Editor’s Note: On Sunday, April 23 Splash Pad Park will be celebrating Earth Day while I’m somewhat belatedly celebrating my 80th birthday in a place near and dear to me. Would be delighted if you could join Mary Jo’s volunteer team that morning weeding, cleaning and filling in holes in the landscaping with a large quantity of plants ordered for the occasion. A light lunch will be served. More details and info about other Oakland Earth Day events will be found in the Odds and Ends department below.
Grand Avenue Merchant News – April 2023
by Ken Katz – Last year, Radbird served as the official stylist for a “Portrait Slam” sponsored by Tamron lenses at the Oakland Aviation Museum and they are even more excited this year to be invited for an encore at a cyberpunk inspired slam on Saturday, May 20 on the USS Hornet in Alameda. Up to 30 models and 30 photographers will have the opportunity to network and shoot together in a creative environment with an iconic US Naval vessel as the background. General tickets, which are $40, are available at this link. Models attending their first slam can save 25% by entering the Coupon Code “first” when checking out. In honor of Walden Pond Books 50th Anniversary, we’re pleased to share some photos that Paul Curatolo posted on…. CONTINUE READING
Lakeshore BID – April 2023 Highlights by Kira Pascoe – April ushers in a busy spring on Lakeshore. We begin with the annual Easter Parade. Enjoy new events, giving back, amazing lunches, and brunches throughout the month. We should note that Starbucks Lakeshore closed, and the Lake Park Ave location is still open. Join the Lakeshore Business Improvement District and the Lakeshore Baptist Church for the annual Easter parade and party on April 8th! The parade will kick off from the Lakeshore Baptist green at 11 am and return after the parade for fun Easter-themed face painting, kids meals, and games! Lakeshore has fun spring activities to enjoy before or after the spring holidays. Arizmendi has traditional hot cross buns for Easter and chocolate macaroons for Passover. Silver Moon Kids has great games, books… CONTINUE READING
Starbucks Closure Adds to a Long List of Vacancies
by Ken Katz – As noted in last month’s article detailing the extent to which my East Piedmont Heights residential neighborhood has evolved over the past 120 years, change over time is inevitable. The same applies to the Grand Lake shopping district. Originally, circa 1915, Lakeshore between Lake Park and Mandana was also residential, as evidenced in small part by the two side-by-side apartment buildings still visible behind what is now Center Stage West Salon and Good Vibrations. By the time we moved into the neighborhood in the early 1970s, anchor tenants on Lakeshore included Dime and Dollar, the Little Daisy, Stier’s Drugs, See’s Candies, and lots … CONTINUE READING
The Ins and Outs of Lake Merritt’s Tidal Gates
by Dr. Richard Bailey – Lake Merritt is a tidal estuary controlled by tide gates, operated by Alameda county. The controls are based mainly on flood control, which is why they were built after a nasty Oakland flood in the ’60’s.The gates are controlled by setting a computer to one of four modes, and have recently (or soon will) have the capacity to be set remotely, rather than having to send someone in person to the station located under the 7th Street Bridge. The normal mode (80 – 90% of the time) is for one or perhaps two sides of the structure to be open to inflow and outflow all the time. When heavy rains and runoff threaten to occur during high tides, the gates …. CONTINUE READING
Odds and Ends – by Ken Katz
Best wishes and a fond farewell to Kira Pascoe: Co-Director of the Lakeshore BID
Oakland celebrates Earth Day on April 22 — Splash on the 23rd with details
Balloting on Oakland Magazines BEST OF awards ends April 5th
Assembly Bill 1532 would facilitate conversion of office buildings into residential
Starter Bakery Opens a cafe in Rockridge District CONTINUE READING
April 2023 Calendar
by Sheila McCormick – This month’s top picks:
April 4 (and April 18) Tuesday, 5:30-6:30pm *In person* Oakland Library, Lakeview Branch. Walk the Lake. Want to meet new people and enjoy the outdoors? Join others in front of the Lakeview Library and enjoy a stroll around beautiful Lake Merritt.
April 14, Friday, 7pm, *ZOOM* Rotary Nature Center Friends. Lakeside Chat #29: Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace. Dr. Jim Costa will discuss his new book.
April 22, Saturday, 11am-1pm *In person* Jack London Square. Earth Day Celebration.
For the full month’s calendar, please click on this link.
Our 115 year-old Calendar of the Month
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