop tunes play overhead at a slightly overheated volume. It was hard to hear our first server’s explanatory notes about the menu. But the music and the purple, blue and mustard colored walls bordering an open kitchen do harmonize to create a California casual vibe. To thread that comfortable middle ground between high and low, tablecloths and TV screens were nowhere to be found.
The chef and his sous chefs sport T-shirts and aprons. When seated at the bar, their every move is visible to diners. No one in the kitchen shouts or dissolves into a panic. They assist each other while concentrating on the prep work and assemblage of each dish. Liberman
The chef’s arepas are among the most delicious things to eat at Mägo.
Mago go
concedes that the food he serves does qualify as fine dining. But after five years at the helm of Mägo, the chef is more concerned with building a communal feeling amongst the diners who are willing to trust his culinary vision.
“As someone who dines out, I don’t love the formalities of sitting for four hours doing a tasting menu,” he said. Our meal lasted two and a half hours, but it could have been cut shorter if we weren’t in the mood to linger. I kept looking forward to each new dish rather than feeling impatient to leave.
“One of the things that’s annoying about fine dining is that it can be very intrusive,” Liberman said. “There are a hundred captains filling your water, and lots of
Fine dining with a communal, California casual vibe
BY Je rey Edalatpour
spiels.” The chef often reminds the servers that he’s interested in creating “a unique experience” rather than making sure that plates are cleared from the left and served from the right. He leaves it up to the guests, who can decide for themselves how often they want to engage with his team.
Seated at the bar, I witnessed the number of steps it took to arrange tuna on top of cucumber, tomatillo and strawberry slices until they were huddling together and capped with nasturtium petals. “People’s correlation with fine dining is that it’s going to be super expensive and stu y, and not what they want to do,” Liberman explained. “In crafting the food and cocktails, there are things we do that are fine dining and things that we don’t want to do.”
The outdoor patio in back has recently been refurbished to include couches, love seats, benches and bistro tables. Meals will now start outside, where diners can mingle with cocktails and snacks before moving to one of the inside tables.
Many of the dishes at Mägo are informed by the chef’s Colombian heritage. Often, there’s a combination of sweet and savory flavors. A sea bass yakitori skewer was sweetened with banana and tucupi. Served on a tiny piece of toast, a morsel of mackerel nestled above a thin layer of papaya jam. Liberman explained that Colombia has a “very big sweet tooth,” but he does temper it with spice. “If you’re eating 12 di erent bites, it’s nice to have some balance to
give your palate a reset, whether it’s sweet or acid or savoriness,” he noted.
« grandmother’s cooking,” he said. Initially, he thought about adapting traditional dishes like sancocho and bandeja paisa by trying to make them with Bay Area ingredients. But that approach slowly evolved.
The chef’s arepas are among the most delicious things to eat at Mägo. Liberman said that they’re a food staple in Colombia and Venezuela. Essentially, every meal there comes with an arepa, which is used there the way other countries use bread. They’re also made differently from tortillas. Generally, he said, the corn is boiled and then ground. But they can also be made with yuca or with rice.
Liberman’s arepa de choclo is made with fried corn, topped with chanterelle mushrooms, mascarpone and spiced with pasilla chile. If Mägo had a second life as a pop-up, it would make culinary headlines by simply selling arepas.
“When we first opened, it was California cuisine, which can just be a hodgepodge of different things,” he said. Liberman shifted the direction of his menu after his father passed away. He wanted to do something more personal and more focused. Being half Colombian and Jewish, he considered cooking both cuisines before switching gears to focus on South American flavors.
The chef had some family recipes, and he read through his mother’s old cookbooks. “I’ve never been trying to replicate my mom’s and my
“I’ve been going to Colombia more frequently,” he said. “If you go to a big city like Bogota, the food is very cosmopolitan and modern. There are things from all over the country, and all over the world, infused with Colombian flavors.”
Liberman had spent most of his career at high end $300 tasting menu restaurants before settling down with his family in the East Bay. “When I opened Mägo, I didn’t want to do that anymore, and I don’t think Oakland necessarily wants that either,” he said, adding that there are already a few places filling that particular niche. Depending on the night, dinner at Mägo runs $82-$110 minus beverages. Pairing alcohol ($70) or nonalcoholic beverages ($55) raises the tab. Mägo, open Wed to Sat 5–9pm, 3762 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510.344.7214. magorestaurant.com.
MODERN LATIN Chef Mark Liberman’s tasting menu consists of numerous consecutive mini courses.
SWEET AND SAVORY Many of the dishes at Mägo are informed by the chef’s Colombian heritage.
GOODS ´ SERVICES
Turning the Page
East Bay Booksellers rebounds after devastating fire
BY Samantha Campos
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 30, flames engulfed the 1940s-era building at 5433 College Ave. in Rockridge. Thankfully, no one was injured. But dozens of o ces and the independent bookstore, East Bay Booksellers, were decimated. Neighboring residents were also displaced. As of this writing, the cause of the fire is unknown.
In the aftermath, friends of the bookstore initiated a GoFundMe campaign in its honor. East Bay Booksellers posts regular updates to its Instagram account and states on its website that future plans to rebuild are in development. They are fulfilling online orders, as well as gift card
‘It’s
purchases. Already scheduled author events are to continue, with the support of other local businesses, like City Lights, Point Reyes Books and Gilman Brewing Company.
“We’re trying to find a temporary spot to land,” said owner Brad Johnson by phone Aug. 8. “The plan is definitely to have a store again.”
Johnson opened East Bay Booksellers in 2017, after working for several years at Diesel, A Bookstore, which previously occupied the space for 28 years.
“I am a bookseller,” said Johnson in a video on July 31. “Covid taught me that I’m also wildly stubborn about being a bookseller in a world that makes it very di cult to be such. I gather that this will be a similar challenge. We will figure it out.”
Johnson operated East Bay Booksellers as a neighborhood hub, with a welcoming in-store environment and personable monthly newsletters. The community has responded in kind—the outpouring of support in the face of this latest catastrophe clearly has touched him.
“In our various incarnations as a bookstore, it has very deep and expansive roots,” said Johnson. “But also things that we’ve built upon it, so it’s got quite an overstory as well. It’s nurtured a lot of people—I’m able to basically feed o the energy, the encouragement and support that they give.”
East Bay Booksellers, in conjunction with Litquake, will welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Hernan Diaz on Oct. 17 at Gilman Brewing Company, 912 Gilman St., Berkeley.
MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT
a matter of perseverance,’ said Brad Johnson, owner of East Bay Booksellers.
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CAMPOS
GOODS ´ SERVICES
BEST ACCOUNTING OR BOOKKEEPING PRACTICE
NEW INSIGHT ACCOUNTING
GOLDSTEINENRIGHT ACCOUNTANCY CORPORATION
COUCH & ASSOCIATES
BEST ART SUPPLY STORE
BLICK ART MATERIALS
FLAX ART AND DESIGN
REUSE FOR ARTS & CRAFTS
BEST ATTORNEY – BUSINESS
BRIAN A. RIPLEY
HARPER & ARMSTRONG
CANDELARIA LLP
BEST AUTO BODY REPAIR
UPTOWN BODY & FENDER
BERKELEY MINICAR
1701 AUTO CARE
BEST AUTO DEALER
ALBANY SUBARU
MERCEDES - BENZ OF OAKLAND
DOWNTOWN SUBARU OF OAKLAND
BEST AUTO REPAIR
ART’S AUTOMOTIVE
DANA MEYER AUTO CARE
ALBANY AUTOMOTIVE & TIRE SERVICE
BEST BARBER SHOP
SLICK & DAPPER, GRAND AVENUE
EAST LAKE BARBER SHOP
IT’LL DO
BEST BIKE SHOP
TIP TOP BIKE SHOP
BLUE HERON BIKES
ALAMEDA BICYCLE
BEST BOOKSTORE – NEW
PEGASUS BOOKS DOWNTOWN BERKELEY
WALDEN POND BOOKS
MRS. DALLOWAY’S
BEST BOOKSTORE – USED
WALDEN POND BOOKS
MOE’S BOOKS
PEGASUS BOOKS DOWNTOWN BERKELEY
HALF PRICE BOOKS BERKELEY
BEST CAREER/LIFE COACH
MAE CHAN BUSINESS COACH
ANNA SCOTT, WISDOM BUSINESS COACHING
MADELYN MACKIE
BEST CLOTHING STORE – MEN’S
THE KATZ MEOW
OAKLAND’S OWN
PARK ST. VINTAGE
BEST CLOTHING STORE –WOMEN’S
THRIFT SHOP BERKELEY HUMANE
STELLA CARAKASI
LESLEY EVERS
BEST COMICS STORE
DR. COMICS & MR. GAMES
THE ESCAPIST
FLYING COLORS COMICS
BEST CO-WORKING OFFICE SPACE
TEMESCAL WORKS
PORT WORKSPACES
PAGE STREET, BERKELEY
BEST CREDIT UNION
PATELCO CREDIT UNION, CLAY STREET
PROVIDENT CREDIT UNION, ALAMEDA
1ST UNITED CREDIT UNION, BERKELEY
BLUPEAK CREDIT UNION
BEST CULINARY STORE
EAST BAY
RESTAURANT SUPPLY
SUR LA TABLE
THE SPANISH TABLE
BEST FABRIC STORE
STONEMOUNTAIN & DAUGHTER FABRICS
PIEDMONT FABRIC
BAY QUILTS
BEST FLOWER SHOP
FLOWERLAND
ASHBY FLOWERS
MOMO’S FLOWERS
BEST GAME STORE
GAMES OF BERKELEY
IT'S YOUR MOVE
DARK CARNIVAL
BEST GARDEN CENTER
FLOWERLAND
EAST BAY NURSERY
BERKELEY HORTICULTURAL NURSERY
BEST GIFT SHOP
GAMES OF BERKELEY
THE KATZ MEOW
ABRAMS CLAGHORN GALLERY & SHOP
BEST HARDWARE STORE
PASTIME HARDWARE
COLE HARDWARE
GRAND LAKE ACE HARDWARE
BEST HOLISTIC HERBAL SHOP
LHASA KARNAK
HERB COMPANY, SHATTUCK AVENUE
LAKESHORE NATURAL FOODS
TWISTED THISTLE APOTHECARY
ALEMBIQUE APOTHECARY
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GOODS ´ SERVICES
BEST INSURANCE AGENT (AND AGENCY)
STEVE BAUER, STATE FARM
LEAH NISHI, FARMERS INSURANCE
ODALIS ORDONEZ, FARMERS INSURANCE
BEST JEWELRY REPAIR
OAKS JEWELERS
THE 14 KARATS
PAV E
BEST JEWELRY STORE
ASTER JEWELERS
THE 14 KARATS
PAV E
BEST LOCAL BANK – BUSINESS
MECHANICS BANK, ALBANY BRANCH
BRIDGE BANK
MECHANICS BANK, BERKELEY BRANCH
COMMUNITY BANK OF THE BAY
BEST LOCAL BANK – CONSUMER
MECHANICS BANK, ALBANY BRANCH
MECHANICS BANK, BERKELEY BRANCH
BEST MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO
UC BERKELEY MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM
BERKELEY MUAY THAI & FITNESS
SUPREME MMA ACADEMIA
BEST MORTGAGE BROKER (AND AGENCY)
FARAMARZ
MOEEN - ZIAI, CROSSCOUNTRY
MORTGAGE
JASON WIZELMAN, CROSSCOUNTRY
MORTGAGE
BILL JARVIS, UNITED LENDING PARTNERS
BEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS SHOP
THE STARVING MUSICIAN
ROCKIN’ ROBBIE’S, EL CERRITO
IFSHIN VIOLINS
BEST NEW RETAIL BUSINESS
THE FILLING STATION
BEAKER'S RECORDS
PARK ST. VINTAGE
BEST NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
BERKELEY HUMANE
ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR
BEST OPTICAL STORE
SOLANO EYECARE
FOCAL POINT
UNIVERSITY EYE CENTER
BEST PIERCING STUDIO
INDUSTRIAL TATTOO AND PIERCING
ZEBRA TATTOO & PIERCING
MONSTERS INK
BEST PRINT SHOP
MINUTEMAN PRESS, OAKLAND
COPY CENTRAL TELEGRAPH
MINUTEMAN PRESS, BERKELEY
BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY
RED OAK REALTY
DIMAGGIO & BETTA GROUP, CORCORAN ICON PROPERTIES
COMPASS, MOUNTAIN BOULEVARD
BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT (AND AGENCY)
ANDY READ, CORCORAN ICON PROPERTIES
THE LEAPER TEAM
FELICIA MARES, ABIO PROPERTIES
BEST RESALE STORE
URBAN ORE
THE KATZ MEOW
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE, OAKLAND
BEST SHOE REPAIR
MODEL SHOE RENEW
ROCKRIDGE SHOE REPAIR
ORINDA SHOES
BEST SHOE STORE
THE WALK SHOP
SHOES ON SOLANO
RABAT
BEST SHOPPING DISTRICT
FOURTH STREET BERKELEY
SOLANO AVENUE
PIEDMONT AVENUE
BEST SMOKE SHOP
HI FIDELITY
EMPIRE SMOKE SHOP
GOLDEN BEAR SMOKE SHOP
BEST TATTOO STUDIO
SACRED ROSE TATTOO
DIVING SWALLOW
OLD CROW TATTOO AND GALLERY
BEST THRIFT SHOP
THRIFT SHOP BERKELEY HUMANE
OUT OF THE CLOSET, BERKELEY
THE KATZ MEOW
BEST TIRE SHOP
DON’S TIRE SERVICE
OROZCO’S TIRES, CARLETON STREET
CASTRO VALLEY TIRE PROS
BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE
THRIFT SHOP BERKELEY HUMANE
THE KATZ MEOW
PRETTY PENNY
Products Without Pollution
Somebody didn't want these things, but they're still good We saved them from being wasted Now we're selling them in our 3-acre store in Berkeley We're well organized Come take a look Bring a truck
Doors, windows, sinks, tubs, toilets, lumber, tile, cabinets, hardware, furniture, clothes, art, music, electronics, jewelry, books, housewares, knick knacks, lots of etc
Open 360 days a year until 5:00PM, 900 Murray St near 7th x Ashby, Berkeley 510-841-SAVE Come shop
Japanese Car Repair Specialists Since 1980 2871 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley | 510.540.7093 www.artsautomotive.com Thanks for voting us BEST AUTO REPAIR in this year’s East Bay Express “Best of the East Bay” poll. It means a lot to us, and we’ll continue to do our best to be worthy of your votes. Thank you!
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Pros Home
In
appreciation of trusted experts from architecture to plumbing
Every homeowner, whether of a single-family home, condo, townhouse or newly popular “accessory dwelling unit” (ADU), knows that home improvement is often a necessity, and, sometimes, it’s the realization of a long-held living situation dream.
In either case, it’s essential to find the best professionals, including architects, contractors, kitchen and bath remodelers, interior designers and landscape designers. Then there are the experts in carpeting/flooring, furniture, electric, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, solar installation and tree service.
It goes without saying that repairs
and home improvement can be stressful, especially if the repair or project is big. Working with trusted professionals, recommended by others, greatly lessens that stress. They consult before starting a repair or major job, provide a reliable budget and timeline to completion, show up on time—and perhaps most importantly, listen to the homeowner’s expressed priorities.
For example: The front yard is going to be recreated as a drought-tolerant, waterconserving design. Yet aesthetics are important as well. The landscape designer will consult about costs and preferences before executing a draft design. Pebbles replacing grass? How big or how small,
BY Janis Hashe
and what color? Native plants to attract birds and butterflies? Build-in an area or areas of shade? Yard art? All decisions like this are best made with expert help. Today, computer simulations give clear ideas of the final look, and can be easily manipulated to incorporate changes.
That new technology is also widely used by architects, contractors, kitchen and bath remodelers and interior designers.
The reader-voted winners of this year’s Best Of Home Improvement are field-tested by those who’ve used and been fully satisfied with their services. Congratulations to all the companies and individuals listed.
FUNCTIONAL BEAUTY Professional firms like Amato Architecture help make our home a haven.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
BEST ARCHITECT
AMATO ARCHITECTURE
JARVIS ARCHITECTS
DANIEL M. SWAIN, ARCHITECT
ECOBUILD ARCHITECTS
BEST CARPETING/FLOORING
THE FLOOR STORE, RICHMOND
STRAUS CARPETS
TRADEWAY FLOORING
BEST ELECTRICIAN
ROBERTS ELECTRIC CO.
BERKELEY ELECTRICIAN GUYS
BEST FURNITURE STORE
FENTON MACLAREN
KCC MODERN LIVING
EASTERN CLASSICS
BEST HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE
HARRY CLARK HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
HASSLER
GALAXY HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING, SOLAR, ELECTRICAL
BEST HOME CONTRACTOR
HONEY HOMES
INTEGRITY REMODELING INC.
MCCUTCHEON CONSTRUCTION INC.
DAVID GRUBB CONSTRUCTION, INC.
BEST HOUSE CLEANING
ECOMAIDS OF LAMORINDA, NORTH OAKLAND, BERKELEY
THE COOPERATIVE CLEANING COMPANY
BELLA ORGANIZING
BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER
HEATHER CLEVELAND DESIGN STUDIO
LINCOLN PARK DESIGN STUDIO
YUMI INTERIORS
BEST KITCHEN/BATH REMODELER
PALAZZO KITCHENS AND BATHS
INTEGRITY REMODELING INC.
HOMETELLIGENT INCORPORATED
STONEWOOD KITCHEN AND BATH
BEST LANDSCAPE DESIGN COMPANY
SUE ODA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
GREEN’S GARDENS
BEST PLUMBING COMPANY
FAZULE AND SONS PLUMBING
HARRY CLARK PLUMBING
PACIFIC DRAIN & ROOTER SERVICES
BEST SOLAR INSTALLER
A1 SUN
SAVE A LOT SOLAR
SUPER SOLAR
BEST TREE SERVICE
BRENDE & LAMB TREE & SHRUB CARE
THE PROFESSIONAL TREE CARE COMPANY
GREEN LANE TREE SERVICES
HOME STYLE Heather Cleveland Design wins top honor as East Bay’s Best Interior Designer.
RECREATION
Pastimes Present
East Bay residents are incredibly lucky in the kinds of and proximity to recreational opportunities. Want to hike a challenging trail? No problem. Rather stroll one while birdwatching? Also easy to find. Go sailing, swimming, picnicking? All within access to almost everyone. And many are finding, as recovery from the pandemic continues, that getting out in nature is an essential part of that recovery.
For example, the East Bay Regional Park District, with its 73 parks, 1,330 miles of trails and 55 miles of shoreline, is
the result of decades of work by dedicated residents and conservationists, with the help of supportive government o cials. It is the envy of many park systems nationwide. There’s literally a park for everyone, from butterfly counters, to historic site fans, to hardcore runners.
There’s also East Bay recreation for the mind and spirit, better known as kicking back.
Sometimes, recreation can mean checking into a local hotel for a staycation and enjoying the many amenities modern hostelries provide, which might include anything from
Hike a mountain, sail the seas…or relax
BY Janis Hashe
playing a carefree game of tennis, soaking up a few rays by the pool or indulging in spa treatments.
Then there’s having the right gear for the right activities. Again, the East Bay o ers a range of outstanding clothing and equipment merchants, with knowledgeable sta who can help find the right fit and/or the right item. Their suggestions could well make the di erence between a fun outing and an amazing one.
This year’s Best Of Recreation winners, chosen by readers, all excel in helping to create those experiences.
TRAILS APLENTY
Sprawling Tilden Park features a lake, a merry-go-round, an event venue and banquet hall, a railway, a botanic garden and myriad trails for strolling or hiking.
BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL
MOXY OAKLAND DOWNTOWN
GRADUATE BERKELEY
AIDEN BY BEST WESTERN BERKELEY
BEST HIKING TRAILS
CHARLES LEE TILDEN REGIONAL PARK
JOAQUIN MILLER PARK
DR. AURELIA REINHARDT REDWOOD REGIONAL PARK
BEST MARINA
BERKELEY MARINA, DOCK K
POINT SAN PABLO HARBOR
EMERYVILLE MARINA
BEST OUTDOOR GEAR
REI
SPORTS BASEMENT
YOUNG’S BACKPACKING & MOUNTAINEERING
BEST PARK
CODORNICES PARK
LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK
MILLER/KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE
BEST STAYCATION
CLAREMONT CLUB & SPA
BEST WESTERN PLUS BAYSIDE HOTEL
WATERFRONT HOTEL
BEST SWIMMING POOL
RICHMOND PLUNGE
EL CERRITO SWIM CENTER
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY OAKLAND
DOCK K We enjoy the tranquil views at Berkeley Marina by either walking the waterfront trail or having a nosh at Marina Seafood Dockside Patio.
