Tamarindo Anteojeria
CONTACT INFORMATION468 8th St
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 444-1944
www.tamarindoantojeria.com
NARRATIVEThe creative din of middle school students made me wander along 14th to downtown Oakland. I happened across the menu in the window, smiled softly on a sunny autumn afternoon in early October to achieve culinary peace. I received that and more.
CONTACT INFORMATION468 8th St, Oakland, CA 94607
ph 510/444-1944
PRICE RANGEModerate - Decadent
SUMMARYThe menu drew me in...empanadas with delicate pastry, a sopa de maiz that was amazing, and a salad rounded out my lunch. The agua fresca de sandia was amazing. My mouth became a savouring museum, each new taste delighted and teased for the next work.
The interior is decorated with art pieces and filled with natural light. Every element has been blended into the whole experience, from the place settings to the decor and music. Elegance without pretense.
It's an intimate space that is planned well. The diners will experience a feeling of openness.
The theater kitchen allows one to anticipate the next course.
Awesome. Excellent to have a restaurant celebrate other flavours of Mexico and the Yucatan.
SERVICEExcellent. Multiple servers brought out each course in succession, but not in an overwhelming way to rush my dining experience. I felt like an honored guest.
RESTROOMSI did not use the rest room, but I imagine it has as much panache as the rest of the restaurant.
SUGGESTIONContinued success with your excellent restaurant! I suggest to myself to take advantage of your brunch menu!"
Labels: "Downtown Oakland", "Mexican Restaurant", "Tamarindo Anteojeria", Oakland, restaurant
Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
NARRATIVEI was so jonesin' to check my email before leaving the wired world. So I left the 12th Street Oakland BART Station and walked over the large Oak tree in Frank Ogawa plaza. Seateed on beautiful granite stairs I have all the wireless I could want.
CONTACT INFORMATIONBroadway/13th Streets
Oakland, CA
PRICE RANGEFree
SUMMARYLovely downtown park in front of City Hall that houses everything from afternoon lunch goers to NPR's Storycorps Griot trailer, busking violinists and dancers, capture the flag tournaments, and the Barack Obama rally.
SERVICECity staff keep the plaza beautiful. A nice rare find in the city.
RESTROOMSI shouldn't suggest the greenery.
SUGGESTIONContinue to bring community events to this space. As the condos get filled with those grabbing their piece of Oakland, I am sure it will be used more, but for now it's a bustling green in the daytime and a little night-time oasis in the city.
Keep Oakland beautiful!
Labels: BART, Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, NPR, Oakland
Woody's Laundrymat
NARRATIVEIt's a TCB ("Takin' Care of Business") kinda Saturday...
I got up just to miss the meteor shower this morning, laid in bed and contemplated doing errands car-free today.
Well, at least I managed to arrange my trip so it followed the loop I drive anyway.
I did the Lake Merrit/Grand Lake Farmer's Market, strolled along Lakeshore and windowshopped at Maribel and Juniper Tree and made some vitamin purchases at Lakeshore Natural Foods and now I'm doing the laundry. Or at least the machines are and I am in the back, picking up some free wifi and enjoying the sun, hibiscus flowers, amazing sunshine...all in Woody's back patio.
CONTACT INFORMATION1841 Park Blvd
Oakland, CA, 94606
Phone: (510) 444-5719
PRICE RANGEInexpensive - Decadent (If you go to the Parkway and have dinner and a drink at a local restaurant and...)
SUMMARYWoody's is a perfectly placed local business in the San Antonio/Lake Merrit region of Oakland just South of the Lake, and nestled between 880 and 580 freeways.
It has change service, machine washing, drying, music, television, a restroom, chill patio, and folding tables. It's awesome to get three loads of laundry washed and dry for under $10!
The customers tend to be chill.
SERVICEThe staff is always friendly, excellent, and attentive to detail. There's a constant eye on the floor for any dregs or drips. You'll see the brooming and mopping and care and pride.
They help YOU keep your laundry CLEAN.
RESTROOMSLovely, functional, and large.
SUGGESTIONGreater publicity about customer appreciation day! Woody's you and your staff are always wonderful. THANK YOU for being a staple to the community and being across the way from the Parkway so I can treat myself to laundry AND a movie!"
Labels: Lake Merritt, laundry, laundrymat, local business, Oakland, Park Boulevard, San Antonion District, small business, Woody's
Latin Music Festival - Jack London Square
NARRATIVEIt was a foggy Saturday morning. I thought I would just do my podcasting class and then come home. Since the sun peeked out I ended up going to the Filipino Festival and then returned to the East Bay and walked to Jack London Square to dance in the street.
By the time I got to the East Bay, full-on sun was mixing with a gentle breeze off the Bay to make for a perfect afternoon to enjoy musica sabrosa.
I wasn't disappointed. I danced my barefoot raw for about an hour and a half while the dj played classic salsa hits and Orquestra Salsa Dura from Hayward TORE IT UP with classics and original descargas that had the crowd out of their chairs and filling the dance floor.
Esta festival tenia
SABOR!CONTACT INFORMATIONI could only find a URL:
http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/index.php/main/event_detail/latin_music_festival/
HOURSSaturday, August 11, 2007
11 am - 7 m
PRICE RANGEFree - Some money to spend on food and artwork
SUMMARYThe selection of music was excellent for a first annual latin festival. The flavors were local, but included everything from Brazlian to latin pop, rock, and jazz, traditional ballet folklorico de mexico, and salsa!
The posters I came across pulled me in and let me know some time went into planning. It's good to know that my people are worthy of waterfront property in the middle of Jack London Square.
I selfishly went for the salsa at the end of the day. I arrived during the set-up music before
Orquestra Salsa Dura went on and the dj was playing classic salsa (always a good sign) and people were dancing (another good sign).
By the end of the set, this 3 month old band had everyone up and dancing, including families with kids who were shy to come to the dance floor at first and then were grooving with their parents by the end. It reminded me of outings with my family when I was younger...everyone invited to dance, smiling, twirling, showing their best steps.
The foggy day gave way to excellent weather. The air was filled with the aroma of kettle corn and I met a couple of friends I didn't know would be there.
Clearly there were Latinos or friends of Latinos involved with the planning of this thing because the mix of music, the crowd, and the venue were perfect. Onlookers could feel invited to peek in on the Latino-ness from their wandering through from the Arts & Crafts booths, Barnes & Nobles, or dining about Jack London Square.
SERVICEVolunteers were friendly and cleaned up rather efficiently at the end of the festival. Not a flyer, seat, or parasol was left as evidence of the day's festivities within 15 minutes of the end!
RESTROOMSPort-o-potties, Barnes & Nobles, and the Jack London Square facilities. Enough to be had by all!
SUGGESTIONBring it back next year!
Create a buzz among the salsa community through sfstation.com, or a festival website to receive feedback from the salsero/as and the soon-to-be converts to salsa!
Maybe include more youth performances and some Latin Hip-Hop to round the bill!
Labels: August 2007, ballet folklorico, brazilian, dancing, Jack London Square, latin jazz, Latin Music Festival, latin pop, latin rock, Oakland, Outdoor Festival, salsa
