Month: July 2009

Hella Hot, Hella Hot!

Oakland’s always perfect, when it comes to weather.  However today we are watching everyone wilt and complain, due to our elevated temps.  In true Oakland fashion, folks are twittering “hella hot, hella hot” quite madly!  It almost sounds like a communal choir out there:

Hella hot in oakland – Hot in Oakland! – is it hella hot in oakland right now – its @##$% hot in oakland double u tee eff lol – is it me or is it hella hot in Oakland today wtf? – DAMN hot summer days in oakland i got caught in a water fight – Why Oakland Hella Hot? Damn! – hoT dAYy iN OaklanD – hot in oakland

Yes, we’re restless and panting along with our dogs today.   At least some clouds are coming into view, so this heat spell should not last forever.

Oakland Weather - July 18, 2009

What’s the weather now?  Our micro weather stations are registering very hot numbers and zero winds to boot.  Usually the hills provide relief from the flatter areas, but today it seems like an inverted situation.

On Indian Way, the temperature is close to 90 degrees right now.  At Skyline and Snake, it’s over 87 degrees.  You get the picture when you step outside.  It’s not much better anywhere else, so just get a little soda, beer, or ice cream… and chill out.

Montclair Library Returns, Needs Help

Montclarions are pretty relieved to have the Montclair Library reopened and thriving again.  We decided to check in with Leon Cho, Montclair branch librarian, and hear how things are going.

“We had a very busy opening day, with about a 25% increase in circulation over what we do on a regular Monday,” said Cho.  “People were really glad to have us back, which was really gratifying.”

Montclair Library

Kids Have Returned

We think parents are celebrating, actually.  Everyone missed the place, which was closed from late March through early July for mold abatement.  That’s a long time to keep your kids away from their library, and traveling to nearby branches was not cutting it.

Librarian Cho reported that children have returned in “full force” to the branch.  Story time has resumed on Thursdays at 10:30am, with stories, songs and fingerplays for pre-schoolers.  For all kids, there’s a Summer Reading program and they are being encouraged to read for fun.

As part of Summer Reading, Drummm (yes, three m’s) will appear this Wednesday, at 10:30am.  These performers plan to make plenty of loud noises at the library, through their group drumming, African percussion demos and rhythm connections.

Budget Cuts Hit Montclair Library

Like all things Oakland, Montclair has been impacted by budget cuts and staff shortages – notably the children’s librarian position.  Unfortunately the second weekly story time, especially for toddlers, has been scrapped for now.  You may take your tiny tikes to the Rockridge branch (map) on Saturdays, at 10:30am.

As part of your civic duty, come support the Montclair Library!  This Saturday, the  Friends of Montclair Library are holding a grand Re-opening Party from 11am-3pm.  The party features a short welcoming ceremony at 11am, light refreshments and a bargain-basement book sale.  All proceeds help our library directly.

Of course, sweat-of-the-brow volunteers are also welcomed at the library.  There are a lot of things that need to get done, so please reach Librarian Cho about openings for adult and youth anytime.

More info:  Montclair Library is located at 1687 Mountain Blvd (map).  It’s opened daily except Sundays.  Hours are Mon from 12:30pm-8:00pm; Tues, Wed, Thurs and Sat from 10:00am-5:30pm; and Fri from 12:00pm-5:30pm.  Branch Manager Leon Cho may be reached by emailing lcho@oaklandlibrary.org or calling (510) 482-7810.

Practical Considerations, We Want Longs

There’s buzz lately about Safeway and their redevelopment plans for Rockridge Shopping Center.  As a first step, they intend to occupy the Big Long’s Drugs site and have already put the wheels in motion for mall modifications.  Many Oaklanders seem to be chatting about urban renewal possibilities there, so we wondered about your reactions in particular.

Long's Drugs, North Oakland

Well, Montclarions seem to be focused on practical considerations and their everyday, last-minute needs.  A nicer shopping venue would be great and all, but we have hella-love for this Long’s location and don’t want to see the place die:

The Long’s at Pleasant Valley is the only place where Oaklanders can go for a one-stop variety of things – drugstore, hardware, garden center, shoe repair, fabric, furniture, and appliances.  I’d hate to see it go.  Our city needs a general store, no matter if it’s in an auto-centric mall.

Oh no!  I was just at this Long’s tonight.  Diapers, vitamins, pie tins, swimming gear, a birthday card, and some groceries.  I love it for being so vast and exhaustive.  Everything’s there.  Even Top Dog.

Love that Long’s – 24 hours a day, with everything you could ever need.  Nothing else in the area comes close.

Apparently Montclarions are not alone in their Long’s adoration.  On Yelp, some 172 Oaklanders have even awarded 4.5 of 5 stars to this location.  You can read about shoppers who arrive at odd hours for things they need or didn’t know they needed.  One reviewer, on hearing about the closure, exclaimed: “Where else are we Oaklanders supposed to go during the Zombie Apocalypse?”

Regardless of the pro-Long’s contingent, reviews of mall changes are underway.   Oakland’s Planning Commission is soliciting comments on the scope of the environmental impact report tonight.  Many cool ideas have been surfaced by Oaklanders about transforming the entire mall footprint and creating a friendlier urban hangout.

Yet one thing seems clear:  your cries to save Long’s Drugs will fall on deaf ears.  You should start preparing for the loss of this geriatric and well-loved Long’s, due to expire sometime next year.  Getting a CVS or other drug store replacement simply isn’t the same thing.

More info:  A Better Oakland – San Francisco Chronicle – Living in the O – Transbay Blog – Our Oakland – Safeway Redevelopment Project – July 15th Meeting News

Where To Walk When It’s Too Hot

Today we’re supposed to hit 88 degrees, even in Oakland.  Yes, we know more robust East Bayers from the other side of the Caldecott Tunnel can take triple digits, but these temps are plenty hot for us.

To honor and respect the heat, the Montclair Hiking Club called off their weekly hike which had been planned for a distant red-hot spot.  That makes some sense, but you can always walk – even in the worst heat imaginable – in our local hills.

Typical Huckleberry Relief

Assuming you aren’t getting out there by dawn, don’t give up hope on Spare The Air Days!  The not-so-secret trees, and their fantastic shade, never disappoint the mid-day walkers.  Here are our favorite, reliable paths even in summer doldrums:

  • Huckleberry Relief – 90% shade – Take Huckleberry Path on the left (.05), turn right on Bay Area Ridge Trail (0.37) and saunter for a while in the woods (1.33).  Then veer right to return on Huckleberry Path (2.39).  See trail map and trail head.
  • Huckleberry-Sibley Traverse – 65% shade – Take Huckleberry Path on the left (.05), turn left on Bay Area Ridge Trail (0.37) and take another left (0.49).  Then zig right (1.30) and zag left (1.38) to land on a paved road (1.41).  Proceed uphill to take in a Mt. Diablo view and finally reach Round Top (est 2.0).  Retrace steps to Huckleberry (est 4.0).  See trail map and trail head.
  • Redwood Stream Trail – 90% shade – From Skyline, take the classic Stream Trail out and back, even when there’s zero running water.  Stay in the shade by sticking to this valley floor until trail’s end (1.93), and return the same way (3.86).  The walk can be shortened, since it’s an up-and-back route.  See trail map and trail head.
  • Redwood Classic – 75% shade – From Skyline, take West Ridge Trail and turn left on French Trail (0.59).  Make a left on Tres Sendas (1.19), right on Star Flower (1.43), left on French (1.60) and left on Chown (3.28).  At bottom, take a left on Stream Trail (3.82) and return back (5.75).  See trail map and trail head.
  • Redwood Peak – 95% shade – Park at Chabot Space & Science lot.  Take West Ridge Trail through Redwood Bowl and follow signs to Redwood Peak, even though they feel like side trails.  Yes this is all redwoods, all the time here (est 1 mile, round trip).  See trail map and trail head.
  • Joaquin Miller Park – 65% shade – Start at Sunset Loop and turn left on either Wild Rose or Fern Ravine.  Make a right on Sequoia Bayview Trail, and then head down Sunset Trail to return (est 2 miles, round trip).  An alternate route takes you left on Sunset Trail and Palos Colorados Trail along the stream, and then heads back (est 2 miles, round trip).  See trail map and trail head.
  • Leona Canyon Escape – 50% shade – From Canyon Oaks, take Leona Trail past the vestiges of a running stream.  Take a left on Pyrite Trail (0.73) and head upwards until trail’s end (1.53).  Return back to Canyon Oaks (3.06).  See trail map and trail head.

Now we have removed all the excuses, as you can luxuriate in Madrones or Redwood trees which pretty much snuff out the sunlight all year.  Feel free to suggest some of your own favorite escapes from the heated days too.

Full, Fleeting Rainbow Last Night

Around 8:30pm last night, a light rain shower came through the hills and then a complete rainbow appeared like Oz!  It started on the right and grew all the way to the left.  This was an unusually iridescent rainbow, with amazing orange and yellow hues in the spectrum.

We ran outside to the deck with cell phone cameras in hand, and vainly tried to capture the full, fleeting rainbow.  It was a rapid-fire event, lasting around 15 minutes or so before nightfall.

Rainbow 1

Rainbow 2

Rainbow 3

Did anyone else in Montclair see this beautiful show from Mother Nature?  After taking these shots, we were thinking about searching for lucre and leprechauns – but the rainbow vanished before we were able to explore its ends.