Business

Iconic urban farm at risk of city fines

Oakland urban homesteading celebrity Novella Carpenter could face fines from the city for unpermitted agricultural activities and lose the animals she keeps at Ghost Town Farm, a West Oakland garden that helped make local, sustainable food popular in the East Bay.

Mama’s Royal Cafe holds 29th annual Napkin Art Contest

Breakfast and lunch hotspot Mama’s Royal Café is calling all doodlers, amateur and professional, young and old: The deadline for its 29th annual Napkin Art Contest is fast approaching. (Really fast, actually. Entries need to be in by March 31. You can either send them in by mail or drop them off at the café’s 4012 Broadway storefront).

Who said print is dead? It’s just got Issues

Gourmet and Modern Bride magazines went under. US News and World Report has gone digital-only. Apple launched a new iPad that lets people read National Geographic and The New Yorker online and also watch live TV. You might worry anything made with paper is … well, doomed. A stop by Issues magazine store, however, might quell those fears.

Mariposa Baking offers the sweet life to the gluten-free

There is nothing more disappointing than comfort food that causes discomfort. People with allergies to gluten—a protein found in wheat, rye and barley—have to say no to pizza, pasta and pastries made using traditional ingredients. But there is a haven for the gluten-free tucked away in a red brick alley in Temescal.

Will Pandora going public help the online music industry?

On February 11, Oakland-based Pandora, the popular internet radio program, filed for its initial public offering, or IPO, and the influx of money will bolster the company’s position at the forefront of the booming online music industry. In this video we hear from a musician and an industry attorney on what Pandora’s success means for online music.

Oakland bar The Punchdown offers natural, sustainably produced wine

If winemaking is an art, consider The Punchdown Oakland’s newest gallery. The uptown bar, which opened its doors at 2212 Broadway in December, offers wine connoisseurs and neophytes alike a polished, unpretentious space to sip, nibble and chat. But be warned: there’s no Yellowtail on tap at The Punchdown—the bar only carries natural, sustainably produced wines.