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Throughout the month of June, Oakland North is featuring a weekly food series of summer treats that can be found in Oakland. This third installment focuses on Latin treats that can be found in Fruitvale and includes nopal cactus quesadillas filled with sautéed squash blossoms, corn ice cream, tamarind lollypops and fresh corn in a cup topped with lime, salt, chili, mayo and parmesan cheese.
What do you value most in a grocery store? A friendly environment? Locally grown food? Organic products? For many living in West Oakland, the answer is simple—fresh, quality produce.
Mama Buzz Café and Gallery is located on Telegraph Avenue in the heart of Oakland’s young art scene. In addition to showcasing new artists’ work each month, Mama Buzz invites musicians several times a week to play free concerts in the intimate setting of the café.
Just six months ago, because of travel sanctions against Cuba, a U.S. citizen could have faced up to a $55,000 fine and possibly served jail time if they traveled Cuba without going through a restrictive licensing process that allowed only specific groups of people to travel to the country. And even if they did attempt to get a license, most U.S. citizens didn’t qualify for it. Now, after an easing of travel restrictions by the federal government, many people will be able to easily get a license and catch a direct flight to Cuba straight from the Oakland International Airport.
Like one giant neighborhood picnic, “Bites on Broadway” officially launched its weekly food extravaganza last Friday. People laid down blankets on the grassy lawn of Oakland Tech High School in Temescal and sampled food from a handful of a different food trucks and tents, including El Taco Bike, Fist of Flour Pizza Company, Sue’s Sassy Pies, Go Streatery and Tina Tamale.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission voted 6-4 during a meeting on Wednesday afternoon to request the organizers of a community garden in North Oakland to obtain a $2,900 Conditional Use Permit from the city’s Planning Commission in order to continue their operation.
Over the next month, Oakland North is featuring a food series on summer treats in Oakland. This second installment in the series focuses on Middle Eastern treats that can be found along Telegraph Avenue around 30th Street, which includes everything from Syrian rose watered pistachio baklava to Afghani cornmeal-coated fried chicken to clarified butter spiced with both black and white cumin.
Oakland company Back to the roots grows mushrooms in recycled coffee grounds from Peet’s — and now thanks to their home mushroom kit, you can, too.
Nearly 30 years ago, in 1983, Dan Fontes was under Highway 580 at Harrison Street in North Oakland painting on a massive round concrete highway support beam. With cars speeding by, he diligently worked on his piece of art: a realistic depiction of a 30-foot tall giraffe craning its neck up toward the freeway. As Fontes painted, a police car pulled up…