Our Opinions

Fantasy Picks For Montclair Village

While making the regular stroll around the Montclair Farmers Market yesterday, it hit me that four prime storefronts are currently available for rent.  They are located on Mountain Blvd and La Salle Ave, right in the heart of these Montclair streetscape plans.

What a perfect opportunity for fantasy picks!  Even in this recession, there must be some kinds of shops we would embrace.  Given our penchant to travel to other Oakland districts, Berkeley and distant points, there are many possibilities.

Vision of Montclair (MVA)

Drumroll please…here are Today in Montclair’s fantasy picks to fill the open storefronts.  We have suggested different food and non-food options, and wonder if they could fly.

1 .  Vacant Jamba Juice store

  • Food – Offer Middle Eastern takeout, including authentic falafel, hummus, tabouli, salads, etc.  Why wait for the falafel stand on Sundays?
  • Non-Food – Open a store which sells specialty soaps, creams and other affordable spa goods.  Beyond the brand-name  items, local soap maker  Montclair Soaps and other regional suppliers would be prominently featured here.

2.  Former Knitting Basket shop

  • Food – Stock an old-fashioned store filled with specialty nuts, designer popcorn, spices, penny (dollar) candy, honey and syrup, etc.  We should have something besides chocolate in town.
  • Non-Food – Create a regional gift shop with items similar to what’s sold at Chabot Space & Science, the Oakland Zoo, East Bay Parks, etc.  This shop would have a green vibe, with all kinds of eco-friendly items too.

3.  Place next to A Great Good Place for Books

  • Food – Open a small  grill which sells Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian-style beefs.  This place would be unique in the area, and perhaps attract some non-Montclarions as well.
  • Non-Food – Ride the scrapbooking wave, with a shop/studio where you could draw, paint, decoupage, work on books, etc.  There’s already a mosaic shop in the village, which seems more arcane than this hobby.

4.  Old Argento Jewelry location

  • Food – Fill the Greek food gap by selling lamb, gyros, moussaka, pastichio and some great desserts.  The place could have a few tables but be supported by takeout, somewhat like the Flavors of India nearby.
  • Non-Food – Open a small store where everyone gets their electronics and phones fixed, with an on-site geek who really knows his/her stuff.  Batteries and other key supplies could be sold here too, for when things fail on us.

To burst the fantasy, these open storefronts may be with us a bit longer than anyone would like.  There must be retailers who seek out a nice, thriving village.  We would even patronize (gasp) chain outlets beyond these fantasy picks.

Montclarions Denounce Albano’s Firing

Some bad news was hidden in Mayor Ron Dellums’ announcement about new city appointees:  the quick firing of Claudia Albano, Oakland’s neighborhood services manager, who is much-loved among all neighborhood organizers.

Additionally Felicia Verdin, who coordinates the neighborhood watch program and community policing training, has been re-assigned to another department.  These changes are supposed to be effective by close of business, today.

Oakland Administration Gears

What the heck is this about?

When a politician or business executive first rides into town, you expect some housecleaning.  In this case, a new city administrator who isn’t new to the city, Dan Lindheim, may have some reasons to sack Albano and Verdin – or simply wants to create his own team.  We don’t know.

Yet this current team has made a difference for community volunteers.  They organize regular trainings, provide guidance and are touted as “what works” in Oakland city government.  There’s been a huge outpouring of grief from Montclarions, who have found them to be quite helpful on all safety matters (read here.)

Let’s see what happens today.

In this case, it makes sense for Mayor Dellums and City Administrator Lindheim to swallow their pride and reverse course.  Our neighborhood crime watch groups are based on volunteers and voters who value the support they have received over the past few years.  If it ain’t broke, then why break it?

Frankly I feel sorry for the new appointee, who is caught in the crossfire.  The Tribune reported that “Dorlista Reed, who helped develop the city of Berkeley’s Neighborhood Services initiative among other programs, [has been named] as public safety coordinator.”  She may be a qualified and wonderful person, but has a very hard act to follow.

Continue reading →

Bicycle To The Village Instead

Maybe it’s time to think about your bicycle as a practical means of transportation.  One way to stop worrying about Village parking is to bike there, if you can handle the hills near your home.

Oakland has long supported efforts to bicycle within city limits, and passed a new planning ordinance last summer regarding short-term and long-term parking – see bicycle parking requirements.

Even valet bike parking is part of the act, for major civic events with more than 5,000 people.  I remember grinning about this service at last fall’s Jazz & Wine Festival, and it’s proudly promoted again.

Valet Bike Parking

On a more regular basis, Oakland Police have been spotted with Cannondales in Montclair Village.  While cars are used to patrol the hills for would-be burglars, it’s nice to see these trusty steeds appear in town.  (There’s also an Oakland Bike Patrol, which accepts volunteers to help monitor the park trails.)

Oakland Police Bikes

From a commuting perspective, around 18% of 94611 residents say they live under 15 minutes from work – but only two percent bicycle to their workplaces.  Maybe the increased focus on bike parking plus shower facilities (in large buildings) will begin to change behaviors.

Many pieces are in place to support increased bicycle use.  Walk Oakland Bike Oakland keeps tabs on all the local news, and generally encourages us to hop on our two-wheelers throughout the city.  There’s also a local shop, Wheels of Justice, which provides the equipment and moral support.

Where are the riders?  We are creatures of habit, but should get off our collective duffs when going to the Village or other nearby spots.  I’m willing to give it a spin, next weekend.

Holiday Parking All Year Long

Remember those great holiday days, when you could park free in Montclair Village?  Unfortunately, the world has reverted back to its ugly self.  If you manage to arrive back at your car after meter time has expired, then be prepared to cough up a whopping $75 fine – I know first-hand.

Time for confession: Well, I headed to the Village with only an errand or two in mind, and ignored the garage option.  Instead, I pounced on a coveted LaSalle spot.  After quickly cursing the new-fangled meter, it produced a receipt which I gently placed on the dash.  This should be a fast one, I thought.

Parking Meter-Machines

The problem begins: My errands included minor visits to UPS and the ATM, and yours might be equally riveting.  Mission accomplished, I wandered over to both bookstores because they were calling my name.  Yes, the meter was completely forgotten.

When I ventured back to the car, the “envelope of doom” was tucked under the windshield wiper.  The ticketing officer seemed to be quite efficient and clearly won this round.

No real winners: I understand that meters are an income source for the City of Oakland and our dollars can help the cause.  At the same time, these time constraints also mean we have to shop quickly and get out of Dodge.  This doesn’t feel like the right way to attract business and support our local shop-keepers during a recession.

By encouraging and rewarding loitering, we surely would spend more shekels in the Village.  Let’s return to holiday parking – or at least move beyond free Sundays for starters.  What do you think?

Montclarions Too Distant From Oscar’s Death

Oaklanders rang in 2009 with our first killing, amplified for the world to see.  There’s plenty to say about Oscar Grant’s terrible demise, the BART cop, the inflamed protests, more orderly rallies – and seeing justice served.

In peaceful Montclair, we seem to be appropriately horrified by the killing and relieved the BART cop will be tried for murder.  But is that really enough?

Oscar Grant Rally

As I meet folks around Montclair Village, there’s not a high level of outrage here.  While I genuinely believe that people care, there’s a certain and clear distance from the goings-on.  Here’s an unadorned list of our reactions and behaviors:

  1. The action’s just a few miles away.
  2. We make sure not to drive downtown.
  3. We check the news obsessively.
  4. There’s chatter about this murder and its aftermath.
  5. Everyone feels safe in the hills, anyway.
  6. Everyone goes about their regular, daily lives.
  7. We talk about patronizing downtown businesses.
  8. We are hoping the BART cop gets put away.
  9. We don’t really do anything about the events.
  10. And we accept this is Oakland life.

Wow, reactions from residents are almost…like Israelis.  Yes, there’s a war going on with Hamas in Gaza.  We are in Tel Aviv and just know these things happen.  We continue with our lives, because we live like this.  It’s a bit of a metaphorical stretch, I admit.

But have we become so accepting of greater Oakland’s ills that we sort of ignore them in our daily lives?  Maybe there are some important lessons to learn, because we haven’t really entered the post-racial Obama heaven.   We could keep up the spirit of giving and helping, beyond the holidays.  Every small gesture helps.