A weekend in Oakland
We popped over to the West Coast to explore the city on the other side of the bay: Oakland! My great friend Katelyn and her boyfriend moved to the Lake Merritt neighborhood last fall with their sweet pup Mylo and cat Waffles, and have been raving about it ever since. 
Although it was a super quick trip–made even quicker with a long flight delay on our way out there–we still had such a good time checking out the city. Despite growing up just a couple of hours away, I’d never really explored Oakland and we were pleasantly surprised by how many great shops, restaurants and breweries there were–all within easy walking or cheap Lyft-ing distance. Katelyn and Michael were awesome tour guides, taking us to all of their favorite places–it was such a fun weekend, filled with lots of laughter and plenty of drinks!
The Gastropig
After a late-night flight that unexpectedly turned into a red-eye, we checked into our Airbnb and squeezed in a couple of hours of sleep–and then our first stop was coffee and breakfast! We went to The Gastropig for bacon-heavy breakfast sandwiches and sweet Vietnamese coffees. No photos because I inhaled mine as soon as we sat down!
Temescal Alleys
We took a nice leisurely walk over to the neighborhood of Temescal, admiring all of the flower-filled front yards and adorable houses along the way. We popped into the the super cute Temescal Alleys, a little strip with an apothecary and old-school barbershop and fancy ice cream store.
Temescal Brewing
Temescal Brewing might be the most beautifully modern and design-centric brewery I’ve ever seen: I couldn’t stop swooning as soon as we walked in! I tried the apricot and the guava beers (love a good fruit beer!), and they were both super light and refreshing and delicious. The outdoor courtyard is made for drinking sessions on a sunny day with a group of friends (and dogs)–I could have easily spent all day here. 
Lake Merritt
My friends live a few blocks from Lake Merritt, so we spent a bit of time walking along the waterfront. We lucked out with beautiful weather, so the area lining the lake was filled with dog-walkers and picnickers and joggers: such a nice active, outdoorsy vibe! The loop around the lake is three miles long, and David actually ran around it a few times on Sunday as part of his half-marathon training: he reports back that it’s an easy flat run!
Ordinaire
How cute is this little wine bar? Ordinaire has some great tasting options, a bit of sidewalk seating and even kombucha on tap! 
La Parisienne
I popped my head into La Parisienne just because it looked cute, and before I knew it, David was being rung up for a few canelés–his favorite pastry that he discovered on our trip to Paris. 
Brothers & Sisters Flower Shop
Couldn’t stop ooh-ing and aah-ing over all of the beautiful flowers in Brothers & Sisters Flower Shop: such a magical little space. 
Walden Pond Books
I also loved the vibe at Walden Pond Books, an independent bookstore tucked away on the hustle and bustle of Grand Avenue. “Extraordinary books make extraordinary gifts”–isn’t that a nice sentiment? 
Grand Lake Kitchen
We had lunch at Grand Lake Kitchen, and although the food was great–the boozy slushies were 100% my favorite part of the meal. I opted for the Green Machine, which had white rum, lime, ginger beer, mint celery and avocado–basically healthy!
Oakland City Rose Garden
When David was doing his long run around Lake Merritt on Sunday, I went on a little adventure of my own and stumbled over some pastel-colored houses in the Lower Hills and the Oakland City Rose Garden in full bloom. Such a hidden gem!
Oakland Grill
Definitely a straightforward diner vibe at Oakland Grill in Jack London Square, but I gotta say, these strawberry and banana Belgian waffles were everything.
Overall, we had such a great trip–it’s definitely worth venturing over to the East Bay next time you’re in San Francisco and exploring all of the gems Oakland has to offer. I’m already planning on hopping on BART for a boozy slushie fix next time I’m in the area!
Have you ever been to Oakland? What was your favorite part?
