09.28.08

How does your garden grow?

Posted in Events, Grand Lake at 9:31 pm by OaklandGoods

I’m not much of a gardener. My thumbs run something of a brackish gray; not black, but certainly not green. However, prolific gardeners unlike myself often find themselves with too many blooms, bulbs, and cuttings. Sound familiar? If so, rather than relegate this bounty to the compost heap, trade it with other gardeners for new plants and cuttings for your yard at the free neighborhood plant exchange. Get your excess bagged up, bring old tools, and look below for the swap’s details.
When: Saturday October 4, 2008
Where: 3811 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland 94610 (easy parking)
Time: 12:00 noon-4 pm
Cost: Free–Just bring a plant, seeds or supplies to share.

For information e-mail plantexchange@hotmail.com or visit www.plantexchange.wordpress.com

photo from flickr by indigospike

 

08.22.08

Fresh flavors: Camino

Posted in GoodEats, Grand Lake, Neighborhood, OaklandGoods at 5:12 am by OaklandGoods

After several months and a missed attempt (I met a friend for dinner at Camino on a Tuesday. They are not open Tuesdays), I finally got to Camino for dinner.

It was better than anticipated. First, the open, brick-walled space is comfortable and spacious. Family-style tables are welcoming and rustic, and the giant brick oven on the back wall warms the room with its light.

Inspired by the season, my cousin Kate and I shared a succulent heirloom tomato salad with fresh chick peas and a tangy yogurt dressing. I’d never had a fresh chick pea and I was delighted by their green color and springtime flavor. The rehydrated variety will never taste the same.

We also shared the chicken with corn pudding (good, but chicken) and a moist, flaky albacore entree. The tuna was the standout - perfectly cooked, flavorful, and served with pleasantly complementary stuffed squash and tomato confit. It was so good we almost got in a fork war over the last bite. We did not… but only because Camino is a decorous kind of place.

To accompany the meal, I had the Sazerac-like armagnac and absinthe cocktail. I would tell you what it was called, but Camino’s cocktails are unnamed. It was syrupy and bright, and matched the food well. The originator of Camino’s cocktails was written up in San Francisco Magazine recently, so I expected the drinks to be fabulous and was not disappointed. I’m looking forward to heading back to the bar some night soon to try more of the cocktails.


Photo borrowed from sanfranmag.com’s Best Chef story, interior of Camino

Camino

3917 Grand Ave.

call for reservations: 510.547.5035

08.16.08

On the water: The Lake Merritt Boat House

Posted in Gold Coast, Grand Lake, News at 11:08 pm by OaklandGoods

You may have noticed, as I did, that the Lake Merritt Boat House and Docks is looking more like an actual boat house than the shell of a building these days. The retrofitting and renovation that has been going on since, well, forever, is nearing completion. Soon, it will house a shiny new 350-seat restaurant as well as more boats!

Can’t wait? The annual Oaklandish Radio Regatta is Sunday, August 17, 12-5, at the Lake Merritt sailboat house.

08.08.08

Liveblogging the news

Posted in Grand Lake, News at 9:12 pm by OaklandGoods

So, I’m sitting in Cafe Di Bartolo (a shout out to free-wifi-purveyors everywhere) and NBC news walks in to interview the owner about crime. How many times have you been burgled, robbed etc..? It got me thinking. I believe that part of the reason I’ve been lax in my blogging is that my enthusiasm for Oakland boosterism is flagging. When great stores have to move because they’re broken into repeatedly and when diners are afraid to go out at night, what kind of a city are we living in?

It’s depressing. And I’m depressed. So cheer me up - what renews your Oakland energy?

Vegan soul food notes to come… soon. Thanks for sticking this one out with me.

___

Update 08/10./08: By the time I left Di Bartolo, ABC’s truck and another news van were camped out in front of the Grand Lake, waiting for the evening’s Guardian Angel patrol. Crazy!

Also, please read the comments on this post - and thanks to everyone who left notes about what they love about Oakland.

07.15.08

Searching for a collaborator and other news

Posted in Downtown, Events, GoodLife, Grand Lake, News, OaklandGoods, Old Oakland, The Temescal at 9:47 pm by OaklandGoods

Dear friends,

Has it really been two weeks since I last posted..? Ah, well. It’s symptomatic of my hectic life. I’ve got a new job with a crazy commute, which leaves me a lot less time for exploring the newest, best bits of Oakland.

To that end, are there any fellow bloggers out there who would like to contribute to OaklandGoods on a semi-regular basis? I’d love to have a collaborator and to make this a site that’s consistently being updated. If you’re interested, please email me at jessica@oaklandgoods.com with a link to your blog or writing.

For example, I’ve been meaning to write about the Thursday Night Live concerts from the awesome Oakland Events, Marc 49 wine bar, and the current Bastille Day sale that’s on at Mignonne.

The new Marc 49 Wine Bar in Temescal
I also got an appeal for letters of support for Neldam’s. The owner’s taking them to a meeting with the mayor. If you love coconut cake, speak up!

Finally, I just bought a gorgeous shirt from Oaklandish. The signature tree image is great, but there are some really great designs available right now, so check out what’s for sale at their online store (free shipping!) or at the Grand Lake Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

07.01.08

Ramblings From Around the Lake

Posted in DoGooder, Grand Lake at 5:09 pm by OaklandGoods

 

I had a sighting of our former mayor yesterday. He was hopping into a car at the corner of 27th and Harrison, and a little put off that I was staring at him. I was staring because I was considering begging him to call the current mayor and offer him some help/advice/anything. Oh well.

I was on my way to take part in one of my favorite activities: walking around Lake Merritt. Recently, my walks have been tainted by a broken sprinkler at the corner of the sculpture beach. It’s been dribbling rivulets of water onto the walking path for at least six weeks and driving me nuts. I pointed it out once to a parks employee and she said she’d look into it. That was a month ago. So today, I went online and filled out this handy form. I also called and reported the problem the Public Works Call Center at 510.615.5566. The woman at the call center seemed very concerned about the wasted water. I’ll let you know if the sprinkler gets fixed!

05.21.08

Camino is Open

Posted in GoodEats, GoodLife, Grand Lake, News at 4:20 pm by OaklandGoods

You know I like to dine at new venues before writing them up extensively, so I’ll keep it short: The long-awaited Camino is open. I hear it’s wood-fired heaven.

3917 grand ave

510.547.5035

www.caminorestaurant.com

05.16.08

Mark Your Calendars, it’s a Things to Do Round-up for a Busy Oakland Weekend

Posted in Downtown, Events, Gold Coast, Grand Lake, News, Northgate, Old Oakland, Rockridge, Uptown at 10:06 am by OaklandGoods

According to SF Gate, free Spare the Air days will be few and far between this summer. But June 19 is set for free transit, heat warnings or not. 

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Yesterday was Bike to Work Day, but the WOBO party is tonight at Mama Buzz, 2318 Telegraph Ave.

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Imbibe with the elite - The Trappist is hosting a private beer tasting Saturday afternoon. Call 510.238.8900 for reservations.

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Saturday is also the first annual Taste of Rockridge event, from noon-8 p.m. Hit it up for free food and great sales.

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In honor of something called Safe Boating Week, The Lake Merritt Boating Center is giving away rentals and the chance to win free classes on Saturday from 11-5 at 658 Bellevue Ave. Should be a perfect day to be on the water.

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There’s a winemaker’s dinner at Franklin Square, 2212 Broadway, on Sunday featuring Southern cuisine paired with Periscope Cellars wines. Winemaker Brenden Eliason will be on hand to talk about making wine in an old submarine factory (and other things). Call 510.251.0100 for reservations.

04.08.08

If you eat it, sun will come: Gelato Firenze

Posted in GoodEats, Grand Lake, OaklandGoods at 9:10 pm by OaklandGoods

If I write about delicious frozen treats, I can will warm weather into existence, right? Last summer, when the weather was perfect, I waited and waited for this little Lake Park storefront to open its doors. And then I waited some more. Some time in the fall it happened, but I was disenchanted and, frankly, too cold for gelato.

But now, ’tis the season to scream for ice cream. (And yes, I’m aware that gelato is different, but you know what I mean). Or rather, ’tis the season for warm weather to be so close you can almost taste it.

At Firenze, I tasted a variety of the offerings before settling on a half strawberry sorbetto, half chai tea gelato cup. It was delicious. And it’s made on site, (unlike Naia and Tango, neither of which are Oakland companies). Soy offerings are also available for the vegan and the lactose intolerant - I sampled some and can vouch for its deliciousness.

If you don’t want to eat in, pints are available to take home. Firenze has one of those customer loyalty cards, too, so buy 10 and get one free. You should be able to do that by the end of summer, right?

gelato firenze

478 lake park ave.

510.414.9997

03.26.08

Spring at the Splash Pad

Posted in Events, GoodEats, Grand Lake at 7:14 pm by OaklandGoods

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