California Official Visitor's Guide 2023 - 80

san francisco bay area LOCAL INSIDERS
✺
OVER 125
LANGUAGES
AND DIALECTS
ARE SPOKEN
WITHIN
OAKLAND'S
BORDERS
" BAR SHIRU is a vinyl
record bar that's super
beautiful inside. They
serve sophisticated
cocktails, and they
play only vinyl records.
Their record collection
is amazing. There's an
energy and a speakeasy
vibe in there. The whole
point of the space is
to be able to hear the
records that are being
played, so their capacity
limit is very strict. It's
never overcrowded.
They really honor the
sound-everything's
built around that. It's
just a beautiful place to
go, and there's nothing
else like it in Oakland. "
OAKLAND
Kalkidan Gebreyohannes
and J'Maica Roxanne
OWNERS OF BLK GIRLS GREEN HOUSE
Tucked among West Oakland's gritty-cool industrial warehouses, there's a
shop overflowing with green serenity. Blk Girls Green House on Center Street is
part community sanctuary and part luxuriant plant boutique. Patrons can take
home a leafy new best friend or browse the aromatic candles, greeting cards,
and decor made by Black creators. And they can do so while admiring the
impeccable style of the shop's owners, Kalkidan Gebreyohannes and J'Maica
Roxanne. " Our space definitely lends itself to being a peaceful retreat as much
as a plant shop, " Roxanne says. The pair share top picks for Oakland visitors.
Oakland is home to
MARCUS BOOKS, the
oldest Black-owned
bookstore in the
country. " It's one of my
favorite bookstores, and
I can walk there from
my house, " Roxanne
says. " If I'm looking
for a book or if I just
have some free time,
I'll usually make my
way over there just to
see what's in stock.
We actually partnered
with them for a book
signing that we held last
November, I believe. So
that was really exciting. "
" ROCKRIDGE is a great
area for bookstores,
good restaurants, and
specialty shops, and the
Temescal neighborhood
is always a fun place to
browse. We also love
Dish Boutique on 23rd
Street, which is a bit off
80 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
the beaten path. It's a
boutique that features
apparel, jewelry, and
accessories from smallbatch
designers. "
" MELA BISTRO serves
wonderful Ethiopian
food. It's amazing,
delicious, and healthy.
It's a cozy restaurant
that makes lamb,
seafood, chicken, and
vegetarian dishes, and
everything is served
with injera-the thin,
spongey bread that you
use to pick up the food
with your hands. They
also serve Ethiopian
honey wine. "
" Everyone should
experience a movie
at the GRAND LAKE
THEATRE. It's a
beautiful art deco
theater on Grand
Avenue that was built
in 1926, so it gives you
that old-school movie
experience. There's
a grand staircase,
chandeliers, ornate
woodwork, velvet
curtain. On weekend
nights an organist plays
the Wurlitzer before the
featured movie. "
" It's new, but HIGH
5IVE, the rooftop bar
at the new Kissel Hotel,
has a really nice vibe.
It's a good place to go
have a cocktail and
grab some satisfying
small bites. They've had
a pretty good playlist
when I've been in there,
and they have a great
city view from up high. "
SORAYA MATOS
http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
California Official Visitor's Guide 2023

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