East Bay Magazine

02/06/2026

As the sole proprietor and chocolatier at , Suzanne LaFleur is currently making two products, a golden popcorn bark and the aforementioned honeycomb candy, which, it turns out, is actually made out of honey and not honeycomb. “It’s called honeycomb because of the texture,” LaFleur explained. “Basically, the ‘honeycomb’ I make is an aerated honey toffee.” It has a caramel-like quality on the tongue, but the floral and earthy flavor is informed by the activity of bees as they travel through the air and land on soft beds of pollen.

LaFleur sources her honey from Khaled Almaghafi’s in Oakland. He’s been making honey and distributing it in the Bay Area since 1992...

Read more by about at https://www.eastbaymag.com/petite-lafleur-handcrafts-confections-in-berkeley/. Or visit eastbaymag.com! 🐝🍯🍫

Photos by Bobbi Lin 📸

01/14/2026

In the Bay Area, learning opportunities aren’t just confined to a college or high school classroom. Several East Bay organizations offer hands-on classes on niche topics: from stained glass making to urban farming and cooking. The activities are open to people of all ages, experience levels and abilities, and are taught by local professionals.

Read more by Stephanie Lam about these classes and workshops below! 🪡🐝🪴🧑‍🏭

https://www.eastbaymag.com/live-and-learn-a-local-guide/

Photos:
1-3) by Daisy Rose Coby
4-6)

Also featuring: + + .homesteading + + + +

12/31/2025

Hundreds of East Bay artists still seek to define and share their music by releasing CDs and even LPs, which invariably provide better sound and a more engaging experience than music disseminated solely online. Here are nine of music writer Andrew Gilbert’s favorite albums released by local artists this year, in alphabetical order. Paying for the albums increases the likelihood these artists will be able to continue recording their music.

Read more at https://www.eastbaymag.com/east-bay-sounds-showcase-eclectic-artistry/
! 🎼✨

12/26/2025

Chef Nora Haron’s .us, known for its restorative Indonesian Singaporean fusion dishes, has relocated from Walnut Creek to , where the chef intends for the café to be an integral part of the museum experience. 🖼️☕️

Read more by about Kori Bar and Bakery at the link in our IG stories or DEC. 2025 highlights in our profile, or visit eastbaymag.com. ✨

Photos courtesy of Kopi Bar & Bakery 📸

12/16/2025

Shopping locally in the East Bay provides a treasure trove of gift options. In this month’s issue, we present a few ideas from shops in the Solano Avenue, Rockridge, Piedmont, Grand Avenue and Fourth Street shopping districts... 🎁🛍️💝

https://www.eastbaymag.com/gift-guide-showcases-local-shopping/

Gift guide showcases local shopping: A semi-random collection of delightful items at local shops in the East Bay.

12/10/2025

We’re honored to share an interview with , the former U.S. secretary of labor and UC Berkeley professor emeritus, who reflects on a lifetime of activism and his new documentary, “The Last Class.” Read more below. 🤍🙏🙌

https://www.eastbaymag.com/robert-reichs-enduring-lessons-shape-minds-and-movements/

Robert Reich's enduring lessons shape minds and movements: Former Labor chief reflects on a lifetime of activism—and what’s still unfinished.

12/05/2025

In this issue’s intro, our editor breaks down the value of shopping locally (thanks to the wisdom of cover star ) and highlights other local gifts and experiences—from classic picks at to adventurous outings with . Plus, a suggestion to replenish yourself at the new .us at and rejoice in a few standout albums from East Bay musicians. 🎶✨

Read more below! https://www.eastbaymag.com/hometown-treasures-abound-in-the-east-bay/

Photo crop of a Russell James Ooms cutting board at (by ) 📸

Hometown treasures abound in the East Bay: Where to shop, listen, explore and savor all things local this season.

11/25/2025

Founded by husband-and-wife team Laleh and Alessandro Latini, is a furniture and home décor store in the Rockridge district known for its “warm modern” aesthetic that blends clean lines, organic materials, and timeless comfort. The company, which has a loyal following for its curated selection of in-house designed furniture and collaborations with local Bay Area artists and makers, operates both a brick-and-mortar store and a thriving online shop. For the Latinis, SOBU is a culmination of their shared design sensibility and a hub for community connection, art, and craftsmanship.

Read more below!

https://www.eastbaymag.com/the-art-of-home-thats-built-to-last/

The art of home that's built to last: How a Bay Area couple designed Rockridge’s SOBU—part furniture studio, part community hub, all heart.

11/14/2025

The legend of Thanh Long’s garlic noodles and roasted crab preceded my arrival in the Bay Area by several decades. But soon enough, friends and acquaintances would mention a restaurant in the Sunset, the San Francisco neighborhood that seemed foggy and faraway even from my first apartment in the Lower Haight. The fact that it was out by the beach made it even more intriguing, a kind of Mists of Avalon situation.

Helene An, the inventor of Thanh Long’s famous noodle dish, is now hailed as a pioneer of Asian fusion dishes. Her adaptation of Vietnamese ingredients combined with Americans’ love of pasta inspired Bay Area chefs to imitate and attempt their own versions of the dish. Those in the know pay homage to the fact that An made them first.

After establishing Thanh Long in the 1970s, An, with the help of her five daughters, went on to launch a restaurant group. While Thanh Long is House of An’s anchor business in the Bay Area, the group also runs three restaurants in Southern California. And, with the recent reopening of Crustacean on Pine Street, An’s second San Francisco restaurant is a welcome addition to a downtown that’s still in recovery mode…

Read more below! 🦀🍽️

https://www.eastbaymag.com/crustacean-reopens-in-downtown-san-francisco/

Crustacean reopens in downtown San Francisco: Thanh Long’s glamorous sister restaurant brings garlic noodles and tuna ci**rs to Pine Street.

11/12/2025

All is not lost for the families who want to continue some of the many Outside School activities, or for those wanting to discover them now. Taylor is maintaining access to her “Nature Helper” kit, in which kids volunteer to spend 10 hours in a calendar year “helping nature.” Participants choose and record their own activities, which need to take place outside those of their public or private school. The package includes an iron-on badge, identifying the child as a Nature Helper.

Even though television nature programs often focus on exotic animals and locales, “There is a lot of nature here, where we live,” said Taylor, “and it’s just as amazing.” A few suggestions: Nature Helpers could join a beach clean-up, do litter pick-up or assist in pulling weeds, such as invasive Cape ivy and French broom, meanwhile observing the creatures that may be nearby.

Another option for families is “Bandana Bear,” who, according to Taylor, “is an American black bear (Ursus americanus) who loves having fun and making discoveries outside… Bandana Bear lives a healthful life exploring the East Bay hills, enjoys beautiful vistas, makes and eats healthy food, helps the environment, practices naturalist skills and takes in various mindfulness practices.”

Read more below! 🧸🏞️💚

https://www.eastbaymag.com/grin-and-bear-it/

Grin and bear it: Outside School closes, but options remain, thanks to Heather Taylor's Nature Helper program and Bandana Bear activities.

11/05/2025

Style isn’t just about what we wear—it’s how we move through the world. This month, we celebrate "style" in all its forms: from Irish designer Margaret O’Leary’s timeless knitwear and Oakland’s design-forward SOBU furniture studio, to travel wardrobes that balance polish with practicality. We also explore the elegance of nature-inspired learning, the glamour of Crustacean’s San Francisco reopening, and the growing world of plant-based milks. Plus, Oakland’s Brad Brooks reminds us that resilience never goes out of style. And we honor the legacy of Berkeley attorney and civil rights activist, Ann Fagan Ginger.

In this issue, we meet makers, designers and dreamers who prove that style isn’t about trends—it’s about living with purpose and presence.

https://issuu.com/metrosiliconvalley/docs/east_bay_magazine_november_2025

Welcome to Issuu’s blog: home to product news, tips, resources, interviews (and more) related to content marketing and publishing.

10/14/2025

October is here! 🍁🍂✨ This month's issue explores continuity and transformation, creativity and connection. We highlight brain health and lifelong learning, Litquake's blend of politics and literature, and analog photography as a digital antidote. We also visit SoulPlay Festival's inclusive community and local farmers' markets. And we celebrate Jacques Pépin's 90th birthday, enjoy the jazz-jam of LaMP, and get inspired by rocker Nick Lowe, who shows how age enhances artistic advantage.

Visit eastbaymag.com or flip through the e-edition: https://issuu.com/metrosiliconvalley/docs/east_bay_magazine_october_2025

Welcome to Issuu’s blog: home to product news, tips, resources, interviews (and more) related to content marketing and publishing.