|
Oakland Zoo
Category:
Environmental Education
9777 Golf Links Rd
Oakland,
California 94605
(510) 729-7320
The Oakland Zoo isn't as big as the San Francisco Zoo but my kids love this zoo nonetheless. I...
More
The Oakland Zoo isn't as big as the San Francisco Zoo but my kids love this zoo nonetheless. I think it's because after we go around looking at all the different animals in the zoo there is a little amusement park where they get to ride on the kiddie rides. I remember enjoying this as a kid myself and loved the pony rides they had. They no longer have that for some reason though.
Hide
|
|
They have a tool lending library, at the Temescal branch. They have branches all over town that...
More
They have a tool lending library, at the Temescal branch. They have branches all over town that each have their own specialty: Spanish language books at the Cesar Chavez branch, books in Chinese and Japanese and Vietnamese and Korean and lots of other languages at the Asian Branch downtown, a bookmobile AND an adult literacy program based out of the West Oakland branch, an American Indian Collection at Dimond, a Gay and Lesbian Collection at Piedmont... you could explore these branches forever.
But they have more than that. They have a website where you can search for magazine articles, books, newspaper articles, e-books and downloadable audiobooks. They have a summer reading game, art exhibits (like Italian Heritage or Paul Robeson), a Gay/Straight Alliance.... they spill over with wonderfulness.
And that's not all! They have "Lawyers in the Library," specific days when lawyers come to specific branches to give people free legal advice. They have the African American Museum and Library, an impressive collection of archives and reference materials that used to live at the Golden Gate Branch but merged with the African American Museum in 2002 - which itself is housed in what used to be the second Main library from 1902 to 1951. They have information about their services for persons with disabilities, and meeting rooms that you can have for free once a month. Thanks to the dedication of the library staff, and the generosity of Oakland voters in fundig them, there's practically no end to the wonderful stuff at the Oakland Public Library!
Residents of other cities are welcome.
Hide
|
|
Rockridge Kids
Category:
Social Services & Welfare
5511 College Ave
Oakland,
California 94618
I needed a car seat and this place was so great. They spent a lot of time helping me choose the...
More 11 months ago
I needed a car seat and this place was so great. They spent a lot of time helping me choose the right one for my babysitting. Great prices and the red head who helped me was very friendly. I will definitely be back.
Hide
|
|
The overall experience was great. I'm really glad I took the time to visit and will definately be...
More
The overall experience was great. I'm really glad I took the time to visit and will definately be back.
Hide
|
|
While it's the Dimond branch that has the official "American Indian Collection,"...
More
While it's the Dimond branch that has the official "American Indian Collection," Piedmont also has a large selection of Native American books in the kids' nonfiction area. My son and I got "A Boy Becomes a Man at Wounded Knee" here, which is a great book co-written by an eight-year-old kid who went on the march commemorating Wounded Knee and explains why and all of the history and personal experience involved for him.
Piedmont is small, but it also houses the Gay and Lesbian Collection and related bookclub, and a ton of other great books. I could browse there for hours, and I always end up with about twenty times as many books as I intended to check out. Good thing they're free!
Hide
|
|
Berkland Baptist Church is a great place to come and find about the truth about Chrisitianity....
More
Berkland Baptist Church is a great place to come and find about the truth about Chrisitianity. Whether you are a believer or are just curious, Berkland creates an environment where anyone could feel comfortable learning and questioning. They have a really great fellowship with one another and they are very warm and welcoming to anybody. Go check it out if you've been looking for a church or if you have some burning questions you need answered.
Hide
|
|
For a while, it was the source of everything I needed. I even had a job there as the housekeeper!...
More
For a while, it was the source of everything I needed. I even had a job there as the housekeeper! They house meetings of pretty much every twelve-step program in the area, from Overeaters Anonymous to Survivors of Incest Anonymous. They have different people leading meditations every Friday night, and a workshop on any one of a million healthy topics every Tuesday night, and often some kind of wacky shindig on Saturdays It's the kind of place where you can just walk in and get whatever you need to change your life, whether it's from a meeting, an event, or one of their many flyers and brochures from the rest of the world. They even have a play area with a swing and a clubhouse in the corner of the yard! And every single thing there is either free or just a donation.
Hide
|
|
For much of my late teens and early 20's I hated organized religion (I grew up Catholic in the...
More
For much of my late teens and early 20's I hated organized religion (I grew up Catholic in the Midwest as a gay male). Then I was introduced to MPC. I have never been in a more accepting and loving place. I didn't realize what I was missing in my life until MPC. I invite all of you to come and enjoy a Sunday morning with Karen our minister and with a beautiful community full of endless love and bountiful support!
Hide
|
|
I love this church! They're part of United Church of Christ, which if First Congo is anything to...
More
I love this church! They're part of United Church of Christ, which if First Congo is anything to go by is totally radical, hippie, and great. First Congo of Oakland is making a big comeback from almost dying out a few years ago; now they are growing fast, and have health services, and a big lunch after church, and great music, and classes, and just all kinds of things. They're a huggin' church; everyone's totally friendly and there's time in the middle of the service to greet people "with a hug or a handshake." I get so many hugs there. And it's really recovery-oriented: it's all about people changing their lives, and loving themselves, and doing healthy things. Love it!
Hide
|
|
I used to volunteer here, and I have a friend who used to work here. It's a beautiful place; when...
More
I used to volunteer here, and I have a friend who used to work here. It's a beautiful place; when they moved from San Francisco to Oakland they invested the money they were saving in remodeling the whole office so it was "green" - like recycled rubber flooring in the mail room that would also be friendly to the people who stood and walked around there all day, ergonomic and totally recycled office chairs, et cetera. You can get tours of the office and learn all about what they did.
And that stuff reflects exactly what they do. Earthjustice does the brilliant work of attacking where environmental destruction hits people. Sure, they fight for the grizzly bear and the salmon and the owl, but also, they attack environmental racism like all of the extremely toxic power plants and waste facilities that are deliberately built next to low-income neighborhoods of color. And they get results in spades, as you can see at http://earthjustice.org. There's nothing like a politically savvy and effective environmental group; there should be more places like Earthjustice.
Hide
|