What Do You Know About Mountain View Cemetary?

Currently, people cannot wait for Halloween, which is next Wednesday. Everyone is thinking about haunted attractions, pumpkin carvings, trick or treating and festive designs. Right now, graves and tombstones may remind people of Halloween but it reminds me of a very special place in Oakland that I like to go very often, the cemetery.

A lot of people get spooked out when they see a view of a flat barren and soulless cemetery filled with tombstones but Mountain View cemetery is different. It has breathtaking views of the bay, to die for landscapes, amazing historical figures, and contains many memories that I have made over the last few years.

Top of Mountain View Cemetary

Mountain View cemetery in Oakland is located on 5000 Piedmont Ave, which is on the same street as Fentons Creamery and Restaurant. This place is rather remotely hidden so one must really have to get inside the gate to see the actual cemetery.

Interestingly, Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City’s central park, UC Berkeley and Stanford University, also designed this cemetery. Olmsted wanted to create a place where man and nature could exist in harmony, so he accomplished by making it into a park-like-cemetery with beautiful flowers, bubbling fountains, gorgeous crypts, and plenty of trees and ponds.

Domingo Ghirardelli's Tombstone

Samuel Merritt's Tombstone

With Olmsted’s reputation, many historical and notable figures are buried here. Since so many of them were quite wealthy, there is one section in the cemetary that is known as "Millionaires' Row.” In Millionaires’ Row lies Domingo Ghirardelli, who established the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Samuel Merritt, early Mayor of Oakland, and Henry J. Kaiser, founder of Kaiser Permanente. 

Not in Millionaires’ Row but is one very notable figure that my friends and I have longed to visit but have not accomplished in finding is Mac Dre, the rapper. He was born in Oakland and his music gained world wide popularity in the late 1990’s. However his career ended with his death in 2004 but even till today, he remains famous.

Macdre's Tombstone

Most importantly, my grandfather was buried here. Every time I come here, which is very often, I go and visit his grave. It is said that this cemetery has very good feng shui and I believe that because the area my grandpa was buried directly faces the bay area. With his grave buried on the very top of the cemetery, there is nothing that impedes my view of Oakland and some parts of San Francisco. It is absolutely stunning!

This cemetery offers so much more than just your average cemetery. I have only touched the surface but next week I will continue on bringing you light into this beautiful place. 

To be continue....

What Do You Know About Lake Merritt?

Aerial view of Lake Merrit

I remember over the summer when there were nothing to do, my friends and I would lay down on a field of green and glaze into the tranquilizing body of river that flows from the estuary. This body of water, Lake Merritt, is a large lagoon that spans 155 acres and is located east of downtown Oakland. No one expects a beautiful lake surrounded by parklands and city neighborhoods to be in Oakland but nevertheless, it exists.

Lake Merritt is actually one of Oakland’s hidden gems and has pathways around the perimeter of the lake for people to bike, jog, walk, etc. The lake is approximately 3.1 M (5km) and many people like to come here to exercise.

Couple on a gondola ride in Lake Merrit

I remember there were multiple times when I was younger, my parents would make the family go to Lake Merritt and exercise. It is not like any of my family members were athletic or anything but it was because my parents though it was a good idea to breath in some fresh air and to spent some quality family time together. We went for a total of five times and never went back as a family ever since. However, I know that my sister runs the lake every Sunday and I occasionally bike around the area for fun.

Besides exercising, there are actual activities people can participate in the lake. Besides swimming of course! During the day, many people like to go kayaking, sailing, or canoeing. You would assume that a lake in the middle of Oakland would not big enough but think otherwise. The lake spans 155 acres, so imagine combining 35-40 football fields together. Any one can kayak for some time in this kind of distance!

"Necklace of Light"

People can go on gondola rides! Yes, gondola rides! By making a reservation at Gondola Servizio, you get to experience Venice in Oakland with your own personal gondolier. I have seen one before but I have yet to go on one. People who go on this ride can definitely experience a 360-degree view of Oakland’s cityscape. Especially in the evening, with late reservations, people get to see the city with the lights turned on.

There are 126 lampposts and 3,400 pearl like bulbs that encircle the perimeter of Lake Merritt. These pearl like light bulbs come together to form a string and attaches to the top of each lamppost, making the resemblance of a necklace. This necklace is called the “necklace of lights” and when turned on, illuminates Oakland.

Necklace of Lights

Right before the sun sets, with the “necklace of lights” and surrounding buildings light up, Lake Merritt is mesmerizing. Many people expect to see Oakland trashed and in penury but beauty does exist from within. Lake Merritt is one of them and I encourage people to come see this so called hidden gem for themselves.

P.S. Experience like you have never before!

What Do You Know About Fentons?

Disney Pixar animated movie, UP

Ever wonder whether the iconic “Fentons” ice cream parlor in the Disney Pixar animated movie, UP, is real? Well, I am here to tell you that it is a real place and it is in Oakland, California. It is located on 4226 Piedmont Ave, between Glenwood Ave & Ridgeway Ave. The director of UP and his family are regular customers thus resulting in the feature of Fentons in the movie. I myself have been going to Fentons Creamery since I was in 6^th grade and I must say, the ice cream there is phenomenal.

Fentons Creamery is also a restaurant that serves food but is more known for their ice cream ever since they opened 118 years ago. For those of you that do not know, Fentons makes their own ice cream with fresh and high quality ingredients. It has been rumored that a worker in Fentons made a rocky road candy bar and blended it into an ice cream flavor. My friend once asked an employee and till this day the restaurant claims that they are the original creator of rocky road ice cream. As much as I love rocky road ice cream, my favorite is the coffee cookie dream, which is coffee flavored ice cream blended in with Oreos and cookie dough.

Fentons Creamery

Every time I want to go the Fentons, I make sure not to go during peak hours because there is always a line out the door. Through experience, I have once waited for more than 30 minutes. Do not let the wait persuade you to go somewhere else because it all will be worth it once you get your hands on their ice cream. Fentons is a family restaurant with customers that have been going for years so I always feel like there is a warm/nostalgic atmosphere whenever I am dining. The place is filled with excited little kids and sometimes the noise can get a little overwhelming. The staff there is friendly but most importantly they are quick on their toes and always seem to be ready to serve the customers and to clean up the tables.

Fentons makes it so difficult to choose with their plethora of ice cream flavors and sundaes. When I am with a few friends, I always go with a petite scoop of my favorite coffee cookie dream that costs around $4 dollars. However, when I am with a huge group of friends, we like to order the banana special, which is a huge plate filled with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream in between a whole banana topped with pineapple, strawberry & chocolate fudge, almonds, whipped cream and cherry. All this for a total of $14. Do not let the price fool you because one scoop of ice cream here is 2-3 scoops somewhere else. It is totally worth it!

Banana Special

No one can resist Fentons ice cream; it makes my mouth watery just by thinking about it. The price is fair and consistent with their huge portion size. The ice cream is freshly made everyday with the finest of all ingredients. I have had many memories here in Fentons and hopefully in the future, my children will also create their own memories here. Fentons never ceases to amaze me and has always been one of my favorite places to go in Oakland.  

What Do You Know About The A's?

Guess What?

The Oakland Athletics (A’s) are the 2012 American League West Champions!

I was never much of a sports fan until I started playing softball my junior year of high school. I always thought that baseball was hard to play but after learning how to play softball, I realized that they both go hand in hand. I went from cheering for my high school baseball team to cheering for my hometown team, Oakland’s Athletics.

American League West Champions

After watching many A’s games and familiarizing myself with all the players, it was always painful to see General Manager Billy Beane trade off his better players for fresh new ones. This year the A’s used 19 rookies and I thought, here’s to another rebuilding year just like every other season in Oakland. However, the prospects and rookies bloomed so early that we suddenly were in serious playoff contention.

On Tuesday, September 1, the A’s tied the Rangers at a teeth-clenching game for a chance to win the 2012 American League West Champions. Watching in the comfort of my bed, it was hard to believe, especially since the A’s still has just one more game against the Rangers to win the title.

On the final day, September 2, the A’s gave up 5 runs in the third inning and right then I thought they were done for sure. However, the A’s came back and won 12-5! It was incredible! The A’s had nothing to lose, they were the underdogs and no one, even I, expected them to win. It was such a come back to remember! I was so proud to think that as I was giving up, they did not.

Oakland A's Fans at the A.L. West Game

Earlier that day, I tried to purchase a ticket for the game but unfortunately there was a sellout crowd at the Colliseum, home of the A’s, of 36,067. It was a rare occasion because on a regular home game, only about 15,000 fans attend.

“Oakland Manager Bob Melvin is fond of saying that 15,000 fans in Oakland are as loud as 30,000 fans anywhere else” and this is true because the only people that go to a regular A’s game are fans that truly believe in the team. They cheer like there is no tomorrow and gets the mood going for the players. I remember my first A’s game 4 years ago, there were so many empty seats but the atmosphere and the fans there just made it seemed like I was surrounded by more people than I though. Even as a newcomer back then, everyone at the game acknowledged each other and joined together to create the loudest and longest cheers that would last through out the game. The energy and vibe given off by the fans truly show off their love and support for the team. As I could see then and even now, the love for the team is undeniable!

The Team

Remember when I told you that I was going to highlight some of Oakland’s greatness? Well, I think I just did. To me, the Oakland A’s are truly a greatness of its own. It has been six years since they won their last league championship and even with 19 rookies on the team, it was an amazing feat that they won this year. Let us not forget the fans! The fans are incredible and loyal for believing in their team and supporting them throughout the season. Even if you are not a baseball fan, come on out to the Oakland Colliseum and join the crowd because they will show you what true fans really are. In all honesty, I believe that the A’s is a fun team that contributes to its excellent team dynamic and great baseball. Go Oakland A’s!

P.S. Check this link out! http://twitter.yfrog.com/0tevzicslzqslbazvyagzbomz (Let's go Oakland!)