Natural Soaps for Men

I love the smell of soaps using pure essential oils.  They smell so much better than a guy's soap such as Irish Spring.  A few of my bar soap favorites for guys are Siskiyou Cedar wild harvested organic soap.  I like the Juniper Ridge - fresh from the mountains- scent, and the Soap of the Lodge at Bonny Doon Farm.  Both smell natural and attractive.  They can be purchased at health food stores, pharmaca, or Whole Foods market.

Art and Soul Festival, Oakland, CA Aug. 5th

This weekend is Oakland's art and soul festival.  Pick up the festival program in the August 1st issue of the East Bay Express at newstands.  Today, the festival will be from 12:00 to 6:00PM.  The entrance gates are at 14th Street and Broadway as well as 16th street and San Pablo Promenade beside City Center West garage.

music + art +dance + food + fun

Resources:

Art and Soul Festival
www.artandsoulfestival.com/lineup.htm
Sun. Aug. 5th 12:00-6:00PM

Oakland Art Murmer and Saturday Stroll

Oakland, CA is buzzing with energy on the first Friday evening of the month!  I know because I've spent Friday evening walking the gallery district in Oakland with a huge smile on my face!  My favorite street is all the galleries on 25th street, there is something so warm and inviting about the galleries on each side of this street!  If you missed first Friday this month, then there is always the Saturday stroll which is every Saturday afternoon from 1-5PM.  On the third Saturday of the month there is a district walking tour.
For a dinner before first Friday, I recommend Pican on Broadway, which has upscale southern cuisine.  I love the fried chicken!  Pican also serves yummy lunch fare if you go to the Saturday stroll.  There are also opportunities for some tasty street fare on Broadway, Telegraph or smaller streets such as 25th.  My recommendation is to leave your fancy clothes, jewelry, and car at home.  When I go to first Friday I dress casual, and take bart and get off at 19th street station; that way there are no worries about parking.  Also, think about bringing some cash for some art you want to take home, not all the artists are equipped to take credit cards.  

Resources:

Oakland Art Murmer
OAKLANDARTMURMER.ORG

First Fridays- First Friday of the month the galleries are open, and lots of people are wondering around, eating, drinking, and viewing art which is tons of fun!

Saturday Stroll-  Every Saturday from 1-5 PM, such as August 4th, August 11th, August 18th, and August 25th.

 Some Gallery Walking Tours upcoming 3rd Saturday dates-  August 18th, September 15th, October 20th, and November 7th.

Caffe 817, Old Oakland

I love Caffe 817!  They offer a wonderful breakfast/ brunch for either a leisurely weekend date or a quick breakfast together before work.  I especially love their lattes and mochas which are served in oversized mugs perfect to warm hands on a cool morning on  a foggy summer day.  On a warm sunny day plan to sit outside to enjoy your breakfast!

Disneyland for couples

Disneyland is a romantic spot, and I recommend booking a room at the Grand Californian if you want to make a great date also an overnight adventure!  The pool is gorgeous, food yummy, and the Grand Californian has wonderful arts and crafts architecture that makes you feel a thousand miles away!  For those couples who haven't had children yet, take advantage of time now to go on the "adult rides" together for once you have children it will be hard for awhile to go on rides such as the Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain.

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

How about stepping away from the pressures of your life for a few days?  One place on my bucket list to visit is the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.  The guest season for 2012 goes from May 4th through September 10th.

Guest accommodations consist of private cabins and dorms.  Rates are all-inclusive, with three meals daily and use of all facilities.

Romantically, there is no electricity in the guest rooms.  Kerosine lamps are used for light. You can bring your own wine or champagne.

Keep your iPads and cell phones at home -- there is no cell service.

Resources:
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
39171 Tassajara Road
Carmel Valley, CA 93924

Guest Season 2012:  May 4-September 10
888-743-9262
General information:  415-865-1895
Day guest reservations:  831-659-2229 (no more than two weeks in advance)
tassreservations@sfzc.org

And here's a link to the Tassajara SF Zen Center cookbook:

San Francisco Zen Center & Green's Restaurant

Green's is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country.  Chef Annie Somerville has a daily menu.  The restaurant itself is a beautiful space.  It has floor to ceiling windows looking out to views of the Marina, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands.

Greens opened in 1979 under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center.  The Zen Center was established in 1962 by Sheenryu Suzuki Roshi.  The Zen Center has three residences:  the Zen Center in San Francisco, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in the Ventana Wilderness inland from Big Sur, and Green Gulch Farm in Marin County.

Resources:
www.greensrestaurant.com
415-771-6222
Greens To Go:  415-771-6330
Fort Mason, Building A
San Francisco, California

You can also check out the "Fields of Greens" Cookbook: