Features

Oh, reality television. We love to hate you and we hate to love you. No matter which way you phrase it, the drama, the over-the-top challenges, and the heated competitions keep us glued to our TVs several nights a week, mainly because we’re secretly hoping for a cat fight. And it’s even harder to pull our eyes from the TV set when someone from Bakersfield is in the running...

Houchin blood donors save young mother’s life.

New facility will help community blood bank meet increasing needs.

Domestic violence is a topic most people don’t like to discuss. The same can be said for sexual assault.

It may be because domestic violence takes place within a home and involves family members; friends feel it’s not their place to intrude. Also likely is the fact that people are uncomfortable talking about the ways fellow human beings abuse one another, especially family members...

Now that the dust has settled from fashion shows around the globe, and the yearly competition between magazines over “who can have the biggest September issue” is complete, it is now time for our brains to process it all...

Starting your own company is a daunting task no matter what business you’re launching.

But add a 3,000-plus hour work year, no steady pay, and a business that’s based on a fast-moving technology and you could be headed for disaster...

The design industry is about creativity—you don’t learn that from someone else.

FASHION TIP: Add a ‘pop’ of color to your business look...

There isn't much you can do with $10 in today's economy. But instead of telling you what you can't do with a 10-spot, we're once again showing you what you can eat for just that amount. Bakersfield is filled with great places (we found over 50) that offer a lot of tasty grub for very little green. Dig in!

We here at Bakersfield Magazine have always taken pride in the philanthropic nature of Kern County. Ours is a region full of givers. We see proof of this time and time again when we join the ranks of numerous local businesses to sponsor events or when we photograph sold-out charity dinners...

2011 Achievers

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who says they dislike music. At the very least, they enjoy a particular genre. Maybe they even have a favorite band or song...

David Voss is an incredibly charismatic man; he radiates understanding and comfort. He’s also the president of Jesus Shack, Inc.

Where do I start? I’m a Bakersfield native and style-obsessed shopaholic, writing to share my superficial obsession with you. Fashion isn’t something that came to me at a very young age. In fact, one could say I had absolutely no fashion sense at all for a very long while!

“I remember being so excited when I started working at State Farm,” Pete recalls. “I had been working in the restaurant business where I didn’t know what my schedule was from week to week and started this great job that had the same hours every day, didn’t have to work weekends or nights...I thought, ‘This is IT!’ ” Then Metallica rocked his world...

This community-minded businessman has been running companies since he was a teenager, starting with a video cassette rental store. While he did his fair share of country dancing at Trout’s in the early ‘90s it wasn’t until 1999 that Rockwell officially came on board to work with Vern Hoover to give Trout’s a shot in the arm...

FASHION TIP: Find out what looks good on you and ROCK it.

Dancing fountains in the plaza that fronts the Rabobank Arena. The sounds of rushing water along the new Mill Creek Linear Park. The Kern River actually flowing with water.

In each instance, the presence of water is seen as a way to enhance our quality of life in Bakersfield...

Why are some cities more attractive to new residents and businesses? Is it because they have fancy slogans? Slick marketing campaigns? Lower taxes?

Those of us who live and work in Kern County know just how dynamic this area is. Sure, we’ve long been heralded as a leader in the oil and agriculture markets, but our county is home to a diverse group of industries that has grown to include renewable natural resources, logistics, corporate headquarters, food processing, and healthcare services...

Maybe it was the exhilaration you felt on the swings, or the eagerness with which you climbed up to a slide. Possibly it was the way a jungle gym became a battleship or fabulous mansion. But whatever it was, it’s a feeling or memory only made at a park. Parks play a big role in our lives and seem to always be there for us...but how?