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VISITOAKLANDFEATURESGRANDLAKENEIGHBORHOOD

FORAPRILOAKLANDSPOTLIGHTPROGRAMAnEasterParade,WeeklyFarmersMarketandVarietyofRestaurantsAttractVisitorsOakland,CA(April4,2017)—VisitOakland,thecity’sofficialdestinationmarketingorganization,encouragesvisitorstoexploretheGrandLakeneighborhoodduringthemonthofApril.Withthewarmerspringweatherfastapproaching,nowisagreattimetoexperiencethevarietyofdining,shoppingandfamilyplayoptionsaroundLakeMerrittanditssurroundingneighborhood.“TheGrandLakedistrictrepresentstheheartofOaklandwhereneighborsfromalloverOaklandcometoshop,dineandjusthangouttogether,”saysPamelaDrake,DirectoroftheLakeshoreAvenueImprovementDistrict.

“GrandLakeistheperfectneighborhoodforvisitorstoenjoywhatOaklandhastoofferallinoneplace,”saysMarkEverton,PresidentandCEOofVisitOakland.“Fromthefarmer’smarketeveryweekend,tothehighconcentrationofgoodfoodandone-of-a-kindshopping,thereisalwaysabustleofexcitementandactivityinthispartoftown.”GRANDLAKEOakland’sGrandLakeneighborhoodisinthenortheastareaofLakeMerritt,namedafterthecommunitiesofGrandandLakeshoreAvenues.Thereisplentyofshoppingandrestaurantsintheareaforvisitorsandfamilies.WithgreatoutdoorspacearoundLakeMerritt,theneighborhoodisperfectforweekendgatheringsandactivities.

EVENTSANDATTRACTIONS

• GrandLakeTheater(3200GrandAvenue)–ThehistoricGrandLakeTheaterwasbuiltin1926andshowcasesthegrandeurartdeco

1. Grand Lake Theater

2. Lakeshore Baptist Church

3. Grand Lake Farmers Market

4. Barlago Italian Kitchen

5. Grand Lake Kitchen

6. Shakewell

7. Lin Jia Asian Kitchen

8. Michel Bistro

9. Urban Indigo

10. Rose Quartz Jewelry Store

11. Maribel

12. Fairyland

13. La Parisienne

14. Michel Mischer

15. Alchemy Bottleshop

16. Oak Common

17. Oak Town Spice Shop

18. SoleSpace

19. Boot & Shoe

20. Camino

21. Penrose

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architectureofcinema’sheyday.It’salocalfavoriteandoneofthemostaffordableplacestotakeinthesilverscreen.

• GrandLakeFarmersMarket(LakeParkAvenue,EverySaturday,9AM-2PM)–Hailedasoneofthebestfarmer’smarketsintheEastBay,theGrandLakeFarmersMarketoffersfreshproduceandflowers,deliciouspreparedfood,andfamilyfunatSplashPadPark.EasilyaccessiblebyACTransitandoccursrainorshine.

• 30thAnnualEasterParade&SpringFestival(LakeshoreBaptistChurch,April15,10:30AM-12:30PM)–JoininthisannualtraditionwithfreefamilyfunthatmarchesupanddownLakeshoreAvenue.Bringthekidsforfacepainting,corndogsandEastereggdecorating.NoEastercelebrationiscompletewithoutanappearancebytheEasterBunnyhimself,whowillbehandingoutbasketsofgoodiesforallyoungvisitors.

• Children’sFairyland(699BellevueAvenue)–SittingrightontheboarderoftheneighborhoodisthisiconicOaklandattraction.It’sastorybookthemeparkthathasbeenopenfor60yearsandwasaninspirationforWaltDisney’sDisneyland.

DINING

• BarlagoItalianKitchen(550GrandAvenue)–IndulgeinyourItalianfoodcravingwithlocally-sourcedItaliancomfortfoodandwine.WithalargespaceforprivatepartiesandaheatedpatiowithviewsofLakeMerrittacrossthestreet,you’llbeabletodinealfresoinOaklandallyearlong.

• GrandLakeKitchen(576GrandAvenue)–Thissmallyetpopularbrunchspotoffersmoderntakesoncomfortingbreakfastandlunchclassics.WithviewsthatlookacrosstoLakeMerrittandanoutdoorsidewalkpatio,it’sagreatplacetositbackandpeople-watchwhileyoudine.

• Shakewell(3407LakeshoreAvenue)–ServingmodernMediterraneantapasanddelightfulhandcraftedcocktails,thislocalfavoriteisfamousforitsfoodandfriendlyatmosphere.ItalsohelpsthatownersChefJenBiestyandGMTimNugentareTopChefalumniwhobringtheircamera-readyhospitalitytoallhungryvisitors.

• LinJiaAsianKitchen(3437LakeshoreAvenue)–Servingfamily-styleChinesecuisinewithacontemporaryflair,thisnewadditiontotheneighborhoodisagreatlunchspot.Localslovethelunchoptionsanditsfriendlyservice.

• MichelBistro(3343LakeshoreAvenue)–Thistwo-storyFrenchrestaurantwithrustic-chicdécorhasanimpressivewine-listandscrumptiousFrenchcuisine.Thisisaperfectspotforacasualfirstdateoraplacetoshareyourloveoffoodandwinewithfriends.

• LaParisienne(3249GrandAvenue)–Bringing“ParistoOakland,”thisFrenchbakeryisafavoritestopforlocalswhocraveartisanpastriesandcoffee,witharotatingdailymenuselection.

• Boot&ShoeService(3308GrandAvenue)–Amust-tryforpizzalovers,stopinthistrendyItalianeaterywithseasonalingredients,rotatingcocktailselections,andcommunaltables.

• Camino(3917GrandAvenue)–RusticCalifornia-cuisineisservedinthisuniqueOaklandfavoriteeatery.Bringagroupoffriendsandfamilyandenjoygreatfoodanddrinksatdinneroroverbrunch!

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• Penrose(3311GrandAvenue)–Wood-firedovensandfreshseasonalingredientsarejustkeyelementsthatmakePenroseatopfavoriteamonglocals.Eclecticflavors,internationalinfluencescoupledwithCaliforniancookingmethodsmakesthisCharlieHallowellrestaurantastoponthetravelingfoodielist.

SHOPPING

• UrbanIndigo(3339LakeshoreAvenue)–Aboutiquegiftshopofferinganeclecticmixofgoodfromstationary,housewares,toclothingandjewelry.

• RoseQuartzJewelryStore(3295LakeshoreAvenue)–Lookingforaspecialgiftforaspecialsomeone?RoseQuartzoffersaffordablejewelry,clothingandaccessoriestoensureyou’llfindexactlywhatyou’relookingfor.

• Maribel(3251LakeshoreAvenue)–Thiscuteconsignmentshopoffersgentlywornstylesbytopnamebrands.Stopinheretosellyouritemsortoperusewhattheyhaveonsale.

• MichaelMischerChocolates(3352GrandAvenue)–Upscaleboutiqueconfectionarywithartisanchocolatesandsweets.

• AlchemyBottleShop(3256GrandAvenue)–Aboutiquefilledwithwineandcraftspirits,thisstoreiseverymixologists’dream.Stopintolearnaboutthedifferenttypesofcocktailingredients,toolsandmethodstostockyourat-homebar.

• OakCommon(3231GrandAvenue)–Thiscoolandtrendyclothingstoresellsboutiquedesignerbrandsinachic,rustystorefront.Sellingready-to-wearfashionsandaccessories,stopinforatasteofOakland-style.

• OaktownSpiceShop(546GrandAvenue)–Amustfortheculinaryaficionado,pickupspicesandherbsforyournexthome-cookedmeal.PickupDIYkitsforacustomizedpackofflavors!

• SoleSpace(3304GrandAvenue)–Thisstoretreatsshoedesignslikepiecesofartsostopinheretoaddtoyourcarefullycuratedshoecollection.Fromcasualtodressy,everydayweartocollectoreditions,sneakerheadsandshoecollectorswilllovethisstore.

FollowOaklandSpotlightonsocialmediausing#oaklandspotlightand#oaklandloveit.

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TheOaklandSpotlightprogramisOakland’sfirst-everneighborhoodpromotioninitiativedesignedtosupportlocalbusinesses,spreadeconomicbenefits,andexpandtourismimpacttoareasoutsideoftraditionalvisitorlocations.Featuredinformationwillincludeinformationonwheretodineandshopintheneighborhood,aswellasinformationoneventsandculturalactivitieshappeningthatmonth.Venuesandattractionswillbeselectedwithinputfromcommunityleadersandgroupsfromeachneighborhood.TheprogramembracesthediversityandrichnessofOaklandbyfocusingonanewneighborhoodeachmonth,encouragingresidentsandvisitorsaliketogetoutandexploredifferentpartsofthecity.Visitwww.oaklandspotlight.comtolearnmoreabouttheinitiativeandfeaturedneighborhoods.

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ABOUTVISITOAKLANDVisitOaklandisaprivate,not-for-profit,501(c)(6)organization,witha21-memberboardofdirectorsandfulltimestaffwhosegoalistoincreasetourism’seconomicimpacttoOaklandthroughdestinationdevelopmentandbrandmanagement.Formoreinformation,visitwww.visitoakland.org.CONTACTFrancesWong,PR&CommunityRelationsManager,VisitOaklandO:(510)208-0561C:(510)396-8367E:frances@visitoakland.orgAllieNeal,PR&MarketingCoordinator,VisitOaklandO:(510)208-0529E:allie@visitoakland.org