36 hrs in Oakland

So the New York Times did a piece on how to spend 36 hrs in Oakland.  I disagree with them on several of their recommendations so I'm writing my own 36 hrs in Oakland.  I'm removing anything I disagree with or have not done, because I can't recommend stuff that I haven't done myself.

Friday 5pm
A Sidebar beside the Lake
A new spot just opened on Lake Merritt, Sidebar, on the Lakeshore side.  It's a pretty chill bar/restaurant with well priced food and very good cocktails.  I think it would be a good place to start an evening, close out a long week, or somewhere to go after getting off a flight.  All the cocktails on the menu have a locavore version (made with local ingredients and alcohols) and the classic version (made the traditional way with the typical ingredients). 

6pm
Shouro to get you
Who knew that Telegraph Ave in Oakland is a hot bed of East African cuisine?  Well go to Cafe Colucci at Telegraph and Alcatraz to get a good introduction into Ethopian food.  I love this place so much that I can't bring myself to go somewhere else.  The food is eaten communely (ie everyone eating with their hands out of one plate) so it makes for an interesting experience for people not comfortable eating with their hands.  The vegetable plate, shouro, and mushroom tibs are our favorite.  After talking with some Ethiopian friends in Atlanta they were so excited to hear that we were able to try vegetarian Ethiopian food they wanted to come out and try it themselves.  Don't miss out on the anjeera (the bread you eat with the food) especially the one that the food is served on, because it soaks up all the goodness and finishing off with that is great.  They also have some wonderful honeywine.

7:30pm
Movies and music
The Grand Lake movie theater is right off of Lake Merritt and is an amazingly well kept old theater.  You can catch first run movies as well as occasional classics.  Alternatively there is the Paramount, which regularly shows classics such as North by Northwest and also has concerts.  Movies at the Paramount are a great experience complete with an organ player, a cartoon or two, a newsreel, and a raffle.  The Paramount is justifiably receiving stiff competition from the recently renovated Fox Theater, but hopefully both theaters will continue to thrive. 

Saturday 10am
Aunt Mary's cookin'
Not your typical breakfast joint with standard omlettes and pancakes Aunt Mary's puts a good twist on their food.  There are standards such as the Cajun french toast soaked in a whiskey custard sauce and Migas, but when we went there was a great corn bread encrusted frittata.  The space is very big and roomy, which means the wait shouldn't be too long and if it is there is a nice sitting area with books for the kids.  Sitting at the counter we were engaged in watching the chefs cooking we didn't even realize it had been a bit of a wait for the food.

12:00pm
View the port from Portview
Portview Park and Middle Harbor Park are two of the best views of San Francisco and both underappreciated parks.  The perfect place to fly a kite with a strong wind coming off of the Bay, but on a sunny weekend the ideal place to see the port in action. 

2:00pm
Sandwich and the Redwoods
Stop off at Genova Delicatessen to grab a sandwich before heading off to the Redwood Regional Park for some hiking.  There are some great trails and views from up in the hills.  If you take a more meandering route to get to the park you might be able to drive through the Oakland hills stopping to ogle at some amazing homes.  You can see the very obvious line of where the 1991 Oakland hills fire stopped, because some of the houses look considerably bigger and newer than their neighbors. 

6:00pm
Dr. Comics and Mr. Games or Walden Pond
On the way back from the hills stop off at either Dr. Comics and Mr. Games or Walden Pond to indulge your inner fanboy by discussing endlessly discussing comics at Dr. Comics or gaze at the often strange titles on display in the window at Walden Pond. 

8:00pm
Stars before Dinner
With the late lunch it might be a bit early for dinner so if the night sky is clear then head back to the hills to the Chabot Space Science Center.  There are three telescopes available for free viewing on clear nights.  Two of the scopes are the original ones from the mid 1900s and have no machine control (ie everything is done by hand).  Outside there are many amateur astronomers who set up their personal telescopes and offer to let others view. 

9:30pm
Marzano
Newly opened in the Glenview District above Lake Merritt is Marzano.  A slightly cramped fit, but wonderful pizza restaurant.  The pizzas are cooked in a brick oven and when they come out hot are just perfect.  They are the right size for two people so that a soup as the side will make an ideal dinner.  The cocktails are also well thought out and have very clean refreshing flavors. 

11:00pm
Get Trapped
The ideal beer bar is the Trappist.  A draft list that typically has 15 beers on it many of which don't look familiar and the bottle list is even more extensive.  Don't go here looking for anything you are used to, but your unfamiliarity will be greeted with open arms as they will offer tastes of beers.  Be careful with the beers though, because many are high percentage alcohol and will hit you hard and fast. 

Sunday 10:00am
Farm Fresh on the Bay
On a nice Sunday morning nothing beats strolling along the waterfront while perusing farm fresh produce at the Jack London Farmer's Market.  Eat at the Farmer's Market or get fat with the Fat Lady.  The Fat Lady is particularly fun during Halloween and Christmas as they really decorate the space up well and make it better and better every year.