.Stephen Layton

Frankie Marcos' standup debut was a bomb not of his making. His co-worker, a chef, had told him it was open mic night at a bar in San Francisco. Marcos, like many beginners, decided to give it a shot because he had a rep as the funny guy at work. Why not try standup?

Knockout Bar and Grill’s ‘The Dragon’ comes topped with whole jalapeños and spicy aioli.

Food at the new south San Jose diner Mimosas holds its own.

Coopervino staff are more than happy to inform about their wine tastings.

Niche board games surge in popularity as valley techies go wireless.

Niche board games surge in popularity as valley techies go wireless.

Fast and fresh Korean food hits downtown San Jose as Hom offers dishes like braised short ribs.

Back when they were first dating, Dana and Yori Seeger would dream, over beers, about exactly what they would do if they won the lottery. The answer: Open an art school, of course.