Sara's Local Travels: Oaktown

Ok, lets face it - Oakland, California is notorious for crime, violence, drugs, and who knows what else (pimping, prostitution, gangs, but I digress...). I recently went to a training seminar in downtown Oakland (City Center - Broadway & 11th) and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The section that I was in was full of life with people walking on the streets and the streets were full of cool places to eat and shop.

I walked around the City Center during my breaks and lunch break and spent most of my time on Washington Street (at 10th Street). Washington Street has many restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops. On the corner of Washington and 10th is a neat game store, Endgame, full of board games, card games, and more. I just so happened to find a card game I have been looking for since they stopped carrying it at Toys R Us. Score! I also made my way to Bookmark Bookstore which carries used books and is owned and operated by the Friends of the Oakland Public Library. How apropos!

This short trip got me thinking about how little I really know about Oakland and what other wonderful things it has to offer. Ok, ok, ok... so I am pretty sure I saw a drug transaction take place on Washington Street, but it was just a simple walk by-pretend you are just strangers-slyly exchange something in each other's hands-and continue walking like nothing ever happened kind of deal. No harm, no foul though, right?

On my next trip to Oakland I would love to go to Jack London Square. It looks like it offers plenty of shopping and opportunities to eat, eat, eat. Plus, there is a Ben & Jerry's... enough said. It also got me thinking about how cool it is that we live so close to so many wonderful places in California. People dream of coming to the bay area and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and here we are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from it. How lucky are we?