A Tibetan refugee and an anthropologist sat down to talk about curry, and the conversation transported them from Oakland to Bhutan, India, Connecticut, Georgia, and, finally, back to Oakland. A steaming mug of sweet chai in hand, I followed Tsultrim Dorjee, co-owner of High Peaks Kitchen at 391 Grand Avenue on his journey from an impoverished refugee…

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by Keila Diehl An anthropologist went to a town hall meeting at Lakeshore Baptist Church and experienced her first encounter with the Chief of Police of a major American city. Impossibly shiny black shoes, crisp black uniform, four gold stars on each collar, gun, broad stance, hands on hips, red granny glasses. Overheard saying, ‘I…

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A biologist and an anthropologist sat down to talk about coffee, and the conversation spread out in ever larger circles from its starting point under a palm tree: the popular Anfilo Ethiopian coffee tent at the Grand Lake Farmers Market, where customers “come in, sit down, chat, and move on.” (Spoiler: there is no “to go”…

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On Valentine’s Day, let’s pause to say How much we love the shops we frequent every day. Our neighborhood merchants bring us gifts, coffee, flowers, and bread, Shoes, books, smoothies, yoga, and hipster threads. Thanks for everything you do. Merchants of Grand and Lakeshore Avenues We love you! xxx      

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