East Bay Buzz

The East Bay just keeps getting better and better.  If you think Oakland and Berkeley are sleepy cities, then you are certainly mistaken! Once Ozzie's Fountain Shoppe amid-century pharmacy and soda fountain is now the Elmwood Cafe.  This cafe was thoughtfully renovated and the owners did their best to savage the essence of its former space.  Located on the corner of College andRussell, Elmwood Cafe is open from 7 am - 10 pm daily.

Curator, Lonnie Lee is hard at work renovating her new art gallery in the Uptown area of Oakland.  This space will feature local art in an historic old building.  This space was a former stable, auto garage, furniture repair shop and then home of United Glass.  Lonnie Lee was the proprietor of Vessel on Ashby Avenue in Berkeleya boutique that I loved a few years back.  Vessel Gallery in Oakland's revived art district will surely be special.  Look for Vessel Gallery to open May 15th, 2010.

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Kakui will come to Montclair Village, bringing a handsome sushi spot.  This space housed Jamba Juice and is next door to Noah's Bagels.  When I walk by I get glimpses of the owners vision and I am super excited.

Kakui

New from Saint George Spirits in Alameda is Firelit Spirits from distiller Dave Smith.  This yummy liqueur is made with Blue Bottle Coffee and distilled brandy.  The coffee is roasted at Blue Bottle Coffee in Oakland and this liqueur is distilled in small batches in Alameda.

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Coming soon to the corner of Adeline and Alcatraz in Berkeley, Addie's pizza.  The owners of Sweet Adeline Bakeshop are renovating the old Spud's Pizza spot.  If you have tasted the baked goods that chef, Jennifer produces at out Sweet Adeline's Bakeshop, then you are as excited as I am about her upcoming pizzeria.

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Wildly popular Labels Consignment Shop in Walnut Creek will open up a sister store on Ashby Avenue near College.  This place was voted the best place to buy a designer handbag by Diablo Magazine!

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My Bay Area Weekend!

Last weekend I made a point of getting out and enjoying my community.  Friday morning I headed to Brown Sugar restaurant, a cute soul food eatery on Mandela Parkway in West Oakland operated by chef  proprietor, Tanya Holland. I had a "screaming", (that means unbelievable, over the top) piece of brown sugar peach coffee cake, a fantastic latte and I loved the corn waffles with brown sugar butter.  (I suggest you upgrade to the real maple syrup.)  I absolutely love the upscale diner decor with mounted photography of Oakland.  Brown Sugar Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday - Sunday.  Check out Brown Sugar Kitchen online, brownsugarkitchen.com.

Saturday, St. George Spirits in Alameda had their bi-annual open house.  Here fans of fine spirits were able to learn how this boutique distillery handcrafts their small batches of the best Eau de Vie, Hangar One fruit infused vodka, absinthe, whiskey and more.  With live music, snacks and bartenders everywhere mixing up fresh liquid concoctions, this was the best party along the Bay.  Visit St. George Spirits online, St.GeorgeSpirits.com.

Folks hang out in front of St. George Spirits and enjoy the sun and the Bay view.

Sunday afternoon, I visited Linda Joseph's gorgeous Crocker Highland home for a casual art show featuring the work of  Oakland artist Jess Wainer.  Jess's medium is glass, clay and watercolors.  I really love that Jess embraces vivid color!  Splashes of color really make a wall pop.  Jess's work ranges in price, but I was able to score a handle blown glass paper weight and a set of beetle notecards for $60. Check out Jess online at www.jesswainer.com.

Transfer Tax Change For Alameda, Ca.

Effective December 12th, 2008 the city of Alameda increased their point of sale city transfer tax from $5.40 per $1000 of purchase price to $12.00 per thousand. There are two transfer taxes involved in buying a selling a home; county transfer tax is a generally paid by the seller when a house is sold. The county of Alameda charges $1.10 per $1000 of purchase price, so if a house is $500,000 the transfer tax will be $550. City transfer tax varies city to city, this tax is generally split 50/50 between the buyer and seller. So if you purchase a house in Alameda for $500,000 both the buyer and seller will pay, $3000 each as part of their closing cost.

Charming Alameda

Recently, I was house hunting with a client in Alameda. A quick drive from Oakland across the Park Street bridge and I was in sleepy Alameda; a community I visit often for weekend soccer games. (My children both play soccer.) As Alameda develops and improves, it maintains the small town charm we love. Alameda is loved for its close proximity to the entire East Bay and San Francisco, the beach, the ferry system to San Francisco, the performing school district and tree-lined streets.

After I showed a few homes and parted with my client, I stopped for lunch at Tomatina and stepped into a cozy book store, Book Inc. I would love to live walking distance to Park Street and this revived downtown, "main street". With the newly restored Alameda Movie Theatre on Central to the Peet's Coffee; this is an ideal walking neighborhood.

I love this gorgeous building on Park Street, Alameda Ca.

Open House Cheer at St. George Spirits - Alameda, Ca.

On the somewhat deserted Alameda Naval Base is St. George Spirits. Jorg Rupf started St. George Spirits 25+ years ago, with a vision of producing small batches of Eau de vie, (a clear colored fruit brandy). Using the highest quality fruit and ingredients St. George Spirits grew to America's premier craft distiller producing, Eau de vie, grappa, whiskey, liqueur, a reserve collection, and their insanely popular Hangar One Vodka.

The other week I attended Hangar One-St.George Spirits Open House. The old airplane hangar, now impeccably clean distillery was packed with ice sculptures, spirit tastings, music, catered food, and stations from local vendors such as Recchiuti Chocolates.

Upstairs in the private tasting room, a small group of people were able to hear Jorg speak about his methods while tasting his product, including his newest product line, Agua Azul. Agua Azul is made from 100% blue agave - (the tequila weed of the Agave tequilana species, is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco state in Mexico.)

Me, (Deidre) with Jorg

Recchiuti Chocolates had a table filled with amazing chocolates.

Jorg teaching his secrets to a small group of St. George patrons.