Bargains good for the figure and the wallet
Carolyne Zinko, Chronicle Staff Writer
It's hard to imagine anyone who doesn't love a bargain, but not everyone thrives on bargain hunting. Looking for deals in discount stores or stores with marked-down merchandise can be overwhelming when faced with row...

SF Chefs.Food.Wine
Laura Compton & Carolyne Zinko
-- Nearly 5,000 avid foodies showed up for the inaugural edition of SF Chefs.Food. Wine , a three-day festival sponsored by Visa and held on and around Union Square. Many of the Bay Area's boldface-name chefs took part...

Blended family is full of surprises
Louise Rafkin, Special to The Chronicle
Life can sometimes bring surprises. "Yes," agrees Hans Protzel, 30, in his tiny North Oakland living room filled with books and toys. He is flanked by his wife, Betina Hsieh, also 30, and one of his adopted twin...

Gap jeans update - coolness and comfort
Laura Compton, Chronicle Staff Writer
When Patrick Robinson took over as vice president of design at the Gap in 2007, one of the first things he realized was that the worldwide brand's denim lineup needed an overhaul. Premium denim - trendy jeans from an...

1stDibs site taps desire for old, new clothes
Beth Hughes, Special to The Chronicle
1stDibs, a Web site that upended the antiques and interior design world by gathering top dealers' offerings for sale online, is betting that the time for a vintage haute couture and designer fashion category on the site...

BENEFITS
This week A Boot Scootin' BBQ Grill guru Ray Green will cook at this benefit for the Land Trust of Napa County. $100-$150. 4 p.m. Sat. Scully Ranch, 3720 Mount Veeder Rd., Napa. (707) 261-6317. www.napalandtrust.org....

PARTIES
'Breaking New Ground' opens at Stonescape Norman and Norah Stone welcomed friends and art-world notables to the opening of their new exhibition, "Breaking New Ground Underground," at Stonescape in the Napa Valley....

Designers raise funds for APAture arts festival
Daniela Province, Special to The Chronicle
A runway crafted of white plywood provided a stage for the mostly local Asian American fashion designers who flaunted their artistry for a good cause at APAture Runway recently at the SOMArts Cultural Center. The event...