Have you driven or walked by the corners of 11th and Broadway and 41st and Piedmont in Oakland and remarked about the murals that depict the Key System Stations that operated streetcars and bus lines throughout the East Bay (and a commuter rail and ferry to San Francisco) from 1903 until 1948 and wondered who [...]

Coming in about two weeks is Scream! Sorbet.  This is some of the best sorbet out there.  Super creamy, seasonal flavors and incredibly refreshing.  My favorite flavor is the lime mint.  I have been buying scream sorbet at the farmer’s markets for years and now they are setting up shop at 5030 Telegraph Avenue in the [...]

Oakland is the home of amazing people, both past and present, and James and Henrietta Latham were no exception. James, a Wells Fargo representative and his wife Henrietta, had three children, Charles, Milton and Edith and were dedicated to the value of all living things, including the way children were educated.  His brother Milton, a [...]

Every first Friday of the month, with the next screening on June 4th, the Great Wall of Oakland presents a curated screening of video art and films from artists in Europe, Canada and the United States. A series of 100-foot by 100-foot moving images are projected onto the back wall of 2201 Broadway.  The Wall [...]

Save the date!  On April 29 The Oakland Zoo will host a screening of the movie “Return to the Wild, a Modern Tale of Wolf and Man.”  The reception begins at 6:30 in the Marian Zimmer Auditorium at the Oakland Zoo with the screening beginning at 7pm.  The film is appropriate for children 12 and [...]

Recently, I have felt the buzz circling around the East Bay. Foodies  are out weekday and weekend to get their fill of our phenomenal  cuisine.  Last weekend Kermit Lynch had their annual Oyster Bliss,  featuring oyster’s from Monterey Market, food from the former chef of Eccolo, sweets from Cafe Fanny, bread from Acme Bread Co. [...]

The East Bay just keeps getting better and better.  If you think Oakland and Berkeley are sleepy cities, then you are certainly mistaken!
Once Ozzie’s Fountain Shoppe a  mid-century pharmacy and soda fountain is now the Elmwood Cafe.  This cafe was thoughtfully renovated and the owners did their best to savage the essence of its former [...]

I sold this mid-century modern home last year. (2009)

Last year I had the privilege of working with Julie and Alastair.  After many happy years in their mid-century modern home in Lincoln Heights, they had out grown this swanky two bedroom, 2 bathroom pad.  Their family had grown to five and life had created a new [...]

Over the past two months, I have been preparing this beautiful cottage for the marketplace.  I think this is the perfect place to have the ultimate dinner party.  Every house has a story to tell and the cottage at 3915 Laguna lets the imagination take flight. For me, the discovery of the history of [...]

Matthew Kowalski is showcasing his art at my office. Red Oak Realty, 2099 Pleasant Valley Avenue in Oakland.  I love the bright colors!

Matthew Kowalski: Artist Statement
 “I create my Radical Relief art using found objects as a printing medium. Finding the objects I use is random and up to fate. I am driven by curiosity in [...]