I'm in love with Oakland. I know... you think I'm crazy. Oakland is the crime ridden, ugly step-sister to our beautiful "city by the bay," San Francisco.
Well.. I'm going to go out on a limb here.... I might like Oakland BETTER than San Francisco!
Let me explain:
Not long ago someone said, "Oakland is the next Detroit..." No way, and this is why:
First of all, we have a port...Detroit doesn't. But besides the basic economic factors...
Oakland is in a perfect location. The views are amazing; right on the Bay, the SF skyline in the background. You can get to the beach or the mountains in no time, and the weather is PERFECT. There is a variety of housing; apartments, cottages, lofts... your pick... all the way up to multi-million dollar mansions. Oakland will never be an abandoned ghost town on a frozen tundra...
I know what you are thinking though... "Oh, this blog is going to be just the "nice" parts of Oakland..." But that is exactly what I DON'T want it to be. You see... I'm in Oakland every day. East Oakland to be exact. I want people to see what I see: the architecture, the gardens, the people. There is current beauty as well as potential beauty. There are new things happening and old things that are timeless...
Now, I DO want to include some of the "nice" parts too...
So I decided that for my first post I would start with our outing on New Year's Eve!
Well.. I'm going to go out on a limb here.... I might like Oakland BETTER than San Francisco!
Let me explain:
Not long ago someone said, "Oakland is the next Detroit..." No way, and this is why:
First of all, we have a port...Detroit doesn't. But besides the basic economic factors...
Oakland is in a perfect location. The views are amazing; right on the Bay, the SF skyline in the background. You can get to the beach or the mountains in no time, and the weather is PERFECT. There is a variety of housing; apartments, cottages, lofts... your pick... all the way up to multi-million dollar mansions. Oakland will never be an abandoned ghost town on a frozen tundra...
I know what you are thinking though... "Oh, this blog is going to be just the "nice" parts of Oakland..." But that is exactly what I DON'T want it to be. You see... I'm in Oakland every day. East Oakland to be exact. I want people to see what I see: the architecture, the gardens, the people. There is current beauty as well as potential beauty. There are new things happening and old things that are timeless...
Now, I DO want to include some of the "nice" parts too...
So I decided that for my first post I would start with our outing on New Year's Eve!
We wanted to take the kids out for an early dinner....
someplace that felt special...
The Lake Chalet was a great choice!
This is the re-built boat house on Lake Merritt. It is owned by the same group that runs the famous Beach Chalet in the City. I read the reviews: beautiful location, so-so food.
We were pleasantly surprised. The setting is REALLY amazing... I can't say more... you will NOT be disappointed. The food was good... no complaints. The steak was cooked perfectly and my pasta dish was really tasty. The services was good and my cocktail was perfect!
This is the re-built boat house on Lake Merritt. It is owned by the same group that runs the famous Beach Chalet in the City. I read the reviews: beautiful location, so-so food.
We were pleasantly surprised. The setting is REALLY amazing... I can't say more... you will NOT be disappointed. The food was good... no complaints. The steak was cooked perfectly and my pasta dish was really tasty. The services was good and my cocktail was perfect!
(Now I can't wait for the weather to warm up... This is a perfect spot for warm weather outdoor drinks/ dining!)
So well put Jen,love it!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo many are always so afraid of Oakland, understandably so in a way. We can't live in a box though and not realize, that what happens in Oakland can very well happen in our own city. I have no problem going to Oakland and realize there are great places to see and visit. I now will have to check out the Lake Chalet, love Lake Merritt. Thanks Jen
I spent 20 years of my life living in Oakland and loved it! Need to go to the Lake Chalet. L
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