Shopping

It Takes Two

Partner dancing is making a comeback, with nightclubs, dance studios, and even the local YMCA providing opportunities to try your hand (or foot) at salsa, tango, swing, zydeco, and more.

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Feel-Good Grocers

Big chain supermarkets offer a wider range of products and, often, better prices. But many East Bay families prefer to bring home the bacon (or the broccoli) from a small independent market. Even in a shaky economy, it’s hard to beat the cachet of the stalwart neighborhood grocery.

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Going with a Pro

In recent years, a booming private industry has sprung up around the increasingly competitive application process, with professional counselors walking students through each and every step. Such support isn’t cheap, but many parents in the East Bay are willing to pay to boost their kids’ chances of getting into “good” colleges—or in some cases, getting into college at all.

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Baby Booty

Outfitting a young human is one of life’s great pleasures. Miniscule outfits, downy blankets, cuddly stuffies—what’s not to love? Our writer, a recent new mom, guides parents-to-be through the bumper crop of baby-gear stores in the East Bay, as well as sources for save-the-day services like lactation consultants, yoga classes, and more.

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Faces of the East Bay

In the Philanthropic Swim

In the Philanthropic Swim

Rockridge residents John Bliss and Kim Thompson may live far removed the gritty flats of East and West Oakland. But this philanthropic couple see themselves as one with the citizens of Oakland, particularly those who are struggling financially, and they’re leading a campaign to get their “financially blessed” peers to invest in the community like they have by funding city programs to teach kids how to swim.