This is my 200th review…read more I have been pondering what to write for this momentous occasion. All week I thought about it ... I even ran ideas by Candice at Yelp during our yummy lunch I have yet to review. And I realized it is not easy to write sometimes. If it is for your job, it can really suck the life right out of you ... if you HAVE to write. So that is why it is so fun for me to Yelp. Because I do not have too. But for all you media out there exchanging words and wit for a paycheck ... kudos to you if you can get it right. And since I am an Oaklander ... I want to send a big fat kudos to our local rag ... the Oakland Magazine ... with the beee-utiful Grand Lake Movie Theater gracing the cover this month. I am so happy there is a local magazine to highlight Oakland. Oakland is such a fantastic place with a huge heart and lots of charisma! We have access to everything the bay area has to offer ... and we have the best views. (In so many ways)! We are the melting pot of America. So it is no surprise that in a city with 500,000+ people ... we should have a magazine that is for us. By us and for us. But know that it is a lot of hard work to produce a magazine month after month in a slammed economy like this. There are many obstacles for the small business these days. Pinch ... ouch! Every month, Oakland Magazine is reaching out to the community and sharing information about what is going on in Oakland. The community and businesses are paying attention and you are doing excellent work sharing the buzz around town. We Oaklanders and East Bay residents love to come together for a festival or a party, excellent food, celebratory cocktails, great shopping and a healthy farmer's market too ... so keep on keeping us posted of the who, what, when, where, why and how of all things Oakland and its surroundings. And Dear Editor: I am sure you have figured out that it is impossible to make everyone happy. Readers, advertisers, bill collectors, employees and editors all of different definitions of happy. They always will. Just keep pounding the pavement and looking for great angles, good stories, decent advertisers and amazing supporters. And BTW: Thank you for the annual Best of Oakland and Best of the East Bay edition that came out this month. In Montclair, we are proud, surprised and amazed to be recipients of several of the Best of Oakland Awards! http://www.oaklandmagazine.com Best Charity Event Montclair Pet Mayor Contest Montclair Pet & Wildlife Fund 1955 Mountain Blvd., Suite 111 (510) 339-2400 www.petandwildlifefund.org/mayor Best Veterinarian Montclair Veterinary Hospital 1961 Mountain Blvd. www.montclairvethospital.com Best Place to Work Montclair Veterinary Hospital 1961 Mountain Blvd. www.montclairvethospital.com Thank You Oakland Magazine and the East Bay Community for your support. I hella heart Oakland! There is no place I would rather be.

Several years ago I was a subscriber to the Oakland Magazine. There was a period that I had to…read morecancel the subscription due to budgetary reasons. Being on a three day work furlough from state employment meant sacrificing during those lean years when the "guvernator" aka "terminator" was in office...less dining out, less going out to the movies, museums, excursions, baseball games, etc., and a cancellation of a local magazine. Last year I saw a representative from Oakland/Alameda Magazines at a spring event (Mother's Day weekend) on Park Street in Alameda. I wanted so much to subscribe to the magazine and I was given a choice - the Oakland one or the Alameda one. The decision was not an easy one. I am a native Oaklander, living in Alameda since September 1988. However, Oakland will always be in my heart. I may be out of "ghetto" Oakland, but the "ghetto" is still in me when my OCGA is out in the open. Thus, Oakland Magazine wins out over the Alameda Magazine. As I have mentioned in other reviews, I can't think of anything better than having what I consider the best around me...born and educated in Oakland, live in Alameda and work in San Francisco. Most of my reviews are based around these three cities (88%). They all have something that I truly enjoy besides the weather and our local sports teams. Let me not stray off the subject of this magazine, but elaborate as to why I enjoy reading it. The magazine is informative and it also offers me the opportunity to try the different restaurants and attend the events that are advertised, only to form an opinion and present my review thereof on this website. The last two issues (December 2012; January/February 2013) were enjoyable reading. What a pleasure it was to see Dr. Warren Strudwick on the front cover of the December issue. He is considered one of the best treating physicians in the field of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. He also provided excellent medical care to my husband when he injured his shoulder in an automobile accident. The January/February 2013 issue is as what's noted on the front cover..."Journey Back in Time". I do recognize the architectural designs on the some of the buildings. Location is in the vicinity of 14th & Broadway. In this issue, there is a restaurant review of Hopscotch. I haven't been to Hopscotch yet, but their location is across the street from where I was born - 1966 San Pablo Avenue...a journey back in time to the 50's. I'm not sure what was at 1915 San Pablo Avenue during the 50's and all I could think is Friedman's Appliances. However, a few doors north of Friedman's was a restaurant called Victor's Chinese American Cafe and who owned that restaurant. Well, none other than Victor "Shanghai Kid" G's dad. Here's to you, Victor, and the wonderful memories of growing up in that part of town. (Hey, the Greyhound Station is still there after all these years and it still looks the same...rundown.) Thanks, Oakland Magazine, for this publication. I hope to enjoy more years of reading your magazine and wish you continued success in publishing a wonderful magazine.

The Pleasanton Weekly is a pro-real-estate-development freebie that purports to serve the local…read morecommunity, but which really does not. The competing paper -The Independent, provides much more balanced reporting of and perspective on local events. The only reason to have the PW sent to your home is so that you will have the pleasure of throwing it in the trash unread - at the paper's expense.

Not a bad paper, and it is free. Very local and pretty much only about Pleasanton; produced once a…read moreweek. Wish they had less bias or more viewpoints of both sides.

I love the fact that the "editor" wrote a review for his own magazine. This shiny, over-wrought,…read moreglossy, kiss-ass of a suck-up is more like a "foot in the door" for said editor regarding the wealthy and old money of San Francisco. The stories are all bland and homogeneous. The layouts look as if they were completed for a central valley high school newspaper. And the advertisements look like they were bartered for at the Civic Center Farmers Market. Nothing in this magazine suggests philanthropy, giving, or charity unless you consider said editor, Tim Gaskin, as being the recipient.

This magazine and the founders totally get it. They get why philanthropy on all levels is…read morenecessary and why it's also sexy. Yeah, SEXY!!! Benefit Magazine= SEXY Fundraising- Volunteering- Giving... Are growing elements of the 20 and 30 something lifestyle. Not just in Sucker Free but, across the nation. We are donating at a younger age and active in our communities. This magazine offers a road map to doing the afore mentioned effectively and with style. (Really, what's the point of doin' anything if you can't do it with a little flava') Being socially conscious doesn't mean we have to hug trees and be vegan walking 'round with hairy legs, wearing hemp tunics- puleeze. Shout out to Paul Corso and Tim Gaskin for totally getting it and for adding some flava to the development scene--- totally hot!

On June 5 they littered my house with their unsolicited paper.I cannot find anywhere on their…read morewebsite to unsubscribe to something I never subscribed to.By the way the litter is again in the street. They have made people customers without their consent,that includes me .

The Beacon is where I always turn to, for reliable local tradespeople…read more.... The editor; publisher..., Paul Kozak, would not have any "second rate" merchants, restaurants, and trades people. The Beaon, and its sister pub, the Richmond Review, have been pillars of the community for 20+ years.

I used to pick up this mag-rag to look at all the pretty shiny people in their happy gowns and…read morecostumes and think - gosh, they really live for this stuff. Then one day I get a call, and someone I know points out the fact that I'm in there! HA! Imagine that!? Guess this means I'm now legit. :) Either that or it's just great to be yourself.

I really enjoy reading this paper. Copies are put in my mail room every month and I enjoy reading…read moreabout local news, updates, and functions going on around town. People should be a little nicer about it, as they don't put anyone down, just show how much fun and exciting life is. With so many problems in the world, it is nice just to read about local attributes. They also have a cute office.

Coolest local paper ever. The reporters are really in tune to the local communities. The…read moreeditorials are well thought out, and the sports are comprehensive. Local coverage is excellent. They leave the major news to the news agencies and focus almost 100% on the local issues or how we locals can help the broader concerns of the world. Highly recommended.

I needed to updat e this review because the Review is really trying to get competitive and get news…read moreout - fast! Great local news - you have to receive the Review to know what is going on locally!! And now you can sign up for online news updates that are TIMELY!

The J is actually a pretty decent and lively Jewish community newspaper that doesn't read like the…read moreFederation tool that I've come to experience in other cities in my travels. The subscription is free if you contribute to the annual campaign, but I'm happy to pay for it myself, as I won't give money to a faith community that often discriminates against special needs kids. I especially enjoy the columnists, the joke page in back, and a sometimes lively letters section that often confirms that 2 Jews often have 3 different opinions. The continuing debate over last year's Jewish Film Festival, the Rachel Corrie movie event, and the Federation and Community response has been especially invigorating. However, the J did somewhat fall off the free speech wagon when it supported the suppression of the Berkeley Daily Planet and one particularly thuggish element within our Community. At the same time, I look forward to every issue as various debates continue with great rigor - intellectual and not.

I full disclosure I love the J! As a Jew in the bay area I have received the J for over a decade…read more I love Friday afternoons when I get the mail and my 50 pages of local contene is sitting waiting to be consumed on a quiet shabbat evening. I love the J and imagined that it was a tough time for them so I reached out to the good folks there about 18 months ago and offered a donation and help. Short story long, I ended up learning what a vibrant and passionate group of folks are there and I joined the board. Now I read my J every friday night religiously (no pun intended!) and enjoy local, national and important content in the jewish world. Thank you J!

Wow, meatpaper! This is a magazine dedicated entirely to the fleischgeist, with illustrations that…read morecapture our carniverous fantasies. The mag's articles are fascinating, and include interviews with the meat-obsessed, like Chef Chris Consentino of Incanto, butchers and even vegan philosophers. I think the parties might be the best thing about meatpaper, though. I just got back from an evening at Serpentine, where the hipsterati were out in full force and lined up for beef tartare, tender ribs, and duck pate, not to mention a full salumi bar from Perbacco AND vegetarian nibbles from Leif. No one was wanting for drinks either, with wine from Verge and dark and stormies with ginger beer free-flowing. Meatpaper, I love you, and your parties. I have a feeling one day you're going to help me accomplish my goal of eating a hog whole. G'night. I'm going to dream about flying pigs.

Meat is the new black - or so I learned from Sasha Wizansky a couple of weeks ago…read more She is the co-editor of Meatpaper, the new journal of meat culture. What is that you wonder. Hell, so did I. The one thing I know after tonight is that they can throw quite a party. Slow Club was hopping with meat enthusiasts for their opening party, and guess what: They were all skinny peeps. How's that you're asking? Heckifiknow. Somehow they managed to wrangle some fantastic meat and sausage producers to give away their wares for free (and so were the drinks). The magazine yourself you wonder? I like it - definitely worth checking out. Not for the faint of heart or vegans, that's for sure, but definitely a very interesting read. In their premiere issue they are covering everything from meat art to kosher butchering. Guten Appetit.