SFBayStyle

The Best Man

Can't get enough of politics? Take a break from today's mudslinging and see how it was done back in the 60s with Role Players Theatre's production of The Best Man. Written in 1960 by acclaimed author Gore Vidal, The Best Man tells the story of two candidates battling it out for their party's presidential nomination. When one exposes the secrets of the other, principles and integrity come into question. 

Directed by Sue Trigg and featuring Richard Aiello and Jim Janisch, The Best Man shows Thursdays-Sundays now through November 1, at Role Players Theatre, 420 Front Street, Danville., 925-314-3400, www.villagetheatreshows.com. 

   

6th Annual Spice of Life Festival next Sunday in Berkeley

For the sixth year, Berkeley will host it's delectable Spice of Life Festival next Sunday, October 19th, in the neighborhood commonly known as the "Gourmet Ghetto." This year's festival will include cooking demonstrations and cookbook signings by popular neighborhood chefs and restaurants, and will feature a culinary stage hosted by Kitchen on Fire's Chef Mike C showcasing the Bay Area's finest chefs. Gourmet food and wine will abound for your eating pleasure, and if you are feeling inspired to cook yourself, the North Berkeley All-Organic Farmer's Market will be held as part of the event on Shattuck near Rose St.
Other entertainment will include live local musicians, local vendors, community information from local businesses and non-profits, a Raffle and Silent Auction, yoga and bodywork demonstrations, and a variety of children's activities.
Having been once before, I can honestly say this is a fantastic festival for adults and children alike. You will be in heaven if you are a foodie; take advantage of the rare access to conversations with the Bay Area's most respected chefs and restaurants! The Spice of Life highlights the best Berkeley has to offer in the culinary arts and community!

The 6th Annual Spice of Life Festival
Sunday, October 19th, 2008
10:00am until 6:00pm
North Shattuck Avenue -Virginia St to Rose St
Berkeley, CA
http://www.spiceoflifefestival.com/

Eileen Fisher Special Event

Eileen Fisher  has always been passionate about empowering women to feel good about their bodies.  Eileen creates simple, elegant designs that are truly timeless in appeal.  Her commitment to improving the lives of women and girls is evident by the many organizations the company supports through the grant-making program and special fundraisers.

This Saturday, September 27th, from 12-5 Eileen Fisher will be hosting their fall event to benefit Girls Inc. of West Contra Costa.  Ten percent of all of sales will be donated.  There will be goodies and special gifts with purchase.  You can support Girls Inc. and check out the latest  designs at Bay Area Eileen Fisher Stores :

San Francisco: 2216 Filmore Street
Palo Alto: 114 Stanford Shopping Center
Walnut Creek: 1171 Broadway Plaza.

Stylin' Obama Wear

Calling all Democratic fashionistas! If you want to wear your vote on your chest this election season I recommend doing so with artistic flair. Check out artist Barbara Sandidge's fabulous rendering of Barack Obama on cotton t-shirts ($15/$20) and canvas totes ($20).

The Democratic Presidential Candidate's smiling face done in pen and ink is instantly recognizable and Ms. Sandidge, from Guardian Visual Arts in Oakland, chose to keep it simple with just his image. "It took about a month to find the right image of Obama and three days to draw it," says Ms. Sandidge. "I took a stack of tees to the Pennsylvania Primary and they sold well." It's been word of mouth ever since and demand is growing.

Have local designer wish? Go to the WELL

Among the increasingly interesting array of stores and restaurants lining Telegraph Avenue in the Temescal District of Oakland inhabits one of the most unique and visionary stores I have found in a long time. I don't have a lot of spare time in general, so at this point a store has to capture my interest immediately or I am likely to forget it. In the case of WELL, they had me from the first moment I stepped up to the window.

Dubbed a "resource center for art design and balance, helping to connect independent designers and artists to the Oakland Community and beyond," the WELL carries an array of jewelry, clothing, accessories, art, and natural healing products and services from local and nearby designers such as AC Clothing and Bags, Oaklandish, Small Cynz, Greenbelts, Pretty fun, Cozy Rampage, Sofina, The Weekend Store, Culture Consumer, Mats!?, Super Sugar Ray Ray, Necessary Voodoo, Rx Designs, Cara Lydon Designs, Rag Trader, Field Day Wearables, and more.

Hotcakes Design Exclusive

Caramia Visick has been designing jewelry in her Rockridge studio since 2000. Caramia's company, Hotcakes Design Jewelry is sold worldwide. I own a few of the hand cast resin bracelets, and have my eye on a necklace.The resin necklaces are all hand made, and the acrylic image is surrounded by black onyx. You can choose the image from a wide selection- all with a distinct vintage feel.

On a recent visit to S.F. MOMA to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit, (You must go!) I caught a glimpse of one of Caramia's limited edition necklaces with Frida as the image. Hint to husband, this would be a great anniversary gift...or a great gift for anyone for any occasion. The perfect combo of a local designer, with any amazing female artist.

Hotcakes Design studio is located in Oakland, at 5337 College Avenue.

100% Pure Cosmetics

I have a confession – I sometimes watch QVC. Wait! Don’t dismiss me just yet. Really, QVC is not all bad. There are some hip brands selling on this 20-year-old shopping channel, such as Maxx of New York handbags, Bare Escentuals cosmetics, and even designer Chloe Dao of Project Runway fame sells her gear on QVC.

Besides, a girl can learn a lot from just watching. Case in point: One Sunday afternoon I switched on the TV while I was puttering around. I did my usual QVC check and found an attractive and vibrant woman presenting her own cosmetics line called 100% Pure. I’m a sucker for lip gloss, so I kept it on. Turns out Susie Wang and her five-year old company make cosmetics and body care items from pure ingredients such as seaweed, teas, kelp, fruit oils, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Goodbye Cody's Books

The landmark Berkeley book store, Cody's has closed. As a U.C. Berkeley alumnus, Cody's held a special place in my heart. This was the epitome of a Berkeley book store- you could get your copy of any Noam Chomsky novel there ! The store opened in 1952, and closed this past Friday, June 20th. The loss of Cody's is sad for the community in Berkeley and all of the Bay Area. I have many fond memories of wandering through the store on Telegraph Avenue. Just a reminder of how important it is to support our local book sellers in the Bay Area.

Tea Supports Global Fund For Children

With a mission to serve the "little citizens of the world," San Francisco based Tea Collection, will be donating twenty percent of sales between May 19- 21st to The Global Fund For Children.  (This extra effort is to support those affected by recent events in China and Myanmar.) The Spring and summer collections celebrate  the beauty of West Africa.  Tea is also donating fifty percent of their "little citizens" tee to Global Fund For Children on a continuing basis. Tea is available online, as well as locally at Neiman Marcus, Pippen Hill in Alameda, and The Kids Company in San Carlos.

Hot Mama - Nursing Bras now at Victoria's Secret

I was shopping on Bay Street in Emeryville on Mother's Day when I popped into Victoria's Secret to check out their selection of wireless bras. The girls, after nursing two kids for over two years each and now another pregnancy, are needing a little more TLC these days. As I was wandering around, trying to picture how useful that little bra and panty combo ala "french maid" might be, I came across a new selection of nursing bras. Apparently the line has just been released and is still being tested on it's marketability, according to a store manager.

This seems to be a Victoria's Secret bid to bridge the maternal gap for their customers as well as make lactating moms feel a little sexier. Not a bad idea, considering that up until recently, the choices for women looking for function and beauty in a nursing bra have been rather limited. VS has a nice variety of plain, modern, lacy, and even animal print bras to please almost everyone, and they all seem to be a top latch (rather than a snap in the middle, which I have to tell you in the past resulted in my engorged breast popping out as I bent over on more than one occasion). My one caveat: I have not used them yet. When I tried them on I found the coverage to be good and they were comfortable to wear. When my next baby comes, I will still start off with my favorite postpartum bras, from the Bravado line, but maybe an animal print or a black lace nursing bra is in order for this mom as well.

Hush... Sale in Walnut Creek this Weekend

Hush is the name of the store, but the word is already out about their sale. Thanks to the tip from Daily Candy's weekend edition, we heard about what sounds like a great sale in Walnut Creek at the trendy boutique. Their sale is from 10-6 on Saturday and 11-5 Sunday (1354 N. Main St.) They're reportedly selling some items for up to 40% off, including 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, and Clu. Call 925-944-4874 for more info.

Wednesday is Denim Day in California - Wear Jeans to Support Victims of Sexual Violence

Everyone wears jeans in the Bay Area, and some people wear them every day. April 23rd is a day to remember because it commemorates the date in 1998 when the Italian Supreme Court overturned an earlier rape conviction, ruling that the 17 year-old victim had "invited the attack" from her and "because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help [the rapist] remove them... and by removing the jeans... it was no longer rape but consensual..." Within a matter of hours, the Women in the Italian Parliament began protesting by wearing jeans to work. On Denim Day this Wednesday, women in California will joining together to raise awareness for this important issue. No need to buy a special pin or dress - just wear your jeans.

The YWCA of Silicon Valley is encouraging participation on Wednesday and calling it "Wear Denim to Work Day Silicon Valley." For anyone willing to go to Sacramento, California leaders and the state Commission on the Status of Women will be joining together on the South Steps of the Capitol at 10am in jeans as a pledge to end sexual violence. For more about the issue, see CALCASA, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. For anyone in LA, here's what they're doing for Denim Day.

Note: This is not to be confused with National Denim Day on October 3rd for breast cancer awareness.

H&M Spring Organic Line

A few weeks ago, my husband had a day to himself in San Francisco and he ended up, as we often do, at H&M shopping for our daughter. It's my fault - I sent him there in search of an inexpensive sparkly headband for her, since she had fallen in love with one her friend had. In addition to the headband, he came home with two darling dresses - one of which was organic cotton.

It turns out that not only does H&M now have an organic cotton children's line, but they have expanded their organic cotton spring line to using 1500 tons of organic cotton - more than the total amount of organic cotton they used during all of last year.

East Bay Baby Fair Sunday - Including Maternity Exchange Clearance Sale

For parents in the East Bay, you can enjoy refreshments and free goodies while talking to experts, watching demonstrations, and shopping for maternity clothes, children's items and more. And you'll have the opportunity to meet representatives from many pregnancy, birth, parenting, and baby related resources in the Bay Area at the East Bay Baby Fair this Sunday, April 20, from 11am until 3pm. Vendors include midwives, doulas, massage therapists, fitness instructors, childbirth educators, lactation consultants, photographers, community parenting support groups, and innovative products to make life as a parent easier. There will also be an opportunity to score great deals on items and services such as prenatal massage or a hand-knit baby hat in a silent auction.

For the pregnant ladies, the Maternity Exchange is having their first ever clearance sale at the Baby Fair. Maternity Exchange offers new and nearly new clothing for up to 75% off the original price, and specializes in stylish clothing from brand names to local designers, especially for fashionistas who don't want to sacrifice personal style during pregnancy. They will have $5 and $10 bins as well as racks that are an additional 20 to 50% off, and a good amount of their clearance is spring and summer wear-perfect. The Maternity Exchange will also be showcasing a selection of their new nursing wear.

Crucible's "Firebird" Ballet Benefit Flames the Senses

Once again, The Crucible has managed to transcend the boundaries of tradition and modernity and give the public a production that is relevant to local culture with delight and inspiration. The Crucible's second benefit ballet, Stravinsky's Firebird, is a sensory reinterpretation of the classic Russian folktale, artfully combining the beauty of classical ballet with the crowd pleasing and acrobatic antics of break dancing, motorcycle stunts, and aerial performance set to a well-designed mix of symphony, electronica, and funk music.

The set is simple yet magical, the costumes are sexy and whimsical, and the cast is entertaining and provocative. And of course, the implementation of fire on set and within the performance is, as always, daring with a touch of the unexpected. I noticed the ballet was a tad shorter this year, at just an hour, but what an hour it is. Every moment is captivating, and frankly the Crucible has found the best use for a Pontiac I have ever seen.

Annie Leibovitz at Orinda Books This Thursday

For a rare opportunity of some face time with celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz,  head over to Orinda Books this Thursday, April 17 at 1pm for a signing of her amazing new book, A Photographers Life: 1990-2005. Leibovitz is in the area for events relating to her exquisite exhibition at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, and apparently her sister lives in the Orinda area, resulting in this exclusive and refreshingly more intimate signing.

Her new book is gorgeous, her work is visionary, and you can get a personalized copy for the cost of the book while supporting an independent bookstore. And if you can't make it on Thursday afternoon but would like a signed copy, you can go by the bookstore prior to the event and they will have it signed for you. Personally, I am getting one for my sister's birthday, but I just might splurge on one for myself too.

Book Signing with Annie Leibovitz
Thursday, April 17, 2008 1pm
Orinda Books
276 Village Square
Orinda, CA 94563
925-254-7606
www.orindabooks.com

Blue Bottle Coffee

I have been a devoted Peet's coffee drinker my whole life. I grew up in the Bay Area, and just love my Peet's. So when I started hearing about Blue Bottle, I was ambivalent. How could anything be as good as Peet's?

I was also under the misconception that Blue Bottle was not local. Little did I know, it was started by and Oakland resident. I hate to try new things, but the other day at Fraiche in Palo Alto, I ordered myself a cup of that coffee. Now I have a new addiction to add to my vices. I am a fan of this organic, pesticide free, fresh roasted java. Be warned, if you do not want to be hooked, do not try this coffee.

Ruby's Garden hosts Designers in the House

In the center of Temescal, an eclectic and vibrant neighborhood in North Oakland, lies Ruby's Garden, a hip and artful kidwear and flower shop known for its large and diverse assortment of clothing, accessories, and other goods made by Bay Area artists. The owners, Mae Chan Frey and Mary Prince, are also generous with advice on floral arrangements, a well-stocked play area for the kids, and a genuine openness and fondness for children and their parents. Certainly one of the best places to buy an uncommonly cool  gift for a kid in the East Bay.

Now, Ruby's Garden is diving into a seasonal variation on the artist-in residence concept. On April 19, the first in the series of Designers in the House will feature local artists Jolene Garcia and Janel Jones from local favorites   Abe Jones and Penny & Maude, who will be on hand to discuss their design inspirations and reveal their current lines in a fashion show. What is particularly lovely about the event is the difference between the two lines, with Penny & Maude's whimsical and colorful graphics on one hand, and Abe Jones' cool,vintage, indie vibe on the other. While designing for a similar audience, both artists manage to capture the essence of their unique personalities in such creative ways, each producing a line that is appealing, interesting, and refreshingly functional for kidwear.

Great Events Today in the Bay Area

We're lucky to have so many worthy organizations, fantastic arts and original entertainment here and since we can't list all of the great events every day, we have links to all of the other sites in the Bay Area that each have a few events listed for most days.

Today is just one example of what a Saturday in the Bay Area can offer and here are some of the great activities and events going on (note: we couldn't possibly include them all, especially all of the exhibits that are ending today) including chocolate tasting, a film festival, school auctions, a plethora of black tie bashes, a miniature dollhouse designer showcase, and fusion theatre.

Read on for the details...

Ricki Lake takes on the Business of Being Born

I met Ricki Lake last week. At a movie premiere, even. One in which she appears naked! Jezebel.com quoted her vagina as “awesome,” by the way. Oh, and she’s giving birth.

What I knew about Ricki Lake a month ago could be summarized like this: talk show host, Cry-Baby (her character Pepper enhanced my sexual education with “The first thing a Cry-Baby girl learns is our bazooms are our weapons.”), and Hairspray. So I was a little dubious when I heard she had recruited filmmaker Abby Epstein to create a documentary exploring the way in which babies are born in this country. Apparently, her first birth experience was not so good, and she went looking for answers. Personally, I think that is a hell of a lot better use of time than looking for people to makeover on her show. Turns out Ricki found out more than she thought, that the birth business is BIG business, and she documented it all in The Business of Being Born.

Like many involved in the Bay Area birth community, I fancied myself up and went to the premiere at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco on January 17. Among midwives and doulas, nursing babies and extended families, we all watched Ricki Lake’s vision unfurl to reveal two facts: she was preaching to the choir with THIS crowd, and she honestly and passionately cares for this subject. With our “Birth Celeb” buttons, we cheered, cried (happened every time a baby was born), and hissed our way through the film like it was The Sound of Music night at the Castro Theater.