In so many ways, mastering the skill of utilizing a musical instrument to create a beautiful sound is satisfying. Music may help children and adults develop discipline, increase executive functions, and improve motor skill coordination. It may also assist children in expressing their creativity and emotions, as well as devising appropriate stress-reduction strategies. Those who…
The greatest pitmaster in the Bay Area demonstrates how to make a superb fried chicken sandwich. If 2022 has gotten off to a shaky start, give Matt Horn credit for putting some wins on the board: The Bay Area’s top pitmaster (and Horn Barbecue’s Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient) has recently launched Kowbird, his second Oakland…
I dislike the term “hate” and strive to avoid using it. It irritates me the most when it is applied to any kind of food or preparation. Do you hate asparagus? Or are you just complaining about something you haven’t taken the time to appreciate? That’s exactly what I was thinking. My view is that…
I never expected to revert from blonde to brown hair again after spending over $1,000 on platinum hair last year. However, some things are just not meant to be. Going blonde was supposed to be a lifechanging event for me. I’d have Elle Woods confidence with an edgy, fashion-person vibe with shining, bleached hair, and…
For me, going away to college was a great shock. At the time, I was so food-obsessed that I refused to live in the dormitories and pay for the mandatory school meal plan. So I moved in with some friends and tried, for the first time in my life, to feed myself. I ate out…
I used to spend a lot of time preparing my meals each week when I was first starting into cooking in my early twenties. I’d spend hours poring through recipes and periodicals, making long shopping lists. In a strange way, I appreciated it, but as my life became busier, my meal planning routine became one…
Many parents nowadays rely on technology to keep their children engaged and busy, entirely overlooking the advantages of arts and crafts. True, technology is beneficial, and children should be exposed to it, but this should never come at the price of their ability to play and create with their hands. Here are a few of…
My lips have always been my favorite physical feature, despite what my new lip-blushing fixation may lead you to think. I’ve had periods of self-consciousness about other aspects of my body, but I like my lips. They’re thick, pillowy, and the ideal canvas for a splash of color. They’ve even modeled lip art for me…
The finest beauty products of 2022 have been a tiny consolation in a year of uncertainty (I can’t believe we’re still saying that). Sure, they didn’t cure COVID or forecast when life would return to normal, but they did maintain our skin looking healthy, fluffy brows, and shiny lips, so we’ll take it. The one…
It is unusual for me to accompany you to a restaurant. Comfort meals like mashed potatoes and mac’n cheese don’t wow me, so I nearly always order the “weirdest” dish on the menu––think crude (raw) platters, seaweed sampling, and organ meats. For example, I went my brother Shay to lunch at Mozza in Southern California…
