Peaceful Retreat – Oakland
The Basics:
The bedroom has a very comfortable Tuft and Needle mattress on a queen sized frame, a faux fireplace heater, desk, cozy chair, and lots of shelves in the closet. It’s decorated with art from local artists, and was intentionally designed to be a peaceful place. There are two large windows, and they both face the backyard.
This queer-friendly apartment has two floors, a private backyard and basically has the feel of a house. It’s set far back from the street, so street noise is minimal.
You’ll have full access to a stocked eat-in kitchen (only vegetarian cooking, but ok if you bring meat into the house otherwise) including a KitchenAid mixer, convection toaster oven, and all the spices you could ever desire for cooking (plus the usual). Recycling and composting are standard in Oakland. The living room has a modern and cozy feel, a record player, cozy couch, comfy reading nook, and a Smart TV with Dish network. The bathroom is a pretty standard bathroom with a full tub/shower and would be shared with me. It’s fresh and newly painted. I keep the house pretty clean and would want that to be compatible with whoever lives here.
$1325, utilities included
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The Location:
Bordering the neighborhoods of Piedmont Ave and Temescal in North Oakland, the apartment is just two blocks from the heart of the neighborhood and 10 minutes walk to the heart of Temescal. Within spitting distance are a couple restaurants (including the well-known breakfast/brunch spot Mama’s), a sweet mellow bar, and a Crossfit gym. Piedmont Ave has a wonderful neighborhood feel — a bit like a small town. It has two grocery stores, plenty of cafes and restaurants, a historic theater, gym and yoga studios and pretty much anything you’d need without leaving the neighborhood. Temescal has more of the above, plus some excellent restaurants, hip bars and cool art galleries. Ten minutes walk to an amazing park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead with epic views of The Bay. There’s also a public pool just 4 blocks away next to a city-run art center.
Transportation-wise:
Twelve minute walk to MacArthur BART, which takes you into San Francisco, Berkeley and other parts of the Bay Area. Within one block of the apartment is AC Transit’s 51A, 851 and 57 lines which take you into downtown Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley. You can also find the Kaiser shuttles which go to and from BART and take you within two blocks of this apartment. Lastly, there is also a GoBike station within a block, where you can rent bikes by the hour or day (like NYC’s Citibike).
For those with a car, there is street parking. The street that the apartment is in has a 2-hour limit on weekdays for non-permit holders. If you will have a car, please let me know. I can purchase 2-week visitor permits for $25 from the city. Though, if you are using your car to drive to/from work everyday, you likely will not need this. Additionally, some of the streets around the apartment are not permitted, so you can park there as well.
Oakland: A Vibrant and Diverse City
Oakland is an incredibly vibrant and diverse city, I’ve been happy to call home for almost two decades. You have a gorgeous lake in the middle of the city to walk or jog around, or spend weekends by, lounging in the sun or going to the massive farmer’s market. Redwood forests are located in the Oakland Hills, just a 10 minute drive from the center of the city, with beautiful views of The Bay, and a shoreline to walk along at all times of year. The city is home to a vibrant scene of artists and art, extensive food and drink, and a beautiful range of cultures. It’s changed a lot of these past two decades, with some positives, and some negatives, mostly rapid gentrification.
We have excellent weather and you can be active outside almost all year round. And, you are a hop, skip and a jump from San Francisco (15 minutes), wine country (1-2 hours), Santa Cruz and beaches (45minutes +), Lake Tahoe (3.5 hours), Monterey/Big Sur (2-2.5 hours) and beyond!
But, I heard Oakland was….
You may have heard people say disparaging things about Oakland. Oakland is often compared to Brooklyn. People used to say pretty disparaging things about Brooklyn just a few decades ago, and boy has it changed. Oakland is a city, and all cities have their issues and their have rough spots
In the last few years, The New York Times, has marked Oakland as a TOP PLACE TO BE VISITED. Here are a few articles that might expand upon what you’ll find in Oakland these days.
Photos of Oakland and the greater Bay Area
Who you’d be sharing the apartment with (me):
I’m a graphic designer, female, longtime Oakland resident. I work from home and from co-working spots during the week, and have activities that keep me out on the weeknights 3-4 evenings a week (softball, volunteering for a dog rescue, and pottery and time with friends). I love my life in Oakland.
I’m generally pretty quiet in the house, but do like to listen to NPR in the mornings. My home is really a retreat for me, so I don’t have get-togethers very often. On occasion I do have a friend or neighbor over to catch up or for dinner. I’m usually in bed or heading to bed by 10-11PM.
I want to provide a welcoming space while you are in my town. I absolutely love giving folks recommendations to places that they might like, and generally appreciate being a resource for visitors. My time at home is often to recharge, so I’m happy with just being a friendly face, and also enjoy connecting with people.
You’d also be sharing the apartment with my wonderfully sweet pup. She’s older, mellow, incredibly sweet and loving, and spends half time with me, and half time with her other mom, my former partner (and family). Open to other pets if they get along with other dogs (let’s talk)!