“I hesitate to use the phrase Safe Space because, sometimes I don’t always know what that means”.  Said Matthew Beld as I interviewed them at the Rite Spot on a Tuesday afternoon. It’s an important question. What does that mean outside of therapy and small, private enclaves where people can gather

“I made a lot of mistakes out of the ring, but I never made any in it.” ~ Jack Johnson It was entirely abandoned. Bottles, covered in dust, were still on the shelves, bar stools were askew and sticky glasses rested on the tables. It was as though some mysterious

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Twenty years ago a circle of chalk was drawn, on the concrete, in front of the 16th Street Mission BART station. To what purpose was this chalk circle? A ritual of recognition? A demarcation of special space? A making important, via a specific corner, that which is too often disregarded? Well folks, it

“Under the seeming disorder of the old city, wherever the old city is working successfully, is a marvelous order for maintaining the safety of the streets and the freedom of the city. It is a complex order. Its essence is intricacy of sidewalk use, bringing with it a constant succession

Folks hanging out on their porch and greeting friends, family and passersby, has long been part of the nature of West Oakland. A man whose house I regularly walk by on my way to work once called out to me, “How do you make a Mai Tai?” “You’ve got to

We began a tradition of bowing to each other. Back when I started working Monday comedy nights at the Rite Spot, it became a regular habit to stop off at the Uptown on my way via the train from Oakland. Like many long time bartenders, my morning is primarily spent

“I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure.” ― Mae West A woman I work with for wedding events tells me – in between filling up the juices, setting up the mats, and stocking the liquor – all about her sexual exploits. These exploits range

Long gone are the days of the Lone Palm. Not the actual bar. The actual bar is still alive and well. However, the towering, flowering palm tree that had long lived in front of the bar is gone. It was a beautiful tree and a beacon for all those seeking