Tag Archives: East Bay

In Defense of the East Bay: Part 2

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A Little More Oaktown Lovin’

Well, it seems that since the last time we took to the cityseekr blog to defend the East Bay, it has blown up! The New York Times recently named Oakland the #5 (out of 45) place to go in the world in 2012, sandwiched right in between tourism powerhouses London and Tokyo (check out the article here). Did I mention that was OAKLAND that made the list and not San Francisco? So yes, I know this column is supposed to be about the entire East Bay, and I promise that will still be the case, but it seems clear that this month it’s time to specifically honor what the Huffington Post is calling “the coolest new kid in the country,” my and MC Hammer’s hometown, Oakland.

Photo by gerbache, CC by 2.0

Now many people upon first hearing this newest Times designation say, “Really? Oakland? Why?” And the periodical will answer you: it’s all about the downtown renaissance. Oakland likes to consume. For several years now, Downtown Oakland, and really many other areas of the city as well, has been revitalizing, especially when it comes to the funner things in life: food, booze, art and music.  In their little blurb the New York Times mentions some of the more exciting dining and drinking newcomers, so we’ll be skipping those here. However, in every category they mention, their examples, while all very recommendable, only scratch the surface of the awesome variety of places to eat, drink and enjoy the artistic and cultural offerings that are really starting to abound in The Town. Yes, Oakland has a Michelin star and all kinds of fancy establishments, but even though this is its newest incarnation, the city’s kitsch and grit are really what make it so unconventionally fun and charming. Really, Oakland is highly successful at having a fantastic collection of places with all kinds of different atmospheres to fit any mood, whim or occasion.

Photo courtesy of Bar Dogwood

The DTO (that’s “Downtown Oakland” to all you non-savvy folk) and Uptown (and of course the rest of the city as well) are brimming over with bars and eateries. If you want to go along the more upscale lines, you could head to Bar Dogwood for one of their specialty cocktails and the main attraction: the Charcuterie and the salty, fatty goodness of cured pork products. And cheese. Don’t forget the cheese.  If cured meat products are your bag, Adesso on Piedmont Avenue wins the crown. The menu includes dozens of different types of house-cured meats. Their happy hour is killer too, as those sitting at the bar get to experience a virtual tasting menu of dishes free of charge. As far as other nice drinking establishments in the area, Make Westing is one of Uptown’s newest additions. Owned by Oakland natives, the bar features two full-sized bocce ball courts inside the bar; folks, they’re the only ones in Oakland who can say that. Continue reading →

In Defense of the East Bay

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San Francisco’s Best Kept Secret

A bit of background for you before you begin: we here at cityseekr are based in San Francisco. Not surprisingly this means a large majority of our staff in the office all live here and, of course, they love it. And don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a pretty cool city too. However, we also have a small but ever-present constituency of residents and natives of right across the water in the East Bay (myself included), and sometimes our spot gets a bad rap and is thoroughly under-appreciated here in the office.

It has become clear to me that many, if not the majority of San Francisco residents look down on their easterly counterpart and often express these superior opinions much to the chagrin of us proud East Bay folk. I mean, sometimes trying to get San Franciscans to cross the Bay Bridge (or BART under it) can be like pulling teeth! So I, being a proud Oakland native and resident, have decided to step up to the plate in defense of the East Bay. Hopefully I will prove that while SF may always be the big boy on the block as far as Northern California is concerned, the East Bay is most definitely nothing to be scoffed at… and in fact if they believe the stereotypes they use as excuses not to go there, they should probably be scared to do so.


Lake Merritt

Okay. So we all know what San Francisco is famous for and why people visit. You got your Golden Gate Bridge, you got your Coit Tower, and you got your Fisherman’s Wharf. But what you also have is this: PEOPLE. Lots and lots of people. Everywhere you go. Wanna cross that bridge? Be prepared to cross it at a snail’s pace due to the hundreds of other tourists with the exact same idea. Wanna go to the Wharf? Be prepared for overwhelmingly giant crowds and overwhelmingly jacked up prices. The city is, essentially, one big tourist trap. Now many of you may be thinking, so what? All those people are there because it’s worth seeing. True, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t many other things worth seeing and doing outside the city as well, off the beaten track – a method that has become very popular these days. Continue reading →