Saturday, March 8, 2008

i hella heart oakland



I have a love-hate relationship with Oaktown. Some days I want to flip off every driver that cuts me off, or every crazy homeless person that panhandles, or every guy that visually violates me on the streets.

But today I saw the sign. Literally. Walking with my coworkers from our B.F.E. parking spot that was practically in Orinda to Becky's Chinese Restaurant in Rockridge, I noticed a sign that read: "Hate Free Zone". I must have read it aloud because one of my coworkers replied: "Yeah, don't be a hater."

That got me thinking. Oaktown ain't that bad. Sure, like any large developing city it has it's flaws. But today I saw the real Oakland. The Oakland I've learned to hella heart.

Lunch today at Becky's - the classiest Chinese restaurant I've ever been to with great lunch specials that include a hot and sour soup to die for. Rockridge is definitely my favorite neighborhood of the city with its super cute boutiques and delicious restaurants. Another one I discovered this week was Khana Peena Indian Cuisine down by Broadway. All you can eat organic buffet that is out of this world and a sleek patio with calming fountains.

But . . . there are definitely other parts of Oakland that are worth exploring. Today after picking up the BFF at the West Oakland BART station we headed to champa garden my all-time favorite Vietnamese-Thai restaurant. Ok . . . I got lost trying to find it, proving once again to the BFF that my sense of direction operates on its own compass.

But it's not my fault it's hard to find. The restaurant is on 8th Avenue and the middle of nowhere four blocks from International Boulevard. It's also in the middle of a residential area. Gotta love the East Bay where convenience stores and gas stations are found in the middle of a residential zone. But it was all worth it. I'd been craving their signature rice ball salad - chilled fried rice mixed with peanuts and meat rolled in a fresh romaine lettuce leaf stuffed with vermecelli, cilantro, and mint leaves topped with some peanut sauce drizzled on top. It's part of the Champa Sampler or as BFF calls it, "The boat" because it comes in a boat shaped plate.

After dinner I had made plans to go to the Stork Club on Telegraph with the buddy who lives in Fruitvale, which was super close to Champa Garden. I do know my way around Oakland. I managed to get us from Fruitvale to Telegraph Avenue without even getting on the freeway.

It just so happens that today was the first Friday of the month. In downtown Oakland that means the Oakland Art Murmur is the place to be. Or at least that's what I had heard. I had no idea how big a deal it really is. That area of Oakland has a handful of art galleries within a three block radius. It's like a huge block party full of artsy Bohemian types. It seemed oddly out of place in Oakland.

At the end of the block in front of the
Rock, Paper, Scissors Collective they had this strange contraption that two chicks were spinning around in. They were keeping momentum of the spinning machine by peddling bike peddles. It was mesmerizing - and nauseating at the same time.

But we weren't there for the art galleries or exhibits (although we've decided to definitely check those out next month). Afterall, we were there to see some titties.

Yes, that sounds bad . . . but what else is there to see at a burlesque show. We got there early enough to swoop in on some majorly awesome seats in front of the stage. (Everyone else that came in late was stuck sitting on the floor in front of the stage). The thing I do like about Oakland is the eclectic mix of characters. We had a mohawked punkster blocking our views. Rockabilliy was definitely the wardrobe style of choice for the ladies with a bunch of chicks wearing vintage dresses, fishnets, patent leather pumps, black hair, crimson lipstick and rad tattoos everywhere.

The show itself was OK - but how much old fashioned striptease and pasties can a person take? Although I did catch a glimpse of the BFF actually enjoying himself. It's cool to see your friends actually glad at having been dragged out. I think I showed them a new side of the East Bay after almost writing it off as backwards and rude. "This is better than The City!" Yes. It is.

In the end at least our table wasn't swooped up by some random hipsters. One of my coworkers came up to us as we were leaving, so, I gladly kept the table within the company.

All in all a perfect end to a pretty good week. And I don't think it's too early to shout this out at this stage in the relationship: "I hella heart Oakland!"

No comments: