Jennifer Speaker, Author at Better Magazine

The Chicago International Film Festival — A Tenured Champion for Cinematic Excellence — Wraps 57th Iteration

With all due respect to Tinseltown, Chicago has made a few rather significant contributions to the endlessly inspiring world of film. In fact, famed directors Martin Scorsese and John Carpenter’s breakthroughs share a common thread belonging to none other than Chicagoland. Carpenter’s “Halloween,” now a worldwide, spine-tingling sensation, earned recognition at the 14th annual Chicago […]

by Chicago International Film Festival | Partnership

November 5, 2021

San Rafael’s Huckleberry Youth Programs Surpass Fundraising Goals With Roaring ‘20s Benefit

On Saturday, October 16, approximately 80 supporters from across the Bay Area enjoyed a lively afternoon of dancing, dining and lawn games as part of Huckleberry Youth Programs‘ Roaring ’20s Benefit. The shindig was hosted by board member Jerry Peters at his private estate in San Rafael, to which eventgoers showed up in vibrant Gatsby-era […]

by Donna Berry Glass

November 5, 2021

‘The Expert’ Lets You Book Virtual Consultations With Top Home Interior Designers: We Picked 5 Favorites

In an ongoing pandemic, so many things have gone virtual—including interior design, as surprising as that sounds. Last spring, when lockdown began, the design industry ground to a halt. Paradoxically, many people were home and keen to improve their spaces. So, Jake Arnold, an L.A.-based designer whose clients include Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Rashida […]

by Liz Logan and Stephanie Fallon

November 5, 2021

Stewards of a Historical Gem: How the Sweetwater Music Hall Was Re-invented as a Nonprofit to Preserve a Legendary Venue

Sometime around 2010 a group of people with an insatiable love for Mill Valley and its history of housing legendary music began work to assure the iconic Sweetwater Music Hall – a homey gathering spot for local and nationally renowned musicians alike – would live to see another day of providing a safe haven for […]

by Dennis Strazulo | Mill Valley Living

November 5, 2021

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Donates One Million Dollars In Aid For Musicians and Music Projects in the Bay Area

San Francisco’s popular Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has introduced a new philanthropic effort aimed at immediate relief needs and equitable recovery in the Bay Area. The world-renowned roots music festival recently provided one million dollars in new grants shared between theSweet Relief Musicians Fund, East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative’sEsther’s Orbit Room Cultural Revival Project and the Tenderloin Museum’s […]

by Donna Berry Glass

November 4, 2021

Has Covid Made you Sick of Your Spouse? Create Some Healthy Desire Again With These Tips

“Desire needs mystery,” says expert couples therapist and Mating in Captivity author Esther Perel. But for many couples, mystery has been in short supply during the pandemic. With the lockdown, work from home, travel bans, cancelled activities and social distancing, couples have never spent so much time together. It’s certainly true for my husband and […]

by Marjie Killeen

November 3, 2021