Sears Building — 2013

Shopping in Downtown Oakland used to be an elegant affair. Amazingly, we still have a Sears sitting between Telegraph and Broadway at 20th St. Though they are only open until 7pm, it is a convenient location to shop a wide variety of product without the mayhem of Target or Walmart. If you look close, you can see the splendor of the past in this building, where elegant boutiques operated on the top floor with a rooftop restaurant above.

Capwell’s Headquarters — Vintage Illustration via http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.com

Since it’s opening in 1929, this was the seat of the Capwell’s department store chain which was eventually bought by San Francisco’s competing chain The Emporium, thus turning the name into Emporium Capwell’s. You can see the towering stories of offices jutting out from the roof of the Sear’s building like a giant chimney of regional administration.

oaktownman has fond memories of his mom taking him shopping at Capwell’s as a little boy. Gift wrapping was on the mezzanine, and a giant ornate clock looms above the elevators.

Sure it’s Sears, but there are some great deals to be found on clothing, appliances, tools, and more — definitely worth an Oaktowner’s consideration. oaktownman even discovered better deals here than at the Sears Outlet Store in San Leandro!

Sears

sears.com

1955 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 

Just there yonder through the Posey/Webster tube from Oakland’s Chinatown is the rapidly changing Webster Street business district. Hidden behind a few trees, next to an equally old school barber shop is the blast from the past breakfast & lunch diner Albert’s Cafe. Try their Alameda Cheese Omelette filled with ground beef, or their Hippy breakfast specials. It’s a pleasant neighborhood diner experience that is slowly harder to come by these days.

Albert’s Cafe
1541 Webster St, Alameda, CA 94501

View from the parking lot, with the Oakland jailhouse towering across the street.

One of many surrounding bail bonds joints, seen from the front door.

The Mexicali Special: a taco, enchilada, and chile relleno with rice & beans, guacamole, and sour cream.

The food is ultimately quite satisfying. You will surely not leave this place hungry. All portions are generous, and service attentive and friendly. 

 Roses are everywhere, as well as inspiring Mayan imagery.

The bar has its own scene with obvious regulars who seemed to be enjoying themselves as if at home. On the weekends, the restaurant is open till 1am, so it can be a great place to drink, or to get a midnight snack. Definitely check this place out, if even to drink in the old school charm.

Regulars seated at the bar

Mexicali Rose

Google Place Page 

701 Clay Street, Oakland

Party time at The Rare Bird

First stop was The Rare Bird. Some of you may have seen oaktownman’s post about happening upon their grand opening party back in November of 2010. Well proprietor Erica Skone-Rees did not just stop with this little whimsical store. She joined the Piedmont Avenue Merchants Association and said why not have member shops stay open late one evening a month and feature these wonderful unique things the Avenue has to offer.

So here we are and it looks like it’s an event that will be sticking around. You can see the list of businesses involved and more info at the Merchants Association website. 

Rare Bird's Erica Skone-Rees — mover & shaker behind the Piedmont Avenue Art Walk, cleaning up after her patrons to the sound of some groovy tracks.

NATHAN&CO's endless sea of novelty

Next was a stop at NATHAN&CO, another place recently covered by oaktownman. The place is always a delight to the senses, made doubly so by the bubbly being served.

Abundant bubbly at NATHAN&CO

Nathan was featuring these vintage repurposed paper maché centerpieces by local artist Christy Smith.

Christy Smith's Paper Maché Creations

It was getting toward 9pm but Mercy Vintage Now was hosting a jewelry trunk show by L.A. based designer Rhiannon Griego — Ghost Dancer Collection. So there were a bunch of folks in there not ready to stop shopping, drinking, and mingling. Check out Rhiannon’s jewelry line because it is exquisite, pure, and expressive.

Rhiannon Griego's Ghost Dancer Collection

Excitement in Mercy Vintage Now's shop

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Mercy Scenesters Now

One hot shop!

Owners Jenny & Karen are true professionals of vintage clothing with years of experience between them. They have a refined eye for quality & style and carry a wide range of merchandise in a comfortable space that really breaths. Mercy Vintage Now has only been here since 2009, but their business expands beyond the local realm as they’ve made quite a name for themselves in the L.A. glamour realm.

Jenny and Karen of Mercy Vintage Now

Piedmont Avenue Third Thursday Art Walk

piedmontavenue.org/avenue-art-walk

The Rare Bird

 therarebird.com

oaktownlife.com/hot-spots/rare-bird

3883 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

NATHAN & CO

www.nathanandco.com

oaktownlife.com/hot-spots/nathan-piedmont

4025 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

Mercy Vintage Now

mercyvintage.com/about.html

4188 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

Oakland International Airport is known all over as one of the most convenient places anywhere to catch a plane. Now there’s a new option for those who like to travel to Las Vegas and beyond, and even Southwest (who use OAK as one of their major hubs) has slashed prices to LAV in response.

Passengers are delighted by the festive mood for the first Spirit Air flight from OAK to LAV

They probably feel like they’re already in Vegas

Spirit Air flew in a real Vegas showgirl and Elvis impersonator for the festivities.

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This whimsical cake made for a great centerpiece.

The media was present, including the flip and camera phone brigade (oaktownman included). Pictured with the Vegas acts is Port of Oakland president Omar R. Benjamin.

Spirit Flight being taxied to the runway, but first…

A traditional water arc, inaugurating Oakland’s new Spirit Airlines service.

Oakland International Airport

www.flyoakland.com

1 Airport Drive, Oakland, CA

Originally established in Berkeley, Breads of India is unique in Indian cuisine in that their tasty menu changes daily to present a smattering of dishes that come as entire balanced plates of carefully prepared food. In addition, they offer a wide selection of Indian breads to add to your selected plate, one which will be recommended in the dish you choose. This concept is very different from the family style and buffet style Indian restaurants, and offers a complete gourmet meal at a reasonable price. The location in Old Oakland is excellent and spacious, unlike their original tiny location where one used to have to wait for some time to be crammed into the restaurant like sardines to experience this special meal. There is also a full bar though oaktownman opted for the delicious mango lassi.

Breads of India

www.breadsofindia.com

948 Clay Street, Oakland

Red Carpet Greeting at NATHAN&CO

NATHAN&CO, this quaint boutique on Piedmont Avenue was recently celebrating their five year birthday party and, drawn by the red carpet, oaktownman stumbled in for some complimentary cupcakes and bubbly.

The shop is at once elegant, glamorous, creative, kitschy, crafty, and fun. There is something for every one here, at all price points and all intelligence levels. Their motto is “design that makes you smile.”

The mood was festive as over the years this store has become somewhat of a hot spot for gift purchasing.

Looking down from the upstairs "Chef's Loft".

Aprons, barware, cookware, and tableware in the "Chef's Loft"

How cool: guitar-shaped cheese graters & spatulas

Nathan & Co.

www.nathanandco.com

4025 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

Longtime Oaklanders will remember the old Hofbrau set firmly on the corner of Grand Avenue and Broadway for decades. Luka’s Taproom & Lounge strives to keep the spirit of that old establishment alive, with a young, fresh, and modern twist that appeals to the new breed of Oaklandites.

The restaurant is a pleasant room with cool wooden booths in the back and window-side seating in the front. They offer dishes at various price-points and great small plates as well. The quality control is not completely consistent, so a burger is a safe bet, and the relaxed service, though endearing, can make one feel a bit forgotten. The Belgian-style fries are great and come with three kinds of dipping sauce.

The rotating beer selection is pretty decent and varied.

The room in the back is a little lounge that contains some relics of the old Hofbrau. There’s also a room with a DJ booth and dance floor that has late night entertainment seven days a week

Luka’s Taproom and Lounge

www.lukasoakland.com

2221 Broadway, Oakland

Encompassing 1,829 acres of the canyon carved by Redwood Creek and its surrounding ridges, Redwood Regional Park sits stately above the city of Oakland providing an instant oasis of natural beauty and recreation for residents of the East Bay. The expansive forests of coastal redwood trees for which the park was named are still majestic, despite the fact that they are all adolescents considering the centuries long lifespans attained by these amazing resilient sequoia trees. The area was made of logging camps with rail transport during the 1800s and, unfortunately for us, every last one of the old-growth trees was chopped down during that time. Apparently there was a tree so enormous in the Oakland hills that sailors knew to line it up by site with Treasure Island in order to safely navigate their way through the Golden Gate.

Skyline Gate is the main trailhead at the Northern end of the park along Skyline Blvd. The three trails that begin here are the West Ridge Trail, the East Ridge Trail, and in between them the Stream Trail. The Stream Trail will take you down into a wonderland of secluded nature with several beautiful trails off-shooting from that main one. On this particular trip, oaktownman took the West Ridge Trail which is scenic and full of local dog-walkers and bicyclists.

Looking east towards Contra Costa County from the West Ridge Trail

A native madrone tree - also known as a "refrigerator tree" due to coolness of the inner bark even during hot weather.

The edge of one of many redwood forests scattered about the park.

The French Trail — another gateway into a deeper more fairy-like area of the park.

A big rock formation off the West Ridge Trail.

The cool and sweet-smelling Sequoia Sempervirens

Skyline Gate at Redwood Regional Park

www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood

8500 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland

Lanesplitter Pizza has enjoyed mass popularity since their opening in Berkeley in 1998, due to their simple, affordable, tasty, and quality pizza and pub fare. In 2004 they opened this Oakland location in the Temescal district and also recently added a restaurand in Emeryville. They also have two “pit stops” in Lakeshore and Albany where the pizza is extra affordable if you pick it up yourself, so you might as well add a caesar salad to that order.

oaktownman enjoys their eat-in specials, like the 2 slice and a pint special (forgot the snazzy name they call it).

As well as a good place to bring the family, Lanesplitter is open till midnight each night, so is a good place to grab a bite when you’re out on the town or getting off late from work.

Lanesplitter Pizza Pub

www.lanesplitterpizza.com

4799 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland