On to Oregon, Part 1: Ashland

Oregon has it all: mountains, forests, rivers, valleys and, best of all, no Bay Area traffic! In close to six hours, my husband and I drove from San Francisco and reached southern ... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Cities with character … and characters

By Michael Snyder

If a city can be considered the sum total of its citizens, I prefer to give the eccentrics a higher number value than the more ordinary residents. And both San Francisco and Los An... Read More

Enter Stage Left

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little … Happy New Year!

By Evalyn Baron

I’m tired. Not of life … life is too interesting, especially in this city. No, as we start a fresh, clean, and entirely possible year, I’m not tired of the genera... Read More

Real Estate

The ‘China factor’ in American real estate

By Frederick Kuo

From Sydney to London, from luxury Manhattan condos to palatial Los Angeles mansions, the ubiquitous Chinese buyers have made their mark pushing the envelope on rising housing pric... Read More

Real Estate Today

A strong house for strong weather

By Carole Isaacs

Today it is important to listen to the meteorologist warning that there is serious rain coming our way this winter. After living in a single-family home for most of my life, it is ... Read More

Home & Garden

Reclaim your living space in the new year

By Julia Strzesieski

The lack of sufficient closet and cabinet space is often a problem in apartments and older buildings, so creating storage solutions is a challenge familiar to many San Franciscans.... Read More

Caring For Our Kids

Super Bowl fun in the city

By Liz Farrell

We are lucky fans here in the Bay Area. In the last few years, we have witnessed three World Series titles from the Giants and more recently an unprecedented winning streak from th... Read More

Wellness

Start the new year right: Keep your fitness plan on track

By Julie Mitchell

If you’re thinking of starting off 2016 with a new workout or maybe just adding a little zip to your routine, here’s a tip directly from the American College of Sports ... Read More

The Best of Books

Best-selling at Books Inc.

By Brian Pettus

Books Inc. best-seller list 111 Places in San Francisco That You Must Not Miss, by Floriana Peterson (paperback) City of Thieves, by David Benioff (paperback) The Sense of an Endi... Read More

A & E, Movie Reviews

Revisiting the best movies of 2015

By Michael Snyder

A new year dawns, and for me that brings the requisite reflection on the events of the previous year. In the case of this column, that would mean the highs and lows in cinema durin... Read More

A & E

Tony Serra: A lawyer greedy for life

By Ernest Beyl

For the past several months, our attention has been riveted on the sensational drama of Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, whose attorney, Tony Serra, has been displaying a cou... Read More

New & Notable

Scotland Yard brings British-themed extravagance to Scott Street

By Julie Mitchell

Whether you call it a wine bar, a lounge, or a gastropub, restaurants with a bar-centric, small-plate focus are opening everywhere. Restaurateurs are offering patrons unique, often... Read More

The Tablehopper

It’s a new year, which means new things to eat

By Marcia Gagliardi and Dana Eastland

MARINA Things keep percolating in the Marina. Opening in the former Yuzu in mid-January will be The Gipsy Darling (3347 Fillmore Street), a New American restaurant that is a family... Read More

Business, Finance

Phone the home

By John Zipperer

One day, about 15 years ago, my father told me about his desire to write a book about how to conduct a small business. My father was a piano tuner, traveling every day to his loyal... Read More

Finance

Try these tax tips to save money, boost refund

By JESUS GUEVARA

Taxpayers still have time left to influence their tax future. Many taxpayers can do something to lower their tax liability with these tax tips. 1. TO SAVE MONEY, SAVE MONEY One way... Read More

Issue January 2016