michaelD: the bay area buzz report

Fat Tuesday in Oakland

Fat Tuesday at Brown Sugar Kitchen: BEIGNETS!! Come for the beignets, stay for the Creole Shrimp and Shrimp & Smoked Chicken Gumbo!

Ozumo Restaurant in Oakland will be hosting their 2nd annual “East Meets West” Mardi Gras celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 16 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Highlights will include live entertainment in the spirit of the occasion, the diverse sounds of New Orleans as presented by DJ Gray, and “Fat Tuesday” food and Brazilian drink specials served in the bar and lounge. More>

Picán Restaurant -- Oakland’s hip spot for dining -- celebrates “Fat Tuesday” Bourbon Street-style on February 16th, 2010 @ 5:30 pm. According to assistant manager, Cynthia Fung, the festivities will include beads, boas, traditional NOLA “bites,” as passed hors d'oeuvres, and “bottomless” Southern Comfort Hurricanes and Bulleit Sazerac, a specialty cocktail made with premium small-batch Bulleit bourbon. Masks are optional but encouraged. Space and ticket availability are limited. More>

Miss Pearl's Jam House - They will be celebrating Mardi Gras with live entertainment by the Craig Caffall Band.  They will also have a raffle in the evening.  Be sure to try their new menu and specialty drinks (Jello shots and Hurricanes). More> and here>

Also, head over to Arizmendi Bakery on Lakeshore or in San Francisco for Fat Tuesday. No cocktails, but they do have something called "King Cake", a "colorful Danish pastry with pecans"! Now, as a word of warning, it seems only the San Francisco Arizmendi has a Fat Tuesday-related happening, but check the Oakland Arizmendi Bakery anyway. They're always full of unannounced surprises!

Holiday Lights, Skating and Parades

There's not a whole lot more than lights and ice that signify Christmas. And it's happening all over the Bay Area.

The KBLX Live Sunday Brunch at Hotel Nikko—with Ashford and Simpson!

Folks, look who dropped in on Nikki Thomas at Sunday's brunch! I bet now you'll drop by more often, eh?
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Yep! The fabulous Ashford and Simpson came thru the brunch today! We had such a wonderful time–packed house, great food, and a VIP surprise! Don’t miss out next week–415-394-1100 for reservations!

By Nikki Thomas, KBLX

Want more of Nikki? Check out her blog, The Nikki Thomas Network

KPFA 94.1FM launches OaklandSeen...includes michaelD in weekly segment

Could this be my real calling? I received a call from Aimee Allison the other day, and next thing you know I've got a regular spot on her new weekly radio show, OaklandSeen, airing Tuesdays at 11am on KPFA (94.1 FM). This is pretty cool, and seems to be right up my alley. The show is one hour long, and is billed as "...a platform for new ideas and community activism.  (It will) tap the Oakland we hardly hear from to discuss the most pressing local issues, to highlight great work in the city, and to keep our city leadership accountable."

I join Aimee at the end of the show for a 5 minute segment on cool Oakland haps, the latest and greatest in entertainment, nightlife, dining, arts and culture. So, it will be along the lines of what I provide here at The Bay Area Buzz Report, with a little inside scoop thrown in!

Read the full press release>

UPDATED: Second show (getting better, but I still need to slow down!) - airs Tuesday, Nov 10. Subject: Piedmont Ave (North Oakland) & Weekend Haps (11/12 - 11/15) | 5 min | Program Notes

michaelD joins Aimee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/10/09 

1st show - Please excuse the fading audio levels. The sounds levels were normalized when it originally aired. Subject: Uptown District (Downtown) and Weekend Haps (11/5 - 11/8) | 5 min

michaelD joins AImee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/03/09)

Or listen to the entire show, where Aimee discusses the one-year anniversary of the election of Barack Obama; the euphoria that surrounded his election and a current pulse on how “Oaklanders” feel about his presidency.  Aimee examines if campaign activism last year has inspired local involvement in citywide politics. | 60 min

Entire Show -  Aimee Allison on OaklandSeen (KPFA 94.1FM 11/03/09)

Listen live online: KPFA 94.1 FM (24k mp3) | KPFB 89.3 FM (16k mp3) | iTunes Radio: "Public" | Comcast Digital Cable 967 | iPhone: Public Radio Tuner App

Michael D of The Bay Area Buzz Report joins Aimee Allison on new KPFA "OaklandSeen" weekly radio show

Hip Politics Radio Show & Blog Seeks Accountability and Involvement in City Government and Communities

"OaklandSeen" hosted by Aimee Allison
Starts Tues., Nov. 3, 2009, 11:00a.m., KPFA 94.1 FM
Listen live via radio or online at KPFA.org

"This show is a platform for new ideas and community activism.  I'll tap the Oakland we hardly hear from to discuss the most pressing local issues, to highlight great work in the city, and to keep our city leadership accountable."

Residents, tax payers, young adults are all seeking answers to the challenges facing Oakland, California; they want to know who to hold accountable when a problem arises; they want to know where to turn when all else has failed them.  Young people interested in the political climate and everyday issues happening around them need a platform to express their views.  They also want to feel good about the city they call home and celebrate the accomplishments they see taking place around them.

OaklandSeen, a new weekly radio show and blog launches Tues., November 3, 11:00 a.m., on KPFA 94.1FM, to address their concerns and fuel their participation in local city government. The show airs each week in the same time slot.   Aimee Allison is the creator and host of OaklandSeen.

Presently, Allison is the host and producer of the popular KPFA Morning Show, heard each weekday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  OaklandSeen will feature the voices of everyday Oakland - and has a new OaklandSeen line that will record thoughts and ideas from across the city.  The call in number is 510.848.6767 x 606.

Also featured "on air" with Aimee in a weekly segment, VIPLineup.com editor Michael D with The Bay Area Buzz Report.

MJ: This Is It (sneak peek!)

Here ya go...get out the tissue! We're just a few days away from when the Bay Area, along with the rest of the world gets a behind the scenes look at what some are calling Michale Jackson's finest performance. Chances are slim if you haven't already gotten your ticket, but check here for availability.

New York (CNN) -- For Kenny Ortega, Travis Payne and Michael Bearden, "It" is a bittersweet feeling.

The three men expected to be spending their time this summer and fall working on Michael Jackson's concert engagement at London's O2 Arena, which was scheduled to begin in July. Instead, they are talking about Jackson's last days and the new movie about that time, "This Is It."

In an interview, they described "This Is It," the movie that they've made from rehearsal and backstage footage of Jackson, shot just before he died June 25. The film, which has been dominating advance ticket sale outlets, opens wide on Wednesday. [CNN]

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