Fourth Street Lofts Web Log

KENNY BURRELL'S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT YOSHI'S
It's been Kenny Burrell's 75th Birthday Party all week at Yoshi's in Jack London Square, and there is one more night, Monday 31 July 2007. The performers include The Gerald Wilson Jazz Orchestra, Joey Defrancesco, Hubert Laws and others. Check out Yoshis.com for details, and a calendar for all upcoming events.

ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Jack London District Association is hosting this year's National Night Out, complete with free Dreyer's ice cream. It runs from 7-9pm at The Egg House, 229 Harrison Street at Third.

A RSVP to JLDA will insure there is enough ice cream.
nightout@jlda.org or call JOANNA ADLER at 510 893-4100.

Among the invited guests will be our local Oakland City Councilwoman, NANCY NADEL; our local Oakland Police Department Neighborhood Liaisons, MONIQUE TSANG and SANDRA SANDERS-WEST. Also invited are our two mayors, incumbent JERRY BROWN and mayor-elect, RON DELLUMS. Our newest neighbor-to-be, Senator BARBARA BOXER, has also been invited.

Come meet your neighbors, play some games and get some freebies.

CHEAP EATS
Home of Chicken and Waffles at the corner of Broadway and Embarcadero a few blocks away was featured on KPIX Eye on the Bay last Monday Night. The corner diner is open until 4 am for Night Owls. Other Oakland and nearby eateries were also featured on the show, and are listed on the show's Web Site. "Cheap Eats" is a periodic feature on this half-hour Magazine show.
http://cbs5.com/eotbshows/local_story_198143548.html

PARKING PLAN STRATEGY MEETING
The Parking Committee of JLDA will hold an open strategy meeting, Wednesday 23 August 2006 at 4 pm at The Egg House. This is where we make our plans on presenting our Parking Plan to the City of Oakland. All are welcome, especially those who have contacts with City Council.

MONTHLY HOA MEETING
Monday 21 August 2006 is our next monthly FSL HOA Board meeting, to which are all are invited. It will be at 7 pm and the Agenda is posted in the Mail Room.

GROCERY SHOPPING
We still don't have a 'real' grocery store in the neighborhood, but in a pinch the Sierra Deli and Market has dairy products including milk and eggs, juice, some frozen food, and take out (or eat in) delicatessen food. It is open M-F 6:30 am-8 pm, and 7 am-6 pm Saturday. It's closed Sunday. It's a nice, short two-block walk to the corner of Third and Madison.

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Members can download the minutes in PDF format here

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NEIGHBORS
Our new neighbors in #307 are AARON CLEFTON and MAUREEN BOYD.

DARRIN SHIMADA bought #206 and is doing some remodeling before formally moving in. He works nearby as a Physical Therapist.

Welcome to our newcomers!

MONTHLY HOA MEETING
Monday 17 July 2006 is our monthly FSL HOA Board meeting, to which are all are invited. It will be at 7pm in #105, and the Agenda is posted in the Mail Room.

FLEX YOUR ELECTRICAL POWER
With all the recent hot days we've been having, PG&E has been concerned about conserving power to make it through with no problems. We can do our share by not using electrical appliances until after 7pm when the need and rates are lower. It will also help us overall because the electric part of the FSL PG&E bill is paid by the HOA which means we all pay it. When it increases it affects our HOA dues.

PAINT PARTY
With JIM PIRE leading the way and doing all the high, tough painting, a group of us painted the First Floor Lobby, in preparation for the wood installation to come. Joining in the Saturday morning activities were ANN FOSTER/#202; CHASE MILBRANDT/#104; JEANNIE PHEMEISTER/#309; MARIE ROBINSON-the youngest daughter of MARY ANN & ART ROBINSON/#201 home for the summer from College in Toronto; and yours truly.

NEW METAL DOORS
Thanks to JACK ALLEN/#105, our First Floor back hallway has two new brushed stainless steel doors, on the Trash Room and Cuckoo's Nest kitchen door. Please treat them with reverence.

MANDATORY SPRINKLER INSPECTION
Our Mandatory Sprinkler Inspection was done Wednesday 12 July 2006 and went faster than schedule. And we had 100% inspection of all 40 Lofts and hall closets; and all but two of the Garage Storage Lockers, whose owners are still a Mystery. If anyone knows who belongs to #B or #C in the Garage, or the Fourth Floor Hall Closet, please let me know.

TRUCKS
The Port of Oakland has a Parking Enforcement Hotline 510/238-6035. Trucks have designated routes to travel and park in the area with a sign, and in some areas no trucks larger than 4 1/2 tons can be parked, which also have a sign. Check out the notice in the Mail Room for a visual of the appropriate signs.

WEDNESDAY OLD OAKLAND DUSK FREE CONCERT SERIES
The Bay Area Blues Society is holding free concerts every Wednesday in July and August at dusk - 5:30-7pm in Old Oakland at 9th and Broadway, site of the Friday Farmer's Market. The next one is Wednesday 19 July 2006 and will be Alvin Draper Blues Band. The complete schedule, for Old Oakland and other venues, is on their website. www.bayareabluessociety.net

THE CRUCIBLE
Nearby at 1260 7th Street is a big warehouse called The Crucible, which conducts classes of all kinds, as well as holding performances and activities. Last weekend several FSL neighbors went to The Fire and Ice event and took photos. Check it out at www.thecrucible.org. (More photos at thedude.com)

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Home owners can download a PDF of the draft agenda here.

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A huge thanks to helpful, handsome neighbor Jack and the rest of the board for their excellent work on the trash room door. The shiny 18 guage stainless steel cladding looks just fabulous! I did not expect it to cover the enire door! Jack hopes to give the door to the restaurant kitchen a similar treatment tomorrow. Hooray!

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NEIGHBORS
We have a new neighbor in #101. PAUL YOUNGBLOOD has a photography studio, 8Creative8. He is renting from owner, KEN TOUEY. Paul also owns the Watch store around the corner, and lives in Sierra Lofts.

We also have a new couple in #307, renting CHO KWAN's unit.,

PAINT PARTY
Now that we have all the top three floor 'lobby exhibit' areas all painted and complete with photographic murals, work is starting on the first floor. Before any of the exotic hardwood can be installed the walls have to be painted. And that's where YOU come in. Saturday morning, 8 July 2006 at 9am there will be a paint party. Contact FSL HOA VP, CHASE MILBRANDT, if you are interested. Come on by and cheer us on.

The next plan after that is to paint the walls of the hallway leading to the Mail Room and hang the historic photographs that used to grace the walls upstairs.

MANDATORY SPRINKLER INSPECTION
Don't forget that there will be a mandatory Inspection of all units and storage lockers to check the Sprinklers on Wednesday 12 July 2006. If you can't be home that day, please see that you get your key to me ahead of time. There are key tags in the Mail Room. Leave your marked key in my mailbox - #103.

EXTERIOR PAINTING
Plans are moving along to paint the exterior of the building, redo the FSL sign and refurbish and wash the glass awning. Come to the next FSL HOA meeting and learn the plans - Monday 17 July 2006. The agenda and meeting place will be posted in the Mail Room the week prior to the meeting.

SKATEBOARDERS
The Posey Tube structure is getting a face lift on both sides - Oakland and Alameda. This means there is a structure on the outside, which impinges on the sidewalk. What this does mean for us is careful driving down Fourth Street between Harrison and Webster. The Posey Tube sidewalk has become the hangout for a growing group of budding skateboarders, mostly of the beginner level. They are young and reckless - they don't pay much attention to oncoming traffic.

FARMERS' MARKET
The Farmers' Market in Jack London Square on Sunday mornings and the Farmers' Market on Webster Street in Alameda on Tuesday morning are each part of the Pacific Farmers' Market Associations. Both hold night markets during summer hours. The Alameda Market at Webster & Taylor Streets, near the end of Webster Street, is open Thursdays from 4-8pm, through Thursday 28 September 2006. There are Free Outdoor Family Movies the first and third Thursdays starting at dusk. The last movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. Guest Chefs give Cooking Demonstrations on the fourth Thursdays.

SUMMER SOUNDS 2006
Every Wednesday noon there are Free Concerts at Oakland's Civic Center Shopping Center. In July there will be Smooth Jazz on 5 July; Sea Shanties on 12 July; Rock on 19 July and Funk Jazz on 26 July. The free noon concerts run through October. In December there are three noon holiday concerts to celebrate Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza. For complete schedule - http://www.oaklandcitycenter.com/events.cfm

CONCERTS AT THE COVE
On the Second Friday of July and August there are Free Concerts at the Cove in Alameda, starting at 5:30pm. This is at the foot of McKay Street. July 14 it is The Amigos and August 11 it is the Alameda All Stars. There is free parking at Crown_Memorial Beach, off 8th and Otis Street, and also at lots at Santa Clara at Webster and Taylor Streets. For the energetic bikers, there is free secure valet bicycle parking.

FREE MOVIES IN OLD OAKLAND
Every third Saturday this summer, July - October, there will be free movies in Old Oakland, 9th & Washington. Some chairs are provided, but feel free to bring your own. The schedule is: 15 July - NETWORK 1976; 19 August-JOY LUCK CLUB 1993; 16 September-BOURNE IDENTITY 2002; and 21 October-SHREK 2001. Films begin at sunset. For more information - http://www.oldoakland.org/oo/neighborhood.cfm#joe610

MOVIE BENEFIT
TEMPO, an affiliate of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, is holding a benefit Movie Night, showing "Flashdance" at 9:15pm Tuesday 11 July 2006 at the Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Boulevard, Oakland. $2 of each ticket will go to the Oakland East Bay Symphony Education Program, bringing music to East Bay schools. The Parkway serves food and drinks, and has sofas and comfortable chairs. www.picturepubpizza.com.

OAKLAND WALKING TOURS
The images of author Jack London will surround you as you tour the historic square and waterfront. Visit a turn-of-the-century wholesale produce district still in operation and see the USS Potomac, the restored yacht of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Tour begins at 10:00 a.m. in front of the northwest corner of Broadway and Embarcadero Street.

2006 tour dates:
Wednesday, July 5; Saturday, August 5; Wednesday, August 30; Saturday, September 30; Wednesday, October 25.

PARKING VIOLATIONS
Although it may not seem like it, there is some enforcement for Parking Violations in our neighborhood, especially for overstaying one's welcome in the Green 12-minute Parking Zones in front of businesses, such as Cuckoo's Nest or Jack London Mail. The ticket is $50. If you want to contact the Parking Violations Bureau, to report, the number is 510/238-3099.

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