Town Crier: East Bay’s Pacific Mambo Orchestra wins Grammy

MONTCLARION: January 31, 2014

This is the stuff dreams are made of. An East Bay big band has won its first Grammy for “Best Tropical Latin Album.”

Pacific Mambo Orchestra — or PMO — beat out a field of heavy hitters Sunday night to bring home the gilded gramophone. What makes this story even sweeter is that several of the musicians are from Oakland and two even help run the Bay Area-based school music program — M.U.S.E. Continue reading

Happy Wanderer: For Valentine’s Day, head to San Mateo Coast

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CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: January 30, 2014

With two weeks until Valentines Day, it’s time to scout out some sea salt and chocolate. The sea salt is the fun part.

Twenty minutes south of San Francisco is the fishing village of Princeton by the Sea. You may know it as the home of the Mavericks Invitational — one of the most extreme big wave surf contests in the world. Continue reading

Town Crier: For East Bay bird-watchers, a diamond in the slough

MONTCLARION: January 24, 2014

Ever since childhood, I have loved birds. And I think the feeling is mutual. Once a hummingbird landed on my red shirt and tried to sip nectar from my cheek. Just recently, I had a long and loud conversation with a Stellar’s Jay. So when a reader told me that one of the best birding spots in the country was just south of Oakland, I perked right up. Continue reading

A four letter word that brings us together

MONTCLARION: January 17, 2014

Have you noticed how many topics are taboo, these days? Race, religion, politics — the list goes on. But mention food, and tongues start wagging. It’s a guaranteed conversation starter. That’s why Restaurant Week is so important in Oakland. For the next 10 days you can try primo prix fixe meals at more than 50 top eateries — so you can be in the know about Oakland’s hot restaurant scene. Continue reading

Town Crier: Former New York fashion editor penning stylish Oakland guidebook

MONTCLARION: January 10, 2014

A former New York fashion editor is seeing the beauty in our fair city. Melissa Davis is writing what she calls a “chic” full-color publication called “This Is Oakland: A Guide to the City’s Most Interesting Places.” The book was born from her desire to boast about the sunny side of the Bay that she and her husband have called home since 2003. Continue reading