Category — old oakland

Once again it’s First Friday, and downtown Oakland stars in a monthly celebration of culture. Aficionados welcome the return of the occasional RAW Gallery, a well-edited collection of art in music in a half-built retail space on Telegraph and 20th. The Great Wall projected installation, a taste of planned public light art in Uptown, features In Search of Happiness, “a curated screening of video art and films from artists in Europe, Canada and the United States.” New galleries, relocated galleries, and street-based art can all be found at the Art Murmur, centered at 23rd and Telegraph.

The increasingly artsy environs around downtown are of course a source of civic pride, but the arts have also been used to put the Town down, from Gertrude Stein’s epigrams to aborted television pilots. Recently, all the way on the northern border, a “tea party” of craftsmen (and women) knitted over Berkeley’s rail-side HERETHERE sculpture, covering up this perceived slight at Oakland. Given the sculpture’s proximity to pioneering Internet-enabled Nomad Cafe, will we soon see censorious socks on (Regr)Etsy?

In Jack London Square, vegetarian restaurant and wine bar Encuentro gave up its most popular recipe to the Chronicle recently. You could try this at home, but it seems pretty labor-intensive. Best to visit Encuentro, don’t you agree?

Geisha, the long-awaited and somewhat controversial establishment dreamed up by the owner of the former Silver Lion and Golden Bull watering holes, opened in the former Oakland Stamp Factory on 14th near Webster this week. A generously-sized bar, well-expressed decor, experienced bartenders, and a full kitchen will add life to a street mostly known for shuttling people from downtown to the Lake. I don’t know what sort of food the cabaret-licensed nightclub will serve, but Geisha’s eponymous cucumber-lime punch is tasty.

Finally, I would like to encourage Art Murmerers to take advantage of my client Friendly Cab’s First Friday promotion. Sponsored by Kapsack & Bair DUI attorneys, three DTO hotspots will offer $5 taxi coupons tonight to help you get home or even cover a bar-hop. Stop by The Layover (1517 Franklin), Penelope (11th and Clay), and Era (19 Grand) so you can enjoy the drinking without the driving! After all that walking and biking for the Car-Free Challenge, it will be nice to traverse all the DTO has to offer in the comfort of a back seat. Enjoy your First Friday!

It’s April Second today, also known as First Friday, and true to form, the DTO is hopping with artistic, cultural and gastronomic treasures. A brief roundup of what’s new and notable downtown follows, for your urban enjoyment.

The scoop on what you may have seen near the Art Murmur: classic car enthusiasts gather informally in Uptown every First Friday.

Hibiscus gets a flattering writeup in a popular Bay Area dining blog.

The Oakland Running Festival (yes, it was more than a marathon), which was centered downtown, is estimated to have brought almost two million dollars to Oakland in one weekend. And that’s not including the publicity value of all those nice blogs about the Town!

Will Oakland’s next Pride Parade be in Uptown?

Obi Kauffman interviews The Hive’s Elise Morris. The Hive’s sister gallery, Swarm, will be open tonight displaying conceptual works and watercolors. You can find more about tonight’s art offerings in The OakBook’s monthly art roundup.

New fixture The Layover presents art to walk through, created by one of the DTO’s most prominent public artists of the last decade. And in Old Oakland, a new bar brightens Ninth Street. With cabaret reform coming to the Council for final passage this Spring, look for new nightlife venues continuing to crop up.

Another winery comes to Jack London Square. If only there were a water taxi, the Oakland and Alameda waterfronts would be a premier boozy destination!

Mobile food vendors will gather near 23rd and Telegraph this evening, including a “jerk” specialist, but most of Oakland is not supportive of alternative culinary experiences.

The fate of the A’s, whether they stay in East Oakland, move downtown, or move to San Jose, remains unresolved.

Happy weekend downtowners! I’ll see you in Uptown.

“Art bar” and nightclub Era arrived with a splash last Friday; the Oakland Tribune reports that 700 people enjoyed the 5000 square-foot, two-story lounge on its opening night. Tomorrow evening Era hosts its first dance party, featuring DJ fflood. A few blocks away, at 2022 Telegraph, Saturday sees a V-Day “Pleasure Tasting” party, featuring neo-soul music and custom-created appetizers, for a $10 cover charge. Though Uptown is increasingly sexy, it’s also the site of the city’s most depressing Valentine’s window display.

Proving itself no slouch, newly-christened Midtown continues to excite the center of downtown with art and fun. The Joyce Gordon Gallery features a show of woman-created art opening with a reception tonight, while the Layover hosts a DJ tribute to late hip-hop producer J-Dilla this evening, behind newly-installed bike racks. Further downtown, Beer Revolution is bringing amusingly-named suds to Third Street near Jack London Square, not far from the Linden Street Brewery, Pacific Coast brewpub, and The Trappist temple of beer.

But not everything downtown is adults-only or even nightlife. Tomorrow the African American Museum and Library in Old Oakland hosts a screening of African-Italian film Inside Buffalo, about a segregated WWII combat unit. The Oakland Ice Center is offering free curling classes to kids, for Canadian expatriates in our diverse, multicultural city. Farley’s East next to Era has been called one of the most family-friendly coffeshops in the Bay Area. Though other parts of Oaktown host everything from fashion to art parties this weekend, the DTO offers everything in a few square miles.

Downtown promises plenty to do today and tomorrow, July 3 and 4 2009, from First Friday events spanning the length of the district, to tomorrow’s long-awaited return of fireworks on the waterfront.

ProArts, the non-profit dedicated to aiding and promoting East Bay artists and artisans, has merged with the Oakland Art Gallery. The Oakland Art Gallery, subsidized by the city of Oakland, was one of Oakland’s few galleries dedicated to local artists a few years ago, but now has been eclipsed by private galleries in better locations. Merging the two organizations should help restore focus to the Oakland Art Gallery, and give ProArts better access to like-minded organizations including the city’s Cultural Arts Department. Today, the First Friday of the month, ProArts will present its first show at its new space in Kahn’s Alley.

First Friday was of course popularized by the Art Murmur galleries concentrated on Telegraph, and there will be no shortage of art to see in Uptown. Adding to the likely boisterous atmosphere on this lovely evening, Oakland Soft Rock Chorus will perform in the street around 23 and Telegraph, probably at 8:30. The OakBook’s monthly arts article highlights several of the Uptown galleries’ shows, including Mark Inglis Taylor and Porous Walker at the Hatch Gallery.

Down south, the Ellington, a new high-rise building at 2nd and Broadway, will host a curated “Art Walk,” combining tours of the apartments with works by Oakland artists. Also on 2nd, Swarm Gallery currently displays contemporary landscape paintings by Claire Baker and R. Reynolds.

For those less interested in fine art than street art, Old Oakland’s Fiveten Studio presents its second annual graffiti exhibit, featuring “the Throw Up Style.” Featuring a dozen artists and a hip-hop DJ, the event is at 8th and Broadway.

Between Uptown’s Art Murmur and Old Oakland / Jack London Square’s events, new bar Penelope is getting raves for its cool interior and innovative, savory cocktails. Nearby, on the pedestrian alley between the Federal Building and Preservation Park (what was once 13th St), a gastro-pub is under construction with the goal of opening at the beginning of August.

Many Oaklanders are looking forward to the opening of the Lake Chalet, which promises to grace Lake Merritt with fine, though not daring, cuisine. You don’t have to wait to enjoy a lake view at dinner, since the Terrace Room at the Lake Merritt Hotel has reopened. I’ve heard great things about brunch.

Last but not least: after a two-year hiatus, fireworks will be back at Jack London Square, despite some finger-wagging from budget watchdogs. The Square will provide entertainment starting at 1pm, including performances by a big band and an R&B group. Valet bike parking will be provided by Bay Area Bikes‘ new bike-rental location at 427 Water St. Though it’s likely to be foggy as usual, downtown’s waterfront will boast a spectacular show. See you there!

In journalism, it’s called burying the lede. In dialogue, it’s an aside. This week, the juiciest information about openings in downtown Oakland came from a careful reading of an article and a blog. In a wide-ranging interview with Bakesale Betty herself, the Trib’s Dave Newhouse reveals the opening date of Uptown’s new Bakesale Betty’s bakery: in September! Meanwhile, an SF Weekly blog about Souley Vegan’s prepared dishes at the Grand Lake Farmers’ Market mentions that the vegan soul food cook hopes to reopen a downtown location this summer, at 3rd and Broadway.

There’s hidden information, and then there’s rumor and innuendo, which I suppose is a form of information. From the rumor mill, an Uptown steakhouse, and new dance club or two, and an Old Oakland take on hip Japanese cuisine are said to be in the works. Frozen yogurt is now being served in City Center, providing another place to get a sweet treat. With the Parkway perhaps getting a lifeline, it seems like anything is possible. Except perhaps a reopened Kaiser Auditorium.

Today, the Washington Inn continues its Friday night comedy series in Old Oakland; Mike Moto headlines. Jack London Square continues its nighttime dance lessons under the stars with American Tango. And Oaklandish is bringing back its Salsa by the Lake event this Sunday, though in Splash Pad Park to avoid Measure DD construction.

Finally, Mignonne Decor closes the doors on three charming years in Old Oakland with a sale today and tomorrow on vintage housewares and furniture. Though the store is, if anything, moving up in the world (it will soon find itself in West Berkeley’s furniture district), Old Oaklanders are disappointed that four gifts and clothing boutiques have closed in less than a year. But with some exciting things in the works for Uptown and other parts of the DTO, we hopefully won’t have to wait long for a new place to patronize! Sadly, though, we won’t read about it on OaklandGoods.

It’s happening downtown, from waterfront events to new construction, to good decisions and bad decisions from City Hall.

Jack London Square, its first round of new construction almost complete, is set the liven up summer with a series of special events. Thursdays Palm Tree Plaza at the foot of Broadway will show nautically-themed films, with The OakBook hosting a trivia contest. Fridays the Linden Street Studio will teach dance classes (today is the waltz) under the stars, and restaurants are offering prix-fixe dinners. A hanging tile mural is being installed on the new Amtrak parking garage. And more opportunities are arising for the future: east of the square, the former Zazoo’s is for sale. It appears to be a $3.2m tear-down, potentially zoned for up to 120 residences, and no height limit.

It’s not all roses, though, for downtown’s waterfront: The Island reports the Port of Oakland is considering ending ferry service at Jack London Square. I find this very unlikely, since it would entail ending the Alameda Ferry as well, while the Water Emergency Transit Authority is attempting to expand ferry ridership and infrastructure.

On Wednesday the Planning Commission approved plans to renovate the former Sweet Jimmie’s on San Pablo and 17th, on the edge of Uptown near Old Oakland. The operator of SF’s Independent will create a smaller venue, a restaurant, and two clothing boutiques, and gussy up the façade. The building hosted Dave Chappelle’s surprise performance last month. Meanwhile, with no public hearings needed, nearby @17th is set to be the new location of the Bench and Bar.

Less awesome for downtown was the Planning Commission’s decision to grant The Shorenstein Corporation five years to resume construction on 601 12 St, which is now a gigantic hole. The lot is half a block from the partially shrink-wrapped CityWalk site. Old Oakland could endure nine years of construction as result of that decision, mitigated only by $50,000 worth of murals on a fence.

City Hall may be closed today, but there is good policy news as well. As the reader may know, on May 5 pedestrian advocates and downtown residents persuaded the City Council to use a prominent Uptown lot for public art instead of car parking. The approved motion, introduced by Councilmember Ignacio de la Fuente, directed Cultural Arts to incorporate the lot into its Uptown arts budget, but allowed the parking plan to move forward in two weeks if City Administrator Dan Lindheim determined an arts use is infeasible. It’s been two weeks, and Cultural Arts has presented several options to Mr. Lindheim, which have not been declared infeasible. So Uptown will not take a step backwards by reverting a prominent Telegraph Avenue lot, however temporarily, to car parking. Whatever Cultural Arts does with the lot, I’m confident it will enrich the neighborhood, complement the streetscape, and perhaps even give Playa-haters a chance to see large-scale sculpture. Uptown Unveiled debuts in June.

In case you missed them.

Mignonne, an Old Oakland boutique featuring vintage and French housewares, furniture, and gifts, is moving to West Berkeley. This weekend the shop holds a moving sale, at 10th and Jefferson across from Lafayette Square Park. Other shopping opportunities include a new gallery in Uptown, and 17th St has been on the upswing this year. A recent business article reports that Oakland’s retail vacancy rate is much lower than the national average. Of course, it’s hard to subtract from zero.

Much was made of an empty Uptown lot where pedestrian advocates successfully delayed a plan to build a parking lot. The alternative, integrating the lot into the Uptown Unveiled public-art program, must be ruled feasible by Tuesday for it to proceed. Meanwhile, here in Old Oakland we have our own empty lot, the site of a high-rise office tower known as 601 City Center. Unlike the Uptown lot, construction started and then stalled, leaving a huge hole in the ground. But Oakland and the developer, Shorenstein, have agreed to, among other things, create a “a public art program to increase the attractiveness of the security fencing.” Funny that just a few weeks ago city staff argued that decorating construction fences with art is unattractive!

The East Bay Express reviews Pican, which, alongside Ozumo, is fast-becoming a premiere destination for its California-meets-Atlanta cuisine, epansive bourbon selection, and warmly handsome interior decor. The Coco Times reviews Banyan 14, while Becks reviews nice outdoor spots downtown for this beautiful weather.

An SFer posted a sweet blog about how much he (or she) likes working in the DTO, which to him feels like a secret. One reason we’re not seeing new highrises like 601 City Center or 1100 Broadway being built is that, despite the low vacancy rate, there aren’t new tenants moving into the market (and a source reports that Kaiser is consolidating at lot of its operations to Pleasanton). But big block of space was just leased: a “neutral” office for BART to conduct its negotations with its union.

On this second Friday of the month, sunny downtown Oakland may not be hosting a big art walk or a restaurant opening, but there is much to read about the DTO on this beautiful day.

Dashe and JC Cellars, local urban wineries, are profiled in AppellationAmerica.com. Taste their wines at their shared warehouse, or at next week’s Oakland Indie Awards.

Bloggers, contributors, commenters and readers enjoyed meeting each other at one of Uptown’s hottest spots last week. Read Zennie’s take on the party, and the neighborhood.

A Chronicle food critic blogs that “it’s happening in Oakland,” about the recent spate of high-quality restaurant openings. Four of his favorites are downtown. OaklandGoods visits a new favorite, Pican, and an old favorite, the Paramount Movie Classics.

Many activists are quite pleased that the City Council gave public art a crack at using a prominent Uptown lot instead of car parking. Stay up to date on the two-week process by keeping an eye on the blogs.

Walk Oakland Bike Oakland posts the progress on Lake Merritt improvements as reported by Councilmember Pat Kernighan. Now that the rainy season is ending, the long-promised paths and bike lanes around our crown jewel are ready to be poured!

The Chronicle profiles Anthony Holdsworth, chronicler of a changing downtown in pastel. See his triptych of 14th and Broadway in the lobby of Oakland’s City Administration Building, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Nice to know, the reader may think, but what am I doing tonight? Three downtown events stand out tonight, Friday May 8. The Franklin Square Wine Bar is hosting one-dollar tasting flights of Italian wines on their lovely plaza. With two weeks until their cabaret license may be suspended, tonight at Oasis may be a last chance to dance to reggae, dancehall, and techno. And at Café Van Kleef tonight, West Oakland horns-driven outfit Damon and the Heathens will perform danceable funk with plenty of local references. But with Uptown, Old Oakland and Chinatown all offering a variety of walkable dining and entertainment options, it’s easy to come downtown without a plan! See you on the sidewalk.

Though April’s bucolic weather turned out to be just a tease of summer, the Oakland Museum kicks off spring in the DTO with their annual California Wildflower Show, this weekend. For those willing to brave the drizzle, today offers First Friday events, in addition to the nationally-lauded Art Murmur. From Uptown art posters to a new Saturday brunch spot, here’s what you need to plan your downtown night and day.

Poster Art Party at the Den

Oakland’s newest and prettiest music venue is hosting an exhibit of contemporary concert posters by artists Lil’ Tuffy and Jason Munn, who have designed posters for The White Stripes, Thievery Corporation, and Beck, among others.

1807 Telegraph Ave, all evening.

RAW in Uptown

The Uptown Apartments’ unfinished retail space once again hosts an art exhibit and mixer for First Friday, featuring seven artists, primarily working on paper.

1951 Telegraph, 6 – 9p

HOME at Fiveten Studio

Six local artists explore the concept of “home” in different media.

831 Broadway, 6p – 9p

Notorious at the Paramount

Oakland’s other Art Deco jewel presents Alfred Hitchock’s Notorious. A classic movie in a beautiful venue for only $5, and the theater opens early for cocktails at the two bars.

2025 Broadway, doors at 7p, movie at 8p

Filmnight 1.0 at Swarm Gallery

A collaboration with Mills College, Swarm Gallery presents “the first in a series of monthly screenings of experimental, documentary, short, feature-lenth and animated film, video and all formats in between, curated by filmmakers and film enthusiasts from the Bay Area and beyond.” Tonight’s offerings include digital media by Amanda Bailey, Brian Caraway, Stephanie Cooper, Loke Davis, Grace Rosario Perkins, Steuart Pittman, Annie Vought, Doug Williams and Andrew Witrak.

560 2nd St (at Clay), 7:30p

Dancing Under the Stars at Jack London Square

Jack London Square kicks of its summer programming of outdoor dancing led by an instructor from the Linden Street Dance Studio. Tonight will feature salsa dancing, and prix fixe menus at Cocina Poblana, Miss Pearl’s Jam House, Scott’s Seafood, Il Pescatore,  Kincaids, and Hahn’s Hibachi.

8:30p, bottom of Broadway (by the palm tree forest)

Saturday Brunch at La B

La Borinquena Mexicatessen debuts its brunch menu in celebration of “America’s Cinco de Mayo holiday,” in the words of Tina Tamale. Mimosas, sangria, cerveza, huevos, botanas and the full menu (tamales!) will be served in the generously-defined morning, with a mariachi trio performing at noon.

La Borinquena, 582 7th St at Jefferson, 10a to 3p Saturday May 2

Though doom and gloom surround the economy on many fronts, downtown Oakland is only getting more happening. But it’s not all new ventures. A traveler to Downtown Oakland this week sees new businesses, but also transformed businesses, rescued businesses and long-lived businesses.

As I mentioned in an update to last week’s blog, Bakesale Betty has received all necessary permits and is building their new bakery in Uptown, which will hopefully open this summer. Also under construction are two spots in Old Oakland near City Center – a wine bar and a sushi restaurant, both on Clay near 11th St. Though it’s true that Old Oakland’s designer denim boutique closed after two years in business, nearby retailers Verse, Mignonne, and Fiveten Studio are still going strong. Check out Mignonne’s mailing list for their Saturday sales and vintage trunk shows.

One of downtown’s two (or three) completed but empty condo developments opens this evening with a party featuring Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and wannabe Mayor Don Perata. I’m sure Jean Quan will be there too, though Robert Bobb is probably tied up in Detroit. The Ellington is a 134-unit high-rise near Jack London Square. Meanwhile, Old Oakland’s Dwell, built by now bankrupt AF Evans, has received multiple offers and a new owner is expected to be announced soon. I understand that the Jackson St project with construction defects has been renovated, but if anyone knows what’s going there, please let us know.

The former Maxwell’s Restaurant and Lounge on 13th St is now Maxwell’s Soundstage, thanks to new operator Dwayne Wiggins of Toni Tone Tony and Alicia Keyes fame. He also operated the coffeeshop in the Alice Arts Center until it closed in 2007. Look for respected singers to draw a sophisticated urban crowd, though so far there’s only been one show. Maxwell’s is near another soon to open club in the area southeast of Broadway. Perhaps other districts are starting to eclipse Uptown’s light; a local architect makes an argument for Jack London Square in a design interview.

On Sunday, the Museum of Children’s Art, a wonderful children’s art center in Old Oakland, celebrates its 20th birthday! From noon to five pm on April 26th children and their parents can enjoy refreshments, entertainment, and hands-on arts and crafts including miniature golf! Year-long memberships will be available at an anniversary discount, too. In addition to retailers, nightlife, and urban housing, there are some great resources for kids in the DTO as well. MOChA is at 538 9th St in the Swan’s Market courtyard.

 It’s a week of things to get excited about in the DTO, though the city may screw that all up with an Uptown parking lot right in the middle of Telegraph! Check out ABO for the details, and enjoy your downtown weekend!