I had a blast at my homie's party for Soulsource. We drove down from Los Angeles to support our…read morefriends, along with Nina Soul from Elements Oakland. The vibes were great. We bought a bunch of drinks, the bartender was awesome and made some great cocktails, and the bouncer was cool as hell too. People were having a ton of fun. That said, there was one woman who seemed to be on a total power trip and made a few of my friends feel unwelcome. She took her job way too seriously for an event where people were just there to have a good time. She came off rude, was constantly watching people, and always seemed to be judging everyone for how they were behaving. It's a House music event lol no one's getting rowdy we there to dance. We were all there to enjoy ourselves, but she definitely killed the vibe for a few people who had similar run ins with her throughout the night. The spot itself is dope, and I've heard it's a place that's meant to support the community. That's why it's disappointing to see someone like that negatively affect the experience and potentially turn people away from future gatherings. I don't know her name, but she had short black hair. She was rude and had wack energy. Other than that, the space is great. Just wanted to give a heads up because I think she either needs to be talked to about how she treats people or reconsidered for that role.

What a gorgeous space! I rented the ballroom for an event, expecting a dull hall. But the space is…read morelively and creative, and the ballroom itself is so atmospheric. It has chandeliers, soft string lights, and a disco ball, for all kinds of different ambiance. The wood floors are so warm and cozy, too. It would be amazing for a wedding, quinceñera, anniversary party or cocktail mixer. There's even a bar, a mezzanine, and a stage, with all the room even a large group would need! I think it fits 250 people, and it is wheelchair accessible! There are other smaller spaces to rent too, primarily the disco room. It's nicely lit by a wall of windows int the morning mirrored, great for smaller groups and active pursuits. It has a kind of durable padded flooring, and there are foam mats that roll out, too. So many possibilities. I really love the space, can't wait to dream up more ideas for what to use it for! Church meetings? Yoga classes? Fundraisers? Movie nights? Job fairs? Trunk shows? Indoor roller skating? Class reunions? The Omni can do it all!

This is an amazing group of people from a large variety of backgrounds, identities, and religious…read morefaiths (or no faiths!) connecting in harmony through the amazing power of gospel music. This is an Oakland institution!!!

I absolutely love singing in the choir. This brings so much joy and inclusion to many people…read more Join the community choir, we practice 1/mo and perform several times a year. See oigc.org/oicc.

Me and my partner came on a Friday night. Everything was so delicious and the staff was very kind!…read moreWe'll be coming back soon :)

They have a good vibe at this place and I like that they rotate their menus. The staff are…read morefriendly. I've only been here twice but It has been a pleasure both times. They also have vegan options for a lot of the traditional fare from the Philippines and Morocco and they quite scrumptious. So far I've had their Kare-kare and I can't wait for that to be rotated back. Definitely recommending this place to friends and family.

I came here expecting to see accolades for individual Oakland history tours and tour leaders, but…read moremine may be the first. I've been on a few of these (like Chinatown, Old Oakland, Oakland Waterfront), but yesterday's walking tour of the F. M. "Borax" Smith estate in Cleveland Heights led by Phil Bellman was outstanding! Mr. Bellman has been doing this tour for 34 years, which shows in his preparation, organization, easy delivery and ancillary materials (including a VERY handy map). At all times Phil was easy to hear, and his information was fascinating. It was great to be allowed inside a few private properties and through revealing side paths while learning of the career of this amazing couple who left such a mark on the history of Oakland. I hope to participate in many OHA walking tours in the future.

My home has a name, it's the Cates-Downing house. I know that my Italianate Victorian was built by…read moreAugustus Cates in 1879 as a commuter house. See the Bay Bridge didn't exist and cars had not yet been invented. In order to get to San Fransisco you had to take the 7th Street trolley to the Port of Oakland and then jump on a Ferry to get to SF. I also know that Augustus Cates was a fine builder of houses since mine is still here after two major earthquakes (1906 & Loma Prieta) and the maintenance over the last 128 years has left much to be desired. Mr. Cates also had a fascination with curves since there are parts of the house with few and sometimes no right angles. He would build a house, live in it for a few years then sell it. Then Andrew Downing followed by Ella Clume were the owners of my house. So how do I know this and lots of other details that date back before this even became my Mami's 'hood (she was born here in 1931)? The fine folks at the Oakland Heritage Alliance were of great help. Their website and the historians who work there strive to save local Oakland history since it would otherwise be lost. To quote their Mission Statement: Our Mission Oakland Heritage Alliance is a non-profit membership organization which advocates the protection, preservation, and revitalization of Oakland's architectural, historic, cultural and natural resources through publications, education, and direct action. They provide tours of historic Oakland neighborhoods in the Summer and Fall. They can point you in the right direction if you are doing research for your house or are a history nerd. They are always in need of volunteers and there are memberships available. History is a beautiful thing. My love of Oakland is not solely based on my lifetime spent here but learning and talking about who and what it took to get where Oakland is now. The Oakland Heritage Alliance, the Oakland Museum, the Oakland Latino History Project and the Oakland History Room at the Main Library have all been huge resources to me. Fellow Oaklanders, maybe I've piqued your interest? Maybe these will become your resources too? If you love Oakland even just a little, please learn about it and pass it on!

They need to work on loyalty and appreciation for their volunteers. They should learn how to thank…read moresomeone who supports them and their programs.

Whoa....I can't believe my last review of WCRC was in 2008! Well It is now 2017 and I'm still…read morealive and kicking after two diagnoses of cancer. First of all they have moved into a new building in Berkeley. I've sent the corrected info twice but Yelp has not yet updated it. The new building is quite spacious. A large meeting room for support groups, another largish room for belly dance classes and/or workshops, offices and a very roomy kitchen with plenty of cupboards for every day stuff and additional storage space as well. I've been attending weekly support meetings for nearly ten years. I have been fortunate to have my cancer be stable...I can never be cured or go into remission. I still receive regular treatments, tests and drugs . Like many people living with cancer I hate the term "battling" cancer. That translates as warfare. I see cancer as more of a pesky visitor that won't leave. WCRC offers individual counseling, workshops and classes. Although primarily geared for women some of the workshops i.e.. medical marijuana and other workshops are open to men as well. Some workshop topics include nutrition, banning sugar from your diet, drawing journal writing to name a few. They also have art exhibits from local women artists...the subjects and media type vary...photographs, paintings, drawings, weavings and more. They also offer referral to supplemental treatments like acupuncture, acupressure, counseling and other issues. When I was first diagnosed a volunteer would phone me every week to check in with me. That was so helpful at a time when I felt very alone and bewildered. Currently I am in a weekly support group.....see website for groups and meeting times. Although some of the members in my group have passed away, their presence is still felt and our memories of them will remain. It feels safe and comforting to be with others who are going through similar treatment, tests, scans, radiation, surgery, doctor visits and reactions from others. There is really no one else who can understand what you are going through other than "fellow" cancer patients. I feel so excited for WCRC, the staff,the volunteers,the attendees of the support groups and workshops and the new building. What a wonderful way to welcome the new year.

Beautiful old historic building just across the street from Lake Merritt. Green grass areas and a…read morelittle park like setting surrounding the building. Anything near Lake Merritt is a beautiful place to be. Views of water and birds and people taking a walk or jog. The park or grass area surrounding the area looks good but there are a few tents around it. Good place to notice while you visit Lake Merritt and take a walk around the lake.

Date: 12/27/2018 Time: 1:00 PM 55° Cloudy…read more I received an email from a relative, telling me that the Downtown Oakland Senior Center was recruiting new members and the location was in the Veterans' Memorial Building. The Veterans' Memorial Building is a three story building with rooms for ballroom dancing lessons. My husband and I saw a couple doing the fox trot. It looked fun, but my being such a klutz and having two left feet I probably be stepping on my husband's feet. My husband and I are already members of the Mastick Senior Center, but it was my relative who encouraged us to sign up to be members here. I believe they mentioned that the recruiting new members are done on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also, at the time, it was their renewal period for people who were members. The annual fee is $12 per person and $3 for parking. Check is made payable to City of Oakland. Suggestion: Get there before 10 AM to get a parking space; otherwise, the parking lot will have no available spaces. They have plenty of activities and classes for seniors. There are monthly excursions. The ladies assisting us were pleasant and welcome us to take a tour of the building. The canteen room serves coffee, tea, pastries, etc. It also has two pool tables. The dining hall is spacious. Lunch is $5 per day. The media room (library) is on the third floor. We did not have a chance to visit the computer room. The consignment shop is small compared to the Mastick Senior Center. Most of the items were geared for women (clothes, jewelry, knick knacks, etc.) I look forward to receiving their monthly newsletter via email.

When I first moved to Albany, the Albany Chamber of Commerce was one of the first places I stopped…read more I was warmly welcomed, given a comprehensive lay of the land, and with some brochures in hand went happily on my way. I have subsequently stopped here over the years for an update on the Community pulse and to occasionally buy one of their cool Albany 94706 t-shirts. I'm originally from Iowa, and I can't get enough of a small town personal touch when I find it. But alas, all good things must come to an end. As of 6/1/2011, residents, businesses and out-of-town guests will no longer be able to walk into the Chamber office, at 1108 Solano, for answers to their questions. Interested parties will need to interface with a Chamber gone virtual, an experiment aimed to expand services and save money. The Chamber formed in 1935, and has had a presence on Solano for 50 years. I'm sure commercial life in Albany will move forward, but it's hard for me to have "High Tech" unless there's also some "High Touch".

Wonderful, friendly and helpful staff. As a newbie to the recording process, they were everything I…read morecould have asked for.