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Steve Heimoff says Oakland has five cool places to hang out in: Bay Wolf Olivetto's Vine Paul Marcus Wines Nan Yang Just five? Five? I'll add The Alley at 3325 Grand Avenue. Cafe Van Kleef on 1621 Telegraph. Flora, the new restaurant up the street from Cafe Van Kleef on Telegraph. The Gingerbread House on 741 5th St. Lake Merritt itself -- one doesn't always have to spend money. The Oakland Museum on 10th Street. Cesar's on Piedmont Avenue. George Kaye's on 41st and Piedmont (a plug for Dave). Le Venende East on 9th Street and Washington in Old Oakland. Come to think of it, Old Oakland itself. There's Zachary's Pizza on College. Crogan's in Montclair. How about Dona Tomas on Telegraph near 51st? Or Cafe Roos on Piedmont. There's Girabaldi's on College Avenue, too. How about Luka's between 5 PM and 8 PM? And then on Tuesday night after 10 PM (I can't deal with the crowds there, because of the occasional knuckle-head fac...

According to the blog Oakland Geology, Adams Point, which is boardered by Grand Avenue, Harrison, 1-580, and Oakland Avenue -- forming a kind of weird triangle, was named after Edson Adams, who was one of the first land owner / squatters in Oakland. There's your trivia for today.

Richmond City Council Approves Chevron Upgrade Plan 5 to 4 After a long and bruising Tuesday night-into-Wednesday morning Richmond City Council meeting, the City Council approved Chevron's Richmond Oil Refinery Upgrade Plan on an emotional 5-4 vote and approving the community development plan 6 to 1. I attended the packed meeting which seemed to draw every media person in the Bay Area to Cutting Boulevard and the council gathering. It was indeed a people-circus, with folks representing those who wanted to save their Chevron jobs (which probably weren't going any where anyway) and others who were in opposition to the idea that Chevron was breathing, let alone upgrading an existing facility. The main issue is the assumed production using crude oil: Chevron says they don't use it at the plant; opponents say they're lying. The project has been the source of much controvery, with California Attorney General Jerry Brown weighing in, saying that the Environmental Im...

Vanity Fair's Alex Shoumatoff Mug Shot | Arrested at Bohemian Grove Hiding Behind Redwood Tree Exclusive Photo of Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff arrest at Bohemian Grove This is a major follow-up to our story on Alex Shoumatoff's arrest at Bohemian Grove yesterday. Wearing what he believed to be appropriate attire to join the rich and famous at the Bohemian Grove, Vanity Fair writer Alex Shoumatoff is seen here in his official Sonoma County Sheriff Department mug shot. He was captured trying to hide behind a redwood tree wearing a Pebble Beach pullover and day-old stubble. This is a sure sign that Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair editor, provided Shoumatoff with what he believes is “west coast attire.” My, how out of touch they both are on the left coast: Everyone out here knows that when you’re powerful and slumming in California you put your wornout Brioni or Loro Piana jacket on and couple it with $400+ jeans or perhaps some Ralph Lauren khakis. Then, should you reall...

Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff Arrested, Embarrassed at Bohemian Grove UPDATE > MUG SHOTS He Plans Hit Piece on Bohemian Club Tree Plans Alex Shoumatoff, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine, tried to sneak into the exclusive Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, Calif., this week. He was hoping to get an inside look at the exclusive retreat of some of the world’s most prominent CEOs, business leaders and politicians. Of course, he stuck out like a seersucker suit at a funeral and was promptly handcuffed and arrested . Most embarrassing for him: he was arrested by a part-time security guard whose day job is a plumber . One could say he was arrested at ‘plunger-point.’ Shoumatoff was attempting to sneak in to the 2,700 acre grove. Unfortunately, it’s hard to sneak in when you weight 375+ pounds and are prone to being arrogant and dropping names like dimes. Clearly, when captured, Shoumatoff couldn’t muster the right names to drop and he was detained, handcuffed and arreste...

Tonight, the City of Alameda's City Council will consider if it should increase the property transfer tax . I'm not sure this is a good idea in the middle of a weak economy where people are not encouraged to move, but to stay in place. But it seems cities are looking for any way to raise revenue.

In this installment in my video series I discuss the New Yorker cartoon of Barack and Michelle Obama and how it compares to Jesse Jackson's "nuts" gaffe of last week (which I contend was not a gaffe and was a deliberate action), and Ralph Nader's most unfortunate statement that Senator Obama was "acting white." I feature New Yorker Editor David Remick's explaination of the creation and use of the cartoon, and provide commentary. I then explain that all three actions were examples of "jumping the shark" -- using race to get attention for their message, but doing nothing to improve the American condition in the process.