San Francisco's stepchild

Oakland is a city made up of several distinct and charming neighborhoods. The Rockridge district is a short BART ride away from San Francisco and offers excellent dining, quaint boutiques, and a rich atmosphere. The Lake Merritt area boasts the Grand Lake Theater, a restored movie house from a grander era. There's a bustling farmer's market here on Saturdays. Jack London Square houses a number of shops and restaurants, as well as a beautiful view of the boats and the Bay. The view of Oakland/San Francisco from the Lawrence Hall of Science is arguably one of the best views in the world.

Quick Tips:

Oakland has a more temperate climate than San Francisco, with more sun and less wind in general. But it's always best to be prepared for weather changes. Dressing in layers or bringing a light jacket is recommended.

Oakland is not an unsafe town, provided you have your destination and route planned in advance. Parking is easier than in San Francisco, but can still be tricky in some areas. Plan to spend an additional 10 minutes looking for parking. Parking at BART stations is currently free. BART runs through the downtown area and connects you with Berkeley, San Francisco, and the soon-to-be-completed extension to SFO.

Best Way To Get Around:

BART is an excellent transportation option and allows you to spend time exploring San Francisco without paying city prices. Check out www.bart.org for current schedules and pricing information. For transportation within Oakland, driving or taking taxis are recommended. Taxis are readily available in major areas, and can allow you to then explore a neighborhood on foot.

The Oakland Marriott is an unusually shaped building in the middle of Oakland's revitalizing downtown area. The triangle offers views of the SF skyline and SF Bay from two sides, while the other side takes in the Oakland Hills.

The hotel is 4-star, modern, clean, and efficent. The rooms are average-sized with firm beds, new looking linens and furnishings, and large windows overlooking the bay or the hills. They include a coffee maker, iron, ironing board, hair dryer, and mini-bar. The bathrooms are large and well appointed with a full range of toiletries. The hotel has a restaurant and offers room service.

The best thing about this hotel is its proximity to BART. You are step away for the 12th St BART station which can take to in 20 minutes to dowtown San Francisco, or in 10 minutes to Berkeley.

Gramma's Rose Garden Inn is located about 2 miles south of UC Berkeley on Telegraph Avenue. Telegraph Avenue has justly developed a reputation as the center point for counterculture conglomeration in the East Bay.

Gramma's, behind a vine and rose covered fence, allows you to forget the passing traffic and pedestrians that cover so much of the Berkeley landscape. Situated on the corner and taking up a good half of the block, Gramma's is three Victorian-style houses, each fully restored. The grounds are meticulously landscaped and maintained, and give you the feeling of being in a country cottage. The grounds and rooms retain a quiet elegance, despite being to close to the hubbub of Telegraph Avenue. The rooms vary in size and amenities, but all are decorated in Victorian-style. The mattresses were comfortable, and the linens were soft and becoming. The decor is period without being overwhelming. There are no TVs or minibars. Bathrooms ranged from average to exceptional, with a ball-and-claw soaking tub and separate shower. Some rooms have bay or hillside views. Parking is on site and is complimentary, as is the full hot breakfast served in the home's garden rooms downstairs.

The close proximity to campus makes the inn an excellent choice for parents visiting their children at UC Berkeley, as well as those looking for a getaway feeling without having to go too far away.

Mijori is my favorite sushi bar in the east bay. You hear a lot about sushi in San Francisco. There are several restaurants that are known as being the best in the city, and maybe, well, the country. But Mijori packs them in every night by serving impeccably fresh fish at fantastic prices.

Their speciality rolls are universally delicious. The Titanic is my favorite (tempura crab and shrimp with avocado wrapped in seaweed topped with alternating Ahi and salmon with spceial sauce). The proportion of rice to fish is perfect. The Ahi is always blood red and firm, the salmon melts like butter on your tongue. I've tried just about every roll on the menu and haven't had a bad one yet. Favorites include: the Eagle, the Hole-in-1, 49er, Dynamite roll, Philadelphia roll, and the ever present spicy tuna roll (theirs is certainly spicy). The most expensive roll is $7.95 and comes in 8 fat pieces. My boyfriend and I would eat here about once a week, get four rolls, and a large sapporo and it would set us back about $40, including tax and tip. I miss it.

The Blue Nile is a Berkeley institution. Owned and operated by the same Ethiopian family for over 15 years, the restaurant's small door belies its delicious food and warm hospitality. The interior is slightly worn and there always seems to be a layer of dust on top of the light fixtures. Seating is available upstairs or down, and be prepared to wait if you come by on a Friday or Saturday night.

To start, order a liter of honey wine or Tej (the j is soft). The wine is almost sickly sweet, but it helps to cut the spice of later food. Go with three of for people and order family style. I love the curried lentils and the kitfo (spiced sirloin) cooked. Spicy dishes are only mildly spiced, and all meals come with rice and cooked vegetables (carrots and potatoes)

Be WARNED: you eat with your fingers!! Ethiopian food is traditionally eaten with a thin pancake like bread called injera, and that's how it's served here. You tear a piece of injera off and use it to scoop up some of the food on your very large platter.

I've had several very memorable meals at the Blue Nile and think it's a great place to go for a taste of Berkeley.

The Paramount Theatre, located in Downtown Oakland, is a shining example of the highest in Art Deco architecture and ambience. For those not familiar with downtown Oakland, it is a collector's delight of Art Deco architecture in various states of repair. The Paramount Theatre has been fully restored to its neon-and-nickel glory. The Oakland Symphony and the Oakland Ballet perform here. The Paramount also hosts a number of contemporary music artists, from John Lee Hooker to Melissa Etheridge. A good and inexpensive way to savor the ambience and art is to go to the Friday night movie. The Paramount screens classic films on their big screen on Friday nights during the off-season. Admission is $5 and the shows typically start at 8pm. Check out their website for more information.

The theatre is conveniently located two blocks from the 18th and Broadway BART station, making it accessible from San Francisco and other parts of the East Bay. Street parking is readily available and free after 6pm.

Tilden Park is like heaven. It's an oasis of calm and nature on the middle of a sprawling metropolis. Tilden is only one of about 30 EBPRD parks, include a couple of lakes, campgrounds, and some of the best mountain biking trails anywhere. Tilden is easily accessible from Oakland or Berkeley (follow Clairemont Street up the hills until you can't go any farther, then make a right). It's large and typically not crowded. There's no cost to park or use any of the facilities.

Ahhh, Barclay's. How many hours I wasted there when I should have been studying? How many brain cells have I killed while warming a well-worm oak stool?

Barclay's is an English pub in the northern California tradition. There are over 30 beers on tap and they’re always changing – there’s Guiness on pull. For those who haven't had the pleasure of a pulled beer. It's fun to watch and a touch warmer than we Americans are used to drinking. Barclay's has a full menu of better than average pub food (the fish and chips are to DIE for), a dart game set up in the back and a couple of big screens.

Sports are on in the background, but mostly you see families and friends hanging out around the antique oak tables. Smoking is allowed outside, where they have heaters to stave off the chill.