Back in May, Instagram began to test something radical on its platform, undercutting what many considered its most critical component: the “likes.” The beta test was limited to Canada and six other countries, but last Friday, despite waves of protest from users, Instagram announced it was expanding the change to the United States as well.

In this new version of the world’s favorite image-sharing platform, you (the poster) can still see how many “likes” your post has generated and who gave you those “likes.” …

When I walked inside the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek for the opening of BLOW UP II (BU2) last month, I was greeted by a pair of giant pink flamingos. Their tarpaulin plumage and proud, ebullient necks took up most of the room in which they’d been installed. To an often-anxious, average-size person like myself, they were as intimidating as they were impressive.

Does making art that’s so Instagrammable — designed to encourage snaps, retweets, double taps, and Boomerangs — compromise its quality or integrity?

As the name suggests, BU2, open through September 15, is an exhibition of large inflatable…

Hey, beloved Insta followers! I have some really incredible news to share with you today: I am going to be the newest and hottest and most influential influencer on Instagram.

Yep, little ol’ me, now officially a #styleblogger and #IGinfluencer ready to dole out some serious lifestyle #inspo for you. Let me just tell you that this is not an endeavor I take lightly. It’s an adventure I’ve wanted to embark on for a long time now. …

Living in the Bay Area can sometimes feel…disorienting. Maybe your tech job destroys your weekends. Maybe you pay more than half of your monthly income on rent. Maybe you’re worried that you’ll never be able to leave the city because of your rent-controlled apartment. Well, tilt your chin down, hunch your shoulders, and get your preferred double-tapping finger ready. Here are five California Instagram accounts to follow so you can feel like your own life isn’t that ridiculous after all.

@ca_organic

Ever wondered what Ice Cube would look like if he were drawn out of weed resin? Look no further…

If the fiddle-leaf fig tree has you saying “fiddle dee-dee,” you obviously aren’t on top of the latest trend in plant fashion. But plenty of San Franciscans are obsessed with the Ficus lyrata, and sales of this fashionable plant are going through the roof.

“For the past three or four years, it started showing up in every interior-design magazine. …

So you actually left San Francisco. Congratulations! Now you’ve got to turn around and take a picture of the beloved city you just left.

Joking aside, San Francisco offers a stunning postcard-perfect skyline whether it’s swathed in fog or glowing warmly in the sun’s last rays. You’d be remiss not to turn around and snap a ’gram. Luckily for us, there are a number of vantage points that will give you an Instagram-worthy view of the city. If you’re looking for views that are particularly unique or inspiring, check out the seven spots that top our list.

Hawk Hill (Marin)

San Francisco is the hub of all things technology, but many of our residents feel animosity toward the roiling hoards of Patagonia-clad techies hell-bent on “changing the world.” Most of their reasons are self-evident: tech salaries have inflated the cost of living so aggressively that those in the service industry have been priced out, and being a doctor or a lawyer won’t necessarily cut it here either.

With so many of our friends moving to other cities or trying to get in the tech game (“If you can’t beat them, join them”), we were curious to know what drove people…