During the last couple years that I lived in San Francisco, serious rumblings had started to take place across the Bay. It began with artists' studios and designers' ateliers. Then came the coffee shops and a few intrepid boutique owners, followed by bars, bakeries, restaurants, and co-working spaces. Before anyone realized what was happening, Oakland was home to an explosion of creativity.
It was only a matter of time before someone decided to write a book about Oakland's renaissance, and there's no better authority on the subject than Melissa Davis of Ruby Press. Melissa has lived in Oakland for over a decade, and not only has she witnessed the city's resurgence firsthand, she's also played a key role in it—as a publicist helping to grow some of Oaklands now-thriving businesses.
The book is called 'This Is Oakland: A Guide to the City's Most Interesting Places', and it's a glorious homage to the trailblazers who are putting O-Town on the map. The only catch? Melissa and her collaborator, photographer Kristen Loken, are self-publishing. They've completed the whole thing, and now they need us to buy enough advance copies to send this baby to the printer. Once you peruse their Kickstarter page page, I promise you'll want to reserve a copy faster than you can say 'Go Giants!'
*Sorry, couldn't resist a little cross-Bay baseball rivalry humor! Photos: Kristen Loken
Thanks for sharing this! I’m moving to Oakland in May, and I’m VERY anxious to get there and start exploring. Definitely supporting this project!
It is great to see “Oaktown” featured on Anne Sage. I live in the urban areas of East Oakland where there are also amazing places full of culture such as the Fruitvale District, the Laurel District, and the beautiful landscape of Golf Links Road and Skyline Blvd. The beauty of Oakland is that it is it’s own melting pot with a myriad of history and adventures around every corner.