June is the start of summer vacation for many locals and Bakersfield’s central location provides myriad opportunities to beat the heat, take a break from the daily grind and escape. Whether it’s getting lost in nature, engaging in nightlife in cities that never sleep or disconnecting from ou…

Bringing out local media personalities and community leaders is the annual Media Music Jam, which will be held on June 22. For the last six years, this annual event has found a home at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. The event brings out 30 media personalities and community leaders as they lend …

In early March, I went with some friends to a CicLAvia event in Culver City, which closed streets to cars and opened them up for people of all ages to ride, walk, stroll or run as they explore a variety of shops, restaurants, food trucks and more.

It was a scene out of a high-intensity thriller. We were stowaways in the back of a large SUV headed for the summit of Hawaii’s Mt. Haleakala. The national park, known for its unparalleled view of the sunrise 10,000 feet above sea level, had just denied our vehicle entry.

Summer has arrived and so has the season for new, creative styles for home decor.

Why travel out of town to see great talent perform in high-end venues when Bakersfield already has a homegrown locale with tasty food and award-winning beers all housed at Temblor Brewing Company?

June is here and the school year is over. But before the 2018-19 season came to end, several local high school and college athletes turned in outstanding performances during the spring sports season while in the pro ranks, history continued to be made.

In the oil and gas industry, “The Great Crew Change” is happening.

Kern County, with its own lengthy list of fun getaways, is also the spoke in the California adventure wheel. Fan out a hundred miles or so and several hours’ drive in any direction and you’ve hit the excursion jackpot.

What started off as a reporter job lead to a passion and love for a subject she thought she wasn’t good at.

A “staycation” is more of a modern term that has entered the American vernacular, but as summer approaches and the itch to get out of the house starts, sometimes a staycation is just what one needs.

I’ll be the first to tell you, as much as I genuinely love being in Bakersfield, I love adventuring out of it just as much.

In 1910, Security Trust Bank opened on the corner of 18th Street and Chester Avenue, a showcase of neoclassical architecture, grandiose in scale and highlighted by its dramatic columns.

As the days start to get a bit warmer and the days seem a bit longer, I start to have summer on my mind.

I was on a trip in Las Vegas walking around a casino when I was stopped in my tracks. Before me was this beautiful mosaic and I just stared and marveled at this wonderful artistic work.

Just as geese fly south for the winter, we Bakersfielders go west during the summer.

Many taxpayers who filed their 2018 tax returns are still seeing red. Even if their tax burden was lower than previous years, they discovered that they owed money to the IRS – sometimes painfully large amounts.

Is travel a luxury or a necessity when it comes to your well-being?

As summer approaches and our lifestyles get even more hectic, believe it or not, you can still eat healthy while on the go. As impossible as this may sound, there are ways you can sneak in healthy snacks and foods throughout the day that help improve your health. Fast food has become a stapl…

As summer kicks off, don’t just prepare for the hot weather, be prepared for the messy fun that comes with it.

The East Bakersfield Beer Festival, aka Brews on the Hill, is popping bottles and tapping kegs for the second year in a row May 18.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Whether you’re walking, driving or taking a Bird around downtown Bakersfield, it’s almost impossible to miss the Padre Hotel. With its name in lights in the heart of downtown, it contains a charisma that is hard to resist.

“Let’s invite all the models back for our grand finale!”

Espaliers, pronounced “es-PAL-yays,” have been around for centuries.

Part of dealing with the mind is dealing with confidence.

Enjoy a piece of music history while exploring everything the Kern County Museum has to offer at the annual Haggard Boxcar Music Festival May 11.

Scott Kurtz has always been into sports and exercise. That’s why he chose to be a physical therapist.

The Boys & Girls Club is making its mark and creating even more benefits through its nutrition-focused program.

If there is one thing we are the very best at, it is being generous.

The events of July 26, 2018, were life-changing.

Certain things tend to scare most people – snakes, spiders, public speaking, root canals ... and tax audits. Though audits are rare, several factors boost your odds, including your income level, the types of deductions you claim and your industry. Here are a few tips to lower your audit risk.

Stars Playhouse invites everyone of all ages to come enjoy its “Golden Age of Shakespeare” show, opening May 3 and showing through May 18 every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Walking into World Records was a little like stepping back in time. Not only was it crowded with customers seeking out unique LPs on Record Store Day, some of Bakersfield’s music royalty were there, casually sitting around circular tables, decorated to look like records.

If you’ve ever followed a “fad diet,” you have plenty of company, as recent studies have shown that more than 54 percent of adults state that they are currently on a diet of some kind.

Garlic lovers rejoice because Jasmine & the New Taste has a dish that’s not only delicious, but a great deal as well. Part of the downtown restaurant’s lunch special menu, the L3, or garlic pepper, can be made with chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or vegetables, placing your protein of choice…

Mission Beach is a nostalgic place for me.

With the pleasant weather here, it’s time to get outside and enjoy your yard. Part of that outdoor leisurely living is not toiling in your landscape beds for hours on end. Planting succulents is an easy option that provides many benefits, so you have time left on the weekends to enjoy outdoo…

Changing the definition of retirement and finding a way back to his passion, one Bakersfield man has been a testament to the old saying that it’s never too late to do something you love.

Bakersfield is a beautifully dynamic city. One thing that makes our beloved town so special is having so many neighborhoods that each have their own distinct appeal.

Comedy can be make even the most uncomfortable topics bearable. It has the ability to bring a community together, as the language of comedy can be universal – for the most part.

“A Bakersfield Home Coming Week!” the front page of The Bakersfield Californian announced on the morning of Oct. 2, 1913.

The community of Bakersfield has a niche for local causes. It’s that passion that has made the Bakersfield Relay For Life one of the biggest in the nation, raising approximately $800,000 last year.

High school almost seems to be a dream.

Spring is officially upon us. It’s a great time for local sports fans as there are numerous exciting athletic events currently taking place around Kern County. There is a plethora of great options for those wanting to get out of the house and catch some of Bakersfield’s best athletes in acti…

It is said that food flavors can evoke memories and many of Dewar’s flavors take us back to childhood.

Many of us are raised with two basic rules: Don’t talk to strangers and don’t go down dark alleys. So when I heard about a restaurant that I had to try that was down a dark alley in downtown Bakersfield, I had to break some rules.

Improving the musical culture in town and encouraging more people to play was the inspiration behind Bakersfield Sound Co.