ECHS Class of 1985 Reunion This is a beautiful space for a…read moreparty. Although when I arrived in my Uber, the club members gave me the stink eye. My driver drove me to the front door and all the golfers hanging around maybe preferred golf carts only? Then post a sign. Besides that lack of a warm welcome, everything else turned out beautifully. Great buffet food, friendly bar service, ample dance floor. My friends did an amazing job with planning and decorations and we had about 100 classmates show up. Everyone looked pretty good for being 40 years older! A great time was had by all.

Nice venu, but very meat centric !! Parking is a little far…read morefrom the main house !! it can get windy walking in the parking lot ! The food displays were attractive but the only vegan selections were crudités, no hot vegan foods only Pork sliders, fried chicken wings & meatballs plus salmon open face toasts ! ( I did attend a memorial & was served a vegan plate that was delicious so it is possible !! )

Charming and delightful are the words that immediately come to mind when describing CCC. I stayed…read morehere for two nights and was hosted by a family member who has been a member for many years. Family members from the East and West Coast also stayed, which made for a wonderful time. The building is nostalgic and reminds me of country clubs I stayed at in New York State. The beautiful wood, the grand staircase, and the royal-colored decor took you back to the gilded age. Outside my bedroom window stood two magnolia trees with gorgeous blossoms. The room size was generous, and every morning a continental breakfast consisting of juice and pastries were available only steps away from my door. We enjoyed lunch by the golf course and walked the beautiful grounds. The club rules are reasonable, in my opinion - no denim, shirts must have collars, etc. Perhaps the most difficult rule to follow and remember was the cell phone rule - they aren't allowed. Frankly, not being enslaved to my phone was quite lovely. After a few hours of not using it, I didn't miss it. Also, not being able to use my phone to take photos or chat is the reason I didn't take pictures inside of the facility. I respected the rules. I did take a few photos of the front entrance, though. One of my family members had a reception and birthday party in the ballroom while I was there, hence my reason for staying. It was fabulous! The food, the cocktails, wine, and service were spectacular. From the swing music the band played to the yesteryear atmosphere and attire, this was one of the most memorable weekends I've had in quite some time.

Love the sports the Country Club gives! The food is excellent! The Hotel is fantastic!read more

The food and atmosphere along with the Italian heritage is fantastic…read more This was a men's birthday dinner and later this month will be a co-ed dinner so bring a female friend or spouse,daughter niece your choice or all are invited

Great club for family . Lots of different options. Wonderful to place to socialize with friendsread more

My husband and I were married here in December 2025, and choosing this venue was one of the best…read moredecisions we made. There were so many reasons we fell in love with it. The historical architecture and elegance immediately stood out to us. From the high vaulted ceilings and exposed beams to the stunning chandeliers and large windows that fill the space with natural light. We loved that the venue offers a beautiful blend of vintage architectural charm in the front and a more modern feel in the back, surrounded by lush greenery. We also took advantage of the golf course at hole 11, where the sunset provided a truly breathtaking backdrop for photos. Another major reason we chose this venue was the exceptional communication and organization. Andrea and Sally were incredibly responsive, always answering our questions promptly and thoroughly. From the planning process to the wedding day itself, everything ran seamlessly. Our guests repeatedly commented on how smooth the entire day felt and how convenient it was to have the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in one place. Many also complimented the delicious food and wonderful staff. We truly could not be happier with our experience at this venue. Highly recommend for anyone who is planning their wedding here. It was an amazing, unforgettable day.

Attended a Christmas party here last time and had a great time. This place has a lovely rustic…read morefeeling in it. The food and drinks they served last night were delicious. All the wait staff were friendly and helpful. There're ample parking spaces around too. Overall, it's a great venue to host any special occasions

I love this place. I've been here for music classes, yoga, concerts, and workshops. The space is…read morebeautiful, and completely caters to the heart of the creative process. Artists in the East Bay who haven't found this space by now have been seriously missing out. A gem.

They do not reply to email and have an auto reply that is out of date. They are not accepting new…read moremembers and yet still have Open Houses scheduled on the calendar and won't reply if you actually try to join an Open House. The organization may have the same name, but the people who are there are judgmental and unwelcoming (when I saw them in other contexts after I tried to go to an Open House). One of their current members in trying to help another one, admitted to their difficulties on the Chris Kindness Award website: the current member wrote: "Just these past two months we have had serious race related conflict in a nonprofit we are both involved in." My experience with them is in line with a different comment on the Chris Kindness website: An ex-Hackermom: "The non-profit mentioned by another commenter is bleeding members from marginalized groups, and her response to many WOC, disabled, and other brave moms raising concerns can be summed up as "you're not the right kind of mom to belong here" and "don't let the door hit you on the way out." As a direct result, at least a third of all members have left in the last month. Happy to provide screenshots with empirical proof of her supposed "kindness" on request."

Hackermoms is a little oasis in the midst of the parenting shuffle. It's a safe place to land and…read morecatch a breath, find support, and dare I say have a little fun. We are tech moms, professor moms, stay at home moms, and everything in between, all here to hold space for each other and have a great time doing it. The biggest gift HM has given me is a sense that I have a crew of mamas who've got my back, who care about my dreams, and who accept me and my kiddo as I am. Every mom deserves the gift of a robust and active community like this, which is so rare in the modern hustle and bustle of parenting life.

Renew Collective is such a wonderful community! I've only been to a handful of events so far, but…read moreeach one has been such a positive and uplifting experience. Rachel puts so much thought and care into planning everything- whether it's a hike, yoga, dance party, crafting event, or mocktail tasting, every detail feels intentional and welcoming. What I love most is the variety of activities and the chance to meet new people who are also looking for fun, meaningful ways to connect without alcohol. Every event has been filled with laughter, great conversations, and a genuine sense of community. Rachel is an amazing leader! She creates a safe, inclusive, and creative space where people can really enjoy themselves and make memories together. I'm so grateful this group exists and look forward to joining more events!

I love the fun and creative events Rachel hosts, always an inclusive and welcoming vibe.read more

Great place to dance! Beautiful huge hardwood floor. There is a stage with "Boogie" Band once a…read moremonth. I went last week for first time and I am going again tonight. Fun!

Post-pandemic update:…read more The Breakaway is a weekly (Thursdays) swing dance venue in Oakland that goes on at the Lake Merritt Dance Center. This is a major event for the East Bay, with 100+ dancers in attendance. Masks are required. The entrance fee is $10 on DJ nights (credit card only), $20 on live band nights (typically last Thursday of the month). The location: From the point of view of a swing dancer, this venue is about as good as it gets: huge main ballroom floor of near-perfect quality, swing times-appropriate Art Deco interiors. Some logistics: parking is not a problem: there are a couple of connected parking lots on both sides of the building. Note that the signs will read "Veterans Memorial Building", "Senior Center", "Lake Merritt Dance Center" - this is all the same building and the same entrance. Getting into the parking lot is a bit tricky: the building with an adjacent park occupies an entire block, in order to enter you need to be circling this block clockwise. If you get into a counterclockwise motion, perform a U-turn on the Bay Place, a street between the center and the lake (one of the openings into the parking lot is labeled "Exit only", but is actually OK to use that late in the day). The neighborhood is safe and clean by the Oakland standards, so parking on the Bay Place across from the building is quite OK if the parking lot is full - or you cannot find that U-turn. The building entrance is on the Bay Place side, the dance is going on upstairs. Water is not allowed on the dance floor, so leave your bottle on the special tables outside. There is a water fountain in the hall next to the main floor entrance. The free dance lesson for beginners starts at 7:30PM (with two sets of progressive lessons at 7PM), dance party starts at 8PM and goes until 10PM (10:30PM on live music nights). The crowd: On a DJ night, over 100 dancers, with noticeably (but not disastrously) more follows than leads; the ratio evens out toward the end. The level of skills of the follows is similar to Wednesday Night Hop in Palo Alto: there are a lot of intermediate dancers, few truly advanced, the beginners mostly have pretty good basic skills; there are very few true beginners (fewer than in Palo Alto) - real delight for an intermediate lead.