As reported in the Minutes of the Grand Lake Neighbors October meeting, OPD has assigned two Walking Beat Officers who will be working from Noon to 10:00pm Tuesdays through Fridays One of them — Officer Cooper — will divide his time among the Montclair shopping district, College Avenue, and the Grand Lake district.” While this […]
Odds and Ends
Odds and Ends – September 2023
This year’s Autumn Lights Festival is scheduled for October 12-14. If you haven’t previously attended, it’s a fabulous event with all proceeds benefitting the Gardens at Lake Merritt. It’s also an event that regularly sells out — so we’d recommend purchasing early-bird tickets at a discounted price. You can do so starting today (September 1) […]
Odds and Ends – August 2023
The above photos were taken circa 2014 when Shakewell first opened. Nine years later, we regret reporting that Shakewell is changing hands — partly due to a major drop in business during the pandemic from which they never recovered. From what I’ve heard, most of the staff will be staying including the two chefs who […]
Odds and Ends – July 2023
The stunning exterior landscape at the International African American Museum in Charleston, which was dedicated this past Saturday and opened to the public on Tuesday, is the latest project to come out of the Hood Design Studio in West Oakland. This June 23 article in the New York Times is very comprehensive but may not […]
Odds and Ends – June 2023
A couple of weeks ago, Dhon Dup Gift Shop opened in the Urban Indigo Space. It’s a Tibetan Gift Shop with a Dalai Lama tapestry that hovers over a large selection of Bali silver jewelry and, very colorful natural fabric clothing. Upstairs you’ll find a wide variety of Tibetan Singing Bowls. It’s a great addition […]
Odds and Ends – May 2023
This month’s Odds and Ends column seems like the perfect venue to write about the homeless man who camped out on Grand Avenue under the freeway overpass for nearly a decade. His behavior was clearly odd and his end more or less preordained given current circumstances. Gustavo Guzman died in mid-March at the age of […]
Odds and Ends – April 2023
A fond farewell to Kira Pascoe who has served as the Lakeshore BID’s part-time Co-Director (along with Carol Knight) for nearly five years. Kira revolutionized the position — upgrading the monthly blog, helping organize special events, and actively working to promote Lakeshore and Lake Park businesses — especially when it was so critical during the […]
Odds and Ends – March 2023
Ordinarily, an event such as this wouldn’t warrant more than a passing note in the Splash Pad News but the Treasure Sale at Piedmont Community Church on March 11 and 12 is the exception. For the past twenty-five years, they’ve had students and adults venturing to Tijuana and Tecate during Spring Break where they’ve constructed […]
Odds and Ends – February 2023
We’re very sorry to report that, early on the morning of January 15, Ikaros, Neecha Thai, Modigliani, and Qi Dumpling were all burglarized. According to George Adranly, owner of Ikaros, the perpetrator was in and out of his restaurant in less than a minute and walked away with a roll of dimes. Replacement of the […]
Odds and Ends – December 2022
On November 14, KQED broadcast a six-minute PBS report about a nonprofit called “The Living New Deal” that’s been actively documenting public works projects constructed during the heart of the Great Depression throughout the United States. This particular segment talks specifically about major projects in the Bay Area, including the Bay Bridge and Berkeley High, […]