Lakeshore’s Annual Halloween Parade truly brings the mischief, wonder, and community out on Lakeshore! It is a wonderful celebration and fun respite before the winter rush. While the parade is the big event for October, several other accomplishments are noted in this blog: Colonial Donuts was featured in Pink Box Stories, Shakewell’s Jen Biesty was featured in East Bay Cooks and The Cathouse Bar made YELP’s East Bay Favorite Place for Cocktail Bars! We had anniversaries, giving back, creative new additions to merchant offerings and more! We also have the sad news of Lakeshore community pillar, Mr. Ken Betts, passing away.
Read all about it and stay tuned for Lakeshore Events which are revving up with the approaching winter holiday season!
Dress Best for Less Welcomes Fall 
Arizmendi works hard making Halloween Pizza!
Lakeshore Halloween Parade
Lakeshore Merchants 
Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas 
Lakeshore Merchants
A huge thank you to Lakeshore Merchants, volunteers, and participants for making Lakeshore’s mischief and wonder come to life! Local families and the community were first delighted with Halloween fare and creative face painting at Lakeshore Baptist Church and then enjoyed fun Trick-or-Treat surprises from Lakeshore merchants. Lakeshore Security Guard, Abebe, helped lead the parade and made sure merchants were ready and traffic was safe as the parade progressed. Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas participated in the parade as a lovely and supportive butterfly. The Halloween Parade is an annual event sponsored by the Lakeshore BID and is a wonderful event for the community and the avenue!
Lakeshore Merchant Accolades
Colonial Donuts Featured in Pinkbox Stories
A Pink Box documentary telling the stories of California ‘donut kids’ features our very own Phing Yamamoto of Colonial Donuts! As Colonial Donuts quality donuts and impressive popularity show, California (and Oakland especially!) loves a good donut. This Berkeleyside Article reports that there are about 3,000 donut shops in California and about 90% of them are independently owned. Phing Yamamoto’s parents own Colonial Donuts and Phing left her job at Apple to work in the family business. We are lucky to have Colonial Donuts as our gem of a local, delicious and community-oriented donut shop. Learn more about it here.
East Bay Cooks features Shakewell and Bardo
Carolyn Jung, a James Beard Award-winning food writer, recently released East Bay Cooks: Signature Recipes from the Best Restaurants, Bars and Bakeries with Figure 1 . Impressively, Lakeshore has two of the 41 chefs, restaurants and food businesses featured in the book. Learn the secret to Shakewell Co-Owner and Chef, Jen Biesty’s Spanish Octopus and Short Rib recipes. Impress your friends making Bardo Lounge & Supper Club‘s original clams with smoked carrot bacon recipe.
Want to learn more amazing tricks from local chefs? East Bay Cooks is being sold at Shakewell and Bardo
Cathouse Listed in Yelp’s East Bay Favorite Cocktail Bars!
The Cathouse Bar is on the shortlist of Yelp’s Favorite East Bay Cocktail Bars for Fall 2019. Congrats to The Cathouse for adding this to their list of achievements as they enter their third year on Lakeshore.
The Cathouse Bar is an energetic woman-owned bar that knows how to throw a party. Keep an eye out for their dance parties, Second Saturday Vintage parties, DJ’s and more. They also start the week out with a late-night Happy Hour on Mondays (9 pm-midnight). Have you checked out their fabulous events as well as their refreshing and fabulous cocktails?
Merchant of the Month: Top Dog
Since 1966, Top Dog has sought out the best sausage from the best sausage-makers and continues to do so today! Their great success is apparent and business has grown to three locations. Have you tasted their scrumptious sausage? Enjoy Top Dog at 3272 Lakeshore Ave or use their catering for special events.
Lakeshore Anniversaries
Bardo Celebrates One Year on Lakeshore!
One Year Anniversary 
Fall Flavors at Bardo 
Amazing Fall Inspired Cocktail
A huge congrats to Bardo Lounge & Supper Club who rang in their one year anniversary on October 10. Bardo Lounge and Supper Club brings exceptional food, music, and charm to Lakeshore — and amazing cocktails! We look forward to many more years, drinks and shows!
Event Photos: @rsvp_event_photography
Congratulations to The Cathouse Bar for turning Three!
Congratulations to Maribel for 16 Years!
Turning sweet 16, Maribel has worked and succeeded in creating a community connection through the recycling of women’s clothing and accessories. Maribel’s consignment boutique has an amazing array of designer clothes and is definitely worth a look for new wardrobe items and outfit accessories with style.
Happening on Lakeshore
Tea and Co-Work at Hipline!
There’s a new tea game in town at Hipline’s co-working space! Archaa is joining Hipline’s co-work beverage service with authentic Indian Chai. Come enjoy a cup on Wednesday’s 11:15 – 2:15 pm (during co-work).
Calling All Makers for the Hipline Holiday Bizarre
Hipline’’s Holiday Bazaar invites all the makers, bakers, entertainers, artists and healers in our vibrant community to participate in this December event. The spirit of Hipline is founded in sisterhood and inclusion and the event is intended to reflect their dynamic, powerful, creative and brilliant community—so please come all to share your talents and sell your goods! More details: https://www.myhipline.com/hipline-holiday-bazaar
New Types of Classes at Bay-Made
Kid Halloween Class at Bay-Made
Bay-Made has your winter creativity, creations and crafts covered! In addition to their jewelry, screenprinting, drawing, weaving classes (and more) they have season and holiday-inspired classes! This season you can sign up to try your hand at making Thanksgiving Centerpieces, Winter Wreaths, Plush Ornaments and more! Plus there are more family and kid classes such as Hannukah Family Craft Night, Faux Gingerbread Houses, Family Ornament Making Night, and Kid Present Making Night. Learn more about all the new adult classes and family and kid classes (they will fill up soon!)
Giving Back
Shakewell Raffle Winners to Benefit Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
The lucky Shakewell raffle winners from their LGBTQ fundraiser during Oakland Pride weekend! Each year Jen Biesty and Tim Nugent work to ensure that the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center truly sees the support their community has for them.️
Proposition Chicken’s Nonprofit Monday
In October, Proposition Chicken donated 10% of all Oakland dine-in food sales to their amazing partner Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland. Pro Arts Gallery is a multi-use space in downtown Oakland that houses exhibitions, symposiums, debates, music events, film screenings, literary events, residencies, and publications. Check them out at 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.
Lakeshore Style: Neighbors Supporting Neighbors
We love seeing businesses supporting businesses to create an even stronger and more vibrant community! We are fortunate that Lakeshore merchants work to support each other, here are just two examples:
Shakewell needed new art to decorate their restaurant. Shakewell Co-Owner and Chef, Jen Biesty visited Sarahjane Bernhisel at Bay-Made to pick something out from over 150 Bay Area artists on display. Jen Biesty made a video to record her neighborly outing but we will have to visit Shakewell to see which talented artist was chosen for display.
What is Halloween without a good costume and visit from your neighbor? Shakewell co-owner Tim Nugent visited Julia at Dress Best for Less before the Lakeshore Halloween Parade (and we have the proof)! He certainly got some good company and he may have scored a super cool accessory for his costume!
Homecoming Dinner at Oakland LBGTQ Community Center
Thursday, November 28:Oakland LBGTQ Community Center is having a free Homecoming dinner on Thursday, November 28th from 1 pm-9 pm (dinner is 2 pm – 5 pm).
Lakeshore Experience
Part of the joy of vibrant neighborhoods is the space Lakeshore merchants make for the community to gather. At any given time, neighbors come to the avenue to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee or tea, local-inspired food or find a gift to purchase for themselves or a friend. Another advantage of this is the space created to enjoy time with others and briefly escape the surrounding hustle and bustle; just as these local gentlemen do playing a friendly game of chess in Starbucks.
Honoring Ken Betts
We are sad to report that Ken Betts, owner of Ken Betts, Inc, has passed away at the age of 85. Born on April 27, 1934, in Akron, Ohio Ken was a longtime resident of Oakland and Piedmont, California. In California, Ken began his long career as an owner of Chevron service stations, including Betts Lakeshore Chevron at 3500 Lakeshore, and eventually expanded his enterprises to include car washes and a towing business. Ken Betts Company was selected by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce as small business of the year in 1992. He received many awards from Chevron, culminating in the 60 Years of Service award, and was the longest-serving Chevron dealer in the entire Bay Area. Ken was a past president of the Lakeshore Business Association and Montclair Business Association and a member of numerous associations affiliated with service stations, car washes, and towing companies.
An astute businessman, Ken was known for his loyalty to his many employees, each one of whom he personally interviewed before hiring. A benefactor of many local nonprofits, Ken served on the board of directors of the Oakland Zoo and of Children’s Fairyland. He also was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Oakland, the Grandfather’s Club, and the 100 Club. For 63 years, Ken was a Master Mason, Live Oak Lodge #61.
A lifelong lover of animals, Ken nurtured his pets. He also loved travel and, starting in the 1970’s, made many trips abroad. Ken is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carla, and children Linda Boyce, Kent Betts, and Lisa Herrling. One daughter, Kelley, predeceased him. He is also survived by grandchildren Marissa Betts, Ashley Boyce, Michael Boyce, Sean Betts, Dayna Betts, Carson Herrling, Bailey Herrling, and Maggie Herrling, and by great-grandchildren Chloe Betts, Jack Betts, Levi Betts, and Alexio Garcia.