I'm an Oakland writer, and because of my own local chauvinism and transpo problems, will be writing in various Oakland cafes and would love to find some buddies. Tried this last year to no avail, but optimism runs deep...
places to suggest:
on piedmont avenue: Cafe Trieste (mid-ave)--day and evening and Cafe Rooz (upper ave)--days
on grand near walden pond books: Cafe diBartolo--days (nice patio in back on glorious november afternoons)
on perkins at grand: Coffee with a Beat--days, and a great view of the park by the lake
on park blvd near the old Parkway Theater (sigh, tears down my face): Cafe Rooz the 2nd--days
on broadway at 4th near jack london square: Urban Blend--days and nights
on 7th st near west oakland BART: Revolution Coffee--days, and evening (?) but not sunday
on broadway near the paramount" Cafe Madrid--days
as you can see, we need more night time places. all of these places are tranquil about staying for hours as long as you purchase drinks, and all have pretty decent food. some have wifi, some don't, but we're supposed to be writing, not surfing...
i'm up for other ideas and open to various times, as i freelance and am flexible with my schedule (in this economy, entirely too flexible for economic viability).
remember, nothing gets written unless you put your butt in a chair and write.
SeaRabbitt
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23,633 / 50,000
Oct 24, 2009 - 18 34
thank you for posting!!
i am an oakland writer too and would love some oakland spots. i'm free monday wednesday friday mornings...there's already an afternoon (oakland or berkeley maybe) spot on mondays, and we're trying to establish an east bay spot for tuesday evenings, most likely at cafe milano.
but my schedule is also somewhat irregular. i'd love to have an oakland spot to go to wednesday and friday mornings. i'm partial to piedmont ave locations myself. maybe gaylord's too? i haven't been to the cafe trieste. though for during the day rooz has really good food.
let me know!
liz
----------The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers.
--James Baldwin
16,663 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 13 32
Piedmont Ave is pretty central and filled with good things. gaylord's can work as well. i have great hopes for cafe trieste, really like the atmosphere there.
i'm thinking of doing an all-day on Nov.1 to kickoff, and with the official kickoff over the hill in the No-Fly Surburban Zone, maybe we should do an unofficial one in Oakland. Cafe Milano is a bit too far away for my tastes.
53,216 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 14 29
I'm in Oakland as well, and would really like some write-ins I don't have to drive to. Do you know whether Gaylord's or Cafe Trieste are wheelchair accessible? Most cafes are, but not all.
16,663 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 14 34
all three we've discussed on piedmont avenue are i believe. at least in terms of no steps at the door and accessible seating. beyond that i can't say.
53,216 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 15 22
Thanks, that's good to know!
23,633 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 22 21
i'd like to propose a regular friday morning/early afternoon window at cafe trieste...maybe 10-1?
----------The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers.
--James Baldwin
752 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 12 32
i am also in oakland and would love some write ins close by....
16,663 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 08 34
I'm going to commit to spending much of the day at Cafe Trieste on Nov 1, get a roaring start on the novel. the ideas are bubbling. Anyone stopping by, say hi! there is a chance i may be called out of town, but i hope not. probably get there by 10am and stay until dark.
0 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 21 46
I'd like to meet with people in Oakland as well. I'll stay aware of posts in this topic. Evenings work better than days for me, but you never know. We should definitely make a point of establishing some regular weekly times once the ball gets rolling.
----------Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law
3,692 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 23 11
I live in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland but I dont drive- are there places nearby?
Also this may sound silly, but what about coin laundromats- are there any 24-hr ones in the area? Once a week there could be a late-night-laundry-and-laptop party (alliterations may or may not be included).
Thoughts?
25,371 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 15 26
On 17th St. there's the Good News cafe, but seating there is VERY limited. There is also the Starbucks on Lakeshore.
23,633 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 22 12
i'm trying to rally people to go to cafe trieste on piedmont in oakland on tuesdays from 7-10 (since i realized i'm not a big fan of cafe milano)
can i get a what what? :)
----------The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers.
--James Baldwin
10,116 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 14 12
I'm around Lake Merritt, too, and have a very flexible schedule (read: unemployed). So I'm definitely down for the local places, esp. anything around the lake and up on Piedmont. Tuesdays at Trieste sound like a good plan!
16,663 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 18 12
since i first pushed cafe trieste, i will try to do tuesday nights 7-10p, although i might be pinched to make it. any other night of the week i will commit. still hope to see people there sunday nov 1 during the day. i'll borrow a toy mouse from my cat and i'll have a NaNoWriMo sign. come say Hi!
also, frictitious, i will attempt the friday mornings, but my flexible schedule also might need to be flexible to other people friday mornings. we'll see how it goes...
4,073 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 20 34
I'm down for Friday AMs! Count me in, Fric!
----------[--I'm the one frantically rubbing his shaved head, typing on the Alphasmant--]
1,515 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 21 45
I am around Lake Merritt also and am super flexible with time, as in no job to speak of, so am happy to join different writing groups..