MONTCLARION: DEC. 2018
Potholes and parking are making us crabby. And yes, the two are related because they add stress to driving on increasingly crowded Oakland roads. The pitted streets read like a laundry list: Park Boulevard, Thornhill Drive, Valley View, Shepherd Canyon, Tunnel … and on and on. Critics note despite Oakland’s high property taxes that never seem to quench our city’s thirst for spending, streets like Thornhill have been on the repaving list for years. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: January 24, 2019
An artist once told me that everything is a canvas. Even a drab concrete slab can be transformed into an inspiring art installation. Enter the Montclair Parking Garage, which has rapidly become a kind of open-air gallery. Twelve murals — some up to 50 feet high — now adorn the ramp walls, including the latest piece by Shannon Hood and Victor Garcia. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: February 21, 2019
Who says you can’t put a price on love? Eight oversized hearts just raised millions for a Bay Area hospital — and Montclair artist Adele Gilani is pumped. You see, Gilani spent much of last fall painting a 5-by-6-foot, 400-pound sculpture for Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital’s “Hearts in SF” fundraiser. She was chosen from a select group of artists after applying for the honor the three previous years. Continue reading
EASTBAYTIMES.COM: February 14, 2019
Famed columnist Herb Caen once said “Any city that doesn’t have a tenderloin isn’t a city at all.” But the San Francisco’s Tenderloin District as a tourist destination? It sounds like a contradiction in terms until you start to explore this oft-overlooked neighborhood. Continue reading
The Montclair Lucky store’s newly remodeled floral department is stocked and ready for Valentine’s Day. (courtesy of Kara Piganelli)
Around town: Montclair is for lovers — and the proof is in the high number of flower shops in Montclair Village. From longtime favorites Flowers by Myrna and Montclair Florist to Flower Outlet and Gifts and the local Safeway and Lucky stores, floral Valentines can be found on almost every block. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: January 11, 2019
January is a tough month. Let’s face it — the holidays are over and tax season is on the horizon. It’s easy to slip into a funk, But here’s a way to spread joy without lifting a finger. Leave your lights on. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: December 14, 2018
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a night out in trendy Old Oakland. What a dazzling display as we strolled past handsome Victorian buildings outlined in holiday lights. The streets were crowded with mostly millennials savvy about the restaurant scene and eager to be out on a starry night. Continue reading
Ginny Prior/for Bay Area News Group Italian Colors, a go-to restaurant for many Montclarions, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Guitarist Michael Wollenberg, above, who has played at the restaurant since it began, performs Christmas tunes for diners on a recent night.
EASTBAYTIMES.COM: DECEMBER 28, 2018
Italian Colors has beaten the odds. The go-to restaurant for so many Montclarions is celebrating its 25th anniversary — remarkable when you consider 90 percent of independent restaurants close during their first year and the rest last an average of just five years. For owner/chef Alan Carlson, it’s a matter of pride. Continue reading
Laurel Ace Hardware garden team member Miguel Ruiz, left, appears recently with Lisa Ratusz of the Our Water Our World program through the Alameda County Clean Water program. Ratusz taught visitors about integrated pest management and helped with pollinator-friendly gardening tips. Laurel Ace Hardware staff held a pollinator event earlier this fall.
MONTCLARION: November 16, 2018
We’ve always been a one-pet family. But these days we have dozens of birds to add to our brood — wrens, sparrows, jays and dark-eyed juncos — all feeding at our seed stations. Anna’s hummingbirds sip from our Dollar Store nectar bottle. Nuthatches balance on the wire basket, binging on peanut butter suet. And I sit inside with my field guide, logging bird varieties as I sip my morning coffee. Often my cat will lay blissfully on my lap, as if watching a reality show. Continue reading
Ginny Prior/for Bay Area News Group Autumn is called the “secret season” in San Luis Obispo County’s Morro Bay, above.
EAST Bay Times: October 19, 2018
New Orleans, New York, Morro Bay. When it comes to oysters, the coastal town with the famous Morro Rock wins, hands down. Autumn is called “secret season” in San Luis Obispo County’s Morro Bay. The warm sun and mild coastal breeze are perfect for dining seaside al fresco. And for foodies, the choices are impressive. Continue reading
