Category — media

Oscar Grant’s death at the hands of a BART police officer, violent protests downtown, and OPD controversies hog the headlines, but there is much more to learn from the news this week. With so much recent discussion about public safety strategies, Oaklanders are increasingly aware of today’s tactics. But Oaklander Online gives us a glimpse of policing in the past, gleaned from her great-grandfather’s diary of walking the beat in 1918′s DTO.

Though transportation giant American President Lines is shipping hundreds of jobs from downtown Oakland to Mesa AZ, Shorenstein paused construction on 601 City Center, and several struggling construction projects finally went into default, other forms of investment are finding the DTO hospitable. Levende East secured permission to serve alcohol with a limited menu at a new cafe in Old Oakland, and it was only one of three such hearings at the Planning Commission Wednesday night (the other permits were granted for restaurants in the Laurel and Eastlake Districts).

Souley Vegan has left 13th St because of code compliance issues, but the owner tells me that she’s hoping to reopen in a better-equipped space downtown this summer. Around the corner, the Trib’s Night Owl reminds us of continuing developments at DeLauer’s Super Newsstand.

Folks continue to discover the DTO’s new restaurants, and even Montclarions are vowing to come down here more. Oakland Goods reviews Ozumo, BixChix visit Miss Pearl’s, Living in the O reviews Dazz Thai and other Thai outlets, and the Single Guy Chef likes the Red Door Cafe.

There are only 12 days until the Fox explodes onto Telegraph, but the week’s news shows there’s much more to the DTO’s growing vibrancy.

In my professional life I work with fonts, and of course the internet is an intensive study of the utility and connotations of typefaces. I recently noticed that both StopWaste.org and the US Army are using the font Dirty Headline in advertisements, which two years ago graced my flier for a Halloween club night. Tonight, the Oakland Museum hosts a screening of the film Helvetica, about the ubiquitous early sans-serif font, and a panel discussion about typefaces in this time when the printed word is more dynamic and pervasive than ever. Also, it’s free!

Oakland Museum screens Helvetica
1000 Oak St, free parking
Tonight, Weds Dec 3, 6p

The film and discussion will be interpreted for the hearing impaired.

The Oakland Tribune is conducting an online poll to name the monster living in Lake Merritt. Over at A Better Oakland, V Smoothe points out out that the currently leading name, Merrittzilla, is terrible. She suggests Sammie. I suggest the reader vote in this poll!

Go to InsideBayArea.com and scroll down a little bit – the poll is next to the Sports stories.

The folks behind NovoMetro.com today bring a new glossy to the city: the OakBook. This smallish, free magazine concentrates on fashion, art, shopping and the outdoors, with the debut issue featuring the DTO’s own Old Oakland neighborhood. Finally, an Oakland magazine for the flats!

Pick up a copy TONIGHT at the Esteban Sabar Gallery (480 23rd St. near Telegraph), where NovoMetro hosts a fete complete with local wines, local shopping (courtesy OaklandUnwrapped.com) and local fun!

The San Francisco Business Times reports that business fears of crime in Oakland have eased. Actual crime has eased as well, though the Business Times doesn’t say much about that.

With OaklandUnwrapped gearing up to be the online shopping destination for our city, interest in retail is high. NovoMetro and OaklandGoods have been covering downtown retail, and here are the articles:

RPS Collective, 23rd and Telegraph.

CLEAN Skate and Apparel, Franklin near 15th.

Kiki’s Boutique, Franklin near 9th.

EntreZ, 17th and Telegraph.

Spoiled, Broadway near 20th.

Mignonne, 10th and Jefferson.

Drift Denim, Washington near 8th.