I Love the "O", More than you know...

Dear Mom,

I hope all is well. I'm just getting through another workday and wanted thought I'd drop you a note to see how your day was going. You're no doubt trying to cross off another item off the daily to-do list of 10 Million things that seem to plague you everyday. I was just thinking about something you said the other day so I decided to expand upon my position on the subject a little further, if you don't mind.

You asked me "Why do you like Oakland so much?" While at first irritated by the question, I probably gave you one of my patented, all-encompassing one-word answers like "Cuz!" and maybe shook my head or sucked my teeth. I probably then went on to talk (albeit with a chip on my shoulder)about how there's lots to do and that all of the bad stuff that you hear about on the news is really only an issue if you're up to no good anyway. But allow me to delve into this a little deeper.

San Francisco is famous for being a world-class with breathtaking views and diversity that allows the best parts of the Pacific Rim to meld together with cultures from all the rest of the world. Everything in San Francisco is first rate, as far as big cities go. Unfortunately, one often has to pay first rate prices in San Francisco as well. Oakland is like that neighbor that gets invited over to go swimming when thier more well to do neighbor gets a new expensive swimming pool. Only, Oakland didn't have to pay for that pool and doesn't have to pay to keep it heated or cleaned. Oakland is like Scottie Pippen to San Francisco's Michael Jordan. It's not the headliner, but it reaps the benefits.

Not one resident of San Francisco gets to view the beauty of their whole City all at once, but I do. Not many of them can take a short BART ride to the financial district or Union Square and be back home after just 10 minutes of stress free public transportation. From my window, I can see both the Golden Gate and Bay bridges as well as Sutro Tower and the skyline. I also get to look at the metal monstrosities that are the cranes at the Port of Oakland, standing majestically like steel Trojan Horses, bearing gifts from lands near and far. Looking back toward the East, I have a wonderful view of the lush Oakland Hills.

Oakland is a very visually stimulating city. Not many other places can boast an urban landscape juxtaposed with so much greenery. There are hillside row houses near lush parks with lakes and trails. We even have a city within a city, called Piedmont. I like to refer to it as the lost city of Piedmont. It's kind of like Atlantis, in a way. Out of relative obscurity jut extraordinary structures on expansive plots of land so well manicured that it rivals the Bel Air's and Saratoga Hills of the world.

Even the less desirable neighborhoods have more character than you can imagine. West Oakland is filled with blocks and blocks of classic Victorian houses that are just itching to be restored to their original glory. Some already have been. The news media focuses only on the ugly things that happen so they'd never allow a positive light to be shed on this place. Nice stories don't make for captivated viewers. But there's so much more, so let me continue.

Where else but Oakland can I have access to so many of what you in the suburbs might call boutique neighborhoods all in one place? Going 10 minutes or less in any direction I can get to several charming little nooks of town. If you'd like some coffee or pastries at an outdoor cafe or to shop at some small stores, Montclair Village is one such place. So to are the Lake Merritt area, Rockridge, and College Avenue. If you'd like to really explore the rich ethnic culture that is all around, ride on over to China Town or The Fruitvale District which boast very impressive festivals during Chinese New Year and Cinco de Mayo respectively.

You like restaurants? We've got restaurants. We've got them all over town. I could devote pages and pages to explaining to you all of the different cuisines that one could enjoy in all of the different parts of town in all sorts of different price ranges, but as I mentioned, that would take pages and pages, so instead I'll just mention one street. We can start on Piedmont Avenue where it intersects with the Broadway Auto Row. Right at that corner is a fairly reputable Japanese restaurant and Sushi Bar called the Drunken Fish with quite an expansive assortment of rolls and some nice sakes available as well. Driving the less than 1 mile up to where it ends at Pleasant Valley Road you have a wealth of different things to indulge in here from tea bars and African Art stores to Antique shops and comic book stores, to gelato and Artsy movies, to country french cooking at Jojo, italian deli's, tapas at Cesar , wine shopping at Vino or enjoying a cold one from the long list of local microbrews at Cato's Ale House. If that's not your bag, then maybe Thai food at Ninna or coffee at Peet's or burgers at Barneys will do. Of course, this street has saved the best for last as Fenton's Old Fashioned Ice Creamery resides near its end. So many choices and remember that's just one street. We've got many more like it and so much culture to explore down each of them.

Perhaps we'll explore some more the next time you pay a visit.

Love,
Your Son