Last weekend, I had the pleasure of checking out Jeff Cohn Cellars’ tasting room in Oakland along with my friend Peter, the man behind Bung R. Cooper’s wine blog. Jeff Cohn, a renowned winemaker, spent a decade learning from and crafting Rosenblum wines before starting his own winery in 2006.  He’s also a genuinely nice
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It’s been a year since I undertook my quest to try all the mac & cheeses on 7×7’s list of the best in the Bay Area. I haven’t regretted a moment of this carb-slurping, dish-sharing, cheese-inhaling adventure. My friends, and long-suffering husband, who’ve joined me for most of these nights out, may hold different opinions… …Naw. Who
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There’s a lot that I love about Sweet Bar Bakery: their commitment to locally sourced, fair trade, and cage-free ingredients; that they know the difference between a latte and a cortado; that you can usually get a seat without too much of a hassle on a weekday. But I’m befuddled by how their baked goods,
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Last week, Marc Callado, who launched Shift Local in 2012 with his fiancée Mari, swung by my About Me page to let me know about an amazing opportunity for lovers of coffee on this side of the Bay.  When I say this is a bargain, folks, I say it as someone who knows just how
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My 4th Mac & Cheese Night took place at the East Bay’s prime mac & cheese destination along 40th Street in Oakland: Homeroom. Nearly every time I’ve mentioned my mac & cheese quest, I’ve been interrupted by an excited new acquaintance asking if I’ve tried Homeroom yet. Finally, FINALLY, I can say yes when asked.
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Today on the blog, I’m talking about Cozymeal, a new Bay Area startup that got me super excited when I talked with one of the founders, Samad Nasserian, about the company. Why did it get me that excited? Let me count the reasons why: 1. Intimate meals you won’t find elsewhere. Cozymeal puts on dinners
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Because it blends in so well with its surroundings, Chop Bar is easy to miss in Oakland’s Warehouse district, just a few short blocks from Jack London Square.  Its sage green exterior and distinctive awnings paint it as something special, though, and my brunch experience definitely confirmed that. I love that sourcing ingredients locally and
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Sidebar is an upscale, Nouveau American joint along the Grand Avenue side of Lake Merritt. Its website boasts Mediterranean, seasonal, local, and comfort foods among its qualifications, so think dressed up French fries, with smoked paprika in Sidebar’s case, and quality meats served with fresh pickled veggies and relishes. I went at lunch. The menu
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This place has a cult of appreciators for their breakfast sandwiches, which is why my visiting NC foodie friends insisted we check it out. It’s open only for breakfast and lunch and is located right off the fork between 29th and 23rd leading into Alameda. It is a simple fact of life that egg-and-cheeses are
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