michaelD: the bay area buzz report

Life outside the bubble: Haiti - Never give up

Why is the Bay Area Buzz Report writing about Haiti? BABR is mostly about lifestyle, and you can't address lifestyle without considering the human condition. The human condition in Haiti is something that needs both thought and action. The reality is that what we see in Haiti is a magnification of conditions that exist throughout the world in areas that aren't under the world's microscope every day.

This 5 year old boy beats the odds, generating both feelings of hope and despair.

Sample Sale Shopping: Furniture & Clothing

DECORATE
Designer Furniture Sample Sale
What: Top local designers, including Kendall Wilkinson Design & Home, Rue de Grenelle, Martha Angus Inc., and Antique & Art Exchange, offer furniture and accessories at up to 70 percent off.
Why: Deck your walls (and floors).
When: Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: San Francisco Design Center, 101 Henry Adams St., at Alameda St., atrium of the Galleria bldg. (415-409-2299).

STYLIZE
Fabulous Fashionista Sample Sale
What: More than 2,000 dresses, tops, and more at up to 70 percent off from BCBG and Ella Moss.
Why: Stand under my Ella, Ella, Ella.
When: Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Fort Mason Center, Marina Blvd., at Buchanan St., bldg. d, Fleet rm. (415-345-7500).

Source: Daily Candy

S-e-x it Up: Get your motor running

So you're wondering, why am I writing about s-e-x? Well, why not? It's probably the topic that people "buzz" about the most. I can't take credit for the article below, but it looked like interesting reading, so here you go...
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SEX IT UP
Get Your Motor Running (source: daily candy)
Postpartum Sex Q&A with Sexologist Logan Levkoff

Discussing the birds and the bees with your kids is a nightmare. But it’s even worse when your own urges vanish. It’s a tough (and hardly talked-about) topic. We turned to sexologist and sexuality educator Logan Levkoff for some answers.

How do you deal when you get the six-week “go ahead” after giving birth but you’re not ready to give the green light?
Let’s talk tatas. I feel like my partner and my baby are in a battle for my boobs.
After delivering a baby, sex “feels” different, right?

More...

Bits & Pieces (11.07.09)

DRINK
Barrel Tasting (SF)
Sure, you could go on a chauffeured tour of the region’s vineyards, but you don’t even have to leave town now that quirky, beloved Bonny Doon Vineyard recently opened its Tasting Room & Cellar Door Cafe. There, culinary superstar Charlie Parker of Manresa and Ubuntu turns out seasonally driven, local tasting menus. Or pop into the cozy counter at downtown’s Soif Wine Bar & Merchants to sample local faves and French varietals. (source: daily candy)

SHOP / LIVE
Icons of Design (source: daily candy)
What: A designer showcase at Millennium Tower’s luxurious (and usually not open to the public) 52nd-floor Grand Residences, featuring more than 25 local design superstars. Proceeds benefit a different local charity each weekend.
Why: Ain’t life grand?
When: Weekends thru Nov. 22. Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 301 Mission St., at Fremont St. (415-593-1700).
(daily candy)

SEX IT UP
Get Your Motor Running (source: daily candy)
Postpartum Sex Q&A with Sexologist Logan Levkoff
Discussing the birds and the bees with your kids is a nightmare. But it’s even worse when your own urges vanish. It’s a tough (and hardly talked-about) topic. We turned to sexologist and sexuality educator Logan Levkoff for some answers.
How do you deal when you get the six-week “go ahead” after giving birth but you’re not ready to give the green light? More...

KPFA 94.1FM launches OaklandSeen...includes michaelD in weekly segment

Could this be my real calling? I received a call from Aimee Allison the other day, and next thing you know I've got a regular spot on her new weekly radio show, OaklandSeen, airing Tuesdays at 11am on KPFA (94.1 FM). This is pretty cool, and seems to be right up my alley. The show is one hour long, and is billed as "...a platform for new ideas and community activism.  (It will) tap the Oakland we hardly hear from to discuss the most pressing local issues, to highlight great work in the city, and to keep our city leadership accountable."

I join Aimee at the end of the show for a 5 minute segment on cool Oakland haps, the latest and greatest in entertainment, nightlife, dining, arts and culture. So, it will be along the lines of what I provide here at The Bay Area Buzz Report, with a little inside scoop thrown in!

Read the full press release>

UPDATED: Second show (getting better, but I still need to slow down!) - airs Tuesday, Nov 10. Subject: Piedmont Ave (North Oakland) & Weekend Haps (11/12 - 11/15) | 5 min | Program Notes

michaelD joins Aimee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/10/09 

1st show - Please excuse the fading audio levels. The sounds levels were normalized when it originally aired. Subject: Uptown District (Downtown) and Weekend Haps (11/5 - 11/8) | 5 min

michaelD joins AImee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/03/09)

Or listen to the entire show, where Aimee discusses the one-year anniversary of the election of Barack Obama; the euphoria that surrounded his election and a current pulse on how “Oaklanders” feel about his presidency.  Aimee examines if campaign activism last year has inspired local involvement in citywide politics. | 60 min

Entire Show -  Aimee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/03/09)

Listen live online: KPFA 94.1 FM (24k mp3) | KPFB 89.3 FM (16k mp3) | iTunes Radio: "Public" | Comcast Digital Cable 967 | iPhone: Public Radio Tuner App

Michael D of The Bay Area Buzz Report joins Aimee Allison on new KPFA "OaklandSeen" weekly radio show

Hip Politics Radio Show & Blog Seeks Accountability and Involvement in City Government and Communities

"OaklandSeen" hosted by Aimee Allison
Starts Tues., Nov. 3, 2009, 11:00a.m., KPFA 94.1 FM
Listen live via radio or online at KPFA.org

"This show is a platform for new ideas and community activism.  I'll tap the Oakland we hardly hear from to discuss the most pressing local issues, to highlight great work in the city, and to keep our city leadership accountable."

Residents, tax payers, young adults are all seeking answers to the challenges facing Oakland, California; they want to know who to hold accountable when a problem arises; they want to know where to turn when all else has failed them.  Young people interested in the political climate and everyday issues happening around them need a platform to express their views.  They also want to feel good about the city they call home and celebrate the accomplishments they see taking place around them.

OaklandSeen, a new weekly radio show and blog launches Tues., November 3, 11:00 a.m., on KPFA 94.1FM, to address their concerns and fuel their participation in local city government. The show airs each week in the same time slot.   Aimee Allison is the creator and host of OaklandSeen.

Presently, Allison is the host and producer of the popular KPFA Morning Show, heard each weekday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  OaklandSeen will feature the voices of everyday Oakland - and has a new OaklandSeen line that will record thoughts and ideas from across the city.  The call in number is 510.848.6767 x 606.

Also featured "on air" with Aimee in a weekly segment, VIPLineup.com editor Michael D with The Bay Area Buzz Report.

At your service. Whatever you need. Done.

In this ever evolving age of technology I continue to be amazed by the pace at which advances are put before us.  Frankly, the challenge is not so much how to implement new technology.  Companies are becoming better and better at user friendly applications (how do you say, "Apple"). The challenge now is determining which of the thousands of applications to embrace for any given solution.

Well, life may have just gotten a little easier with the click of a button. Enter Redbeacon.

"But sometimes you wish it (life) were easier—as easy as snapping your fingers and summoning your own household savant.

Let's say you're looking for someone to cook you dinner every night (which you are). Just type in "personal chef" in the "Who do you need?" category—you could even do a natural word search and type "cook me dinner" if other words fail. Next, specify dates—whether you need them immediately, for a specific dinner (like one with the foodie you met by the squash blossoms at the farmer's market) or something more flexible. Then explain in more detail what you need done and where. If a photo is appropriate, you can attach one of those, too." (Urban Daddy)

Give it a whirl. I wonder if the service can find someone that is willing to do my work and just cut me a check when it's done.

As always, thanks for reading - Michael D

This week's 5 sec poll...
SF/Bay Area residents: "What type of cell phone do you use?"

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Michael D is also editor of VIPLineup, a diverse and discerning online listing of selected top pick Bay Area lifestyle and entertainment activities in culture, food, fashion, music, dining & philanthropy.
Twitter: Michael D & VIPLineup | Facebook: Michael D & VIPLineup

[For top pick Bay Area events, visit VIPLineup.com  |  Subscribe to the weekly Weekend Lineup]

FREE Must-Have iPhone Apps for Parents

It’s hard to believe that a little device that’s the size of your hand can actually help parents become more organized, time-efficient, knowledgeable, even relaxed. However, that’s the beauty of an iPhone. The key, though, is to find the right apps to get you there, and with so many choices (more than 75,000), it takes time and effort to find good ones.

What follows is a list of 20 free apps that won’t necessarily make you a better parent, but can make your life a little easier, or help out in a pinch wherever you are. And when you have a screaming, bored, hungry, or need-to-use-the-bathroom kid, sometimes a little help is all you need. The apps listed below have been compiled from the eyes of a parent, but many can be used regardless of whether you do or don’t have children. (Source - Mashable)

So of course I'm going to test drive a few of these. I downloaded WebMD Mobile, EventsFinder (duh...of course) and ReQall (something to supplement my ever shrinking memory), and a few others...

(Descriptions - Mashable, Categories/Comments - Michael D)

Must haves...

• WebMD Mobile - WebMD’s iPhone app enables parents to look up symptoms and try to figure out what’s ailing their children. Of course, it shouldn’t take the place of professional medical advice, but for those cases when your child has a minor rash, fever, cough, etc., this is a great resource to try and narrow down what is going on, and prepare for a doctor visit if necessary. No brainer.

It’s hard to believe that a little device that’s the size of your hand can actually help parents become more organized, time-efficient, knowledgeable, even relaxed. However, that’s the beauty of an iPhone. The key, though, is to find the right apps to get you there, and with so many choices (more than 75,000), it takes time and effort to find good ones.

What follows is a list of 20 free apps that won’t necessarily make you a better parent, but can make your life a little easier, or help out in a pinch wherever you are. And when you have a screaming, bored, hungry, or need-to-use-the-bathroom kid, sometimes a little help is all you need. The apps listed below have been compiled from the eyes of a parent, but many can be used regardless of whether you do or don’t have children. (Source - Mashable)

So of course I'm going to test drive a few of these. I downloaded WebMD Mobile, EventsFinder (duh...of course) and ReQall (something to supplement my ever shrinking memory), and a few others...

(Descriptions - Mashable, Categories/Comments - Michael D)

Must haves...

• WebMD Mobile - WebMD’s iPhone app enables parents to look up symptoms and try to figure out what’s ailing their children. Of course, it shouldn’t take the place of professional medical advice, but for those cases when your child has a minor rash, fever, cough, etc., this is a great resource to try and narrow down what is going on, and prepare for a doctor visit if necessary. No brainer.

NYT: 36 hours in Oakland

Did anyone else miss the New York Times slideshow and article on Oakland this past May? Or, was my head located somewhere other than on top of my shoulders at the time?

As always, thanks for reading - Michael D

Michael D is also editor of VIPLineup, a diverse and discerning online listing of selected top pick Bay Area lifestyle and entertainment activities in culture, food, fashion, music, dining & philanthropy.
Twitter: Michael D & VIPLineup | Facebook: Michael D & VIPLineup

[For top pick Bay Area events, visit The Buzz Report  |  Subscribe to the weekly Weekend Lineup]

Catching up on local news (10.02.09)

Balboa Cafe, Mill Valley

Check out Mobile Movies on your iphone or other smart phone. The site works on more than 30 different smart phones (your brick phone, somehow, is not on the list) and goes where neither Netflix nor Blockbuster has gone before (i.e. your phone). Starting now, you'll have full, anytime access to 350 movies and growing (Urban Daddy) ... Stevie Wonder made an impromptu appearance at Coda in SF a few days ago ... Quince reopens in the old Myth location today. Go Quince! ... Street food. Try these meals on wheels - Liba: LibaSF.com, Jon's Street Eats: JonsStreetEats.com, Cupkates: CupkatesBakery.com, Desi Dog: DesiDog.net, Pizza Politana: PizzaPolitana.com, Roli Roti™: RoliRoti.com, Phat Matt's BBQ: PhatMattsBBQ.com ...Somehow I Ieft Water Lounge out of my "new to the East Bay restaurant/bar/lounges. Located on the premises of the dearly departed Pearl Oyster Bar, Water Lounge is an unexpectedly trendy sort of hangout to find in bourgeois Rockridge (College Ave, Oakland). (East Bay Express) ...