One of the most exciting idiosyncrasies of living in the Bay Area is the seamless blend of outdoor and indoor activity, whether it is exploring the Ravenswood Open Space followed by brunch at Quattro and a test drive at Tesla (throw on a James Perse t-shirt* and look like you just rolled out from under your cubicle and no one will question your finances) or taking a row from one Bay Trail legend to another by jumping in your kayak at San Francisco’s Dolphin Club** and riding the flood tide to The Ramp where you can enjoy brunch and bloody marys*** before riding the ebb tide back.
In case you don’t see where I am going with this allow me to point it out: There are two indoor activities that resonate with the majority of us who call Bohemia by the Bay home and perhaps even more so with those who make the journey from across land and sea and they involve eating and drinking and not always at the same time or in the same location or in any particular order. Along this line of thought, I must say that the East Bay treks that end or begin in Jack London Square or Alameda offer particularly multifarious experiences for your senses. Who would think that you could begin your day in Alameda with wine tasting at R&B Cellars followed by a single malt tasting at St. George Spirits and end it with a world class BBQ experience at Everett and Jones in Oakland’s Jack London Square. All this while never venturing more than a block or two off the Bay Trail and always within an easy walk to the ferry or BART! Don’t look for a blog posting from me on this day and I reserve the right to use a tripod and automatic settings for all of my photography.
If you’re following me (on my blog, that is) look for more postings detailing these off-trail detours as I fuel my journey via local culinary treats and, from time to time, libations. If you’re actually following me, don’t be shy. Catch up and join me for lunch unless doing so would mean violating a restraining order.
*I’ve heard the Tesla sales staff is trained to know the difference between James Perse and Gap T-shirts. However if you really want to throw them off, save $100+/- and buy your T-shirts at a thrift store. Look for a relic from the 90s tech bust – something with lots of holes in it and an obscure tech company logo.
**The Dolphin Club is open to the public for a fee on alternating days with its neighbor The South End Rowing Club. BYOB – Bring Your Own Boat – and please visit their website or call ahead first.
***If you have had one too many bloody Marys please leave your boat behind and jump on the T line (one block away) or go to 511.org to get to wherever you need to go to sleep it off. The $2 fair will be well worth it.
The San Francisco Bay Trail: It's Closer Than You Think! 