I always enjoy coming to Piedmont Avenue!!…read more One would think that Piedmont Avenue is, you know, actually in Piedmont? But no, it's in Oakland. Plenty of restaurants and local businesses here to choose from, and walking around here is the best way to not miss anything. I especially like RNR Sushi, Shimizu Sushi , Dr Comics & Mr Games, Spectator Books, Piedmont Grocery, and GNC!! Fenton's Creamery is very popular here, especially on sunny warm weekends. That line snakes out the door regularly during the summer!! Parking is usually an issue here, but there is a public parking lot with meters behind CVS Pharmacy, I usually find a space there.

This area has a great variety of restaurants and shops…read more Local business and some chain businesses. Nice area to have brunch or dinner or get some ice cream or boba. Take a walk and enjoy the day Only draw back is the PARKING.... Parking can be difficult to come by.

Cut and pasted from the internet: "Castro Valley is named…read moreafter Guillermo Castro, a noted 19th-century Californio ranchero who owned the land where the community is located." Quality/Quantity - A nicer city to play and hang out, in comparison to Hayward, San Lorenzo, and San Leandro. Things to do: Chabot - Lake Chabot, regional park, etc. A few vineyards, but really I go to Livermore for that. Castro Valley is pretty much known for natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and a family friendly atmosphere. Atmosphere - 17+ square miles, .22 of which is water. Population - 66.5k as per 2020 US Census. Only about 5% of the city is developed for commercial use. Main employers are in the health care and social assistance industry. Service - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Price - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since ????

Love our new home town! Castro Valley is a wonderful, hilly town nestled right off of 238. It still…read morehas that small town feel charm in a sea of urban and suburban cities. The whole town is unincorporated and we have the awesome sheriff's department watching our backs every day. They are super responsive and helpful (not that we need them very often :) You won't find large chain stores here, which I sometimes hate, but helps lend itself to the charm of this place. You will find some chain and lots of local restaurants as well as the best golf land in the Bay Area! We love our neighbors and the place we call home. It's great for walks as well as checking out some cool holiday decorations in the Halloween and Christmas times. Stop by and enjoy what Castro Valley has to offer!

Very frustrating experience with the City of Hayward street sweeping citation system. I never…read morereceived the original notice on time, yet penalties were already added before I even had the opportunity to pay the regular amount. The communication system is extremely poor -- emails and letters go unanswered, and calling customer service involves long waits, transfers, and little resolution. Residents who are trying to responsibly handle their citations should not be punished because of delayed mailing and inefficient processing. The system feels unfair and stressful, especially when notices arrive late but penalties continue to increase automatically. I already paid the citation, but the overall experience was disappointing and needs serious improvement.

Cut and pasted from the internet: "Hayward was originally…read moreknown as "Hayward's," then changed to "Haywood," and later as "Haywards," and eventually as "Hayward." There is some disagreement as to how it was named." I rank this city similar to the City of Oakland. It has so much potential, but... Quality/Quantity - My few favorite things to do in Hayward, CA. Slowly, I mean very slowly, more and better restaurants are opening up. Most of the people I know that live here eat in neighboring cities... Hayward State - Now known as CA State University of East Bay. Chabot College. Stonebrae Country Club - Probably one of the best things to have happened to this city. It sure has brought a lot of $$ and a few snobs, lol. Other things to do in Hayward, CA that I have not experience yet or can not really recommend: Gardens and parks. Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center - I drive by on the bridge, but still have never visited. Southland Mall - I just can not recommend going, not much activity here and businesses closing left and right. Atmosphere - Can you believe Hayward is the 6th largest city in the Bay Area? And the 3rd largest in Alameda County?!?! 64 square miles, 18.3 square miles of which is water. Population 163k. Nearby cities - Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, and Union City. But really, the people of Hayward that I know travel to Pleasanton, Livermore, or Dublin for their dining out and entertainment. Service - Depends on what you do, buy, or eat/drink. Price - Depends on what you do, buy, or eat/drink. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since??? 1929 - Hayward/San Mateo bridge was built/opened. 1944 - Cal State University, Hayward. 1967 - Second Hayward bridge was built/opened. 1972 - BART. 2012 - Renovation of Downtown area, with many mixed reviews...

Montclair Village is a neighborhood in the Oakland Hills area of the city!!…read more A small, yet, very walkable area with a good mix of restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, cleaners, banks, you name it!! Montclair Park and Recreation Area is right here also, which is very popular, especially on weekends as there are multiple tennis courts there along with a duck pond. Located right off Highway 13, this small, quiet neighborhood is one of the best areas in the city!!

This is a lovely sculpture located at the Center Walk across from Frank Ogawa Plaza. It's labeled…read more"fountain" on the Oakland City Center map/directory. The piece was inspired by Gertrude Stein's quote "There is no there there", referring to her childhood home, despite her words being interpreted in different ways. The artist, Roslyn Mazzilli, spent decades creating sculptures that reflect aspects of nature and add vibrant color to the various settings in which her public artworks are displayed. "There!" is seemingly ageless and certainly an attractive centerpiece among the surrounding shops and eateries at the City Center, and a prime representation of Mazzilli's work.

This colorful sculpture is in the middle of the city center plaza right outside the 12th street…read moreBart station. I'd been here many times before and even sat around the fountain but never paid attention to the name of the sculpture nor it's creator until my last visit. Thanks to yelp, I learned something new once again. Now I know that this sculpture is knows as There!, created by sculptor Roselyn Mazzilli. Upon closer look, I saw the nameplate for the first time including the date of installation which is 1988. The entire plaza is a nice place to hang around with lots of restaurants providing outside seating around the sculpture and the fountain. Due to severe drought in California, the fountain is currently off but the sculpture is still a beauty to behold.

This is a lovely and unique art installation by the Exploratorium's Studio for Public Spaces, lead…read moreengineer and designer Colin Wang. A musical exhibit made up of oversized chimes and rocking chairs, which create sound with the drop of a hammer mechanism, located in downtown San Leandro in the Safeway plaza near Joaquin Avenue. Music quotes by Ray Charles and Sun Tzu are attached to the seats, though some words are missing due to vandalism. And the musical feature was definitely in working order this past weekend, at least for the few seats that we tried, creating a pleasant sound with each chime. The walkway where the exhibit is situated was deserted when we visited around sunset, though the plaza parking lot was full on a Sunday. Definitely a creative piece worth checking out if you're in the area.

Oakland would be Five Stars but I admit I haven't been here in years. I have childhood friends…read moreliving here and very dear Yelp friends. My favorite place was always the Oakland Coliseum where I saw some classic performances like Crosby Stills and Nash. There's been many historic events over the decades. I just love this city unconditionally because the historic happenings were my generation. I lived in san Francisco and Berkeley but loved to go to Oakland. Shout out to my Yelp friends from Oakland whether living or deceased.

I too grew up in Oakland and have been through the many ups and downs yet it remains a very diverse…read moreand resilient city. It bothers me so deeply that people who haven't spent time here are fearful of coming here and make hateful jokes which have only caused the hardworking local businesses to suffer. Let's not forget about all the hate crimes that have affected by own people in Chinatown. Celebrate the amazing diversity that Oakland has and come to support the locals. Explore a new neighborhood, explore a new food. Explore! Walk the Lake and take it all in!

This has a lot of potential but due to the lack of parking, makes it a little harder to enjoy…read moreunless you plan on biking. A lot of bikers in the area. Tip: please note, there is no immediate parking. Go a little past here, park on the curb and walk back down.

Great views, too many smokers! A great place to bike to and enjoy the view, or as an early biking…read morerest stop on your way up. There's a decent water fountain. It's really ironic that people come here by the droves to smoke both cigarettes and pot, since this is a firestorm memorial, but that's what they do. Why, people, why?