So Much to Do


Alamedans craving something to do have tons of Island options, so those who love music, dance, art, live performance and lectures are in for a treat in this issue’s cover article, “Paint the Town Red, Let Me Entertain You.”
    Dan Jewett, our always-enthusiastic editorial assistant, trolled Alameda in search of don’t-miss outlets for fun, checking out umpteen entertainment venues to produce a doozy of a list of ideas. Some are real surprises: There’s a live 20-piece band at Rooster’s Roadhouse every Wednesday, and it doesn’t cost one red cent to hear it. And aspiring Fred Astaires can learn to waltz at Veterans Memorial Building each Friday for almost nothing.
    When the notion of producing an entertainment roundup came up, I gushed over the zydeco scene at Eagles Hall, a high-energy event I love for its diversity in age and ethnicity, popularity and longevity. Happily, Jewett finds that raucous Cajun house party experience equally exciting: “It really, truly was a side of Alameda I didn’t know existed.”
    However, he says the low-key folk music scene at Julie’s Coffee and Tea Garden and the waltz sessions, which draw hordes of youngsters, are equally impressive, and it’s that range of options that is most surprising: Whether huge and rocking or small and intimate, Jewett says, each setting is entertaining in its own right, and each one is crammed full of people who want to experience something other than watching movies or television. Hooray.
    Entertainment wouldn’t be complete without a nod toward food and drink, so Laurie Isola gives readers a tour of a few favorite watering holes in “Drink in Your Heritage, Take a Sip Trip around Alameda” in which she explores the cultural heritage of five different countries represented by the establishments.
    On an unrelated note, we’re introducing a new feature, Take Five, in the Around Town section. In the inaugural installation, Mayor Beverly Johnson chats about five fond memories of Alameda, and we’ll be inviting other Island celebrities to share bits of nostalgia about their Alameda.
    By the way, we’re always on the hunt for spectacular images to showcase in Alamedia, so how do you see your Alameda? If you have a dynamite photograph of Alameda to share, we’ll consider publishing it. Just e-mail it to alamedia@alamedamagazine.com.





    Judith M. Gallman
    judy@alamedamagazine.com