From local fundraisers to international aid efforts—a running list of how and where to pitch in. — Amid the recent turmoil and rapidly deteriorating situation that has developed in the wake of the official U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, many here in the Bay have quickly rallied for tangible ways to help. The Bay Area, especially the East Bay, has a unique connection to these events via its…

Malakoff Diggins provides a touch of glamping for real camping — The Weekend Wind-Down is a series from The Bold Italic highlighting ways to explore the Bay Area and wind down from your stressful week. If you have an idea or tip, email us, or DM us on Twitter or Instagram. Sleeping under the stars, amongst whispers of gold dust and…

And more puns from the ‘heart’ of artichoke capital — Folks in the Bay Area already know about the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, which is returning this year in drive-thru form and with a few other differences from festivals’ past. But did you know there are also several other summer festivals around here dedicated to a single type of produce? …

After BLM protests and Covid-19, Peninsula restaurateurs convey hopes, pivots and grand plans for the future. Keeping a food business afloat during both the pandemic and amidst a roiling culture shift is a lot to take on. Last year, The Six Fifty talked to five local Black restaurateurs about their…

Society may be reopening, but hunger isn’t disappearing any time soon — My last piece for The Bold Italic documented the anguish I was having processing the (still climbing) spike in anti-Asian violence, especially against our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) seniors. …

Why reflecting on the past year fills me with both dread and hope — Since nearly the first day of the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place orders, I’ve spilled a lot of my guts onto the digital pages of The Bold Italic, almost like a pandemic diary. I shared what it was like to lose my job overnight, why I hired a life coach to cope…

Processing recent violence against Asian American seniors — The latest wave of anti-Asian violence has lit my social circles and Asian American media sources on fire. Vicha Ratanapakdee, 84, was brutally knocked to the ground during his daily morning walk in San Francisco, and eventually died from his injuries. Multiple attacks have taken place on Asian seniors in…

How the tradition symbolizes the Chinatown community’s strength and resilience — I beamed a smile of straight, glistening teeth only a 16-year-old with freshly removed braces can have. My preschool best friend, Lauren, sat next to me on the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade float with equally enthusiastic energy. After years of attending this annual tradition, this was our first…

We have a greater chance to rethink our holiday’s traditions — Like many, my family isn’t gathering with extended relatives this Thanksgiving, as the pandemic rages on with higher case levels than ever in the United States. …