At the Sawtooth Building: Earrings for Thirty-Six Bucks . . . And Other Hand-Made Pleasures

Jewelry artist Susan Brooks of Berkeley CA makes whimsical beaded hoop earrings for $36. Photo by BF Newhall

Jewelry artist Susan Brooks of Berkeley CA makes whimsical, colorful beaded hoop earrings for $36. Photos by BF Newhall

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Susan Brooks was in her studio selling handmade earrings priced in the three-figures category the other day. I was not tempted. I’m tightening my belt these days. [Read more...]

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Shopping Stories: Arts and Crafts in Berkeley’s Labyrinthine Sawtooth Building

Painter Salma Arastu surrounded by paintings in her Berkeley CA studio. She wears a beige and red sari. Photo by BF Newhall

Salma Arastu in her Berkeley studio, surrounded by hundreds of paintings, prints and sculptures she has made over the years.

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I caught the last minute of the last day of the annual San Francisco East Bay Open Studios on June 9. I didn’t go there intending to shop. My plan was to stop by painter Salma [Read more...]

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The Mother-of-the-Groom Diaries: Snapping Pictures at My Son’s Wedding

Fathers dressed in tuxes present bride and groom's rings at wedding ceremony. Photo by BF Newhall

From my front row seat on the groom’s side of things, I tried — too hard — to be inconspicuous as I snapped a shot of the fathers presenting the bride’s and groom’s rings to the officiant. Left to right: father of the bride, bride, groom, father of the groom. Photos by BF Newhall

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

My trusty point and shoot goes with me everywhere these days. But for my son’s wedding I resolved to Be In The Moment and resist the temptation to digitize every [Read more...]

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The Mother-in-Law Diaries: A Groom’s Dinner at a Place Called the Bachelor Farmer

Young man wearing a black shirt and red tie greets guests at Minneapolis' Bachelor Farmer restaurant.

Peter greeted guests at the groom’s dinner held in the Afghan Room at The Bachelor Farmer restaurant in Minneapolis. Photos by BF Newhall

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

The wedding ceremony was going to be a simple one, so there was no need for an actual rehearsal. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t have ourselves a rehearsal dinner. [Read more...]

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The Mother-of-the-Groom Diaries: The Day Before the Big Day

A bridegroom wearing shorts and T-shirt on the day before his wedding carries his patent leather wedding shoes. Photo by BF Newhall

The day before the wedding we picked up Peter at his place in suburban Minneapolis and headed over to the local Men’s Wearhouse, where he and Jon tried on their wedding tuxes. Photos by BF Newhall

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

In a little more than twenty-four hours our son Peter would be a married man. But first, he and Jon had to pick up their wedding duds at the local Men’s Wearhouse. [Read more...]

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