Letters

Touched a Nerve

    Thank you for introducing Brown Sugar Kitchen to more Oaklanders. We live one block away from Tanya Holland’s restaurant and are happy and proud that she has started her excellent business in our little part of West Oakland.
    We wanted to correct a few mistakes in the description of the neighborhood, however. Mr. Richardson writes that the “nearest signs of modern life—stylish new condos ...” are “a mile or so away to the north and south.” Actually, our great little house is one of 90 in a development one block north of Brown Sugar Kitchen, designed by San Francisco architect David Baker. Yes, we guess it’s stylish (a live-work loft with a concrete floor, bamboo cabinets, high ceilings, great light); and it’s definitely new (built in 2006). But it’s also close to Tanya’s restaurant, walking distance to BART and Emeryville, and about a nine-minute drive into the city on weekends(!).
    The “junkyard” Mr. Richardson writes of is in fact a storage yard for NIMBY, a fantastic studio space for a bunch of artists and craftspeople who create a lot of cool things for Burning Man and elsewhere. We love this neighborhood—love walking our dog on Mandela Parkway, walking over to the movies at Bay Street, riding our bikes to Trader Joe’s or down to Middle Harbor Park—and we’re most happy that small business people and other creative people can find a home here. We wanted to say that there are a lot of good things happening here: Victorian (and modern) houses being restored and built, parks being restored and created, and lots of established artists and families who are a part of it all.
    Again, we’re really glad you profiled Brown Sugar Kitchen, and just wanted to set the record straight about this neighborhood.

Andrea and David de Korsak
Oakland

Correction

    Our Best Of item in the June issue listing the Grand Lake Farmers Market as the best farmers market got the address wrong. It’s at the corner of Grand and Lake Park avenues.