Imagining San Francisco from his office in Brooklyn, dating site co-CEO Brian Schechter has no trouble spitting out sunny characterizations. His favorite: The West Coast city is "a playground for romantic experiences" -- a place where a high concentration of jaundiced, single, over-educated but largely dissatisfied adults are bumbling through one of the most vibrant arts and retail corridors in the world, trying to figure out what to do with their disposable income.

If you're a guy running a dating site, that world could easily be your oyster.

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Live Oak School Potrero Hill Learning Garden/100 Gardens Initiative

Last week, we broke down the crowdfunding process for you and pitched an awesome organization working to promote sexual health awareness. This week's local crowdfunded campaign is also about public health -- this time cultivating green thumbs and educating the community about healthy food choices.

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via Tumblr

In perhaps the most adorable coming out story ever, 15-year-old Laurel (and Ellen DeGeneres fan) decided to tell her parents she's gay with a cake and a pun-filled note.

Here's the full note, in all its gratuitous pun glory:

See Also: 10 Reasons You Should Come Out of the Closet

Video of the Day: The Onion Mocks Jodie Foster's Quazi-Coming Out Speech

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New York City might be home to the big houses, but this scrappy city just happens to be the epicenter of publishing on the Best Coast. Join Alexis Coe every Wednesday for Read Local, a series on books produced in the Bay Area.

"Cooking is often one disaster after another. What you learn is the only thing you can't fix is a soufflé."

This quote by Julia Child, who needs no introduction herself, serves to introduce a book that promises to arm you with the kind of knowledge that makes a chef. I'm not talking about someone who can drive to a fancy food store and buy imported truffles snuffed out by a female pig. That requires little more than a nice-sized bank account, which also seems to be the only prerequisite a person needs in order to declare oneself a "foodie."

See Also: You've Never Seen S.F. Like This -- Rebecca Solnit's Infinite City

Increase your California Cred with these 10 Bay Area Books

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John Todd

former Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick, now of the 49ers.

Just when AT&T Park has had a chance to cool off after the Giants' World Series win, another high profile event comes to town. But this one's in tune with the holiday spirit. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Game, recently renamed from the previous incarnation as the Emerald Bowl, is the premiere event in the college football bowl lineup.

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Lost Robert Altman Movie Discovered at Flea Market by Filmmaker Gary Huggins (Video)

S.F. a Cappella Group the House Jacks Add Voice to Monday Night Football and The Sing-Off

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Hannah Hart

Julia Child, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year, ended many of her cooking segments with a plated meal and a glass of wine. The lady loved to drink -- so much so, that she dedicated the preamble of her seminal book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to the subject.

Bay Area native, Hannah Hart, has taken Child's modus operandi to disastrous and hilarious new heights. Hart is the brain behind My Drunk Kitchen, a YouTube series dedicated to the art of inebriated cooking.

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Gay People Love Vodka (Infographic)

Video(s) of the Day: Schmooze and Booze with Dan Savage

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Hanna Quevedo

The election is over, Black Friday is behind us, and the holiday season is in full swing. Shoppers are out and about, we're all frantically trying to get caught up on work before our vacations, Macy's Holiday Tree is lit and brightening up Union Square and -- wait a minute -- Macy's tree is lit? Yep, it's true. Once again, we have missed the holiday tree lighting in Union Square. But don't despair if you're reading this with a similar panicked reaction; we've found a couple more tree lightings to round out the holidays for all you procrastinators.

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Maya Kabat Exhibit in SFMOMA Cafe Distracts from Downtown Holiday Madness

Black Friday: SF Weekly Takes Masochism to a New Level, Spends 24 Hours at Walmart

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By Anna Westendorf

Om Shan Tea describes itself on its website as "An urban tea oasis where fine teas, organic foods, and cultural events are offered to inspire healing, conscious community, and holistic wellness." However, in light of recent legal issues, this oasis is currently in jeopardy.

Oshan Cook, founder and owner of the tea house, was found guilty on November 1 of distribution of psychedelics, which includes a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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Exile Nation Examines the U.S. Drug War From Behind Bars

Operation Midnight Climax: How the CIA Dosed S.F. Citizens with LSD

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toholio/Flickr

The holidays are officially, officially upon us. Thanksgiving is Thursday, and then we'll have tree lightings, family dinners, and the discount consumerist death duel of Black Friday, Black Thursday, Cyber Monday, and something-else-I-forget Tuesday. If the hustle and bustle of trying to find the perfect turkey -- or the perfect gift -- is making you wonder what the holidays are really about, you might want to consider volunteering. There's nothing like giving back to make you thankful for what you have, and we've found some great places where you can help out.

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Best Good Guys -- St. Anthony Foundation/Glide Memorial Church

Bi-Rite's Got Your Back for the Holidays

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New York City might be home to the big houses, but this scrappy city just happens to be the epicenter of publishing on the Best Coast. Join Alexis Coe every Wednesday for Read Local, a new series which exclusively focuses on books produced in the Bay Area.

We're told "don't judge a book by its cover" before we can even read, but that aphorism has no place in the world of cookbooks. Sure, we care if the the interior is well-written and organized, full of perfected recipes and helpful hints, the kind of great work a cook can revisit time and again. Perhaps we even entertain loftier goals, imagining that the meals the cookbook inspires will eventually hold a sentimental value, reminding the owner of intimate family gatherings.

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New York vs. San Francisco: Who Tops the Bestseller Lists 

Carnivorous Seahorses and the Truth about Honey Badgers

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