June is LGBTQ PRIDE month and a stroll down Lakeshore shows merchants proudly supporting PRIDE and celebrating the LGBTQ community. Lakeshore’s non-profit Oakland LGBTQ Center is an amazing community and resource. It has a library definitely worth checking out!
Arise Yoga celebrated PRIDE and community with queer yogis in an afternoon of gentle yoga, meditation, ecstatic dance, expressive art, and vulnerable community sharing. The class was facilitated by Melissa Andrada (Mel – she/her), a queer Filipina-American born in Nigeria who came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant and came out later in life.
Bardo hosted Pride Brunch with Oakland Black Pride and Chef Sarah Kirnon. Proceeds of the brunch went to support Oakland Black Pride, a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to strengthening the LGBTQ Movement by empowering the most vulnerable within the community.
These are just two examples of the many ways Lakeshore business and organizations showed their support for LGBTQ PRIDE month with fundraisers, welcoming flags, messages, social media, and more.
Father’s Day on Lakeshore
Lakeshore and Lake Park Aves are fantastic places to plan for and celebrate Father’s Day! You can find clothing and gifts at True SF or the Gap, and gifts and cards at Urban Indigo. Enjoy morning brunch at the Lakeshore Cafe and Shakewell or lunch and dinner at Rico Rico Taco, Lin Jia, or Proposition Chicken. Splurge on sweets from Arizmendi or Colonial Donuts, and don’t forget coffee at Peet’s Coffee or Starbucks.
Give the gift of movement with Arise Yoga’s “take your dad to yoga day” celebrating “Papas, Papis, Pops, Dads, Stepdads, and Father Figures everywhere”. You will find something for Dad (or a father figure you may know) on Lakeshore, we truly have something tasty and fun for everyone!
Oakanna Update
In May, we welcomed Oakanna, proudly owned and operated by people who are from and live in Oakland. They offer the highest quality cannabis, the best selection, and the fairest pricing in the East Bay.
They have a large variety of edibles (along with flowers, concentrates and more). Please read the article “Confessions of a Seventy Nine Year Old Virgin” by Ken Katz of Splash Pad News on his authentic and humous experience with edibles from Oakanna.
Oakanna is at 3238 Lakeshore Ave (where the old CVS was) and the owner, Joshua Chase, looks forward to supporting Lakeshore Avenue and the community.
Cooling Off and Fantastical Fun
We have had some hot days this summer, and it is looking like we will likely have more. It is good to know that Lakeshore has you covered to be comfortable and have fun when the days may be too warm for comfort. Shakewell has air conditioning to cool you off while you enjoy an iced coffee, tea or cocktail with your meal. The Cat House has its signature cocktails such as their Sweet Irene which are both cold and delicious. Silver Moon Kids has hats to keep your kids cool as well as toys to keep them entertained inside if it is sweltering outside.
Looking for fun as well as ways to stay cool? Silver Moon Kids has costumes as well as toys, why not dress as a pirate, fairy or cat for a day? Maribel has all kinds of fun vintage shoes, bags and clothes to peruse. Catch Touch Vintage with “once and future fashions, lucky charms and Ricky’s Records” at The Cat House on some Saturdays. Urban Indigo always has fun home decor, cards, accessories, gifts and other great finds!
