THIS LAKE IS NOT 3 MILES

I rather thought it might be nice to provide a weekly update for myself as much as anyone. This is my first Saturday up in Oakland and I will endeavor to post next Saturday and the one following and so on and so on.

At present, I am sitting on Karen's white leather sofa admiring her amazing view of Lake Merritt and downtown Oakland on a wondrously sunny day.

Karen is a good friend of Robin who lives above Andrew and Rogelio just 1/2 a block away. I met Karen on Tuesday and quite happily agreed to stay at her place this week while she is in DC and watch her two lovely cats Max and Adele.

They have been in roughly these same positions of repose for the last hour or so. Outside the window there are people running, walking, lounging on the grass, watching boaters, playing music, driving, shopping, etc. The lake is very much the center of this little community and boasts a Saturday farmer's market, a botanical garden, a boating and rowing club, a jogging path, thousands of geese, and a little place called Fairyland. On Wednesday afternoon I thought I would take part in some fresh air and exercise and set off to jog around the lake, which I was told was 3 miles.

This lake is not 3 miles.

Unbeknownst to me, in the sort of northwest corner bit completely hidden from view is a huge curved bit of lake that is home to a place called Fairyland (sadly, not yet explored). The lake, which I assumed was vaguely circular turns out to me more of a paint splatter shape (think gak container from the 90s). At about 1.7 miles and apparently nowhere near the halfway point, I turned back the way I'd came and so did not jog the circumference of the lake. But I will.

More fresh air and exercise was had yesterday when I met up with Andrew and Rogelio to go for a hike in the Redwood Regional Park only a mere 10 miles from where I am staying. Imagine my total elation in being shown this place. REDWOOD FOREST ONLY 10 MILES AWAY!

These trees and I will be fast friends. My plan is to go hiking there at least once a week though the exact day might change because this morning I got a job! Andrew so very sweetly talked me up to his boss Iver at The Creamery and I start training next week. I will be making coffee, pouring pints, waiting tables, and, most importantly, be helping Iver set up a long-term green business strategy! In addition to my shifts at The Creamery, I will also be working from home on a marketing and development plan and Iver already indicated that he has several greenbiz contacts and will pass my resume around to people he knows informing them that they best hire me "before I get snatched up by someone else."

Week at a Glance

Ate at:

House of Curries (Indian food yum, yum, yum)

King Yen (great Chinese - finally!)

Burma Superstar! (Name says it all)

Saw:

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at Piedmont Theatre - opened in 1917!

Explored:

Lake Merritt Boating Center

Grand Lake Farmers' Market

Redwood Regional Park