2540 N. Main St.
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
925.979.9330
casabelicoso.com

Casa Belicoso is a unique, upscale specialty retailer of hand made premium cigars and cigar accessories from countries around the world. Casa Belicoso also carries a full line of premium gifts and apparel for the cigar aficionado. Their retail showroom, located in Walnut Creek, California, consists of 1,450 square feet of display area and includes one of the largest walk-in humidors in the East Bay. Casa Belicoso offers on-site private humidor rentals for your personal cigar collection.

The private humidors are meticulously maintained by the staff at Casa Belicoso, providing the cigar aficionado the security of knowing their collection is safe and well preserved. The most impressive feature Casa Belicoso offers the discerning cigar aficionado is an exclusive, members only, private smoking lounge. The upscale lounge is attached to the retail showroom and features two flat screen HDTV’s, a premium audio system, Wi-Fi, a billiard table and comfortable leather seating. The lounge is also equipped with a state-of-the-art ventilation system.

In addition to all the attributes a cigar lounge can foster, they serve beer and wine to accompany your favorite hobby.

Hours:
Mon-Thu 12 pm – 10 pm
Fri-Sat 12 pm – 11 pm
Sun 12 pm – 8 pm

Summertime is the right time for concerts, and with all the big events in the East Bay you can get your summer started right in 2012. With a ton of big shows hitting town, and lots of road-trip-inspiring out-of-town events over the next few months. Feeling overwhelmed by all the options? Here are a few recommendations from us to get you started. Well tell you what they are and where, so you can nosh the best of summer NOW.

Sleep Train Pavilion (Concord):
livenation.com/Sleep-Train-Pavilion-At-Concord
KBLX Stone Soul Concert 2012
The Doobie Brothers
Chicago

The Fox Theater (Oakland):
thefoxoakland.com
Tenacious D – May 24
Sleep – June 5
Keane – June 30

Wente Vineyards (Livermore):
wentevineyards.com/concerts
Foreigner – July 11
Earth, Wind, And Fire – July 16
Sheryl Crow – July 23

Greek Theater (Berkeley):
apeconcerts.com/venue_greekTheatre
Beach Boys – June 1
Foster The People – June 29
Sublime with Rome & Cypress Hill – July 22

The Paramount Theatre (Oakland):
paramounttheatre.com/schedule
One Direction – June 14
Another Night in Treme – June 15
Michael Mcdonald, Donald Fagan & Boz Scaggs – July 1

Yoshis (Oakland):
yoshis.com/oakland/calendar
Gerald Albright – June 1
Michael Franks – June 28
Hiroshima – August 17

offthegridsf.com

Off the Grid is the roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul.

Off the Grid Markets began with the simple idea that grouping Street Food vendors together would create an experience that would allow neighbors to connect with friends, and families to reconnect with each other. Since then Off the Grid has worked hard to develop markets that are both located in urban cores of cities, and that utilize spaces that are not easily activated effectively throughout the day. Off the Grid is proud of its role organizing, promoting and managing all of its markets, and the small mobile food businesses that they work with.

Currently Off the Grid operates 15 weekly markets in the greater bay area, and works with 100+ vendors weekly. At its core, Off the Grid believes in the power of a shared food experience to connect communities, and they work hard to create lively shared spaces wherever we serve.

Off the Grid also promotes a number of events in the East Bay, here is a taste of some of the local superstars that participate in street food events:

ArKi Truck
Brass*Knuckle
Cupkats
Fins on the Hoof
Five Ten Burger
Hapa SF
KoJa Kitchen
Liba Falafel
Skylite Snowballs
The Taco Guys
Vesta Flatbread

And check out their Events page for details on which vendors will be at each market:
facebook.com/OffTheGrid/events

The 1968 Exhibit

March 31, 2012 – August 19, 2012
Experience one of the most powerful years in recent history in this unforgettable exhibition exploring the social, political, and economic events of 1968. A turning point for a generation coming of age and a nation engaged in war, 1968 saw the peak of the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, riots at the Democratic National Convention, Black Power demonstrations at the Summer Olympics, Feminist demonstrations at the Miss America pageant, and much more. Throughout it all, the Bay Area was at the forefront with an emerging California counterculture. Presented as an ongoing collective of historical and personal stories, the exhibition is for those who lived through it, those who’ve heard about it, and those who wonder why it matters. For more information about The 1968 Exhibit, visit 1968exhibit.org.

OMCA In-the-Mix Series
Dive deeper into the issues raised by The 1968 Exhibit. Join special intergenerational guests in the 1968 Lounge for thought-provoking conversation. Included with Museum admission.

Protest: Left and Right, or Progressive and Conservative
Saturday, June 9
1 – 2 pm
1968 Lounge, Great Hall

The Political Scene
Saturday, July 14
1 – 2 pm
1968 Lounge, Great Hall

Women and the Military
Aug 11
1 – 2 pm
1968 Lounge, Great Hall

The 1968 Exhibit was developed by the Minnesota History Center in partnership with the Atlanta History Center, the Chicago History Museum, and the Oakland Museum of California. The 1968 Exhibit is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The Oakland Museum of California presentation is made possible in part by generous support from the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and the OMCA History Guild.

May 18, 19, and 20 Ascension Cathedral once again presents the annual Oakland Greek Festival! (Check the main website of the Festival for more information!

Website: OaklandGreekFestival.com

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension
4700 Lincoln Avenue
Oakland, California 94602
510-531-3400

Entertainment Schedule 2012

FRIDAY

10:00 AM CATHEDRAL Cultural Education Program
12:00 PM PLATIA STAGE Opening Ceremonies
12:15 PM PLATIA STAGE Giuliana Karezis Performance
5:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Analipsis/Nea Zoe Dancers
6:00 PM CATHEDRAL Lecture by Ann Woods
6:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Seismos/Astrape Dancers
7:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Author Elaine Manolakas Schmitz
7:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Anemos/Chrysi Aetoi Dancers
8:00 PM CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert
9:00 PM DINING ROOM STAGE Festival of Greece Dancers

SATURDAY

12:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Analipsis Dancers
1:30 PM CATHEDRAL Lecture by Ann Woods
2:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Author Elaine Manolakas Schmitz
2:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Nea Zoe Dancers
2:45 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Greek Dance Instruction
3:00 PM CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert
3:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Seismos Dancers
4:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Cooking with Yiayia
4:45 PM PLATIA STAGE Giuliana Karezis Performance
5:00 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Anemos Dancers
5:30 PM CATHEDRAL Lecture by Ann Woods
6:00 PM CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert
6:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Astrape Dancers
7:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Chef Peter Phillips
7:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Chrysi Aetoi Dancers
9:00 PM DINING ROOM STAGE Festival of Greece Dancers

SUNDAY

12:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Analipsis/Nea Zoe Dancers
1:00 PM CATHEDRAL Lecture by Ann Woods
1:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Cooking with Yiayia
1:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Seismos/Astrape Dancers
2:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Author Elaine Monolakas Schmitz
2:30 PM CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert
2:45 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Greek Dance Instruction
3:00 PM PLATIA Cooking Demonstration – Author Elaine Monolakas Schmitz
3:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Anemos Dancers
4:30 PM WINDMILL PLAZA Chrysi Aetoi Dancers
6:30 PM PLATIA STAGE Giuliana Karezis Performance

OaklandGreekFestival.com

When retail veterans Nichole Payton and Alyah Baker opened Show & Tell Concept Shop they were on a mission to make the Oakland community a better and more stylish place, while having as much fun as possible. Six months into this mission the multi use retail/ gallery/ gathering space, is thriving and bringing a little indie flair to Downtown Oakland’s City Center.

Show & Tell offers an eclectic mix of sustainable Men’s and Women’s apparel, accessories, artwork, and housewares. Many items are sourced from local designers, several support a good cause, and all are ethically produced. New merchandise arrives weekly ensuring there is always something interesting to discover.

In addition, the shop has given back to the Oakland community by advocating and fundraising for several local non-profits and hosting various free community appreciation events.

Show & Tell’s ultimate goal is to make sure that every customer leaves the shop looking good and feeling even better.

Store Hours
M-F- 11-6
Sat- 12-3
Sun-Closed

Well known classic jazz guitarist, Lloyd Gregory & Friends features smooth jazz on their return visit to the Cathedral. Enjoy this relaxing evening with friends and family overlooking lovely Lake Merritt. Register today at Ctlcathedral.org , $10 donation. To learn more about Lloyd Gregory, click: Lloyd-gregory.com

Cathedral of Christ the Light, 2121 Harrison Street, Oakland 94612

Mission

Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) is an art jobs training program located in Berkeley, California which is committed to empowering and bettering the lives of homeless and low-income San Francisco Bay Area young people, ages 16-25. The mission of Youth Spirit Artworks is to use art jobs and jobs training to empower and transform the lives of youth, giving young people the skills, experience, and self-confidence needed to meet their full potential. True to its name – Youth Spirit Artworks is growing, spirited and creative. Like the young people we serve, YSA is strong, resilient and evolving.

History

Youth Spirit Artworks was founded in 2007, by Sally Hindman, an exuberant and dedicated longtime Berkeley resident. Sally has over twenty years of management and nonprofit experience, primarily working with homeless people. She received her M.A. in Theology and Art and her M. Div. from Pacific School of Religion. Sally is an adjunct faculty member at the Graduate Theological Union Center for Art, Religion, and Education and Starr King School for the Ministry teaching “Liberation Art.” Sally is the co-founder of Street Spirit, the San Francisco East Bay homeless newspaper. The publication started in 1995 and is circulated on a monthly basis. It is a cornerstone of homeless activism and advocacy in the Easy Bay. In 1998 she received KPFA radio’s Alice Hamburg Community Service Award for her outstanding leadership in serving homeless people in the East Bay. Sally has been an active member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) since 1984. Prior to founding YSA, she served as executive director of Berkeley California’s interfaith Chaplaincy to the Homeless.

But YSA was not built by one woman alone! A group of experienced and dedicated people served as the founding Advisory Board. Some of these marvelous leaders include Maheesh Jain, founding President, Lauren Snider-Brandt, founding Secretary, Lila McDonald and Nishan Ardon, who worked very hard on our graphics and marketing materials. Berkeley City Council Member Max Anderson has assisted us in securing funding from the City of Berkeley and from other sources and has been a tremendous all around supporter of YSA’s vision and development.

The idea of combining artistic and entrepreneurial skills, as well as utilizing young people’s creative energy to contribute to community revitalization came from Sally’s direct involvement with young people in the streets. As one of the initiators of the Alameda County Homeless Youth Collaborative, Sally had observed first hand at the Telegraph Avenue Homeless Youth Drop-In Center the unmet needs of transition age youth for jobs and jobs training programs. She saw the need for a place where young people would be able to experience stability and kindness, as well as opportunities for growth and learning that was relevant to the challenges they faced daily. Sally saw the need for young people to learn hands-on business skills through creative modalities. She knew the value of supportive peer community and believed in the power of utilizing art to unleash young people’s energy and drive to contribute and succeed.

Sally envisioned a place where homeless and at-risk youth could come to create and sell art, learn job skills, and contribute to their neighborhoods through community revitalization art projects. Thus Youth Spirit Artworks was born.

Retail Store Hours:
M-F 3:30PM – 6:30PM
Sat 12:00PM – 3:00PM

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry – Well that seems to be the mantra for nightlifers around the country now, always looking for that perfect place to have some good bites, hang out in a sexy atmosphere, and have killer cocktails – of course. This month for On The Rocks we travel to the Paragon at the historical Claremont Resort in the berkeley hills for the full experience.

Paragon Chef Josh Thomsen creates contemporary American brasserie-style favorites using only the freshest local ingredients prepared in a simple, unpretentious manner. Join them for lunch or dinner at Paragon seven days a week. Dinner is served nightly until 10pm. The Deck with stunning Bay views is always available for outdoor dining and drinks.

And what of the drinks you ask? They offer the best specialty drinks around to complemement their bar bites. Well if youre inclined of, and fancy classic styled cocktails, we recommend the French 95 (woodford reserve bourbon, lemon juice, orange juice, prosecco) or the Thyme Car (remy martin vsop, fresh lemon juice, thyme syrup) to upgrade your style a bit.

But we haven’t forgotten about you too- You know who YOU are, the ones who like the cute sexy drinks worthy of “sex in the city” fame. We want you to try their Spiced Pear (hangar one spiced pear vodka, canton ginger liquor, fresh sour mix, cinnamon sugar rim), The Hangarpolitan (hangar one raspberry, sweet and dry vermouth), or their Ruby Red Cosmo (finlandia cranberry vodka, triple sec, ruby grapefruit, lime juice, splash of cranberry juice) to add a bit of spice to your night.

They also run live music on Friday and Saturday nights ranging from R&B to Jazz Fusion. The best part that adds to a nice day or evening at the Paragon is their outside deck, offering stunning views of the East Bay Area, and the San Francisco Bridge. The Paragon will always be a go-to place for great views, having a date night, or grabbing a cocktail with good friends. Make this spot your next casual night out on the town.

41 Tunnel Road
Berkeley CA 94705
510.549.8585
paragonrestaurant.com/berkeley

Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm – 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm – 11 pm

(510) 524-7467
Shopurbanity.com

Welcome to Urbanity!!! Designed for the style and environmentally conscience urban citizen, Urbanity unites personalized boutique shopping experience and straightforward consigning.

2900 Navy Way
Alameda, CA 94501
510.522.7500
antiques@michaans.com
alamedapointantiquesfaire.com

The Alameda Point Antiques Faire is the largest antiques show in Northern California. Held on the 1st Sunday of every month, the Faire boasts over 800 Dealer booths. All items are 20 years old or older. The ultimate place to shop for vintage and antique home decorations, clothing, furniture, jewelry, art, pottery, books & collectibles. FREE parking & shuttles. This fabulous faire is presented by Michann’s Auctions.

Michaan’s Auctions is a leading, full-service auction house on the West Coast specializing in the appraisals and sale of antiques and fine art. Some of Michaan’s specialty departments include Asian Works of Art, Furniture and Decorative Arts, Modern, Contemporary, European and American Paintings, Prints and Jewelry, and 20th Century Decorative Arts.

Antiques and collectibles, furniture, vintage clothing, jewelry, and more offered by an wide array of dealers that travel the world to bring unique treasures.

Hours on Show Day: 6:00 am to 3:00 pm

Camp Office
1010 Oakhill Rd
Lafayette, CA 94549
(Mon-Fri, 9:00am – 5:00pm)
roughingit.com

Camp Directors Ann & Hobie Woods founded Roughing It Day Camp in 1972 and continue to be intricately involved in the daily operations of camp. They designed Roughing It to be a place where campers of all ages could learn, grow and thrive in an atmosphere that is safe, fun, and nurturing to the spirit of every child. Their mission lives on to this day, 40 years later. Daughters Amy and Katey, as well as thousands of children throughout the Bay Area, have grown up spending their summers here. Amy is currently Assistant Director at Roughing It and has been on staff for over twenty years. Katey is currently a school counselor.

Ann and Hobie are active members of the American Camp Association (ACA), and with their efforts Roughing It has become the longest ACA Accredited Day Camp in Northern California.

Their camp activities are structured to promote self-confidence, respect, teamwork, and of course, FUN! A summer at Roughing It makes a significant contribution to the emotional and social development of each camper. All of our campers’ favorite activities help them develop the life skills necessary to live, work, and play well together. Starting on the first day, campers work as a team, develop self-reliance, build confidence, problem solve, and become positive members of our caring community. Our caring, adult staff set positive guidelines and build strong supportive relationships that enable every child to reach their full potential.

Roughing It is ideally located on 900 acres in the beautiful Lafayette Reservoir recreation area, with nearby swimming and equestrian sites. Their longer sessions are the key to campers’ success! They currently run four and eight week session options, where lifelong friendships are made, self-confidence grows, new skills are achieved, and fun fills every day. Campers spend their entire session with the same small group of their peers and have the time to bond with one another and the staff, become proficient in new activities, enjoy the outdoors and achieve beyond their expectations. Each week builds upon the next, and their counselors utilize specific activities to promote teamwork and friendship.

Join them for their 40th Anniversary Camp Session! They are currently accepting enrollment for the 2012 Summer Camp season! For dates and rates please visit roughingit.com/rates

For registration go to roughingit.com/register