Block Party

Where to Eat, Shop & Play

Loving the Laurel

    Often hailed as one of Oakland’s most diverse neighborhoods, the Laurel District is on the rise. Once a bustling commercial district, this stretch of MacArthur Boulevard was sliding toward decline until a recent influx of new businesses enhanced the cozy neighborhood feeling that residents have known and treasured for years. Here, a sampling of the area’s offerings.

WHERE TO PLAY

1. Mills College Art Museum
    The Laurel District is located just next to the leafy green campus of Mills College, which makes the art museum at the women’s college a great outing for Laurel residents and those visiting the neighborhood. Founded in 1925, the Mills College Art Museum is housed in a small but gorgeous jewel-box-like hall, with a glass-paned ceiling and a quote from Robert Browning—“Art Remains the One Way Possible of Speaking Truth”—inscribed on the far stone door. Exhibits vary from internationally known artists to the annual show featuring current MFA graduates to seasonal showings of part of the college’s collection of 8,000 works of art, including paintings by 19th-century California artists, Native American basketry and Japanese ceramic pieces. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

    Mills College Campus, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 430-2164, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Tue. and Thu.–Sun. and 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Wed., www.mills.edu/museum.

2. Kids ’N Dance
    If you’re looking to get your little one up on her (or his) feet and moving to the rhythm, check out this dance studio, run by Kris Mueller, who holds an MFA from nearby Mills. Your tiny dancer can start Creative Movement/Mommy and Me classes at as young as 18 months, and the school’s Children’s Dance Company extends through age 16. And it’s not just for ballerinas-in-training—the school offers gymnastics, hip-hop dancing, tap, musical theater classes and even Polynesian dancing for grownups. See the school’s Web site for information about throwing a dance-themed birthday party chez vous. The studio also features a shop with tights, leotards and tulle skirts galore.

    3841 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 531-4400, see online schedule, www.kidsndance.com.

WHERE TO SHOP

3. Farmer Joe’s Produce
    If you’re looking for prime-quality fruits, veggies and general groceries, head to this friendly store, oft cited in regional publication best-of issues. The owners place a priority on eco-friendly, sustainable options, but the grocery store is lacking in the holier-than-thou vibe that makes some health food chains feel so intimidating. Here, you’ll find Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows next to Martha’s All-Natural Chocolate “Killer” Cake Mix complete with organic flour. Come here for bulk food, fresh fish and meat and a nice selection of cheese.

    3501 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 428-8178, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun., www.farmerjoesmarketplace.com.

4. Vista Madera Feed & Tack
    This jam-packed shop draws in horse lovers from near and far in search of everything from gallop gloves to tooled-leather saddles. Owner Kathy Dunn says lots of Oaklanders have horses, which they board at one of several functioning stables in the city, with loads of folks also coming in from Castro Valley, Walnut Creek and the like. Dunn has run the business in Oakland for 30 years, with about 10 years in the Laurel District. “I try to have a little bit of everything,” she says. And she does, from bits and whips down to a toy “Stable Cleaning Set.”

    3908 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 531-1989, open 11 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Wed.–Fri. and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat., http://home.pacbell.net/vistatck.
 

WHERE TO EAT

5. Glenn’s Hot Dogs
    If you’re hankering for a taste of the Laurel’s past, check out this small hot dog joint across the street from Farmer Joe’s. It’s has been on the scene for more than 50 years. Fifties-style neon beckons you to the free “Parking” out back, and sitting on one of the stools set up along the countertop inside will make you feel you’ve settled into an Edward Hopper painting. Glenn’s offers up breakfast all day (heavy on the linguisa, kielbasa, beef hash and pork chops along with eggs and hash browns), broiled burgers and eight types of sausage (spicy chicken mango for the non-red meat eater in the crowd) as well as an all-beef New York–style frank.

    3506 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 530-5175, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Tue.–Sun.

6. Phnom Penh Restaurant
    If veggies, fish and tofu are more your style, this sweet Cambodian restaurant may perk up your taste buds. Decorated with wooden, ceramic and painted Cambodian artwork depicting elephants and temples and sporting a small Buddhist shrine, this spot serves up tasty meat and vegetarian dishes. The service is spotless, quick and friendly; the vegetables super fresh; and the Cambodian iced coffee to die for. Try the Chhet Chean (deep-fried banana) if you’re feeling brave.

    3912 MacArthur Blvd., (510) 482-8989, 11 a.m.–9:15 p.m. Mon.–Thu.,  11 a.m.–9:45 p.m. Fri.-Sat., closed Sunday, www.phnompenhrestaurant.com.

—By Elise Proulx

—Photogrpahy by Amy Perl